written by Tom  on 20.08. at 03:18:08

Son, you just have to go out there with that freakishly huge bulge& not worry about it.  It's just one of the many funny weirdnessesabout ballet.

When I saw my first ballet as a teenager, I was horrified at theway those parts that I thought should be discreetly tucked awaywere allowed to protrude in such an embarrassing manner.  But I wasyoung, prudish, & homophobic in those days.  I got over it; you'llget over it, too, in time.  (And I should mention that some dancershave not been above padding their dance belts in order to make itlook as if they had, well, more than they had.)

There was a riotously funny thread titled "Bulge" on the alt.arts.ballet newsgroup a few years ago.  The opening post read,   : How come all the male ballet dancers seem to have huge bulges   : in their crotches?  I mean, do they stuff socks down there or   : what?  I've always wondered. ...& the merriment went on for about 66k of posts.  If you canretrieve it via Deja, you'll get a few laughs.

Tom Parsons

• http://www.panix.com/~twp" target="_top">Tom's Page