Anyone here ever do ballet?

[Kalthus63]

This might be an odd post, but I think E might be the ideal place for it -

I'm trying to write a story set in the ballet world, looking at what its like to be a ballerina. I don't mean dance - I mean - the social side of the industry. What happens backstage. How they keep their weight down - basically, all of the bad behaviour.

Every book I've very read of ballet anecdotes concentrates on things like - witty bon mots, hilarious jests on the opening night. Or there's the tortured arteest angle that turns up in films like 'Black Swan' - I'm more interested in the slightly seedier end of the scale. I mean - do Ballerinas actually rtefer to 'the Nutcracker' as 'the Ballbreaker?'

If anyone has contacts in this area, can recommend anything like a book or a website which looks at the earthier side of being a sugar plum fairy, I'd be very grateful. The ideal thing would be to make contact with some sassy, foul-mouthed bunhead ....anyone know one?

[ReanimateMagnus]

I've never done or seen ballet, but I did see The Black Swan. That movie was awesome.