A lot of expression comes from your eyes, so you want to make them very pronounced, says a coryphee. 35 minutes before The stage manager calls through the intercom, 'Good evening ladies and gentlemen of The Australian Ballet. Beginners is the call 5 minutes before the ballet begins. At the call 35 minutes before the curtain goes up, the dancers leave the barre to put on costumes in their dressing rooms. Dressers help the principal artists and anyone else who needs assistance with a wig or a complicated outfit.
Dancers share dressing rooms in most theatres.
A dressing room is like a little shrine, says a principal. Your make-up is set out, or strewn over, a table. People often have pictures of friends, family or loved ones, or someone who inspires them. It s your personal space where you prepare yourself for the performance. Sometimes that means listening to music to stay calm.