At the Ballet

**At the Ballet** is the fourth song in the 1975 musical A Chorus Line. It is notable for its famous E5 belt by Maggie.

## Synopsis

The song is about how three women found their derelict lives to be fine when they discovered ballet.

## Lyrics

**Sheila Bryant****:** Daddy always thought that he married beneath him, that's what he said, that's what he said, when he proposed he informed by mother he was probably her very last chance, and though she was twenty two, though she was twenty two, though she was twenty two, she married him. Life with my dad wasn't ever a picnic, more like a come as you are, when I was five I remember my mother dug earrings out of the car, I knew that they weren't hers but it wasn't something you'd wanna discuss. He wasn't warm. Well not to her. Well not to us. But everything was beautiful at the ballet, graceful man lift lovely girls in white, yes everything was beautiful at the ballet, hey. I was happy, at the ballet. That's when I started ballet class.

**Bebe Benzenheimer****:** Up a steep and very narrow stairway, to the voice like a metronome, up a steep and very narrow stairway...

**Sheila Bryant****:** It wasn't paradise.

**Bebe Benzenheimer:** It wasn't paradise.

**Both:** It wasn't paradise.

**Sheila Bryant:** But it was home.

**Bebe Benzenheimer:** Mother always said I'd be very attractive when I grew up, when I grew up. 'different' she said with a 'special something' and a 'very very personal flair' and though I was eight or nine, though I was eight or nine, though I was eight or nine...I hated her. Now 'different' is nice but it sure isn't pretty, pretty is what it's about. I never met anyone who was 'different' who couldn't figure that out. So beautiful, I'd never live to see. But it was clear, if not to her, well, then to me. That-

**Bebe and Maggie:** Everyone is beautiful at the ballet. Every prince has got to have his swan, yes everyone was beautiful at the ballet,

**Maggie:** Hey!

**Bebe Benzenheimer:** I was pretty.

**Sheila Bryant:** At the ballet.

**Sheila, Maggie and Bebe:** Up a steep and very narrow stairway, to the voice like a metronome. Up a steep and very narrow stairway!

**Maggie Winslow:** It wasn't paradise!

**Bebe Benzenheimer:** It wasn't paradise!

**Sheila Bryant:** It wasn't paradise!

**Sheila, Maggie and Bebe:** But it was home.

**Maggie Winslow****:** I don't know what they were for or against really, except for each other. I mean, I was born to save their marriage, but when my father came to pick me and my mother up from the hospital, he said 'well I thought this would help, but I guess not'. Anyway, I did have a fantastic fantasy life. I used to dance around the living room with my arms up like this. And in my fantasy there was this Indian chief. And he'd say to me 'Maggie, do you want to dance?', and I'd say 'Daddy, I would love to dance!'. Doo-doo-doo-doo.

**Bebe Benzenheimer:** But it was clear!

(doo-doo-doo)

**Sheila Bryant:** When he proposed.

(doo-doo-doo)

**Maggie Winslow:** That I was born to help their marriage and when...

(doo-doo-doo)

**Sheila Bryant:** That's what he said.

(doo-doo)

**Bebe Benzenheimer:** That's what she said.

**Maggie Winslow:** I used to dance around the living room.

(doo-doo-doo-doo)

**Sheila Bryant:** He wasn't warm.

**Bebe Benzenheimer:** Not to her.

(doo-doo)

**Maggie Winslow:** It was an Indian chief and he'd say Maggie do you wanna dance, and I'd say Daddy, I would love to. Everything was beautiful at the ballet, raise your arms and someone's always there. Yes everything was beautiful at the ballet, the ballet, the ballet!

**Sheila, Maggie and Bebe:** Yes, everything was beautiful at the ballet.

**Maggie Winslow:** Hey.

**Bebe Benzenheimer:** I was pretty.

**Sheila Bryant:** I was happy.

**Maggie Winslow:** I would love to.

**Sheila, Maggie, and Bebe:** At the ballet.