Since my early teens I have always wanted to be a ballerina. At age 12, I was forced to attend my sister's ballet classes (three times a week), having to walk her home after class for her safety. The combination of the embarrassment of having to attend ballet classes, with the angelic ballet images, with the combination of sensuals scents (nylon, leather, young girls' dew, and a mixture of sweet perfumes,soaps and body sprays) soon consumed me. I found myself uncontrollably and deeply longing to be a girl and a pretty ballerina. Throughout my teens, at every opportunity I could (almost nightly), I would sneak into my sister's room to obtain items for my nightly class/recital- a pair of my her pink,black,red or white "used" tights, a black or red leotard, her pink leather ballet slippers or satin pointe shoes, and one of her tutus. Then alone in my room, illuminated only by moonlight, I would carefully and confidently dress myself just as the other ballerinas did in class. Then I would stand in front of the full length mirror, on the back of my closet door, and I would practise the same ballet positions, steps and movements as were taught to the other ballerinas in class that day. I was so in heaven during those self-taught classes. I was so at ease and comfortable being that angelic ballerina, intently positioning my feet, arms and hands just right for each positon and step.

Oh thank you for this thread and for taking me back to the most wonderful times of my life. A quick update- I now have my own tights, unitards, leotards, soft ballet slippers and pointe shoes, and several tutus. I have several ballet dvds, and I dress each morning as the ballerina I know I am, and begin each day with a ballet lesson/class. I am dressed now in pink danskin performance tights, pink thong leotard, short pink ballet dress, and with peach satin pointe shoes (Sasha's) securely tied to my feet. On your toes girls!!!