The Dying Swan

Regulus Black is a ballet dancer on the rise, trained at the prestigious Bolshoi and ready to claim a principal role, if he can just bulk up. At 25, time is running out, and his body isn’t cooperating. Desperate to meet the choreographer’s demands, Regulus turns to James Potter, a personal trainer and a man who quickly becomes his biggest distraction. As Regulus battles career pressures, body image issues, and his growing feelings for James, he finds himself torn between the stage and a life he never expected: one filled with love, breakfast with Harry, and everything he never knew he needed.

A few months ago, I got into an argument on Tumblr with this trans fic writer (they/them/he/she, honestly, I don't know, but that’s not the point). The author had this AU where Regulus, a male ballet dancer, was wearing a leotard and leggings for rehearsal. Yes, you read that right: male ballerina Regulus in a leotard, for a rehearsal. I annoyingly let the author know that male ballet dancers don’t wear leotards unless they’re required to for a performance (not a common occurance). Because, fun fact: it’s uncomfortable as hell. Leotards, dancer's belt and leggings in rehearsal? That’s like the nightmare for any male dancer.I reminded them that peeing in a leotard is basically an Olympic sport, it's a disaster. Someone tried to argue, "But a lot of men wear leotards!" Sure, if by “a lot” you mean none, but who’s counting? And let's not forget, ballet has a very specific aesthetic. The only “volume” allowed in ballet is the one created by a dancer's belt. That’s the only thing that’s deemed acceptable in the ballet world. Nope. Not in the professional world.Naturally, the author and their friends got all upset, accusing me of not knowing anything about ballet. This is coming from me, someone who grew up in a ballet studio, who worked in one most of my life, and, oh yeah, was a male ballerina. I was also apparently making assumptions about Regulus’s genitalia (because, you know, that's the most important part). So, I decided to write an entire fanfic to prove them wrong. Because, apparently, knowing about ballet is a big deal when you’re writing about it.Here’s the thing: Professional ballet is not a progressive place. Your genitalia will literally decide what roles you get. Ballet is an elitist, age-old institution that doesn’t change just because you want it to. You can shout “progressivism” all you want, but it’s not going to do anything when it comes to casting.And no, male or female ballet dancers do not wear leggings for rehearsals. Tights? Yes, always. They’re made to highlight muscles and give that long, lean look. That’s not how it works in the world of ballet. Also, tights are made for light skin, so you know… that’s why you don’t see a lot of Black dancers at the top because there is a lot of racism in Ballet. Not my rules, just reality. And yes, leotards were originally designed for men, but guess what? That doesn’t mean male dancers wear them for rehearsals. The original leotard was a shirt sewn to shorts, completely different from the ones you see today. Leotards are for performances, and that’s it. No exceptions.Lastly, and this is the kicker: Ballet is elitist as hell. It’s not a safe space for everyone, and it’s definitely not inclusive in the way some might want it to be. If Regulus is a boy, he’ll dance male parts. If he’s a trans man, guess what? He’ll dance female parts. That's just how it works. There are very few professional gender-fluid and non-binary dancers, but guess what? Their genitalia still defines what parts they’ll play. Sorry, @my-castles-crumbling, but that's just life. Enjoy.