Brian was the third of four (Hannah 16, Amy 13, Brian 12, & Sarah 10) and only boy in a family of all girls. His single mother Margaret did her best to raise her 4 children but had struggled since her husband had left years before. Her sister Sharon was likewise a single mom raising her 2 daughters (Jackie 15 & Katie 11). Fortunately, Margaret and Sharon were fiercely independent and savvy businesswomen and were able to purchase homes right next door to each other. The 5 girls, while cousins, were as close as sisters and one of the most talented groups of performance dancers around. In summer the girls competitively danced lyrical/ballet and in the winter, they did synchronized ice skating.
This arrangement left little financial flexibility for Margaret and Sharon. Using their resources as dancers themselves, they opened a wildly successful dancewear store and studio which enabled their daughters to fully commit to their dancing. While all five of the girls were good students, Brian was more interested in video games and acting up in school. This frustrated Margaret to no end because she felt like Brian should be mirroring his sisters and cousins’ successes.
Hannah and Jackie had begun teaching Ballet classes alongside their moms. The other girls helped where they could in the store. Katie and Sarah were particularly thrilled to be in the dancewear store. The girls were encouraged to wear and model whatever the latest costumes were available and oftentimes wore their costumes out-and-about town. They were thrilled to help the family business boom and helped build a reputation for the go-to spot for the latest and greatest in the dancewear world! Brian on the other hand, resented the girlishness of the business and always sulked at home instead of helping out.
Hannah, Jackie, & Amy came up with a plan that they hoped would help get them into the studio more often. All five girls were great students, but wanted to focus more on their dancing and skating. While they knew their mothers would be completely against them dropping out of high school, they hoped home-schooling would be an option.
One evening at dinner they decided to pitch their idea. The 2 oldest girls would teach Sarah & Katie while conducting their general studies in the down time. Amy would self-pace and help out in the store during the weekdays! Instead of home-economics and PE, the girls would hit the studios for an extra few hours of practice each day. It was a fool proof plan! Except for the Brian factor which threw a wrench into the whole thing. They figured he could just stay at the local High School and act up away from their performances.
Margaret and Sharon agreed to the homeschooling idea, under the condition that all 6 of the kids agree it and that all 6 of the kids were on the exact same page. There was no way they were going to deal with 2 separate curriculums. Margaret and Sharon wanted the kids to keep good order and discipline. Both moms insisted on a uniform. They insisted on a set schedule that everyone would be apart of and follow. This would include Brian with no exceptions.
The Girls were as fair to him as they could be. They came up with a uniform of basic slacks and a polo shirt. They came up with a plan for an early dismissal so Brian didn’t have to partake in any of the girlish dancing he resented so much. After everything the moms put it to a vote.
It was a 5-1 decision.
The girls would remain in their school with Brian and their peers. They would have to do their dancing after school. Brian thought their despair was hilarious and bemoaned the thought of a uniform at home! Both his Mother and Aunt took note of his smug attitude after the vote which he single-handedly sabotaged. The girls took their defeat in stride. His victory would be short-lived and decision to buck his sisters & cousins would come back to haunt him.
Everything changed when the pandemic came to town.
Within a matter of days, the whole world was shut down with no timeframe for a return to normalcy. The 6 kids were sent home from school and told not to return for the duration of the emergency. The family dance studio was also ordered to close, much to the amusement of Brian. Margaret and Sharon got together and began to reevaluate the girls’ idea of homeschooling. Margaret was at her wits end with his bad behavior, and figured she could use this new and unexpected opportunity to get Brian straightened out from home.
Margaret and Sharon reconvened the 6 kids and informed them that they would be moving ahead with the homeschooling plans after all. Because of the seriousness of the situation, the 6 kids would need to come up with a uniform, schedule, and plan immediately. Sharon had a room in the basement of her home which would be used for classroom work. The 6 kids were ordered downstairs and told to not come up until a plan was in place. The two moms were confident that the kids would come up with something quickly as they had nearly implemented this already. Unfortunately for Brian, the two words which sealed his fate came from his mom: “Majority rules”. Brian knew he was in trouble when Sarah and Katie grinned at him wearing their pretty ballerina costumes which they seemed to live in non-stop nowadays.
Being the methodical students they are, Hannah and Jackie immediately got to work dusting off their previous proposal. There was not much to figure out except how to plug poor Brian into this. Amy suggested they just keep it the same as previously proposed to their moms? Why should the 5 girls have to bend over backwards for her brother that previously had refused to hear them out? Hannah and Jackie didn’t disagree. Sarah and Katie sat quietly in their costumes, not breaking eye-contact with their older cousin/brother.
Without much talk, Amy piped up “So let’s just settle this now. Class in the mornings. At noon we’ll eat lunch, then head to the studio or rink once it opens for practice. Any issues?”
The 5 girls seemed to agree at their newfound fortune and were all sold on the schedule proposed by Amy. Jackie asked “What do we do if the rink is still closed come skating season?” They all agreed that they would just take their practices outside. Brian sat in stunned silence. He figured if he stayed low, he could hang out in the back of the warehouse and pick up hockey during their skating days. Sarah and Katie were not about to let that happen.
Sarah grinned and said “Lastly, what are our uniforms going to be girls?”
Hannah “I guess the same as we proposed before? Polo and slacks, nothing fancy.”
Katie “Well what’s wrong with what we have in the store? We have a whole warehouse of different uniforms, why can’t we just wear that?”
Jackie “Kate, you’re talking about costumes, not uniforms”
Katie “Aunt Margaret said we had to pick a uniform, she didn’t say what it had to be! I say we wear this!” while pointing to Sarah’s ballet costume.
Brian “I’m not wearing that! No way!”
Amy “What’s wrong with their tights Bri? We wear them everyday? They’re functional and super comfortable.”
Hannah looked at Jackie and grinned “I mean, it would save time after lunch? While it’s a little impractical, I’d like to see Brian in tights.”
Brian “I’m not wearing tights!”
Jackie “Stop yelling, you’ll wear whatever we all decide on together. Girls, I think a polo is a great idea. But instead of pants, a sensible plaid school skirt and tights like Amy suggested. That way we can wear our dancewear under our skirts during the day and save time after lunch”
Brian “I’m not wearing tights!”
Jackie “Everyone agree?”
Hannah, Amy, Sarah, & Katie “YEP!”
Brian “NO!”
Hannah “Well it’s settled, you shouldn’t have torpedoed our previous attempt to do this! Now you’ll have to join us”
Margaret and Sharon came downstairs to 5 smiling girls and 1 sulking boy. When Margaret asked what was wrong with Brian she was met with a surprising response.
Hannah “Don’t worry about him Mom, he’s just upset about the uniform we all decided on. He’ll be fine!”
Upon finding out what that uniform actually consisted of, Margaret and Sharon contained their smiles and upheld the collective decision. Margaret quickly weighed the decision to have poor Brian dressed like his sisters and cousins but decided with his current bad attitude, it would be worth seeing if he’d fall in line with the successes of the others. If it failed, she’d just tell him that he was going to be sent to a military school.
Margaret and Sharon decided that for the sake of good order, all 6 of the kids would be dressed the same at all times. They decided that the best way of doing this for the time being was to use the stock they already had at the store. With everything being shut down, there was no way it was going to be sold anyhow. While the older girls and especially Brian were unhappy with this development, Sarah and Katie were thrilled. The family piled into the van for the short ride over to the shop for “uniform fittings”. Once there, the 6 kids were told to pick out a uniform for the schoolyear. While this wasn’t exactly what the girls had in mind, they went along with it because they were all eager to see Brian squirming in the same tights as them.
The girls picked out a simple performance leotard/dress combo for the start of their new schooling. Hannah and Jackie were content with the comfort and practicality of the dress. Sarah and Katie were happy with the girlishness of it. While Amy was thrilled to see her brother in the same outfit as her! Brian was mortified! All of the girls were unanimous in their insistence that only pink tights would suffice for such an outfit.
https://www.dansco.com/sweet-dreams-pink.htmlBrian was still in disbelief that him mother would go through with making him wear such a ridiculous outfit. He held this belief until she handed him his very first pair of pink tights to wear. Brian was in shock!
Brian “I’m not wearing tights!”
Margaret “Listen here, you’re going to wear these tights. You’re going to wear the uniform that you all decided on. If you don’t, you’re going to be on the first flight to military school!”
Brian “I’ll call protective services! You can’t do this!”
Margaret “And tell them what exactly?! You’re treated exactly the same as your siblings and cousins?! That you’re provided homeschooling, a warm meal, a bed of your own!! Good luck with selling that sob story! Put on your tights or you’re on the next flight to military school!”
Margaret was banking on Brian not calling her bluff. In reality, she didn’t have the money for such an institution nor any idea where to send the reluctant young man. Fortunately, it didn’t come to that! Now sobbing at his reality, Brian walked into the changing room, stripped off his boy clothes and mentally prepared to pull on the same tights as his sisters and cousins. His mother explained the process to him as the girls snickered quietly at the developing situation. He had to redo the process a second time when his mother told him, boxer briefs weren’t to be worn under tights!
Brian “What am I supposed to wear for underwear?! I need a little more support than what my sisters need!”
Katie, knowing full well that a dancer’s belt would make him more comfortable said “Tights are your underwear now!”
Margaret “That’s enough young lady! Brian, the tights will act as your underwear. Ballerinas don’t wear underwear with their tights, it creates unsightly lines. You don’t need anything other than what you have on. If you need more support, you can wear a second pair of tights and tuck yourself in”
Brian “I don’t want to be a ballerina!”
Brian begrudgingly decided that a second pair of tights made him feel slightly less exposed and helped keep everything together. He did get a small victory from his mother by insisting that if he had to wear 2 pairs of pink tights, then all of the girls would have too as well. Hannah and Jackie were particularly annoyed by this because a second pair of tights would interfere with how they have danced ballet for years. They figured this small inconvenience was worth all of the extra time they would get in the studio.
Brian pulled on the same pink uniform as his sisters and cousin before stepping out into the shop. The tears from his face were genuine and the 5 girls decided to embrace him as one of them. The constriction and close-fitting garments were an unusual feeling for him. The hair on his legs and under his arms itched. He hated himself for not agreeing to the original uniform with pants his sisters and cousins had proposed all that time ago. He hoped that this would be a one-time thing, but in his heart he resigned himself to wearing tights and for the foreseeable future.
While all 6 kids were dressed alike, their footwear was all over the place. There was no way Margaret was going to go for that after insisting they all be dressed uniform. Amy suggested that the girls all agree to classic UGG boots! Amy said they would keep their feet and legs warm and match nicely with their pink tights. Sarah and Katie had always wanted the same UGG boots their older sisters had and figured this was their opportunity for a pair of their own. Margaret was fine with this as the pink would be uniform to the tights they would be wearing for the near future. Margaret asked her second daughter if they planned on wearing pink boots come skating season. Amy reassured her mother that UGG boots came in colors that would match the Nude and Black tights they wore in winter.
https://www.ugg.com/women-boots-classic-boots/classic-short-ii/1016223.html Margaret went to the dance store’s office and found a local big department store which had the boots in stock. Sensing the impending length of the pandemic, she ordered a pair of boots in Light Brown and Pink for the 6 kids. Brian was aware how much money was being spent and was very concerned how permanent of a situation this was becoming. Hannah was then sent in her uniform to go pick up the large order of boots. As the other girls already had appropriate dance slippers and skates, Brian was the only one that needed to be fitted. As it turned out, 2 or more pairs of tights were what the girls wore for ice skating anyhow. This ensured he had a good fit. Aunt Sharon was busy packing up boxes of tights and other outfits which Brian was fine with not seeing at the current time.
Once Brian had been fitted for his dance slippers and skates, all that was left was for Hannah to return. All of the girls and Brian were given matching pink UGG boots. Margaret and Sharon had the 6 kids toss their old clothes and shoes in a bag. They would be a team and be uniform in everything they wore from here on out. Everything they wore before that was going to be donated to charity, including all of Brian’s clothes! This was no doubt distressing to all 6 of the kids, but they were reminded by their moms that this is what they had originally asked for when they proposed homeschooling. Margaret reiterated her bluff to call protective services if they didn’t like it!
Brian was in shock by the day’s turn of events. He was relieved that at least he would blend in with the 5 girls and could hide behind a mask. Sharon began piling the boxes into the van. She told Margaret that everything she was loading up was going to be claimed as a loss due to the pandemic shutting the shop and studio down. Brian was getting very nervous about how many boxes were being loaded up in the van and how they would get home.
As it turned out, their first team building exercise was a walk home from the store and studio. Even though it was a short walk and they knew how out of place the 6 of them would be in their dance costumes. Fortunately, it was early evening and each of the 6 kids were given a matching pink cardigan to keep the chill at bay. Sharon pulled off with a van full of costumes she had been unable to sell over the years. The savvy businesswoman in her knew that from here on forward every costume she couldn’t sell would become a uniform for the kids in her rear-view mirror.
Upon getting home, Brian was so ready to get out of his increasingly itchy tights. He asked his sisters if this was normal as none of them seemed to be in any physical discomfort. They told him the next time he takes a shower, to use a bottle of depilatory dream. Brian had no idea what this was but it seemed to work for his sisters and cousins. Brian asked his mom if he could take off his uniform and use the cream his sisters had given him. Margaret agreed with her daughter’s recommendation, and told Brian to apply the cream everywhere from the neck on down. Nobody told Brian what would happen next.
In the shower, Brian applied the cream as his Mom instructed. By the time he had coated himself with the stuff, it started getting really uncomfortable. He stepped under the water and to his shock and horror, every bit of his hair fell right off! Had the day not panned out as it had, he would have screamed. But in his defeat, he instead resigned himself to rubbing it on his face! While he was still young, he didn’t want to be a bearded ballerina. He resigned himself to blending in with his family until this whole thing blows over. He knew he wasn’t going to see any of his friends for awhile, hell most of them were online gamer friends anyhow!
Upon toweling himself off, he scampered to his room. On his bed was a massive mound of clothes and a box. When he opened his closet and drawers he was shocked to find everything empty. He knew from earlier in the day that the box on his bed was full of tights and the mound of clothes was his new wardrobe which would match 5 other girls. Instead of standing there hairless and naked, he pulled back on the 2 pairs of pink tights and pink leotard dress from the shop. He was annoyed that his sister was correct about removing hair cutting down on the itchiness. He still couldn’t believe that his Aunt wasn’t kidding about donating all of his clothes to charity! For the first time, He didn’t find comfort in knowing how much this same fate would devastate his sisters and cousins. He was actually content knowing that he wouldn’t be going through this miserable experience alone.
While Brian was in the shower, the girls pleaded with their mothers not to give away all of their clothing. Being that the 5 of them were such good students, their mothers decided that they would place their clothing in storage until a time where Brian was getting good grades and turned his attitude around. They decided that Hannah and Jackie would instruct Brian and the other girls in classical ballet. Amy would be Brian’s primary tutor in order to get him caught up with Sarah and Katie. If his grades didn’t improve and his dancing wasn’t up to par, everything would be tossed. The girls didn’t dare test their mom’s seriousness.
The family all sat around the table in their matching uniforms and discussed the next few weeks together. Margaret noted how calm and quiet Brian had become since being put into tights. She even watched him eat all of his veggies without so much as a peep. Brian figured it was in his interest to be on his best behavior if there was any hope of him being out of this predicament at the end of lockdown. When Hannah and Jackie were discussing their plans for competitions returning, Brian paid no attention. Unbeknownst to him, he was going to be a part.
The Girls and Brian returned to their rooms and were told to sort through and hang up their new outfits. Because of Brian’s insistence, each of the children were to wear 2 pairs of tights each day. This was for his “support” and for all of their modesty. At the end of each school day, the next day’s outfit would be chosen based on the theme of the dance lesson being taught. Because of the focus on dance, each of the kids were expected to be in dancewear at all times. This included bedtime! Margaret and Sharon insisted on this as it would be a constant reminder of the collective goal to be the best dance team in the region and that they were all in this together. After dinner and cleaning up each night, the kids would be permitted to change into their pajamas. These consisted of a single pair of thick nude tights and a simple black skirted leotard. The skirt on the leotard gave Brian the modesty he needed so a second pair of tights wasn’t needed. While the older girls were again unhappy and would rather wear sweatpants, they figured it wasn’t the worst thing in the world. After all, they could be a boy wearing all this stuff. Katie and Sarah were absolutely thrilled about it! The kids all changed into their “pajamas” and went to bed. Brian found his new pajamas surprisingly comfortable under the covers and slept soundly that night.
In the morning, Brian woke up from the nightmare before. Except he was still in his new pajamas and the nightmare was his new reality. He stumbled to the bathroom and began peeling off his pajamas. He tried to stand but the stupid tights around his legs made it difficult to keep his balance. He opted to just sit down like his sisters so he wouldn’t make a mess. After showering, he toweled off and headed back to his room to face an uncertain schoolyear ahead.
For the first day, they would be wearing the same dress as the day before in Blue. The girls decided they’d wear blue as a show of support for their brother/cousin. While Brian appreciated the gesture, the Pink Tights and UGG boots didn’t give him much solace. After breakfast, he and his 3 sisters headed next door for a morning’s worth of lessons. Fortunately behind a mask, he blended in with his sisters.
https://www.dansco.com/sweet-dreams-copen.htmlAt noon, the 6 kids were given a light lunch from Sharon before Hannah drove them all to the studio. Because of the pandemic, all of their classes at the studio had to be canceled. Fortunately for them, they would be able to put all of their efforts into making Brian into a ballerina. With the threat of military school looming in his mind and no other options available, Brian gave ballet his best shot. He was shocked at how difficult of an activity it is! Some of the dresses he had to wear:
https://www.dansco.com/lily-of-the-valley-383.htmlhttps://www.dansco.com/endless-love.htmlhttps://www.dansco.com/operetta-385.htmlWithin a few months, Brian was keeping up with all of his sisters except of course, Hannah and Jackie.
Hannah and Jackie felt that Brian and the 3 younger girls were ready for the next step. Pointe work! Annoyingly, the 6 of them were still wearing footed tights each day, so they would have to put on toe pads under their tights each morning. Hannah and Jackie decided on a “Tune of Music” number which the 6 team members would begin working on. They picked out a new costume which embodied the performance. By this time, Brian had been so engrossed in his new lifestyle, he didn’t even bat an eye at the costume he would be wearing alongside the girls.
https://www.dansco.com/down-in-the-valley-1420.htmlUpon mastering Hannah and Jackie’s routine, the girls signed up for a online competition. While Brian was nervous about being outed at this, they just shortened his name up to “Bri”. His hair had grown long over the last few months and makeup blended him right in with the 5 girls. Naturally they took home 1st place! Bri had never felt so accomplished and was so happy to be a part of this team!
It was nearly winter and the restrictions were starting to let up. Bri was feeling confident with the girls and was eager to start learning synchronized skating. Ballet had taught him balance so he figured he’d pick up skating with relative ease. But with the easing of restrictions came the reality that he was going to have to face the world and even his friends dressed like a ballerina!
Sharon and Margaret were eager to get the studio and store back open. Bri didn’t really know where his place was going to be. With his grades improved, they all decided that he would start picking up some shifts in the store with his cousin Amy. The other would help teach studies to Sarah and Katie. Much to Brian’s chagrin, he was told that he would have to model a performance costume every time he was in the shop. Sharon wanted her customers to feel comfortable around a teenage boy and thought that by keeping him in a short tutu, he would feel less threatening. He didn’t worry because there was no way any of his friends would ever be caught in this store. Some of the tutus he has to wear:
https://www.dansco.com/stars-align.htmlhttps://www.dansco.com/sugar-plum-fairy-1104.htmlhttps://www.dansco.com/snow-queen.html Bri was eager to get out of the tutu dresses and onto the ice! He had nearly forgotten about his old life until one day while working a shift one of his buddies from school came into the shop looking for him as he had stopped playing online video games for ballet. As Bri had gotten used to wearing tights all the time, he didn’t even realize how he looked to his friend!
Bri “Hey dude what’s up? What are you doing in here”
Johhny “BRIAN?! What the hell are you wearing?! I came in here looking for you!!”
Brian “Oh shit! This? UUhhhhh…. Well my mom had me start helping out, and the girls…”
Johnny ::Laughing:: “Dude, you have got to be kidding me! You look like a princess! HAHAHA wait ‘til the guys all see this!”
Brian “Awww come on dude, I’m just helping out my mom’s shop!”
Johnny then saw the award for the “Tune of Music” routine along with a picture and the gig was up. Johnny quickly took a picture of the award on his phone and bolted out the door. Brian knew his social life was over. He nearly started crying but remembered the pride he felt when they won the “Tune of Music” award.
For the next week or so, nearly everyone at his old school came by the shop to see him modeling the tutus his mother had him wear. He had become the laughing stock of his old school and had no desire to ever go back. Bri felt some comfort in the constant hug his tights gave him and the ability to hide behind his mask. But everyone knew who he was and what he was wearing now!
Finally, the holidays had past and it was time to hit the ice. Because of ballet, Bri picked up excellent balance and took to skating with ease. Johnny and a few of the neighborhood punks made a single trip to the rink to laugh at Bri’s successes on the ice. It was hilarious to them that their old friend was now prancing around in tights. It was almost too much for Johnny to handle when Bri and the girls came out of the rink in their matching skating dresses, nude tights, and brown UGG boots! Hannah and Jackie approached Johnny and told him off. Ending the torment Bri had been dealing with.
Within a few months, The 6 kids entered a Ice Skating competition and again placed first with their rendition of the animated kids movie “Freezing”. Bri’s solo during the song “Time to Go” was resoundingly applauded and the key to the teams success.
Over the next few years, things more or less stayed the same. Other than when modeling tutus in the shop, The 6 kids all continued dressing alike at all times. The girls continued this in spite of their moms relaxing their uniform requirement as a show of support for Bri. As Hannah and Jackie went off to college Amy, Sarah and Katie moved up to become instructors alongside their moms.
Bri has since taken over responsibilities in the store. While Johnny hasn’t been around the store since being told off by Hannah, he has started playing online video games with Bri again. Bri has made friends with nearly all of the girls his age in the studio in spite of his wardrobe. Without fail, Bri is still in his tights and finally content with how this whole thing turned out.
The End
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Topic: Ballerina Brian (Read 3163 times)
