#18: Dancers and the Word “Merde” Before a Show
Before a ballet performance, “good luck” can feel too direct, almost like placing a hand on the delicate thread that holds the evening together. Many dancers say “merde” instead, a French word with a less elegant literal meaning but a long theatrical history. One common explanation points back to the days when horse-drawn carriages brought audiences to the theater; more carriages outside meant more manure in the street, which meant a full house inside. The phrase survived because performers often prefer coded encouragement, the kind that says, “I know what this moment feels like,” without making the nerves worse.
