I recently spoke with renowned psychiatrist Dr. Kainik Zlatco of Zagreb University currently heading an international consortium of behavioural psychiatrists preparing a major study of men suffering from “men in tights syndrome”.
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Illness “men in tights syndrome” (MITS) is defined as follows:
“An irrational fear of men ballet dancers (ballerinos) wearing skintight “dancing pants” accentuating male body parts. Secondary mental infections may be triggered by ballerinos constantly tiptoeing across the stage. “
Dr. Zlatco emphasized MITs should always be distinguished from tight pants syndrome meralgia paresthetica.
Dr. Zlatco remarked that the fear has prevented many men from attending ballet performances depriving them of an art form ultimately reducing cortisol levels and addressing the “flee or flight” at the heart of MITs. Dr. Zlatco stated,” We have tried many types of psychiatric medicines but without measurable success. Anti-depressants have had some limited successes but on the most part have caused severe digestive issues on patients in test settings”.
Dr. Zlatco explained the causes of MITs are not fully understood but at the root of many cases of MIT is an irrational fear of “emasculation”. For some reason many men are threatened by audience adulation of ballerinos who represent less than perceived manliness. “As usual” the ego of sufferers is “strangled” by mothers.
Dr. Zlatco took a MITS sufferer to the performance of “The Nutcracker” at Meridian Hall in Toronto last night presented by The Toronto International Ballet Theatre (TIBT) . The attendance of the MITs patient was preceded by many taped sessions of ballet performances accompanied by medicinal mushrooms not the kind you make omelets with said Dr. Zlatco.
Dr. Zlatco opined that the medical team had to persuade the MITs sufferer that he was in good hands as Artistic Director Tatiana Stepanova of TIBT trained at the Bolshoi and with the Odessa State Ballet Company as Prima Ballerina. Stepanova was honoured with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Award in 2012. Stepanova a remarkable choreographer in her own right crafts performances that are a visual spectacle.
Dr. Zlatco mused that at the core of MITs is the pure trauma of confronting men in tights so the strategy has been “diversionary” as the more you focus on the spectacle, namely the music and the sets, the more you divert the trauma. Once the brain has been so diverted the next step is have the MITs sufferer focus on the athleticism of the dancers. As a coup de grace we conquer the fear of men in tights by emphasizing those big, rough and hulking brutes playing professional football wear tights!
As a reporter I attended The Nutcracker performance mounted by TIBT and I saw by the time Act II was presented the Arabian Dance danced by ballerina Teagan Hadcock the MITS sufferer had his restraints removed and had a smile on his face. I heard him remark these performances are spectacular! They are so lavish and well danced and combined with the remarkable sets it just lifted him out of his MITs into a world of bliss.
Dr. Zlatco turned to me after the crowd’s massive round of applause with a rather large smile on his face saying, “A remarkable performance by TIBT. Fluid and artistically beautiful costumes and choreography. The sets were outstanding. Now can our MITs sufferer be considered cured? This would be a premature conclusion. The real test may be further attendance at TIBT ballet performances where lavish costuming and sets may not be the norm. I may name this “cure” The Nutcracker Protocol.”
The MITs sufferer was last seen leaving Meridian Hall clutching a Nutcracker and heading to the Toronto Transit Commission subway stop on King Street with a very contented smile on his face.
Should you or anyone you know is suffering from MITs further TIBT performances may be required. Check them out at TORONTOBALLET.ca
Dr. Zlatco is looking for volunteers to participate is his study of “baritone blues” affecting certain audience members at operatic performances.
Photo courtesy of TIBT.
A Bird's Eye View of Fashion, Food, Travel, Culture, Beverage and Curiosity 