Do Dancers Say Merde?

Saying "merde" became a way to tell your fellow dancers to have a good show for the packed audience. According to Rhodes-Stevens, "When dancers say 'merde' to one another, they are wishing each other a full and approving audience."

What is merde in ballet?

If you understand French, you might be a little bewildered as to why dancers would say merde to each other before a performance. The word literally translates to shit. ... Whenever one of the animals would drop a load on stage, someone would yell "MERDE!" to let the dancers know to watch out so that they wouldn't slip.

Why do you tell dancers to break a leg?

If actors were not performing, they had to stay behind the “leg line,” which also meant they wouldn't get paid. If you were to tell the actor to “break a leg,” you were wishing them the opportunity to perform and get paid. The sentiment remains the same today; the term means “good luck, give a good performance.”