Can you say break a leg to athletes?

It may come from the theater, but you can say it to anyone who needs a little luck. You can tell a friend “break a leg” before they give a speech at a wedding or a big presentation at work. Well, you can say this to almost anyone. I would not say “break a leg” to a dancer or an athlete.

Do you say break a leg to musicians?

You’re supposed to say “break a leg” to an actor, “bump a nose” to a circus performer, “merde” — the vulgar French word for, let’s just say, manure — to a dancer, and either “toi toi toi” or “in bocca al lupo” to an opera singer. Some performers take it very seriously.

Why is it bad luck to say good luck before a performance?

Why is it bad luck to say “good luck” to an actor? Some thespians believe there are theatre ghosts or fairies who like to cause mischief by making the opposite of what you want to have happen occur. Phrases like “break a leg” and “merde” are meant to confuse these theatrical pixies and defeat their obstinate ways.

How do you respond to good luck or break a leg?

I always say Thanks! Okay. Now I’ll say what it means. It’s an idiom & basically means Good Luck / Best of Luck/ Do Well / Knock ’em Dead.

Is break a leg still appropriate?

If you’ve come to one of our shows, or any theater performance in general, odds are you’ve heard the term “break a leg,” and maybe even used it to wish performers good luck. It may seem odd, but in the theater world, saying “good luck” is actually considered bad luck.

Why do they say break a leg in theater?

If the audience stomped long enough, they would break a leg. Some say the term originated during Elizabethan times when, instead of applause, the audience would bang their chairs on the ground — and if they liked it enough, the leg of the chair would break.

What to say instead of I wish you the best?

List Of Alternative Ways To Say “I Wish You The Best”

• I wish him well.
• I wish you luck.
• Wish you all the best.
• Wish you much success.
• Wish you all the best.
• I wish you the best.
• Wish you the best of luck.
• I wish her the best.

How do you wish all the best?

Best Wishes Message Ideas

1. Way to grab the bull by the horns!
2. You made every day in this place so much brighter.
3. Your next boss doesn’t know how lucky they are.
4. Wishing you all the best!
5. We are all going to miss you, and we wish you well on your next endeavor.
6. I am so glad you are getting out of this place!

What does the phrase break a leg mean?

To “break a leg”, in Shakespeare’s time, meant, literally, to bow- by bending at the knee. Since a successful actor would “break a leg” onstage and receive applause, the phrase would, in effect, be a wish for good luck.

Why do people tell actors to ” break a leg “?

The term, of course, means “do well” or “have a great show” and is typically used before a stage performance, a show, or an audition. (I have never heard it used before filming a movie on any of the movies I’ve been involved with, but I guess it can be used in that sense too).

Why do ballet dancers say Break a leg?

Ballet dancers have their own version of “break a leg” which connects to the superstitious concept of not wishing other dancers “good luck”. They will say “Merde!” This translates in English to a well-known four-letter word that describes human waste.

Why do we feel shame when we break the rules?

We are probably wired to feel shame because it keeps us in line with the rules of our society. When we break or flaunt the rules, we may be ostracized, which could mean death or at the very least, disconnection, which can feel worse than death.

Why do we say’break a leg’in Theatre?

What adds credence to this final theory is that the side curtains in theatres are sometimes known as ‘legs’, so to break a leg means to step through the curtain and take a bow. Why do we say…?

Why do people say Break a leg is good luck?

So, an actor who broke the leg line would get paid — a very good thing, indeed! Another explanation comes from the superstitious nature of theater people. To keep bad luck out of a performance, they may try to trick the gods or universe or whatever. They do this by saying something bad — in this case, “break a leg.”

Can you tell someone to break their leg?

You can tell a friend “break a leg” before they give a speech at a wedding or a big presentation at work. Well, you can say this to almost anyone. I would not say “break a leg” to a dancer or an athlete. They may take it the wrong way.

What does it mean to break the leg line?

In the wings, you will find what is called a “leg line.” If an actor passes this line, people in the audience are able to see them. So, this line helps an actor waiting in the wings stay hidden from the audience before going on stage. However, it was a good thing, and even lucky, to cross or break the leg line.