You’ll notice that Dance Advantage avoids the pink or popsicle color palette you’ll find on many websites about dance. As an editor who accepts writing from guests, I’ve turned down or encouraged changes when the writing is female-centric, assumes, or implies that all dancers are women or girls. I’ve even spent some time here and elsewhere writing about encouraging boys in studios, highlighting the careers of male dancers, and covering class curriculum for boys. There’s a reason for this.
As a teacher and a dancer, I like to think I’ve always brought to my work an awareness and sensitivity of the challenges boys and men face in the dance world. The moment I became a mom to a young son, however, I became more keenly aware of the many “rules” that surround both boyhood and the parenting of boys (at least in American culture and society).
These rules and expectations underlie daily life. They surface in minor, seemingly inconsequential ways. Like a couple of weeks ago when a fellow mom asked my son (the only boy in his preschool dance class) if he liked the class. Following his affirmative response (well, affirmative in a 3-year old, ‘who is this adult talking to me?’ way) the mom went on to explain to him that lots of football players take dance and asked if he was taking dance so he could be good at football someday. Innocent enough. I’m sure she meant well and even considered this supportive. What ran through my mind however was
- …football or sports is the only motivation a boy would have for taking dance?;
- Does he even know what football is? (no one in our household actually watches football).
Sometimes the rules surface in public outcry. Like the recent brouhaha about a J. Crew ad depicting a mom painting her son’s toenails pink. I’ll resist full commentary on this but let me just say that I’m currently pregnant with a daughter and I would be pretty indignant if someone were to tell her she couldn’t, shouldn’t, or shouldn’t want to do something because of her gender. You can assume I feel the same way about my son.
I digress only to share with you my passion and compassion for boys who dance and why I will continue to do my part to ensure that balance and equality exist in the content here.
Today, that content includes sharing the work of someone else. It’s the recently completed video series by DanceLifeTV called Male Voices which puts a spotlight on some of the young male dancers at the Rhee Gold school.
Though there is a brief yet frank discussion of a sometimes sticky subject (“feminine”-looking dancing by men), this is not a hard-hitting series that will turn your thoughts about male dancers upside-down. Rather it is a reflective, honest, and heartfelt look at some of the perceptions, struggles, and joys of being a young man in dance. I hope dance schools, parents, and boy dancers might be uplifted and encouraged through its content – which I believe is its purpose.
Episode #1: Confessions
In this first episode, viewers meet the boys and discover what led them to dance. The glimpse into their reality begins with compelling discussions about bullying and teasing, how they coped with such negative behavior, and why they ended up stronger because of it.
Episode #2: Acceptance
Offers a look at how important a dad’s role can be in the life of his dancing son and insights into the struggles some fathers face when their sons choose dance over sports.
Episode #3: Tights and More
A look into the guys’ thoughts and opinions on everything from what it was like to wear that first pair of tights to the differences between male and female dancers.
Update
The final three episodes of Male Voices are no longer available online. The Rhee Gold Company has made a DVD available for sale via Discount Dance Supply (for members of their Dance Teacher Program) and Amazon.
Episode #4: Opinions
The guys share their thoughts about male dancers who perform in a feminine way. It’s a topic that is not often discussed in the dance world, and the guys feelings range from confusion to wondering how others perceive them. They also discuss the male dancers they look up to and why, offering advice to boys who dance at schools where no strong male influence exists.
Episode #5: Brotherhood
In the first few episodes, we learned about the judgment and bullying that many male dancers deal with. In the last couple, we discover that the passion these young men have for dance is far stronger than the negativity that comes from those who judge them. In “Brotherhood,” the guys let us in on the unique bond they’ve developed. It’s about support, understanding, and-as they put it-being part of a special family.
Episode #6: Heart
In the final episode, the boys share their dreams for the future and the role they think dance will play in achieving them. In the moving conclusion to this frank and revealing series, they talk joyfully about what dance means to them.
I hope you’ve enjoyed watching! If for some reason you can’t see or play the embedded videos above, all can be viewed at the DanceLifeTV website.
I want to hear your voice, too!
- Did anything in the testimonies of these young men surprise you?
- How do your experiences relate to those depicted in the series?
- What questions or problems weren’t addressed in the videos?
- What are your experiences, opinions, and concerns as a boy/man/parent/dancer when it comes to gender and dance?
National Dance Week and International Dance Day!
How have you spent the week (or, how will you spend the coming days, weeks, months, or years) encouraging boys and young men in dance?
Nichelle Suzanne is a writer specializing in dance and online content. She is also a dance instructor with over 20 years experience teaching in dance studios, community programs, and colleges. She began Dance Advantage in 2008, equipped with a passion for movement education and an intuitive sense that a blog could bring dancers together. As a Houston-based dance writer, Nichelle covers dance performance for Dance Source Houston, Arts+Culture Texas, and other publications. She is a leader in social media within the dance community and has presented on blogging for dance organizations, including Dance/USA. Nichelle provides web consulting and writing services for dancers, dance schools and studios, and those beyond the dance world. Read Nichelle’s posts.
Thank you so much for sharing!
Thanks for producing this series. It’s so good to hear from the guys and they all spoke so eloquently. You should be proud!!
I loved this online series and I posted it to my teacher blog and FB page. I have men in my adult ballet classes and I find their reasons for dancing vary widely. Some have always danced; some come to it late in life. The dynamic they bring to a class usually filled with women also varies! LOL! I love being able to give men different combinations in the center so they don’t feel like they are doing “girl” dancing. I want them to understand men can be graceful AND strong, just like Rhee’s young men.
Thanks Leigh! I agree, men bring completely different (but often a completely new and fun) energy to class. And doing some of those “guy” exercises like big jumps can be good for the ladies too!
It’s important for all movers to understand a full range of qualities in different kinds of movements, and how to express themselves (including their masculinity or femininity, whichever the case) through their movement.
Nichelle – wonderful series, and very evocative of thoughts long harbored, re male dance students. When I was a younger teacher I rented a room to a student, then in Gr 11, whose parents had thrown him out of the house, and had forbidden contact between him and his twin “normal” brother. This young man stayed in high school, and worked over night – 8 hrs! to support his life. And became an accomplished dancer. My last glimpse of him was when he was a working pro – while he was completing multiple pirouettes in a class – back then. I remember him fondly. We humans are not socially geared to accommodate the arts, especially men.
Thank you for sharing! Im always looking for things like this as the mom of two ballet dancing children. My 5yo son takes ballet with the sole goal of being in the Nutcracker’s battle scene. 😉 At his age, he hasn’t yet received too much criticism from his peers (that’s coming, I’m sure), but I’ve heard it from adults… “oh, he’ll be great at sports because football players take ballet, you know”… and my favorite, “that’s ok for now, but you don’t want him to grow up and still do ballet, right?”
These (in combo with some eye roll worthy questions/comments re boys in ballet from our extended family) are so upsetting because these are the ADULTS who should know better.
Hi Andrea, I know I’m very late in responding but I just wanted to offer my support as the mom of a young boy taking dance class. Yes, at this age it’s not their peers that care. It is unfortunate how early some children will be influenced by the adults around them and be mean or insensitive.
Adults and relatives are the ones that typically question my son’s involvement too. They don’t see what I see – that dance is the perfect marriage of athleticism, creativity, and artistic expression. It’s only a short time that kids get to enjoy competiton-free play. I love that at this stage he’s getting to enjoy being physical and energetic without the win/lose element. Whether he continues dancing or not, I hope he’ll remember that joy later when he’s older and must be self-motivated to exercise and stay active.
Best of luck to you and your dancing children!
I think this is a very inspiring series for anyone who is looking to follow their dreams not only as a dancer, but as a person. Very well made and I hope to see more people join the Ballet community because of it!
To adults who are doing this to kids: PFFFFBBBTTT, I say. Look at those guys; look at the hard work, the pride, the grace, and the intelligence. Look at how deeply they think. I would be proud to call any of these young men ‘son’. Look at how much they enjoy using their bodies in such a positive, affirming way. Not that sports isn’t affirming, but there’s something about a boy who has the confidence to be a dancer. I think they’re awesome, and worthy of respect for not conforming to the gender stereotypes.
Dance on, gentlemen! Dance on!
That first sentence should read: Adults who act like boys shouldn’t do ballet, rather. ICK to the silliness of ‘rules’.
Am I right in saying that the stastistics show little improvement in the number of Boys how take up Ballet since the late 60s. One of the reasons I wanted to do Ballet was that i saw Nuyreyev on the TV in 1968 as a young boy and I asked my mum weather it was true that men could fly?… she laughed and said “no dear thats the new dancer from Russia on the TV”. I think we could all do alot more to encourage boys and also to keep the boys and men we already have but dare also to see Ballet/Dance from a mans artistic perspective….this is why I wanted to dance with Maurice Béjart…because he did so much towards putting men on the map.
Nichelle,
I am trying to find “just Tap” dance lessons for my 7 yr. old twin boys. I don’t want combo classes or hip hop. They are interested in tap only. Do you know of any place in Nashville, TN that offers a class like this?
Sorry Linda, offhand, I can’t say I do. But I’ll put out a call via social networks and see if anyone in the Nashville area offering straight-up tap bites the hook!
Linda, I have been looking for “just Tap” classes in Nashville for a couple of years and still have not found anything. My daughter (age 8) takes ballet through Centennial Arts (Shirley Blackburn) and sometimes she offers tap in the summer, but only once a week for about 5 or 6 weeks. If you find something, please let me know!
pam@saxondesign.com
My 6 year old son has been passionate about dance since he was 2 years old. He starts taking his first official classes next Monday. I am so excited!
I hope the classes are going well for your son, Sheri!
Hi,
My names kenny and I am 18 years old and a guy. I recently developed a love for dance and really want to go to classes, mainly for hiphop. But All the places I look at are all girl centered, and advanced. What advice could you give me for finding places to go to in the chicago area? Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Boy’s should not dance. This is not normal and never will be. Your attempt to make it normal will only end in failure. Don’t use your child’s life to make a social statement. You have a much bigger responsibility. We live in a free world. I get it. That doesnt mean that your child shouldnt be raised to lead a normal lifestyle. Yes thats right. I said normal. And you know thats what it would be considered. Stop trying so hard to be different and allow your child access to something traditional. They want to be like you. Whether it be a son wanting to follow his father or a daughter striving to follow in her mothers footsteps. Are you that disappointed in your life? Please stop pushing your politics onto this new generation. Isn’t life as a kid already hard enough?
There is nothing wrong with boys or men dancing. In fact, Ballet originated in Italian and French royal courts with ONLY men dancing. So, at some point, it was “not normal” for girls to be dancing. And a child’s passion or hobby has nothing to do with politics.
I’m sure I won’t be the first or the last to respond to the commenter hiding behind an anonymous name, but he/she needs to have a lesson in dance history before making such an ignorant statement. Ballet was dominated by men for a long time before females became the stars. Some even say that domination continues, as most prominent company directors and ballet choreographers are men.
Or perhaps maybe a lesson in anthropology is needed. In many cultures, dance is ingrained into everyday life for men and women, alike, and is even tied to other areas of life. Want a Biblical history lesson, too, since he/she mentioned traditional? David, King of Israel, danced as a form of worship and even mentioned it in his Psalms.
And this is all assuming that the commenter’s point is that boys should not take dance classes. All boys (and men) dance, but it might not be in a structured setting.
I’m guessing that “Common Sense” doesn’t object to boys participating in dances like the Haka, the Maori war dance, or other overtly aggressive ritual dances. It’s BALLET that he / she finds unsuitable for boys, no doubt because he / she hasn’t seen enough men dancing ballet to understand just how athletic, powerful and masculine the art form is. We could make a lo-o-o-ng list of video clips to educate “Common Sense” but since life is short, I suggest he / she just type “Carlos Acosta Corsaire” into the YouTube search bar and get an education real fast.
The readers here at Dance Advantage really are amazing, smart, and insightful individuals.
I really can’t add a lot to the facts that have been stated here about dance, but I’d like to highlight that “Common Sense” seems to dictate that a son should desire to follow only in his father’s footsteps, and a daughter only in her mother’s footsteps. A son following in his mother’s footsteps would be crossing some unseen boundary (not to mention “gay,” right?).
Disregard that many mothers are military, or doctors, or business leaders. After all, these are just daughters following in their father’s footsteps (acceptable), or maybe just women insolently stepping out of bounds (unacceptable) — depending on your particular sense of what’s common.
BUT if a son follows his mother into teaching, or dancing, or some other field seen as feminine or ‘for women only’ it’s a) the mother’s fault because she’s disappointed with her own life (maybe she really wanted to be a doctor?)… and b) definitely not normal. Makes perfect sense to me…
But oops! NOW I’m getting all political (an area best suited for my son, but not for me).