Just for the boys...😉

[Dance*is*life]

Just wanted to say that I have watched classes at YBSS - Yorkshire Ballet Summer School - in York for the past two years and they have loads of boys there - quite a lot of them are on scholarship too.  It's a fantastic course with brilliant teachers including males!  Iain Mackay has taken over from Marguerite Porter and he has introduced pop up courses.  Follow YBSS on FB to see if and when there's something suitable for your son.  As a teacher I have had several male students over the years, but they have usually been the only boys in the class.  It hasn't really been a problem and I always gave them special attention. The RAD cater for boys in their syllabi, which is very important.  Giving them the opportunity to work with other boys and male teachers from time to time is also very important. I actually arranged bi weekly coaching sessions for a talented boy I had. Another boy joined him and the teacher was a male dancer/ballet master. It gave him a real boost, but he was about 13 or 14 then.

[Penguinboysmum]

My son is 11. He is very lucky to be in a class of 6 boys. He has a normal mixed ballet class plus a boys only ballet class each week. There are 2 older boys and several younger boys in his dance school - I think in total there's about 16 boys from littlies to older students. He is also a BBO scholar and attends their Junior Male Ballet scheme in Manchester once a month. 

 

We have the Intermezzo boys dance belt age 12 - it's a thong back style but he now feels odd dancing without it. 

 

He's going to Elmhurst summer school tomorrow to experience that after making finals but not getting a year 7 place.

 

Eta - I think his tap shoes are capezio. Black leather lace up. It would never have occurred to me they were girls. 

Edited August 28, 2018 by PenguinBoysMum
Typos - additional info

[MrsMoo2]

So, here’s another question, DS loves his dancing, and he’s pretty good at technique, and picking up choreography quickly but he could do with being a touch more graceful! 😯 

Hes growing like a weed and is a bit like Bambi at the minute, but any tips for helping him to  improve??

Hope all the boys are looking forward to returning to classes next week! xx

[Nicola H]

1 hour ago, MrsMoo2 said:

So, here’s another question, DS loves his dancing, and he’s pretty good at technique, and picking up choreography quickly but he could do with being a touch more graceful! 😯 

Hes growing like a weed and is a bit like Bambi at the minute, but any tips for helping him to  improve??

Hope all the boys are looking forward to returning to classes next week! xx

 

comes with the territory  of growing   and changing bodies unfortunately .. 

[Colman]

The bambi stage is hilarious to watch, probably annoying from the inside, but nothing to worry about: I’ve watched a couple of youth ballet dancers go through it and on to professional training. He’ll just have to work through it until

muscles and prioperception catch up with bones.

[w445403]

On ‎19‎/‎08‎/‎2018 at 16:04, MrsMoo2 said:

Next question...dance belts!! So far we have gone full seat but need to look for a new one for September, tell me your little fellas favourites...👍👍👍 xx

for 13 years it's always been full seat but the last year or two have seen the odd thong back creep in - more out of necessity though!

[Esmeralda]

1 hour ago, Colman said:

The bambi stage is hilarious to watch, probably annoying from the inside, but nothing to worry about: I’ve watched a couple of youth ballet dancers go through it and on to professional training. He’ll just have to work through it until

muscles and prioperception catch up with bones.

 

Completely agree! There are a few lucky ones who have a smooth walk through this phase but most need just time to adjust. Some boys need a little longer others are faster but they all get it at the end. I remember a boy who went to class with me who in his worst phase danced like a mix of a duck and a flamingo - it looked really funny and the girls laughed a lot (children can be really mean...). Today he is still dancing so beautiful and elegant that I completely forget how it looked almost 20 years ago!

[MrsMoo2]

12 hours ago, Esmeralda said:

 

Completely agree! There are a few lucky ones who have a smooth walk through this phase but most need just time to adjust. Some boys need a little longer others are faster but they all get it at the end. I remember a boy who went to class with me who in his worst phase danced like a mix of a duck and a flamingo - it looked really funny and the girls laughed a lot (children can be really mean...). Today he is still dancing so beautiful and elegant that I completely forget how it looked almost 20 years ago!

Awww, yeah I know it will pass luckily!!

Will keep watching lots of ballets with him and telling him one day he will be a swan if he perseveres.

😁😁

[Nicola H]

1 hour ago, MrsMoo2 said:

Awww, yeah I know it will pass luckily!!

Will keep watching lots of ballets with him and telling him one day he will be a swan if he perseveres.

😁😁

 quite literally ...   Bourne is bringing his boy swans  back  again 

[balletbean]

On 17/08/2018 at 09:55, Pups_mum said:

I don't have a son who dances, but was also intrigued by the comment about ladies' tap shoes as I would have assumed they were unisex, particularly at that relatively small size. My son wears cycling shoes and other kit that are labelled as womens, and in fact his next bike will probably be badged as a woman's bike. But there's no difference really, it's just that men don't come that small and for some reason manufacturers don't seem to think that children need decent quality cycling equipment. Ditto his next hockey goalie kit will probably be in the woman's section as that's where the next size up from kids tends to be. He will wear whatever fits him, as long as its not pink and sparkly and neither he nor I have ever seen it as an issue. I think it's pretty much the norm in unisex activities that boys who have outgrown the kids section use kit that's sold as women's before they get big enough for the men's ranges.

I can understand your frustration regarding lack of boys specific classes etc as obviously there are different techniques to learn. Are there any schools in your area with a male teacher who might be willing to do private lessons maybe?

Sounds familiar. My eldest son is in the Equine industry. Whilst growing up all magazines about horses were girlie focused. Even grooming kits etc were all pink!  Nothing against pink but some teenagers can be cruel when boys don’t choose a specific path (footie/rugby) and my son just didn’t want to add fuel to the fire. Petite build didn’t help either. Now in his 20’s he still wears ladies riding accessories. Which is odd as jockeys are not renowned for their bulky/masculine physique! 😉😂

[Fiz]

It’s also rather ridiculous too. It’s about time manufacturers stoppped pandering to media templates. Boys dance. Boys ride. Girls play football and do martial arts. Stop putting people into boxes! Here endeth the lesson.

[Colman]

I’m finding the discussion about tap shoes confusing.

 

Here’s Bloch’s tap shoes:

 

http://uk.blochworld.com/tap-shoes

 

Some are clearly designed as feminine (strappy, little heels) some are unisex (most of the lace up). 

[alison]

On ‎20‎/‎08‎/‎2018 at 10:16, trog said:

 

Here is your previous thread on this very question Ahem...Dance Belts and "furniture!!"

 

Thanks for fishing that one out, Trog.  I've moved the dance belt-related part of this discussion into that thread.

[MrsMoo2]

How are the boys doing? DS has mostly been starting high school lately. Back to dance this week after the summer break! 😆😆

[Picturesinthefirelight]

If you had told me just a couple of years ago that Ds would be dropping PE at school in order to become the only boy in his year taking Dance I would have laughed. The boy who point blank  refused to dance only a few years ago. 

 

He is almost ready to take his Grade 3 Tap exam but it’s gent delayed as the exam clashes with some shows he is in. 

 

 

[Harwel]

Hope this link works - looks fabulous! 

 

 

[Anon2]

RAD have a Boys Only! 6/7th April at Trinity Laban. Ages 8 - 18 years. Book by 18th March. 

[Nala]

On 16/08/2018 at 20:56, MrsMoo2 said:

Thanks ladies.

I will look into all those ideas. I just feel sorry for him sometimes.

We’re on the mailing list for the project B events, and I have briefly been in touch with KS dance last year, as it’s not a million miles away, (I trained there till 19!).

Like I say his current school is nice but I think he will outgrow it in a few years.

DS auditioned for Hammond FT last year but missed out as he was lacking in upper body strength and some technique. Sure he’ll have another bash next year tho and maybe try associates. (The solo was a nightmare, and he doesn’t do singing! 😂).

Does anyone do the CAT scheme? Just wondering if we can justify the drive! 😂😂 xx

My DS is 11 and on the CAT programme at Northern Ballet. You can PM me if you like for detailed info but we think it is an amazing programme and my DS has come along loads in the last year. He does classical ballet and Jazz there. 

[Jan McNulty]

From Today's Links:

 

Siberian Swan launches the first pointe shoe for men:  http://www.seeingdance.com/siberian-swan-08032019a/

 

[trog]

1 hour ago, Jan McNulty said:

From Today's Links:

 

Siberian Swan launches the first pointe shoe for men:  http://www.seeingdance.com/siberian-swan-08032019a/

 

 

I think the relevant line in the article is "He believes more male dancers would use pointe shoes in their regular practice if they could actually get them in their size." I guess I'm lucky (or maybe unlucky) - I've got quite small feet so when I was learning pointe, obtaining shoes wasn't a problem.

[Colman]

Yeah, I’ve had to order Grishko’s biggest size (on advice of a fitter, obviously). If they don’t work out I’m planning to follow up with the Siberian Swan lot and see how that goes.