Press Release: bbodance - Celebrating boys in dance: Photoshoot casting open!

[Jan McNulty]

Celebrating boys in dance: Photoshoot casting open!

 

Top: Photo from Boys will be Boys; Left: Natalie Pearl & student at the exhibit; Right: bbodance HQ, Battersea Reach © Jayne Jackson/bbodance     Male students of bbodance are invited to apply to take part in a photoshoot celebrating boys in dance.  Organised by National Boys' Dance Day (NBDD) and hosted at bbodance headquarters, the photoshoot with Jayne Jackson will encourage boys to express their love of dance. NBDD previously teamed with Jayne for the exhibit Boys will be Boys — Masculinity on pointe, which ran this November at Lighthouse Centre for the Arts, Poole. NBDD was created by Natalie Pearl, an award-winning teacher, to celebrate her male students at First Position School of Dance, Bournemouth. She first created a ballet class specifically for boys four years ago and demand has grown exponentially. The photos captured the way dance fits into these boys' lives, alongside traditionally masculine pastimes such as football, basketball, and skateboarding, to celebrate "the strength of a generation of boys passionate about dance on so many levels," Natalie says. Inspired by the exhibit, her students asked to become ambassadors for boys' dance. The demand was so great that she had to organise auditions; there were 20 finalists, one of whom was chosen Ambassador. To reward their performance, Natalie decided to organise a professional photoshoot. bbodance welcomed the invitation to host with open arms; anticipating high demand, they secured an extra Ambassador spot for their students.  bbodance is one of the UK's top awarding organisations; regulated by the Government, they certify student achievement in multiple genres. Like Natalie, they believe that anyone can integrate dance into their lives according to their personalities and interests; in 2021, stereotypes are just a thing of the past. The photoshoot featuring 19 boys' dance finalists and two Ambassadors will take place on 19 February 2022 at bbodance, London SW18 1TA. Students who take classes with bbodance teachers are welcome to apply via this page. — ENDS — About bbodance Founded in 1930 by Edouard Espinosa and formerly known as the British Ballet Organization (BBO), bbodance is an international dance awarding organisation with a large presence in Australasia. They provide Ofqual-recognised syllabi and examinations in Musical Theatre, Contemporary, Ballet, Jazz, Modern, and Tap, teacher training, and inspiring events for dance lovers of all levels. bbodance Patrons include Craig Revel Horwood, Brenda Last OBE, and Brandon Lawrence; Sir David Bintley is Vice President.