How much are our opinions of dancers' performances influenced by their social media personas?

[Neverdancedjustamum]

On 24/08/2023 at 14:33, capybara said:

I thought that I'd put this question up for discussion because the ways in which dancers use social media are so varied and I can feel my equally varied reactions seeping into me more and more.

 

Every day, my automatic feed on Instagram offers me, of course, images of dancers dancing but, often, more - much more - of artists in pretty poses related to what is described as a 'favourite leotard' (I think one ballerina had half a dozen favourites in just one week) or, at the other end of the scale, muscular 'he man' positions which, to my mind, have little to do with dance and can verge on the unattractive (to me).

Then there are some glamourous shots in enviable locations from both men and women mixed in the feed with (e.g.) the sweaty hair/headbands shown on selfies. Or the flashy 'tricks' on one hand set alongside the realism and hard graft of a rehearsal. All that is to be expected.

It goes without saying that most posts represent a form of self-promotion (an increasing number are actually paid-for advertisements in semi-disguise) and I wouldn't criticise any dancer for that. But, to answer my own question, I do think that what an individual chooses to show on social media can magnify how we perceive them as people and artists on stage. In a few cases, I wish that I could come to a performance uncluttered by some of that 'additional information' (usually "too much visual information" 😲) which chances to come my way. And, yes, there a few dancers whose social media 'personalities' have affected, negatively I'm afraid, how I perceive their dancing, however good they might really be.

For me, it doesn’t normally affect my perception of them as dancers. However, I must admit that there has been the odd one where whilst it doesn’t affect my perception of them as a dancer, it has affected how I perceive them as a person. I would be very surprised if I’m the only one who noticed this dancer’s often unnecessarily ‘revealing’ posts - it’s one thing being proud of your body but I often feel like a line can be crossed especially when the captions sometimes don’t have anything to do with the photos posted. I know it’s a very subjective thing but I feel like some posts can be too awkward and not very tasteful. And yes, I have just unfollowed because for me, it’s uncomfortable viewing! 

[Rob S]

It's great fun trying to work out who you're talking about 😄

[Balletfanp]

I’m pretty sure I know and that’s exactly what I was talking about. And trying to give it an ‘it’s art’ cloak by moody black and white and filters doesn’t make it any less distasteful.

 

I don’t mind a bit of product endorsement - after all, dancers get sent freebies all the time and in return for that they have to publicly thank the company who have sent it. And I don’t mind the odd rather beautiful modelling shot. It’s when the majority of the account seems to be given up to that kind of stuff that I heave a bit of a sigh.

Edited August 25, 2023 by Balletfanp
Typo

[Ondine]

5 minutes ago, Balletfanp said:

I’m pretty sure I know

 

I wish I did!  Not that I'd be peeking of course... though I do like a nice arty photo... 😌

 

 

[Linnzi5]

39 minutes ago, Rob S said:

It's great fun trying to work out who you're talking about 😄

I have absolutely no idea who it is! As I have looked at most profiles and posts (often casually, I grant you), I cannot recall anything that I found distasteful - things may not be my 'cup of tea' but there has not been anything that has offended me but I am very much a 'whatever floats your boat' kind of person. So - yep, I'm confused! 🤣

[Neverdancedjustamum]

51 minutes ago, Balletfanp said:

I’m pretty sure I know and that’s exactly what I was talking about. And trying to give it an ‘it’s art’ cloak by moody black and white and filters doesn’t make it any less distasteful.

 

I don’t mind a bit of product endorsement - after all, dancers get sent freebies all the time and in return for that they have to publicly thank the company who have sent it. And I don’t mind the odd rather beautiful modelling shot. It’s when the majority of the account seems to be given up to that kind of stuff that I heave a bit of a sigh.

If it’s the same one, I’m glad you see what I mean too. It’s one thing doing endorsements or ballet poses but the one I’m thinking of does some poses that don’t seem at all related to dance and appear to be done more to show off physique, and as I said, often in quite unnecessary overly revealing scraps of clothing and tensed up poses. I feel guilty when I say this and in the past I thought it was just me being too square or old school but speaking to others, I found lots think the same. This dancer seems really nice and is of course a brilliant dancer, it makes me think why have the need to do such revealing and risqué poses and videos. The photos I refer to are not modelling endorsements, often not related to an upcoming show and quite a few times not even related to the accompanying caption. Even some of the videos posted seem to be shot in less than tasteful angles, made even worse by the (lack of) clothing worn.  I don’t think this is a usual dancer thing, I follow a lot of dancers on Instagram and have not encountered anything like it. 

[FionaM]

@capybara Great question!   Loving all the responses 🙏

 

Product endorsement photos probably work better on the audience who are actually dancers… fellow professionals and students of course.  That’s their purpose.  I tend to like the post, having admired the beautiful video clip or photo, and ignore the product blurb.  That’s the beauty of social media … move on to what interests you.  
 

I think social media is really good for informing followers of an artist’s future performances.  For instance Friedemann Vogel and his agent do a good job at that … showing both his performances with Stuttgart and guesting elsewhere.  They post dates in advance, and then closer to the date and also curtain calls or clips afterwards.  It all serves to build a picture of his artistic choices.  Though he too has some body beautiful near naked photo shoots that aren’t always to my taste. I scroll on by!

 

As an example of someone who is not doing a good job, have a look at Natalia Osipova on Instagram. She doesn’t post regularly at all, which means when she does post, the algorithm won’t show her post high on your personal feed.  So that is the first problem.  The second problem, is that often her shows are not advertised on her Instagram at all.  I note there is an upcoming show in Dubai where the local promoter is making huge efforts to advertise on social media and Natalia has not reposted that even once.  This is extremely unhelpful to promoting that show.  She has many more followers (232,000) than the promoter does (less than 1,000) as they are new to the field.  See MosaicFestDubai.  I hope they have other ways of attracting an audience else the show is not going to sell well.  She or her agent should help in that regard … not just sit happy on an upfront fixed fee and no risk with ticket sales. 

 

Social media is relatively new (last decade or so) and the ability for dancers to have external projects elsewhere is also relatively new.  Unless you were elite … Guillem, Bussell, Baryshnikov, etc.  Most are still beholden to their company, or at least must get permission and negotiate external dates around the company’s programme.  This is unlike any other performing arts sector, which has independent agents actively finding work for their artists.  
 

Companies still have final say (too much say?) on any dancer guesting elsewhere.  For instance, I noticed this year that Olga Smirnova was signed up to perform in Neumeier’s Nijinsky with Hamburg Ballet.  It was announced on their website, and then she had to pull out as Dutch National Ballet’s own programme clashed.  (And then separately she was injured and didn’t perform either.)   If she hasn’t got a strong enough position to commit in advance and stay committed, who does?   She has a website that states her future dates.  
 

Personally I find social media entertaining and informative on dancer’s activities.  I love the rehearsal clips and photos of performances, and thanks to various partners for special performances.  
 

And yes I too am rather put off by the bare torsoed men in skimpy underwear … Roberto Bolle, Steven McRae, Matthew Ball (less often), Marci Sambe, and many others in their own posts or in some fashion shoots.  I love the more artsy fashion shoots, even when they are quite shocking…  eg Harris Bell 

[Balletfanp]

From your description, definitely the same one!

 

I’m not ‘offended’ by it as such, I just find it unnecessary (and yes, there seems to be no other purpose to it other than ‘look at me’) and I would rather not have portions of someone’s anatomy forced centre stage, so to speak - it comes over as rather gross to me. However, it appears many would disagree, given the admiring comments, so, as I say, I just unfollow and avoid that account. There are plenty of other dancer accounts that are a joy to follow.

[FionaM]

Anna Ol, principal at Dutch National Ballet is refreshingly honest about the ups and downs of ballet life.  Unlike most others who only reveal positive stuff.  

[FionaM]

10 hours ago, Bruce Wall said:

There are limits, of course.  If a dancer insists on having Putin tattooed on themself .... then .... well .... I'm sorry ... FOR ME ... that's where it goes beyond the BEYOND!!! 

At least that dancer is upfront (!), honest and consistently unwavering in his opinions.  Even if they are wholly opposite to yours.  
 

As you well know, each person is welcome to not follow anyone they don’t wish to see.  Another beauty of social media.  Or is it?  Hmmm 🤔 .  I am also wary of the echo chamber effect.  It’s hard to avoid as the algorithms suggest posts they think are similar to those you have liked before.  And by choosing not to follow alternative viewpoints, your feed therefore can become increasingly insular.  
 

it is going to be very interesting to see how social media develops over the next decade!

Edited August 25, 2023 by FionaE
Grammar

[Tango Dancer]

8 hours ago, Scheherezade said:

There are many modelling shots of dancers out there at the moment, and very good they are too. The dancers know how to use their bodies, which gives an extra, more interesting dimension to the photographs or videos, and I would much rather look at them than the usual clothes-horse models. Personally, it does not in any way impinge upon how I view them as dancers. 

 

Some of them could definitely be models.  I bumped into Matthew Ball once as he was coming out of a studio I was going into and I was struck by how stunning he is to look at.  I mean dancers usually are in good physical condition for the job but he's drop dead gorgeous with the most captivating eyes and would look really good on a catwalk. He could easily be a model.  

 

I personally quite like the shots of them on Instagram as it's a good insight into their lives to see where and when they're performing.  I can take or leave the more suggestive poses in most cases but sometimes it's interesting to see what they get up to.  It doesn't affect who I want to see performing particularly.  I tend to like who I like dancing and book for those.  Although sometimes I book the date I can do and take pot luck on the cast (and I'm seldom disappointed).  

 

I don't tend to contact the dancers (as I like some mystique) but I did message Brandon Lawrence on IG to find out which nights were his last with BRB and he messaged me back really nicely.  

[Tango Dancer]

1 hour ago, Linnzi5 said:

I have absolutely no idea who it is! As I have looked at most profiles and posts (often casually, I grant you), I cannot recall anything that I found distasteful - things may not be my 'cup of tea' but there has not been anything that has offended me but I am very much a 'whatever floats your boat' kind of person. So - yep, I'm confused! 🤣

 

Yes likewise.  I mean I don't offend very easily.  I don't find all their content interesting but that's different.  Yes some of the dancers do show themselves off but it's their body, they've got a short time to achieve success and get to the top so I can see why social media is an important tool.  

[Ondine]

37 minutes ago, Balletfanp said:

I would rather not have portions of someone’s anatomy forced centre stage, so to speak

 

 

I've just looked at few (so I had some idea of what people were talking about, honest 😶) and yes some do appear a trifle... thrusting themselves on to the viewer. There's one vid of a certain RB star showing his barre work... and much else besides that I can't now unsee!

 

Skin tone tights are becoming a thing for men too aren't they? 

 

(I'm not a prude, I went to art school a long time ago and yes we did many MANY hours of life drawing and bodies are bodies but some of this doesn't make you look at the six pack does it? Or maybe that's just me.)

 

[capybara]

48 minutes ago, FionaE said:

It’s hard to avoid as the algorithms suggest posts they think are similar to those you have liked before.  

This feature of social media is a pain as, even if I ‘unfollow’ people (for example Mr RBX - who has been named above; and Mr RBY - who hasn’t and is a newer ‘offender’), I seem to get their feed coming through on a regular basis.

It doesn’t offend me but I just don’t need it.

 

I never willingly book for Mr RBX because his stage persona doesn’t ‘do it’ for me - and I realised that before the days of Instagram. But I do have a sense that what Mr RBY is now showing on social media might be affecting how I view him on stage - which is why I started this thread.

 

 

Edited August 25, 2023 by capybara

[Melody]

4 minutes ago, capybara said:

This feature of social media is a pain as, even if I ‘unfollow’ people (for example Mr RBX - who has been named above; and Mr RBY - who hasn’t and is a newer ‘offender’), I seem to get their feed coming through on a regular basis.

It doesn’t offend me but I just don’t need it.

 

I never willingly book for Mr RBX because his stage persona doesn’t ‘do it’ for me - and I realised that before the days of Instagram. But I do have a sense that what Mr RBY is now showing on social media might be affecting how I view him on stage - which is why I started this thread.

 

 

I have the same problem with having my social media feed full of post from people I'm not interested in following, but I've found that if I stop opening their posts, their content pretty much goes away after a few weeks.

 

I suppose one thing about social media is that the dancer has basic control over what gets posted, unlike depending on stuff in the tabloids, which can be very damaging because unfortunately that's what sells. But you always have the impression that what you're seeing is very curated and not necessarily a truthful version of their lives - if you can take it all with a large pinch of salt, it's entertaining enough.

[MAB]

I only use facebook to keep track of the relatives abroad, but I have a few dancer friends too, mostly retired.  Clearly that is what makes the wretched algorithm thingys send me the male dancers in homo erotic poses (just two dancers so far thank goodness) I've seen no product placements though.

 

I expect the poor lambs are short of cash, but being of an age where sex only means gender to me, perhaps I'm not the most receptive audience for that kind of thing.

[Neverdancedjustamum]

1 hour ago, Ondine said:

 

 

I've just looked at few (so I had some idea of what people were talking about, honest 😶) and yes some do appear a trifle... thrusting themselves on to the viewer. There's one vid of a certain RB star showing his barre work... and much else besides that I can't now unsee!

 

Skin tone tights are becoming a thing for men too aren't they? 

 

(I'm not a prude, I went to art school a long time ago and yes we did many MANY hours of life drawing and bodies are bodies but some of this doesn't make you look at the six pack does it? Or maybe that's just me.)

 

I think you found the dancer we were referring to 😊

[Angela Essex]

5 minutes ago, Neverdancedjustamum said:

I think you found the dancer we were referring to 😊

Ooh I’m going to have a look at Mr RBXs insta right now and have a look 🤣

 

My 2 cents is that if my body was that of a toned and beautiful professional dancer instead of a middle aged wobbly inelegant mum I’d be posing myself all over social media without much on all the time.
 

I don’t find it offensive at all and I think it’s beautiful to celebrate the human body for its strength and for its capabilities in a non sexual way. It’s like saying look at this body I own it’s proof of all my hard work and the instrument with which I perform my work. I find it admirable and inspiring that someone is so dedicated to their work, health and fitness and I don’t see anything sexual or rude about it. 
 

Even the ‘bulge’ shots I don’t find at all offensive or in any way erotic. Nothing wrong with showing the male anatomy, in my book if you’ve got it flaunt it, but then I am a medical professional so not much shocks me. 
 

With respect to whether a dancer’s social media profile will alter my perception of them I don’t think it does. I follow the dancers I like to watch on stage and don’t bother following those whose performances  don’t connect with me as much. If anything it makes me like them more as I feel I know more about them as a person. 
 

Got to say I love Vadim’s posts with his family - he seems like such a genuinely nice guy and a really nice son to his parents. I feel like I’d like to just invite him over for a Sunday roast and a cuppa with a plate of chocolate hob nobs.

Also Marianela’s IG is just charming. It’s clear that she absolutely loves her work and that ballet is her life. She comes across as so humble despite her greatness. 
 

And Matt Ball and Mayara how sweet are they. Ditto Lauren Cuthbertson’s posts about Peggy and Olivia Cowley’s about her pregnancy, new arrival and returning after mat leave.

 

I also love Hannah Martin’s you tube channel - if it wasn’t for that I wouldn’t have heard about her. Id love to see her dance too. 

[bridiem]

Reading this thread, I'm beginning to be very glad that I only follow a few dancers and often forget to check Instagram for ages anyway...

 

I know that dancers have very strong bodies, and are often now visibly muscly in a way that was not the case in the past - deliberately so, when the aim was to have a beautiful line and to disguise the physical effort involved in ballet. But I would find a focus purely on physique inappropriate in people who are aiming at artistic excellence, not at having the strongest or most desirable body (which is something comparatively easily and regularly achieved by people in other fields, if that is their aim). And I think that such a focus could descend into narcissism, which must already be a danger in a profession where the focus is so much of the time on oneself and one's body.

[art_enthusiast]

8 hours ago, Angela Essex said:

I also love Hannah Martin’s you tube channel - if it wasn’t for that I wouldn’t have heard about her. Id love to see her dance too. 

Same, her channel is great for aspiring dancers and just dance enthusiasts in general. I saw her briefly in BRB’s Don Quixote at Sadler’s Wells last year.

Glad she’s back now after her injury - I think if it wasn’t for that she might have been in BRB2

[capybara]

9 hours ago, Angela Essex said:

 With respect to whether a dancer’s social media profile will alter my perception of them I don’t think it does. I follow the dancers I like to watch on stage and don’t bother following those whose performances  don’t connect with me as much. If anything it makes me like them more as I feel I know more about them as a person. 
 

Got to say I love Vadim’s posts with his family - he seems like such a genuinely nice guy and a really nice son to his parents. I feel like I’d like to just invite him over for a Sunday roast and a cuppa with a plate of chocolate hob nobs.

Also Marianela’s IG is just charming. It’s clear that she absolutely loves her work and that ballet is her life. She comes across as so humble despite her greatness. 
 

And Matt Ball and Mayara how sweet are they. Ditto Lauren Cuthbertson’s posts about Peggy and Olivia Cowley’s about her pregnancy, new arrival and returning after mat leave.

 

I also love Hannah Martin’s you tube channel - if it wasn’t for that I wouldn’t have heard about her. Id love to see her dance too. 

I agree that feeling that one knows more about a dancer as a person can enhance one’s ballet-viewing experience

 

10 hours ago, Melody said:

But you always have the impression that what you're seeing is very curated and not necessarily a truthful version of their lives - if you can take it all with a large pinch of salt, it's entertaining enough.

Food for thought there…. Some dancers seem mainly to use images they have anyway whereas others appear to capture aspects of their lives (in addition to the ads.) with Instagram in mind - but the distinction is usually pretty obvious.

[Jan McNulty]

Social media has changed a lot over the last 12 years since I first joined Facebook and Twitter.

 

I followed a number of dancers on twitter (at that time limited to 140 characters) and, mostly, they posted things about their lives.  Some were littered with swear words, which I did not like at all.  I noticed after a while that the tone of the tweets changed so perhaps companies gave young dancers guidance on what sort of thing should not be tweeted.

 

I've got a few dancers as friends on FB but it seems to me that they have switched over much more to Instagram.

 

On Instagram I follow the dancers I like to watch and if someone catches my attention I follow them too.  What I have found is that the "suggestions" of posts I may like are driving me around the bend!  Many dance ones for me, presumably because of whom I like and follow but also lots of ones about watercolour tutorials because I follow 4 people who give such tutorials.  I love Instagram and post a lot of my own photographs but I am not checking as much on my IG timeline because of the amount of suggestions.

 

I can see that IG is a very useful tool for dancers promoting themselves (and why shouldn't they) but I want to follow the dancers I want to follow not the permanent suggestions coming up.

 

I'm not on TikTok but I have noticed that since Tiler Peck has been working with Northern Ballet a number of the dancers and, indeed the company, are using IG to post their TikToks.  I've not particularly been keen to see dancers because I have seen them on social media but Tiler Peck has caught my attention and I would like to see her!

[JNC]

I think dancers obviously have lives outside of ballet and when we see them on stage they are not themselves but almost actors in a role. 

Social media is about them sharing their individual personalities off stage.
 

so for me, I wouldn’t say any dancer’s content would affect how I see them on stage or put me off them (with the extreme example of the Putin tattoo which as it’s so visual you’re almost forced to have an opinion!) as I know there’s a difference in their on-stage professional personas and their off-stage (or more informal backstage/rehearsal) lives. 

 

I personally enjoy seeing the behind the scenes content and getting an insight into their lives, but having said that I only follow dancers I like (based on their performances) so I’m not likely to get annoyed by content of dancers I don’t like so much. Having said that I have noticed a correlation between dancers I like on stage and what I imagine they’re like in real life (based on social media, who knows how accurate that is!).
 

For example I think Marianela Nunez is a great dancer, but through her social media you can see she is a lovely person, and also clearly very passionate and dedicated to ballet in performance/history etc. So this makes me respect her more as a dancer as I can see how much she loves dancing.
 

Vadim’s content just makes me smile, although I don’t connect his off-stage cheeky personality to his on stage performances as I find them a bit more aloof to be honest (not saying he’s not a good character actor, maybe the opposite because I don’t see that personality on stage!).

 

My favourite content is often dancers showing their humour or quirky personalities, also the backstage content to get insights into rehearsals and costumes. I’m less a fan of those who have glossy/curated more purely professional content of them attending events or doing promotional things as it feels a bit less personal and more of a business.
 

In addition to the two I’ve already mentioned, I also like Yasmine Naghdi’s Instagram as it’s a good mix of personal/fun, and insightful behind the scenes stuff. Tiler Peck also has a great Instagram - you get a real sense of her personality but a lot of the content is ballet/dance related. As despite me not enjoying the purely professional content, I also don’t want to see only personal content (eg many pictures of their babies/children and social lives only) as that feels a bit weird to me as I don’t know them on a personal level.
 

(On a separate note I do have a wider concerns about pictures of babies/children online as they haven’t given “consent” to it. I think photos to share for yourself and them to see when they’re adults, and to share to family is lovely but I don’t see why you’d share this with thousands of strangers, it’s a bit invasive even if the pictures are harmless and I think it’ll be interesting to see how those growing up with constant pictures of them since birth feel about it in future.)

 

Anyway I think I ideally want a sense of their personality but much of the content to be dance related, with some personal posts thrown in. 
 

It’s fair enough dancers are using social media to curate a “brand” and make money - why not? It’s not hurting anyone, they’re usually promoting pretty basic things like dance wear or fashion things, pretty harmless considered against a lot of other influencing. 
 

As for the half naked type photos/videos - I don’t know with 100% certainty who is being referred to but I have a sense I can guess. It personally doesn’t bother me, it’s not hurting anyone. I wouldn’t say I’m a fan, but if it got to the point of annoying me then I would just unfollow that person. (If it’s who I think it is I don’t follow them anyway as they’re not necessarily someone I’d book to see.) I wouldn’t let it affect how I saw them on stage though, although everyone’s obviously entitled to an opinion! 
 

For me what I do think dancers should be careful about is over sharing. I don’t wish to be patronising but I do think it’s nice to keep some things personal for a bit of mystery and privacy! I enjoy the odd personal post but I don’t need to know the ins and outs of their relationships/what they eat/weekend activities etc. But I appreciate it’s up to them what they share and if I don’t enjoy the content I just unfollow!

Edited August 26, 2023 by JNC

[FionaM]

To answer the original question about whether social media does influence my perception of a dancer and therefore which performances I attend …

 

One thing that does affect me is whether a dancer thanks their partner and or company post a performance and maybe also the audience.   If they tend not to … that is a turn off.  

[art_enthusiast]

35 minutes ago, JNC said:

(On a separate note I do have a wider concerns about pictures of babies/children online as they haven’t given “consent” to it. I think photos to share for yourself and them to see when they’re adults, and to share to family is lovely but I don’t see why you’d share this with thousands of strangers, it’s a bit invasive even if the pictures are harmless and I think it’ll be interesting to see how those growing up with constant pictures of them since birth feel about it in future.)

I agree with this - people should at least put emojis on children’s faces, as I think some are starting to do, to protect their identity in some way at least.

 

I do think parents are shockingly naive, especially when you consider the types of people online, and the harm that they can cause, and how content can be duplicated and posted anywhere - I won’t go on, but I’m sure it’s self explanatory. It should be in closed family and friend groups only.

 

 I foresee a lot of court cases in this vein occurring with increasing frequency in the next 10 years!

[LinMM]

I agree with JNC above posts re children. The odd picture now and again of say of a new baby or a child starting school or attending their first ballet lesson etc is okay but otherwise I think some “family” type pictures should be kept to the dancers privacy settings and not shared so widely with the general public even if they are assuming all people who have “liked” them are ballet lovers. 
But then I’m of an older generation at 75 so have never been really that media savvy. It’s a new thing and have never quite got my head around it all and don’t get things like Tik Tok at all so probably why I just stay with Facebook many aspects of which I enjoy ….except the “Linda we think you might enjoy this” type messages! 
And I already spend far too much time on that without additional social media for me! 
My partner thinks Twitter or X whatever it’s called now wouldn’t suit me anyway as I can’t be brief enough lol! 

[capybara]

58 minutes ago, FionaE said:

One thing that does affect me is whether a dancer thanks their partner and or company post a performance and maybe also the audience.   If they tend not to … that is a turn off.  

That’s so interesting as many of the post-performance thanks I see on IG come across to me as somewhat fake and mostly about the thanker saying, ”Look at me” (again!).

I’m sure that there are a lot of private thanks backstage immediately after a show.

[Scheherezade]

1 hour ago, Jan McNulty said:

What I have found is that the "suggestions" of posts I may like are driving me around the bend!

The joy of algorithms!

[Rob S]

13 hours ago, capybara said:

This feature of social media is a pain as, even if I ‘unfollow’ people (for example Mr RBX - who has been named above; and Mr RBY - who hasn’t and is a newer ‘offender’), I seem to get their feed coming through on a regular basis.

It doesn’t offend me but I just don’t need it.

 

I never willingly book for Mr RBX because his stage persona doesn’t ‘do it’ for me - and I realised that before the days of Instagram. But I do have a sense that what Mr RBY is now showing on social media might be affecting how I view him on stage - which is why I started this thread.

 

 

 

Who's Rachel RBX?

 

[Suffolkgal]

Honestly... I do enjoy them when they are full of joy! I only follow a couple but that leads you to others. William B’s globetrotting summer has been sweet, warm and fascinating... it can give you an insight into the ties(and toes) that bind that big company. I only started following him after watching him dance and I can’t imagine ever being influenced the other way. There are one or two dancers who seem just a little bit - well - pleased with themselves but they are not people I’d go and watch because I have and while my respect and admiration were engaged ... the rest of me was left cold! Live performance is so individual and unique in the way people respond, in music theatre or ballet. (I’m also a huge fan of the kings singers who mostly perform abroad so great to be kept in touch with artists’ working lives on Instagram). And I won’t lie, when one comments and you get a “like” from the artist or colleagues it’s just nice to know they know you appreciate their work and their sharing! I do adore Nela’s cats too ...my two sent her a message for Romi’s birthday!

[balletfanatic]

2 hours ago, art_enthusiast said:

I agree with this - people should at least put emojis on children’s faces, as I think some are starting to do, to protect their identity in some way at least.

 

I do think parents are shockingly naive, especially when you consider the types of people online, and the harm that they can cause, and how content can be duplicated and posted anywhere - I won’t go on, but I’m sure it’s self explanatory. It should be in closed family and friend groups only.

 

 I foresee a lot of court cases in this vein occurring with increasing frequency in the next 10 years!

I totally agree - I've seen photos of friends children in skimpy swim wear on social media this Summer which is just way too dangerous in my view. I'm not a fan of social media anyway though - I find holiday photos on FB a bit distasteful in general for example - why not just show your friends and family when you return if they're interested - why put photos on while you're away. So many people can't afford a day trip this year let alone an expensive holiday abroad and it's just showing off unnecessarily and/or self indulgent in my view

[OnePigeon]

1 hour ago, Rob S said:

 

Who's Rachel RBX?

 

🤣 I never expected to feel like Uncle Albert on this forum, but I think I need one of these men in my life right now....

 

[LinMM]

I’m pretty sure I know who RBX is as think it’s the person referred to in my first post!! At least I think I do…be funny if we’re all thinking of a different person though!! 
Have no idea who RBY is and probably best it remains a mystery ( have now got the ear worm Ruby Tuesday from Ballet Rambert in mind)