Stereotypes?

[sarahw]

We don't need to feel pushy at all then!!

[mimi66]

A good way to demonstrate how difficult it is to became a ballet dancer would be to compare the number of premier league football player in the UK with the number of ballet dancers on permanent (well, of sort) contract  for classical ballet companies like RB, BRB, ENB, Northern, Scottish ballet (if I missed any please feel free to add...).  It really is a profession for chosen few - though general misconception is that you just have to be thin and pretty (and bendy).

 

I have seen the numbers, and it is almost shocking.  And some argue that there are too many ballet companies.

 

I also heard that in the boys class in Russia, they were sometimes sarcastically told to "try something easier, like football!".

[Dance*is*life]

Stereotyping is very difficult to get rid of, but as in all prejudices, education is the key.  When my husband first brought me to meet his parents in 1972, he told them I was an actress!  Partly true I suppose - dancers do act - but when I asked him why he didn't just say I was a dancer, he replied that they would have thought I was promiscuous. I am sure there are those who are promiscuous, and those who are empty headed (oh yes that was another misconception - dancers are not academic) and those who are gay - just as there are in every walk of life.  The point is that dancing is not what made them the way they are.  Most of the male ballet dancers I know personally are married with kids and yes, they manage to support a family on their salaries.  Dancing requires quick brains, incredible co-ordinatiion, strong flexible physique, acting ability, musicality, dance quality etc etc.

Found this rather interesting article your daughter might be able to use - http://www.nytimes.com/2001/10/14/arts/dance-ok-men-get-into-tights-and-line-up-at-the-barre.html  and this - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_stereotype_of_the_male_ballet_dancer

 

Good luck to her!

[Lisa O`Brien]

One of the things that really upset me when I first went to dance in Japan. Nearly everyone,without exception,thought we were glorified prostitutes. We were told it was impolite to refuse a quick chat or a quick drink at the table of someone after the show.So,we got used to having to spend half an hour chatting to members of the audience.So degrading. Still, I thought,we are in a different country now with an entirely different culture. I didn`t speak a word of Japanese at first.I was wondering what on earth this man who was a guest was saying to me. His wife was sitting next to him, smiling and nodding at me. Until someone translated it for me. "How much do you charge for the night?"  As a very naiive,innocent,20 year old who had never even been kissed up until that point,to say I was insulted and humiliated is an understatement. I went home and cried for hours. The most difficult thing was having to get back on stage the following night,and smile,knowing there were people in the audience who thought that of us,simply because we were dancers.

[aileen]

That's horrible, thequays. I know that a long time ago dancers and actresses were not regarded as respectable (some became mistresses of aristocrats and other wealthy men) but I thought that the association with prostitution and loose morals died out about a hundred years ago.

[Lisa O`Brien]

It is still rife in Japan. I think it`s all to do with the Geishas. They are entertainers. OK,the "proper" ,authentic ones don`t sleep with men for money.But I think there are plenty of others,who dress the same way,who do a bit of a song and a dance,then earn the vast majority of their money another way.

[Phill UpNorth]

For reference here's an article run a couple of years ago comparing ballet dancers to Rugby League players in terms of fitness, diet, regime etc...

 

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/top-stories/health-who-is-fitter-the-rugby-player-of-the-ballerina-1-2251495

 

And as a Company we at Northern Ballet rarely break out the tutus and the costumes in our most recent productions have been designed more to show off the dancers' form and not be an incumbency or distraction to the performance.

 

As for pretending to be fairies - we have A Midsummer Night's Dream in our rep but one of the most popular productions we've produced in recent years has been The Great Gatsby, a firm favourite is Dracula and our cinderella has a magician where you'd expect to find a fairy Godmother!

 

One of our Leading Soloists answers a question on diet, weight limits etc... http://northernballet.tumblr.com/post/52135718144/leading-soloist-hannah-bateman-answers-a-question

 

Lastly here's Rugby League star with ballerina Antoinette Brooks-Daw comparing worlds... 

 

Sorry about the Northern Ballet -centricness!

[Lisa O`Brien]

Nice one.!  I LOVE  Rugby League. Not quite as much as football [soccer] but it`s definately up there with Gaelic Football for me. Being a Manc, you`d think "my" Rugby League team would be Salford Reds. But i`m actually a lifelong Wigan fan. Not that there`s as much to cheer about at Wigan as there used to be in their heady days of winning everything. Sigh.

[Sozo]

Wow I hate stereotypes, boys should do ballet!! We need them! As a teenage girl I can't even begin to imagine the excitement our ballet class would have if a boy joined! Also ballet is so not airy fairy, can't think of many boys who would put up with the pain of point work. Those who say ballet isn't a proper form of exercise seriously need to attend a ballet class, see how they feel then! When they relise that ballet dancers can stand in 5th position for the whole lesson with no real trouble and they can't even begin to try! I think your project will be amazing keep going with it.

[Melody]

John Curry's father wouldn't let him become a ballet dancer, for the usual sad reasons, so he became a figure skater instead, always trying to incorporate elements of classical dance in his routines. In fact I think he used some of the ballet music from Don Quixote for his Olympic long programme. I was very glad when he won the Olympic gold medal but I did wonder if that had compensated for the loss of the career that he really wanted.

Edited February 9, 2015 by Melody

[rowan]

Also possibly of interest, the Guardian published a story about the RBS's outreach programme Primary Steps yesterday:

 

http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/feb/13/royal-ballet-school-primary-steps-dagenham

Edited February 14, 2015 by rowan

[Dance*is*life]

John Curry was very balletic in his style and I think it was tragic that he died so young (44) from Aids.  He and Robin Cousins were always my favourites, because they were balletic and had beautiful lines and performed real choreography rather than a bunch of tricks strung together.

 

It's actually interesting to see how many use ballet training to enhance their performance in gymnastics, skating and other fields.  I'm sure the trick riders and trapeze artists in the circus must have also studied ballet!

Edited February 14, 2015 by Dance*is*life

[Lisa O`Brien]

Also possibly of interest, the Guardian published a story about the RBS's outreach programme Primary Steps yesterday:

 

http://www.theguardian.com/stage/2015/feb/13/royal-ballet-school-primary-steps-dagenham

Wow. In 2009, 115 boys and 505 girls applied for 25-30 places. In 2013, 177 boys and 609 girls applied to the RBS.