Sexism Is Rife in Male Ballet

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Footballers must have fast movements/speed, excellent foot work: same with male ballet dancers but dancers must be even faster. Ask yourself “ How often does a footballer aim for the goal and miss?” Not so with the male ballet dancer whose movement must always be perfect with exact timing and precision to avoid injuring his partner. Infact the football team QPR realized the potential to improve their players precision and trained with the English National ballet weekly.

A former male ballet dancer, Aaron Cota, took time off ballet to enter the Marine Corps. His fellow marines were amazed at some of the movements he could perform which earned him their respect. He opened their eyes to the skill of ballet dancing.

When Mick Gunter opened the Centralia Ballet Academy he knew he wanted an all male class as part of his curriculum. He knew boys were typically not encouraged to take ballet so wanted to offer a class towards things boys like, such as dancing to music from Super Mario Brothers and James Bond. Canada’s National Ballet school has the largest enrolment of boys in it’s 54 year history, over the last 20 years the percentage of full time boys enrolled has increased between 23 and 34 per cent.

The TV series “Strictly Come Dancing” has also portrayed male dancers in a new light; we can hardly call John Prescott a “poof”. Male celebrities such as rugby or football players, Olympic gymnasts, presenters, singers and actors have made dancing acceptable however is ballet deemed to be more delicate therefore more effeminate?

Accept, don’t judge; enjoy, don’t squirm; forget male/female; forget leotard and tights. Let the dance movements take over, lose yourself in the moment and the feeling which only the world of ballet can evoke.

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