Why starting later

[Guest Ballet Guy]

Hi, guys. I have noticed that alot male dancers start later than girls. I started when I was 14 and when I went to Atlanta ballet summer camp the male teachers said they started at age 15 to 16. I have even meet males who started at 23. Why do guys tend to start later? What age did you guys start dancing?

[mbjerk]

My guess is that boys start later, at least here in the US, due to the stigma of ballet and the lack of opportunity at an earlier age. Most that I know who started before teenage years did so because their sister took ballet and they were stuck going to the studio.

 

I started at ten, following a young lady on whom I had a terrible crush. Ballet was the hardest thing that I had done, and the rewards of accomplishing a step were tremendous. I fell for the other woman - Terpsichore - and forgot all about my crush.

[Garyecht]

I think when it comes to physical activities of any sort, boys and girls develop differently. In sports, among teens skill level and age is much more correlated with boys than with girls. Gymnastics is a good example. Not unusual at all to find world class 14 year old girls. Not so with boys. In many high school sports, freshman or sophomore girls perform at top levels, something that is extremely rare for boys.

 

Then there is the mental side. Ten to 14 year old boys are just another breed as every parent of one knows (though I didn’t recognize that in myself, I am sure I was typical).

 

Though we live in a society that stresses equal opportunity for males and females, we shouldn’t therefore assume that males and females will behave similarly.

[citibob]

Guys start later because the professional companies can't fill their ranks with guys who started as children. Girls dance because it's a social thing; so zillions of girls are exposed to it at a young age. For boys, it's just the opposite; you have to really want to dance. Even then, many parents prevent their boys from dancing. It takes a lot of guts and courage and independence, qualities that don't develop until later.

[Henrik]

I started as four year old.

I have very kind parents, but none of my family "knew" what ballet was! I was three, and saw someone practice a pas de deux, and said to my mother: That is what I will do when I grow up!

So I started dancing a year later, and here I am, soon 14 years after, still dancing

But ofcourse Ive had my ups and downs... Its NOT fun to be the only guy in town dancing ballet between the age 9 and 13 But after that, the girls starts to digg it, and when the girls do, the other boys do This is ofcourse a little overexadurated (please exuce my english) but Im afraid its not long from the truth

 

My best friend have said to me: I figured, Either you are gay, or you are the smartest fella in this town.

Many of my friends are jealos of me knowing so many nice girls.

 

My teacher asked me to teach two groups of very young boys in ballet next semester. I figured I will do my best to make these guys feel MALE and THOUGH and all that, so maybe I have given a little contribution to the "fight" against the next guys thoughts against boys in ballet!!!!

 

Henrik

[Hans]

I started when I was 7. I think men start later (in the US) because our culture does not look favorably upon boys who dance. It takes a certain amount of maturity and strength to be able to go against the view of the majority. I didn't care, though--I was 7! What's culture? ;)

[Mel Johnson]

I started when I was 12. The reason for that age was that there was no reliable BALLET school in my town or within easy travel distance until I was that age. Oh, sure, there were the assorted tap/jazz/ballet/baton twirling/whatever places, but even as a kid, I knew these were phonies, and wouldn't lead anywhere near a professional theatrical career.