Fred Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Just curious to see how many people are for it and how many people are against it. Freddie Quote Link to comment
Clara 76 Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 Hello Fred, I am for it-I think it helps men to develop their feet and ankles fully, and provides them with an empathy for their partners!! The men I've known who have trained for awhile with pointe shoes have much better feet than when they started. And finally...what's good for the gander, is good for the goose!! Clara Quote Link to comment
Mel Johnson Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 I'm in the middle on this one, so I didn't click an option. I think it should be there for the boys, available if wanted, never forced, and never discouraged, unless there's a valid reason like too little training beforehand or feet that are clearly unsuited for pointe. Quote Link to comment
Sulan Posted March 25, 2004 Report Share Posted March 25, 2004 I started pointe as an adult, and in the beginning pointe open classes that I took there were a bunch of guys who took the class in soft shoes to strengthen their feet... often, after the guy had been coming for several weeks, the teacher would come up to them and recommend that they get a pair of pointes... it was amazing to see how much progress they made! Quote Link to comment
Guest mic31 Posted March 26, 2004 Report Share Posted March 26, 2004 I take pointe, but if there is a choice between a mens class or a pointe class, the mens class wins out everytime. To me pointe for guys is just an extra. I saw a performance that had men en pointe recently, It was by La La La Human Steps the show is called Amelia. For me though it's just an extra and an expensive extra at that Quote Link to comment
Fred Posted March 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 I only started pointe now recently so at the\moment we are only doing 10 to 15 minutes of barre work and my class is directly after my technique class and cost me nothing extra so I do not have problems choosing between tachnique and pointe class. Freddie Quote Link to comment
Jaana Heino Posted March 28, 2004 Report Share Posted March 28, 2004 I'm in the middle, too. I certainly don't object to men taking pointe, if they want to and/or their teacher feels it would be good for them (and with the same sanity checks about it as for females, naturally), but I don't really care if they do or don't, so I can't say I'm exactly for it, either. Quote Link to comment
lampwick Posted March 30, 2004 Report Share Posted March 30, 2004 I've seen quite a few guys take class en pointe who do quite well. Of course, I'd prefer they show up for pointe class in slippers to perhaps do a bit of partering. Girls LOVE having guys around to practice partnering. Quote Link to comment
citibob Posted March 30, 2004 Report Share Posted March 30, 2004 Why don't you suggest to some of the guys, after barre, that they throw of the pointe shoes and lift you in the center. Quote Link to comment
Sulan Posted March 30, 2004 Report Share Posted March 30, 2004 Actually, that's exactly what happened in one of the classes I used to take... though it was more promenade in arabesque, and that sort of thing, not really any lifting. Quote Link to comment
Kitty Posted April 1, 2004 Report Share Posted April 1, 2004 I am against men on pointe. In classes it may be beneficial for them to have lessons and study the technique but I believe that is one of the areas that women have the advantage and should be left that way. Quote Link to comment
citibob Posted April 1, 2004 Report Share Posted April 1, 2004 Actually, women have the advantage in most of ballet technique. That becomes very clear when you teach beginning adults --- and you see how much easier of a time the women have with their bodies. Does that mean we should give up on dance and go play football? Quote Link to comment
DreadPirateRoberts Posted April 1, 2004 Report Share Posted April 1, 2004 I've noticed the same thing, Citibob, but from my perspective as a beginner adult male in class. I've always been active (tennis, biking, some running) but I was stunned at how hard ballet was for me compared with 90% of the women who were in class with me, also as beginners! I've never felt so, well, SLOW in my life. Ugh. Even now, I'm always happy in class when we get to the part of our floor exercises (lots of repeated changements, or echappes or sautes in place) that for some reason I can manage to do as well at (and as many of) as anyone. It rescues my battered ego for a few minutes before I return to being the SLOW one again! Now, back to the topic -- I'm in favor of men trying pointe, if only for them/us to understand even more what it takes to dance en pointe. I think trying it one day would help me be a better partner, and better anticipate how to help the woman balance, turn, etc. Quote Link to comment
Kitty Posted April 7, 2004 Report Share Posted April 7, 2004 No citibob, but its easier for men to be professional ballet dancers than it for women to be professional footballers. Quote Link to comment
onyx Posted April 13, 2004 Report Share Posted April 13, 2004 I think it is a good thing for men to take pointe if they want to. I have had 2 male teachers who have said it was required of them when they were training to be professional dancers. I would think that it would help their feet to get stronger as well as placement of the whole body, and definitely help with partnering. I have seen the Trocks dance many times and am always amazed at how strong they are. When they first started dancing, they were more into the parody of ballet, but now they all have really strong techniques techniques. They do some of the best double and triple fouettes I have seen. Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.