The *real* reason he dances

[slhogan]

I thought ya'll might appreciate this...

 

My 7 year son is a little tired of other boys commenting that Ballet is just for girls. The other day, when I heard a boy ask him about it he just sighed and said, "Look, I don't really *like* ballet, it's just part of my Jedi Knight training!"

 

Can't argue with that. Jedi Knight training *always* wins in the world of 7 year olds!

[Mel Johnson]

Perfect! And no eighteenth-century gentleman could go without his dancing lessons. "Helps with the fencing, you know!" George Washington LOVED to dance.

[dancetaxi]

I love it!!! Yep, those Jedi Knights sure can move!!! I'm sure my son will really like that one! He's a huge Star Wars fan! Give your little guy a high-five from us!

[mouse]

My son started dancing in order to be in Dracula. His first class was actually a private lesson with the head vampire himself. Now how could an eight year old resist that! Later, in the season he was in Aladdin, Magic carpets! How cool is that? Okay, ballet here isn't quite the same as elsewhere. Tonight the Lion King of Mali is having its premier. It promises to be a more faithful version of the West African tale than was Disney's. The dancer son left here at age twelve but his younger brother (who doesn't dance at all) is going to the ballet this evening (alone, I have a conflict and my husband is on the way to visit the dancer). Let the Jedis practice their turns! Let them use any and every excuse they need and can dream up in order to pursue their love of dance. They will rule the universe or at least spread ballet in their wake!

Mouse

[Guest arabento]

I was watching my son's class last night and it looked like the substitute instructor was teaching them how to sword fight. I don't know if that's what was intended, but that's what the arm motions looked like. He also had them running from the corners and doing leaps and bent knee jumps over a traffic cone. They all looked like they were having fun while doing these things. My son is coming into the dreaded middle school years and already some boys are starting to tell him that dancing is easy and isn't hard work. So if he can go to class and still learn while having a bit of fun once in awhile it makes it much easier for him. By the way, one of the girls, for a school project, figured out that during the course of a normal ballet a male dancer lifts the equivalent of 1 ton of ballerina over the course of the evening. I told my son that and said that if a male dancer can do that then they are very strong. Plus, they have to do it while moving and have a smile on their face. Can't show the strain until they're off stage! If that's not strong then I don't know what is!

[slhogan]

My son got the jedi knight training idea after I shared this article with him:

 

 

star wars

 

Of course, jedi training isn't really why he dances ballet-- I just thought it was a funny way to deal with the critisism.

 

He quit gymnastics this week, so it looks like ballet is his thing these days. Now I just have to find him white tights and order the white ballet shoes for his recital this spring.

[dancetaxi]

Slhogan:

New York dancewear will make custom-fit white tights if you need them. We used them for performance tights before my son was tall enough to fit into M Stevens.

 

NY Dancewear

or try: The Dance Shop

They carry Bal Togs tights for small boys also.

Hope that helps.

Edited February 5, 2006 by dancetaxi

[dcast10101]

Hahaha, that just made my afternoon!

 

I dance for ~5 or 6 years when I was a young boy and am just getting back into it at 20. That said I wish I had a outstanding an aspiration for the outcome of my dancing as he...

 

Haha, mad my afternoon...

[nutmeg]

It just goes to show that it's all in how you market it: My sister teaches at a private boys elementary school that offers after school activities. She was going to teach drama and put on a musical and was told not to be too be disappointed if not many boys signed up. At the assembly where each teacher presented his or her after school activity, my sister asked, "do you want to be a pirate? and learn how to fly?--come try out for 'Peter Pan."-- over half the school signed up.

[Clara 76]

Well good for her!!!!!! Well done.