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[Guest inoubliable]

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[tabrizia]

I'm shocked that they won't get back to you about boys in ballet. Most ballet studios I know love having boys, since so few are interested. DS has asked a few times, but I don't think he would do well with his current lack of direction following, but the studio DD is at would love to have him if he is actually serious when I think he would be able to follow directions for ballet.

 

Can't help about what to do to train at home, but I do know there are a few people on the boards with boys in ballet.

[Belacqua]

I'm shocked that they won't get back to you about boys in ballet. Most ballet studios I know love having boys, since so few are interested.

Can't help about what to do to train at home, but I do know there are a few people on the boards with boys in ballet.

 

So true. My grandmother ran a ballet studio, and she was over the moon when a boy signed up for lessons. I still remember one poor boy being exhausted at the end of every class because he had to partner all the girls.

[Guest inoubliable]

 

[nono]

At our studio/gym, they do everything possible to include the boys. My ds is in tap, but has no interest in ballet. In the previous studio though, which was exclusively dance, he was the only boy at all, which if he hadn't been three, might have bothered him at recital time. Is there a gym that gives dance lessons too near you? Perhaps they might not be as standoffish about including boys?

[kitten18]

I'm shocked that they won't get back to you about boys in ballet. Most ballet studios I know love having boys, since so few are interested. DS has asked a few times, but I don't think he would do well with his current lack of direction following, but the studio DD is at would love to have him if he is actually serious when I think he would be able to follow directions for ballet. Can't help about what to do to train at home, but I do know there are a few people on the boards with boys in ballet.

I agree. My DS was in ballet for 1.5 years. He did great in Creative Movement but when he moved up the next year to Pre-Primary, the pace was just too slow for a super wiggly little boy and it was just miserable for him and the teacher.

 

I'm leaving the door open for him to go back to ballet at some point when he's a little more mature. I think he will, we are at the studio 2-4 days/week with DD and he loves everyone there.

 

When DS was in class his uniform was black "tights", white t-shirt, white socks, and black ballet shoes. For boys, the tights are often thicker and footless which are really hard to find for little boys so he wore black leggings.

[Rebel Yell]

How old are your boys?

 

PLEASE do NOT train them at home. It is very very easy to develop very very bad habits. At best, it will take years to undo and correct, at worst- permanent damage/injuries. Other than marking through choreography at home (walking through, not dancing full-out) in between rehearsals is the most even a professional would do. You really need trained teachers and a classroom setting.

 

I also find it unbelievable that a school wouldn;t be beating down your door with scolarships for boys. Schools here (close to a major city!) BEG for boys, and even have to pay some from otehr studios to be in the Christmas Nurtcracker shows.

 

Keep looking. Perhaps some studios don;t want boys, but even a recreational studio can have excellent teachers. Our studio does not do competitions or have a company- just a spring recital, but the teachers are all excellent with degress in dance and performance experience. Find a nice small local studio and start there.Good luck!

[Guest inoubliable]

 

[Guest inoubliable]

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[Unicorn.]

When my son took dance (it was a combo class that taught tap, ballet, tumbling (jazz for older kids). The boys just wore shorts and t-shirts tucked in, and black ballet shoes.

OP- I'm shocked that they won't teach boys. Oh, and I started my son at 3. He didn't follow directions from me very well, but he did in class!

[tabrizia]

Free tuition? Scholarships??

 

Good grief!

 

Sometimes I think I live in the most backwoods place in the country. :glare:

 

I just called my old company. It seems they can take my DS7, but not until a summer session. Fantastic people, classically trained in Russia. Expensive, though. I probably couldn't afford to put both little guys in there, even if they could take DS5. I'll have to keep looking, I guess.

 

There is a dance messageboard around, I forget the name, but I am sure someone here knows it. I would check there and see if anyone knows of options in your area. It sounds like you are South of DC so I can't help much, if you were on the Maryland side I could probably help a bit more depending on where you are (we are in a casual homeschooling friendly studio right now for my 3 year old, but there are at least 10 studios within our area I found when looking).

[Tasia]

That is such a strange reaction! I have two boys in ballet right now (9 and 13). Their old studio offered free tuition for boys and practically begged my other boys to join. The current program isn't as desperate for boys, but they're still in demand.

 

I'll just echo the word of caution about teaching dance at home. Bad habits are hard, and sometimes impossible, to break.

[DusksAngel]

G takes both a Tap/Tumbling class (15min each) and a Ballet class (30 min). He's the only boy. We don't get any discounts other than her normal family discounts (which are awesome just by themselves). He does have to have ballet and tap shoes but his uniform is a t-shirt and shorts. She mentioned that in the future he might need black pants for performances.

[kitten18]

There is a dance messageboard around, I forget the name, but I am sure someone here knows it. I would check there and see if anyone knows of options in your area. It sounds like you are South of DC so I can't help much, if you were on the Maryland side I could probably help a bit more depending on where you are (we are in a casual homeschooling friendly studio right now for my 3 year old, but there are at least 10 studios within our area I found when looking).

The one I know of is ballettalk, they have a forum for parents of boys in the special groups section.

 

http://dancers.invisionzone.com/index.php?showforum=125

[Jenny in Florida]

There is a dance messageboard around, I forget the name, but I am sure someone here knows it. I would check there and see if anyone knows of options in your area. It sounds like you are South of DC so I can't help much, if you were on the Maryland side I could probably help a bit more depending on where you are (we are in a casual homeschooling friendly studio right now for my 3 year old, but there are at least 10 studios within our area I found when looking).

 

http://dancers.invisionzone.com/ ?

 

It doesn't look like the URL I remember from looking at mesage boards before, but maybe they, too, have switched to a new format?

 

Anyway, my son was at the pre-professional ballet school locally for several years, starting when he was six. He got free tuition for the first two or three years, because they were desperate to recruit boys. It's tough for me to believe you're having trouble finding anyone to take yours!

 

In general, for little boys, the uniform is black dance shorts (like bike shorts, usually), close-fitting white t-shirt and soft ballet slippers in either black or white.

 

Once they get older, they often switch to men's dance tights, which are heavier than the ones women usually wear, like spandex or lycra, still with the white t-shirt and soft shoes.

 

My son has moved from the ballet-centric school to a smaller dance studio and returned to ballet after a couple of years doing just tap and jazz. He's been asked to wear dance or athletic pants (like sweatpants, but a little closer fitting), a solid-color t-shirt and ballet slippers. He prefers the all black look, and this studio doesn't care.

 

With all of that said, no, it's not a good idea to train them at home. They could certainly watch videos, and there might even be some with simple exercises for kids that wouldn't be a problem. And, of course, they can dance all over your house to their hearts' content. But, unless you are a trained dance teacher, yourself, I don't think it's a good plan to attempt any real "training." As others have said, the potential for both bad habits and actual injury is pretty high.

[bettyandbob]

OK that's just weird. I gotta think there is something not right about the places you contacted.

 

dd's studio works hard to get and keep boys. Brothers of girls enrolled are often given scholarships and boys without siblings enrolled are given deep discounts. When the girls hit advanced skills they need partners. Boys are recruited and given any perk possible to keep them. If a girl has a brother not enrolled, I've studio personnel work hard to get the boy to come try it for a day.

[Amy in NH]

My oldest took ballet from age 4 to around 9. The first place was a small local dance school. We paid the same tuition as everyone else. Then we moved to FL and he took lessons at the Miami City Ballet for free. The skill level was way before "partnering".

 

The local dance school where my dd attends now would take a boy for ballet in a heartbeat, but they also have an all boys dance class which is more street dancing. They pay the same tuition as everyone else.

[Lady Marmalade]

Wow! I'm sorry you are having trouble finding a place! My DS dances, and I can't imagine a decent school turning boys down. At almost 9 years old, he already has had dozens of requests for partnering- he takes ballet twice a week, plus lyrical, jazz and hip-hop which are his competitive dances.

 

Our school is pretty casual about uniform for classes. Boys can wear shorts and tees or tanks or leggings/jazz pants if they choose. Ballet slippers are usually required, but we do have a teenager who prefers to do his ballet work barefoot, and DS has worn his foot undeez for ballet too with no troubles.

 

I will say that there is no distinction in our area between boys and girls classes. The boys take classes with the girls- there isn't a separate class for boys (with the exception of one breakdancing class). Maybe these places think you're looking for a boys only class?

 

I hope you can find something. I love watching my son dance. He is so graceful and beautiful, and could go really far with it if he keeps it up. He has such joy when he's on the dance floor- I'd hate to see anyone denied that.

[Dory]

My youngest son wants to take ballet but we are making him wait till he is 6 as that is what we did with his older sister. I already talked with the studio here about it. They are thrilled to have a boy as they are super rare around here.

[Nart]

My son took pre-ballet at age four for 18 months. I called around 3 to 4 studios to try and find one that had any other boys. The first place I called the person I talked to laughed and said " of course there aren't any boys signed up" and her tone indicated that it was strange that I wanted to sign him up. I found one studio that did have another boy his age in his class. There were also three or four older boys who took ballet as well. He wore black girl Gymboree leggings (they make them pretty thick) and one of those white athletic t-shirts. ( He obviously wasn't told the leggings were from the girl section.) He loved the class. If it had been called pre - sports conditioning I think a lot of boys old have joined because it did help him think about body positioning in t-ball and soccer. Unfortunately the other boy dropped out and he didn't want to be the only boy. I think that some ballet classes in the early years play up the "princess" or "fairy" aspect which leaves out boys. For example the studio offered a week long summer camp called princess camp.

 

I am now looking for a hip-hop class for him because I have heard more boys sign up. He really does like to dance so I figure if he takes any dance class it will be easier for him to return to ballet if he wants to. If you can't find a ballet class are there any other dance classes available? Perhaps even gymnastics would be good while you find a place for him to dance.

[lamppost]

There is a dance messageboard around, I forget the name, but I am sure someone here knows it.

 

http://www.dancemom.com/

 

:001_smile:

[Guest inoubliable]

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[Dmmetler]

One thing I'd suggest-check dance school websites and see if you can find one with male instructors. My DD is doing ballet technique and repetoire with a male teacher this year, and I can't imagine that he wouldn't be able to train boys :).

[Spryte]

Are we in the same area?! I have called several dance studios in our relatively small town and have had the same reaction. We could drive closer to DC for something, I'm sure, but that's really prohibitive at this point.

 

You're not alone in this experience!

[Guest inoubliable]

 

[redsquirrel]

both my boys are very much involved. They take general classes with the girls and the older takes a class specifically for boys. I cannot believe that they are not contacting you. Many schools are so desperate for boys that they offer a substantial discount to male students.

 

If a school acts like they can't belive you would want to sign up a boy then it isn't a very serious dance school. Find the school with the boys and you might have found one of the better schools in the area.

 

My older son has been dancing for 6 years. He has such a strong and muscular body that it is amazing. My DH has really got into the 'ballet dad' thing. He works backstage and has learned so much about ballet to support his boys. Sometimes I feel left out! :laugh:

[redsquirrel]

I didn't answer some of your questions: my boys wear black leggings and white tshirts and black ballet slippers for class. The leggings I buy at walmart or target for 5$. I find them in the girl's dept. I buy a lot of them because I am not sure how long they will be in fashion for girls. I often buy a size smaller than their age so that they are tight. You need the shape of the leg to show. No baggy leggings. I buy white hanes t-shirt. I buy the ballet slippers at the local dance store. I know that not all places have one of those, lol. But it is difficult to buy ballet slippers over the internet so it is worthwhile to travel to a store. The slippers for my younger son were pretty cheap. It is a bit more expensive for my older son because he wears 'split sole' shoes. But, I really held off on those as long as possible. But, it is ALL cheaper than toes shoes so we don't complain. FWIW, I have never seen boys wearing a leotard in class. Well, maybe, but with the leggins/tights over the leotard on the bottom. Frankly, the schools are so happy for boys they often give a LOT of leeway to the boys in terms of clothing. They are happy to have them.

[kitten18]

 

 

Maybeh? We're in the Northern Shenandoah Valley. You know, "D*mn-near West Virginia"? I'm going to call around again and see what I can find out. The really awful part is that the one place that REFUSED to call me back, answer my emails, or respond to my online application is the highest rated place around. :glare: They're just a few blocks away from us and would have been so so so convenient.

If they're close I would just go there. It's good to go in and get a vibe anyway.

 

Our studio has a full time office manager and I guess in theory she would return phone calls and emails but it works much better to talk to her in person.

[Jean in Newcastle]

If they're close I would just go there. It's good to go in and get a vibe anyway.

 

Our studio has a full time office manager and I guess in theory she would return phone calls and emails but it works much better to talk to her in person.

 

I'm not dance, but this is how it works at our gymnastics gym.