Boys in ballet - really fucking annoyed

[Boyscandoballettoo]

Please excuse the ranty tone of this thread - I have just had enough! Took my male toddler to a ballet class, and the number of negative comments or comments laughing about it from so-called family and friends has been overwhelming.

Please can people tell me AIBU to think it’s a bloody unisex sport?!? There have always been male ballet dancers! I do NOT understand the ignorance over it and even if it were a female sport traditionally, how dare people be so bloody sexist and make fun of a boy for joining in.

I don’t know why but it’s really pushing my buttons!

I was lucky. My daughter was the only girl in her school football team from age 7-12 (I think...whatever the age when girls can't play competitive football in mixed teams any more - this was back in the '90s.) Then she continued playing in women's teams until the end of university.

She was fortunate as well to be really talented, even at seven, and her boy team mates respected her. If there was any chuntering about her taking away a boy's place in the team, I never heard it. And I'm very confident that the coaches would have put a stop to it if any parent said anything to them.
In the end every parent wants their team to win. And she was one of the strongest players.

I do think that, socially, it's easier for girls to break the gender barrier though.

We have a little boy in our baby ballet class. He loves it. Often turns up dressed in a dinosaur costume.

Try and ignore them.

The art vs sport thing - the point is that, whilst it’s technically described as art rather than sport, there are enough people arguing the case for sport that it’s not so outlandish for me to have used it. Certainly not for people to be making it about gender rather than how bloody athletic you have to be to do it. Interesting to hear people debate both sides though

How could they put on ballets without men?

My boys did ballet. They enjoyed it. The eldest one was winning many festivals and only stopped because his ‘mates’ started teasing him. Really sad and I am sure he missed it.
As there are fewer male dancers, they often go further than girls and a friend of ours was touring after a stint dancing in London and said the money isn’t too bad either.
I bet those people taking the Mick fancied the likes of Patrick Swayze back in the day, and he grew up dancing and then teaching at his mothers dance school before becoming a global star. Perhaps remind your unsupportive family of this?

This video by Hong Kong Ballet might be of interest - I'm in HK and was put onto it by my (male ballet dancer) brother-in-law!

www.instagram.com/p/BxguIUAgG5Y/?igshid=194ivicz5hftl

Dh says the definition of a sport is something you can cheat at.

Dh says the definition of a sport is something you can cheat at

Same could be said for marriage....

YANBU. Your family & friends are seriously bigoted.

If Ballet were easy it would be called football.

Male ballet dancers are probably the most talented athletes we have - they have to do amazing physical things, with grace, artistry, and acting ability.

Show them Stephen McRae's Instagram feed. A fully heterosexual extraordinary dancer! Because most people's "thing" about boys learning ballet is that they'll "catch the gay."

And who are the fuckwits who say you're unreasonable in the poll? 4% idiots.

trewser then unfortunately based on that definition dance is definitely a sport

Have the piss takers ever seen a ballet themselves?

My ex boyfriend played badminton semi professionally. He used to do ballet exercises to help strengthen his legs.

When I was at school out rugby team was woeful. Obviously they were all boys.

As a punishment one day for a particularly bad match result the PR teacher made them train with the girls hockey team - and that became the term for punishment from then on. The poor boys were terrified of what they had previously scoffed at as a 'girls game' (but you have sticks and you hit us with it!'). They didnt realise that a crack from the ball really hurt too.

Boxers and martial artists skip - is that 'too girly' as well?

My ex boyfriend played badminton semi professionally. He used to do ballet exercises to help strengthen his legs

He didn't actually do ballet though. I mean let's not go mad, there are lots of great things about football, rugby etc that ballet doesn't have. It's fine for boys to be into it but its very individual, the percentage of injuries and issues with body dysmorphia is probably far larger than football and rugby, so it's definitely not the be all and end all.

I might just be hormonal but I'd tell them straight to fuck off and have done.

There should be no place for that sexist stereotype bullshit in 2020.

Have the piss takers ever seen a ballet themselves?

The weird thing is, they more than likely have, and probably agree adult male ballet dancers are amazing...

They seem to live in some parallel universe where it’s perfectly fine for adult males to be dancers, piano players, chefs, have long hair; and normal for adult females to have short hairstyles, wear trousers and follow football.

However when it to small children it’s utterly ridiculous and somehow parental agenda to do anything outside the stereotype.

I actually have a friend who’s son was a singer. Started at musical theatre school and was very successful, and got a scholarship to a prestigious drama school. He didn’t do ballet or dance though as boys are no good, and it’s for girls anyway.. fast forward and he’s now graduated and finding for nearly every west end production he’s getting really far along the audition process, then they find out he’s never danced. They don’t even want superb dancers, just those that know what a step ball change is and can follow basic choreo...

And who are the fuckwits who say you're unreasonable in the poll? 4% idiots

The same people who post that they have one of each and their girl is a real “girly girl” who likes pink, craft and dancing, but the boy likes gaming, guns and is loud and noisy. Which is offered as definitive proof that it’s totally inherent genetics because they’ve parented them exactly the same ..

@TheFoxAndTheMole

I am very hormonal and I relate to your gavel! 😂

No-one ever refers to Darcey Bussell or Francesca Hayward or even Oti Mabuse as athletes or sportsmen
Sorry to piss on your chips, but I do (well, not 'sportsmen').

I don't, I call them dancers. Is that wrong?

I don't, I call them dancers. Is that wrong?

No but they can be dancers participating in their particular discipline of a sport. Just as referring to someone who plays football as a footballer doesn't take away from the fact they participate in a sport.

Yes but I'd expect a footballer to also be called a sportperson. It wouldn't occur to me to call a dancer a sportsperson.

Ah my youngest loves singing/dancing/drama his happy place is the theatre! Who cares. He goes to stage school. He's happy. I'm happy.

Yes but I'd expect a footballer to also be called a sportperson. It wouldn't occur to me to call a dancer a sportsperson.

Maybe now it will? Lots of people have given clear and valid reasons why dance can be considered a sport yet i've not heard a single reasonable reason why it shouldn't be considered one.

A bit of a non issue really