Boys and Ballet class

[AandWsMum]

My son is 3 and desperate to start Ballet classes. While I think this is great I have a few worries as an ex pro dancer:

1 - Boys get a lot of attention in my experience, as far less of them go eg. Always at the front in dances, doing main parts… and he is much more of “fade into the group” sort of child who loves to be involved but can be shy if he’s centre of attention. I’m worried it’ll be a bit too much for him

2 - people already think I’m pushing him to do more stereotypically “girly” things - he loves Drag, makeup, we paint his nails etc… it he’s also really into things like rugby and tools! I don’t want it to seem like I’m trying to make him into something just because I was a dancer myself - I don’t want anyone to take the piss out of him either

Should I tell him he has to wait? I feel like if he’s a bit older then it does look more like it something he wants to do rather than it coming from me (even though he wants to go because some of his friends do) Or am I just overthinking this? He already does Swimming, Rugby & Gymnastics so it’s not like he’s short on activities….

(His dad just thinks get on with it but the grandparents are all being a bit judgemental)

let him do it...

You’re massively overthinking this. He’s 3. Let him do whatever activities he wants.

How does a 3yo love Drag?

Just let him do it - he wants to.

He loves drag?

He loves drag? Watching it or doing it?

The important thing is he wants to go. Let him! In “baby ballet” at age 3 he won’t get extra attention or be put at the front or anything like that.

His Godfather is a Drag Queen -

He says “I love when the boys dress like pretty ladies”

Also his fave dress up costume for a while now, along with a fireman 😂

Let him go. Obviously if the teacher starts bringing him to the front, giving him main parts just tell them he's more of a shy child and putting him to the front will put him off coming.

What do you mean he likes "drag"? He's 3, Howard drag acts has he seen?

I was going to say just let him do it, but the ‘he loves drag’ comment has really thrown me.

Both my sons do ballet. I doubt very much he’ll get a starring role at 3! Just speak to the teacher if you think that he’ll be pushed out of his comfort zone due to his sex.

If he wants to do ballet, let him. I wouldn’t over think it at this stage. My eldest came home from nursery one day at 4 saying “I want to do ballet”. So I enrolled him in a class and he’s still going strong, several years later. But if he’d wanted to stop after a term or the first year, that would have been ok too.

Just let him do it. He'll let you know whether he likes it or not.

He says “I love when the boys dress like pretty ladies”

Ok then

He's a 3-year-old who likes to play dress up. That is not the same as 'drag'.

If he wants to do ballet lessons, let him do them.

You're way over thinking it. Being a boy at ballet aged 3 won't make him front and centre. I live in a working class northern area and most of the local dance schools have boys attending now, times have moved on.

Liking dressing up, including others dressing up and knowing what drag is, are really quite different things.

'He likes drag' is a claim of cognitive sophistication incommensurate with being three.

@Thatsplentyjack

He says “I love when the boys dress like pretty ladies”

Ok then

Is that not quite good sentence structure for a 3yo?

What lottie says is much more impressive! 😆

Ballet is a great form of fitness and it will be a good way to socialise.

Surely you being an ex dancer is as good a reason as any (not that you need one).

Drag?
If this is real then you've no idea at age 3 whether he will come to like being the centre of attention. Sounds a bit of an exhausting schedule already.

You're overthinking, ds9 has done drama, dance and singing since he turned 4 and he loves it. He's always had a nice group of other boys in his class, never been unduly the focus of attention, he does get a lot of parts but only because he wants them there are other shy boys who're allowed to blend in. Nobody has ever commented on the "girliness" of his hobby. It's just another pastime that a child can choose to do.
I realise this is slightly different from pure ballet but honestly think you'd find things quite similar,

I really didn’t think the drag thing would be something I’d be pulled up on 😂 but there we go!

His Godfather is a Drag Queen, he understands that Uncle P performs looking like a woman and he loves it, he asks to see pictures all the time.

He dances along to drag race lip synchs (at his request and OBVIOUSLY we don’t let him watch the full episodes because of language etc)

Not really here to argue about if he understands what drag is - but mentioned it because his vague awareness is something that others have been really judgemental about and said we are “trying to make him a certain way”

is that not quite good sentence structure for a 3yo?

Well he’s always been a good talker and he’s coming up for four.

Yesterday he said “Mummy I would like to have a conversation” so 🤷🏻‍♀️

My 9 year old DS does ballet, and it must be a covid thing as he’s had zero starring roles yet 😩

He did have a period at school of ‘X says ballet is for girls’ but when I told him Hugh Jackman did ballet, and that DS could be the next HJ while X was driving an Uber, he got over the teasing 😈

@Chr1stmasCarole that Makes me feel much better -

Going off my own experiences dancing in a different country and what judgey things people have said so far about how we raise him… so really wasn’t sure!