Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Does anyone have a son who does ballet or horseriding?

31 replies

PetitFilou1 · 04/10/2006 14:52

I'm assuming someone does given that there are male ballet dancers and male horseriders but these things seem to be massively targeted at girls. I would really like to take ds when he's a bit older - he does ballet at nursery and really loves it. He also really loves horses almost as much as diggers and fire engines. He is 2.8 at the moment so not yet but I think people think I'm a bit strange for thinking about it. Just interested really.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Flamebat · 04/10/2006 14:55

Psychomum's 4yr old DS2 does ballet... her DS1 (6) does street dance.

Bramshott · 04/10/2006 15:08

The ballet school my daughter goes to is starting a class for school-age boys.

Callisto · 04/10/2006 16:21

If you want info about boys and horse riding contact your local pony club - as far as I know there are tons of boys in the pony club.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General parenting

QuootieSpookypie · 04/10/2006 16:24

most my riding chums were male - and if you just watch showjumping or eventing on TV, they are mostly male. My local pony club had a few boys aswell - a great place to meet fellow riders. I also did Irish dancing with a few blokes. Ballet was all girls though where I went!

emzickle · 04/10/2006 19:28

My nephew got really intersted in horse riding when he was 5, completely of his own accord, he just asked my sister one day if he could ride my pony. Which he loved, he's now 9 and winning competitions all the bloody time. horrrah for combating stereotypes me thinks x

lilymolly · 04/10/2006 20:01

loads of boys in my local pony club, but hey I am biased!! I love horses

cupcakes · 04/10/2006 20:03

My ds did ballet for almost 2 years. He's just stopped recently (he's 6) because it clashed with...

...football.

FillyjonkthePumpkinEater · 04/10/2006 20:08

oh god almighty, this is one of my complete rant topics

afaik, ballet is the foundation for most other forms of dance. So boys need to be able to access ballet if they are going to do dance.

Which means ballet needs to be accessible to boys also.

Which means that I am FUMING at the prissy, fey BINT who ignored my Angelina mad 3 yo ds for the whole of his first ever ballet lesson ("oh", she said at the end, "oh, I didn't realise he was here for the lesson, I didn't realise a boy would want to join in, " ).

Consequently, he now a. does not watch Angelina and b does not dance (much) and if you ask him why he says "dancing is for girls and I won't be a girl til next year")

am soooo

julienetmum · 04/10/2006 21:06

We have lots of boys in our jazz dance class. There is as far as I am aware 1 boy in dd's after school ballet class.

Ballet IS the foundation of all dance and male dancers are in SUCH good demand. I am hoping that ds will take to it when he is old enough.

QuiQuoQua · 04/10/2006 21:29

definitely yes for horse riding. there are many boys, especially at a young age. it's true they seem to disappear a bit later on but then it'll be his choice.

I can't wait to take my DD.

notasheep · 04/10/2006 21:36

ds is 2yrs old and on the waiting list to start ballet at 3yrs.
Dream of him being in Royal Ballet,dream,dream.....

miggy · 04/10/2006 21:37

both my boys ride (9 and 13) they are in the minority at pony club but my 13yr old sees that as an advantage (how many girls do you meet playing Rugby )
They dont do ballet but both do drama and musical theatre-will that do?

tigi · 04/10/2006 22:21

ds is 7, has just stopped ballet but does jazz and tap, and loves it!
Dh not happy though!

Tillyboo · 04/10/2006 23:31

Just booked my dd who is 2.6yrs and her best chum, a boy who is 2.8yrs, into dance classes. It'll be interesting to see how many boys are in the class.
My brother loved 'poncing' about in our mums dressing gown with a towel wrapped round his head (aka carmen miranda), posing with hand on hip and t'other behind an ear. He also loved gymnastics. With two older sisters I suppose he was bound to explore his feminine side.
Now? He's a 36 year old strapping 6ft 3" Police Seargent with two sons AND he doesn't wear pink !
I love horses and riding and if I'd have had a son I'd have wanted him to ride too. And, if he'd have wanted to do ballet, that would have been fine too.
I would ignore what other people say. When your son is riding at the Horse of the Year or on stage in Swan Lake, who'll have the last laugh then ....

BadHair · 04/10/2006 23:34

Dses are about to start riding. Ds1 particularly keen, ds2 just wants to copy him. Neither of them are interested in dance, though.

CorpseBride · 05/10/2006 00:04

DS aged 3 rides at home with me. Most riding schools don't take children until they are over 5 (it's as much to do with physical ability as the insurance).

There were only a couple of boys in my riding lessons and at pony club. I never figured out where all the pony-mad girls went to and where all the professional male riders came from...?!?

DS would probably love to do ballet - I might sign him and 5yo DD up from January.

MarsLady · 05/10/2006 00:07

DS1 did ballet for about a year, then gymnastics then he discovered football and my last chance to make him a graceful boy disappeared. However, he did retain the grace he'd gained from his one year of ballet. He even took and passed an exam! [proud mum emoticon]

makealist · 05/10/2006 00:13

Not quite the same as ballet & horse riding, but in a way the same.

My ds2 won a trophy for flower arrangeing last year (then aged 7)

He took the trophy to school to show everyone and told them all that he had won it for football

MarsLady · 05/10/2006 00:15

pmsl @makealistjnr.

I'm going to sign the DTs up for ballet. I do think that DT2 would look cute in his little black shorts and black ballet shoes. Next to his pretty in pink twin. Sigh...............

DS1 will probably have a blue fit and take him straight to rugby. lol

exbury · 05/10/2006 12:05

My DS (3.11) did ballet at nursery from 2.6 and said he liked it, but they gave up because of falling numbers (extra charges and "some children being disruptive" put the others off - sounded like a feeble teacher to me?), so I signed him up for it at his new school. Mostly he enjoys it, but came home this week complaining that they were being witches and only girls could be witches. I said why couldn't he be a wizard instead, which was fine apparently, but leaves me a little worried about why the teacher hadn't suggested it. I haven't dared ask him how many boys are in the class as I don't want him to start thinking about it. He is going to carry on for a while whether he likes it or not cos I have bought the shoes now - they did ballet in bare feet at nursery! If nothing else I am hoping it will improve his co-ordination and "grace" - being basically a born rugby player (hit the world with your head and see how hard it is) I think he can use all the help he can get. Interestingly, I was told that the boys in the prep school (age 8-11) which his pre-prep is attached to have a sudden craze for ballet - thanks to one brave little boy who told the whole school very firmly that male ballet dancers are stronger than any other sportsmen - good for him!

pattilou · 06/10/2006 17:06

DS1 did ballet at nursery - boys in black pumps, girls in pink (!) None of the boys could skip, for some reason. Looking back he's not embarrassed (11 now) - just thinks it was quite funny.

Seem to remember a Simpsons episode when Bart takes to ballet, but can't remember the outcome...

Both DSS have done horseriding on and off. When they had a "why is it all girls?" wobble I reminded them about cowboy films and how fast you get to go once you're good.

robin3 · 06/10/2006 17:14

DS1 loves horses more than anything else and we have pony sets and knights on horses, cowboys on horses etc. He's only 2.8 and I wouldn't hesitate to start riding lessons if he wanted in a year or so.

Stargazer · 06/10/2006 17:18

Yes my son goes to dance class. He's 10½ and only started this year. He's done his first disco dance exam and passed with a commendation - so he's pleased. He keeps saying he won't do the ballet bit, but I think he really enjoys it. I've asked if he wants to stop - but he's going to the dance presentation next week. So I think he's quite keen.

wordgirl · 06/10/2006 17:28

DS1 is 13 and has been doing ballet for about three years now. He still really enjoys it although he's a bit concerned that children at school will find out and give him stick for it so it's not public knowledge.
He started off in a class of four boys but moved up a grade so he's now the only boy in his class -maybe that's why he enjoys it so much

dhwhoooooooo · 06/10/2006 17:30

ds (age 4) does a ballet/tap class and loves it. And he's quite butch!

Flip

1 2