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Anyone else have a male child enrolled in dance class? I am wondering if my son would enjoy it.
What kind of dance? How old is the child? Are we talking Swing dance for a teen or pre-teen, ballet or ballroom for a 6-year-old, or what?
The youngest brother in this duo began learning when he was around 3, I think. His older brother taught himself, then decided to create an act for the stage.
I want to clarify that I think it's fine for boys to take any kind of dance.
From an adult's perspective, that couldn't be more true. But no man (boy?) is an island. There's a fine line between not caring what people think and blithely ignoring your peers' opinion. And unfortunately, most young boys don't look kindly on taking dance classes. Which means being discreet about it isn't out of the question. Like in my example: enrolling a boy in a dance class outside his school district. As well as not volunteering the information, like when asked "What'ja do last night?" A generic "nothing unusual" will suffice. And it's technically true: for the boy answering the question, a dance class is "nothing unusual". And if someone finds out about the dance class and asks directly, do the 3 D's: defuse, deflect, downplay.
There are other types of dance more geared to boys ... I always thought tap was neat. Plenty of male tappers!
Oh dear I wouldn't say that ballet is geared toward girls. There are amazing powerful male dancers all through ballet.
I mean look at Tom Holland who plays Spider-man in Avengers etc. He has learned ballet and was in the stage show for Billy Elliot and he's an amazingly athletic, strong man.
I'd never ever say that ballet is geared toward girls.
From an adult's perspective, that couldn't be more true. But no man (boy?) is an island. There's a fine line between not caring what people think and blithely ignoring your peers' opinion. And unfortunately, most young boys don't look kindly on taking dance classes. Which means being discreet about it isn't out of the question. Like in my example: enrolling a boy in a dance class outside his school district. As well as not volunteering the information, like when asked "What'ja do last night?" A generic "nothing unusual" will suffice. And it's technically true: for the boy answering the question, a dance class is "nothing unusual". And if someone finds out about the dance class and asks directly, do the 3 D's: defuse, deflect, downplay.
That's what a teenage boy told me. He's a dancer. He's gotten flak about it from other guys at school.
I knew a boy in middle school who took ballroom dancing.. He had seen the movie Saturday Night Fever and was into disco style dancing as well. He was bullied because of this. I don't want to set my kid up to be a bully magnet. So it's a valid concern.
From an adult's perspective, that couldn't be more true. But no man (boy?) is an island. There's a fine line between not caring what people think and blithely ignoring your peers' opinion. And unfortunately, most young boys don't look kindly on taking dance classes. Which means being discreet about it isn't out of the question. Like in my example: enrolling a boy in a dance class outside his school district. As well as not volunteering the information, like when asked "What'ja do last night?" A generic "nothing unusual" will suffice. And it's technically true: for the boy answering the question, a dance class is "nothing unusual". And if someone finds out about the dance class and asks directly, do the 3 D's: defuse, deflect, downplay.
Why do most 5-year old's not look kindly on a boy taking a dance class?
You advocate teaching a child that being enrolled in a dance class is something that should be kept quiet like a shameful secret. Do you not see how screwed up that is?
Quote:
Originally Posted by PriscillaVanilla
That's what a teenage boy told me. He's a dancer. He's gotten flak about it from other guys at school.
I knew a boy in middle school who took ballroom dancing.. He had seen the movie Saturday Night Fever and was into disco style dancing as well. He was bullied because of this. I don't want to set my kid up to be a bully magnet. So it's a valid concern.
Bullies will bully for any or no reason. If it wasn't dancing, they would have bullied him for something else. Ask yourself this, would you not enroll your son in a robotics class because he might be bullied for being a "nerd"?
From an adult's perspective, that couldn't be more true. But no man (boy?) is an island. There's a fine line between not caring what people think and blithely ignoring your peers' opinion. And unfortunately, most young boys don't look kindly on taking dance classes. Which means being discreet about it isn't out of the question. Like in my example: enrolling a boy in a dance class outside his school district. As well as not volunteering the information, like when asked "What'ja do last night?" A generic "nothing unusual" will suffice. And it's technically true: for the boy answering the question, a dance class is "nothing unusual". And if someone finds out about the dance class and asks directly, do the 3 D's: defuse, deflect, downplay.
Those little kids who perform salsa and swing dance routines on talent shows don't seem to have a problem with it. They're amazing! Although some come from a culture that supports dance for boys, but maybe others could learn from the example of such cultures. Viewed from that perspective, it's almost embarrassing, that mainstream American culture views dance as a "sissy" activity. When will the mainstream culture in this country ditch its baggage about what is appropriate activity for this or that gender? It's still clinging to a primitive, outdated norm.
Those little kids who perform salsa and swing dance routines on talent shows don't seem to have a problem with it. They're amazing! Although some come from a culture that supports dance for boys, but maybe others could learn from the example of such cultures. Viewed from that perspective, it's almost embarrassing, that mainstream American culture views dance as a "sissy" activity. When will the mainstream culture in this country ditch its baggage about what is appropriate activity for this or that gender? It's still clinging to a primitive, outdated norm.
I've noticed a shift in breaking gender stereotypes in my own school. So I do think it's happening with the newest generation especially in areas of the country that are more progressive than others.
Bullies will bully for any or no reason. If it wasn't dancing, they would have bullied him for something else. Ask yourself this, would you not enroll your son in a robotics class because he might be bullied for being a "nerd"?
That's true but to be honest, around here, the only activities accepted as being "masculine" enough for boys seems to be football or baseball.
I have also heard of boys being bullied for being mathematically gifted or playing musical instruments.
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