 the male dancer
written by DancerAZ                on 21.10. at 23:01:10Ocassionally, I log on to this forum to see some of the latest topics of discussion amongst the men involved in ballet. I am 47, and began taking ballet classes at the age of 29. This lead me to other studies in jazz, tap, modern, theater dance, floor barre alignment, and dance history -- all of which comprise one of the core areas of coursework that I did for my BFA degree in General Fines Arts Studies. As an adult male, I can tell you plenty about growing up in a generation when it was not socially acceptable for guys to take ballet classes, let alone any other form of dance. But that is not the purpose of this posting. I am writing this message because of a new film titled "Billy Elliot," just released on October 13. The story takes place in a small northern English coal mining town, during a particularly nasty coal miners' strike. Billy Elliot, age 11 or 12, a coal miner's son, discovers ballet and the ballet classes being given in his small town. He musters up the courage to take the ballet classes, which open up a whole new world to him. The reviews that I have read online so far look pretty good and I plan to go and see this film. I think that this would be a good film for the younger male dancers to see as well as older ones, because it addresses some of the issues that frequently crop up on this forum --e.g. masculinity, self-esteem, what it means to be a dancer, and the male dancer as athlete and artist, to name a few. Yes, this forum does run the gambit in commentary, so be it. For some, the comments here may be offensive. For others, there may be some positive and supportive information. I'd say take the best of what this forum has to offer and put it to use in nurturing your development as a dancer, no matter what your age, lifestyle, or ability in dance happens to be. Maybe a film like "Billy Elliot" could enhance this experience. I would be interested in knowing if there are others on this forum who plan on seeing this film. If so, what are some of the thoughts, feelings, and impressions after seeing it? Please excuse the long-windedness of this message. It is my way trying to contribute some positive energy and thinking to this forum. Have a great day. Sincerely,DancerAZ Answers to this message:
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