Do boys-only dance/ballet classes exist?

[Anonymous]

Back in the day, my son was in an all-boys class at MYB. Don't know if they still have it. It was great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Back in the day, my son was in an all-boys class at MYB. Don't know if they still have it. It was great.

Me again. I saw some people ask about the MYB issues. A few years ago they brought on a new artistic director that played favorites, and one (adult) young man in particular bullied some other students and was never reprimanded. Same director was very disorganized, the top female student talent wasn't nurtured enough and a whole lot of them left. That artistic director was pushed out. I have the impression that things have improved, but don't have first hand experience.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP I have had the same issue and the most “boy coded” dance place I could find locally was this one in Takoma Park: https://www.all10breaking.com/ I have a former colleague whose son enjoyed this studio up into the teen years. We never tried it because it would have been too much effort to get there around our other activities, though. I thought about just hiring an instructor and getting my son’s friends to sign up for a boys only class in a school gym but haven’t yet gotten organized enough to actually do it. If you do let me know!

NP. I'm in the Detroit metro area. I made my two sons take an inexpensive rec center jazz dance class with girls (5th grade older and 3rd grade younger). They were together so couldn't complain too much. They did a wonderful job of their recital routine. But didn't want to continue.

I did look for boy classes and like the person above, I found that the only ones near me that weren't intensive, serious ballet were hip hop/breakdancing. I would have loved if they had been willing to do that.

I had one DMV-dance related thought. I saw this gender-mixed African-American stepping troupe in concert a few years ago. They did a great show. They have a summer camp at Arena Stage. Maybe your son could get interested in this?

https://www.stepafrika.org/summersteps/

I think it was a good decision to send my sons to a dance class, even though it didn't stick. It's nice to look self-assured rather than goofy on the dance floor as a grownup. And it helps practice stage presence. I had hoped they might want to act in school musicals. That wasn't their interest in the end but my older kid did Drama Club theatrical sound and lights for three years.

So, based on above...you could also look at theater classes or maybe show choir extracurriculars as well.

[Anonymous]

In Detroit metro you need to go to the Creative Conservatory.

[Anonymous]

Probably not helpful for the OP, but our DCPS afterschool program offers dance classes, including boys only classes. Have you checked your local elementary school?

[Anonymous]

MYB does it. But at 11 (after 8 really) it's audition based and at least 2ce a week as they are all getting ready for winter and spring shows. Before 8 kids do a once a week class.

[Anonymous]

Try looking for hip hop classes rather than ballet. Those are sometimes offered in boy-only classes.

[Anonymous]

Coéd dance has inclusive classes with emphasis on boys participation; my son does the weekday classes and has 3 boys on average in his class.

[Anonymous]

Maybe try a ballet nova summer camp on a light week at work so the commute isn't a pain?