Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No, I’d only put my 5yo in activities they want to do. If he likes non-ballet sports why not put him in those?

Why is it either/or?

Also, at 5 kids aren't always aware of the things they can do. I introduced my kid to rock climbing at 6 and she loves it, but never previously expressed an interest in it because she didn't even know what it was. I just had a feeling she might like it based on other stuff she enjoyed, and I was right. Parents do this all the time.

If you only put your kid in activities they express an interest in, then your kid will only do activities that other kids at school also do. That's fine, but it's also fine to expand their horizons a bit.

You can expose your kid to things without putting them in organized activities. My kids went to some dance performances. We danced in the living room. They went to their cousin's dance recitals. When they got to Kindergarten they had dance as part of PE. They knew dance existed. They knew dance classes existed. But I wouldn't have signed them up for dance lessons if they hadn't asked, unless maybe there was a dance class that was super convenient like at school right after school, or during a sibling's activity at the same place. Then I might have asked about it.

Part of it is that I don't think kids really need any activities at age 5 if they're in school.

Many studios also offer classes in tap or hip-hop, which might be a better fit for his energy level.

My son started ballet at age 5 and is still going strong at 10. Definitely give it a try just like you would any other activity like soccer or tee-ball.

My DS took one of the coed classes at MYB when he was around 5 and enjoyed it! There were always a couple other boys in the class and they bonded. He doesn’t dance anymore but it was a great activity for a phase in life when he was interested in dance.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maryland Youth Ballet in Silver Spring has a good program for older boys.

I don’t understand why a ballet class would be boys only?

At higher levels, boys and girls learn different things. Girls begin to dance on pointe, boys don’t. Both learn partnering technique but it’s different— boys learn to lift and girls to be lifted. And boys classes also emphasize different solo skills, as roles designed for boys tend to involve more jumps and leaps, but less fine footwork, than roles designed for girls.

But that’s at a much higher level. You only see segregated classes in pre-professional programs.

Sorry but this seems really old fashioned and kinda sexist TBH.

There are very engrained gender roles in classical ballet. Even in modern ballet, women still often dance on pointe and men generally do not (there are some notable exceptions but they are not common) -- it is a major difference in how the dancers train. There are also physical differences in that men, being generally the stronger and heavier dancer, do more lifting, while women, usually being lighter and with less brute strength, are lifted. In modern ballet this is not always the case and often all dancers will be engaged in both aspects. And sometimes in modern dance none of the dancers are on pointe. The art form has evolved a lot in the last 150 years.

If the gender roles of classical ballet are not for you, you can train with modern companies and eschew pointe work and classical partnering. But the vast majority of modern dancers will still have a strong basis in classical ballet technique, because the discipline and fundamentals do translate to some degree. So a dancer who wanted to pursue more modern dance could take co-ed classes up until they begin pointe and partnering work, and then move to a studio which focuses more on modern dance, jazz, and other more egalitarian forms. The ballet training will still be valued.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Maryland Youth Ballet in Silver Spring has a good program for older boys.

I don’t understand why a ballet class would be boys only?

At higher levels, boys and girls learn different things. Girls begin to dance on pointe, boys don’t. Both learn partnering technique but it’s different— boys learn to lift and girls to be lifted. And boys classes also emphasize different solo skills, as roles designed for boys tend to involve more jumps and leaps, but less fine footwork, than roles designed for girls.

But that’s at a much higher level. You only see segregated classes in pre-professional programs.

Sorry but this seems really old fashioned and kinda sexist TBH.

Biology is, most regrettably, old fashioned and sexist. Men and women’s bodies are different and have different strengths. The types of moves and techniques the two sexes do in more advanced ballet maximizes the capabilities of each sex.