Duncan Cooper Offers Advice at “My Son Can Dance”

Nina at My Son Can Dance has recently published some advice and tips she received in conversation with Duncan Cooper, a master teacher, faculty member at Alonzo King’s Lines Ballet, and former Dance Theatre of Harlem dancer. Though, Nina has posed some wonderful questions regarding boys in ballet, the advice Cooper offers is relevant to all dancers. Even those not looking to have a career in dance can benefit from the guidance offered here. If you’d like to grow and improve as a dancer, check out the interview!

Part I in particular stresses the importance of setting goals for your career (which I’ve touched in this post about finding instruction and this post about choosing a college program), researching and learning from other dancers, and more.

Part II is especially relevant for boys, but I think girls/women can gain useful perspective on performance and telling a story through movement.

A Boost for Boys in Ballet

Yippee!!

Not long ago, I had the “yippee!” moment of discovering a new dance blog. And within this blog, I found a great link to an audio interview with three male dancers in which they discussed their experiences growing up in dance, their thoughts on Billy Elliot, and more.

I found the interview very encouraging. Overall these men, who dance with Mark Morris Dance Group, began as children taking ballet and other dance styles, and received much support from not only their families but people (and other boys) around them. I’ve always felt strongly that boys must be offered a place and space in dance schools that would allow them to feel comfortable, thereby encouraging young men to dance. However, I believe my interest and concern about male dancers increased when I became the mother of a young son. He is still a toddler, having been born not long before I “birthed” this blog, and is therefore not old enough to even know what a dance class is, let alone participate in one. When he is old enough, I hope to find a dance program in which he can explore creative movement. Later, if he wants to continue in other dance styles or forms, I would of course be overjoyed but I have no desire to push my child into dance or any career, for that matter. And I would not refuse his desire to play sports, start a band, or be his own person.

Anyway, it is a great interview, and I highly recommend clicking here or downloading the mp3 to listen to this discourse. Just for your information, the interview is over 20 minutes long, but definitely worth the time!

**Unfortunately, I had a bit of a buzzkill regarding attitudes toward men in dance today. I wrote a large rant which I decided not to publish here on Dance Advantage. Why? Well, mostly because it doesn’t reflect my goals to keep this blog a positive space and a resource of quality information on dance. I realized that my tirade would not necessarily bring enlightenment to anyone reading the blog and that I did not really need affirmation that most of you share my views. I also didn’t feel that the source of my discontent deserved any further credit. In looking at the content of my post, however, I do think that some interesting points for discussion on bigotry, parenting, and gender issues are present. Therefore, I will tell you that if you are interested in reading the other side to the “boys in dance” story you are welcome to visit my online portfolio. I won’t link to it here, but there is a link to my portfolio available on this website. I’m not trying to be difficult, but I’d prefer only those truly interested to have a look.

My Brother Can Dance

Well, my brother can’t, but Ariel Amir Lacey’s brother can and, in an act of sisterly love, she has created a line of t-shirts to show her support! This is a truly sweet gesture and these t-shirts could make great gifts for guys who dance (whether they’re your brother or not).

The designs are artwork hand-drawn by Ariel, depicting boys dancing, along with empowering sayings like Real Men Lift and This is My Playing Field, and they are now available for ordering. In fact, if you hurry, sales for the holidays are at a reduced price to accommodate priority or express shipping costs.

Here is a little back-story on how and why the shirts were created. Visit the My Son Can Dance blog for more information, and order a t-shirt for your dancing man here.

Let’s Hear it for the Boys!

A while back I did a post entitled Encouraging Boys to Dance. It had a good response and I was even asked to submit an edited version for the PTA (National Parent Teacher Association) website.  It is my firm belief that boys should be encouraged to dance by dance teachers and parents in particular. After all, there are many who would discourage them – we should be making it an easier choice for young guys who may have an interest in the art form.  Sadly, many dance schools seem completely geared toward females (maybe without even realizing it), effectively turning young men away.  Dancers thrive in an environment where they feel comfortable to be themselves and safe from judgment or abuse.  Therefore, dance schools and parents must make an effort to provide this environment for boys in dance.

Check it out!

I recently came upon two blogs which are the primary purpose of this post.  They are excellent resources for male dancers and their parents.  The first is My Son Can Dance, a chronicle of one dance mom’s experiences with raising a boy who dances.  Teachers, dance moms, and male dancers should definitely take note of this site! The second is Boys and Ballet, essentially a collection of news articles from around the globe that feature boys or men in the dance world (specifically ballet but other genres are occasionally featured) – an excellent resource that can act as a source of encouragement for young men involved in dance.

While we’re on the subject…

Here are some other links:

• Teacher lesson plan that reinforces the idea that dance is a beneficial activity for men and women.
• Bad Boys of Dance – a company of male dancers who tour… field trip!!
• River’s Edge Dancewear – large selection of men’s dancewear.
• All About Dance men’s dancewear selection
• The Ailey School’s program for boys.
• The Men in Dance festival in Seattle
• A clearly written article on boys in dance in an educational setting (pdf).
• Inspiring Boys through Dance – interesting education project (UK) which provides insight applicable to other settings.
• Helping Boys Make the Leap to Ballet – from the Washington Post, a good reminder that boys in dance can enjoy both dance and sports.
• Born to Be Wild – The Leading Men of American Ballet Theatre
• Billy Elliot: an enjoyable movie (note: it is rated R for language)
• The Jacob’s Pillow gallery of Ted Shawn’s The Men Dancers (prints available for purchase)
• An excellent example of grace and masculinity -

Children’s Books (great for your studio waiting room or home library)

• Jose! Born to Dance: The Story of Jose Limon
• Alvin Ailey
• The Only Boy in Ballet Class
• Ballerino Nate
• Dancing to Freedom: The True Story of Mao’s Last Dancer
• …and more children’s books!

Participate – Wordpress now has PollDaddy!!

Bullying in Dance Class

What does a bully look like?

We tend to picture a bully as a big, tough, boy that picks on those smaller or younger than himself. However, there has been a lot of discussion lately within educational circles about bullying and we are slowly learning that bullies come in many forms. Although dance can foster understanding and a sense of community among young people, dance classes are not immune to episodes of bullying.

Boys in dance often receive taunting, teasing and physical harassment from sources outside their dance school. Sometimes the effects of this bullying can have serious consequences as they did for one young man in Derby, England. It is not as widely recognized, however, that male students can sometimes be bullied by females in their dance classes. After all, boys are typically outnumbered and often a subject of fascination for the females in a typical studio environment. In fact, girls are every bit as capable of bullying as boys, however their style or methods of tormenting usually differ.

Girls tend to practice what is called relational aggression. They manipulate, taunt, and tease on an emotional level that often flies under the radar of teachers. Here are some sources that will help you spot and understand relational aggression in action:

• Girls Bullying Girls
• Girl Bullies
• Relational Aggression (defines some of the “types” like Queen Bee, Bystander, etc. and offers additional links)
• The Ophelia Project

A Teacher’s Role

In all cases of intimidation, there are usually adults that excuse bullying with, “boys will be boys” or “girls will be girls,” feel that bullying is just something everyone must deal with at some point in life, or consider the behavior as part of a phase that will pass. Even though certain age groups are more prone to experience or exhibit bullying behavior, students deserve to learn in an environment that is safe from abuse. Dance classes for pre-teens and teens are a social, as well as an educational environment where cliques and competition can flourish. In addition, students often bring their school-lives into the dance studio despite being urged to “leave it at the door.” Dance teachers can help to combat problems by learning to recognize episodes of bullying and adopting a no-tolerance policy on destructive behavior in their class even before it becomes a problem.

Why stop bullying?

It’s been my experience that students thrive when they are free to create, succeed, and fail in a class without the stress of facing snickers, rude comments, or pressure to join in on bad behavior from other classmates.

Need more reasons?

The Stop Bullying Now! website has a concise list (please visit their website for details and more information on bullying).

1. Many children are involved in bullying and most are extremely concerned about it.
2. Bullying can seriously affect the mental health, academic work, and physical health of children who are targeted.
3. Children who bully are more likely than other children to be engaged in other antisocial, violent, or troubling behavior.
4. Bullying can negatively affect children who observe bullying going on around them–even if they aren’t targeted themselves.
5. Bullying is a form of victimization or abuse, and it is wrong. Children should be able to attend school or take part in community activities without fear of being harassed, assaulted, belittled, or excluded.

If your pre-teens or teens are already engaging in bullying behaviors,

What can you do in your dance classes right now?

Take some time out of an upcoming class to sit down with the students and create rules about bullying. Having a heart-to-heart right after an episode occurs may embarrass the bullied student (which is not the point) of the exercise. However, now is better than never. Essentially, as soon as you feel prepared to address the subject calmly and objectively, go for it!

Start out with a discussion about what constitutes bullying.

1. Ask the students to come up with a list of actions that they would consider to be bullying (whispering and giggling, rolling eyes, etc.).
2. Next, have them create a set of rules to follow in class that will stop bullying.
3. And finally, come up with appropriate consequences for breaking the rules. Make sure the rules are clear and concise so that the bully can’t talk their way out of punishment. For example, No Whispering. That means no whispering… period. Doesn’t matter what the whispering was about because they will try to convince you that it wasn’t malicious. Stick to the rule and the consequence every time.

I’ve also found it helpful to create, in general, a supportive environment in class.

1. Encourage students to clap for other groups after they’ve crossed the floor or performed in front of the rest of the class.
2. Offer comments like “good try,” “don’t give up,” or “you nailed the timing, Susie!” in addition to corrections is helpful, and don’t forget to praise students who exhibit supportive and positive behavior.
3. Demonstrate constructive criticism, teaching students to look for positives and “needs improvement” in others’ work, then make it a point to provide opportunities for students to practice constructive criticism (Teach students how to properly offer constructive criticism. Be careful! If there is already a lot of negative behavior running through the class, do not allow bullies to use this exercise as another opportunity to intimidate or belittle. If this is a problem, consider holding off on allowing students to practice criticism until behavior and attitudes have improved overall.)

What to do if bullying continues.

Pull aside the offender after class. Provide specific examples of his/her bullying and/or breaking the rules, make it clear this is not acceptable, and let him/her know that this is a warning that will be followed with specific consequences if the behavior does not stop. It may also help to pull the bullied student aside and let him/her know of your plans to end the bullying so that he/she feels some reassurance that you are aware of the problem and are taking action to prevent it.

There are lots of ways for parents and teachers to deal with and prevent bullying. The links I’ve included above offer suggestions, as well as support for victims and even more links on the subject of relational aggression.

Have you been bullied in a dance class? If you are a teacher, how have you prevented bullying behavior in your class/school?

Encouraging Boys to Dance

Dance is a physical and athletic activity requiring great skill, strength, and agility. Sounds like an ideal fit for energetic boys… so where are they?? Well, we know that public perception is difficult to change and, in general, the current perception is that dance is not a “manly” activity. For ballet and some other dance styles, the aesthetic is for movement to look effortless. Even though the audience knows that men in dance must be in top physical form, beauty and elegance masks the blood, sweat, and tears it seems we like to see from men in our culture. Therefore, the grittier athletic activities are favored for boys, while dance is considered a better pursuit for girls. This is, of course, a simplification of the gender issues in dance. However, to a young boy or teen pursuing dance, the road is often anything but simple.

So, how do we get boys and keep them in our dance classes and schools? Here are some suggestions:

1. Consider the appearance of your studio from a boy’s perspective. Are the walls pink? Does your artwork feature only females, or fluffy animals? Is the furniture flowery? This will not attract boys. Try more vibrant decor with clean lines and feature artwork that depicts athletic, strong, and powerful images of both men and women. And, for the younger ones – show children dancing in interesting ways, not just a row of cute little girls in tutus and bows.
2. When advertising your classes through ads, articles, or on your website, make it clear in the pictures and wording that boys are welcome, too.
3. Hook them when they’re young children. This is a great time for boys to start taking class because learning is often more playful and movement more free. However, boys/parents of boys will not be rushing to sign up for the Petite Princesses and Fabulous Fairies classes, and will not appreciate twirling around like “Cinderella” or tip-toeing through daisies. Both boys and girls will love a creative and conceptual approach to dance in which all of the movement spectrum is explored – fast/slow, sharp/smooth, high (on the toes)/low (on the floor), etc.
4. Offer classes that interest or are geared specifically to boys. Hip-hop, tumbling, capoeira, rhythm tap, movement for actors/stage combat, all-male ballet, are good examples.
5. Make sure that in mixed-gender classes that the instructors are aware of their musical and movement selections. Some teachers are so used to only teaching females that boys in the class become an afterthought or a problem to work into what they’ve already planned. Choose teachers who have experience instructing and choreographing for young men and hire or bring in male teachers whenever possible. Attending conventions or workshops with male teachers is also a plus.
6. For boys who have elected to study ballet more intensely, a stricter dress code is appropriate. Adopt a more flexible dress code for recreational classes so that boys will feel comfortable. Big and baggy are still out, but a t-shirt and sweats or shorts can work for boys. Remember, it is important to address proper undergarments as the boys reach 10 or 11. This site has a nice list of other sports and activities that require tight clothing (in case they need a reminder).
7. Include partnering elements in choreography whenever possible. Even young boys can do simple lifts and assists with a partner. Just be sure you know how to teach these safely.
8. Offer opportunities for men and boys to perform even if they’re not regular students. For example, create special father dances (these can be serious or humorous), have dancers bring along boyfriends, friends, or brothers to learn choreography for an exciting finale (perhaps a swing or salsa number), invite a sports team to participate in some unique choreography (use movements they would normally do in practice as inspiration), check out local boys or youth clubs and see if they have a break-dancing group that would like a chance to show their stuff on stage.
9. Find ways of reminding boys that dance is a physical and athletic activity. Emphasize this in the work done in class, by watching male dancers in action, and by helping them to see and compare the relationship between athleticism in dance and sports.

All of these suggestions will help boys and young men to feel more comfortable in dance class. Keep in mind that despite your best efforts, you may still lose talented young males due to peer or parental pressure. Someday they may return, if not to you, perhaps to dance in general. However, it may be a comfort to know that even if you lose some guys here or there, these ideas will also benefit your female dancers. Young women are sometimes surprised when, as a college student, they are suddenly expected to be fierce and powerful dancers. In many dance studios I’ve found that, starting at a very young age, the physicality of movement is limited to what is considered feminine, pretty, or sexy, creating very one-dimensional dancers. Creating a space and an attitude within your school in which boys are encouraged to dance will provide a richer experience for all of your dancers, parents, and community.

What are some ways your school encourages boys to dance? What do you consider to be the advantages of having boys/men in class? If you are a guy, please share your perspective or experiences.

**Just adding a link to one school’s method of getting boys through the door – Free Classes!