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Ballet for boys?
I have a 5 year-old daughter studying ballet and dreaming of going pro, her brother is 2.5 years old and she wants him to learn ballet. I also want him to learn, but have a husband that thinks it's gay... Any advice on any side?
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First off, I think that you should ask your son if he's interested. Have him try it out and see how he likes it. I'd say that after a few weeks of trying it out, if he doesn't like it, then pull him out of the class. If he likes it, great! Activities such as ballet are really good for kids because they help develop self-confidence and self-discipline. Ballet is also good for gross motor (large muscle) development in young children.
As far as what your husband thinks... I'm sorry, but that sort of attitude is a huge pet-peeve of mine. Say your son were a teenager and wanted to study ballet. If your husband displayed that sort of behavior about your son's interests, it wouldn't be good for your son's confidence or the relationship between the two of them. I think it'd be a very good idea for you to talk to your husband about this because he should realize how destructive those sort of comments can be. Besides, if your son does turn out to be gay, it's gonna happen whether or not he learns ballet as an almost three-year-old.
Most importantly, you should realize that even if your son did announce that he was gay as an adult, it does not mean that you would love him any less. He's your son, and you should support him in any situation.
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Ballet helps with foot stance such as in sports l ike basketball and football.
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As a boy, I studied ballet for a while, and I will personally attest to one thing: ballet is not for wimps. Dancers are incredibly strong and fit. Pound for pound, they're stronger than football players and have better control over their bodies. It takes a lot of strength to jump six feet in the air, spin twice and then land without making a sound. Football players such as Herschel Walker, Lynn Swann and Willie Gault all studied ballet, and even appeared with professional ballet troupes.
As far as the gay thing goes, if your son is going to be gay, he's going to be gay whether he plays football or dances. Right now he's not even 3, he barely has a concept of gender. If he is still interested in dance when he starts getting interested in girls, he'll have a better chance of finding a girlfriend if he spends a lot of time around them. In the words of a straight male dancer friend of mine, "I may look effeminate, but I'm up here dancing with your girlfriend."
Hope this helps.
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I don't see anything wrong with it. Just because your son does ballet doesn't mean he'll end up being a homosexual. Your husband needs to get his head out of his ass. He's being a homophobe and a discriminatory. If I had a son & he did ballet, I'm sure I wouldn't love him any less.
Enroll him in ballet. If your husband doesn't like it, too damn bad. Your son can be whatever he wants. If your husband is going to be a homophobe then he needs a serious lesson.
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Your son might get teased for it by some people, but think of it this way. If there were no boys in ballet you couldn't have the nutcracker or any beautiful dances that involve romance or male parts. They are needed just as much as female dancers are. Because your son is so young I don't think you need to worry about that right now, the classes that they have for young kids are pretty basic (some tap, some ballet). When I was younger there was a boy or two in classes and for parts in performances they always had more of an oppurtunity to shine since there aren't so many males. See if your son likes it, and tell your husband that this could just be a starting point for if he wants to do other types of dance (aka less 'girly' dancing) someday like hip hop or modern.
And another great point, this is something he can do now. Sports at this age are difficult because they need to develop their motor skills and hand eye coordination. The physical activity and exposure to music and new dance would be beneficial to him in my opinion.
Good luck,
-Abby
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