Okay…well…I really didn’t want to get into this, but I’ve been encouraged on by my faithful reader, Queenie, and, by my son, Julian. Yes, he feels it is very important for me to share the privileged information he received from his ballet teacher, and which, I must add, he was very pleased to receive, so […]
Archives for 2008
Alone Again…How Many Boys are in Your Son's Ballet Class?
Today I received a comment from someone (see yesterday’s post) whose 13-year-old son is lucky enough to be in a boy’s ballet class. Not only that, it’s taught by a male ballet teacher! Whoo hoo! But she rightfully was grateful that, even though there are only four boys in attendance, her son has a class “that […]
Flower Buds and Turn Out – For Boys Who Dance, Too
The editor at Dance Teacher magazine cut lots of information from my article on Denise Wall for lots of reasons – mostly because of space, especially after she asked for more information on Danny Tidwell – and I had to cut an immense amount of information simply to meet her word-count requirements. However, I wanted […]
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words
Today was photo shoot day at Teen Dance Company. We were there at 9:15 and didn’t leave until 1:45, missing Nutcracker rehearsal. But Julian had fun, as did the other 20 dancers. And they all looked so nice! The girls all showed up with their hair and make up done and looking oh, so pretty! […]
What Does a Boy Need from a Dance Studio?
After that long post yesterday, I thought to myself: What does a boy actually need from a dance studio, and does a young male dancer need something different from a dance studio than a young female dancer? To the latter questions, I answer, “Most definitely, yes.” In fact, in many cases boys who dance need […]
Is This the Right Dance Studio for My Son?
We have been on a quest for the right dance studio for our son it seems forever, which is not to say that we haven’t been happy with some of the studios where he has danced. I’m sure that the mothers of female dancers struggle with the same issue, since finding a good fit for any […]
Back to Dancin' – and Writin' – Once Again
After a long hiatus, I’m back…and so is my son – to dancing that is. I admit I got waylaid from writing this blog (I write another blog at www.purespiritcreations.com), and then my son got sick. Yes, first injured, then sick. He went off to camp, something he loves as much as dance, and six days […]
The Benefits of Pilates Physical Therapy
Three weeks ago my son started Pilates physical therapy for dancers. He’s working with a great former dancer who really knows her stuff. She made him slow way down — Julian was taking lots of extra ballet classes to try and get back into shape. He had, however, developed a case of tendonitis from over […]
What's a Mom to Do When Her Dancin' Boy Doesn't Think?
I pulled up at my son’s school on Friday to pick him up and take him to dance just in time to see him jump up onto a fence with his right foot and land back on the ground with — your guessed it — his hurt left foot. I was livid. I wouldn’t talk […]
What Benji Schwimmer Says about Dance Injuries
Boys who have, like my son, suffered time off of dance while they recuperated from dance-related injuries, should know they are not alone. Even the best dancers get injured, and they, too, hate sitting one the side while everyone else jumps and turns and pirouettes across the floor. Sometimes it helps to hear what someone […]
My Foot Hurts…Again and Other Pains of Being a Young Male Dancer
I’ve got a son who dances. 13-year-old Julian dances six or seven days a week. He spends most of his time doing ballet, because he knows it will make him a great dancer in terms of technique. He has a scholarship at Ballet San Jose. He also does jazz and hip hop at a Studio […]