Happy Easter and and something else…
Happy Easter to everyone (even though I am one day late to be precise).
Anyway I was reading an article some days ago I found on the another dancers’ blog, TheWinger.com . It’s a great blog from contributors around the globe.
David Hallberg, Principal with ABT (who I’ve met recently in NY for the first time at the gala) mentioned and presented this article in Newsweek , which was written by his collegue Sascha Radetsky. I would like to share it especially with my male readers:
© Nathan Perkel for NewsweekMy business attire is a pair of tights. All right, there it is. I wear makeup onstage, and some of my colleagues are gay. Can we move on now? Can we leave behind the tired male-ballet-dancer stigma—that ballet is not a masculine pursuit—in order to move toward an appreciation of the athleticism and artistry involved in this line of work?
On an average day at the job, I handle lithe, lovely women, engage in duels and delight in the experience of an exotic locale. I move like a gymnast or martial artist and embody the vilest of pimps or the most chivalrous and passionate of lovers. I constantly expand the borders of my physical capabilities, and I hone my mind to a quick-learning, focused edge. Come 8 p.m., I’ll fuse dynamic movement and storytelling with the grandeur of a full live orchestra.
Yes, I’m proud of my profession. Yet I find myself slightly guarded when I tell people what I do. Like some sort of incurable blight, the male-dancer stereotype has taken root and metastasized in our cultural consciousness. Pioneers like Baryshnikov or Nureyev might have opened some minds, but their days have long passed, and despite the noble efforts of a handful of current ballet leaders to expose fresh audiences to our art form, a whole new generation looks at male dancing with skewed vision. Some of my peers are foreigners; in many other countries male dancers are held in higher esteem. I studied in Russia for a year and always marveled at the way Russians celebrated their artists, whether their medium was dance, music or the written word. But I’m American, and I want to live in my own country, as a dancer, with some respect.
The most irritating aspect of the male-dancer stereotype is the underlying insinuation that we in some way lack strength of character or a courageous spirit. Male and female, all dancers undergo strenuous training from a very young age, and constantly wrestle with injuries and fatigue. But male dancers must possess a special type of will and fortitude if they are to become professionals, for, like fish swimming upstream, we have to fight through the current of thinly veiled contempt that much of society harbors for our chosen path. In our culture, girls are encouraged to take ballet; boys receive no such endorsement, except of course from ballet teachers or exceptionally supportive parents. The boy who perseveres in dance must have a genuine hunger for it, must be uniquely motivated and dedicated, and must develop a truly thick skin.
I started taking ballet when I was 5. My open-minded parents thought it was a good way to channel my rambunctious behavior. A few years later I was hooked. I loved the physicality and, of course, the girls, but I also learned that not everyone recognized the value of dance the way I did. I don’t remember the first fight I got into for being a kid who took ballet, but I remember fighting a lot before I realized that maybe I should keep my extracurricular activities to myself. But ballet was rewarding enough to be worth a fat lip or a black eye, and I emerged from my years of dance training more focused than ever. My background is not unusual among my American colleagues—they share similar stories of discouragement, harassment and even violence. But these experiences served to harden resolve and develop courage, and I know I can always count on several of my dancer buddies for steadfast support—they got my back! Ironically, the stereotype of the sissy male dancer has given rise to a male dancer who is anything but.
It’s frustrating that I feel obliged to extol the virtues and describe the rigors of my profession. I’d just like to make it known that the path of the male dancer isn’t necessarily easy—as with any truly worthwhile endeavor—but the rewards can be limitless. I feel lucky to have discovered a vocation that has allowed me to glimpse the great depth of human potential, both physical and mental, and has given me the opportunity to bring joy to so many people in so many places. I feel there is honor in the arts, in the world of dance, in the realm of male ballet dancing.
Exposure to ballet is all that is needed to open minds, for the combination of athletic movement, ardent drama and beautiful music can instill a profound appreciation in an audience. But for you out there who still feel compelled to malign male dancers with half-truths and petty stereotypes, well, maybe we need to step outside. I’ll leave my tights on.
Radetsky lives in New York City.
© 2008
I find the article both interesting to read and enlightening about the situation of a (young) male dancer in our society.
Luckily I was not in such a demanding situation. I had the luck of being trained and supported fully by my parents and surroundings. I never got into a fight in school with someone because I do ballet. Maybe it was because almost no one in my academic school (untill the very end) knew I did ballet. I rather kept quiet about my other activities out of school. In the very end it was just too obvious since I missed weeks being on ballet competitions, so slowly most of my friends knew about that. By this time most of the people around me were pretty much grown up and open minded, so there were practically no conflicts.
In my childhood I somehow didn’t mind not speaking or mentioning ballet to other people. Why should I bother them, making problems, letting them have prejudices? As Sascha has put it, ‘Yes, I’m proud of my profession.’ That’s pretty much it. It gives me so much personally, that I don’t have the urge to force it to people. If you like it, great! If you don’t, I really don’t mind, since people and therefore tastes are different.
In the end you cannot and will not be able to please all.
Migyeong says:
I just remembered, on the TV talk show, Colin(a young dancer) received a message from a young boy dancer who is his friends teasing him, so Colin adviced to him, “Tell them that, you play soccer with all sweaty boys but I’m dancing in the studio with all beautiful women !”
Anyways, these article is really good to know how their life and being a male ballet dancer, I didn’t know exactly how they feels and how’s the life their society.
I do see appreciation the most beautiful something of male dancer. It could be ’cause I’m female but I realize more and more it really is. I believe, they sublimated a pain in art their deep genuine minds by their passion of profession.
Sascha was stunning in the movie ‘Center Stage’ even his role is not that big by the way
Thank you for sharing the article and Daniil, your thoughts.
Happy Easter too even it pasts 2 days
March 24th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Alexander Bernal says:
I have always admired the courage it takes young boys and men to freely admit they dance the ballet. In the United States where I live, the stigma is widespread. I grew up in the south and bullies would most certainly have beaten up male ballet dancers in middle school. By the way, keep up the excellent work Daniil. I hope one day you get to be on American television like the Oprah Winfrey Show, Jay Leno, or David Letterman late night shows. Perhaps Conan O’Brian will have you on his show. Write to them and see. Send them your videos. I hope to see you perform in New York City sometime soon.
March 25th, 2008 at 5:58 am
Aurora says:
hi again daniil, maybe you remember me?? im from mexico…
well for me, all the guys who practice ballet are so sexys jajaja, really!!! because, have a great body, are so strong, and they see so elegants, obvious you too, in special you…
ohh and your dance whit venus villa, is incredible, congratulations…
many many kisses… and sorry for my bad spelling…
see ya
March 26th, 2008 at 12:48 am
Havah says:
Thank you for publishing this article, I considered both the writing and the critique excellent. As an american, I would not have viewed the article as you did, and so your two cents were worth it to me.
Glad you are well.
March 26th, 2008 at 9:09 am
Elizabeth says:
When I was young in America, my dance interest was made fun of too. I loved to be in childhood performances where there were some male dancers, but I felt sorry for them too, because I could imagine that if it were hard for me, it would be harder for them. Mostly the male dance students were sons of other dancers. Now I’ve seen young boys in America who dance and have less trouble. I hope that trend continues. By the way, Happy Easter to you too. You are a wonderful dancer, and I hope to see you one day. I saw Nureyev when I was young; a very charismatic dancer. I think the details and emotion of The Specter of the Rose would fit you well, and you could add something to it.
April 29th, 2008 at 8:01 am