#73

In the UK I think a lot of it comes down to class, too. Maybe less with girls, but certainly with boys.

#74

I don’t really feel the need to defend saying good lad tbh but he is 11, and I hate ballet, so

#77

Agreed. As @suapth has already said better than I have ever could, class, gender and race is a huge problem with ballet. It infuriates me that it costs squillions of pounds to learn, and that it is marketed solely at girls. There must be so many people out there that have the potential to be great dancers and will never discover it. Carlos Acosta was scouted dancing on the street and was then entered into Cuba’s amazing subsidized ballet school, and now he’s one of the world’s most famous dancers.

#78

I think it’s a class thing :wink:

#80

*shakes fist *

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#81

Ballet for my valentine?

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#83

You start off with your once a week session in the local hall for £3, but as soon as you hit puberty it’s like “you need to pay for 4 hours of lessons a day 6 days a week, 10 pairs of ballet shoes which last about 10 minutes and a load of costumes for shows and if you don’t want to do that, you’re out”. So a lot of people, like me, quit. Both because their parents can’t/won’t pay for it, and because they don’t want to devote every waking minute to ballet.

#84

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#85

xylo, when did you start teaching ballet? I had no idea that you had this skill.

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#86

Ballet is not a cheap hobby. I’ve spent several hundred pounds a semester on classes, plus shoes, tights, leotards etc. In addition to private lessons, costumes, competition entry fees etc when I was younger. Me and my parents have easily spent thousands and thousands on dance stuff since I was little

#87

Have you not seen Billy Elliot? Dead cheap m8

#91

This is all just a big marketting piece you and @_Em have put together isn’t it

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#92

I don’t spend that sort of money now (I have 2 lessons a week for £12 a lesson), but I used to have about 12+ hours of lessons a week (that includes ballet, modern, tap, jazz and cecchetti), and more during festival season. It all adds up.

I completed the grades and got my teaching awards years ago. I am not a teacher (don’t have either the temperament or the ability for it - congrats to your wife for running a school :slight_smile: )

#93

Coincidentally the girl whose band I used to be in is now in a band called ballet school, i bet they’re doing really well.

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#96

:smiley: you scamp

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#97

It’s mainly motivated by my two biggest reasons for writing anything here + genuine enthusiasm for ballet :

1) Boredom
2) Deliberately winding up laddish types, masked under a surface of cheerfulness, that I am filling their thing with girl stuff

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#98

I think if you really want to wind people up you need to talk about kitchen towels iirc

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#99

That is the wrong kind of winding up, I want to see their tears of emasculation.

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#100

Ah the football threads, good choice

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#101

Mother and father in law were professional ballet dancers, then ran a ballet school. I’ve seen a bit of ballet mate!!1 Not a fan, but respect the strength required and difficulty