Above
it All: Ballet was worth a fat lip or a black eye
Being a male
dancer means battling many stereotypes. But the rewards of my job are
limitless.
By Sascha Radetsky |
NEWSWEEK
Mar 17, 2008 Issue | Updated:
1:15 p.m. ET Mar 8, 2008
My 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
At
California Dance Arts, we have several
young men currently training, and really enjoy training men. We are offerring a
boys and mens class over the summer in which girls are not allowed, where young
male dancers get the opportunity to hone their skills. The class concentrates on classical and
contemporary styles of dance giving men
the opportunity to learn male specific movements, tricks and techniques. It’s a must for any aspiring male
dancer. Click HERE for more
information.
Comments