Boys love to dance from a young age, just as much as girls. We’ve all seen it in toddlers doing cutest-ever moves to music. And, like some girls, some boys have a passion for it and want to keep dancing at an elite level.
In fact, there are a whole bunch of world-class, gold-medalist performing, super-talented adult male dancers. Why, then, are there so few junior and teen males dancing? What’s with the gap?
Do they practise covertly in their bedrooms, to music blaring from bluetooth-enabled speakers sitting on stylish yet affordable IKEA box storage? Or maybe they spend their formative years training in the garage?
Do we as a society embrace the world of dance—applauding men who can leap into the air at the Ballet or strut their stuff in a high-impact Hip Hop routine—yet encourage only our girls into dance classes while throwing our boys into ball sports (or basically any sport other than dance), whether they like it or not?
The thing is, boys bring their own unique energy and vitality—and a good amount of male aggression—to choreography, and that’s exactly what you want, especially in Hip Hop.
From Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire, to the moves of Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson, and the roles carved out for males in every Hip Hop dance movie over the past decade, boys have a clear place in the world of dance.
If you have ever considered it, then today is probably the perfect time to contact Dance Central to book in for a trial class.
Here are 10 reasons why you should—no excuses:
- Dance really is a sport: think you could jog on the spot for an hour or two? Any chance you could add a couple of handstands or cartwheels, throw in some hand movements, all in time to music? And don’t forget the workouts, to build muscle and core strength.
- Dance brings out emotion: dance is an amazing vehicle to help boys express themselves. Bad day at school? Dance. Argument with your mum or dad? Dance. Just want to feel free? Dance.
- Dancing in a crew is about being there for your mates: a dance crew trains hard together—no letting the team down. That’s pretty hard-core, and it’s a responsibility to your crew members, as much as it is to yourself.
- Dance speaks to the competitive nature inherent in every boy: dancing is about being your best, and sometimes that means trying to out perform the person next to you. Males tend to thrive on competition.
- The discipline of dance is a life skill: dance teaches perseverance and focus. No matter what’s happening in your life, when you’re learning new choreography, or perfecting it, you need to focus to be your best.
- Dance is a challenge: each class is an opportunity to try new things and push yourself to the limits. It’s not for the faint-hearted. It’s not for people who give up easily. It’s for people who’ve got what it takes.
- Girls think it’s cool: let’s face it, for most boys, what girls think is important, or it will be someday soon. Hey, if a boy can dance, he will not only look amazing at the school disco, the girls are going to notice him too.
- Dance creates individuals: in footy or cricket, there’s only a small amount of room for uniqueness. In other sports, your performance might be based on your time. But in dance, you can be creative.
- Performing develops confidence: there’s nothing like dancing for hundreds or thousands of people, to teach self-confidence. Without it, the whole routine will fall apart.
- Dance is about being fearless: if you take up dance, you’re going to be in a minority, so you have to be ready for the challenge. Don’t say sorry to yourself. You’ve got one life to live—your own, your way. No excuses.
