A popular dance studio in Williams Lake is holding its first boys-only class.
Corinne Stromsten, owner of Dance In Common, has long wished to be able to offer and run this class, but because of traditionally low engagement numbers, shesa国际传媒檚 mostly had interested boys dance with the girls, until now.
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Designed to expose boys to the dance world, the class covers a wide variety of genres and styles of dance from jazz, ballet and hip hop, as well as to choreography where theysa国际传媒檒l learn how to create their own routines.
sa国际传媒淓ven though some of them are quite young, they all are very creative and they all have something to offer. Itsa国际传媒檚 not just me telling them what to do. Itsa国际传媒檚 a really good group of kids,sa国际传媒� Stromsten said.
sa国际传媒淲e currently have 11 males in the studio and in the boyssa国际传媒� program, we have seven to eight. The girls sometimes come early to watch the boys in the back window and are a little bit envious of their program.sa国际传媒�
Teaching dance to boys requires a different, more physical and direct approach, Stromsten said. Boys need to be shown clearly what to do, she said, and strict guidelines so they donsa国际传媒檛 run around and goof off the entire lesson.
Having a male mentor has helped, as is using music with heavier beats and deeper sounds.
sa国际传媒淥ne time, I made the mistake off putting on a very fairy-sounding type of music and they just didnsa国际传媒檛 respond the same way than when we have deep, heavy sounding music,sa国际传媒� Stromsten said, chuckling.
Changing the language she uses to teach has also been beneficial. Shesa国际传媒檚 used the Transformers movie franchise as a way to explain how to sa国际传媒渢ransformsa国际传媒� their bodies into various poses and movements.
sa国际传媒淚 think creative dance style and classical dance style is beneficial to their brain development. It teaches them discipline, self-control and that boys have just as much to offer in dance as girls.sa国际传媒�
Liam Gilroy is in Grade 7 and a mentor in the boyssa国际传媒� class.
sa国际传媒淚 like ballet, itsa国际传媒檚 very fun and it helps me improve my style. I like jazz as well,sa国际传媒� Gilroy said. sa国际传媒淒ance, itsa国际传媒檚 an art, right? Itsa国际传媒檚 something you can learn. I get to get out, I stay fit, I get to do what I love and I get to hang out with some of my friends.sa国际传媒�
Stromsten said Gilroy was visibly excited when boys started signing up for this class and others. She said it was probably hard for him being the only boy in a studio of girls.
She described him as patient and willing to take the time to help build the boys up. He maintains a friendship with each of them and leads by example.
sa国际传媒淚 find that itsa国际传媒檚 usually stereotyped: sa国际传媒極h, dancing is for girls.sa国际传媒� But itsa国际传媒檚 really not,sa国际传媒� Gilroy said.
sa国际传媒淚 watched the Nutcracker, which is one of the more famous dances, and those guys are amazing. They do spins, flips and everything. Everyonesa国际传媒檚 like sa国际传媒楬a, ha, you dance,sa国际传媒� and everything, and Isa国际传媒檓 like: sa国际传媒榊eah. I love it!sa国际传媒檚a国际传媒�
patrick.davies@wltribune.com
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