Men & Ballet

Getting started

So you’ve decided to take ballet, good for you.  Ballet needs you, and as many guys as it can get, you will love it! Now that your signed up you will need a few things before you take your first plié. Not sure what you need? I’ve been dancing for a few years now, and I thought I’d let you know just what I bring with me to each and every ballet class. Here is what I keep in my dance bag.

My dance bag, a messenger style bag for no other reason because it makes riding my bike to class much easier. Use whatever you have, it doesn’t have to be anything special, just big enough to get your gear from A to B and back again. The basics first, items you will need for each and every ballet class you will ever take. Check with your school if they require anything specific.

Tights The big T! Many will feel a bit apprehensive about this at first, but it’s not that big of a deal, you may even grow to like them, I have. You may feel self-conscious at first, but the surprising truth is, nobody cares, not a one, judgment will not be passed by anyone. Chances are many of your classmates will be in tights too. Bicycle style shorts or athletic leggings will work well as well.

T-shirt Chances are you probably have a drawer full of them already. A simple plain colored t-shirt is all you need.

Ballet slippers.  This is a no-brainer, you gotta’ have them. Ballet is hard enough trying to dance barefoot or in socks isn’t going to be easy. Ballet shoes, or slippers come in many styles and materials. A good dancewear shop will help you choose what you need.

Dancebelt. Welcome to thong city guys, think of it as a jockstrap for dancing.  Basically it’s karmic retribution for the girls suffering in pointe shoes. You want to keep your boys safe and protected, and this is the best way to do it. The last think you want to do is attempt ballet without one. It also helps to disguise what you have going on down there especially when your wearing tights. Again it’s another item that will take some time to get used to.

Dancebelt. Don´t dance without!

Water Bottle You will be surprised just how strenuous a ballet class can be, you’ll walk out of the studio sweaty and tired.  Just like any sport, and ballet is a sport, you need to stay hydrated. I keep a bottle near me at the barre. Make sure the lid is on tight; you might find yourself standing in a pool of water.

Personally, I carry two pair of almost everything; tights, shoes and dancebelt. You never know when you might need to change or you find that something was left at home; this is something I do all the time. I had a leaky water bottle once and soaked half everything I had in my bag; luckily I had a dry version of everything I needed.

If you dig a bit deeper you’ll find:

·  Theraband. I like to get to class early to stretch and get muscles nice and limber up with the theraband. Basically it’s like a giant rubber band, a good tool to help stretch and work out problem areas.

·  Advil, Ace Bandage, trainers’ tape… Whatever it takes to get you through class or to take care of you after. These are here just in case, you never know when it might be sore.

·  Needle and thread. Something will eventually tear, rip or fall apart and having something to put it back together with is always helpful.

·  Leg Warmers. Sometimes the studio can be cold and you don’t want to dance with cold muscles. They come with me to keep me warm until I get warm. Check with your teacher if it’s OK to wear them in class.

·  Deodorant. You will get hot and sweaty and nobody wants to share a barre or get partnered with someone who stinks.

·  Sweatband / bandana. You will work up a sweat, especially in the summer months and nobody likes to get sweat in their eyes.

·  iPod. I like to grove to my own soundtrack while I’m stretching before class. It goes back into the bag during class.

·  Snack. It has been bananas, granola bars, Cliff Bar, basically whatever I have around the house, nobody wants to hear their stomach start to rumble while dancing. Don’t bring it into the studio.

·  Long sleeve t-shirt / sweatshirt / track jacket. This is more of a cold weather item, I’ll put it on over my normal t-shirt and wear it until I feel warm enough and then take it off.  Again, check with your teacher before you wear this in class.

·  Reference books. It’s always nice to have something to look up confusing steps after class and to study up at home. A French / English dictionary might be helpful too, you will hear a lot of French.

·  Notebook and Pen. I like to jot down notes of what we did in class, so I know what I did well and what I need to work on or to write down that cute girls number who you shared a barre with earlier in class.

Most adult classes do not require you to have anything more than a pair of ballet shoes, so what you wear is up to you. They usually ask that you wear something more form fitting. I have seen everything form your standard t-shirt and tights to baggy sweat pants. Wear what you feel comfortable in. Ask your teacher or administrator if your school has a specific dress code.

If you have a dancewear shop in your area I’d recommend going there first when you start your shopping spree.  It might be a bit more expensive than shopping online, but making sure what you are buying fits and is comfortable is super important. Finding shoes you like and feel comfortable can be difficult; chances are you’ll try on several different shoes to find a pair that fits well. It’s hard to do that if you shop online.

Don’t feel embarrassed when shopping in your local dancewear shop, chances are it will be full of pastel colored leotards and tutus. Most will have a section for men’s and boys dancewear, it may not be big but chances are good that they will have what you need. Ask questions; don’t be afraid to try things on. They are usually dancers themselves so they can speak from experience. Let them know you are there to shop; they will fall all over themselves to help the guy out.

Good luck and happy dancing!!

Written by Chris, edited by PTYD.