Monday, June 9, 2014

Boys Dance Too

I've blogged before about how much I loathed ballet as a kid.  I like watching the ballet, though, and enjoy seeing others practice and perform all types of dance.  I just wasn't much of a dancer myself - much preferring to ride horses over all other sports and hobbies.  Imagine my surprise when Cort started begging for dance lessons.  And begging.  He was relentless.  So I did a little research and he started a ballet/tap combination class this spring.
 The first part of the class is some stretching, followed by ballet.  Cort is the only boy.  He doesn't mind at all.  He has learned that in ballet, boys have to be the gentleman and let the girls go first.  But the boys get to do more leaping, and they always wear black shoes.  After ballet, the tap shoes come on.

They have been practicing a routine for the big Spring recital.  It's a cute dance set to a very modern and upbeat version of "If You're Happy and You Know It".

Indeed, there is some jumping in the routine.  And some sliding.  And lots of tapping with those clickety clack shoes.

There might even be....jazz hands.

Every single morning since Cort started lessons, he wakes up and says, "Is tonight dance?"
If I say no, he says "awwwwwwww" in a sad voice.
Maybe part of it is that his instructor is so fun.  She teaches rhythm using tambourines and drumsticks.  And sometimes, even a parachute!
Cort's favorite part of the lesson is a dance they do to the song "The Lion Sleeps Tonight".  In the end, they snuggle with a stuffed friend.

I don't know how long Cort will want to dance.
But for now, at least, I think we can safely say that he's found something he loves.
Something that is teaching him discipline, respect, coordination and rhythm.
Not to mention how to have a whole lot of fun.
That's right folks.
Boys can dance too.


45 comments:

Endah Murniyati said...

I think your son have an art talent especially dance. Here, there are some dance clubs; modern, classical or traditional dance. There are a lot of boys that follow or join the clubs. I think no problem. Oh yes, next Saturday my son will perform a traditional dance on his farewell party on his school. He is also really love it.

Sunnybrook Farm said...

I'm sure that ballet and tap would be fun to do, kind of like golf but I don't really like watching golf or dancing. I found out about 25 years ago that dancing was a great way to meet girls as so many men don't dance. lol So I learned to dance and it is fun to do.

Unknown said...

It sounds like he is having a blast! His teacher sounds wonderful.

Steve Surratt said...

He's got talent! Next stop Broadway!

Roan said...

Yay for Cort! He looks like he's got it down. Perhaps you are looking at the next Baryshnikov.

Buttons Thoughts said...

Way to go Cort you are amazing, have fun.Hug B

Out on the prairie said...

What a natural at this, the recital should be fun.

Sandra said...

iI always thought tap dancing looked like so much fun!
ENJOY!

Maggid said...

YOU are a Marvelous MOM!!! Training in the Arts helps build exceptional human beings. (Oh yes, it's a proven fact.) Thank you, thank you for being YOU!!!

And, yes, boys dance!

Bas. said...

prachtig zoals kinderen dit al vroeg kunnen

TexWisGirl said...

he's adorable! love that he loves it!

I Am Woody said...

Yay for Cort! So glad that he enjoys dance so much!

Montanagirl said...

That's terrific! And he's just sooooo cute. Good for him for trying it out!

Tina Fariss Barbour said...

He is so cute! The class sounds like a lot of fun. And it's teaching him so many things. I would love to be able to tap dance.

Sharon Wagner said...

That's great! Who knows what the future holds.

Anonymous said...

That is so cool--and I'm glad you finally found a class for him!

Linda said...

What a cutie! And that he loves dancing is so great! Give him a big hug for me. Linda@Wetcreek Blog

Sally said...

I just LOVE it! That precious face; he's so adorable! It's awesome that he's learning so much more than dance too.

xoxo

mail4rosey said...

They had tap dancers come to my son's school and he said he wanted dance lessons too. :) The closest ones to us were hip hop though, and they were only for the older kids.

Your pictures here are awesome!

Cat said...

You need to let Cort watch Singin' In The Rain with Gene Kelly or anything with Fred Astaire. Oooh, and which ever Shirley Temple movie had her dancing with Mr. Bojangles.
And White Christmas.

Ginny Hartzler said...

Way to go, Cort!!! Your pictures are really beautiful!!! And so is he, he is gorgeous. This will be so good for him. And now he has a passion, and what could be better than that? Anne Marie took ballet and tap for two years. BUT...then they brought in a dance teacher from New York, and the last recital she did (which was packed) the girls wore VERY skimpy clothes! Now this was from four all the way to older teens. In fact, Anne's other grandmother was so outraged that she left! End of dance and beginning of piano.

Samantha said...

That's freaking adorable!

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Such a beautiful child... I know you are supposed to say that boys are handsome--and Cort is. But--what a gorgeous looking child.... Love his curls... He might become a GREAT dancer... Neat that he's interested in that... Glad he is enjoying it....

Hugs,
Betsy

Anonymous said...

You know this so happened here too! We enrolled aarya for dance class last year and he did not want ti... same with Karate. But now he LOVES dance class! It is so nice to see him enjoying it :)

Gail Dixon said...

This post melted my heart! What a sweet boy. And handsome. You are truly blessed.

Anonymous said...

This is awesome! He looks very happy and talented. I know you will enjoy the recital so much.

jp@A Green Ridge said...


Hmmmm...Mia just asked to give up soccer and go back to dance!!!! A match made in blogging????...:)JP

GranthamLynn said...

Oh how cute. He looks like a natural. This was a fun post!
Thanks for sharing.
Have a great week. Enjoy class.
Sherry

Chatty Crone said...

Boys Can Dance!

Linda said...

What adorable photos! Perhaps Cort will be a musician. Obviously he has a sense of rhythm.

Lin said...

GOOD for HIM!! I love that he is doing that! We just talked to friends whose son is the only boy in the ballet class and he was front and center for the recital---much to the chagrin of the very nasty dance moms. Ugh.

any chance you can get a video of his dance number? I'd love to see it!

Unknown said...

What an incredible post. It made me think of the late Patrick Swayze, who had a short but interesting life that revolved around dancing.

Annette said...

Oh my gosh, I LOVE it. I sooo wanted my son to share my love of tap dancing, but right now I can't get him away from his trains long enough... Boys can certainly dance, and your little guy looks like he's having a blast. What a fun class for him!

Tanya Breese said...

oh he is so cute! the pictures are great...so awesome that he has found something he loves!

Debby@Just Breathe said...

I am so excited, that is so awesome. I love that he wanted to dance and happy you found him a class. You might have a little Baryshnikov in your life!!!

Grandma Bonnie said...

Oh what a wonderful mother you are. I think its awesome Cort wants to dance. I have been begging my daughter to enroll my grandson in dance.I know he would love dancing but she thinks there won't be any boys in the class and that bothers her. Anyhow good luck with Corts dancing its great for him.

An Apel a Day said...

How cute! I'd so put my boys in dance. I don't think it's a girl thing.

My boys just got done with acting classes at a community playhouse.

Lexie Loo, Lily, Liam & Dylan Too said...

I love this! Cort is an awesome kid!

Michelle said...

Good for Cort! It sounds like he is a confident young man, surrounded by all of those ladies.

Unknown said...

He is one brave man. I think the male dancer has much more talent and physical strength then the female :)

Tweedles -- that's me said...

sooooo precious!!
love
tweedles

Jenn Jilks said...

I love this! Two of my 3 kids took dance lessons. Then, last year, my actor son was in Music Man and had to learn to tap. It was so much fun watching this 30-yr-old dancing. I took jazz at a community college, well into my 20s, too. Much fun.
I tried to comment on your pancakes post, but the blogpost demanded I sing in with facebook and allow it to connect and access my account. I refused.
I was going to say that this brings back memories. My younger son (29) used to make pancakes with chocolate chips on Saturday mornings. This was a fun post, aside from the ad!

Busy Bee Suz said...

Oh how I love this post. Sometimes kids don't ever know what they 'love'….and he certainly has it figured out. I'm happy you let him explore this; it's all good stuff.

Unknown said...

Lovely post. You can really see on him that he loves the dancing. That's great that he has found something to do that he enjoys, hope it continues.

Anne Payne said...

Of course boys can dance! Just think of Fred Astaire :) You never know how far the lessons Cort learns will take him. Maybe to Broadway!!!