Earlier this year, we were tickled pink by the news that Prince George would be attending ballet classes as a part of his schooling. The real life Prince will learn to dance in the footsteps of his onstage counterparts: Prince Charming (Cinderella), Prince Desire (The Sleeping Beauty) and Prince Siegfried (Swan Lake).
A little closer to home, The Australian Ballet’s Boys Day, a part of The Australian Ballet’s extensive Step Inside program, celebrates and supports budding young men to pursue their ballet dreams. Suitable for male dancers aged nine through 14, the classes are held at The Arts Centre, Melbourne, and later in the year at the Capitol Theatre. The classes are taught by a male dancer of The Australian Ballet.
“We have Colin Peasley to thank for the wonderful Boys Day program, and it has become a hugely popular path for young men into the company,” says David McAllister, artistic director of The Australian Ballet. “Many of our current male dancers had their first experiences with The Australian Ballet as part of this program, and they are now inspiring the next generation of young male dancers.”
Company dancers Brett Chynoweth and Joseph Chapman, for example, have grown up attending the classes, providing students with inspiring, firsthand experience and an insight of what you can achieve if you dare to follow your dreams.
“Boys Day is a chance for me to give back to a programme that inspired me when I was younger,” says Chapman, a coryphée with the company.
“Our men are strong, powerful advocates for the physical and mental toughness that it takes to be a 21st century male dancer,” adds McAllister. “We aim through this program to give the young boys out there who may be in the minority in their local ballet school or feel ostracised in their wider social groups the opportunity to experience that a career in dance is an exciting and dynamic career choice and one that can open up prospects for a career on the world stage.”
Melbourne dancers can enjoy classes on Saturday, June 17, Saturday, August 26, and Saturday, September 16.
Sydney dancers can enjoy classes later in the year, on Saturday, November 11, and Saturday, December 9.
Places are limited. Tickets for the 2.5 hour class are $29 and can be purchased here: australianballet.com.au/event/2017-boys-day.
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