EVERY GIRL WANT’S A MAN WHO CAN GET HIS GROOVE ON.  

BOYS…HERE’S WHERE IT STARTS!

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NAME:  Sam

AGE:  2

HOME STATE:  North Carolina

INTERESTS:  Cars, trucks, trains, helicopters, airplanes…anything with wheels.  Movies, art, dogs, contact sports, running, anything that requires a bat, anything that makes you dirty, eating, foraging for snacks, playing with friends (especially best friend, Naomi), hugging friends, holding hands with friends, and…

BALLET!

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WHEN YOU THINK OF BOYS IN BALLET…WHAT IMAGES COME TO MIND?

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If you have concocted a picture that is in any way related to the photo’s above, let’s just say you might be just slightly out-of-touch with the reality of  boys in ballet today.  For example, take a look at these two good looking fellows…

These are definitely some big, strapping bucks!  They are both D-1 Football Scholarship Athletes.  One can bench 500lbs.  One is a music major.  Both took ballet/tap/acrobatics.

The reality is…real men can lift weights, AND women!  

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And now back to two year old Sam, The Ninja Ballerina

As anyone can clearly surmise by the nature of his list of interests,  Sam is all boy.  He is constantly in motion, regularly into areas marked “OFF LIMITS”, habitually handling breakable items, frequently covered in unidentified sticky substances and sporadically in trouble for thumping someone over the head with a blunt object.

Sam’s mom thought he might benefit from something more physical than the “mommy & me” music class the two took together.  After asking around and doing a bit of research, she signed him up for a ballet class with his best friend, Naomi…although she had no idea how the experiment would end.  Knowing Sam, she thought it could go any of the following ways (or a fun combination of several):

•  Tackle Ballet

•  Use of hula-hoops and ribbon handles as Ninja weapons

•  Kissing and hugging girls in the class for a solid hour, every week

•  Active participation

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On the first day of class, Sam’s teacher, Miss Kim, says that he marched into the room, grabbed some ribbons and asked if he could hear “Frozen”.  Miss Kim knew Sam was going to be successful.

In the end, this class HAS been a fun mix of Sam-specific elements.  He actively participates.  He tackles…but only when absolutely necessary in order to chase down a reluctant hug.  He might thump a fellow dancer with a Ninja weapon…but only when one comes too close during his special pirouette combinations, and he kisses the girls in his class at will.

A look at Sam in action – Performing one of his not-so-rare Pirouette Combinations:

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IN SAM’S OWN WORDS

“I like ballet.”

“I like Naomi.”

“I like to play with my friends.”

“I like Miss Kim.”

“Can I have a snack?”

…AND THERE YOU HAVE IT.  ANY QUESTIONS?

Words from Kim Black of Burlington Dance Center:

My approach to teaching young dancers is through imagination. I love using imagination, creating stories, and watching young children fall in love with learning to dance. By using this approach, I can take a rowdy class of 3-year olds, capture their attention and engage them with my stories – they will begin learning through imagination, walking in lines, forming circles, and doing basic tap and ballet movements when they don’t even know it. The parents are amazed when their child walks out with a new found confidence, a sure sign that they just had a great time and learned dance too! The best compliment to me is when a little one asks, as I am hugging him or her goodbye and giving him/her a sticker, “Can I come back and play?”

For more information on Kim Black:  Www.misskimdance.com
For more information on Burlington Dance Center:  Www.burlingtondance.com

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Nanny’s Notes:  I had the opportunity to view much of this class on video, and absolutely giggled my way through it.  These are the cutest kids!  I so wish I could sign up.  I was as enthralled with the stories as the children were.  I found myself wanting to “cook biscuits” (sit on your buns), “pop popcorn” (learn to skip), pretend to be dragonflies in the dark, take off like rocket ships, twirl like helicopters and go on a bear hunt right along with them.  However, my favorite part would have to be Sam’s special Pirouette Combinations.  Strong work Sam!  Hope to see you and Naomi in “The Nutcracker” in the near future.  Thanks so much for sharing your talent and your adorable face with us.