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Like modeling and gymnastics, ballet makes no secret of its desire for a slim body. Most professional ballerinas are pressured to meet specific standards of weight and height. However, there is no reason why you still cannot enjoy ballet as a hobby or after-school curricular activity. In my ballet class, there are are about 15 students and only about 10 of them would be classified as "skinny." Ballet, like hockey or soccer can be done easily nomatter what the size of the dancer. What matters most is your desire to learn and the effort you put into it.
2. Ballet is mostly a girl's sport.
If you go to dance studios in your local area, you will see a larger amount of female students than male students. However, if you visit a professional production such as The Nutcracker or Swan Lake, you will see an equal number of female and male ballerinas. Male ballerinas also tend to have a greater chance than females in obtaining jobs following their performing career in choreography of a major dance company, or director of an academy. (Still, the old-age sexism.) But thats how it is. So if you're a boy, and you want to do ballet, don't hesitate!
3. Male ballerinas don't wear pointe shoes.
It is definately more common to see females en pointe, but certain productions such as "Sleeping Beauty" often require men to wear pointe shoes. A lot of men also are interested in learning pointe technique, incase they plan to do choreography and/or teaching - it would help them better understand the process and what it entails. Some men also do pointe to strengthen their ankles and calve muscles.
4. "I'm too old to begin doing ballet."
Not true at all. Ballet can be enjoyed as a sport at any age -from 3 to 70! I myself quit ballet when I was 10 and didn't come back to it until I was 19! I visited a number of studios to choose the best one to dance at, and most of them had adult classes with women anywhere from 25 - 50 years old. Although you should not depend on becoming a proffesional ballet dancer if you start anywhere after age 15, this does not mean you will not learn, improve and have chances to perform and teach the sport.
