 |
Jonas Heegaard |
In September, the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (JKO) School at American
Ballet Theatre will begin a new ballet program for young boys ages
5-11. Franco De Vita, Principal of the JKO School since 2005, has
always felt there was a need for ballet classes for boys that were
separate from girls. “It’s important for young boys to
feel comfortable in ballet class and that can be difficult if they
are surrounded by a lot of girls,” says De Vita. “We have
always had separate men’s classes in the Pre-Professional Division
of the JKO School, so now I am happy that we will have separate boys'
classes in the Children’s Division.”
Riley Barker |
One student looking forward to participating in the boys' classes
is 8 year-old Riley Barker who joined the JKO School Children’s
Division in 2008. Riley was the only boy in his class last year so
his teacher, Johanna Butow, tried to give him special exercises and
opportunities to create his own movement phrases. His father, Charles
Barker, noticed an increase in Riley’s confidence and appreciated
how the program helped him develop a “sense of self,”
but acknowledges that Riley is very excited to be in a ballet class
that is only for boys.
“At a young age, most children gravitate towards activities
or sports that their peers are participating in. That often can
be the biggest factor in the decision-making process” says
De Vita. While Riley was very interested in ballet from the beginning,
according to his father, his younger brother Max “wanted nothing
to do with girls”. With the addition of the boys class, Charles
feels that Max may make the decision to dance after seeing his brother
dancing with other boys his age.
For more information on the Children’s Division of American
Ballet Theatre’s JKO School, please click here.
Classes begin September 11, 2010.
Calvin Royal III |
This fall also marks the entry of Calvin Royal III into ABT’s
main Company. Calvin initially joined the ABT family as a student
in the JKO School in fall of 2006 and has been a member of ABT II
since 2007. Please click play on the video below to hear Calvin speak
about training for boys in ballet.
Sign
up for ABT's E-News!
|
