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Ballroom Boys - Channel 4 |
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#1 |
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Ballroom Boys - Channel 4
Did anyone see the documentary tonight following the juvenile dancers from Wales in training to compete at the closed UK championships?
It seems from some of the interviews in the press that the higher ranked couple (Mason and his partner) appeared on the Strictly launch show this year. I felt a bit sorry for the young girl who partnered the other lad though after he decided to give up dancing to take up boxing instead
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#2 |
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I found it really depressing. I don't think it did anything to break stigmas or encourage boys to dance, or encourage bullies to stop bullying boys who dance.
Felt particularly sorry for the stressed out kid who had an asthma attack and the mum yelled in his face that he should calm down. Few of the adults came off well. Would have been nicer to focus on the kids who clearly do actually enjoy dancing and are supported by their parents rather than pushed into it. Maybe some older juniors or under 21 dancers whose hobby has stood the test of time with the older boys giving advice on how to deal with mickey taking at school. Maybe focus on the positives of girl/girl partnerships so girls watching weren't turned off by the idea that "there are no boys and the ones that are there are all miserable" the program was giving. Also... I don't think kids that young should have to wear fake tan. It's not necessary at all and imo should be discouraged until they're a bit older. You start to get a bit uncanny valley with young kids looking sort of bizarrely old and young at the same time when they're in heavy make up with tans. It's a weird look even for adults (albeit one I'm happy to sport for a competition) don't inflict it on the kids!!! |
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#3 |
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I thought the whole thing was horrible for the boys.
The home-schooling mother had some very strange (and arguably dangerous) ideas - her twins are going to rebel hard at some point and she just won't know how to cope. It really should have been called Ballroom Mums - as they seem to be the driving force behind the decision to dance. I agree that there should have been more positive about the role of girls in dancesport. It just made me feel very sad |
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#4 |
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I have put a few comments on this in the Ballroom/latin thread, overall a very negative program.
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#5 |
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I felt sorry for the boys. The twins seem to be pushed into dancing as their mother thought it would help them find a wife.
I'm sure the fake tan, which he refused when we were watching, but probably often has and the make up didn't help the young lad's asthma or indeed it looked like a touch of eczema as well. The only one keen to dance seemed to be Mason . The Mother should have taken more notice of the bullying though and should have been aware of it before he told her especially as it said in the papers the older son gave up dancing because of it. Jennifer_F what Ballroom/Latin thread? |
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#6 |
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Quote:
I felt sorry for the boys. The twins seem to be pushed into dancing as their mother thought it would help them find a wife.
I'm sure the fake tan, which he refused when we were watching, but probably often has and the make up didn't help the young lad's asthma or indeed it looked like a touch of eczema as well. The only one keen to dance seemed to be Mason . The Mother should have taken more notice of the bullying though and should have been aware of it before he told her especially as it said in the papers the older son gave up dancing because of it. Jennifer_F what Ballroom/Latin thread? To be honest, we and other dancers including professionals hated this program. It really gives a distorted look of competitive dancing, whatever age and level you are. There was far too much emphasis on the tanning, make up, bullying etc and far too little on the dancing, the commitment and determination of these lovely young people to be the best, or the best that they can be. A lot of parents of top dancers have been approached in the past, to contribute to these type of programs, and the parents have said "no", for fear of this happening. C4 had a golden opportunity to show what youngsters can achieve with hard work, that was all played down and they focused on all the negatives. We all know that it can be hard for the boys, but if they want to dance, they deal with it with help and support from family and good friends. This was filmed last year, and since, little Mason and Millie have gone on to win the UK Closed Championships in both ballroom and Latin for juveniles. Mason and Millie eat, breathe and sleep dance. They love it, but C4 did nothing to show how much enjoyment, the children - on the whole - get from it. |
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#7 |
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Quote:
I found it really depressing. I don't think it did anything to break stigmas or encourage boys to dance, or encourage bullies to stop bullying boys who dance.
Felt particularly sorry for the stressed out kid who had an asthma attack and the mum yelled in his face that he should calm down. Few of the adults came off well. I can't remember which of the mothers was forcing her son to have mascara on, when he said he didn't want any on. Surely, the judges judge on the dance performance and not on whether the boys (and girls) have fake tan and make-up on. Perhaps it is "that is the way we have always done it" , boys and girls wearing fake tan and make-up. But I think these boys needed some good role models (ie. some of Strictly's pro male dancers) to give them some positive encouragement. I understood that there were more boys than there ever has been learning ballet maybe because maybe of the film Billy Elliot
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#8 |
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[quote=zsazsazsazsa;85001527 Surely, the judges judge on the dance performance and not on whether the boys (and girls) have fake tan and make-up on. Perhaps it is "that is the way we have always done it" , boys and girls wearing fake tan and make-up. But I think these boys needed some good role models (ie. some of Strictly's pro male dancers) to give them some positive encouragement. I understood that there were more boys than there ever has been learning ballet maybe because maybe of the film Billy Elliot[/QUOTE]
Yes, the adjudicators will always judge the dancing first, but as you know, it is also, all about image. I don't agree with overly made up faces for young girls, but there is nothing wrong with a little bronzer perhaps. We do need make up ( as it is like stage work with bright lights sometimes) so as not to "disappear" on the floor and to emphasise features. As for role models, the youngsters are spoilt for choice from their own teachers , coaches, amateurs and professionals on the circuit. Any of these people are always happy to offer advice. I feel that the youngsters do and have always received positive encouragement from their teachers, family and friends, the program gave a very negative and distorted view of dancing, it was not a fair or accurate portrayal at all. |
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#9 |
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This was one of the First Cut documentaries, wasnt it - film makers being give their first shot at documentary making. It's perhaps inevitable that they'd take a slightly controversial slant if they want to get noticed.
Aside from that, Channel 4 has a reputation for, shall we say, somewhat unbalanced and less than straightforward representations in many of their documentaries. Try Googling it - there's no shortage of controversies over a number of years across a wide variety of subjects. |
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#10 |
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Quote:
I too found it quite disturbing - but I think that was down to how two of the mothers interacted with their boys. The mother of the boy who had had an asthma attack wasn't at all concerned. She was yelling at him to drink water when shouting at him to calm down. No wonder he decided to stop dancing and take up boxing. I think the other mother, who home-schooled her two, was if possible worse. The two boys were robotic and seemed to be worn-down by their overbearing mother. Who kept on about them being good husbands and they were young boys.
I can't remember which of the mothers was forcing her son to have mascara on, when he said he didn't want any on. Surely, the judges judge on the dance performance and not on whether the boys (and girls) have fake tan and make-up on. Perhaps it is "that is the way we have always done it" , boys and girls wearing fake tan and make-up. But I think these boys needed some good role models (ie. some of Strictly's pro male dancers) to give them some positive encouragement. I understood that there were more boys than there ever has been learning ballet maybe because maybe of the film Billy Elliot Only Mason seemed to truly love dancing, though he didn't like spray tans. The twins' mother was frankly weird, bordering on abusive - wasn't it she forcing one of them to have mascara? Although the lad had asthma, it seemed more like hyperventilating due to stress/nerves rather than an asthma attack. Whichever it was, yelling at him to calm down wasn't the most helpful way to deal with it. I didn't think much of the teacher/coach either. I can't see how barking 'Perform!' is going to bring out the best. |
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#11 |
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I can't see how barking 'Perform!' is going to bring out the best.
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#12 |
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Quote:
Yes, the adjudicators will always judge the dancing first, but as you know, it is also, all about image. I don't agree with overly made up faces for young girls, but there is nothing wrong with a little bronzer perhaps. We do need make up ( as it is like stage work with bright lights sometimes) so as not to "disappear" on the floor and to emphasise features. As for role models, the youngsters are spoilt for choice from their own teachers , coaches, amateurs and professionals on the circuit. Any of these people are always happy to offer advice. I feel that the youngsters do and have always received positive encouragement from their teachers, family and friends, the program gave a very negative and distorted view of dancing, it was not a fair or accurate portrayal at all.
the need to wear some make-up like any on-stage performance would. Just seems a bit sad for those of you that are dancers that this program missed a great opportunity and just showed an unfair and inaccurate picture.
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#13 |
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Quote:
Yes, I can understand now
the need to wear some make-up like any on-stage performance would. Just seems a bit sad for those of you that are dancers that this program missed a great opportunity and just showed an unfair and inaccurate picture.The make-up dilemma: If kids wear no make up at all they can look pale and washed out, especially on a large floor, and any facial expression will be entirely lost. But there should be a limit. There's absolutely no need whatsoever for spray tans on juveniles; in fact, I've yet to know of a child who has had a spray tan for dancing. Tan coloured blusher is sufficient for faces, and the wash off type tan for arms and legs (for the girls) is all that it needed. If a boy is quite fair, then it can help to darken his eye brows to give his face definition, but mascara - as in the program? To be honest, I think the reason these programs are so bad is because of the type of people who agree to take part in them. Most parents prefer to protect their kids from this sort of exposure. |
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#14 |
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Very well said Kaycee. In my experience (as a dancers grandmother) most juveniles wear face blusher, certainly none of my granddaughters partners from juvenile up to top amateur ever wore mascara!!
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#15 |
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Quote:
Very well said Kaycee. In my experience (as a dancers grandmother) most juveniles wear face blusher, certainly none of my granddaughters partners from juvenile up to top amateur ever wore mascara!!
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#16 |
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I have to admit I have seen a couple of male Latin - adult - dancers wear mascara, but they are definitely in the minority, and, if I'm really honest, I think they probably wore mascara even when they were not dancing!!! Each to their own!
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#17 |
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Quote:
I have to say that I have even spotted eyeliner too
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I can't remember which of the mothers was forcing her son to have mascara on, when he said he didn't want any on. Surely, the judges judge on the dance performance and not on whether the boys (and girls) have fake tan and make-up on. Perhaps it is "that is the way we have always done it" , boys and girls wearing fake tan and make-up. But I think these boys needed some good role models (ie. some of Strictly's pro male dancers) to give them some positive encouragement. I understood that there were more boys than there ever has been learning ballet maybe because maybe of the film Billy Elliot
the need to wear some make-up like any on-stage performance would. Just seems a bit sad for those of you that are dancers that this program missed a great opportunity and just showed an unfair and inaccurate picture.