When Prince George first started attending Thomas’ Battersea big-kid school, we learned about his general curriculum, which in addition to the normal kid stuff, also included computer coding and ballet. The argument I made at the time was that I felt sorry for the poor teachers trying to herd dozens of 5-year-olds in the ballet classes, but many of you (correctly) argued that little kids are sponges at that age and that George will probably retain some of what he’s learning. At one point, Prince William even talked about how much George loves to dance and many assumed that meant George loves his ballet classes. There was a distinct lack of judgment and an absence of toxic masculinity around the conversation – kids are kids and no one “judged” George for, you know, being a little boy who enjoys some of his classes, including dance.
Well, apparently Lara Spencer and the Good Morning America team just learned about George’s ballet classes, and they decided to laugh about them. As Lara reads off George’s classes, she and her cohosts laughed when they came to “ballet.” Lara says to camera, “He looks so happy about the ballet class. Prince William says George absolutely loves ballet. I have news for you Prince William: We’ll see how long that lasts.”
The backlash was swift – Lara was accused of mocking George, and mocking children/boys who love to dance. I’d like to point out that while Lara is definitely the main culprit, the GMA team can be heard laughing about it too (especially George Stephanopoulos). But Lara got the brunt of the criticism for her bizarre judgment, so she apologized in an Instagram post. In an IG nature shot, she wrote:
My sincere apologies for an insensitive comment I made in pop news yesterday. From ballet to anything one wants to explore in life, I say GO FOR IT. I fully believe we should all be free to pursue our passions. Go climb your mountain-and love every minute of it.
Kind of bulls–t apology. #BoysDanceToo was the hashtag being used to clapback at Spencer and all of the critics of little boys dancing. (On a personal note, I think Mikhail Baryshnikov is one of the greatest artists of the past century, and I still miss Gregory Hines and his beautiful movement every single day).
Dear @LaraSpencer… #boysdancetoo #menwhodance #princegeorge pic.twitter.com/jpuOMYlfUL
— Debbie Allen (@msdebbieallen) August 23, 2019
Dear @LaraSpencer and anyone that needs to hear it… BOYS DANCE TOO! #BoysDanceToo pic.twitter.com/RLeSaiORD3
— Mark Kanemura (@mKiK808) August 23, 2019
Hey @GMA . If @LaraSpencer thinks a boy doing ballet is funny, have her do this sequence live on air. I guarantee you that would be funnier than shaming a young boy who is passionate about the art of dance. 👀#BoysDanceToo #ArtSavesLives #GoodMorningAmerica #LaraSpencer pic.twitter.com/FDlXKMTDRF
— DuJuan Smart, Jr. (@DJSmartJr) August 23, 2019
Photos courtesy of WENN, Avalon Red and Kensington Palace.
Stupid woman. Someone should sit her in front of the all-male Swan Lake and see how funny she thinks that is. Ballet dancers are some of the most finely calibrated and athletic human beings on the planet and well done Prince George for keeping at it.
Many male athletes practise it too, to learn better coordination. Patrick Swayze was a dancer before he was ever an actor. When I saw this twat laughing it kind of upset me. She comes across as very shallow.
To her credit, she sat down with three dancers for an interview and apologized profusely today.
Yeah, Lara seemed pretty apologetic about her comment as she should be. I believe she realized her mistake and is honestly sorry for it. But I love how others, like Debbie Allen, responded to Lara’s insensitive comment.
Yeah, this. I have no idea who this woman is, but her apology doesn’t seem BS to me.
What a stupid and factually wrong reaction that news team had, smdh. I can’t imagine living in their brains.
Gene Kelly’s widow wrote a great open letter about it as well. There are SO MANY amazing male dancers! So many athletes talk about using ballet to be better on the field. Even my nephew’s HS football team did ballet exercises as part of their training!
PS: Someone should sit her down and make her watch “Billy Elliot”, a movie about a little boy who wants to dance and won’t let anyone stop him.
Many of the most macho manly men in pop culture spent significant time studying ballet – Patrick Swayze, Manu Bennett, Hershel Walker, Lynn Swann.
I own a ballet school and would point out that what you said is true… but it’s also hurtful. By saying that “manly men” were dancers, it implies that dance is only ok if you’re “a real man” or an athlete in some other sport. I know that’s not your intention, but through this weekend, it’s an argument I’ve seen a lot. “Football players take ballet! So it’s ok!”
Our school’s male enrollment is about 20% of our dancers – that may not seem like a lot but it’s a pretty large number in the dance world. MANY of those boys are under the age of 10. Their love for dance is completely pure. And, yes, some play football or other “male” sports, but some do not. We notice a sharp decline in male enrollment around puberty and I have to assume that’s a good deal because of teasing they get from friends, family and peers.
The goal is to allow space for people of all types, identifications, presentations, etc in the ballet world. And not to say that ballet is “manly” or “athletic.” Boys can love dance just because they do.
So much this, Onerous!
Beautifully put, thank you. I was trying to figure out why this conversation has bothered me, and you’ve put it well. I also do ballet and while many men are actually quite manly (and straight) while also being graceful and sensitive and artistic and (NYC Ballet stories aside) generally v collaborative and respectful toward women, there are also men who might be called out for being more feminine or whatever who bring their own special grace and artistry to it all. Also, people are people and every single dancer brings their own soul to it. I’m so grateful to have ballet, and all of the people I share it with, in my life, esp in these too often artless times of toxic men holding way too much power. Long past time to honor the power of the feminine approach to life as well, whether expressed by a man or a woman or non-binary people (if that’s the right term).
Hear hear, Onerous.
Considering they’re like a dozen reality shows about dancing, including at least one on THEIR network, I don’t know why she and the others think there is still a stigma about it.
I did ballet classes from 5-15. There is always at least one boy in the class. Now, many years later, I hope there are more. It was a really wonderful thing to do at that age.
my friend’s son is in a dance class of ALL boys. 15 of them. in their rural small town. it is so awesome.
That’s so cool! I bet they love it.
Should be sacked for being so stupid and brainless let alone offensive.
She’s a ditz….of course she had to apologize for her extreme dumbness.
Her comments don’t even make sense.
“I have news for you! Now wait for possibly years for that news because as far as anyone knows he still likes dance and may never stop liking it!”
I don’t care about boys wanting to dance vs girls wanting to dance. I however refuse to ever sit through another god awful hiphop dance recital in my liiiife. We went to one for our niece who was 3 at the time. They were so young that the parents had to participate with them (which in no world would I ever be doing) and then they’d mix in performances from older kids just to keep the audiences attention. It was like watching them herd cats. And they had the mothers on stage with them. But you’d see kids like somersaulting in opposite directions and just running off the stage because they weren’t paying attention or just didn’t want to be there at all because they’re three.
There was a kid, probably around 13ish performing. Just know that this little girl was VERY white, from a wealthy community in a county with only a very small percentage of non-white people. She starts busting out moves to A Milli by little Wayne. And it was PAINFUL. She’s dressed in whatever idea a 13 year old would have of a hip hop costume, and dancing… not very well.
Then you had the big ol Michael Jackson medley with another kid gyrating around to that – this was at about 3 months after Leaving Neverland was released. I just can’t imagine cheering on my child dancing to the tunes of a pedophile – especially that soon after the documentary was released.
That said – I’d much rather sit down and watch ballet or acro performances. I understand that kids aren’t going to be award winning dancers or anything -especially when they’re just learning. But there’s a certain point where it comes off as a caricature of what they think hiphop dancers should look and dance like. And they’re SOOOOO serious about it that they don’t even see how silly the whole thing is.
If the parents still have to be on the stage that is usually the fault of the dance school. My niece started dance at about 3 and at her recital the older students were there on stage to guide the super young ones. It worked out pretty well although some kids are better coordinated than others.
Wow, Erinn….your comments about children dancing were unnecessarily cruel. Sometimes it is more about the child expressing themselves, challenging themselves with something that might not naturally come easy to them. The audience isn’t the point. The kids are the point. What is “silly” is a grown adult mocking children and insulting their efforts while they are trying to learn and grow.
What an idiot. George’s great-uncle is accused of violating at least one teenage girl but sure, it’s George’s ballet classes which are a problem.
I handle social media for a ballet company and it was heartening to see how quickly the field rallied in response. Definitely a lightning rod moment.
Now if we could get some similar movement/outrage for the lack of women in positions of power in ballet!
I have no idea who she is, based on her name I thought she was a relative form the title at first.
debbie allen is an icon.
Yes!
So amazing!!
Truth!
WORD.
I’m just here for the pictures of George. He’s such a cutie!
My son is a beautiful, talented dancer. While ballet was never his favorite, he appreciates the tremendous work that goes into the study and performance of ballet and ALL dance.
If he had listened to the haters and the ignorance of others, he wouldn’t be doing what he loves today.
#dancersdance #liveyourdream
That’s what matters, the appreciation. Most little kids won’t fall in love with the craft and even fewer will have the talent/stamina to make a professional go of it, but the point of exposing children to everything from coding to dance is to give them that chance.
I started ballet at three and some of my dearest friends are boys that I danced with growing up. If George loves ballet, I hope he continues it for as long as possible.
I just want to stand up for Stephanopolous a little here. Yes he laughed along, he always laughs along because it’s “pop news” and that’s what he has to do. He also said “good for him” but nobody seems to have heard that but it’s pretty clearly audible.
Waiting for Spencer to give a much better apology on air.
I took the underlying message of her statement as sneering homophobia – and dog whistling to her fellow homophobes as well. Not surprised that an industry (broadcast news) that still has mainly interchangeable blond white women sitting in sleeveless party dresses commentating next to their older, male counterparts in suits and ties would have screwed up ideas about masculinity…
Yes.
“I took the underlying message of her statement as sneering homophobia”
Oh, 100%
Yep.
I agree with those who say she should be fired.
Oh for sure, there is a healthy dose of homophobia in all that. I’ve seen some gross stuff on Twitter about Prince George’s apparently overtly feminine demeanor. People are so nasty. I look forward to the kind of stuff they’ll write about Archie.
I’ve only read the quote here so I might have missed something but it really read to me as little kids are fickle at that age and things they love today they won’t next week. Was there more to it? Does she say more in the video?
She’s a moron. And now I’ve been reminded that Gregory Hines is dead, and he died so young, and I hate being reminded of that. I loved him.
I hope she is fired.
I have been watching the original Will and Grace eps and I always go to the one where he taps for Karen. The man had IT to the very end and I was so sad when I read of his passing.
As a child, I looooooved the movie where Gregory Hines and Mikhail Baryshnikov danced together. I don’t remember what the movie was about, but I loved seeing them dance. It was on HBO on repeat when I was young, and it made such an impact.
White Nights. It’s a convoluted story about Russia, defection. Have owned it for a while but not watched recently; just went back to look for the dance sequences I also loved.
And – noticed a woman with a brief part in the movie who looked like Helen Mirren. Turns out, it is her. Her father was Russian. The movie was directed by Taylor Hackford, and apparently that’s where they met. At the time, though, it was Isabella Rossellini who was well known. IIRC, Mirren became well known with the Prime Suspect miniseries in the early 90’s.
Someone else gone too young was Gregg Burge. His ‘Surprise’ solo in A Chorus Line was amazing.
Peak Mean Girl. What a horrible person.
Im always surprised that anyone is actually watching these stupid morning shows!
Ballet is one of the most difficult, athletic not to mention beautiful expressions of dance. Her cultural ignorance is staggering, and the homophobic undertones are so obvious. She needs to have a seat.
Gene Kelly’s widow has also clapped back.
Ohhhh Gene Kelly. I used to love his movies as a kid.
I didn’t hear the whole section, but I took her singular comment that he would lose interest as that’s what five year olds do rather than a slur on the activity itself?
Nope. Had the subject been, say building with legos, the GMA host wouldn’t have sneered the same way. I studied ballet seriously, and all the guy dancers I knew dealt not only with the open hateful comments, but also the same disapproving sneer. That’s why so damn many male dancers responded. They’ve heard that kind of shit their whole lives.
Ugh no, go watch above. She is GLEEFUL to report on this as if it was some dishy gossip news. She/they framed it as oh look at this big list of things he will be studying and learning isn’t his plate so full but she lists ballet as the last thing and she waits a beat before saying it like it’s the punchline to her joke. And there is absolutely no plausible reason she would say “let’s see how long that lasts” because it would make no sense for someone to say that about news that George likes playing soccer or the drums. Also f*ck her apology, the kid is like 5 and he’s taking some lessons he doesn’t need an inspirational ‘climb every mountain’ bs remark. Just let him enjoy his damn lessons without mockery or false-praise.
ETA – she mentions that he is the “future kind of England” like 3 times while setting up her “joke” about him enjoying ballet. I shouldn’t have watched that I’m ragey now.
+1
I have a friend whose son is a high school cheerleader. The reactions from some people are…not kind. And there are lots of jokes, too many couched as “just kidding” jokes when they very much are not kidding.
Ballet dancers and gymnasts have the most incredible bodies and are the fittest ppl you’ll ever meet, the work required to maintain those types of physiques is extraordinary! They are athletes. This idiot wouldn’t be able to keep up physically or mentally.
Wasn’t much of an apology.
Why is she being allowed to apologize? If a man said this, he would have been fired from his job.
This is so incredibly sexist and she (and the rest of that news crew) deserved that dragging. My daughter takes ballet and jazz and I wish there were boys in her classes. In royal courts of the past, dance and ballet were di riguer and part of etiquette training ( Louis XIV). Wish it was part of every PE curriculum. Pure ignorance.
His grandmother Diana was a huge fan of ballet and would be very pleased that he was interested in it. Lara got the thorough calling out she deserved imo.
1. Crap apology.
2. The whole damn crew & crowd laugh too. Great of her to lead that on.
3. She’s like, “See how long that lasts, Prince William!” (–“Because people like me will be stupid as shit & bully him about it!!!”)
4. The overall tone of her comments, while a lame attempt at being crowd-pleasing and funny, is sort of anti-intellectual, too. “Whoa, religious studies? – I’d want to go back to the Play-Doh!”
… Perhaps if she had done deeper studies in a greater number of subjects, she’d be less likely to be this moronic and small-minded.
My nephew is a dancer and is amazing! He has faced a lot of backlash over his love of dance but has never held back
Hmmm. I suspect that Astaire, Kelly, Baryshnikov, Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, George Chakiris, Tamblin, Fosse, and the great Nijinsky would disagree with this wretched woman. Even Louis the 14th would give her an arch of his eyebrow for this. And those are just the ones I can come up with off the top of my head. There are so many more.
Great shout out above to Gregory Hines. He is missed.
leave children alone. Fire this women and the producer that approved that info in the telepromoter.
to Sarah and the Recluse:
I was so pleased someone else remembers and mentioned Gregory Hines. I met him at the Paramount Theater in Austin. He sang, he danced, he tap danced. I loved him. And somewhere I still have a picture of he and I that a kind person took when I was in line to meet him. This was before cell phone pictures. I had permed hair and big glasses, and an even bigger smile on my face, but I’m afraid I gushed when I met him and in the picture he was all but rolling his eyes. I say this because I think it is funny, nothing against him. And I loved Gene Kelley, and no one has mentioned Jacques d’Amboise, who was magnificent, who danced the dream sequence in the film version of Oklahoma. Oh my gosh, I forgot about the beautiful Peter Martins, and Edward Villella. Se magnifique!!!! Artists bring loveliness and grace into the world.
I did ballet from preschool to high school. I was never good though, mostly because I quit for a year somewhere around elementary school and lost a lot of my flexibility after I went back to it. I do wish I had stuck with it and not quit, maybe I would have been semi decent! Anyways it was a small local ballet studio and there were never any boys in my classes. Sometimes a young boy in maybe kindergarten or first grade would show up and take classes but honestly the school was geared very much towards girls at the time. I think it may have changed as it’s no longer the same director (who danced in the New York City Ballet under George Balanchine). When we did need male dancers at the end of year recital, I think the director used her ballet connections to get one on “loan” from a dance company in NYC which was kind of sad if you think about it.
I hope Prince George enjoys ballet for as long as he likes. Everyone should be able to dance any kind of genre they wish to.
As a lover of ballet, as well as my husband, I can tell you without men there would be no story line or anyone to lift the ballerinas as they dance so beautifully too. They are integral to the stories and work for years and years to hone their craft. I truly consider them athletes. Dance is very physical and takes great discipline and coordination. It’s not just flitting around. It’s a sport. I don’t even know where to begin explaining that to someone who doesn’t already know it.