Wednesday, November 15, 2000

This is a poll for the male readers. What physical activity or sport do you think is most likely to challenge you physically, improve your coordination and strength and make you popular with the opposite gender?

Football? Baseball? Basketball? Soccer?

How about ballet?

While ballet probably never even occurs to most men as an option, talking to men who take ballet may give the majority something to think about.

There are nine males, ranging in age from 10 to 21, who take classes at The Studio in Fayetteville, where rehearsals are taking place for Georgia Youth Ballet's fifth annual performance of "The Nutcracker."

Many of these boys and men have played traditional sports for years. Fayetteville resident J.R. Davis played soccer for 13 years, ran cross country for two years and was a cheerleader in college. "Today, I'm in the best shape of my life," says Davis.

"A lot of the strength and coordination comes from lifting girls. It's like lifting weights, except the weights in this case are moving, and you're moving too, with all the precision and skill demanded in choreography."

David Gant of Riverdale is a member of the GYB senior company and has danced professionally. "Sports have always been easy for me, but ballet is hard," he said. "What I like about it is there is no pinnacle, no Super Bowl. You are always striving for perfection and being the best you can be."

As for the stereotypical disdain some men feel about the attire of male dancers, gant thinks that's overdone. "Wearing tights feels weird at first, but they're no tighter than the stuff you wear playing football."

The men at GYB work with Jonsie Pollock, ballet mistress at The Studio, on "guy dancing," so it does not look like guys doing "girl stuff."

The men of the GYB call themselves the "Rat Pack" and all of them got involved because it looked like fun. They now attract other friends and family members to the stage. Gant's three nephews, Ryan, Cody and Austin Sauls of Lovejoy saw "The Nutcracker" last year and decided to give ballet a try. All four will dance in this year's production of the show.

Some other local dancers making their debut in "The Nutcracker" this year are Joseph Morre of Newnan and Gabriel Shivers and Shaun Strickland of McDonough.

You can see these men in Georgia Youth Ballet's production of "The Nutcracker" Dec. 2, 3, 8 and 9. Call 770-716-9859 for information.

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