Award finalist: New business in ballet raising the bar for boys

In a bid to shift the stereotype that boys can’t dance, one new business owner is offering gender-neutral ballet classes.

Little Ballet Dancer owner Debbie Shannon with her two children Will and Mia Van Genderen. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Boys will be dancing like no body’s watching with a new business launching in the region.

Trained in dance, Debbie Shannon opened Little Ballet Dancer three months ago and is offering gender-neutral online ballet lessons.

Will Van Genderen from Little Ballet Dancer. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Passionate about shifting the stereotype that boys can’t dance, Ms Shannon aims to show the benefits of traditional ballet and make it more appealing for boys to participate.

“I was inspired by my son William, who really loved to dance at home, but at just three-years-old, didn’t want to come to the studio because he could recognised that there were no other boys,” Ms Shannon said.

“Male dancers are so important in the ballet world and there’s a lot of masculinity and strength involved.

“Benefits range from strength, balance, self-expression, musicality and imaginative play.”

Little Ballet Dancer owner Debbie Shannon with her son Will Van Genderen. Picture: Nev Madsen.

And after just three months in business, Ms Shannon has already been nominated as one of 11 finalists in the ‘one to watch’ category for the AusMumpreneur Awards.

Pre-recorded lessons run for 20 minutes and include warm up, leg strengthening and cool down exercises, as well as three of four fun activities.

Little Ballet Dancer owner Debbie Shannon with her two children Will and Mia Van Genderen. Picture: Nev Madsen.

The sessions are suited to children aged three to seven and are subscription-based.

For more information and for pricing packages, visit www.littleballetdancer.com.au.