How come no one questions the masculinity of American football players who wear tights and shoulder pads?

I respond to your question as a dance performer, teacher and choreographer. In dance, the body is the main instrument for communication, and in training this body for ballet and modern contemporary forms, loose fitting clothes do not allow for the body's clarity to show. Teachers of these techniques MUST be able to see the entire legs working, so that the bodies can be corrected and trained effectively. The dancer's body, like an athlete's body, is not only aesthetically pleasing, but is, more importantly, functional.

Tight-fitting clothes in class and on stage are essential so that the movement is not hidden under unnecessary fabric and NOT so that the dancers can be ogled and lusted after by all and sundry. A swimmer has his trunks, a cyclist has his shorts, a baseball player has his 'really-close-fitting pants', a dancer has his tights ... tools of the trade.

To prevent boys from pursuing a passion for dance because of unfounded stereotypes would be to deny them the opportunity to learn an excellent way of expressing thoughts and ideas, communicating complex emotions, learning teamwork skills, practising discipline and developing cognitively.

My sons, when I have them, will most certainly dance if they want to, tights or no tights. Bless.

- Neila Ebanks, lecturer, Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts, School of Dance

WOULD I let my boys join the school's dance troupe especially if they have to dance in tights? HELL NO! Are you crazy?

I don't want to see my son walking funny and when I get to the bottom of it, it's my worst nightmare.

My God! knowing how some of them are so gay and want to legalise homosexuality in our little paradise, let alone for them to see my son's buffs and curves being revealed by tights that weren't made for him ... However, it depends on the type of dance class there is. If the class is waltz, it is out of the question, if it's folk music and folk dance about our heritage I'm fine with that, if it's dance that includes the type of things I see these guys wearing nowadays they can forget it.

I love to see them do figure skating but I hate the tight pants; if the pants can be looser, I would let them do it. If they have to wear the tights because the girls are wearing it, they will have to kiss it goodbye.

Also, there is the next scenario that after those school dances, one of the perverts at the show might offer them a ride home or to the nearest point to home. The poor little things won't have a clue about what's going on and may say yes, and that's the end of it.

- Garfield

GROWING UP, I was socialised into believing that boys who acted a bit feminine were homosexuals in the making. It was and still is not macho for boys to want to engage in activities deemed to be feminine. But it is quite okay for girls to be tomboys.

But I don't believe that every male that chooses to be a dancer or dances in tights is gay. As a parent, I have to understand that my son should be free to do whatever he enjoys doing just as I did as a youngster. So if he chooses to join the dance troupe because he enjoys dancing, I would have no problem and I certainly would not believe that he's gay for wanting to do that.

We must not stifle the ambitions and desires of our children. One universal problem we're having is that we are not tolerant of each other. It is essential to understand that we are all different individuals. So if one of my sons wants to join the cricket team and another wants to join the football team, then why should I frown if the other wants to join the dance troupe?

- Tracey N. Tucker

I THINK I would allow my son to be exposed to the dancing world; but not just ballet (which is what a lot of people associate dancing with, hence the tights).

I would prefer if he did everything from tap to jazz to Latin to street dance and African folk etc. I think because we are such a homophobic society we don't like to see our men in tights. I don't particularly like it either nor do I like going to swim meets or the beach and see guys in tight briefs! But I think if we can deal with that and allow our dance vocabulary to include more than just 'ballet' we'll be fine.

Do you know how disappointing it is to go to a dance class and not have a male partner for your Latin pieces, or even hip hop or folk?!

- Cookie Dough

BARBARA MCDANIEL who last year celebrated the fifteenth anniversary with her troupe, Dance Theatre Xaymaca, says that the males in her group primarily learn how to partner a young woman.

While the choreographer says that dance has many benefits for males, not least of which is the skills of dancing with women, Jamaican parents are wary of involving their boys.

"I have heard that the boys become very feminine, not masculine and so they keep them away. They think it's a girl thing."

According to the choreographer, the attitude is not understandable as "boys dance at parties."

"They don't want the boys to do ballet," Barbara McDaniel also notes.

Even though in Jamaica there is a greater emphasis on modern contemporary dance than any other form, which might be considered 'effeminate', it is not enough to encourage parents to involve their boys in this form of artistic expression.

The choreographer said, "I see nothing wrong with the boys dancing. It's a good thing. It teaches them how to take care of a lady, lead them, partner with them - we do need male dancers. But to each is own."

There is one regular male member of her troupe. When the group goes on tour, other males are engaged for the short season.

Dance Theatre Xaymaca will go on tour to Holland, China and the United States between June and July this year.

- Outlook Team

Marlene McPherson, Outlook Writer

Our readers responded to our teaser question of whether they would allow their boys to dance in tights and we took to the street to find out how other persons view the issue. Listen to them: