The first ballet dancers were men?

Answer 1

Yes, in King Louis XIV's court.

...Yes.

See, about five or six centuries ago, ballet wasn't really ballet. It was nothing like it is now. It was more like ballroom dancing with big, clunky, heavy costumes--including bulky shoes with heels. There was a time when women weren't allowed to do ballet at all (seems impossible, doesn't it), act or virtually anything else.

Over time, ballet has become more athletic. More acrobatic and gymnastic. Everyone was allowed to dance (though dance is the sport that seems best-suited for the woman--especially ballet). Ballet started to evolve past the weighty clothing and now employs such as leo-or-uni-tards, tights and very soft, light slippers. The dancers don't just move about now. They seem to fly. They literally do the seemingly impossible. So now... ballet really IS ballet now. And it appears to be predominantly a woman's art. Women came over and just made it theirs. For the longest time, anyone with a Y chromosome could b killed for having anything to do with ballet whatsoever. But in 2000 when movies like "Center Stage" and "Turn It Up" started coming out... men were welcomed with open-arms back into the universe we call "ballet." And... all dance for that matter.

--Eternally Grateful (As I'm One Of Them), Dane Youssef