Visitors can see toys through the ages at Atlanta History Center

Men

in tights help lift the Georgia Youth Ballet

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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