Boys’ Club 2026

About our "Boys' CLub"

Keeping boys keen on studio ballet classes can be challenging! Often, they are the only boy in class, which can be isolating. Since 2024, WACBTA has been running extra classes specifically for boys, taught  exclusively by male teachers.

We know that sometimes male students can feel a bit “on their own” in ballet classes when  they are the only one in a class full of girls. So these classes also give them the chance to meet other boys who learn ballet, and share the space with dancers just like themselves. 

Our objectives are:

  • To create a fun and inclusive environment
  • To help students make connections and friendships
  • To show them that other boys do ballet
  • To provide role models for younger boys to aspire to
  • To create a “tribe” where boys feel comfortable
  • To support the work teachers do in their studio
2026 Dates

5 March | 3 May | 28 June | 30 August | 20 September | 18 October | 15 November

Venue

Youth Ballet WA, Burswood

Who Can Attend?

Boys aged 8-13 years (contact us if the dancer is outside that range)

Cost

From $25.00 per session

Book Now

meet our teachers

JOSH BALLINGer
CHRISTIAN LUCK

The classes will be designed specifically to address the needs of male dancers, and will be aimed primarily at ages 8-13, although students over 13 are also welcome if they wish to join in the fun!

date
presenter
Venue

5 March 2026

Josh Ballinger

Youth Ballet WA, 74-76 Goodwood Street, Burswood 

3 May 2026

Christian Luck

Event cancelled due to presenter illness

 

28 June 2026

 

Christian Luck

 

Youth Ballet WA, 74-76 Goodwood Street, Burswood 

30 August 2026

 

To be advised

Youth Ballet WA, 74-76 Goodwood Street, Burswood 

20 September 2026

To be advised

Youth Ballet WA, 74-76 Goodwood Street, Burswood 

18 October 2026

To be advised

Youth Ballet WA, 74-76 Goodwood Street, Burswood 

15 November 2026

To be advised

Youth Ballet WA, 74-76 Goodwood Street, Burswood 

Start Time:      9.00am

Finish Time:   11.00am

Details:  1.25 hour class, 15 minute break, plus 20 minutes of boys’ repertoire of the presenter’s choice.

If your teacher is a current member of WACBTA = $25.00

If your teacher is not a current member of WACBTA = $30.00

If you are a current member of WACBTA = No charge

If you are not a current member of WACBTA = $10.00

Parent viewing = $10.00

Boys often benefit from training that specifically addresses strength, elevation, batterie, turns, confidence and artistry in a supportive environment alongside other male dancers.

Having a male teacher also provides a role model for both their current level and for the future, if they aspire to a career in dance.

No. Students may attend individual sessions or multiple sessions throughout the year.

Absolutely!  We welcome boys from any school, any area and any syllabus.   It is about creating a “tribe” for boys in ballet.

Yes, both of them can!  For WACBTA members, viewing is free, and for non-WACBTA members and parents, there is a small nominal charge.  You must book, however, so we know to provide seating for you.

Yes, we would expect that students have a basic knowledge of ballet steps and terminology.

WACBTA is happy to accommodate students outside the standard age range of 8-13 years, as long as the students understand that the major focus of the class is mostly designed for that group  Teachers will always try to provide options for students who are at a slightly lower or higher technical level.  If your son is younger, please talk to the WACBTA representative at the class about providing your son with a “buddy” to help make him feel comfortable.

Standard ballet attire or neat dancewear suitable for movement.

And here's some feedback:

Student: “I love that I can connect with more boys in ballet. Whenever I am in a class it’s all girls, girls, girls.”

Parent: “I loved that my son was taught and inspired by male teachers. Ballet is often a lonely activity for boys and having mentors that have been there, done that and made a career out of it has been really confidence building for him.”

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Meet Josh Ballinger

Josh was raised in Ballarat, Victoria. He has had a life-long love of classical ballet having watched his first ballet class at 8 days old and started lessons at 2 years old. As a child Josh enjoyed a variety of athletic pursuits, in sport and dance. He did his final 3 years of secondary school in the dance stream at Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School and then auditioned, and was accepted into level 8 at the Australian Ballet School for 2022.

In his year at the ballet school, Joshua performed with The Australian Ballet on their 2022 regional tour and was also a part of their season of Romeo and Juliet season in Melbourne.

Josh is the 2021 recipient of Cecchetti Ballet Australia’s ‘Valrene Tweedie Scholarship Award’ which has enabled him to pursue his dream. That year, he was also awarded a Victorian Premier’s award for his performance in VET Dance which included a Don Quixote variation and Unspoken, the variation from Paul Lightfoot’s short film “Unspoken.”

Josh thrives on the ongoing pursuit of personal physical excellence, always reaching for higher goals. He gives himself entirely to his performance, especially loving the feelings of flight when he soars through grande allegro.

In his free time over summer Joshua gives back to the community using his Gold Medallion in Surf Lifesaving to help patrol Victorian beaches.

Joshua joined West Australian Ballet as a Young Artist in 2023 and was promoted to Corps de Ballet in 2024.

Meet christian luck

Christian was born in Sydney and firstly trained at the Mc Donald college of performing arts before being accepted into The Australian Ballet School where he completed a 3 year course, graduating with a diploma in dance.

He joined West Australian ballet in 2004, and he has danced many major roles since including Marcello in Simon Dows La Boheme, Tybalt in Youri Vamos Romeo and Juliet, The prince in David Nixons Beauty and the Beast and the main male role in Forsyth’s Step text among the highlights!

Christian retired from The West Australian Ballet in 2022, after an illustrious  professional career of 18 years, making him the company’s longest serving member in their 70 year history.

Christian is now enjoying passing on his wealth of knowledge to the upcoming generation of dancers.

 

Most recently Scott has turned to weaving his skills in Neuro-Kinesiology, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Thai Body Work and Equine Assisted Learning under the umbrella of Emerald Energetics which focuses on movement, sound, light and equine assisted wellness. He continues to create three dimensional kinetic landscapes for professional dance companies and universities world wide.

Meet Scott putman

Scott Putman is a choreographer, movement educator, director and writer integrating contemporary ballet and modern techniques into practices deeply influenced by eastern philosophy, neuro science and contemporary physics. 

He is the creator of the Elemental Body Alignment System© (EBAS) and Fundamental Conscious Movement (FCM); both of which support a holistic approach of remapping neural muscular pathways, expanding greater range of motion as well as encouraging qualitative expression for a more authentic and holistic movement practice.

Since graduating with a BFA in Dance and Choreography in from Columbia College, he has created dance works focused on the belief that choreography is the art of shaping energy in space. Scott has also danced with both modern and ballet companies such as Mordine and Company Dance Theater, Ballet Theater of Chicago, Minnesota Ballet, Demetrius Klein Dance Company as well as his own company Cerulean Dance Theater in addition to several independent choreographers such as Bob Eisen and Randy Duncan.

After extensive performing, Scott returned to the academic arena at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) where he received his MFA exploring the parallels of modern physics and eastern philosophy as a vehicle of expression and physical training.

Directly after his time at UCI he was invited to join the faculty at Virginia Commonwealth University in the department of Dance and Choreography as a visiting professor which turned into a 22 year run as a tenured professor teaching across the curriculum in both the technical and creative tracks. During this time he continued to develop his choreographic vision with Amaranth Contemporary Dance and shared EBAS levels I and II with the student body.

Most recently Scott has turned to weaving his skills in Neuro-Kinesiology, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Thai Body Work and Equine Assisted Learning under the umbrella of Emerald Energetics which focuses on movement, sound, light and equine assisted wellness. He continues to create three dimensional kinetic landscapes for professional dance companies and universities world wide.

Meet Scott putman

Scott Putman is a choreographer, movement educator, director and writer integrating contemporary ballet and modern techniques into practices deeply influenced by eastern philosophy, neuro science and contemporary physics. 

He is the creator of the Elemental Body Alignment System© (EBAS) and Fundamental Conscious Movement (FCM); both of which support a holistic approach of remapping neural muscular pathways, expanding greater range of motion as well as encouraging qualitative expression for a more authentic and holistic movement practice.

Since graduating with a BFA in Dance and Choreography in from Columbia College, he has created dance works focused on the belief that choreography is the art of shaping energy in space. Scott has also danced with both modern and ballet companies such as Mordine and Company Dance Theater, Ballet Theater of Chicago, Minnesota Ballet, Demetrius Klein Dance Company as well as his own company Cerulean Dance Theater in addition to several independent choreographers such as Bob Eisen and Randy Duncan.

After extensive performing, Scott returned to the academic arena at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) where he received his MFA exploring the parallels of modern physics and eastern philosophy as a vehicle of expression and physical training.

Directly after his time at UCI he was invited to join the faculty at Virginia Commonwealth University in the department of Dance and Choreography as a visiting professor which turned into a 22 year run as a tenured professor teaching across the curriculum in both the technical and creative tracks. During this time he continued to develop his choreographic vision with Amaranth Contemporary Dance and shared EBAS levels I and II with the student body.

Most recently Scott has turned to weaving his skills in Neuro-Kinesiology, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Thai Body Work and Equine Assisted Learning under the umbrella of Emerald Energetics which focuses on movement, sound, light and equine assisted wellness. He continues to create three dimensional kinetic landscapes for professional dance companies and universities world wide.