Ballet Boys My Life

These three brothers have a passion for ballet.

They come from Liverpool and unlike most of their friends,

they love to dance.

And now they're facing the most important summer of their lives.

Jamie, the eldest at 13, lives away from home

at one of the country's top ballet schools.

Can he cope with homesickness

and keeping up with the rigorous training?

Everyone here has been homesick really bad.

It's hard sometimes. I say I want to come home

and my mum goes, "But you've worked so hard to get there."

Michael has to make a big decision. Should he follow Jamie's example

and try and win a place in ballet school,

-despite the taunts of bullies?

-They think boys wear tutus

and they do exactly the same as the girls.

They don't actually have a clue.

And the youngest, Adam, is trying to win a part

in professional theatre productions,

but it would mean leaving his family at just nine years old.

I want to use my life. I want to be something.

Dancing is a big, big, big part of my life.

The huge dilemmas the brothers face this summer

could change their lives forever.

I've got to dance. Not that I want to - I've got to dance.

It's make or break time for the ballet boys.

The boys' dance story began here at Elliot Clarke Theatre School

when Jamie was causing his mum concern.

Jamie literally did not fit in. Jamie was in trouble.

I did kickboxing and complained that my feet were sore.

I did boxing and complained that my hands were sore.

I did karate and complained, did football.

I tried everything with him and he just didn't fit in.

But when Jamie started dancing, something clicked.

I stood there, I walked around in a circle, walked side to side,

marched on the spot, got paper, scrunched it up,

like it was a snowball, and threw it. And I loved it.

He says, "I want to start dancing." I said, "Oh, do you?" He said,

"I want to start dancing but I want to go somewhere where there's boys."

Jamie's brothers went to classes with him

and they tried all sorts of dance.

But they fell in love with ballet.

And all three seem to have a natural talent for it.

If I didn't start dancing, I would just be sitting on couches,

just watching football and I don't want to be like that.

Adam, who's nine, and Michael, who's 11, started coming to classes

here three times a week.

Will you remember it for next time? Good.

We're going to carry it on, guys.

They look up to their older brother, but he no longer trains with them.

Jamie has moved on to bigger things.

He's won a place at Elmhurst School for Dance.

It's one of the top dance schools in the country

and it will set Jamie on course for a professional dance career.

But the training, which lasts eight years,

is really tough, right from the start.

Some exercises you'll have are slow and it will ache the muscles,

and then some exercises you'll have fast, get you out of breath.

By the end of the class, your legs are just shaking

and you have to keep trying and trying and trying.

Once more! Bit quicker.

Jamie's now 13, but most people started here when they were 11.

So there's a lot of catching up to do.

When you're in a ballet class,

the teacher will go round doing corrections,

and you'll see what corrections they're giving to people

and you think, "Am I doing that?

"Where am I going wrong if I'm doing that? Why can't I feel that?"

You're bouncing off and that's why you're landing there.

That's better.

On top of all this, Jamie has to live at the school, away from home,

and still has to do his normal school work.

Desmond Kelly helps run the school.

He knows this is the start of a life of dedication.

Breakfast from 7.30am.

They have to be in their first class after registration just after 8.30am

and they work all day, with three quarters of an hour for lunch,

until 6.05pm and then they go and do their prep, and that's hard.

If you look at these boys here, they're probably sweating already

and look, they're enjoying it.

Look at that! Wow! Yes! Good boy!

Look at that double. That's called a double tour!

Jamie's brothers, Michael and Adam,

are hoping to follow in his footsteps

and today is a big day for them.

They need to pass an important audition.

It's for a special scheme called the Cecchetti Programme.

Jamie did it and if his brothers also win a place,

they'll get extra lessons from expert teachers.

To succeed, they'll need to be at their very best.

The students have to show they can perform dance moves in patterns

set out by their teacher.

Demi-plie, to the back.

Two counts and bring it back to first.

The moves have French names and it can all get very complicated.

Parallel feet facing the bar,

and then turn on the other side,

and there we have it.

Some of the exercises were all muddled up and some of the exercises

I could do. It was difficult,

but I just thought, give it a go, because the world won't stop.

I had to concentrate, like, much more than I would in a normal class,

obviously, because it's an audition and you want to get in.

Arms above your head and side.

Overall, I don't actually know whether I'm going to get in or not.

I'll have to wait and see.

They'll get their results in a couple of days.

If they fail, it will be a big setback

because they're desperate to be as good as Jamie.

All three boys know they have to try harder

because their family doesn't have much money.

For a boy from Jamie's background, studying at Elmhurst would normally

be impossible because it's a private school and can be very expensive,

but talented dancers like Jamie can win a scholarship,

which means his family don't have to pay any fees.

Jamie immediately struck me as being somebody special

because, and this is really important, because of his passion.

His passion for dance.

He's absolutely determined to become a dancer.

I like all the fire in the belly.

If you've got fire in your belly, you're going to make it as a dancer.

Use that hamstring,

so the hips can stay square.

Boys learning ballet have to be very strong.

When they're older, they'll have to lift ballerinas above their heads,

which is incredibly difficult.

Jamie has never danced with a partner

but in class today, he'll be asked to try it for the first time

and the pressure's on because one of the school's directors

will be watching.

Back in Liverpool, it's time for Michael and Adam

to pick up the results of their audition.

I believe Hayley might have your Cecchetti results.

There you go.

Let's go over there. Go over there.

Both in the same envelope.

-What if it's a no?

-We'll still read it.

-What will you do?

-I'll cry.

Will you? Will you audition again next year?

-Yeah.

-Or not?

-Give me the results!

Ooh, it's on one piece of paper.

Can I read it?

Let him read it.

"Following the recent auditions,

"the boys are awarded a scholarship for the coming year."

-Sick!

-You got a scholarship as well.

-Sick! Oh, sick!

-Yeah, that's cool.

This is great news for the boys.

They have won extra free tuition. That means even more dancing.

Although they seem to dance everywhere and anywhere

they go especially when they are together.

Adam in particular is always performing.

Woo! Woo!

He really does think life is a stage.

-Boys.

-Ah!

He goes, "I want that one," and does a pirouette and goes, "That one."

And this is a daily shop.

He starts using the bar at the pizza place as a ballet bar.

I've been trying to choose what fish he wants to eat for tea.

It is funny. It is funny.

-Shall we stop early?

-Woo!

To me, that says it is in him. To me it says...

that's what he wants to do because you can't force a child to do that.

And even at school, dancing is never far from his mind.

I'm always like, "I can't wait till dancing,"

and we're always pestering me mum, "Can we go an extra night?"

Ballet is a big, big, big part of my life

and I really love it.

Bend, and again.

And stretch those knees.

Two. And three.

The extra tuition he has won will help Adam develop as a dancer,

but for a nine-year-old, he already knows a lot about

the technical side of ballet.

Oh, yes, this arabesque,

you've got to get your hips square, back up straight and your leg up,

and arms out gentle,

and that's good.

That's called an arabesque.

Of course, Jamie learned all this years ago, but there are some things

even he hasn't done, such as dancing with girls.

He loves watching the older students who are already dancing in pairs.

The difference between what I do and what they do is that theirs

is a billion times harder. I've only got to focus on what I'm doing.

I've got to focus on whether my arms are right, my body,

but they have got to do all that with a girl as well.

If they have one foot out of position, they could drop them.

My ambition is to be anywhere near that standard.

APPLAUSE

Today, though, his teachers surprise him and give him the chance to see

what it is like dancing with one of the school's top ballerinas.

Can you feel her weight?

It was just really scary because you could feel where her weight was,

and you could feel she's more secure in certain parts than in other.

The girl is balanced on her toes and Jamie has to hold her

to ensure she is safe.

Then he is meant to try and lift his own leg and stay balanced.

If the ballerina fell or lost her balance,

it would be really embarrassing for Jamie.

He can hold her in position, but Jamie doesn't feel safe enough

to lift his leg.

No, no. No.

When I had to put my foot back, it was like, no way, no,

because I was too scared, in case she fell.

I don't know, it's really scary.

But his teachers are very pleased with his efforts.

Very, very good. Very good.

APPLAUSE

I will get to dance with a partner in two years

and then I will be doing things not as advanced as that,

but starting to go do it and then hopefully progress to that.

Jamie goes home during school holidays.

ALL: # Say it's just a dream. #

As well as being brothers, the boys are great friends too

and enjoy spending time together.

# I am a crisp man

# I am the crisp man

# I give you free crisps today Hey, hey, hey. #

When together, they make the most of the time they've got together.

-What's wrong with you, man?

-I say that.

(You're really naughty.)

They make the most of the time they've got together.

They are quite touchy, feely, they are quite huggy.

Jamie is also very supportive of his brothers' dancing.

Today, he is going with him to the Elliot Clarke School annual show

in which Michael and Adam are both performing.

# Da dee da dee da Dee da da dee da. #

Afterwards, there is an awards ceremony for the best students

this year and both boys have a chance of winning.

Well, I only ever thought

it's just good to be nervous.

A famous dancer said, "The day you are not nervous

"before a big performance is the day you should stop."

You should always be nervous and excited.

Darling, I'm just dead excited, darling.

Professional dancers have to learn to cope with an audience

and for the two younger boys this is a taste of the real thing.

There's a lot of pressure on Adam.

He has a starring role in the show.

He will be showing his ballet skills off in a dance version

of Mary Poppins.

But Adam is not just a dancer, he can also sing.

Any day now he expects to hear about an audition he went to for a part

in a big musical.

But for now, he is performing a solo of an Elvis Presley song.

# Everybody in the hotel rock

# Just dance to the jailhouse rock

# Just dance to the jailhouse rock! #

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Adam's Elvis a triumph.

Now, it is Michael's turn and he too doesn't put a foot wrong.

The boys get a real buzz from performing

in front of a live audience.

When everyone claps for you and you are standing there,

and they paid to see you, it is a good feeling.

But have either of the boys done enough over the year

to win an award?

The most prestigious award for Michael, Adam and their friends

is the one for Best Boy.

Both brothers have a chance of winning it

and it would be a reward for all the hours of hard work they have put in.

Michael is feeling nervous.

The fact that we are having an awards ceremony

does bother me because if I got one, it would be good

and if I didn't it would still be good,

because I'm doing another show anyway.

Should I wait?

What was I saying?

But Michael needn't have worried.

He is the winner.

Thank you!

-Did you enjoy it or not? Yeah? Yeah?

-Stop it, you're ruining me hair!

Got certificates, but never had a trophy.

Not like in dance, anyway, so it feels cool.

The award will boost Michael's confidence. He's struggled the most

with people who think that ballet is something that's not very manly.

It's been hard for him and he needs to decide

whether he can ignore the bullies, carry on dancing and try and win

a place at Elmhurst with Jamie.

Boys what do football call us gay, but then they say it is not gay

for girls to do football, which it isn't, but then it is gay for boys

to do a more girlish type sport.

I mean, more girls do it than boys, but

it's not more girlish because you have got to be dead strong.

In Michael's school, dance largely means street dance, not ballet.

I feel like saying, well, dance is dance.

It doesn't matter what shape or form.

It is like plastic and calling it tuna or tomato, it's still plastic.

Toast, butter or no butter.

Dark, not dark, it's still toast.

A boy whether he is gay or not gay, he is still a boy.

Most dance students are girls.

Being different and standing out from the crowd can cause people

to be picked on and that's what's happened to all the brothers.

If they can't stand up to the bullies,

they will fail as dancers and so far, they have been very strong.

I said to my mate, "If you can give me one good reason,

"what's wrong with doing ballet?" He goes, "Because it's gay,"

and that's all he could say and I was like,

"Personally, obviously, I don't think it is gay.

"Apart from that, one good reason." And he couldn't think of one thing.

If the worst thing someone could say about it is "Ah, you do ballet,"

then that's saying quite a lot about us in a way.

One incredibly successful dancer is Danny Dolan.

These are so important when you're training.

He overcame any worries about bullying, worked hard

at his dancing and is now training with the most famous

ballet company in the world, the Bolshoi in Russia.

To Michael and Adam, he's a hero

and today he is giving them a private lesson.

Because when you're doing this tour,

all you have got to imagine is like a pencil. You are going up,

you're turning round and you are coming down.

Your body doesn't change at all.

I did my exams like two years ago, and he lent me these.

If he is that good, he can go to Russia, he must have magic

in the shoes, so I wore them and I got the dance right when

I wore them so there must have been magic in it and I got an extension,

so if I hadn't of wore these, I wouldn't have got an extension.

A distinction, not an extension.

In a city like Liverpool, it is very hard at high school for the boys

to openly say they do ballet because a lot of people see it over here

as a girlie thing.

So it's nice that they can stick up for each other, but the truth is

you don't have to believe what those people say. If you enjoy it, do it.

Everyone thinks, "Oh yeah, ballet, it is girls in tutus,"

-but in Russia, what's it like?

-Honestly, it's the most manly thing.

I have never met such manly men

except for the people that I met at Bolshoi.

Danny is an inspiration and he's given the boys

plenty to think about.

Adam, though, soon has a huge change to deal with. He has finally got

the news he has been waiting for and it's incredibly exciting.

He's got the part he wanted in a Royal Shakespeare Company

production called Matilda.

Rehearsals start tomorrow and he'll be living away from home

for most of the next six months.

What are you going to need? You'll need your dance shoes, won't you?

-You are not going to need dance shoes?

-No.

-You are not going to do a dance rehearsal?

-No.

-What are you going to do, then?

-Just put them in.

I can't believe I'm letting my nine-year-old baby go,

but when you watch him on stage and you watch him do it, you just think,

you just want to. You are all gutted now about him going, aren't you?

Do you think you will cry tomorrow?

-Probably.

-I won't. I'm used to it.

'When we say goodbye,

'Michael will find it hard, probably go into one of his little strops.

'My mum will be at the train station crying her eyes out,'

and I'll either be like, "Ta-ra," and try

and get it over and done really quick or I'll be really upset.

I'm not going to cry,

but we'll all be upset, but also happy for him at the same time

because it is what he wants to do.

Make sure you brush your teeth. No, listen.

If I pick you up and I find maggots coming out of your teeth,

you are not going back, OK?

Adam will be staying in a house with other children in the production.

He's nervous about leaving home

to live with people he has never met before.

I do not want to come home, but I will miss my mum and I will miss

my brothers. I will be like this, "What if everyone hates me?

"What if everyone this and that?" And my mum is like, "Calm down."

And I'm like, "But what if this...?"

But I'm dead excited, yeah.

He will love the rehearsals.

All the attention he is going to get.

He will be absolutely amazing.

Stop it, darling, you're making me blush.

Stop it!

I'll miss Michael walking into lamp posts,

and I'll miss Jamie going like this. "Ah yes, I can do this."

I'll miss me mum burning food.

I will need a hug, so I will bring a photo of her and hug her at night,

so I've always got her near me.

I'm letting you go because I think this is going to be

something fantastic for you.

Yeah, because they don't do burnt food.

They don't do burnt food, no. But, you know, if any point

you don't like it, no one is forcing you to stay there, OK?

I won't want to come back, I'll miss you, but I won't want to come back.

Oi, mister! What do you mean, you won't want to come back?

Jamie knows what Adam will be facing.

He's been living away from home for months.

There is my room and...

this is my room.

This is my bed, my really comfy pillows.

I've got two spaces for my suitcases and stuff.

I've got three drawers -

bedding, pyjamas and dance stuff.

Jamie shares his room with Archie.

-Being away from home can be very tough.

-I think it's fair to say

at least everyone here has been homesick because I know that

when I first came, I got quite homesick.

I used to call my mum like, every night,

and it kind of... I thought there is no point in me calling my mum

every night now, so I just call her every week now.

It's just easier.

With Adam away in London, and Jamie at Elmhurst,

Michael will be on his own with his mum in Liverpool.

When Jamie went, he went to pieces.

Adam cried. Michael mumbled.

So what I need to do with Michael is just make sure

that time that I've got with him, I find something that he can focus on.

And Michael's focus is now the big decision.

Will he audition to get into Elmhurst?

To help make his mind up, he's been having some private lessons.

Full rise, and into fourth.

Sometimes I look happy because whatever I'm learning, it's clicked.

I'm confident with it. I know it and then I can just do it,

but I'm concentrating, I'm figuring it out.

I'm not bothered about this at that moment in time.

I'm thinking, "What is it? Is it this?"

And then, when it clicks, I'm fine then.

We could just do with getting these a little bit straighter.

As Michael wrestles with his decision, Adam is settling into

the house he shares with the other young performers.

They are in Stratford,

where Matilda is being staged by the Royal Shakespeare Company.

I put a pile of snow from the car to the wall and then get behind it,

but then he moved the car out just before I got into it.

Adam shares a room with three other boys.

I thought it would be like...

happy and everything would be OK and I wouldn't miss home

because it is only Mum, but when you actually do it, you miss your mum.

You don't realise you actually do miss them.

But despite missing his family, Adam is enjoying his time away.

The children all work and play together and have plenty of time

in between performances and rehearsals

to be just like other children.

We all get on. There's never arguments.

We all get treated very well. We are all like kings and princesses here.

But the children are here to work and the production team

are always keen to help them be as good as they possibly can.

Someone told the Trunchbull I did it.

-I never and now she's after me.

-Good. Really nice.

Shall we do it once more, Adam? Let's really play that fear factor

because Trunchbull is scary, isn't she?

On the first night, I was like,

"What if I trip on the stage or what if I get my lines wrong?"

But as soon as I went on there, all that went out of my mind

and the dance came back to me and I just did it.

Hello. This isn't my room at all.

Hello, Trunchbull.

Good, really nice.

Just think about making those sounds really clear.

-"Hello, MISS Trunchbull."

-"Hello, Miss Trunchbull."

-Great.

I just love being on stage.

I don't know what it is. It is just that feeling about it.

It is like Christmas, if you get what I mean,

but every night that you do it.

I cannot believe how much my life has changed because at first

I was at a normal dance school

and then my dance teacher sent me to the audition and then here I am.

And when she got up, her knickers stayed stuck to the seat!

My life has changed a lot.

Back in Liverpool, Michael has decided

he wants his life to change too. He is going to apply for Elmhurst.

Dance is making me happy.

Two arms, Michael. Two arms all the time.

It has made me realise that

not everything comes easy, because if I would have grew up

thinking everything came easy, I would fall flat on my face.

And a three, and a four. We go around.

Two, the front and stop.

You have to train, really, really hard. You have got to work.

You have got to earn that fish and chips instead of a load of veg.

You have got to earn it.

Yeah, you have to, or a big pile of pie.

The first person to find out about Michael's decision

is Jamie who has come home for the weekend.

I've been waiting all night long.

Look what he has got. Forms for your school.

-Is that good or bad?

-It's good.

But filling in the forms is the easy part.

You have to be one of the best, and that is just to get a place.

Then you need to boarding place and then I'll need a scholarship

because obviously I can't pay. So...

I need to stand out from everyone,

not once, not twice, but three times.

You know on the day, if you make a mistake, what are you going to do?

-Blag it.

-How are you going to blag it? What are you going to do?

-With your face?

-I'm going to use my face.

-How?

-By smiling.

I will get in somewhere.

I will, but I don't know where. Hopefully, Elmhurst.

It is coming to the end of a big year for Jamie, Michael and Adam.

As a treat, their mum has brought the older brothers

to see Adam in Matilda.

Michael is now determined to do his best and work as hard

as he can to win an Elmhurst scholarship.

I've had to practise flexibility and splits and all that,

and things that they're looking to see if you can do,

because if you can't do it, they can't help you.

You have got to be able to have the stamina to do.

Jamie is happy to have settled in there.

It feels a bit like home knowing everyone and how everyone is,

and things like that and just knowing all the teachers.

I think I've settled in quite well, hopefully, anyway.

They are looking forward to seeing Adam's performance.

I think he is going to be brilliant.

I am so proud that he has got this far as well. I am so excited.

I can't wait to see him.

This is a huge test for Adam.

Some tickets cost more than £50.

Two hours later, they are celebrating watching

a brilliant performance from Adam and the rest of the cast.

And after the show, the family are reunited.

I'm really, really proud.

I think that each and every one of those rehearsals

has been absolutely worth it.

All three of them have got really, really individual personalities

and all three of them are going to go their different ways in life.

Whatever they decide, I will always be there to support them.

Do you know, it is just us four, isn't it? And that's all we need.

-Pretend you like me, Adam, for two minutes.

-I'll try!

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd

E-mail [email protected]