Boys want to be dancers rather than firemen
6th September 2013
More boys are dreaming of becoming dancers than firefighters or policeman as reality shows such as Britain’s Got Talent and Strictly Come Dancing trigger a cultural shift.
A survey found dancing was the third most popular career choice of boys aged between two and 12 – just behind doctor in first place and footballers in second. More boys – 8 per cent – want to be dancers than girls – 5 per cent.
Some 7 per cent of girls would rather be a footballer than pursue a more traditional female career, such as a nursing.
The research by Mothercare and Save the Children shows the impression left on the kids of today by the success of dance troupes such as Diversity, which sprang to fame on Britain’s Got Talent. The survey’s surprising results come more than a decade after hit film Billy Elliot challenged stereotypes about boy dancers with the story about an 11 year-old who takes up ballet during the coal miners strike. A Mothercare spokeswoman said: “Due to the popularity of dance shows like ‘Got to Dance’ and ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ today’s children are twice as likely to want to be a dancer than their parents. Boys do seem to be dreaming of becoming the next Billy Elliot.”