To groom, or not to groom! That’s the question!
groomin’
Grooming, or shaving, is an issue every man have to relate to. Does he wish to have a beard, a mustague, fresh-shaved or maybe a laid back third-day-look? So also dancers. But on stage, this topic gets new dimensions. First of all, a male dancer sometimes has to adapt to what suits the role. Spartacus (a roman slave) may well have a big, fat beard, but I’ve rarely seen Romeo with a “fuller” – after all, he is supposed to be 16.
Another thing is that the audience tends to expect – or rather rule out – certain looks when it comes to male dancers. My impression, at least, is that the dancer is supposed to be handsome, well treated and “clean”. If the role acquires it, one can always glue on some facial hair or put on a wig, but tell me the last time you saw a male dancer with a full beard! Can’t? Me neither.
I think the dancer should be allowed to decide himself, as any other male. I guess it’s the rebel in me, but I really got the urge to just let it grow, put a couple of big old centimeters up on my cheeks. Shame my facial hairs doesn’t give me that opportunity – at least not yet…
Another interesting issue is shaving of the armpits. It is a fact that most male dancers shaves their armpits, sometimes even their chests, before going on stage. Again, I guess I feel everyone must do as they please, but do we really want a bunch of clean-shaved, soft and done-groomed dancers jumping around everywhere? I get that the Prince attending some ball might be recently groomed, but what’s wrong with Tybalt having a little hair on his chest, or Spartacus looking like a real slave-rioter in Rome, not a man who just came out of the beauty-salon? When it comes to myself, I let it grow. I might cut it every now and then (I’m not saying I prefer the caveman-look), but in general, what you see is what you get! No wax in my bathroom!
What do you prefer? Grooming princes, or testosterone-filled male’s? I’d have to go with the last…
Until next time,
Ta-ta
