When Ballet Belonged Only to Men... (and Everyone Else Had to Pretend) There was a time—hard to imagine from a modern studio full of pink tights and pointe shoes—when ballet was a man’s world. Not just dominated by men. Largely reserved for them. Before we get started… here’s my little CYA note: (This article draws on established ballet scholarship, including works by Jennifer Homans , Ivor Guest , and primary archival research on French court dance . Some descriptive interpretations reflect historians’ analysis of documented practices rather than direct eyewitness accounts.) In its earliest European court forms , ballet was a political tool, a social performance, and a display of power. And power, in 15th–17th century Europe , meant men. Women were not merely discouraged from dancing; they were largely excluded from the public stage altogether. (Ghastly sighs can go here…😱😳) So when female characters appeared in ballet? Men played them... In wigs, in gowns... (OMGoodness 😱 ) Som...