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Music
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The
Dancing Lesson
-- Thomas Eakins (1844
- 1916)
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Many cultural traditions interpret
man/boy love mainly as an aesthetic experience, albeit one that has
great social and personal value. Music and dance often play
significant roles in these traditions. Early examples include the
Athenian Symposia and similar social functions in the Far East in which
boys’ performances served to entertain and inspire, as well as more
mystical rituals such as the Sufi "contemplation of the unbearded"
where the appreciation of beauty becomes a central, transformative
experience.
Today, it is easy to view the transformative experience as
bi-directional: Younger and older performers inspire each other,
each bringing different qualities and strengths to their lives and
performances. Likewise, while young performers inspire their
audiences, as in the case of boys’ choirs, young audiences can inspire
those who create for them, as in the case of composers such as Benjamin
Brittain.
NAMBLA has published many articles exploring these aesthetic
realms. The articles linked below are just a few of these.
In time, this section will expand, with more articles both new and
old. Feel free to help us with this effort.
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submit an article for this page, please
see our How
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