‘If the Hat Fits’ Examining the impact of male-only, extra-Curricular provision on male dancers studying in Higher Education.

The value and identity of the male dancer has been scrutinised since the conception of formalised dance. The dance class, as taught in Higher Education, is a challenging context for males where instructive language, movement concepts and level of technical proficiency are unfamiliar and destructive to development and confidence (Risner, D. 2007:141). ‘If the Hat Fits’ is a PAR film and paper that considers the formal training of male dancers in HE. The research presents a case study championing the benefits of male-only extra-curricula training provision as fundamental to employability and the development of the ‘emerging professional’. Findings offer new perspectives on the value of non-assessed training opportunities that foster vulnerability, risk taking, self-efficacy allowing students to ‘try on’ a professional identity.