English National Ballet managed to change boys’ perception of the classical dance when giving workshops for a day at Monkton Park School in Chippenham.

When the primary school saw the prestigious touring company were performing in Bristol, they grabbed the chance to invite them to school as part of their arts enrichment.

It cost more than £1,000 to treat the 60 nine-11-year-olds to the day’s workshops, which were paid for by the Chippenham Borough Lands charity.

The boys’ ‘girlie’ perception of ballet was soon changed when they saw moves from the production of Le Corsaire, whose swashbuckling pirate scenes are said to show off some of the most extraordinary male dancing in the ballet repertoire.

Now the two Monkton Park classes are going to see the show at The Hippodrome next Thursday. Deputy head Jan Douglas said: “The children spent the day putting together a scene with a pianist, so when they see it next week they will see movements they’ve being doing themselves.

“Some were a bit anxious at first about what ballet might entail, but by the end even a few of the boys were saying they wished they could do that every Thursday.

“It was very physical and gave the boys an insight into just how strong and fit you need to be for ballet.”

One 11-year-old pupil, Declan Blake, said: “I don’t get as tired as this even when I do football training.”

Le Corsaire runs at The Hippodrome from November 26-30.