Porn: Entertainment or Art?

Ballet school accused of kicking out dancer for doing porn
Jeppe Hansen says Royal Winnipeg Ballet pressured him into leaving school
CBC News Posted: Jul 8, 2013 4:33 AM CT Last Updated: Jul 8, 2013 6:34 AM CT

An aspiring ballet star is accusing the Royal Winnipeg Ballet of unfairly kicking him out of its school after he began acting in pornographic videos.

Jeppe Hansen, 22, had danced on stages around the world and studied in Montreal, New York City and his native Denmark before joining the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School in September 2012.

Hansen beat out thousands for a spot and a scholarship in the prestigious dance school's professional division.

Jeppe Hansen, far right, practises with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. He was enrolled in the school's professional division from September 2012 until this spring. (Facebook) "My identity is built on being a ballet dancer," he told CBC News.

"For me to come there was a big opportunity for me."

But earlier this year, Hansen appeared in his first pornographic video — a side project and an opportunity, he said, to express himself in a new way — and RWB officials found out.

"They told me … they didn't have any space for me because I did porn," he said.

According to Hansen, school administrators asked him to sign a letter stating that he voluntarily withdrew from the program.

Hansen said he never wanted to leave the RWB, but he felt that officials had already made up their minds on the matter.

He accused the ballet company of unfairly trying to define what constitutes art.

"You cannot be in a company or with the school or whatever because you've decided to take a different standpoint artistically — not because you physically can't do it, or because you're not good enough," Hansen said.

"Being told because you're doing something else that's interrupting with what we think you can do is really difficult because they know it's your passion, they know that that's what you live off. They know my entire identity's built on it. So it was really difficult to be told that and to be told, 'You know what? There's no space for you here.'"

Hansen said he left the school in late March. In April, he left Winnipeg and moved to New York City to pursue adult entertainment full-time under the screen name Jett Black.

Royal Winnipeg Ballet officials told CBC News they cannot comment on personnel issues due to privacy concerns.

The school has a code of conduct for students and "the organization has policies and procedures in place for the benefit of all," a spokesperson said.

But the code of conduct, which is included in the school's student information handbook, does not say anything about side projects like the video that Hansen was in.

Hansen started dancing at the age of two in a small village in central Denmark. From there he went to Copenhagen, where he danced in the Royal Danish Opera and The Ballet in Tivoli Gardens.

Danish Queen Margarethe II, an acclaimed set and costume designer, helped out with some of the productions that Hansen danced in.

Hansen said he even became part of an exclusive troupe that would dance at the queen's castle for her private parties.

"I appreciated working for her at the ballet and I would like to do that again," he said.

From there, Hansen attended dance schools and performed in Paris, New York City and Montreal.

While in Montreal, Hansen auditioned for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet's professional division. He passed the rigorous two-stage audition process and the school accepted him in September 2012.

During his time at the RWB, Hansen won a prize for best choreography and performed in Sleeping Beauty in March.

Hansen said adult film producers had approached him during his time in Montreal, but he declined their offers.

But he had a change of heart earlier this year, as he grew frustrated by the constraints of ballet.

After leaving Winnipeg, Hansen moved to New York City to perform in adult entertainment full-time under the screen name Jett Black. (CockyBoys) "It was more important for me to be me and to do the things I wanted to do for once, and not what everyone else wanted," Hansen said.

"Being a ballet dancer is restrictive. Everyone tells you what you have to do, how to look, what to weigh, how to perform [and] be the artist you are."

Hansen appeared in his first pornographic video in February with the website CockyBoys, under the performance name Jett Black.

In addition to sex-only videos, the website's owner, Emmy-award-winning producer Jake Jaxson, says he's trying to blur the lines between mainstream entertainment and adult entertainment with films that include a plot along with sex scenes.

"The films are meant to be entertaining and sexual at the same time," Jaxson said.

Jaxson said his films challenge what society considers to be mainstream and the kind of artists the public celebrates.

"I don't like movies that show young people's heads cut off or their arms ripped from their body. And everyone goes and watches that … and those performers are not looked at as being outside of the mainstream," Jaxson said.

"Personally, I find that not acceptable for me in my kind of entertainment, but I just choose not to pay for it."

Added Hansen, "To me no one can tell me what art is. Art is what you and I define art by."

Hansen said he's currently enjoying pursuing adult entertainment full-time, but admits that he misses being a full-time dancer.

"It's such a big part of your life. I really do [miss dancing] and your body also misses it," he said.

Hansen said he hopes to return to professional dance one day, performing with a company that allows him to be the artist he wants to be.

"My dancing career is not over. And when they [officials at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet] told me that, I thought the same thing," he said.

"I'm taking a break from performing and I'll take this break until I find a place where I can fit in as a ballet dancer."

Ballet school's code of conduct

The following code of conduct is published in the 2012-13 student handbook of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School's professional division:

VI. RWB SCHOOL CONDUCT

Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet School Professional Division students are expected to display a courteous manner at all times and comply with the rules of the RWB School.

Failure to do so may result in a student's dismissal from the RWB School. Upon dismissal, tuition and residence fees will not be refunded and parents will be responsible for the student's immediate return home.

Students must conduct themselves in a manner that does not interfere with other people's use and enjoyment of RWB facilities. Students must attend all scheduled classes except when permission to be absent has been granted through a Request for Leave of Absence Form.

No drug use at any time.
No unlawful alcohol use.
No smoking in the Residence or RWB building.
No foul language.
No vandalism, abuse of facilities or tampering with building equipment.
No harassment or bullying.
A student may be sent home for any of the following actions or behaviours:

Illegal drug use.
Illegal alcohol use.
Theft.
Violence.
Sexual activity on the RWB premises.
Criminal acts/activity.
Expulsion from academic RWB School.
Non-adherence to RWB School rules.

Students are further advised that any use for any purpose whatsoever of Royal Winnipeg Ballet name, logo, brand, property or other images, in all of their current and future forms, in all mediums and media now existing or to be invented in the future, and/or any activity or appropriation of the name, logo, brand, property and images, must be approved in advance by the RWB marketing department. Any unauthorized usage will result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment or expulsion.