This study is a narrative analysis of one man’s life story. He is an anomaly in the rural Appalachian state of West Virginia. He lives his life to go to the barre.’ Notice this is a ballet barre’, not a drinking bar. The mention of West Virginia conjures up images of drinking hillbillies. This man however lives among the indigenous residents as one of their own. This is because he is a native son. Rose is a hometown boy that chose or was chosen by fate to dance in the new outdoor drama “Honey in the Rock” in the 1960s. This set his path for the rest of his life. He quickly advanced from dancer to choreographer, to dance ambassador abroad. The problem is trying to understand how this particular man escaped being victimized by the hegemonic social structures of a traditional rural setting and became all these things. It is important to investigate his identity imaging and how it came about. Once his image took hold the next issue of knowing is discovering his place within the context of his surroundings.
The participant’s stories are told not in a linear or chronological fashion, but gently guided by sub-categorical themes under the research questions. There are resonating themes that appear to imply how Rose managed to be a dancing man among mountaineers. One instance is the fact that Appalachians historically do not trust outsiders due to past transgressions against them. The implications for this study reveal that even though there are still views toward men in tights in Rose’s state, that are not conducive to overwhelming acceptance, with innovation and fortitude situations can change for the better.