Tuesday, December 10, 2013

A too-mature dance

Now, I'm not one of those classically-trained dancers who gets upset about competition-style dance; I think competitions are great ways for kids to have fun and learn how to be on stage.  I do, however, have a problem with dances that are inappropriate for the dancers' age.  Take a look at this video from the studio Dance Precisions:


Things that (deeply) disturb me about this performance:
  1. They're EIGHT.  I repeat: EIGHT!
  2. The fact that the music has to be cut out because it contains profanity.  If you have to alter the music to take out cursing, I don't think it's suitable for little kids to listen or dance to.
  3. Costumes.  Combined with the music and the moves, the girls just look, well, like they're a lot older (and not in a good way). 
  4. The moves.  Hip-gyrating, open mouths, and hair-whip circles.  It's just too sexy for eight-year-olds.
Something tells me that this song is meant to be empowering in some way towards women, but I don't see any of that reflected in the dance moves.  If anything, the dance reinforces the stereotypes that women are slutty, sexual objects.  When that message is delivered by eight-year-olds, it's infinitely more scary.

But please notice how I said the dance reinforces these stereotypes.  I don't fault the girls for this; they didn't choreograph the piece.  They're pretty good dancers, but they shouldn't be doing these types of moves so young.  That's the fault of the choreographer, and it disgusts me that the judges rewarded this behavior with a "first-overall" award.

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