Last weekend, I found myself in the audience of a large dance competition, primarily there to support my daughter, a dedicated ballerina. While anticipating a showcase of impressive ballet talent, I was instead confronted with a startling trend. My daughter’s team indeed achieved top awards, but perhaps the victory felt somewhat hollow when considering the landscape of the competition. The overwhelming majority of performances, to put it bluntly, were saturated with overtly sexualized routines that seemed more aligned with adult entertainment than children’s dance.
It became quickly apparent that the lack of serious ballet performances wasn’t just a matter of preference; it was a stark indicator of a broader shift in children’s dance. While my daughter’s ballet team stood out, their success felt somewhat diminished by the overall low caliber of the competition in terms of classical dance. It was like winning a race where most participants were walking. The contrast was jarring: dancers focused on honed skills and technique versus those relying on suggestive costumes and provocative movements.
Despite the unsettling atmosphere, there was a sliver of reassurance. The judges clearly still valued traditional, classical dance forms. The dedication to rigorous ballet training, it seemed, still held weight in the eyes of dance professionals. This suggested that expertise and discipline hadn’t been entirely eclipsed by more sensational, less technically demanding styles in the competitive dance circuit.
Observing the performances, a disturbing thought crept in: were some parents inadvertently grooming their daughters for careers in the adult entertainment industry? The suggestive costumes, the overtly sexual dance moves – it painted a concerning picture. The audience’s reactions were equally troubling. The wolf-whistles and catcalls, shockingly, came from the parents in the audience. It made me question whether my own perceptions were outdated.
Had I missed a memo? Was dressing up a five-year-old in attire reminiscent of a streetwalker now considered “cute,” as one enthusiastic mother exclaimed? In my view, it was far from cute; it felt like child exploitation. Yet, voicing concerns about costume choices or suggestive choreography seemed to invite labels like “pretentious,” “prudish,” and even “elitist.” The bar for what’s considered acceptable in children’s dance appeared to have drastically shifted.
The notion that objecting to overtly sexual performances from children is now considered “elitist” is frankly absurd. It speaks volumes about the current state of affairs and the normalization of hypersexualization in young girls’ dance.
What’s truly unsettling is the casual dismissal of ballet’s rigor. People often ask if I worry about my daughter finding ballet “too strict.” My real worry lies in the opposite direction – the increasing prevalence of dance styles that prioritize sensationalism over substance. The thought of eight-year-olds provocatively gyrating and winking at the audience is not something to applaud; it feels like a call for intervention, perhaps from child protective services.
Where do we draw the line? Are we heading towards kindergartners mimicking pole dances? It begs the question: are we inadvertently creating an environment that is welcoming to those with predatory inclinations? The hypersexualization of Little Girl Dance in these competitions creates a spectacle that feels increasingly uncomfortable and ethically questionable.
After enduring a parade of what felt like child striptease routines, watching my daughter’s team perform their ballet was a breath of fresh air. Their performance was characterized by elegance, grace, and genuine skill. At a previous competition, a judge specifically sought out our team to express her delight in seeing “real, classical ballet,” even awarding them a special Judge’s Award.
On the drive home, my daughter and her friend recounted overheard comments from other dancers dismissing ballet as “boring.” “Ballet is like, yawn, OMG, whatevs.” This sentiment highlights a critical misunderstanding of ballet’s essence.
“They have no idea how hard it is to do a fouetté,” my daughter remarked, perfectly capturing the heart of the issue. Ballet is hard. It demands years of relentless training, unwavering discipline, and complete dedication. Ballet offers no instant gratification. Moreover, a ballet career is notoriously short and rarely leads to significant wealth, especially in places like America.
“Booty-shaking,” in stark contrast, is easy. Anyone can do it. It might garner immediate applause and attention, perhaps even fleeting fame, but it lacks lasting impact. In a world saturated with fleeting trends, sensationalism quickly fades.
Ballet, however, provides something profoundly rare and enduring: the chance, however brief, to craft moments of timeless art. Ballet elevates the human spirit. It never degrades or dehumanizes. The sheer commitment and discipline required to dance ballet, regardless of whether one pursues it professionally, is a pursuit of something truly worthy, noble, and beautiful.
So, let them call ballet “pretentious,” “elitist,” or “boring.” Keep lacing up those pointe shoes.
Because history seldom remembers the purveyors of vulgarity and fleeting trends.
True art, in its essence, endures.
