I feel like my daughters dance school is inappropriate

@LolaSmiles i totally agree. You have to wonder why.

On the plus side - I’ve noticed that at AED competitions, students appear to be marked down for doing songs that are too old for them- the judge will mention the age and lack of suitability as a factor at adjudication. Not always though!
That's good where it happens.

I've always felt a little uncomfortable with adults wanting young girls and teen girls to dance in a sexualised way. It seems to be yet another strand of adult female sexuality being presented to girls as empowerment. I also feel quite uncomfortable with any adult who wants to watch children perform in that way.

I’ve been around the dance block a lot. I’ve also witnessed sexualised dancing and costumes at various dance competitions. The more commercial ones - yes, some of them are bloody awful. Don’t get me started on the fake tan, gyrations, tiny gussets and false eye lashes… grim.

There are better dance school out there. Maybe do some trial lessons at a few other schools OP?

On the plus side - I’ve noticed that at AED competitions, students appear to be marked down for doing songs that are too old for them- the judge will mention the age and lack of suitability as a factor at adjudication. Not always though!

Favoritism, diva dance school owners - yes, I definitely see all of this! It’s in the blood.

At the better schools you see the children love it, they learn a lot, they keep fit, they have to be organised, disciplined, they learn to lose as well as to win, they have to recognise when they need ‘down’ time.

I see many parents getting over involved. Freely admit to being one of these mums. We are often all having quite a lot of fun, so …

If you decide to leave her in the school because of the social issue then please don't go looking for other parents to get the place shut down. If they are treating her differently because of the cone rental, guess what it could become if they smell sabotage.

I'm quite a broad minded guy, and even I think this is inappropriate. For God's sake, let wee kids be kids and stop sexualising them. Pull your child out of there.

@MadMadaMim Ballet/tap uniform is usually leotards - what else would you expect them to wear? Other classes (eg modern, jazz etc) would also require from fitting attire - the dancer and the teacher need to see the body to ensure correct line/form - it's why dance studios are usually wall to wall mirrors.

Ballet - tights, character skirt or tutu, wrap top, actual character costume for example.

Jazz - again, an age-appropriate costume not just leotard and tights

Chicago etc - just opt out, it’s not mandatory and is in fact very overdone 😆

Teacher shouldn’t need to see proper form and line during a show in front of hundreds of adults. In the studio, sure.

Could you call NSPCC & ask for advice? Complain anonymously and send them the video? Or get in touch with MASH & raise concerns?

What you're describing sounds like normal dance school shows to me.

Ballet/tap uniform is usually leotards - what else would you expect them to wear? Other classes (eg modern, jazz etc) would also require from fitting attire - the dancer and the teacher need to see the body to ensure correct line/form - it's why dance studios are usually wall to wall mirrors.

This is NOT grooming. This is dance.

The parents will have known what number and costume their children were wearing. If there was as any issue, they would have said or not had their children take part.

Chicago is a popular well known musical. It has good news nginf and dancing but is definitely adult themes.

Rather than making wild accusations, maybe speak with other parents and together suggests to the school that parents should be involved in a the content of shows.

The OP clarified this several times. She thinks it's not enough to just pull her DD out. She wants to complain further.

You are horrified and it has literally made you feel sick. But not enough to pull your daughter from it. It would be interesting to know what WOULD make you consider doing that?

I moved my daughter from a Dance School like this!! I was horrified.

Vote with your feet and go elsewhere. Some of these dance schools are OTT.

Such a shame you have to pull her from something she enjoys.

is there a dance school standards board? They would know how to help,

also, you need to get a group of parents with you - power in numbers!

If you get enough on your side, you could try and form a parent committee, with say in the choice of dances and costumes? If 10 parents said no, this is lewd they’d have to rethink it!

Gymnastics is bloody awful still, but female volleyball is in regular shorts and female swimmers all wear legsuits down to their knees now.

It is grooming, in that it is setting sexualised norms for young girls. They may not have any other agenda than training young people to go into a highly sexual industry, but just look at some of the shows now where female costumes are nothing short of sex shows.

I know I am much older and therefore very old fashioned, but I shake my head in shame when I see groups like the Pussycat Dolls (who started the rot IMHO), Fifth Harmony and Flo and the influence of the Korean doll groups - which also have a bad influence on what it is normal to look like.

Yes I do...that the OP had said she didn't want to remove her daughter.

"I don't feel like it's enough to pull my daughter out though"

I've got it from a local gymnast class for kids where I had to drop off for someone a few times.
Asked her what that was all about and apparently it was so they could teach/judge better.

For competitions yes, but at local level, the owners call the shots.

I really don’t think you understand what the OP was saying there!

So take your daughter out & let other parents worry about their daughters. End of, surely?
Skimpy costumes & gyrating aside, the dance school is hardly 'grooming' young girls!

So I’m a liar and you feel the need to apologise for accusing me of such.

true story, happened around 20 years ago. whether You choose to believe or not. I’ve nothing to gain by making up tales..

The arts often attract pedos.

Was it chosen by the teens themselves? You only have to look at some of the girl groups and what they (don't) wear, prancing around in their streetwalker style see-through undies. If they chose a show, or dances that mimic'ed those, then the school are possibly genuinely grooming them for potential work. But, the school should have more sense of responsibility to guide these young minds. To me, the trend to overt sexualisation, is a backward step for women.

And yes, I agree with you YUK!. Find a better school.

A lovely male friend of mine (very family orientated) told me how his young teen daughter was recently in a similar show at school, he was very shocked.

@BettyShagter 🙄

Yes, awful. Watched a documentary recently on it, its on Netflix I think. It was very bizarre, they looked like they were in an American beauty pagent.
I thought Irish dancing was very ethereal...

Don’t get me started on what they’ve done in Irish dancing.. wigs etc.. horrifying ..