AIBU to think this is inappropriate?

[MumTo2x]

Hi,
DD1 (9) came in to me today and told me she wanted to start dancing, and doing competitive dance. I decided to youtube exactly what competitive dance was, as I'd never really heard of dance competitions before, and these were the first 3 videos that came up.

To me, they seem extremely inappropriate, but AIBU? I read through some of the comments, and no one else really seems to think it's wrong, so is it just me being a bit old fashioned? This is the first time she's ever shown interest in a sport, so I don't want to stop her, but at the same time, it seems so wrong to me that people could let their kids dance like that..

You have got to watch the film Little Miss Sunshine

YANBU but they're great dancers. I wonder if it wouldn't look so bad if they had more clothes on (and maybe minus the booty shaking).

As far as I'm aware this style is not jazz or lyrical.
I suggest you Google "Got To Dance Lyrical" to see some more tasteful examples.

These dances and costumes are a bit much but you could check out the type of choreography before sending her to a school and choose one with less leaning towards the bump and grind?

I used to do similar dancing as a tot (we called it disco) and didn't see it as anything other than 'being bendy' i loved the energeticness and the mums got a massive say in the costumes (gran in my case so it was never too ott) but things might have changed.

IMO jazz is the musical theatre style dance usually dressed in blacks and acro is gymnastics led so most likely in leotards

Euw, that is just HORRID. Talk about the sexualisation of children - those clips are a masterclass. You were quite right to be appalled.

Oh goodness. Those videos are awful. Hopefully that isn't the type of dancing your daughter means at all.

i could only see the single ladies video, and yes, inappropriate, but wow, werent those 7 year olds amazing dancers.

There was a little girl in the supermarket today, I'd say she was about 5... dressed...well... if it was a woman you would say provocatively... not sure how to describe it on a child?! Far far far old & innapropriate for a child, and she kept putting both her hands over her crotch/holding it and bumping & grinding... her parents were actually telling her how good she was and encouraging her It beggars belief.

It was Waitrose too - you really don't expect that kind of thing

The videos look American, my dd dances (tap, jazz, acro, street, ballet and is a majorette) and the different events that she has danced in no one dressed or danced like this. Watch Dance Moms and you will see a lot of dances like those.

It's not just the costumes and the dance moves, it's the very adult postures and facial expressions.

I think the dancing might not come across so badly if the outfits weren't so...

My god what is that? Competitive pole dancing?
Ffs these are kids performing overtly sexual moves, dressed in an overtly sexual way! What the fuck is wrong with some people that they think this is in anyway appropriate?

Amazing dancers who need to be learning a style that doesn't make them look like mini lap dancers! No child of that age needs to be able to 'drop & grind' or 'bend & curl' like that - they just don't.

The outfits don't bother me - it's the look on their faces, the way they use their hands on their bodies, the pelvic grinding, the drop & grind etc

Good grief!

All that's missing is the pole!

There must be some dancing classes your DD could do which are more age appropriate.

That is totally inappropriate, they're babies! Can't imagine any if my brownies doing that!

On the other hand the girls are really good dancers and obviously work hard! Found this one m.youtube.com/watch?v=2VgT7LFCKKQ&feature=relmfu which does have the skimpy costume but not the over sexualised moves, it's actually clever and the only one I managed to watch to the end!

I'm not saying I approve of the ones you posted, far far far from it! But your dd can dance competitively and tastefully but you have to have a coach you trust and a style you both find age appropriate.

I did jazz and modern. That is not jazz. I sincerely doubt that any UK dance teacher would think those appropriate routines or costumes for 7 year olds. In any case, see if you and your DD can go along go watch a few classes before committing to a style - dance classes can get expensive.

Jazz, lyrical etc all she would benefit from an initial foundation of ballet anyway.
maybe look up someone like Sophia Lucia? She's a better dancer then the ones you linked and very interesting to a 9yr old without all of the ass shaking (its creepy!), her costumes are still habit skimpy, but if you think about it leotards are skimpy! And I'd imagine ballet would have been her main discipline.

i would say these were more hiphop/street than anything else. All the dancers are certainly talented and no doubt worked very hard. I dont have that much of a problem with it tbh.

MumTo2x We used to do loads of things from camping, baking and cooking, board games, crafts, outdoor games etc etc... It can be so much fun if you find a good unit :) I then became a young leader and am in the process of completing my leadership qualification. I also completed the Baden Powell which was lots of fun, I had to come up with events for the younger girls, organise parties, 'be in charge' sometimes and so on.

What you have linked to is American. Try googling all England dance festival. Don't think you'll get videos but you will get a better understanding of competitive dance in the uk. My daughter dances "competitively" in the uk and would never dance in that way.

As a competition dancer my 10 year old has 9 solos and approx 3 duets at any one time, plus up to about 6/7 group numbers. She does solos in the following genres:

Ballet (classical)
Character (she started with little miss muffet and has also done Alice in Wonderland, the girl with the curl etc)
National (currently Swedish, very interesting and beautiful styles of dance)
Classical Greek (a bit like ballet but more free, normally tells a story)
Modern (currently to bump in the night from the scooby Doo film. Nothing like what those girls were doing!)
Lyrical modern (more floaty/slow dancing)
Hip hop (age appropriate moves to teenage kicks)
Song and performance (more musical theatre, singing and dancing)
Tap.

She would like to add in a stylised/modern ballet but it does get expensive!!!!

I have been at MANY festivals where adjudicators have marked children down on dances not being age appropriate. Don't be put off by those American dancers.

As a pp stated, if your daughter is serious about competing you will probably find she will need to have a basic knowledge of Ballet, as it is the basis for all styles of dance. And most competitive dancers I know do more than a couple of hours a week. My daughter, aged 10, does 7 ballet classes, modern, Greek,jazz, tap, street/hip hop, 2 body con classes a week before festival rehearsals. However she wants to be a performer when she leaves school.

Yabu to base your childs activities on a youtube search. I have viewed those videos and can see why you would be a bit taken aback, but tbh all those girls (particularly the last one) are anazing dancers!

I used to dance competitively (freestyle disco and street/hip hop) back when i was younger thinner and bendier. Skimpy costumes, attitude and fake tan were all part of it, but as soon as you walk off the dancefloor you turn back into a normal child/teen. Its all a performance.
I wouldnt discourage your dd from dancing, but be aware she wont be competing straight away, it will take months/years to get to comp standard.

Maybe go have a look around a couple of dance schools, sit in on a couple of classes if they allow it? Some of my best friends are people i met through dance, it is amazing gor confidence and developing social skills, as well as teaching discipline, health etc.

Would she consider street dancing? Some of the older kids dance a bit more provocatively (imo) but at her age group it should be innocent enough.

That is just horrid those vids. I'm sure you can find some dancing that your girl can do that is not so sexual. Jazz Ballet or something is surely better. Check out the exact classes she want to go to though, they might be more conservative for young girls :)

Their parents must be mad

Oh god ...... They are awful ...... But as others have said the little Girls in them are obviously talented dancers , just wildly inappropriate dance moves for 7 year olds to make.....

My DD does ballet at local dance school and it caters for teenies right up to adults. You can go along and watch sessions to get a flavour and try lessons that you think you might like for a reduced cost ....

Maybe your DD liked it because it is energetic , with modern music - rather than ballet which I think you mentioned she thought was boring . There are lots of styles now a days like modern and street dance that are similar without all the crazy provocative moves . Find a good dance school and see what she thinks if more age appropriate dance.