Underdressed teens prancing about on school stage

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I'm feel so old but when did this become a thing?
I've been to a couple of high school showcase evenings this year. Where the kids show off their singing, play musical instruments, do some acting or dancing.
The evenings are really good and it's brilliant for the kids to be able to show off their talents but sometimes the clothes the girls wear for the dancing acts seem a bit inappropriate to me.
The one I went to last week had two teenage girls in what looked like knickers and t-shirts dancing very well but rather erotically to a Beyonce song.
The girls were really good at dancing and would not have been out of place on a stage or a lap dancing club but AIBU to feel it's not very appropriate at a school event?
Do all high schools have these sort of dance classes? Is dancing around in skimpy clothes just a normal thing to do nowadays?
I'll put down the pearls I have been clutching and am fully prepared to be told to get with the times!

My former secondary school which was a convent school when I attended thirty years ago performed Miss Saigon for their Christmas show a couple of years back. Completely inappropriate.

Jeez.

I think the issue there is the male teachers not the students!! How disturbing 😳

dancing is highly energetic and requires complete freedom to move the body in lots of complex and awkward ways. Tight clothing for this has been pretty much standard forever... see ballet kit, for example. - have you actually looked at what they wear? And its even more revealing for the men/boys.

Wearing short cycling shorts and tank tops is pretty much standard dance uniform these days - some girls wear leggings rather than the shorts. But flowing tshirts or shorts that flap around their legs are completely unhelfpul and make it very difficult to dance.

DD is not allowed to wear hot pants and tank tops... except for her dance classes where it is completely normal, standard and appropriate.

Put your pearls down.

So because there were miniskirts in the 70s (more like the 60s, but anyway...) this makes it ok?

Also, like any uniform, there are different uniforms for differnet styles. DD does hip hop as well - they wear baggy pants and loose t0shirts, or tank tops with flwoing shorts. But the men wear more snug fitting stuff because they tend to be doing backflips etc.

Beyonce 'Run The World'.

Homophobia was rife. We were constantly subjected to misogyny and sexism. If it was fine in the 70s, it really doesn't make it ok now.

Exactly. Why should schools conform to this? Sexualised clothing and stereotyping? Surely they shouldn't.

I think the point is that this isn't a new phenomenan. Women and girls dancing in clothes that show their bodies has been true for a long long time.

I think the point is that teenage girls and women have chosen to wear short/tight/revealing for years.

No. It's not new, you're right. I hoped in vain that it would cease to be the case at some point, but no. The clothing for girls and young women now seems even more sexualised - the bum crack leggings, the boob tubes and crop tops. It's not the same for teenage boys, for obvious reasons.

what's the difference between a tank top/bralet top and a bikini?

I find this so weird. And it's odd because I'm usually the one ranting on about how we socialise our girls to believe that tight clothing is "normal". It infuriates me that we whinge about teenagers wearing tight clothing when 2 year old girls are routinely wearing leggings and snug t-shirts while their male buddies are wearing baggy trackies, long shorts and baggie t-shirts and then we're surprised when the girls think this is normal and appropriate.

BUT... dance is a sport. We put girls who swim competitively in tight skimpy costumes. Many sports like netball, tennis etc have the girls wearing short skirts/shorts and or tight clothes that don't get in their way. Why on earth is it different for dance?!

Do you feel the same about leotards and swimming costumes?

Why should it 'cease to be the case' though?

Why is that? Because it's for the male gaze. It's less about freedom and body confidence than displaying in a certain way what men will find attractive.

No decent male tutor wants to be seen looking at the female pupils dressed like that like that.

What obvious reasons? Because as I said a minute ago, I think it's entirely our fault. Toddler girls are put in tight clothes. Compare a size 2-3 pair of girls shorts with a size 2-3 pair of boy shorts and you will be shocked. And then suddenly, we want girls to "cover up" and not wear revealing clothes when that's what they've been wearing practically since birth!?

You're right, it never will. Back in the day we thought we could challenge the patriarchy.

You honestly think that the only reason females sometimes wear tight clothes is to attract 'the male gaze'?

No decent male or tutor LOOKS at girls that way.

This is on the men. Girls wearing tight clothes - doesn't mean they get to perv.

I went to the ballet two weeks ago. My god, the men's stuff was INSANE. Did it cause me to go into a frenzy of being turned on? Of course not. FFS.

You're right. It's staggering. When mine were little there was none of this. They both wore practical shorts, trousers and tops! M/F.

Was that when Bad Manners were in the chart?

This is insane.
Tight clothing also has practical benefit, especially in sport.
Men often wear revealing clothing too.

Tight clothing is often practical too.

Same as it ever was - I was one of those girls 😄 but DEFINITELY raise my eyebrows now. Actually, thinking about it I do reckon the amount of ‘vertical splits here’s my crotch’ type moves has increased since my time. I definitely clutch my pearls now I’m older!