6 yr old ballet exam-no underwear allowed?!?

[CherryLeaf]

My DD6 is going to take a little ballet exam in a few weeks, for a rosette. I’ve been advised that they are not allowed to wear underwear under the leotard as it ‘destroys the aesthetic look of the dancer’.
She has to wear a little skirt over the top of her leotard so I’m having trouble understanding. I’ve raised it with the teacher and she’s advised that i should think about the leotard as the same as a swimming costume… so normal to not wear underwear beneath it.
I find this odd and makes me uncomfortable. She’s only 6, why does a vpl matter? Is this normal ballet rules please?

Agree with others its not unusual. I loved ballet itself when I was younger, but none of the other toxic crap that comes with it.

This bull shit is why I pulled my daughter out of ballet. Obsessed over appearance and 'neat buns' in tiny children is creepy and damaging. Entirely F*uked profession.

@LouLou198

It's normal. My dd has done several ballet exams. The dress code is very strict, hair has to be in a perfect bun, correct colour head band, no nail polish, no visible underwear etc. I think they lose marks if their presentation isn't as it should be.

That really is a special kind of misogyny isn't it.

What would happen if a girl wanted to do ballet but for religious reasons preferred to cover up? Would that be allowed? Does it happen?

Except no exam board in the UK marks down for untidy presentation. It’s a myth.

@NerrSnerr

What would happen if a girl wanted to do ballet but for religious reasons preferred to cover up? Would that be allowed? Does it happen?

Yes & yes.

You can wear a hijab, a skirt and a long sleeved leotard as long as the line of the neck isn’t obscured. The RAD have also developed in conjunction with a Muslim dance school a special exam syllabus to poetry not music.

It really isn't like that at all dance schools. My DD's is very relaxed, but excellent teaching and they always get fabulous exam results - even wearing knickers!

I'm also curious to know why looking at men's and boy's ballet uniform they seem to wear shorts. Doesn't that ruin the 'line'?

@Comefromaway I'm glad of that. Thank you.

“ Where candidates wish to wear a headscarf or hijab, this should not obscure the line of the head and neck.
Dancers may also wear long-sleeved leotards or tights provided that these do not obscure the line of the dancer.
 uniform should be clean and well-fitting
 elastic or ribbons should be firmly sewn on shoes in the correct position and securely fastened before
entering the studio
 hair should be neatly and appropriately styled off the face and neck in order that the line of the head
and neck is not obscured
 glasses may be worn
 small stud earrings may be worn, but other jewellery must not be worn, unless required for religious
or cultural reasons
 where used, make-up should be natural and kept to a minimum. Coloured nail varnish should not be
worn. Candidates may wear arm or leg supports if necessary. These should be white or chosen to match skin tone.”

@NerrSnerr

I'm also curious to know why looking at men's and boy's ballet uniform they seem to wear shorts. Doesn't that ruin the 'line'?

Usually only little boys wear shorts. Older boys wear tights.

@NerrSnerr

What would happen if a girl wanted to do ballet but for religious reasons preferred to cover up? Would that be allowed? Does it happen?

It would depend how covered — I remember two little girls who were Indian (but I'm not sure which religion) wore long-sleeved leotards and tights, rather than sleeveless leotards and socks.

This lady is a ballerina who wears a hijab.

I'm not quite sure what you'd do if you wanted to wear looser fitting clothes though, I think it would make some elements of the dancing more difficult.

Incidentally my daughter enquired with the RAD about taking her Adv 1 exam using the male syllabus (following an injury which meant she could no longer do pointe). She would have been allowed and she could have chosen whether to wear male or female uniform.

@NerrSnerr

What would happen if a girl wanted to do ballet but for religious reasons preferred to cover up? Would that be allowed? Does it happen?

This may be of interest: www.royalacademyofdance.org/people/maisie-byers-uk/

@Comefromaway

Boys either wear shorts and socks in the early grades or thick tights over the top of their leotard rather than underneath so pants wouldn’t show anyway.

Older boys wear support belts.

Why do girls have to wear leotards with no knickers? Why can’t they wear shorts? Why can’t they wear tights over their leotards. I’m so glad my DD hated the prissiness, rules and regulations of dance. No wonder women grow up with so many issues. We should be up in arms about 6 year olds being told they will lose marks for wearing knickers, not accepting it as ‘the way it is’. Fucking hell, I despair

DD has a pixie cut, brown skin and still struggles occasionally with toilet accidents at just turned 7.
I'm so glad she chose girls football over ballet when they started to clash.
She needed to change her pants fairly often, didn't have the right hair for a bun, and it was really hard to get skin colour tights let alone children's "nude" pants in her colour.

@Comefromaway

Incidentally my daughter enquired with the RAD about taking her Adv 1 exam using the male syllabus (following an injury which meant she could no longer do pointe). She would have been allowed and she could have chosen whether to wear male or female uniform.

That's good. There are so many outdated 'rules' in many disciplines (not just ballet) where the females seem to wear less than the males because of aesthetic.

I find it weird in ballet that appearance is so important. How about level of skill? My daughter gave up ballet when aged about 6 and we got a sheet with instructions on how her hair should be put in a bun. All too stepford wife for me..

"We should be up in arms about 6 year olds being told they will lose marks for wearing knickers, not accepting it as ‘the way itis"
Yes. It's very poor practice for teachers to tell children things that aren't true.

We weren’t allowed to wear our skirts in exams, which I found unpleasant, particularly once I’d started puberty. I think it was to do with seeing the turn of the hip (which I think you can see through the skimpy skirt anyway but what do I know)

It's weird that they're so specific about it, especially for a 6 year old. DD doesn't do ballet but does do gymnastics and she always just keeps her pants on under her leotard. Leotard looks like it would be uncomfortable without, not like a swimming costume at all as some are commenting

@Comefromaway

This is what the RAD syllabus says in its section about exam uniform

“ The RAD places the safeguarding of children and young people at the heart of its policy making. It is important that candidates (and their parents/guardians) feel comfortable, and should not be made uneasy with any of the uniform requests made by teachers. It is not acceptable for teachers to prohibit candidates from wearing underwear.”

Parents need to be kicking back and quoting the guidance to teachers who insist such things. Culture will never change if it's never challenged.

It's really not ok for there to be a different standard of clothing required for girls and boys.

I have to say that following every exam my DD has done (in various forms of dance, including ballet) we always receive a full report from the examiner setting out all her marks for each section. There has never been any mention of appearance, clothing or hair. They really aren't marked in this aspect.

I wonder why people are surprised that dance focuses on aesthetics. Ballet is supposed to be graceful and streamlined.
Theyre not asking them to not wear pants because theyre paedos. Its because it affects the silhouette of the form. Theyre not asking them to go naked

As a lighthearted addition to the thread, my DD audibly farted (several times apparently) in her first dance exam. She got a distinction! 🤣

I think she was wearing knickers as well!