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?

 glasses may be worn

Well that's generous that short sighted children are allowed to see where they are going when they are dancing!!

@Branleuse

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

Do the shorts the boys wear affect the silhouette?

It's not about 'paedos' it's about why certain disciplines demand girls to wear small clothes because it affects the form but not boys.

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'?

No, because it allows the teacher (or examiner) or audience to see the totality of the body - there are few breaks between shoulder girdle, torso, pelvic girdle and legs, right down to the stretched toes.

@SilverGlitterBaubles

Having your pants on show is just not a good look, especially in ballet aesthetics are important as is leg line. The exams are quite low key for little kids and they are so well prepared and excited and get such a sense of achievement and there's quite a fuss made of them on the day. Its really not a big deal the pants thing there are worse aspects of dance to be honest.

"worse aspects" Is that supposed to be reassuring?

Slightly concerned by some of the content of the responses on this thread - the OP may well be genuine, I’m not troll hunting, but have reported it just in case and it might be sensible to be cautious with responses?

I was interested in taking my DD to ballet because I thought the physical elements of dance would be wonderful for her, and she was a very "girly girl".

I understand it's a performing art - as people on this thread have said - but I was genuinely shocked at the strong emphasis on having the right hairstyle and overall appearance. Whether or not examiners do actually mark girls down for wearing underwear or not is clearly only a small issue here - just reading the comments on this thread show a total acceptance that girls cannot and should not do ballet unless they look a certain way. It doesn't matter if little kids look "washed out" on stage - it's about whether they can jump, kick, twirl and perform, not their skin colour.

We never pursued ballet in the end because the very demanding aesthetic aspects made it seem the opposite of fun for a small child. It's an enormous shame.

And for context, I was a gymnast in my younger days and we wore knickers under our leotards. Never a problem. If little children don't feel comfy having knickers scrunched up under a leotard that's one thing, but I really don't see why having a pair of Elsa knickers on under a leotard should stop a 4 yr old from being able to do ballet. The acceptance of misogynistic standards is actually quite sad.

Yeah- cos the boys saunter in wearing any old crap, hair all over the place

There are rules for the boys’ presentation too. And I suspect they don’t wear underwear either (at a young age). For everyone getting exorcised about it, find your most sensible, granny style knickers (most like the sort of “pants” a small child would wear rather than high cut adult ones) then put them on under your swim suit- see how comfortable it is. Clue- it’s not!

@Pinuporc

 glasses may be worn

Well that's generous that short sighted children are allowed to see where they are going when they are dancing!!

Having read in the LAMDA syllabus that live animals or weapons are not to be used I’m of the opinion that these regulations are written after an incident has occurred to make it clear to errant students, parents and teachers!

@Artesia

Yeah- cos the boys saunter in wearing any old crap, hair all over the place

There are rules for the boys’ presentation too. And I suspect they don’t wear underwear either (at a young age). For everyone getting exorcised about it, find your most sensible, granny style knickers (most like the sort of “pants” a small child would wear rather than high cut adult ones) then put them on under your swim suit- see how comfortable it is. Clue- it’s not!

If a child wants to wear underwear they should have that autonomy and be able to make their own decision about comfort. The boys wear shorts that are longer than a leotard and maybe some girls would prefer that level of coverage.

Sorry I didn’t make myself clear. Washed out is not to do with skin colour, it’s about not being able to discern their features at all. I didn’t believe it myself until my DD’s first dance show when I realised I couldn’t see her eyes or mouth at all.

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.

It's about keeping hair out of the way. Ballet is an incredibly difficult skill, and it takes years of dedicated, detailed learning. You need your hair up off the back of your neck. You need your body to be clothed in clothes which are easy to move in but keep your muscles warm. The outline of your body needs to be visible so the teacher can see that your bones & muscles are being used correctly. As you get more advanced in the technique bad alignment & placement can cause injury - so you can't cover up. Ballet leotards & tights are made of thin but opaque materials, which allow you to move in whatever way you need to. Even as an adult, I find pants under a leo are horrible - they get all ruckled up and they're unnecessary - they just get in the way of moving.

Ballet is tough - trained dancers are strong athletes, who also make art. The emphasis on discipline is because it is needed - a ballet class needs to be calm orderly and have everyone concentrating. The work is slow and detailed.

@ShortBacknSides

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.

It's about keeping hair out of the way. Ballet is an incredibly difficult skill, and it takes years of dedicated, detailed learning. You need your hair up off the back of your neck. You need your body to be clothed in clothes which are easy to move in but keep your muscles warm. The outline of your body needs to be visible so the teacher can see that your bones & muscles are being used correctly. As you get more advanced in the technique bad alignment & placement can cause injury - so you can't cover up. Ballet leotards & tights are made of thin but opaque materials, which allow you to move in whatever way you need to. Even as an adult, I find pants under a leo are horrible - they get all ruckled up and they're unnecessary - they just get in the way of moving.

Ballet is tough - trained dancers are strong athletes, who also make art. The emphasis on discipline is because it is needed - a ballet class needs to be calm orderly and have everyone concentrating. The work is slow and detailed.

Why are girls/ women uniforms skimpier than boys/ men?

Using the wrong muscles in turn out can cause huge amounts of damage. I’m all for anything that helps teachers correct alignment. It’s supposedly the reason they wear socks not tights to start off with too, my dd had to wear socks the first half of year 7 even until the teachers were sure they were doing things safely.

But I really cannot see the reasoning behind going underwear free.

I’d argue men’s uniforms are just as skimpy (having sat through many a class demo with teenage bound girls). It leaves little to the imagination.

I wasn't saying that they shouldn't do ballet with a pair of Elsa knickers on, just that they can show through a white leotard! I wouldn't wear dark or patterned knickers if you could see them through a pale dress or trousers.

If they do not wear underwear they lose the VPL but get a VCH (visible camel's hoof).

I have a photo of my DD in this state and she cringes when she sees it, even though she is an adult now - it even got a mention in my OH's speech at her wedding!!

They're not, IME - boys' tights are very bare. The move for boys from tshirt & short shorts, to leotard and tights, with a dance belt is quite a big one, and (by some accounts) quite traumatic!

And quite honestly, I'm finding the undercurrent of a kind of sexualisation of young dancers in training - calling girls' leotards "skimpy" - to be both ignorant and distasteful.

Ignorant because you don't realise the freedom of movement required in ballet (and contemporary dance to a certain extent), and distasteful because young dancers in training really really don't think about their working clothes as "skimpy."

I do adult ballet classes & I run. The running tights I wear for running & the gym are unsuitable for ballet class - too heavy & constricting. I need lighter more flexible clothing and clothing that keeps me warm while being light & flexible.

@Comefromaway

I’d argue men’s uniforms are just as skimpy (having sat through many a class demo with teenage bound girls). It leaves little to the imagination.

Thank you again for sensibly answering my probably not so sensible questions. I guess from my point of view I'm seeing longer shorts that boys wear wouldn't have girls knickers viable.

Sorry my post above was to @NerrSnerr in response to this question
Why are girls/ women uniforms skimpier than boys/ men?

Like other posters, I'd argue it's really t'other way round: boys can feel very exposed!

Little girls often wear a skirt though.

Why are girls/ women uniforms skimpier than boys/ men?

Interesting you make this point as a friend and I were talking about this regarding running. Most professional male runners wear loose fairly short shorts and a singlet type vest. (I think I've seen Mo Farah wear cycling shorts style shorts) Women tend to wear crop tops and pants. You can tell by their tan lines this is not what they wear for training so I'm wondering if this is due to choice (maybe they prefer to race in skimpier kit?) or whether sponsors/kit manufacturers limit the choices for women athletes? Triathletes kit tends to be similar for men and women.

My dds have been doing ballet with a well known dance school on and off for years. They are super strict but never about under wear. It's creepy.

@SallySycamore - But if little girls are wearing that kind of outfit with a little skirt attached then surely it matters even less if they wear knickers as they won't be seen??

@Pinuporc

Why are girls/ women uniforms skimpier than boys/ men?

Interesting you make this point as a friend and I were talking about this regarding running. Most professional male runners wear loose fairly short shorts and a singlet type vest. (I think I've seen Mo Farah wear cycling shorts style shorts) Women tend to wear crop tops and pants. You can tell by their tan lines this is not what they wear for training so I'm wondering if this is due to choice (maybe they prefer to race in skimpier kit?) or whether sponsors/kit manufacturers limit the choices for women athletes? Triathletes kit tends to be similar for men and women.

I can answer this one. Athletics I do know about. It's 100% choice. Women can wear the baggier running shorts they are an option. I think it's mainly fashion. Holly Bradshaw wears an all in one with cycling short length when the vast majority of other pole vaulters wear cropped tops and leggings. There has been a slight resurgence of the longer shorts in long distances as well.

At the Olympics 'kitting out' they choose which combo of vest/ shorts/ all in ones they want.

Sorry I mean the pole vaulters wear cropped tops and knicker shorts!