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?

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.

Thank you for explanation. I'm a runner and would never choose to run in essentially a bikini but I suppose i might do if I had the figure of a professional athlete I'm too traumatised by the awful gym pants we had to wear at school!

The blue nylon skirted leotard is from one of the lesser used exam boards. A lot of dancers would tend to us sweaty nylon for shows rather than class or exams. RAD, ISTD & BBO uniforms tend to be comfier cotton or sweat wicking material and the skirts tend to be gauze.

@Comefromaway - thank you, yes, the reasoning about alignment etc makes total sense. I think my issues are that a lot of the rules which are being enforced - and accepted - are nothing to do with comfort or technical alignment, or freedom of movement. In a nutshell, that's the bit that I think is so objectionable. It's the reasoning that insists to do ballet, a little girl MUST look a certain way.

It's not quite the same thing but I remember at school, our athletics PE kit was HATED by every girl. We had these vile nylon running pants which were just thick nylon knickers. In contrast, the boys were allowed to wear shorts for exactly the same sports - far more modest. And I feel like we're seeing the same disparity in standards here - little girls could and should be allowed to do ballet with knickers/cycling shorts etc. I'm not sure how a VPL restricts the ability to see alignment.

I just feel very uncomfortable about having such unbelievably strict aesthetics at such a young age for something that should be a joy. We've already seen several posters on this thread admit that their child felt unable to do/continue with ballet because they didn't have the right hair/didn't have the confidence to meet exacting physical standards.

It feels like a very exclusive club and very much like "you can't sit with us" unless you meet our beauty standards. For little girls who just want to enjoy some dance lessons....

It feels like a very exclusive club and very much like "you can't sit with us" unless you meet our beauty standards. For little girls who just want to enjoy some dance lessons....

Yes, exactly. And it’s ironic that those of us on here who, on the whole are saying this isn’t our experience, it isn’t necessary, are the parents of serious dancers. If vocational students can wear underwear, then so should recreational dancers.

Skirts and leotards, or leotards with a skirt attached, probably aren’t a standard uniform for most dance schools - unless for the teeny tots who like playing dress-up. Leotards are used so the teacher can check the muscles you’re using and your alignment.

@Comefromaway - Yes, that's very interesting indeed! It's a huge shame that local dance schools etc don't have that more inclusive attitude. It's really good to hear a balanced and logical view from people who are knowledgeable about the subject.

Surely a catsuit/leggings/cycling shorts would show the same line/movement etc?

I'm struggling to understand some of the views on here. How is it misogynistic? If you look at professional ballet dancers on stage the men's bodies are much more exposed than the women's. Men in tights leaves nothing to the imagination!

PP have talked about "beauty standards" and how you have to look a certain way to do ballet. I think those posters have very little understanding of ballet to think that. Yes when you get to professional standard your body will need to perform a certain very specific way, and create a specific technical alignment, just as any athlete's body is honed to their sport.

If you look at recreational children's ballet classes they are all shapes and sizes, none of that will be reflected in exam marks or competitions. I've seen heavier dancers win medals in competitions many times over slimmer dancers. Weight/body shape is not marked in exams. Technique, artistry, musicality, rhythm, poise, performance technique is what the examiner is looking for.

There is no specific criteria in exam syllabi for correct grooming but it is a very important part of ballet discipline and it would give a much less favourable impression in an exam if hair is messy/make up or jewellery is worn etc. While you don't get marks out of 10 etc. it gives a bad overall impression in the same way as it would if you turned up to a job interview looking scruffy.

I think we risk sexualising young girls if we say it's inappropriate for them to not wear underwear under a leotard. PP have even said it is "creepy". I think something is very wrong with you if you think little girls wearing cotton leotards is creepy. Is it creepy for girls to wear swimming costumes?

Some very odd and concerning views on this thread.

Oi, I went all the way through to Advanced 2 in ballet and tap with the IDTA. :p

Pre-juveniles had to wear skirts for their lessons, and in the pre-juvenile group award. It was partly to get them used to demi bras (/low V) is as far as I remember.

It was always a separate skirt and leotard when I was doing it, but that was a while ago and I could find a picture with a quick google search!

My daughter danced a lot from a very young age, including with ENYB and BRB. I’d have to say she loved the whole dressing up for exams and strict appearance criteria.

Apart from alignment and clear visibility of muscles, I think in exams there is a tendency for little ones to tug at knicker legs to tuck them in if they are showing. It’s only like wear a swimming costume and many children are perfectly happy prancing about in very limited coverage bikinis. Sometimes we impose discomfort on them.

As she got older she did wear a nude dance thong, but rarely for exams. It would be a pity to dumb down the discipline of appearance to appease a few. Discipline and some discomfort is inevitable when they’ve reached higher level work.

No, it is much harder to see correct alignment and placing with a catsuit or leggings. The leotard helps to see the hip alignment and also the muscles. It is vitally important that a dance teacher can see the dancer's body in detail, not only to teach and correct technique and alignment, but because doing it wrong can cause serious and long term injuries.

Why should these children have to cover their bodies because some adults seem to think its creepy for them to wear leotards?

*couldn't find a picture

I was really replying to the bit about little boys wearing shorts, little girls often have a skirt.

I think we risk sexualising young girls if we say it's inappropriate for them to not wear underwear under a leotard.

exactly @Blooter

Yes DD has done ballet exams up to Grade 5 and no pants allowed!
A leotard is just like a swimming costume - albeit a more expensive one!
Don't worry, soon you will be spending hours perfecting a bun BECAUSE SHE WILL GET GRADED ON HOW YOU DO !!

This is probably more representative.

www.ids.co.uk/idta11-idta-preparatory-primary-ballet-skirted-leotard

This is grim. Please don’t allow them to dictate when your child can wear underwear. Disgusting.

The ballet world used to have a myriad of excuses as to why black dancers should wear pink tights & shoes.

Times change. Thinking becomes more enlightened.

I have a non vocational but serious dancing dd, and I’ve noticed the better (more professional, higher quality) teachers don’t fuss about uniform or hair, except asking for it to be neat for shoes and exams. It’s the little local ballet schools with lots of pre primary/primary/G1 pupils and a show a year that seem to enforce the very old fashioned rules.

slate.com/culture/2021/04/gymnastics-unitards-german-women-leotards-sexualization-seitz-bui-voss.html I would hope ballet is headed this way

I'm finding it really worrying that some people think little girls wearing leotards without pants is "disgusting". It's sexualising young girls.

When I was a gymnast, we couldn't wear knickers under our leotard.

I always wore knickers under mine, but with tights and a skirt - our uniform was specific to the ballet school though, not your typical pink/blush. Even our ballet shoes were a particular colour to match the leotard and skirt. I can see why it makes sense to not wear knickers if the child isn't wearing tights.

Just to add I used to Irish dance (so not ballet) but you’d lose points for not having smooth, tanned legs, make up and also huge wigs. This was preteen. I don’t think dictating things like this to young girls is ok. My mum never complied with this and I lost points but looking back I am so glad she eye rolled and didn’t give in to quite odd appearance ideals.

@Blooter what about the answers upthread about girls/ women who choose to cover up for religious reasons (including this lady who was linked en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephanie_Kurlow)

What about it? What are you asking?