Dance competitions, safeguarding

[notsurewhattodoifanything]

Over the last few months I’ve repeatedly heard gossip about a very talented dancer being forced to compete by her mother. I’ve never met the mother or daughter concerned and don’t actually know the people who have been discussing the situation in my presence (think waiting room) but I’m now feeling very uneasy about the situation described. I’ve seen girl in question’s instagram account detailing her many fantastic achievements, but having overheard people discussing her overtraining, huge parental pressure and and struggles with confidence, I now regret not having suggested to the people gossiping that they speak to one of her dance teachers about what is happening (I won’t see any of these people again until the autumn now). I don’t want to go into anymore detail about what I’ve heard, but from the situations described, I’m surprised none of the dance schools/ private teachers / her secomdary school appear to be protecting her. I genuinely don’t know any of the people involved and don’t know what to do.

How old is she?

So you heard a bit of gossip. More than likely hugely exaggerated by jealous mums whose children have probably lost to the Gil in question. You don't even know these people, it's absolutely nothing to do with you.

Pushy dance mums aren't a new concept. Nor are the silly lies spread about the girl who wins everything.

It’s sad but this is very normal In The dance world

It is not sad, it is abuse. People need to wake up and smell the coffee.

In some parts of the dance world it is thought of as normal, and common it may be, but it is not - and should never be considered - a normal part of dance training, or that kids have to go through it in order to succeed.

Extreme pushiness and pressure is abusive towards the child and should never be tolerated; not from parents, nor from dance teachers either.

I agree @taxi4ballet
I have heard plenty of competitive, sometimes jealous or deluded dance mums over the years, and I tune out. But now I realise I have heard a lot about this one girl and I wonder who is looking out for her. She trains with so many studios and teachers and they may not have the full picture of how many hours per week she is training overall. Without wanting to say anything that might identify her, it’s obviously far far more hours than any British vocational school would allow a child
of her age to train.

Poor thing. Well hopefully at least she might get some time off during the school summer holidays. Unless her mother sends her to umpteen intensives.

It is relatively unusual for young dancers to train at more than one dance school though, particularly with schools on the competition circuit.