Why the outrage? The girls are talented, phenomenal dancers. Their performance is flawless. The energy and excitement of the crowd is evidence of how well they perform. I can't even say I'm 100% outraged. Perhaps "saddened" is more accurate.
While the dance competition of Single Ladies is a pleasure to view, in that the technical moves are incredibly spot-on and wonderfully executed, I can't help but wonder why such young girls would have to do such risque dance moves.
I wonder if the performers had been twelve, or perhaps 16, if there would be such a hue and outcry.
Some parents I've talked with have had differing opinions. Most of the moms agree that there is no way their little girls would participate in a dance such as this, competition or not.
One dad responded, and he's an older dad, his little girls all grown up. He remarks that when his girls were involved in dance competitions, there were certain rules and guidelines to follow. For example, costumes had to cover belly buttons. Dance moves couldn't be overtly sexual in nature. Dancers could be disqualified for not following the guidelines.
That said, the dad went on, his girls were competition dancing during Michael Jackson's heyday of "woo hoos" and crotch grabbing, and one of their songs imitated him. The kids, he said, want to dance to what is popular. The parents and competition-goers understand this. However, they still had guidelines to meet. The dance moves weren't "done to" a partner - no simulated sex, for instance - and no "objects" were used to imply anything untoward.This dad's girls have grown up to be normal, well-adjusted, and productive citizens.
My first instinct, upon viewing the dance, was to say O M G. Shocked. Dismayed. Wondering why on earth the instructor decided this was appropriate for girls that age. I still wonder the last part, and I still think there are other dance moves this group of girls could have done that would have been just as electrifying and energizing for the audience.
But, I remember piano lesons. Remember those dull drills you'd have to play, based on classical music or perhaps composed of one or two, or if you were lucky, three notes, and they all had some cutesy title like "Danny & Donna Drive in Denver" or some such drivel? Yeah, you remember. You wanted to play the popular music, like Elton John, Peter Cetera, Lionel Ritchie, or the opening bars to Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven.
Fast forward a few years to high school, when you made the pom pon squad, the dance/drill team, or the majorettes. Your band director chose marching music to play at halftime. You had it and wanted to flaunt it. You figured you could finally show off what you could really do when the band director changed the theme for halftime to . . . The Charleston? The Charleston. Seriously? Yep.Well - maybe it always wasn't quite like that, but you know what I'm saying. You were young once, and you wanted to do the things that were popular and "in." Your school still had standards and guidelines, though. You had to follow them, or you'd be in some trouble.
The young dancers in "Single Ladies" probably don't realize how provocative their moves were. To them, it was just a dance - a challenging, invigorating, techinically executed wonder that garnered lots of praise as well as controversy. They probably wonder what all the fuss was about.
People reacted strongly because the moves were mature for such young girls. They felt the dance was inappropriate. They feel that young kids are imitating adult things at too early an age, being bombarded with sexual messages far too early with clothing styles, music, movies, other media, etc.
Is it entirely possible though, that parents can still influence their children and overrule those other, less savory, influences?
I think so. And how can I point a finger, when I allowed my pre-teen daughter to perform in our local school's production of "Grease"? Anybody remember some of the songs in that show?
Ok. Enough said by me.
What are your thoughts?
It is a fine line, isn't it? I can't view the video, unfortunately. I must say all my kids love that Beyonce song and dance to it, but nothing that I would class as inappropriate. I do think it's important that we be careful not to unwittingly sexualise our kids too early in life.
ReplyDeleteThese children were just executing very difficult dance moves. And to them, it is just that... dancing. If in ou perverted minds we are turning it into more than that, than shame on us.. that is something we need to change with in ourselves, not reflect that "dirty" image back onto the children. In regards to any perverts or petifiles, they are looking for and at all childern, young girls with "piggy tails" and shorts and t-shirts just as much or more that these dancers. They were in a competition with family and friends, not at a night club or parading down the street. It is the nasty thoughts in our minds that are the problem, not the innocent children. Grow up!
ReplyDeleteI saw that video and thought "Ick". Although truth be told, I was in dance for years as a kid and I may have done some risque moves of my own...or not. I honestly can't remember. I DO remember dancing to Manhunt (I'm going on a man hunt) when I was about 7 so even if the moves weren't sexy the song sure was. I guess I'm not positive how I feel about this issue.
ReplyDeleteHear Mum Roar - the dance the girls did was similar to the one done by Beyonce - complete with the bump & grind, and the pelvic gyrations. Aside from that (which seemed to be the moves that most bothered people) there were high kicks, moves made to the beat of the song - which is very fast, as you know! I personally thought the costumes were cute - though others thought they were "trashy."
ReplyDeleteAnon. - I agree with you that pedophiles are going to be checking out any kid regardless of how they're dressed or how they're moving. In the context of the dance competition, as the dad said to me re: the video, the girls' moves were "nothing" compared to some he'd seen. I'm still not sure if I'd be happy to see my 8 year old daughter doing those moves onstage, though!
Marilyn - I'm trying to think of some of the moves we did at half-time shows in high school. I know some of our songs (not played by the band!ha ha) had some lyrics that could be suggestive, but if the song got the ok by the principal, we were good to go. I don't think we were ever allowed to do any overtly sexual moves. A tushie wiggle here and there, a flirty pose - I guess the older I get, the less I recall? HA! But - in the end, I'm still not sure what I should be feeling about the issue.
Saddened.
ReplyDeleteI'm wondering what's happened to that God given device planted in parents that is meant to protect our children. The animal kingdom does a better job of protecting it's young.
Ok - just watched Beyonce's version. Then watched the girls' version.
ReplyDeleteThe girls don't have the "rump slap" that Beyonce does, and where the line "put your hands up" is, the girls do high kicks - which is really impressive! - and there is less uh...I don't know the term for this - "body sliding/gyrating" - I think mainly people objected to the costumes, the bump & grind, the pelvic thrusting. The rest of the moves are composed of dance-leaps, dramatic sliding into a pose and coming out of it with a kick or going into it with a kick - hand/arm motions to emphasize/complement the music.
The costumes are cute in the way that toddlers wearing ruffle-bottomed diapers are cute! On second/third/fourth look, the costumes don't seem so appealing to me, in all honesty!
Well Hear mum roar, I hope that helps!
I dunno, on the bus trip to the zoo today, there were two little girls, maybe FOUR or FIVE that were doing the little gyrating moves to some song that one of their moms was playing from a cell phone. Good God, they're FOUR and FIVE. Think they're a little young to be doing that kind of crap.
ReplyDeleteAs far as things go, I guess I don't totally object to it, but the overtly sexual nature of some of the dancing (or what they term "dancing") should be held off for some of the older kids...say teenagers???
Had not seen this video before. Wow. Reminds me a lot of the scene from Little Miss Sunshine.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the kids are at all aware of the sexualized nature of their routine, and I think this is a case of the costumes making all the difference. This would have been a much different performance if they were wearing the more traditional tights and leotards that girls usually (or used to?) wear for dance performances.
Hello there Kathy,
ReplyDeleteFortunately for me, my two girls love the song but are not into the dance.....the moves, I must agree are a little risque!
By the way thank you for dropping by and leaving a comment on notyourAveragebeauty - I appreciate it! I am having a look around your blog too.
@Alissa - HA!!!!! I totally forgot about Little Miss Sunshine, but that was a fabulous scene -- maybe I need to view this video with that in mind?
ReplyDelete@Ticketmaster - yeah, I can't help but look askance when I see young girls and boys imitating the dance moves they see that aren't really "age-appropriate." Leads to some interesting playground behavior sometimes, let me tell you!
@JackieA - thanks for visiting! I can't get "Single Ladies" out of my head, and there's no way that I could even begin to do some of those moves (I'm just too old and creaky! ha). My 12 year old daughter watched the video of the girls and said, "They shouldn't be doing that," though she did think they were great dancers.
I think that people goes crazy for a reason to go crazy. Did that make sense?
ReplyDeleteWhile I wouldn't let my children dress in those costumes, I do think that the dance moves those girls pulled off were very impressive and that most people wouldn't have even thought twice had the girls been dressed in pants and had their tummy's covered.
Well said - I keep asking myself why we can't let kids just be kids. It's come full circle - they are all little adults now, just like they were before the 50's and the birth of the 'teenager'. Found your blog on LBS, btw - enjoyed my visit!
ReplyDeleteBethany & Cindi - thanks for stopping! Yes, people sometimes just need a reason to go crazy - I try not to be one of them! I've been mulling this over for quite a while, now. I think the dance was incredible to watch - the girls were perfect, they did an excellent job. Costumes - meh. I'm ambivalent about them, frankly - they're just spangly little girl bathing suits. The girls sure do have the moves - I can't help agree with Cindi, our kids are mini-adults again - only with all the toys and leisure time that mini-adults never had in previous ages!
ReplyDeleteThere is no question that they are talented little ladies...but if one of them were my daughter I wouldn't want them to do that suggestive of a routine. I'm no prude and that was a bit much for me.
ReplyDelete