You may have seen this once already, or six times, as many report to watching it half a dozen times, "mesmerized." It is from the World of Dance tour. If you haven't seen it, or need one more to reach your 6th view:
(give it about 12 seconds to load or it may stop frequently)
I will be the first to admit that my experience in the world of dance is limited to perfecting the Roger Rabbit
and Running Man moves at junior high dances. While wearing jams.
Also in my repertoire? Fake Irish dancing. It looks really close to the real thing, in my mind, when I'm doing it.
So perhaps experienced dancers, or women who grew up training as dancers, had a very different reaction upon viewing this.
But for me, the first time I watched it, I wept.
Maybe it's because I've been reading Reviving Ophelia.
Maybe it's because I have a niece who is this age.
Maybe it's because I don't know enough about the world of dance.
But I don't think it's the latter.
Yes, they're great dancers.
Yes, they're skilled in the art of movement.
That's not the point.
The point is that this dance group is supported by coaches, parents, and a host of adults.
This routine had to be given a green light by grown ups.
Adults had to say, Yes.
Over and over again.
And adults had to create the choreography, the costumes, and instruct the girls in facial expression.
Over and over again.
"No, don't smile, we're going for dramatic here. Touch your chin to your chest but look up. Yes, like that."
(See the first photo, Dancer #2 has it down pat. That is not a natural pose, it is an instructed one.)
Many supporters of the routine have commented that it's the "haters" who are using a sexual lens to view this even though the dancers themselves are most likely not thinking about that, "They're just having fun, dancing."
They should be able to just have fun, dancing.
Those girls should be able to show off their incredible skill and the fruits of their hard work.
And they should be supported by adults who allow them to do this, without the sexy coaching.
I wonder if there was one adult, even one, involved in the production, who had second thoughts, who chewed their lip thinking, "This doesn't feel entirely comfortable for me and my 8 year old."
my first reaction to this video was more like suppressing the vomit that crept up my throat. since when is okay to prostitute our daughters that way? i'm sure this video is a big hit in prisons and in the homes of child porn addicts around the world. awesome.
ReplyDeleteWow. Those girls are truly talented, but it is incredibly sad that the adults in their lives allowed and encouraged them to dance and dress that way. I grew up dancing, and I can't imagine having felt comfortable doing that as a child. Or ever, actually.
ReplyDeleteThose young girls are very talented but I wonder where the heck their parents and adult supervisors were when this was schemed up. Where are the parents now? Do they have any idea how much damage this kind of behavior can cause? It is just so sad.
ReplyDeletethis is shocking!!! i would never in a million years allow my daughter to wear these clothes and dance in this provocative way!!! paedophiles would be in their element!!! SHOCKED!!! if my daughter or my niece EVER did moves HALF as bad as this they would have a smacked bottom!
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