Is this wrong or not?

[BBJay]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shimmer That's like saying walking around wearing a v-cut top with a two cupsize enhancing pushup bra, short skirt, and 4" heels isn't inviting attention, saying it's only as sexual as the viewer perceives the outfit. That's abdicating any responsibility for the choreographer and dance studio, saying that it's the VIEWER'S fault for having the impression of a sexualized dance.

The difference is if I were to walk around dressed like that, it would be of my personal choice where as those girls had no choice in the matter. I never said the outfit was an appropriate choice, but rather that the outfit should not corrupt one's view of the piece as a whole. Has anyone thought about how these girls must feel now? To go out have a great time on stage and feel great about what you did only to be told by half of America that what you did was wrong. I wouldn't want to dance anymore. I feel terrible for them.

 

[COBI]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BBJay The difference is if I were to walk around dressed like that, it would be of my personal choice where as those girls had no choice in the matter. I never said the outfit was an appropriate choice, but rather that the outfit should not corrupt one's view of the piece as a whole. Has anyone thought about how these girls must feel now? To go out have a great time on stage and feel great about what you did only to be told by half of America that what you did was wrong. I wouldn't want to dance anymore. I feel terrible for them.

Again, I think there is some responsibility for the parents here: if the parents are doing their job, what the 7yo girls know about the controversy should be very limited.

For the most part, this dance is old news and is not really being discussed in many circles anymore. This thread was started long after the majority of the "uproar" had passed.

 

[BlueMoonDoll]

I would have liked to see it as a one piece with the between section a nude color. I'm pretty sure the bottoms are a kind of pant (I may be wrong). However, I understand where people have an issue with the outfit--it is a very skimpy thing, but it is also a DANCE COMPETITION. A lot of people are screaming their heads off about over sexualization of the girls. Who are you to say that their parents didn't stick them in robes the minute they came off the stage. My friend is a Dance Mom and her daughter wears stuff that makes me cringe but it is competition. She only wears it on stage and then off stage, it goes back into the dance bag and her daughter is back in shorts and tshirts.

This does not cause pedophilia. Pedophilia is not the child's fault and at no point should anyone think those little girls are dressing or acting like that in other parts of their lives. Yes, there are some things that could have been MUCH better, but they're talented little girls who will get off the stage and probably wash off all the makeup and go play Barbies.

 

[jess126xo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hello_my_apple i'm sorry but i'm a dancer and my mom DID let me wear stuff like this. i've seen little girls in less on the beach, i think we need to look at it as just the talent and it's a performance. nothing more.

I'm sorry but dancer or not this is wrong. I'm 21 and I would never dance with something like that on. And no I don't go to the beach with a little bathing suit either so saying girls wear less to the beach would not justify these outfits. And they are only 7 yrs old to say it'd okay it a bit much.

 

[Strawberrymold]

Yes they are very talented but I think there would have been ways to showcase that talent without such overly sexual costumes and dance moves.

I am sure ( at least I hope ) that the parents meant no harm. Still it isn't an issue of what was meant. Are you really willing to risk what could be at stake from sexualizing a child at such a young age? Yeah sure most of these girls will grow up to be just fine... but as a parent would you really be willing to risk it? They are just kids, they don't understand what is really happening to them. If they are receiving inappropriate attention or simply begin to connect this sort of sexual movement with a positive response? My God, how would they know how to process that? They are only 7 years old!

I'm not saying that any parent who enters their child into a dance competition is going to end up with a damaged or at risk child... but with such mature content, would you risk it as a parent?

Just pick a more appropriate dance for the age group. That's all I'm saying.

 

[jess126xo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by hello_my_apple i'm aware that these girls are not on the beach, i was just giving the example. Memorial weekend i went down the shore and i saw girls in bathing suites that look similar to what Rihanna and Kim Kardashian wore. but parents think it's 'cute' and 'adorable'. i can realize and understand that it's just a performance from very well trained girls. i WOULD let me child do this, it's just dance. gosh.

When you say girl do you mean 7 yrs old? Because I could never look at a child at the beach half naked and say oh that's cute and a mother should not think that way either. Think about the kind of people that can be watching your children. When a child is kidnapped or molested then the parents start to think oh I shouldn't have let them wear this or do that but you should be think that before. To the people that want to harm children "its just dancing" is exactly what they are looking for.

 

[beautiijunkii]

It's wronger than 2 left shoes. I think it's appalling and sad that we as a society have become so desensitized to indecency that this even has to be a question. These girls are dressed wearing lingerie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thigh highs!!!!! The way they are popping and dropping is absolutely astonishing and the parents/choreographer should be ashamed!!!!!! Children are not safe these days and sad to say but there are men/women out there that get thrills from this type of stuff. Let kids be kids!!!! These girls should not be dressing like strippers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Mabelle]

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueMoonDoll This does not cause pedophilia. Pedophilia is not the child's fault and at no point should anyone think those little girls are dressing or acting like that in other parts of their lives. Yes, there are some things that could have been MUCH better, but they're talented little girls who will get off the stage and probably wash off all the makeup and go play Barbies.

I don't think (and ithink everyone would agree) that no little girl dancing qould ever cause pedophilia, in any state of costume. Nor would anyone ever dare blame a child. I think what people are trying to express is; do you really want to risk a pedophil watching your 7 yr old daughter use sexualized dance moves in that kind out outfit? i mean anyone could be watching something like this. anyone. And would you want to risk taht anyone being a pedophil whos going to go and get his jollies off to this? Frankly, that turns my stomach. It's one thing for a 17 year old girl to be writhing around onstage (hello mylie cyrus) but soemone 10 years her jounior? Thats just not cool. These girls dont understand how suggestive what they are doing is. And for me, thats the real problem! a 17 yr old does. She gets the skimy costume, the song and the moves, she knows what she is conveying. A 7 yr old girl is just having fun, and there are a million diffrent ways to come up with a good peice for a dance competion. I think the people sayings its just creative, its just dance, this is what happens at these competitions... think with a little more age appropriate creativity. To me, this is like someone signing "Candy Shop" by 50 cent in a signing competetion. Maybe it might showcase their talent, but hell, there are so MANY songs that sound without being so flippin obscene.

Sometimes i think we all need to a step back into the 1950s. you know, without all the blatant racism and homophbia.

 

[BlueMoonDoll]

Mabelle--I know that nobody here is saying that. I was responding to the OP and what she said other people were saying.

and they were bashing it, talking about how "you shouldnt dance like that in front of uncle bubba at the family reunion cause thats how pedophilia happens..."

This is the "blame the victim" mentality that keeps children and women (and men) from coming forward. You danced like that in front of your Uncle, of course you asked for it. And it sickens me that anyone would say that about these kinds of situations.

I see it this way: a pedophile is going to get his jollies from *anything.* Yes, I know that this is a very sexual dance and in the mind of a pedophile it could be twisted a lot..but they also get their jollies just from kids being kids on the playground. Someone above said that parent's start to think, after something happens, "I shouldn't have let them wear this or that..." It is not about clothing choice. It is about opportunity and sick, sick minds. It is a no win situation.

We have made things suggestive in our hyper sensitive society. Yes, I agree that these moves ARE suggestive from someone who KNOWS that they're suggestive. But for a kid, they're just fun. There is no intent behind it and therefore it is not suggestive from the child's point of view but is from an adult perspective. It is just like when I play with my hair because it is there and someone takes that as me wanting attention. No, I was just playing with my hair. The girls were just dancing.

Now, is it the responsibility of the adults in their lives to make sure their not doing something adults find questionable? YES. Absolutely. But the reason this was posted was because the Wendy Williams Show had a go at it and called them future sluts. They did not take into consideration that they're children who are competing and that it was the adults who should have questioned it. I don't see this as WRONG for the kids but wrong for the adults who should have stepped in. However, I also see this as a competition routine and understand a lot of the reasoning behind it. I don't agree, but I understand.

And the thing is that the reason we're so sensitive about these issues and others is the same reason the out and out homophobia and racism are down. And while kids weren't popping and dropping and whatever else, there was still the same amount of abuse, molestation, and pedophilia in the 1950s as today. Today, we're sensitive to it and it is reported. Hell, the post WWII era was full of crazy stuff--the baby boom was also a boom in swinging (sexual, not dance) and various other practices we *still* don't talk about. Just because the Era seems innocent today does not mean it was.

 

[Lebellabeauty]

I have to say I don't think it is completely appropriate.
I mean seriously they are only 7, how many parents would want their children that young to dance like that and wear those revealing outfits, let alone sit there and watch them. AWKWARD.
I think kids should just act their own age and just be KIDS! Not try to act older and sexier. Yeah and if I was guy and was there watching that I would definitely have to walk out because I would find it inappropriate to watching them like that.

 

[DarkGlamourXO]

I think it's so inappropriate honestly. So what if it's a pro. competition, I don't know why people are using that as an excuse, it's still wrong. They look like their almost wearing lingerie(and I know it's not a thong and a bra their wearing, but seriously it looks like a lil much for a 7year old girl) and the dance was way too sexy. I went to a dance school as a lil girl and we wore embarassing sequin fringey spandex outfits that looked so silly, not sexy. We also danced cutesy not sexy. I'd love to know what Beyonce thinks.