Thoughts on Dance

*Disclaimer: This post may not be suitable for children under 14

As I was wasting my time away on facebook I came across a video of a little girl dancing. Sounds darling, right? Yes it should be. However, this little girl wasn't dancing like a little girl should (sweet, soft, funny, etc), no, she was dancing like she was 25. Now, I have all sorts of opinions about dance (a lot of them passed down from my mother), and I just feel like sharing them today because right now I feel incredibly angry at the world of dance, and what it's becoming.

The following video illustrates everything I feel right now. This little girl (talented? yes. gifted? yes. exploited? yes. sexual? yes.) I don't care how high she can lift her leg, or how many pirouettes she can do...she is exploiting herself while her parents sit by and think "my daughter is the best." Who cares about the consequences. Who cares that she's learning that being sexual and seductive is the way to win the competition. Doesn't anyone care?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQHhdAntb_Q

So what'd you think?

To start off my long ranting, here are a few of my favorite scriptures from the Book of Mormon. I have thought many times about these scriptures and how it relates to dance. Granted, I'm not perfect, and every dance I have been in/choreographed hasn't necessarily been 100% good and inspiring, but I've always felt a desire to uplift through dance, and also to judge dance the way God would. Here are the scriptures:

Moroni 7:12-13

  12 Wherefore, all things which are good cometh of God; and that which is evil cometh of the devil; for the devil is an enemy unto God, and fighteth against him continually, and inviteth and enticeth to sin, and to dothat which is evil continually.

  13 But behold, that which is of God inviteth and enticeth to do good continually; wherefore, every thing which inviteth and enticeth to do good, and to love God, and to serve him, is inspired of God.

So, some of my questions are: 

1. What is dance? Why do people dance?
Dance is fun. Dance is exercise. Dance is enjoyable. Dance is of God. Dance is inspiring. Dance is expressive. Dance is art. Dance is entertainment. Dance is universal. Dance is religious. Dance is traditional. Dance is timeless.

People dance for one or more of those reasons. Throughout history people have danced. Today, however, I feel that dance is becoming a "show off" competition. A selfish, prideful way to train dancers to be the showiest, sexiest, most extreme dancer. We teach dancers that they have to be "the best." (oh goodness, don't even get me started on competition dance and the despicable industry it has become)

When our little children take dance classes (parents, this is serious stuff) "what are they learning?" Are you watching your child in their class? What is being taught? Is your child learning good discipline, self respect, moral courage, patience, and how to train their body to be strong and developed? Or is your child learning to be showy, extreme, sexual, crude, and geared towards being "the best?" I know I'm not the best writer, nor the best at expressing feelings, however, from watching so many classes (mostly at studios who are focused on competition dance), I feel so sad to see that dance is failing to inspire, to uplift, and to help our children become self-disciplined and humble.

2. Why is popular dance so popular? 
Why do I think popular dance is so popular? Because it is geared towards pleasing the masses. What do the masses want to see? They want to see skin, sex, and tricks. Again, there's nothing wrong with being an incredibly talented dancer. Tricks and stunts are part of the trade, but what happened to feeling, to emotion, to control and moderation? What happened to personal expression and individual interpretation, rather than dancing to win?

Why else is dance so popular these days? Because it's ALL ABOUT COMPETITION (again, don't get me started on all of the negative aspects of competition in dance). Our world loves to see people win, and to see people lose. We praise winners and defame losers. What happened to dance as a performance art? What happened to being "your best" and not "the best?"

3. What makes shows like "So You Think You Can Dance" so popular?
Again, in my opinion, "So You Think You Can Dance" is popular because of competition, skin, sex, and tricks. People are always telling me, "you should audition!" How could I audition for a show where I would have to sacrifice just about every moral value to perform on. I would not, I COULD not, wear the costumes, have such a self-promoting attitude, be seductive, or try to be the best.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vskUzGi-Sv0 (this is an absolutely horrible dance, but it proves a point)

4. Why does ballroom dance these days have to be "all about sex?" (because it is...don't even try to argue with me on this one)
You can ask my husband, I LIKE BALLROOM DANCE. I enjoy dancing it, I think it's fun, I think it can be classy, I think formal social dancing is sadly a forgotten part of our society. However, our world has taken yet another form of dance and turned it into one of the ultimate, extreme, seductive forms of dance. Imagine a ballroom (excuse me, a dance sport) competition. What do you see? You see overly tan dancers, fake nails, fake hair, too much make-up, too much skin, too little conservatism. What is it about having to "be the best?!" Why do we have to be the best? Why do we teach our children that winning is everything? Why can't we just watch dance and enjoy it? I'm continually amazed at what is allowed in ballroom dance (yes, even at BYU). While ballet dancers can't even wear normal ballet costumes, the ballroom dancers are seductively dancing in the shows. (Again, don't get me started)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axp-tzKwB3Y&feature=related (sexual? very.)

5. Why do costumes have to be so immodest, sleazy, and cheap? (no, that doesn't mean you can't show skin, but you know exactly what kind of costumes I'm talking about)
Not necessarily one of my biggest frustrations with dance, but definitely a way to show the decline in dance morals. The body, without question, is one of our greatest gifts in life. The body is beautiful, and I have always been inspired by seeing a strong, toned, trained, disciplined physical body. The problem with some costumes is often not the costumes themselves, but how the dancer dances while wearing the costume. I don't mind seeing short shorts unless the dancer is "shaking it." I don't mind seeing more skin than not, unless the dancer is dancing in a provocative way. That is why I sometimes have a hard time with BYU's dress code for dance (again, I could go on for hours). Seeing more skin on a dancer can be more inspiring than seeing long baggy pants. Seeing long, strong, beautiful legs is not offensive unless the dance itself is offensive. If a dancer is dancing provocatively, the "modern dance" pants aren't going to hide a thing. Anyways...another post for another day.

So, this is long and probably boring. However I had to voice my thoughts before I went crazy. I hate seeing young girls and boys taking dance lessons from teachers who insist that they have to dance like grown-ups (and questionable grown-ups). Parents: please watch your children's classes. Are you comfortable with what they are teaching your sons and daughters? Are they teaching them to "shake their booties?" If so, we need to stand up for what we believe. It IS possible to have uplifting, inspiring, wholesome, and still entertaining dance.

IF EVERYONE IS DOING IT, WE PROBABLY SHOULDN'T BE

My friend Elizabeth wrote a wonderful post on children and dance. Check it out.