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Imagine five young girls in red and black crop tops, tiny bedazzled shorts, knee-high stockings and black boots. Next picture them dancing to Beyonce’s hit, “Single Ladies.” Throw in a few high kicks, gyrating hips and pelvic thrusts. Add it all up, and it makes for a viral video with two million plus hits and a lot of controversy.
The performance was part of the World of Dance competition in Pomona, Calif., in April and the dancers are seven, eight and nine years old. They won the national competition, but also took on titles like “hot tots” and others we won’t put in print as the performance amassed viewers on YouTube and other sites.
Psychologist Dr. Phil McGraw called the costumes and the dance moves "sexually provocative," in an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper. He said that if there were a way to track all the pedophiles who watched the video it would have been like Grand Central Station. McGraw also wondered how the parents could have allowed their daughters to participate in such a sexy, grownup number.
The parents don’t understand all the fuss. Melissa Presch said the routine and costumes were "completely normal" for the World of Dance event, the largest urban dance competition in the country. Presch told Good Morning America, "The costumes are designed for movement, unrestricted movement and to show body lines.” Corey Miller, a father of one of the girls, added “Our best interest is for the kids. Just know that the kids are doing something that they completely love to do. They compete in dance competitions ... in front of family and friends."
Dance competition representative Larry Peters said the controversy was blown out of proportion. "There has been a great deal of controversy regarding this performance, and it has been taken out of context," Peters told PopEater.com. “"All the dance troupes do so many different dances, it is a very personal choreography and expression for every troupe and individual. These girls were amazing that day," Peters said, adding, "They were two minutes of an eight hour performance event."
What do you think? Please view the video and read the articles on page two and then come back to comment. Does the dance represent today’s standards for young girls or is it too provocative? What would you do if you had a young daughter who made such a video? Do you agree with those who say the people who are upset by the video are “out of touch” and need to get in line with today’s new standards?
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dc6u92boyw
Media coverage:
http://www.nj.com/parenting/amber_watsontardiff/index.ssf/2010/05/parents_of_young_single_ladies.html
http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2010/05/14/mcgraw-girls-dancing-to-beyonce-inappropriate/
http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/2010/05/14/2010-05-14_little_girls_provocative_dance_routine_to_single_ladies_sparks_fears_of_growing_.html
http://newsfeed.time.com/2010/05/15/all-the-single-children-why-youtube-sex-appeal-and-children-never-mix/
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/sax-sex/201005/underage-girls-dancing-onstage-in-lingerie
http://www.popeater.com/2010/05/14/single-ladies-little-girls/
About the author: Pat Elliott is a journalist and blogger who has written about health issues for more than 20 years. She is also a cancer survivor who coaches people on how to manage their transition and take control of their new future.
Add a Comment2 Comments
I am nineteen years old and I danced from the time I was four until I was sixteen. I spent hours a day, many days of the week in the studio (by my own choice, dance was my passion). I danced lyrical, ballet, but my two favorites were jazz and hip hop. I would never, ever exploit children or support any kind of child exploitation, and this video is in no way, shape, or form child exploitation. Yes, the costumes are small, and flashy, but all people who have ever danced and especially those who competed in dance competitions would know that. The costumes are designed for movement, not to accentuate inappropriate parts of the body, and they aren't designed to be sexy. I look at the girls and see incredibly dedicated and talented dancers who absolutely gave an unbelievable dance number. Nobody is looking at those girls and saying those are "sexy" outfits, and seeing those outfits on those girls does not make me think "oh those girls are wearing sexy outfits". In fact it kind of disturbs me that someone would look at those girls in costume and even try to say that those outfits are sexy. Nobody thought this was a "dirty" dance until the media got ahold of it. If so many people are "disgusted and sad and think it is child abuse" then why the heck are you all watching the video?! The video has over two million hits on youtube and I don't understand why people who are so distraught by it endorse it so much. These girls are incredibly talented, moving your body like that, all in unison, to the beat, and with such incredible muscle control is harder than anyone can imagine. Take the spotlight off the girls, they are not trying to grow up too fast and they aren't trying to be sexy. And for all those so maddened by it, go to a local dance competition in your area next time one is around, I can absolutely guarantee you will see even more revealing outfits and more what some are calling "adult" moves. Appreciate the quality of dance and the children's passion for it. Adults are the only ones who are making this whole thing "inappropriate" by taking it way out of context.
May 17, 2010 - 8:39pmThis Comment
Then I guess you should put down, african dancing, belly dancing, latin dancing and not allow children to partake in that. Dancing is an art, a movement. It's the adult that put a sexual suggestion on it. I think its great these kids can isolate their muscle like that. I own a dance studio and am a mother of an 8 yr old. I would have no problem with her partaking in that piece. Have you seen the movie "RIZE" children crump in that movie, looks much like the booty dancing these little girls did. That movement is influenced by a culture. People who have a problem with it are ignorant. The Single Lady song was been approved to play on radio stations for children to hear, so why not band that too ---IM BEING SARCASTIC.
May 17, 2010 - 7:42pmThis Comment