My daughter is 3 1/2 and has been dancing since she could toddle around. If there was a beat, she was bouncing her bottom. No one showed her how to swivel her hips or gyrate, but she figured out how to do it and she does it to a lot of different types of music.
As a former dancer/performer I can say that those types of dancing and outfits are common. They're worn by figure skaters, dancers, cheerleaders, in the olympics, ballet and gymnastics programs. The outfits are nothing different than you would find girls those age wearing to a beach or pool. The midriffs could have been covered by that sheer, nude material that some outfits have, but it wouldn't have made much of a difference as far as the illusion goes. There are certain outfits that are worn for certain types of dancing, to show off clean lines and dance moves and to allow for ease of movement. While the combination of those outfits and the dance movements was a bit grown up for 8 and 9 year old girls, I really think people are over-reacting. Our society shames anything sexual, especially when it comes to children (coming up with nicknames for body parts, giving vague or made up explanations when kids ask about sex or where babies come from, freaking out about kids masturbating...). Our society also, for some reason, has begun living in fear of the pedophile lurking around every corner.
I wish I had a local dance studio with someone with as much talent as those girls choreographer obviously has. I would put my daughter in that program as soon as she was old enough to join. I watched that video and was in awe at the pure talent all of those girls have. They were amazing! I felt that the dance moves that had the potential to be considered vulgar were quickly transitioned into beautiful ballet moves.
As a former dancer/performer I can say that those types of dancing and outfits are common. They're worn by figure skaters, dancers, cheerleaders, in the olympics, ballet and gymnastics programs. The outfits are nothing different than you would find girls those age wearing to a beach or pool. The midriffs could have been covered by that sheer, nude material that some outfits have, but it wouldn't have made much of a difference as far as the illusion goes. There are certain outfits that are worn for certain types of dancing, to show off clean lines and dance moves and to allow for ease of movement. While the combination of those outfits and the dance movements was a bit grown up for 8 and 9 year old girls, I really think people are over-reacting. Our society shames anything sexual, especially when it comes to children (coming up with nicknames for body parts, giving vague or made up explanations when kids ask about sex or where babies come from, freaking out about kids masturbating...). Our society also, for some reason, has begun living in fear of the pedophile lurking around every corner.
I wish I had a local dance studio with someone with as much talent as those girls choreographer obviously has. I would put my daughter in that program as soon as she was old enough to join. I watched that video and was in awe at the pure talent all of those girls have. They were amazing! I felt that the dance moves that had the potential to be considered vulgar were quickly transitioned into beautiful ballet moves.
