Welcome to the strip club
When my mom heard her small Orange County hometown of Placentia mentioned on National News her ears perked up. What she wasn't expecting was the topic - Controversial dance performed by 8-year-olds to the tune of Beyonce's "Single Ladies." She called me right away and I got a YouTube link in an email later that day from one of my closest childhood friends who danced for the now infamous Precision Dance Studio.
Much of my childhood was spent in dance studios learning routines and nursing blistered toes, so my first impression of the provocative routine was "Wow, those little girls can dance!" Then the mom part of me highlighted the word little. Though the dance is an amazing display of their talent and hard work, if you put boobs into their lingerie-like tops (yes, lingerie) the routine would fit right in at an Vegas strip club (not that I've ever been to a Vegas strip club).
Many of the moves aren't extremely out of the ordinary in the dancing world. Meaning, there is always a little shimmy or butt shake in choreography of contemporary songs. But in my opinion, the stripper bends should have been cut out completely... did I really just type that? Shouldn't that have been obvious to the choreographer? "Mmmm, should we keep the stripper bends in the 8-year-old routine? Of course, wouldn't want to leave out a pedophile, you never know who's judging!"
REALLY?!?!?!?
Their movements could have been interpreted totally different if the girls' bodies were covered. The costumes were... unsettling. Black and red corset tops, ruffle booty shorts, choker necklaces, and sheer elbow length gloves, complemented by black thigh high boots with a red bows. In fact, I own the exact same outfit... for baby making!! The girls also had identical trendy bobbed hairstyles.
Probably the most disturbing thing about the routine is the hoots and hollers from the crowd. I've attended many a dance competition and the crowd consists of all the parents and competing teams. The room is filled with lots of energy and it's easy to get caught up in the cheering. But they were cheering when the children were doing the most sexy moves. When did 8-year-old girls doing the bump and grind spark so much enthusiasm... in their parents?
What do you think? Too provocative, not age appropriate? Or, amazing display of the girls' talent and just part of the dancing world?
An original Orange County Moms Blog post.
Ex-fitness fanatic/aerobics instructor, Kara-Noel is the creator of an awesome hat line for infants and toddlers called Eli's Lids. You can find her blogging about creating a whimsy home, motherhood and being the owner of an up-and-coming business over at Eli's Lids the Blog. Visit her latest endeavor MOMday Morning. Prizes are involved... it won't disappoint!!
