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DA:NCE (sexualization of children in dance)

/DA:NCE (sexualization of children in dance)

Blog posts relating to DA:NCE (sexualization of children in dance).

Join the Conversation

Can I encourage you to join the conversation about DA:NCE? We continue to work hard to educate the public about the damaging effects of hypersexualized children’s dance. I am so appreciative of your support of our work and the energy you bring to this important issue. I wanted to let you know we recently released a new video called ‘Coffee and Conversation’ that you may find motivating to share. It is a short and sweet 45-second teaser inviting adults to join the conversation around the hypersexualization of children in dance. We need to get this message in front of as many people as possible in order to educate and raise awareness around this issue. Can you help us share it? [...]

By |2019-04-23T10:28:52-07:00April 19th, 2019|
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‘Coffee and Conversation’ at Cal State Fullerton

“In an art form that is ripe for play, creativity, and imagination, as an industry and society we are settling for selling our girls’ childhood to the lowest common denominator.” Elizabeth Gough Schultz, Master of Fine Arts in Dance, UCIrvine When I spoke at 'Coffee and Conversation' 2 weeks ago,  I addressed the lowest common denominator in children’s dance: hypersexualized choreography;  during that time, I also discussed a partial definition of harmful choreography developed by YPAD(youth protection advocates in dance): • Any sexually suggestive movements such as twerking, “booty pops”, lip licking, finger licking, and breast or groin stroking, patting or pointing towards breast or genitalia, lip pouting, or winks that promote a sexual tone. • Mimic obscene gestures, drug [...]

By |2019-04-22T16:17:52-07:00March 23rd, 2019|
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CAHPERD: Cultural Trends

It was a joy to attend and speak in Anaheim at the 2019 CAHPERD(California Health Physical Education Recreation and Dance) Conference. Their educational foundation emphasized current cultural trends about the importance of body health. That provoked me to think about an LA Times article from August 19, 2018 that I read last summer which discussed how adult professionals can easily stray from healthy standards of care. It’s a difficult but timely article. From USA gymnastics to churches and dance studios who cover up sexual abuse, it is important for institutions to call out and resist cultural trends that are unhealthy.  “If that tone is set well and is healthy, then the system will be healthy. You have to have systems [...]

By |2019-03-03T13:32:12-07:00February 28th, 2019|
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Where Is Mary Speaking Next? – spring speaking schedule

Where Is Mary Speaking Next? January 12 at Cal State Fullerton for CDEA State Conference(California Dance Educator's Association) February 19 at the Kiwanis Club of Redlands February 21-23 at the Hyatt Regency Orange County in Garden Grove for CAHPERD (California Health Physical Education Recreation and Dance) Click Here to invite Mary to speak to your organization.

By |2019-01-10T14:55:27-07:00January 10th, 2019|
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Gobble, gobble, gobble: Dance Coalition Newsletter

Gobble, gobble, gobble!  Ps 118:1  "Give thanks to the Lord for he is good; his love endures forever." I can’t believe that November is already here. It’s turkey time and I’m getting ready to host my extended family at the annual Thanksgiving feast in 2018. Through the years, I’ve enjoyed a lot of memories around this holiday. Here's a gobble, gobble idea: I make homemade gingerbread turkey cookies and have different icing colors available for each person to decorate  their individual table place card. After dinner, everyone eats their place card. At the gathering, my husband and I also oversee a gobbling contest that ends as everyone shares their personal expression of thanks for the year. This year I give [...]

By |2018-11-03T10:07:11-07:00November 2nd, 2018|
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NDEO Connections, Knowledge and Leadership: ‘Children’s Dance: Educational or Sexualized’

What a wonderful national conference this NDEO(national dance educators organization) gathering turned out to be. Hats off to the NDEO board who worked so tirelessly to make the conference possible. An additional thanks to Kristin Kusanovich (past president of CDEA, lecturer in the department of Theatre and Dance at Santa Clara University and Kusanovich Dance Company), Susan Gingrasso (NDEO board member, CDEA member & presenter, DEiP’s practical resources column, and Associate Director of the Language of Dance Center), and Jennifer La Curan(Chair of Dance and Co-President Irvine Valley College, CDEA) for supporting me to speak on 'Children's Dance: Educational or Sexualized' at the NDEO national conference. Let me share a few flavors of what happened in La Jolla from Oct 4-7. [...]

By |2018-10-16T18:59:02-07:00October 11th, 2018|
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Ebook Release: Healthy or Harmful Children’s Dance

              How can concerned parents or concerned adults know if their child’s dance studio teaches healthy, educational dance or unhealthy, sexualized dance? The answer to this practical question is clarified in a free ebook that I have written. ‘Healthy or Harmful Children’s Dance’ combines my last 4 DA:NCE blogs into 4 chapters. Look below to see the breakdown. The New Trend in Children’s Dance: In some dance studios around the nation, there has been an increase in sexualized, objectified movement for children under 12. In this article, we explore what concerned parents, grandparents and dance studios can do about it. How to Pick a Healthy Dance Studio: We understand the benefits of healthy dance. So, now, [...]

By |2018-10-03T16:41:52-07:00September 1st, 2018|
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Hypersexualization: How to educate a dance studio with the DA:NCE Toolkit

            Time and time again I hear from concerned parents, grandparents, dancers and community leaders asking what they can do to raise education and awareness around the harmful effects of adult costumes, choreography and music for children. While many of you have probably seen children’s dance that disturbs you, perhaps you didn’t know what you could do about it. This blog focuses on providing a solution to this challenge with the hope that you’ll join me in educating dance studio owners and instructors about the harm hypersexualized dance imposes on children. If you’ve been following along, this blog is the last in a series designed to help you know how to find a healthy, age-appropriate [...]

By |2018-10-03T16:43:03-07:00August 1st, 2018|
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How to Avoid a Harmful Dance Studio

Last month I described what to look for in a healthy, age-appropriate dance studio. Now I’d like to travel in the other direction and discuss what defines dance that harms children. Let me refresh your memory. When I use the words harmful dance, I am referring to dances for children that are hyper-sexualized with adult costumes, choreography and music. It's unhealthy dance. If you didn’t read last month’s blog, take a minute to read the APA report on the sexualization of girls to discover the negative outcomes that accompany sexualized movement for children.   First, it should be obvious that all dance studios are not created equal. You, the parent or concerned adult, must investigate a particular studio and determine [...]

By |2018-10-03T16:44:06-07:00July 1st, 2018|
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How to Pick a Healthy Dance Studio

Once a year most studios plan a dance recital to celebrate a year of student maturity, growth, and technique in their dance classes. It’s a lot of fun when children present the joy of what they have learned coupled with wonderful music, artistic costumes and age-appropriate choreography!  Woo-hoo! I just got back from Alabama where I enjoyed the dances that my 2 grandchildren participated in. I’m bustin’ with pride. Yes, it’s recital time and because I get lots of questions about end-of-the-year presentations, I thought that I’d share some pointers on what to look for in a healthy, age-appropriate studio versus what to observe about a studio that is unhealthy. When I use the word unhealthy, let me clarify. I [...]

By |2018-10-08T12:53:34-07:00June 1st, 2018|
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