In being asked to write for the DA:NCE newsletter I thought long and hard about what the focus of this article should be. Of course, it should cover issues around the hypersexualisation of young people in dance, but the challenges of addressing this issue are vast, stretch across dance styles and contexts around the world. The expertise that I have, and the work that Safe in Dance International (SiDI) focuses on, is to support and promote the value and importance of the fundamental principles of safe and effective dance practice to all dancers and dance educators. Of course, this must include dealing with hypersexualisation of children in dance.
Where do we start? The approaches that all of us involved in healthy dance practice take to support our sector vary. They include developing an acknowledgment of the issues, an awareness of where we might improve, and most importantly, education for everyone who works with dancers, as well as the dancers themselves. We are looking to help people make small individual shifts to incredible leaps in policy and practice.
Acknowledgement of the issues and awareness of what can be done are vital first steps in order to enable us to undertake our mission to educate and change practice. We, at SiDI, often find ourselves preaching to the converted, those who are already aware of the challenges and are working to address them. So how do we reach those who do not see hypersexualisation, or any related safe practice issue, as a problem? We still encounter phrases resounding through dance teaching practice, such as “Of course they have to be skinny!”, “Of course we need to correct them, to be firm and not mollycoddle our students, it a tough business”, “That’s the way I was taught, it didn’t hurt me”. Statements that aim to justify particular choices re-appear: “This is the way it is, they will not win otherwise” and “The children love the costumes and the music, why take them away”. Parents may not register or be aware of certain lyrics that their children are performing to or if their costumes and make-up are age appropriate. In order to really make a difference, we need to present teachers, parents and dance competition organisers with evidence that young dancers can compete, win and dance brilliantly but also be happy, healthy and protected from abuse of any kind. However, we need persuade and not accuse, to offer alternatives to practice which are more appropriate and that can also be successful.
At SiDI, we work holistically towards a safer, healthier practice and performance environment for all. Our 12 Core Principles of Healthy Dance Practice cover a full range of areas that lead to a better dance experience and optimised performance. These Principles are guidelines for dance teachers to help them create effective training strategies and environments for dancers at all ages and stages. We include areas such as the benefits of a proper physiological warm up and cool down, a secure understanding of genre-specific alignment, sound sequencing and scheduling of dance activities and more. We incorporate the latest research in dance science which proves that by following best practice principles, not only is the experience itself improved, but also the result. Dancers perform more successfully, with a reduced risk of injury, when they are they are taught through safe practice principles. DA:NCE has gathered the research and evidence that child hypersexualisation can result in a range of consequences, including eating disorders, co-dependence, desensitisation and other issues.
Some of our Core Principles relate directly to hypersexualisation: Creating supportive psychological learning and work environments and implementing codes of conduct and legal and moral responsibilities. If a dance leader is aware of and understands the importance of a supportive learning environment, they are able to avoid the dangers of inappropriate language and behaviour, and the dynamics of power relationships. At a fundamental level, educational research evidences that feedback is most effective when given from a positive perspective. If this is delivered in a negative, critical way, students learn and retain information less effectively and perform less well.
Having transparent policies within a dance school which cover areas such as equal opportunities, health and safety, safe use of touch, appropriate feedback and safeguarding are crucial to setting standards for duty of care for dancers of all ages, cultures, beliefs and economic background. This is not just to protect the dancer but also the dance teacher. Creating policies and codes of conduct that are agreed upon, and followed, by all supports practice, rather than limiting potential.
Our recommendations for ensuring dancing is healthy and enjoyable for all include:
- Being aware of psychological, social and emotional factors that contribute to a safe and supportive learning and practice environment
- Using feedback, behaviour and language to communicate positively with specific groups of participants
- Choosing choreographic vocabulary, dancewear and music that is practically conducive to the activity as well as culturally, socially and age appropriate
- Considering how touch is used as a positive feedback method, with awareness of consent and potential implications
Another of our Core Principles focuses on effective nutrition and hydration for dance activity. This is not about aesthetic preferences or weight management but understanding the benefits of focused ‘fuelling’ for dance activities to avoid fatigue and to support a dancer’s ability to learn and perform over time.
Each of us have individual and collective ways in which we use our passion and expertise to improve dance for all, this wonderful, rich way of celebrating, expressing and creating art that every culture can experience. We can do this by reaching out of our normal circle of communication to promote best practice. Teachers can be supported by professional development courses and certification at the fundamental level of safe dance principles to enhance their knowledge and application.
In the same way that DA:NCE celebrates and acknowledges good practice in studios and has created a directory for these, SiDI does the same by awarding Certification and post nominal letters for anyone successfully completing our Certificates as well as permission to use our logo to identify an endorsed practitioner. In order to gain this the dance practitioner has to evidence, in both theory and practice, their understanding of the 12 Core Principles. Teachers, choreographers, studio owners and rehearsal directors can demonstrate to parents and other stakeholders that they are not just winners, successful at training young dancers, but that they will support children in becoming healthy and happier dancing human beings as they grow and mature.
You only have to look at the evidence provided by DA:NCE to understand that there are long term harmful effects of child hypersexualisation in dance. By offering all dance practitioners ways in which they can implement healthy dance practice principles, we can move to a more productive and supportive creative dance experience for all, upholding SiDI’s mission of “Optimising Performance, Minimising Injury and Enhancing Dance.”
Maggie Morris is the Co-founder of Safe in Dance International which promotes safe dance practice through courses and certification worldwide. It has used the latest dance science research to develop and continually update its 12 Core Principles of Healthy Dance Practice which are the basis of its courses and Certification. Maggie started her career as a professional dancer touring internationally. She was also Artistic Director of Phoenix Dance and a Dance Educator. Over the past 20 years her work has increasingly focussed on the areas of supporting best safe practice in dance.
If you are interested in the work that Safe in Dance International does, or would like to become a certified safe dance practitioner by undertaking one of our Certificates please visit our web site or contact Maggie directly:
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