Parents and Concerned Adults

Protect Children in Dance

The hypersexualization of children in adult costumes, choreography, and music in dance will not stop until parents and concerned adults take action. This type of exploitation is taking place in our communities, our country, and in many countries around the world, making this an international concern. It is crucial we do not allow this type of harmful exploitation to be normalized within this artistic environment.

Believe it or not, some dance studios unknowingly create choreography, lyrics, and costuming that exploit and portray young girls and boys as sex objects. With respectful conversations integrated with research and knowledge, you can inspire transformative change in a local dance studio. Our free resources will give you the insight and confidence you need to advocate for healthy, age-appropriate children’s dance. This information benefits families with young children, dance studios, dance instructors/educators, and any other concerned individuals who are passionate about protecting children. Please read and share our Step by Step Guide to Educate Dance Studios about what the research on hypersexualization shows. Use the action items below.

What does hypersexualized children’s dance look like?

Age Inappropriate Dance Examples

Resources for Parents and Concerned Adults

What do the experts say?

8 Questions Parents Should Ask

Wholesome to Hypersexualized: What Happened to Children’s Dance?

A Public Health Issue: How a Pornified Culture is Distorting Dance

Video Resource Created September,  2016

Video Resource Created September,  2016

FREE EBOOK: HEALTHY OR HARMFUL CHILDREN’S DANCE

How can parents or concerned adults know if their child’s dance studio teaches healthy, educational dance or unhealthy, sexualized dance? Fill out the form below to download our free eBook: Healthy or Harmful Children’s Dance.

Educate yourself and take action:

• The new trend in children’s dance

• How to pick a healthy dance studio

• How to avoid a harmful dance studio

• Step by step guide to educate dance studios

What can you do?

Start a local petition

Next steps

What else can you do?

Help me find a dance studio that teaches healthy dance

I think my child is receiving dance lessons from a studio that teaches harmful dance. What should I do?

How do I share this message with other adults?

I want to get involved. Tell me more about the DA:NCE Coalition.

Connect with our Executive Director and Founder –

Mary Bawden

She founded DA:NCE (Dance Awareness: No Child Exploited) to create awareness through the collaboration of credible experts with excellent research to provide free evidence-based educational materials for dance educators, parents, and concerned adults.

 

Talk to her directly:

Nonpartisan Statement

DA:NCE is a nonpartisan, unifying organization that welcomes input from any individual that values protecting children from hypersexualization in adult costumes, choreography and music inside and outside dance environments.