Mary Bawden is an evidence-based expert sounding the alarm on the hypersexualization of children in dance studios. I had a chance to interview her to learn more about the issue.
What factors contribute to the hypersexualization of children in dance?
About 15 years ago, I began to notice that harmful, hypersexualized children’s dance in adult costumes, choreography and music had begun to saturate the culture. As a dance educator, it hurt my heart. How did it start? A college student that I had choreographed in a children’s musical invited me to attend a student led dance concert at a local university. I was shocked. I had never seen anything like this before. Every dance was hypersexualized with catcalls from men between and during songs. But I thought well, these young people are over 18 and they can make any choice they want until…….. I saw these same kinds of dances and the same kinds of movement in high school dance recitals, jr high dance recitals, elementary dance recitals and then pre-school dance.
Many years ago, when I was a little girl, my parents dropped me off at dance class and I danced. Then they picked me up. During those years, I wasn’t getting exposed to adult sexuality. What is the missing piece to this puzzle? It centers around 3 words: the internet, the media and the porn industry. That’s the big picture connection that has created what researcher Gail Dines calls ‘a pornified culture’ and what researcher Phillip Adams calls ‘corporate paedophilia’.
That’s why I was led to found dance awareness: no child exploited, better known as DA:NCE. I was called to protect children from harmful dance and to educate adults to know the differences between healthy and harmful dance so that they can make informed choices.
FYI The internet, media and the porn industry expose children to a sexually toxic adult environment that normalizes hypersexualized dance and grooms children for future abuse because children are seen as commodities: mini adults that make them money and stimulate adults sexually. Unfortunately, Porn is the wall paper of our children’s lives.
Why might families not realize how widespread or serious the issue is?
Adults and children have been groomed to normalize this pattern from the explosion of inappropriate cultural content from the internet, media & porn industries. However, the research is clear that hypersexualized adult content that children see inside & outside the dance classroom produces traumatic outcomes. Below is just a small sample of what the research says:
Brain research shows that children who are exposed to adult sexuality before it is age-appropriate suffer cognitive and academic harm affecting brain development: The brain research also shows that a child’s exposure to adult sexual material affects the development of the pre-frontal cortex [thinking brain(self control)] v. the basal ganglia[feeling brain(impulsive behavior)]. With exposure to adult sexual material, children exhibit impulsive behavior rather than self-control. A child’s brain is simply not mature enough to handle the “neuro chemical blitz” brought on by exposure to adult sexuality. The research also shows that harmful dance leads to trauma. Trauma produces lifelong physical and psychological effects.
Source: https://www.defendyoungminds.com/post/can-soft-core-porn-damage-your-childs-brain
Brain research also demonstrates that children exposed to sexual, pornographic images – or ideas – are more vulnerable than adults because children are more likely to instinctively imitate behaviors they are exposed to (due to mirror neurons). Source 1: https://medium.com/@galynburke/post-2-of-3-how-you-shape-your-childs-developing-brain-687f203775e3 Source 2: https://neurosurgerysa.com/
Children COPY WHAT THEY SEE ESPECIALLY MEDIA ICONS WHO SING & DANCE. BRAIN RESEARCH REFERS TO THIS AS MIRROR NEURONS. What is a mirror neuron? MN allow us to learn healthy or H patterns through imitation. They are especially key for child development.
Research shows that a sexualized, objectified child is viewed as unintelligent, not worth of dignity and having no moral base. Source: https://theconversation.com/sexualised-girls-are-seen-as-less-intelligent-and-less-worthy-of-help-than-their-peers-46537
Research shows that boys who are groomed by adult sexual material are hyper-masculinated while girls see themselves as objects. Source 1: https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2015/07/15310/?utm_source=The+Witherspoon+Institute&utm_campaign=02321aada7-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_15ce6af37b-02321aada7-84110661 Source 2: https://guilfordjournals.com/doi/abs/10.1521/jscp.23.1.7.26988
Research indicates that hypersexualized adult exposure grooms children for future relational abuse and life-long trauma. Source: https://www.d2l.org/child-grooming-signs-behavior-awareness/
Research by Phillip Adams used the term ‘Corporate Paedophilia’ to describe the trend to hypersexualize and commodify children: https://australiainstitute.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/DP90_8.pdf
What are some signs that a dance studio is potentially unsafe for kids?
Go to a dance studio’s June concert and observe the adult content of the costumes, choreography & music that they choose. Talk to the dance studio owner directly and ask her/him about their studio philosophy on this issue. Observe a dance class of older children as well as the age of your child. To get more help on this issue, download the 11 page free ebook on this question from DA:NCE: https://www.danceawareness.com/download-the-ebook/
What is the New Trend in Children’s Dance?
How to Choose a Healthy Dance Studio?
How to Avoid a Harmful Dance Studio?
The Step by Step Guide to Educate Dance Studios.
What are some ways that families can find studios that maintain a healthy environment?
“Healthy DA:NCE Directory”
Looking for a dance studio that prioritizes the health and well-being of young dancers? The DA:NCE Awareness Healthy Dance Directory is your go-to resource. This free directory highlights studios and organizations dedicated to teaching age-appropriate, healthy children’s dance.
Designed with concerned parents and guardians in mind, the Healthy DA:NCE Directory helps you find safe and nurturing dance options in your community.
This Directory is free for those who want to nominate healthy dance studios and those who want to find them😊
https://www.danceawareness.com/find-a-safe-studio/
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