Social media sexualized children's dance, killing its joys

The dance world, once rooted in the artistry of movement, has been hijacked by a culture of clicks

- MARY BAWDEN GUEST CONTRIBUTOR

I FELL IN LOVE with dance as a child. For me, it was joy in motion — a healthy, creative expression where I found confidence, discipline and community. I started ballet lessons at age 11 and was transformed by the experience.

However, in recent decades, I've watched something precious slowly erode. The children's dance world I knew decades ago — one rooted in artistry and innocence — has been quietly hijacked by a culture that trades that innocence for clicks, profit and applause. Today, countless young dancers are being pushed into performing hypersexualized routines featuring revealing costumes and provocative music, long before they can truly comprehend what they’re doing onstage.

This isn’t an overreaction. It’s a documented cultural shift and it’s harming a generation of kids inside and outside the dance industry who've been exposed to salacious content through a tsunami of grownup images, videos and interactions across the internet and social media.

In some cases, this sexualization might stem from dance instructors putting 8-year-olds in fishnet tights, heavy makeup and crop tops, and teaching them to perform choreography designed for adult spaces. In others, it starts with parents telling children — implicitly or explicitly — that their value lies in how “sexy” they appear onstage, not in their artistry.

The American Psychological Assn. warns that sexualizing children — whether through media, advertising or performance — has measurable, damaging effects. The list is sobering: depression, eating disorders, body dysmorphia and shame, diminished self-esteem, higher risk of sexual exploitation and a self-image built around their sexual appeal. Young girls who internalize objectifying images often see themselves primarily through a sexual lens, which can overshadow exploration of their intelligence, creativity and individuality.