Dance has been an integral part of my life since birth. As the child of a dance teacher and former professional dancer, I grew up in a studio setting. I went on to have my own studio, and watched my daughters experience the magic of dance as they developed as dancers and become teachers themselves. I love everything about dance. I love to dance; and I love to watch others dance. Whether filling the role of student or teacher, there is an intense joy involved in the process. There is also an intense passion.
The passion for dance burns within me like a fire. It started as a warm glow. This warm glow is within every dancer who truly loves to dance. As the dancer becomes more intense about her art, the fire within her grows. If a fire is fed what it thrives upon, it grows. Whatever touches it also becomes fire. The dancing flames of a blazing fire can be very dramatic and beautiful. I have always been on fire for dance.
The combination of children and dance, for me, has the feeling of something almost sacred. I cannot imagine anything more marvelous than the opportunity to introduce a young person to the arts. After more than thirty years in the role of dance teacher, I feel qualified to speak on this subject.
With so much national attention being focused on shows such as "Toddlers and Tiaras" and the reality show, "Dance Moms", I am compelled to speak out. There are marvelous life lessons to be learned through involvement with dance and the performing arts, in general. These shows are glorifying all the wrong aspects of how a child should be introduced to performing. There are a multitude of valuable life lessons to be learned through exposure to performing. Unfortunately, placing so much emphasis on competition and winning through the venues previously mentioned, the lessons they learn will likely be more negative than positive to a child's development.
I composed the following poem to illustrate what I have seen as the result of too much emphasis placed on winning.
"The Competition Parent from You-Know-Where"
by E. Cathy Cole
You won't want to admit when it's actually true
That the parent from..."you know"
Is actually YOU.
It starts out in innocence, but will somehow progress
To an unsightly state
To eventually test Values, priorities
The things you hold dear
Robbing your child of childhood
Robbing you of all cheer.
You enroll her in dance class at a very young age
What a joy even novice skills Send from the stage
Then she shows some real talent; she's the best in her class
You approach her instructor,
"Is it not time she's passed?
Develop this talent
Else she might be outdanced."
Never mind what the child wants
Oh she's too young to know?
Mother knows best, so it's, "On with the show!"
Learning the ropes makes it fun for a while
Any place in the judging still brings a smile.
Soon greed enters in
Oh those smiles don't last long
If the placing's not first...well
The judging is wrong.
Then the teacher's in question
Your child's place in line?
Front and center for your child, then the group will be fine.
The costumes need more
The music's not right
One group's jealousy shows
All ends up in a fight.
Where did the fun go?
Was this once not a a team?
What's becoming a nightmare...began as a dream.
