Enough
Anyone that knows me knows that I love dance. Whether it’s going to the ballet, prancing round the kitchen while I’m cooking, watching my daughter dance ballroom and Latin or even performing a Michael Jackson medley with her at a fun charity event. I believe dancing is one of the best forms of exercise there is. It’s fun, social, great for physical and mental health (or so it should be) and a way of expressing emotion. However, lately I have had experiences that seem to go completely against the messages of body positivity, self-worth and acceptance that the world is now striving for. Of course, I understand that to be a good, watchable performance, the dancing must be of a certain standard. But at what point does it become OK to tell children and young women that their hair is not smooth enough, their ponytail is not straight enough, their skin is not dark enough, their make-up is not heavy enough or their overall look is not professional enough? If you choose dancing as a career...