No More Trophies

Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Most kids consider it a break from school, but I see it as showtime.

Growing up I was a dancer. Every week it was endless work. Nonstop training. 15+ hours of dancing. Constant repetition of routines, over and over again until it reaches “perfection”.

Most weekends were spent driving across California to compete in Dance Competitions. Overnight hotel stays. Slicked back buns. Tons of bobby pins. Red lipstick. Sparkly earrings. Bedazzled costumes.

For what?

Just so a panel of judges can give you their opinion on if they think you are the best. The best not just at dance but how you present yourself. How perfect your bun looks or how well your costume coordinates with the routine. Unlike most sports, dance is full of biases. A sport that is completely subjective to the opinion of the judges.

Oh, how much dance has changed. It used to be a way for street dancers to freely express themselves and challenge each other. The shift has gone from free expression to the constraints of specific individuals’ opinions, in one building, on one stage.

Not only is this limited to the constraints of a few people’s opinions but also used as a way to make every kid feel like they did a good job. Parents always wanting their kids to feel like the star of the show. After every competition, whether you won or lost you got a ribbon and every team got an award. Every child seeking validation and every parent applauding them for whatever dancing occurred. Both good and bad.

How horrible. Kids can’t be recognized solely for their hard work or accomplishments that they make. Now kids are recognized for every little thing they do. Is it really an accomplishment to smile? We need to be more mindful of what we are teaching these kids because now every child is going to think everything they do deserves a trophy. And the sad thing is those dance competitions are not the only way this happens.

Just Dance. A game that is the epitome of the institutionalization of dance. Something that structures dance and makes money from it. It minimizes the ability for people to freely move and express themselves.

Tik Tok. Yet another way dance has been criminalized. There is no creativity. Everyone repeats the same simple dances to meet some social norm.

The art of dance used to be such a beautiful and free thing. However, the freedom of dance has been ruined by dance competitions, Just Dance, and TikTok. No more freedom of expression.

Dance used to be so free but now it is so limited. Limited to one stage. Limited to one audience. Limited to one panel of judges. Limited to the trophy giving society that we have created. Limited to the dance competition institution.

https://thesimpsonian.com/26425/opinion/editorial-why-dance-should-be-considered-an-ncaa-sport/