W, Dancing, and Other Thoughts

Also this summer, W took a mini dance class. It came as a big shock to me that he was the only boy there; I had dance classes growing up and occasionally had boys in class. I knew a male ballet dancer while in college. I assumed that with the advent of things like So You Think You Can Dance? more boys would be enrolled in classes. Perhaps that is the case other places, but not at this studio. I could tell some people (some of the other parents of kids in the class) thought it was a bit weird. But I don't want to be the kind of parent who tells their kid they can't enjoy something simply because it isn't the norm. And from the time this kid was 6 months old, he's been dancing to a beat. Any beat. Buddy Holly, the printer, the dishwasher, whatever/wherever there's a rhythm, he's sure to be grooving to it. So, off we went. The last week of the class was "performance" day, and parents got to go watch. It was hilarious. 2 & 3 year-olds jumping around like rabbits, galloping like horses, etc. It was awesome and I think he really had a fun time.

It was also a bit of an eye-opener to me that "girl culture" is alive and thriving in girls as young as this. I really don't think the "who's sexiest?" competition needs to begin this young. Or ever, really. How am I supposed to raise a girl who knows her power is not in her zebra stripes/tutu but in her kindness, that her worth is not in her ability to put down other girls but in her ability to unite and encourage her peers? This is a question that keeps me up at night. If you have the answer (or any other thoughts on the matter), please do share.