Rep: 'Single Ladies' Girls Did 'Nothing Provocative'

1918 Comments

By Amber James Posted May 14th 2010 07:40AM

Earlier this week, a YouTube video surfaced from The World of Dance competition in which a group of young -- and we mean really young -- girls wearing midriff-baring tops, short skirts and black stockings dance to Beyonce's 'Single Ladies.' The dance troupe, called Precision Dance, hails from Orange County, and definitely "put a ring on it" during the competition in Pomona on April 10.

Larry Peters, executive vice president of The Hozman Group and rep for the dance competition, says the controversy was blown out of proportion. "There has been a great deal of controversy regarding this performance, and it has been taken out of context. It is a little sensitive now, to say the least," Peters tells PopEater.

"All the dance troupes do so many different dances, it is a very personal choreography and expression for every troupe and individual. These girls were amazing that day," Peters says, adding, "They were two minutes of an eight hour performance event."

Melissa Presch, the mom of one little dancer and Cory Miller, the father of another child in the group spoke to Inside Edition about the controversy. "I'm shocked, quite frankly, that people would suggest such things and say such things about 8 and 9 year old girls," said Melissa Presch claiming the girls got their moves from the 'Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel' movie -- not Beyonce's music video.

Miller added, "As a father, when you're watching your kid, no. You're looking at it as a proud kid who has really high energy, who doesn't really know what she's doing."

Peters was in the audience during the group's performance and admits, "It was the very first WOD event I had ever attended, and I can tell you the cheering and screaming you heard on the video was from other parents and dance teams that were just blown away by their dance performance and precision. There was NOTHING provocative about what they were doing."

The World of Dance Tour is the largest national urban and street dance competition, and in 2010 is taking place in nine major markets throughout the U.S. Top dance troupes partake in competition, which focuses on the art of street dancing and today's new age choreography -- embracing urban dance and youth lifestyle.

The video brought mixed reactions from media outlets across the Internet. PopEater's Facebook fan Christina Powers admits, "As a coach for national champion competition dance teams at the high School level, I blame the coach. This is completely inappropriate even for high school girls."

Meanwhile The Huffington Post writes, "Age appropriate or not, there is denying it's one heck of a performance."

Kate Ward from EW writes, "Miley, you've got nuthin' on these girls ... But if little girls must gyrate on stage, is it absolutely essential they wear midriff tops? Even Beyonce and her back-up dancers were more covered up than this!"

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Tags: single ladies

Comments

(1918)

Tuesday 18 May

By george

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Parents who DON'T object to this type of activity are truly IGNORANT.

Thursday 20 May

By Sam Saifan

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I have an 8 year old Angel and she makes me proud every day with her innocent drawings and the cards she make for me and her mom. I don't need to watch her dancing wearing innocency shattering lingerie to feel/be proud. This is just the beginning of what the corporate have planned for our kids. What those parents are doing is just despicable.

Friday 14 May

By Theresa

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There is no denying that these little girls are great dancers, BUT the dance and costumes are not appropriate for girls of their age. If it were my daughter I would have refused to let her dance in that costume or to that routine. The technical part of the dance was beautiful and well done but since when is it okay for a child to gyrate their hips like that or bounce up on it??? These are little girls not Vegas Show Girls.

By heidi

yes i agree sort of i feel a little differently i think the dancing was meant to be provacative .i don't feel there is anything nyou could put on a child that would look sexy ,unless ,you know .how ever dancing the way a stripper would ,thats all that going to be seen not their talent and now they are under fire ,when the parents should be

Saturday 15 May

By Marsha

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I agree with everything you've said Theresa. The girls are good dancers. I've never been to Vegas, but I know they gyrate, pop and drop it like it's hot in gentlemen's and night clubs.

And to everyone else, as far as pedophilia goes, if a pervert likes kids they like them regardless of what they wear. Do you worry this much when you dress your child in a one or two piece bathing suit?

By Mary

are you kidding me? nothing provacative?! can you say "no standards"? my 13 yr old takes dance and has for years...if i saw her routine and it looked like this....there would definitely be some "conversation" with the dance instructor and a quick exit.

By Lena

Truth is, they are in California and they are very talented little dancers! The costumes are indeed a little risque, but not obscene by any means. Southern California is a very entertainment industry savvy area, lots of creative influences. Seriously, if all the fat bible thumpers in Iowa are upset, who really cares??

By marcus

Hey Lena....what if I'm from California, I'm in the entertainment business and I don't thump my bible...and I STILL think this is inappropriate for 8 year olds? It makes me wonder if you EVER think anything is inappropriate?

By George

This is very disturbing to watch, I agree totally with you. This and the pagents that dress little girls like adults are so wrong.

Sunday 16 May

By nicole

i'm not fat and i'm from land of the fruits and nuts, which lena, you obviously are a nut. i would kill any person who would ever think of teaching my daughter any move of that sort! also, i would never let my daughter at any age walk around in that or a bikini. you obviously don't have kids because who don't know how far youd go to protect them, which these digusting parents did not do!!! those poor things are heading down a bad road fast.

By l

The parents of those little girls ought to be hauled into court on child exploitation charges. Allowing those precious little girls to dress like prostitutes and dance like 21 year old strippers is disgusting. The ONLY time that dance is appropriate is when it's done by fully grown women (like Beyonce and her team), and even THEY had more clothes on than those little girls. It was trashy and disgusting any way you look at it. The parents are the ones to blame, as well as their "costumer" and choreographer. The art of dance can be current without being sleazy. It was NOT appropriate for those little girls to dress and dance that way.

By jessica

i think that same. they shouldnt be wearing what they are wearing

By Andy

Your an idiot.

By ladydrgnfly921

I so agree with you social service should look into the homes of these children because if these parents find their outfits and their performance not provocative than what is going on in their households? What do they allow these 7 year old girls to do? I found the whole performance shocking and sick.

By Jordan

Andy,

You're an idiot.

By Eric

I would take it a step further and have the parents and coach prosecuted, thrown in jail, and the children turned over to social services. Parents that allow their children to be sexually exploited like this are no different from the pedophiles pleasuring themselves watching this disgusting video. I really hope the state of California presses charges.

By Bill

No, Andy is a pervert and pedophile!!!!!!!

By Jean

That was totally disgusting. The outfits were provocative and the dancing was to mature for kids that age.I am so tired of parents dressing there kids up to look older and act older just to win a contest or pagent.It is disgusting and it should be illegal. Parents stop living through your kids!!!!!!!!

By missnickel5

I don't find the dance inappropriate at all.... honestly i'm on the border with the outfits, if the song was from moulin rouge then yes the outfit would have tied in with the music and would have been appropriate but it was single ladies. So im not really feeling the clothing choice was right, and because i guess other people find their dance way to mature for their age , which if mature means being able to do difficult moves then i give these girls a standing applause to their ability to execute mature dance moves. If your someone who thinks its provacative , maybe you should look at your self and understand why you think so.... the girls aren't showing anything more than if they were going to the beach and what about their dance moves do u find provacative? its not like their doing pole dances on stage... Jean yes some parents love to live through their kid but im sure most of the time these children actually enjoy doing it, so i think if it makes your child happy go for it.

By Dancedaddy

Sick people have sick thoughts. It is what it is ....one awesome performance by very talented little girls. Its not a strip show, it is a DANCE ..Dance is an art.If YOU could dance like that you probably would make a video too!!

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