The competitive dance industry is increasingly shifting towards more hypersexualized routines, mature themes, and a “win-at-all-costs” mentality. However, stepping into a competitive dance festival in Saskatchewan felt like a breath of fresh air. Rather than witnessing the typical “adultification” of young dancers, I encountered age-appropriate storytelling, healthy progression, and a celebration of genuine childhood experiences. This article explores the stark contrast between the harmful pressures of modern competitive dance culture and the restorative power of keeping the art form rooted in technique, emotional safety, and authentic artistry.

During the festival in Saskatchewan, I found myself astonished, not by the typical exhaustion of my role as an adjudicator, but by the wholesome nature of the costumes and the messaging portrayed within the storytelling of the competitive routines. As the first few days began with a large number of lyrical and contemporary routines, I mentally prepared myself for the “depressing teenage angst”, mature content, and oversexualization that often characterizes these categories. I expected an emotional rollercoaster of sorrowful, mature themes. Instead, those feelings of impending heaviness were replaced by an overwhelming sense of joy. During an entire session of lyrical duets, the recurring theme was friendship and the unwavering support of a teammate.

It was incredibly refreshing to see young dancers portraying characters based on their actual lived experiences rather than narratives that exceeded their emotional scope. It shouldn’t be a surprise to see age-appropriate choreography, yet in an industry shifting toward “adultification,” it felt revolutionary. A 10-to-12-year-old should be dancing about the appreciation they have for their best friends because developing these relationships is a vital milestone at that age.

The Business of Winning

The teachers and studios I encountered in Saskatchewan seemed to be bringing dance back to its roots: technique, performance, artistry, and musicality, with a healthy emphasis on progressions. Each performance felt like a celebration of a student’s progress since September rather than a routine produced solely to “win.”

When a studio culture prioritizes trophies over process, teachers often feel pressured to push boundaries into unsafe spaces (ex. using mature content that does not represent a child’s lived experiences and hypersexualizing young dancers) just to stand out. While many educators argue that routines using mature themes, inappropriate song lyrics, and eroticized costumes and choreography should receive point deductions, this often punishes the child for the adult’s choreographic choices.

I often find myself wondering… does our capitalistic society perpetuate this?

I see it as a snowball effect: Winning studio = More students = More pressure to push boundaries.

Thus, creating a culture rooted in winning at all costs. This is exacerbated by a total lack of accountability because the competitive dance industry remains largely unregulated, with no governing body to enforce a code of conduct for age-appropriate artistry.

The “Small Town” Lesson

Why did Saskatchewan feel so different for me as an adjudicator? One could argue that smaller towns are less exposed to the hyper-competitive trends of major urban centers. However, in the age of social media, geographic isolation is largely a myth. Instead, I noticed a “small town” vibe (a sense of community and togetherness) that is often missing from big-city studios. It left me pondering… when did dance move away from artistry and shift so heavily toward titles and trophies?

The Shadow of the Title

My own journey into competitive dance began at age 13, and it was jarring to say the least. In my first “Title” category with 13 total entries, I watched the top ten be announced, and I wasn’t among them. I sat backstage and cried, not because I performed poorly, but because I felt I had failed the teachers who believed in me.

I remember my teacher looking at me as my false eyelashes melted down my face with my tears and saying, “We can sit here and cry, or we can go back to the studio and work.” In that moment, a competitive journey rooted in “winning” was born. I spent the next years developing perfectionist tendencies rooted in anxiety. Two years later, I won that title, complete with the jacket, sash, and tiara.

To an outsider, the achievement is a triumph and a demonstration of grit. To me, it was the birth of a people-pleasing habit that convinced me I was never enough. My dance journey shifted away from growth and toward a rigid standard of achievement. I struggled to find my unique artistic voice because I was too busy trying to be “perfect.”

A New Generation of Awareness

Reflecting on my training, I see how self-objectification and over-sexualization was baked into my experiences. At an age when I was still forming an identity, my self-worth became tethered to my dance achievements and compliments about my appearance. When we teach children that their bodies are objects to be quantified by judges, we blur the line between external achievement and internal value. I lived this reality as a young dancer, often receiving praise simply for being thin and flexible. These comments didn’t build me up; instead, they anchored my self-esteem to an external gaze, teaching me to view my body as an object to be quantified and my self-worth as a variable dependent on the opinions of others. This “objectification” also raises serious concerns about what constitutes “healthy attention,” potentially making children more susceptible to exploitation. This risk is often amplified by the rise of parent-run social media accounts for young dancers.

However, there is a silver lining. While technology has its deficits, the widespread sharing of mental health information is a massive win. Growing up, we were taught never to cry and told to “suck it up” when things became challenging or hard to handle. It took me 35 years to realize I had an anxiety disorder exacerbated by the strict discipline of my dance training.

Today, I see a generation of dancers with tools I never had. Their capacity to regulate their emotions and openly express their needs is a powerful shift. If we can marry that emotional intelligence with the age-appropriate performances I saw in Saskatchewan, we might finally lead the industry back to a place of true, healthy artistry.

The stark divide in competitive dance today comes down to a fundamental choice between two paths. On one side is harmful, hypersexualized dance (a culture driven by commercial pressure, premature adultification, and an obsession with titles) that teaches children to tie their worth to external validation and objectification. On the other side is healthy, age-appropriate dance, which honors emotional development, celebrates authentic storytelling, and prioritizes long-term well-being over trophies. By embracing the emotional awareness of this new generation and demanding age-appropriate standards across the industry, there is hope that dancers and dance educators can dismantle toxic competitive environments and guide young dancers back to what truly matters: joy, growth, and authentic artistry.

BIO:
Deanna Cormier is a highly experienced and creative dance educator, adjudicator, and choreographer with years of experience working with dancers of all ages and abilities.

Her dance education started when she was just three years old and she took her first ballet class. Since then, she has pursued training opportunities to achieve mastery in dance. Deanna Cormier holds a Master of Education degree from the University of Prince Edward Island with a focus on 21st Century teaching and learning. She has completed certification through the Associated Dance Arts for Professional Teachers (ADAPT) Teachers Training School in Jazz and Tap and the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies (CBTS). She is a mentor for teachers completing the RAD CBTS program and the Acro Dance Teachers Association (ADTA) program. She has also received her ADTA Acro certification, Benesh Movement Notation certification (RAD), Silver Swans certification (RAD), Progressive Ballet Technique certification, Acro Dance Adjudication certification and 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training.

In 2003 she made the decision to share her passion and expertise with others. For 12 years she was a professor of dance with the Musical Theatre department at St. Lawrence College.

In 2005 she was a member of the Ottawa Renegades Dance Team and performed with the Black Eyed Peas during the Grey Cup.

In 2019 she started working with the nonprofit organization MindLeaps which works in developing countries to improve school performance and create positive livelihoods for at-risk youth. In December 2019, she travelled to Guinea (West Africa) to teach dance to vulnerable youth. She feels it was by far the most inspiring and empowering experience of her life and is privileged to continue the outreach program both here at home and in Africa.

Deanna Cormier choreographed for the movie “Christmas Stray”, released December 2021 on the Oprah Network. She also choreographed the music video for the song “Broken By You”, by Jessica Pearson and the East Wind Band.

In 2025 she gave a presentation titled, “21st Century skill development and dance pedagogy” at the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science annual conference in Las Vegas.

Currently she teaches students of all ages and abilities at local dance studios and academies.

With a passion for creativity, Deanna also runs a successful dance photography business (www.dcphoto.ca). She finds beauty in movement and self-expression, and enjoys bringing these moments to life through her art.