The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #118927 Message #2575699
Posted By: Bonnie Shaljean
25-Feb-09 - 01:39 PM
Thread Name: Wigs/Makeup in kids' Irish dance feis
Subject: RE: Wigs/Makeup in kids' Irish dance feis
Reading all this, from people with direct experience of it, leads me to three conclusions. This glitzification doesn't help or make happy anyone that I've encountered (though I haven't spoken to sellers of the required merchandise, whose liberal little hearts are presumably bleeding all the way to the bank). The net result seems to be as follows:
1. Trad dancing is losing out, both from being diluted by huge commercial non-Irish influences, and by many kids either giving it up or their parents never starting them in the first place because of the pressures.
2. The parents are being drained financially, bigtime. But hey, what's new?
3. IT'S BAD FOR THE KIDS. It is making them suffer in numerous, needless ways.
In light of number 3 alone, how can the powers in charge - who could easily call an instant halt - justify it to themselves? How can any amount of pandering to The Big Gig and pursuit of profits be worth that?
If it hurts the children in any whatsoever there is no excuse. None. They are the bottom line.