Safe choices
Ensuring costumes and choreography are age appropriate.
Anna Morgan, MA, FISTD, ARAD
Anna Morgan, MA, FISTD, ARAD
Anna Morgan is an ISTD teacher, choreographer, adjudicator and researcher whose work spans performance, education and advocacy. She has taught and lectured for leading dance institutions and presented choreography internationally.
As dance teachers, we are responsible not only for developing technique and artistry, but also for creating a safe environment in which young dancers can thrive. With social media trends evolving rapidly and competition performances often shared beyond the studio and theatre, decisions about music, choreography and costume have never carried greater significance.
Anna believes that age-appropriate choices should be viewed through a safeguarding lens rather than simply as a matter of personal taste.
What does 'age appropriate' mean in dance?
According to Anna, age-appropriate dance work means considering far more than a child's technical ability.
"It means matching the lyrics, costuming, choreography and movement quality to a child's actual stage of development, not their physical ability. A ten-year-old might have the technique to execute advanced choreography, but technical capability isn't the same as emotional or psychological readiness."
She emphasises that age-appropriate work should support a young dancer's growth without asking them to embody experiences beyond their understanding.
"Age-appropriate work develops a young dancer's artistry and technique without asking them to portray themes of sexual desire, heartbreak or seduction that they haven't lived and don't understand."
Why it matters
Anna is clear that this is not simply about aesthetics or artistic preference.
"A song with suggestive lyrics paired with minimal costuming and adult movement normalises a child being sexually objectified on stage."
She points out that safeguarding must remain at the centre of decision-making.
"When teachers and parents are comfortable with children dressing and moving in a sexualised way, children learn that this is ordinary, that it is normal to be looked at that way. Even when this is done without sinister intentions, it is still harmful, not least because it makes actual grooming significantly harder for children to detect. This is because the boundary that should flag unsafe behaviour has already been blurred."
Her conclusion is unequivocal:
"This isn't about being precious or oversensitive. It is a safeguarding issue."
Choosing music carefully
Selecting music requires more than checking for explicit language.
Anna advises teachers to:
- Vet lyrics properly, not just for expletives but for subject matter.
- Consider the overall message and themes of a song.
- Remember that a radio edit is not automatically suitable for children.
As an example, she notes that songs sometimes chosen for younger dancers can contain lyrics that carry adult themes, even when the track itself is widely recognised and commercially popular.
The key question, she says, is not simply whether the music is acceptable to play, but whether it is appropriate for a child to interpret and perform.
Looking beyond coverage when selecting costumes
Costume choices also deserve thoughtful consideration.
"Think about coverage and connotation separately."
Anna encourages teachers to think not only about how much a costume covers, but also about the messages it may communicate.
"It's worth asking what a costume communicates, not just what it covers."
She notes that different costume elements can carry different associations, even when similar amounts of fabric are involved.
The goal should be to showcase a dancer's line, technique and performance quality without relying on styling choices that may unintentionally suggest adult themes.
Creativity doesn't depend on mature themes
Teachers can sometimes feel pressure to create exciting, competitive routines, but Anna believes that artistic impact does not require sexualised content.
"Strong technique, dynamics and artistry don't require sexualised content to land."
In fact, she argues that some of the most effective performances achieve their impact through dance fundamentals.
"Some of the most striking jazz and commercial work I've seen has used sharp attack, contrast, musicality and genuine characterisation, with nothing suggestive in sight."
Strong choreography, storytelling and performance quality remain the foundations of memorable work.
The influence of social media
The growth of social media has changed the landscape significantly.
"If anything, expectations have slipped rather than tightened."
Anna believes that online trends can encourage the adoption of movement styles and presentation choices without enough consideration of their original context.
"Trends move quickly online and choreographers borrow from what's popular without always interrogating where it came from or who it was originally made for."
The audience has changed too. Performances are no longer seen only by those present in the room.
"A competition routine used to stay roughly within that room. Now it can be in anyone's pocket within hours, and we would be naive to think about that without also thinking about who might be watching."
Confidence and consent are not the same thing
When discussing performance choices, teachers often hear that children are comfortable with what they are being asked to perform. Anna encourages a more nuanced view.
"A child can say they feel fine performing something without having the context to understand what they're actually doing, or how it reads to an audience."
She explains that genuine consent requires understanding.
"That isn't real consent, because consent requires understanding."
Instead, she believes confidence should come from preparation and achievement.
"Confidence on stage should come from a dancer trusting their training and knowing their choreography, not from having been gradually desensitised to material that should never have been given to them in the first place."
Creating a culture where concerns can be raised
Anna believes there is an opportunity for the wider dance industry to continue supporting consistent standards around age-appropriate content. Just as importantly, she wants teachers and professionals to feel comfortable raising concerns when something doesn't sit right.
"Everyone in the room needs to feel able to speak up without being seen as difficult or out of touch."
Ultimately, safeguarding relies on open conversations and professional judgement.
"Safeguarding depends on people raising concerns even when they're not entirely certain. That applies inside dance education just as much as anywhere else."
Anna Morgan's advice for teachers
Her final message is a practical one:
"Just because something is trending doesn't mean it's been thought through by the person who made it, or that it was ever designed with children in mind."
Before using choreography, styling or performance trends with young dancers, she recommends asking a simple question:
"Who was this originally made for?"
And when in doubt:
"A second pair of eyes from a more experienced colleague can also be helpful."
By taking time to consider music, costume and choreography choices carefully, teachers can create work that is engaging, creative and age appropriate, while ensuring that safeguarding remains at the heart of dance education.
Continue your safeguarding learning
Safeguarding doesn't stop at the studio door. As Anna highlights throughout this article, careful planning, clear boundaries and informed decision-making all play a vital role in protecting young dancers.
Join our upcoming online CPD course:
Monday 19 October, 9:30–10:30 (1 CPD hour)
Safeguarding for Shows, Competitions and Events
Lecturers: Kayleigh Chambers and Victoria Race
Designed for all dance teachers, this course explores how to ensure any activity beyond the studio is carried out safely and in line with safeguarding best practice. From performances and competitions to events and trips, you'll gain practical guidance to help you plan confidently while keeping pupils' welfare at the forefront.
You'll learn how to:
- Identify key legislative and licensing considerations for children.
- Build safeguarding into every stage of your event planning.
- Develop effective risk assessments tailored to your environment.
- Apply best practice in areas such as changing facilities, filming, photography and social media.
Suitable for: All dance professionals looking to strengthen their safeguarding knowledge and ensure best practice in activities beyond the studio.
Book your place and gain the confidence to deliver safe, enjoyable experiences for every pupil, every time.
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