Ethnography: Dance Moms
Ever since the age of two to the age eighteen my mother has always been considered a dance mom. I loved to dance and she loved to be a part of that. We called it our special bonding. Throughout the years of my mother being a dance mom I never realized what goes on other than just watching me dance and being there to help change from costume to costume.
So now that my mother is no longer a dance mom I went to see my cousin and my aunt at her dance studio which is located in down the street from where she lives. I chose to follow her around to experience a day as a dance mom. I have to say it is a very stressful job believe it or not. So for a couple of days the manager/head teacher the dance school allowed me to watch, sit in on the meetings, and experience in debt what really goes on.
The first day that I went to the dancing school with my aunt and little cousin I made sure that I had brought my journal to write down anything I thought was an important detail that I could incorporate in my essay. So my first couple of days was very interesting at the dancing school because they were practicing for what they call competition. Competition is very important to these students so they practice 24/7 to make sure their routines are perfect and they feel comfortable with it. While these girls are practicing their mothers are in the back talking sitting and waiting till as long as the girls need. There are some parents that are right there buying drinks and food for their girls so when they come out from practicing.
So while I was sitting there at the dancing school with the parents they were getting ready to have a meeting and asked if I had wanted to listen in. So I decided to listen to what happens when you’re actually in the meeting and you’re not on the other side dancing and not knowing what’s going on. So the mothers sat there discussing several different topics that would benefit the girls. One thing I did not know was these mothers all had a specific job that they knew they had to be in charge of. While they sat in their meetings one of the things they discussed was fundraisers. While they were coming up with ideas many people had great ideas but I did not realize that when you do a fundraiser it still cost you money for being on someone else’s property so the mothers and dance manager all would go halves to make it even.
Also the dance mom’s take the time to go with their children to do fundraisers and stay with them until there hours/shift is up. One of the most important and expensive parts of being a dance mom is a costume. Now I danced for a very long time, but I didn’t know that my mother and other dance mom’s pay about $80 bucks just for one costume. These dance mom’s meet at least once a week to discuss progress that has been going on and any concerns that anyone has. Usually if it is close to having competitions they will meet twice to three times a day.
Another responsibility that dance mom’s have is they are backstage 24/7. They are always backing there waiting for you to come off stage and helping you get into your next costumer because sometimes you have to change within minutes. When I went to experience one of the compititions with my aunt and cousin I saw all the dance mom’s right back stage waiting with the next costume in their hand. Some mom’s even kept a close rack right in the back of the stage so there children wouldn’t have to walk too far. Another thing that the dance mom’s would do is everyone would get together and buy beautiful flowers for their children so everyone gets one for all their hard work and then they all go out to eat as a group.
I think a dance mom has many responsibilities that she takes on. Everyone thinks it is easy I know I did but after actually being in the life as one and watching many of the parents be dance mom’s I honestly don’t know how my mother put up with that all those years. My mother knew I loved to dance and she loved to watch me. I think a dance mom’s main responsibility is to be a supportive parent because if your child does not have a supportive dance mom weather they did good or bad then the poor child will have very low self esteem and dancing to me is supposed to be fun, spending time with your mom, hanging with friends and meeting new people from different places. Dance Mom’s are great supporters and that’s what you need to be a great dancer.
The overall detail of what exactly the dance mom’s do is good. I think that you could add a little more details about the surroundings of the areas themselves. You mention that while the girls are practicing the mom’s are “in the back talking, sitting and waiting till as long as the girls need” Is this place where they wait comfortable (couches, tables) or is it just kind of a line of chairs in front of a viewing window or something?
ReplyDeleteI enjoy the details of the meeting and how each mom had a job to do. I liked that you also had an eye opening experience about the costs of the fundraisers.
The only other details that I would think that you could add are details about the same as above, but at the competitions. Is the mom’s standing the whole time holding the costumes, just being ready? Also another detail might be about the moms themselves. Did most of the mothers dance as a child? Do they dance as adults? Is there any crazy over the top moms trying to live their dreams through their child?
I think that that main focus/point of your essay is how passionate the moms are about being a great supporter for their child; and how the child needs the support to be able to perform at their highest level.
I think that the setup of your essay works well. You start in the beginning telling about your past in the role of the dancer. You then put in what you have observed. Then you wrap the essay with the combo of the two. The thoughts you had about dance moms and the solid facts that you now have.
Megahn--
ReplyDeleteAs a former dance mom myself, I was certainly interested in reading this, and you have some good observations here. I agree with Lisa that the structure works well to combine your own experience with your observations.
Overall, though,I would like to see things developed a little more specifically, with more of a sense of the particular observations that you made. Could you describe what the studio looks like (and, as Lisa suggests, esp. the area where the moms sit). What do they talk about? Can you recreate some dialogue? That would be *great* with this topic!! Are any of them watching the rehearsal--do they coach or criticize kids, or wince when someone turns in the wrong direction? It's a good point about the ones who buy food and drink--but can you show us one or two of these moms and the exchanges with girls?
When you write about the meeting, you mention "several different topics that would benefit the girls"--can you be more specific?
And backstage at competition--again a good observation about the mothers who bring clothes rack and grab positions near stage--but can you do more to show us the chaos of backstage, some snippets of little scenes, one mom pulling up tights or buckling shoes, etc.? What kind of pep talks do mothers deliver, or do they critique dances already performed?
Think about focus in revision. What's the main thing you're trying to communicate about this subculture: something about interactions between moms or between mothers and daughters?
A few things to watch for in revision: your first sentence has dangling modifier (seems to imply your mother was between two and eighteen). Also make sure to distinguish between plurals and possessives (moms vs. mom's). Also, I'd cut out the references you make to taking notes for essay (just report what you did see--think about how a newspaper reporter would write up something she observed). Minor point: How much do they practice before competition--not literally 24/7?
I liked reading this story. It started off about your mom and experience with being a dance mom. IN your second paragraph, you started a sentence with the word "So". I am not 100%, but I wasnt sure if that was a no-no. I would add some detail as to what the girls do to practice for competition, so I can visualize them. Same for the parents, what do they do when they wait, what do they talk about with each other. You mentioned "in debt what really goes on." Not sure if "debt" fits, or if you meant in "depth". Also, when you talk about the cost of a costume you paid, saying $80 bucks, is odd. I would leave out the "bucks", since you added the dollar sign. I think though that overall, it was a very good essay.
ReplyDeleteWow,
ReplyDeleteI never knew my self all that dance moms do. I usually think of it as they bring thier childern and watch and cheer them on. After reading your eassy i now know more about what happens behind the sence and just to think eighty-dollars an outfit!! Wow!
It was obvsious what i was reading about while reading. I do think that you can name a whole bunch of differnt jobs that these moms do .I did read some raise money. Over all good job. It was self explanatory.