Toddlers in mascara? Dance teachers and parents rethink stage makeup

I recognised the signs straight away: the twirling, the mirror glances, the obsession with her music box. I didn’t need my daughter to ask if I wanted to see her "magic dance show" to confirm it – she was a dance kid. My partner, however, was horrified: he spiralled about the pressure, the body image, the gender stereotypes and, most of all, the makeup.

Before founding Awaken Dance & Fitness Academy in the northern suburbs of Wollongong, Australia, Amy Graham danced professionally, worked in childcare, and supported at-risk youth and children with additional needs. She opened a studio focused on inclusivity, confidence-building and student comfort, joining studios that don’t require uniforms, hair in buns, competitions or performance makeup.

"Dance, especially in the early years, is about joy, movement, self-expression and belonging rather than appearance," Graham says.

Australia, Wollongong

toddlers, mascara, dance teachers, parents, stage makeup, body image, gender stereotypes, inclusivity, wollongong, awaken dance