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Sequins and soul searching in the US competitive dance industry
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The industry has attracted criticism for its exclusionary costs, high-pressure environments and sexualisation of children.
PHOTO: CHARLOTTE PERFORMING ARTS ACADEMY/FACEBOOK
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NORTH CAROLINA (NYTIMES) - In spring, Ms Siara Fuller, artistic director of Charlotte Performing Arts Academy in North Carolina, took a group of students to a dance competition in Fort Mill, South Carolina.
It was, in many ways, an ordinary weekend within the extraordinary world of competitive dance: Hundreds of young dancers assembled at a convention centre, donned glittery costumes and giant false lashes, and presented spit- polished routines for judges.
