Age appropriate ideals in dance competition culture: More! More! More!

Since its beginnings in the late 1970s and early 1980s, dance competition culture has featured youth as competitors, situating dance competition culture as an important dance training venue for youth. Like any cultural phenomenon, dance competition culture is shaped by societal norms, which are dynamic. Of particular note in dance competition culture are shifts about what is considered age appropriate technique and artistry, which raises questions about how age appropriate standards are determined and what they mean for youth who engage in dance competition culture. Using a multipronged research approach combining focus groups, autoethnography, and analysis of print materials, this chapter examines, contextualizes, and connects shifting expectations about age appropriate technique and artistry.