@chandlermisselt1538

6 months ago

As an adult dancer who was interested in Jordan Matter’s content when it featured my adult peers, I am glad that you pointed out his patterns of exploitation. The 10 Minute Photo Challenge videos with young dancers (sometimes as young as 6 or 7 years old) often puts them in uncomfortable situations where they are encouraged to break rules and act somewhat inappropriately in public spaces, which often results in them getting kicked out of malls, libraries, or wherever they happen to be filming. In most cases the parents are present, but it is gross to pressure kids to do things like that to “get the shot”. As the dance industry becomes more and more based upon social media presence, getting a photo/video shoot with Jordan Matter was often seen as a potential to “make it” and market themselves to talent agencies and casting directors. Sadly, children enter professional dance as a career often before they are out of elementary school. The competitive dance scene is considered to be a training ground for the industry, and sexual abuse and exploitation at the hands of master teachers, competition/convention owners and directors, and agency executives is essentially an open secret. I think the argument can be made that Jordan is complicit in grooming these children to be further violated later in their careers. The cast of Dance Moms has faced horrible exploitation at the hands of their parents, dance teachers, producers, and network executives since the show began airing in 2011. Jordan capitalizing on the fame and popularity of these underage and often pre-teen dancers just infuriates me. I have not engaged with his content in several years, but I am saddened to see him sacrifice his daughter and family’s privacy and well being in the constant pursuit of viral fame.

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