Nicole Cutler

How Adult Styling Made Its Way into Children's Latin American Dancing. I’ve witnessed a shift that began subtly, but in the last 5 to 10 years has accelerated with startling speed. Nowhere is this more evident than in our youngest dancers. There now seems to be less emphasis on clean fundamentals, authentic presence, and age-appropriate musicality. Instead, it’s increasingly common to see children dressed, moving, and performing with the style and expression typical of ad

Competitive dance now demands the discipline of elite sport, yet the structures surrounding dancers have not evolved to support that level of commitment. This piece explores why the pressure feels so intense, how dancers often carry the weight alone, and the steadier choices that help protect joy, development, and well-being in a landscape that is still catching up.

We live in a time when talented young dancers can be seen far and wide with just one post, reel, or livestream. And in many ways, that’s something to celebrate. Visibility can bring connection, recognition, opportunity. But it can also bring something else - something we may not fully realise until we stop and ask: Who is this visibility for? And what is the cost?

What happens when one kind of excellence becomes the only kind we see? What kind of dancer do we reward today and what are we asking others to leave behind in order to succeed? This piece invites us to rethink how tone, expression, and influence are shaping the female dancer’s journey.

At a high level, coaching is about communication, not correction by hand. It’s about empowering the dancer — not moulding them physically. When we shift our focus from physical manipulation to thoughtful guidance, we unlock something far more lasting.

Latin American Dancing has always been a vibrant expression of rhythm, character, and chemistry. But in recent years, many in the Dance World — dancers, coaches, adjudicators alike — have noticed a marked shift in how it’s danced. The word that often comes up is aggressive.