Note: This story is a republication of an event that originally made headlines in September 2017.
The principal of Miami Northwestern Senior High School, Wallace Arisitde, issued a public apology and pledged to take action following the widespread circulation of a video featuring the dance team’s performance. The video, originally uploaded by FlyHeight.com, depicted the team wearing provocative costumes.
During their performance on the sidelines of the football field, the dance team members were attired in glittery blue and black bodysuits, lacy pantyhose with garters, and high black boots.
The video ignited controversy, prompting criticism directed at the school for permitting teenagers to wear such attire. Arisitde clarified in a statement that the costumes had been approved by the parents of the girls on the dance team.
He stated, ‘Although all parents of the participating dancers approved of the attire for the event, we acknowledge the raised concerns and offer sincere apologies for any offense caused. Moving forward, we will introduce a more rigorous uniform approval process to ensure our school is accurately represented.’
Criticism also targeted the dance routine, particularly its focus on hip gyrations and fan waving.
The video depicted the team, each girl adorned with full makeup and high ponytails, performing as the marching band marched past
FlyHeight captioned the video: “Is This Appropriate?”
The video received over 18,000 views on the site and tens of thousands on Facebook.
The video elicited mixed reactions from the community.
In an interview with Local10, Miami Northwestern grandmother Debbie Frasier stated: “If they’re dancers, they’re entertainers. So if you have the same problem, you have the problem with BeyoncĂ© or young child stars who dress that way on national television.”
However, many criticized the revealing costumes. One Facebook user commented: “I think for a high school they totally could have done without the garter belts. It’s definitely other ways to jazz up a dance uniform.”
Another wrote: “This is a high school dance team! How did the adults think this was okay?”
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