Sex Sells, Lesson 101 for our Children.

I attended a dance recital last night, one for ages preschool upwards of college. Watching parents settle in, my mind flashed back to my own childhood of pageantry. But my, how things have changed. Instead of the somewhat mind numbing waltzes of Swan Lake tempo, Swan Lake has gone hip hop. Interpretive dance has pushed aside the slap stick sound of taps. Justin Timberlake's soft shoe score performed by a young woman in Liza Minnelli's tux attire. Overall, astounding in their talent. A young man, reportedly barely out of middle school, fell to the floor without sound, flew into the air and hovered, his body arched up in bowed bends as if being pulled by his core. His grace and emotion stilled one's breath.

And then there were the boobs.

I am not sure when or what triggered this "kids shouldn't see this" mode I have, but it's been switched. Two high school girls danced to "Bring on the Men", doing well placed splits to lines spouting "so many men...why do some think I'm easy...so many to please" while wearing garter stockings and red lace. But the creme Ala creme was one girl standing behind the other, sliding her hands through the girl in fronts arms and then ...bounce bounce. She man-handled the girl's breasts for the audience, much like a bra fitting in which one feels slightly molested as the fitter tests how much movement a bra is allowing.

I squirmed a bit from that moment till the song finished. No longer watching the stage, my eyes scanned the dimly lit darkness trying to scout out the audiences' characteristics. In front of me, sat three girls, roughly age eight, who giggled and ducked their heads. Across the room I saw mothers, grandparents, brothers and sisters of all ages, and fathers. Men just attending to support a buddy's kid. Women who came to see a friend's daughter shine.

And I shifted again, thinking about these men, fathers, neighbors, teen boys watching these two high school girls dancing in garters and red lace. Their red lipped mouths singing the words about women entertaining men, a song about sex, lust, prostitution. Laughing uncomfortably or voraciously at the questionable boob feel. I wondered if we had sent our message clear enough.

Regardless of talent ladies, sex and sexuality sells.

Forget that these two women were very talented, performed in numerous acts that night with grace, spunk, and eye catching attitude. Forget their MTV, "So You Think You Can Dance" potential. Forget their ability to transfix without the cheap gratuitous sex.

I surveyed my parent-friends, because I do not have children and my impression could be a bit off course. Most seemed a bit off put, some down played it as them being in high school so it was somehow to be expected. Some indicated it did not seem appropriate.

But none seemed outraged.

Reportedly the girls' own parents found it funny, in that cheeky Chevy Chase sort of way.

I think our message has been sent, loud and clear.