Dancing at a Hawks game

[minkydog]

I've only been to two NBA games in my life, but I was there last Saturday night to watch my DD13 sing the National Anthem. Before her group came out to sing, there were several dance groups who came out and did a type of step-dance and hip-hop. One group in particular had about 50 young girls ranging in age from about 7 to 16. They were dressed in tight hip-hugger shorts and crop tops, so their little bellies were hanging out.

Then they started this BOOTY DANCING OMG! Do their mothers not know what they're doing? I've been around the block a time or two,but this was really suggestive. My DD and her 13yo friends actually covered their eyes, they were so embarrassed and several of the fathers turned their heads.

I thought it was just an isolated incident until the Hawks cheerleaders came out. Now granted, these are all 30yo women in top shape, but they're gyrating like they're starring at the Cheetah Club. The Hawks give out prizes to the audience for the best dancing up in the stands--you wanna know who won? A little 7yo who shook her hiney for the big screen. All she needed was a pole!

I'm not a prude, but I was really offended

 

[cardaway]

Welcome to the modern NBA. What do people think those women are there for? It's no different at other games.

 

[Bob Slydell]

Welcome to the modern NBA. What do people think those women are there for? It's no different at other games.

Yep, what he said

 

[clarabelle]

Im not an NBA fan -but it seems kind of "thuggish" to me.
Not full of good wholesome fun.
JMO

 

[minkydog]

So, this goes on at all the NBA games? I've just ever seen anything like this before. And I can kinda see the adult women doing their dance, but the 7 year olds It just made me feel kinda icky

 

[minkydog]

Im not an NBA fan -but it seems kind of "thuggish" to me.
Not full of good wholesome fun.
JMO

Interesting comment. I would have to agree--thuggish is exactly how it felt. Like it was appealing to the lowest common denominator.

 

[Bob Slydell]

So, this goes on at all the NBA games? I've just ever seen anything like this before. And I can kinda see the adult women doing their dance, but the 7 year olds It just made me feel kinda icky

Most, if not all, NBA teams have dance teams.

As far as the pre-game acts, I know around here they have dance studios from the area come and do those. It's usually a variety of ages, from little girls to teenagers. The routines vary, however, from what I've seen. That's up to the dance studio -- the teams have nothing to do with the routines the girls do.

I've rarely been to games early enough to catch the pre-game stuff. I usually get there 10-15 minutes before the game and by then, they're in pre-game warmups.

 

[cardaway]

So, this goes on at all the NBA games? I've just ever seen anything like this before. And I can kinda see the adult women doing their dance, but the 7 year olds It just made me feel kinda icky

The 7yo's (by your account) were there to imitate the women doing the dancing. Doubt they would be invited to do what you were expecting.

As for the rest of the NBA, yes, look no further than each teams website.

And it's pretty much in the same in the NFL as well.

 

[Alicnwondrln]

you it stinks
the celtics were the last time in the league to NOT have the dancers
they got them this yr
reds rolling in his grave
he was against it

 

[jspahn]

I went to a Hawks game about a week and a half ago for the first time. And I can promise you it will be my last.
I too found it "thuggish" and they had the real young girls then too. I couldnt believe thier outfits for such young kids.

And yes, the Hawks adult dancers could seriously be Cheetah Club girls on the side (for you non-atlanta people, thats a large strip club here).


I mean, I was getting annoyed with the addition of "Ice Girls" at the hockey games, but they are nothing compared to the stuff at the Hawks game!

 

[cardaway]

Interesting comment. I would have to agree--thuggish is exactly how it felt. Like it was appealing to the lowest common denominator.

You are far from alone but it's a pretty touchy subject.

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/sports/16828863.htm

In many ways I agree that the NBA has become thug central and I have all but tuned it out. But I think most people taking the thug angle are looking at the off the court stuff where I am looking at it as a loss in the gameplay itself. If I wanted to watch kids play streetball I can go downtown rather than pay $75 a seat or watch commericials every ten minutes.

 

[cougar242]

Now I am a little nervous. Since we just moved to the Atlanta area at Christmas I thought it would be neat to take the kids to an NBA game. (We have never lived in a city that had one.) So I got tickets to the March 25 game and taking my 5 and 6 year old.
A little off topic if your ticket says 1pm how early do you need to get there??
Kim

 

[Bob Slydell]

Now I am a little nervous. Since we just moved to the Atlanta area at Christmas I thought it would be neat to take the kids to an NBA game. (We have never lived in a city that had one.) So I got tickets to the March 25 game and taking my 5 and 6 year old.
A little off topic if your ticket says 1pm how early do you need to get there??
Kim

You'll be fine. Frankly speaking, a 5 and 6 year old isn't going to get the "sexiness" of the dance team. They'll just enjoy all the entertainment going on around them. It's not all pole dancing strippers and sex -- there's a lot of family entertainment going on in between timeouts in general.

I'm not getting the "thuggish" aspect of dance teams? There's nothing thuggish about it -- heck, flip on ESPN2 in the middle of the night (I was bored ) and catch any of the cheerleading/dance competitions they show. It's pretty much the same stuff.

 

[minkydog]

Now I am a little nervous. Since we just moved to the Atlanta area at Christmas I thought it would be neat to take the kids to an NBA game. (We have never lived in a city that had one.) So I got tickets to the March 25 game and taking my 5 and 6 year old.
A little off topic if your ticket says 1pm how early do you need to get there??
Kim

You'll be fine. If the game starts at 1pm, get there about 20 minutes early. By then the players will be warming up and the booty dancing will be pretty much over. Phillips Arena is an awesome venue. You'll have a great time and it's very safe, IMO. At half time you might want to get some popcorn if you don't want the kids to watch the girly show.

 

[jspahn]

I'm not getting the "thuggish" aspect of dance teams? There's nothing thuggish about it -- heck, flip on ESPN2 in the middle of the night (I was bored ) and catch any of the cheerleading/dance competitions they show. It's pretty much the same stuff.

Its not just the dance team. Its general atmosphere at the game - the people, the music, etc. Or at least, it felt that way to me.

Certainly I am not some old fogey saying this- I'm only 31, but I thought some things (like the kid dancers) were inappropriate. Maybe what I'm saying is the atmosphere/people/entertainment was vastly different than at a hockey or baseball game (the usual sports I frequent).

 

[Bob Slydell]

Certainly I am not some old fogey saying this- I'm only 31, but I thought some things (like the kid dancers) were inappropriate. Maybe what I'm saying is the atmosphere/people/entertainment was vastly different than at a hockey or baseball game (the usual sports I frequent).

I won't argue the appropriateness of the dancing, but I will say that I don't think that is necessarily because of the sport itself and rather, partially because of the venue. Large outdoor stadiums and ice rinks don't exactly work well for dance teams.