About a week ago my school had its annual day to celebrate its founding. This meant that I got to see a wonderful ceremony which included an eerie voice recording of the school's founder and performances by the students. The choir sang, with the most adorable choreography which was compounded by the fact that some students forgot it and were doing the wrong move at the wrong time:) There were these other dance performances, and oh. em. gee. was is scandalous!
I mean, okay, in Korea women can wear the shortest skirts/shorts ever, but if I as much as show my collarbones, I'm the slut. And apparently our school has no problem with girls wearing skirts super above the strict below-the-knees rule...as long as its for a performance. And it was totally fine to wear these backless dresses. And it was totally okay for them the chest pop, get low, thrust, and the like.
As I sat on the stands, in the section of teachers squeezed between students and the administrators on stage--including the two school representatives of Han Buddhism-- I wondered why no one else was bothered by this.
There's this notion that my students have, which I'm sure the teachers/adults have as well, that since public schools in the US don't have uniforms, that students can wear whatever they want. And that the hip thrusting they see in western movies/TV actually happens, and is common, at school. But the reality is that most public schools STILL have some sort of dress code, so that actually, no, we can't just wear whatever we want--and honestly, I've never, ever, in all my years of going to school in the states, seen a girl wear a skirt as short, or shorter, than a girl in korea. Oh right, and that hip thrusting dancing? Not in a high school, at least not in my high school. I cant say this confidently because I oversaw the pep rallies/student performances and everything was checked--from wardrobe, to song lyrics, to dance moves. I'm not saying it doesn't happens, but in clubs or dance halls, or I dunno, on the streets. Most definitely not in high schools ceremonies.
I'm not sure why there's this double standard. You reprimand students for hiking up their skirts after school hours, but then its totally okay for them to show so much skin for a dance performance in front of the whole school, the principals, and the administration. Is it simply because its a dance performance? Is it based off a notion that this is just how you do things, as modeled by the west? Is it approved because, hey, at least it's not as bad as how students in the west behave?
I'm not a prude, but considering how strict my school is--with everything--I was just surprised that that ish could fly.
Anyway, the ceremony was wrapped up by the school's cheer team. But definitely not the kind that comes to mind a la Bring it On but more like a spirit team/pep squad? No somersaults, not flips, no pyramids, no launching people into the air. More like a lot of arm movements, running around trying to get people to clap/be excited, and coordinated formations. Oh, and there were pom poms & like western--and by this I mean like cowboys western--inspired outfits which were super cute :)
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