In April Collective Shout ran a piece by Jemma Nicoll (first published on MTR) exposing the harmful online practices of global dancewear label California Kisses (CK). The company’s homepage advertisement featured three models aged 12-16 posed alongside the slogan ‘Pop That’, a popular porn-inspired phrase referring to the ‘popping’ of her cherry, or the taking of virginity.
The article called CK to account on its unmonitored social media activity- almost 300,000 followers, mostly teenage girls, were exposed to online trolls posting abusive, paedophilic comments on the images of CK child models.
On 29 April, Collective Shout wrote to the four Australian dancewear retailers that stock CK, including Showcase- the licence-holders for on-selling the label in Australia. We invited stockists to respond by removing the label from their stores and letting the company know, until CK decided to demonstrate corporate social responsibility and ethical online practices.
Showcase did not respond. Out of the other retailers contacted – Tu Tu Cute Dance Supplies, Pirouette and Daisy Dancewear -Collective Shout received only one patronizing email reply from Tutu Cute Dance Supplies in Perth, WA which showed complete disregard for the online safety of young girls and ethical practices in children’s advertising: 
CK did not respond directly to the accusations made in the piece or to the general outrage expressed on social media in response. However we note that the company has since quietly removed the ‘Pop That’ slogan from their on-line advertising. CK’s Instagram account is currently clear of paedophilic comments.
Thanks to all who helped us put pressure on CK to stop borrowing from a porn genre in their dance wear advertising.
Listen: Jemma Nicoll on ABC Radio National Life Matters program, Tuesday 9 June
Two weeks ago I ran this piece by Sydney dance teacher and writer Jemma Nicoll, about the sexification of young dancers inside Australia’s booming dance studio scene.
It became one of the most popular pieces I’ve ever published here at MTR.
In this continuing investigation,Jemma has now uncovered more about the seedy underside of the industry, including sext-up styling and posing of girls in ads for dance wear.
Jemma Nicoll
The girl on your left is 16.
The one in the middle is 14.
The one to your right, she’s 12 years old.
And the dancewear company they model for think it’s OK to exploit them for male paedophiliac fantasies.
‘Pop that’. For those who are unaware, this is a porn-inspired phrase referring to the ‘popping’ of her cherry – taking her virginity. It’s a popular porn genre.
It is also the phrase superimposed over the three child models on the homepage of California Kisses (CK); a popular American dance wear label currently advertising for new Australian stockists. The dancers featured are posed coyly in CK’s renowned crop and booty short combinations.
In a recent advertisement for the label, CK feature a girl who appears to be around 5-7 years of age dressed in a brief French Maid’s outfit.
The brand currently supply to four Australian stockists including Showcase: the largest dance competition event in the country. Together, Showcase and CK held the ‘California Kisses Australian Model Search’ in January, with the crowned winner receiving an all-expenses paid trip to the U.S for a modeling shoot with the company.
The parent company of Showcase is Global Events & Entertainment Pty Ltd, which holds the exclusive license to on-sell CK stock in Australia. Last week they invited all Australian dancewear retailers to submit an application to stock the CK label.
CK has a global following of over 278,000 users on Instagram. On reading the comments that flood their account daily, their audience can be compartmentalised into two: dancers as young as 10, and older men who blatantly express their gratification at the little girls posing in the CK range. Here is a sample of what the company allow on their page for thousands of girls to see.
‘Give me a blowy’
‘F*** her right in the pussy’
‘Nice body for f***’
‘Nice position for f***’
‘Slap it’
‘I enjoy this photo’
‘Mmmh’
‘Small as breasticles’
‘[Too] flat chested. What’s the reason to wear that if there’s nothing?’
‘This b**** is anorexic’
‘So hot’
‘Sexy girl’,
‘So cute girl’,
‘I want to marry her’, ‘
Hey how old are you?’
After clicking on a serial commenter who appreciates many of the company’s images, I arrived at the profile of a middle-aged man smiling proudly alongside his wife and two sons.
After pasting one of many foreign comments by Middle-Eastern men into Google translator, I can now say ‘absolutely gorgeous’ in the Farsi dialect.
Among the pedophiliac comments are those of thousands of young girls despising their own bodies and publicly shaming the faces, bellies, breasts and thighs of others. ‘I’m so fat I don’t stand a chance’ says one, with crying face emoticon and a gun pointing towards it.
With advertising and online practices like these, we call on Australian dancewear companies to demonstrate corporate social responsibility and not go near the CK brand. Current Australian stockists should remove the CK brand.
California Kisses needs to clean up its act and do right by the thousands of young girls that follow their every move.
Give California Kisses your feedback:
Website: californiakisses.com
Twitter: @CaliKissesDance
Facebook: facebook.com/CaliforniaKissesDance
Jemma Nicoll is a UTS Journalism graduate and freelance writer. She directs Inspire Creative Arts, a dance school in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire and is involved in mentoring and self-esteem development programs for girls.
12 Responses
Ban this practice worldwide.
This is such an eye-opener. Thanks for the great reporting. I am thoroughly disgusted by theses company’s attitude and violation of our young women. SHAME ON THEM!!!
I agree that this is very disturbing and a violation of young women. I applaud you for speaking out against this. I support the call to Australian dance companies to avoid the CK brand and not sell their products while ever they use sexualisation of young girls for advertising. We must stand together as a global community to stop the sexualisation of young girls. Let’s send a message that this is unacceptable!
Thank you for bringing these issues out into the open. There is a fine line in the dance world between appreciating aesthetic beauty and taking advantage of naive young girls. I just read another article yesterday about this issue in the context of a ballet school photographer:
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/scandal-at-the-ballet-182514144.html
This is apalling. I will boycott this brand and am I determined to spread the word in my family and community. How dare you exploit young girls for your own sick desires. You are pathetic.
Thankyou for this article. I couldn’t see any inappropriate comments on their Instagram account. Although their clothing and images seems so inappropriate for girls. Hopefully they have seen your article.
My daughter participated in dance competitions. Thank God her teacher had a degree in early childhood education as well as dance credentials. Outfits the girls wore were always tasteful and age appropriate. Can’t say the same for other dance troupes. It’s not just the advertising. Dance competitions continue to sexualise young girls both in choreography and the outfits they wear. Boycott CK and and other “outfits” which are inappropriate. Come on PARENTS … you have the power to choose!
Until these items are banned…parents can do their bit by NOT BUYING THEM.
This is sickening and CK should be doing more to moderate these comments and make the site safer for the young people who are reading them. This is not ok and needs to be stopped. Something also needs to be done about the comments relating to self hatred and bullying of other girls in the photos. This company has a responsibility to promote self worth and nurturing of the young people ad their families who keep it in business.
How many parents allow and actively encourage the makeup and skimpy costumes on their young girls.
Why lay the blame solely on the costume company.?
I can not believe that these headings managed to get to print/web/instagram – so very inappropriate and this would have gone through a hefty approval process I am sure.
Interestingly enough I have just been on their website and instagram account and can not see any of the above material on there which is great because they are obviously listening to the masses who have been disgusted by it.
A good reminder to be vigilant with any social media our kids are on and to check not only what they post but what they are looking at too.
The police should be able to land these sicko pieces of you know what. We identify people who download movies, tv shows and music and these people are fined and prosecuted. I’d rather some of that energy be used to rip the lungs out of paedophile scum.