Mother's Itsy Bitsy complaint has girl thrown out of dance school

A five-year-old girl has been dropped from a Toronto dance school after her mother complained to school officials about the use of the classic 1960 song Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini in class.

Kara Holm's daughter was enrolled in the jazz, tap and ballet programs at the Randolph Dance Academy in the Annex neighbourhood.

Holm said she found the content of the song "a little bit alarming" because the lyrics portray the girl as being ashamed of her body. The song describes a girl who is "afraid to come out of the water" because of her revealing bathing suit.



"I know people are going to think, 'Oh, she's overreacting it's just a silly nonsense song,'" Holm said. "I just really felt there was no need to choose that particular song for kids."

When Holm questioned why instructors didn't choose from hundreds of other songs that were more age-appropriate, she said the school kicked her daughter out.

The Randolph Dance Academy said it stands behind the musical choice and has issued a refund to Holm. A spokesperson said a number of options were presented, but in the end, parting ways seemed to be the only solution.