As a former competitive dancer, as a mother, and as a WOMAN, I enjoyed the Super Bowl halftime performance by both Shakira and Jennifer Lopez. Let’s be real, the Saints didn’t make it into the big championship this year, so my investment, along with plenty of other fellow NOLA moms, was more into the commercials and the highly anticipated Pepsi Halftime Show. The countdown to halftime had me on the edge of the sofa and reminding my little hopeful-dancer that the show was about to begin!
Everything from the pyrotechnics to the choreography to the sparkling costumes had us in awe. It was a lengthy performance, but there was so much that had my little girl and I captivated and pleasantly entertained. I would sit down on the couch with my daughter and watch it again, and here’s why:
This performance was a celebration of women.
Those were two iconic, award-winning women on that stage who didn’t miss a beat or a step to showcase their talents and their femininity. It’s so satisfying to live in a land where these things are appreciated. To watch a worldwide performance with two respectable women showing off their hard work and skill in a field they love was an inspiration to both my little girl and me.
This performance proved that female sexuality isn’t a bad thing.
Their sexuality only enhanced the art that was their performance – singing, dancing, playing guitar, all of it! A 43-year-old and a 50-year-old expressing themselves in such a beautiful, artful, and gosh darn it! the strenuous-as-heck manner was such an accomplishment. This performance proved to all of us that you don’t have to be young to be beautiful, you don’t have to be child-free to be sexy, and you don’t have to be a man to fulfill your dreams and express yourself however you want. You can put in the dedication and the effort like these two hard-working mothers did and bask in your element, whatever it may be – emotional, physical, sexual — and that’s the American Dream right there!
This performance was a recognition of an art form.
It wasn’t about two sexy women wearing scantily clad costumes shaking their hips to get some likes from men. Quite the contrary! Shakira’s iconic image is her cultural singing and dancing. Her belly-dancing and the Columbian-style dance moves she showcased are a learned genre of dance that she worked incredibly hard to master. Of course, her belly needs to show for the audience to see and appreciate the intricate movement. And, just as a ballerina wears a tutu to show off their intricate footwork, J-Lo’s complex choreography and fluid body movement would not have been appreciated in the same way had she covered up every part that she was accentuating. The female body can do amazing things, and if you can look past the stereotypical objectification aspect and appreciate such a mesmerizing physique for what it truly is and can do, then it’s great entertainment and some major mom-body goals.
Pointing out to my little girl that those were two mommies on that stage only excited me; it certainly didn’t offend me. Showing my tiny little dancer all of the complex dancing going on hopefully incited a little drive and motivation in her own very young dancing career. Ooh-ing and aah-ing over all of the bright and shimmering costumes all over the stage made the evening that much more enjoyable for each of us. We were just a couple of girls watching two other girls fulfill their dreams and empower women everywhere. Cheers to the NFL for incorporating such beautiful, sexy, fun, and diverse entertainment.
Great article! Women need to stop hating on other women and celebrate them. These are two incredibly talented women we should all appreciate. I’m not a huge JLo or Sharika fan. I don’t listen to Latin music. But as a 58 year old woman, I can appreciate the commitment and time it takes to stay in great shape, be on top of their game with talent, and be so damn comfortable in their own skin. These women knocked it out the park!
Excellent. My niece did a bit of performing and have many others in our circle who have children in dance I guarantee that the opportunities for young ladies throughout my 65 years on the planet have been much fewer and more inaccessible than activities for young men. I think of little league and junior football. Girls had precious few activities especially in smaller communities. So I can imagine seeing something you love performed at the most-watched event of the year for a few minutes would be spectacular. I know how the little girls around me loved watching Olga Korbut and Mary Lou Retton. I can see them now doing flips in the living room in front of the television.
Yes, Thank you! it was great entertainment in more ways than one!