Criticism of Costume Photo Leads Dance Team to Apologize

Robert Morris University offered an apology and a promise to have their dance team submit future costumes for approval from now on after a local blogger who focuses on writing about mental illness issues complained about a photo someone sent her of the dance team in modified straightjacket costumes.

The RMU dance team earned 8th place nationally at a recent dance competition with the routine, in which they modified chefs coats to resemble straitjackets, teased their hair out and wore dark raccoon eye makeup. An anonymous tipster forwarded the story and photo to Chrisa Hickey, who has a 16-year-old son with schizoaffective disorder and advocates for better treatment of people with mental illness on her blog.

Hickey, who did not see the performance, felt disturbed enough by the photo to fire off a message to RMU. University Director of Athletics Megan M. Smith Eggert replied to Hickey, saying no harm was intended and apologizing for the routine.

One of the dance team members, senior Jackie Sheppard, tried to defend the routine, saying that they were trying to do something different from the traditional sunny, happy routines normally performed by dance teams, and that the team has performed the routine before.