Here is a guide for deciding if your child should see Reckless.

This spring, Ballet 5:8 premieres Julianna Rubio Slager’s newest full-length ballet Reckless. A retelling of the Biblical story of Hosea and his promiscuous wife Gomer, Reckless portrays the reckless, beautiful love of a God who pursues to the darkest street corner to redeem the one He loves. Reckless also shines light on the illicit sex trafficking industry that thrives in our country and around the world this very day, with 5% of ticket proceeds donated to organizations that work to end this insidious form of modern day slavery.

At Ballet 5:8, we are committed to sharing stories that matter, not only in our current time, but also in light of an eternal perspective. We are also committed to sharing hope! Ballet 5:8 performances are a great way for adults and children alike to experience the beauty and inspiration of professional dance, and to enjoy stories that lead to conversation of life and faith. Generally speaking, Ballet 5:8 performances are appropriate for a child of any age who is mature enough to sit quietly through a performance. Depending on the child, this could be as young as 5-7 years old.

Due to the sensitive subject matter in Reckless, we recommend using special discretion when deciding whether or not to have your child accompany you to this particular performance. We always take care to present and portray any kind of difficult subject matter in a way that is respectful, sensitive and appropriate. Even so, Reckless is a dramatic portrayal of a difficult story. Prostitution and sex trafficking are weighty topics that your child may or may not be ready to consider. In general, we recommend that children be at least 13 years of age before watching Reckless. However, this is only a recommendation. Please use your own judgement to determine whether it is the right time to share Reckless with your child or teenager.

Looking to have an informed conversation with your teen or get more information about human trafficking?

The following resources are available as a starting point:

A21 Campaign, infographic and definitions about human trafficking.
Guide on how to talk to your child about human trafficking from Baylor University.
Key messages to share with kids about human trafficking from UNICEF USA.