The pandemic has impacted on all areas of education. Levels of physical activity among children and young people fell while schools were partially closed. Dance and other enrichment activities were heavily restricted as school leaders worked to keep pupils and staff safe.
Here we explore some of the ways governing boards can now re-establish and support dance education in their school or trust 鈥 you can explore these themes further in our聽Dance guide for governing boards.
Championing聽dance in schools聽
High-quality dance education thrives聽when聽governing boards and school leaders celebrate and champion dance, advocate its value to parents and enable all pupils to engage and participate.聽Teachers often tell us how much they value the support of their senior leadership team and governing board:
鈥淚 am incredibly lucky that I have a hugely supportive聽headteacher and聽蝉别苍颈辞谤听濒别补诲别谤蝉丑颈辫听迟别补尘聽who are looking to expand聽dance across the school both within聽and beyond聽the curriculum.鈥鈥 -聽A level secondary school dance teacher聽
鈥淲e have a huge enrichment programme in our school and since introducing this we鈥檝e noticed聽a significant increase聽in student uptake in dance qualifications at key stage 3 and 4.鈥澛- College dance teacher
Dance is for everyone!聽
Dance education can make a significant contribution to young people鈥檚 development and the vibrancy of school life.聽For example,聽dance can聽support:聽
- whole school improvement聽
- building skills for life聽
- mental and emotional wellbeing聽
- improved聽physical health聽
- enriching cultural experiences聽
Here are our top tips to聽support聽school leaders and governing boards聽building a culture that embraces dance education.
- Work to remove any preconceived ideas about who can dance or what a 鈥榙ancer鈥 looks like. Giving all pupils access to dance through effective聽curriculum design听辫谤辞惫颈诲别蝉听equality聽and a level playing field聽for all.聽Pupils聽also聽see dance as a way of expressing their own culture and a vehicle for appreciating others.
- Ensure there is a聽strategy for dance in school with聽measurable and achievable goals.聽Structured schemes of work聽should be聽used involving choreography, performance and appreciation. These can be shared as models of good practice with other settings.聽
- Offer pupils a range of performing opportunities聽in school and聽externally.听笔补谤迟苍别谤蝉丑颈辫蝉聽with dance organisations can聽expand and聽enhance聽the聽school鈥檚聽offer.聽
- Provide opportunities for teachers to take part in聽dance-based聽professional development聽to promote best practice and stay up to date with sector news.聽One Dance UK offer聽curriculum appropriate聽beginners聽programmes聽听补苍诲听聽for teachers with a foundation knowledge in dance.
Preparing for creative futures聽
According to the Creative Industries Federation, jobs in the UK鈥檚 creative industries were growing at four times the UK average prior to the pandemic, with one million people employed in these sectors and a further one million jobs projected to be created by 2030. This data suggests that, as a significant contributor to the creative industries, there is a need for the next generation of dance workers to be聽effectively聽trained and supported.
Dance education provides pupils with transferable skills essential for a variety of careers, not just in dance. Leadership and teamwork skills are built through choreography and performance. Perseverance and resilience skills are acquired through the repetition of movements in technique classes and through exploration in choreography. Appreciation and analytical skills are learnt through pupils鈥 reflections on professional work, their own choreography and work by their peers. These skills contribute positively to each pupil鈥檚 success in life.
One Dance UK is the Subject Association for聽dance, advocating聽for聽the importance of high-quality dance education. For聽resources,聽programmes,聽advocacy tools聽and more,聽visit聽.
Explore our聽cultural education guides聽for governing boards covering dance, art, craft and design,聽music聽and creativity across the curriculum.