The importance of dance in schools has been a hot topic of conversation recently, in politics, media and education itself. There has also been much focus on subjects which could be classed as purely ‘academic’ and how studying these alone prevents students from thinking and acting creatively; the arts would fall by the wayside. Support for creative outlets has been vast from the sector itself, thinking about how young people are able to express themselves in a way which isn’t scoring high in a test.
In some schools, dance falls into PE classes, but often led by a teacher with a sports and science background, rather than an artistic one. Dance comes into its own subject at GCSE and A level, but the support for these classes is not common outside of dance itself. Whilst there may be a school choir, band or theatre group, dance can be neglected, unless it is supported within vocational training schools. Introducing dance to a mainstream school can be challenging but it is a big step that is rewarding too, especially for students.
A specialised dance programme can often be misunderstood, purely because it is not seen as academic and of value, however the way students learn and the way they develop is completely relative, and opinions on dance are entirely subjective. For dance students, the importance of the subject is undeniable, like science is for those students and sport is for that group of students. With the incorporation of dance in the school system, the improvements in students’ school work and attitude toward school is of note, often providing a creative outlet for students to express themselves through movement, especially for those who do not gel with school.
As an academic discipline, dance is a different learning experience for everyone, creating freedom and movement. Dance creates undeniable bonds between peers which last well beyond school; and can offer a support network too. Dance should have more relevance for schools in developing students.