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Why Dance Education?
Under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, and its reauthorization of No Child Left Behind, the arts, including dance, are named core academic subjects. At the state level, the New Jersey Administrative Code mandates that all students in K-12 schools have opportunities for learning in all four arts; which includes dance (NJAEP, 2012). Below are documents and reports that support the dance in education.
Child's Bill of Rights in Dance
As their right, all children at every level must have access to a balanced, comprehensive, and sequential program of dance instruction taught by teachers qualified in dance.
(Bonbright, 1996)
In 1998, the National Dance Education Organization, NDEO, released a statement of beliefs advocating for each child’s rights in regards to a high quality dance education.
Evidence: A Report on the Impact of Dance in the K-12 Setting
Studies reveal that dance classes can have a positive impact on student achievement, teacher satisfaction, and school culture.
In 2013, the National Dance Education Organization and the National Endowment for the Arts released Evidence: A Report on the Impact of Dance in the K-12 Setting.
Preparing Students for the Next America: The Benefits of an Arts Education
Perhaps now more than ever - as the country becomes increasingly diverse, the world more interconnected, and the workplace more oriented around technology and creativity-arts education is key to such a system and to ensuring students’ success in school, work, and life.
(AEP, 2013, p. 2)
In April 2013, the Arts Education Partnership released Preparing Students for the Next America: The Benefits of an Arts Education. This bulletin draws from a large body of research and highlights the benefits of an arts education, including dance, on school, work, and life as pertinent to the 21st century.
● Dance for Every Child ●
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