Shaping future directions for dance education

The relationship between curriculum development and teacher’s practice is often diminished through political and cultural agendas as well as changing trends in teacher education and students’ interests and experiences in dance. The ongoing research and forum presentations by Dance and the Child International (daCi) colleagues on international curriculum developments have identified that many countries have developed meaningful dance curricula that reveal that identity development is closely linked to learning and education. Unfortunately, the implementation of those curricula have been impeded by many barriers, such as the lack of respect and understanding of the role of dance education for all young people, the adequate training for dance artists, specialist and generalist teachers, and a clear set of standards for dance education. It is evident that the need for advocacy and collaboration is essential for the maintenance and implementation of dance curricula in our schools. In this paper, ideas and successes may provide a platform from which to support and guide dance experiences for young people. Firstly, an outline of the results of a survey questionnaire that was sent to dance educators in selected countries will be outlined. The results of the survey questionnaire provide insight into how dance is experienced, and insight into the deeper personal meanings of people who stayed involved in dance beyond childhood. Additionally, the findings propose key characteristics of dance learning that advocate for the importance of a comprehensive dance education. Secondly, identifying the major learning outcomes of international dance curricula and relating them to what young people have said about their experiences may convey what is needed in future curricula development for both young students and teacher education.