ePolitix.com Stakeholders comment on the news that the government has announced it will be providing more funding to encourage young people to take up dance as an activity.
An extra £5.5m will be invested in dance in the UK to help young people have fun and stay fit.
Party response: Liberal Democrat
Don Foster, culture, media and sport spokesperson, said: "Dance is extremely popular among women and girls, but the government has had a very lax approach towards it so far.
"While I very much welcome the funding commitment announced today, dance has been put on the back burner for far too long. The dance review was originally due out last year and has been repeatedly delayed.
"With this kind of attitude, it’s no wonder that the percentage of women taking part in sport is decreasing.
"If Labour are serious about reversing the trend of declining female participation in sport, they must give popular activities like dance the support and attention they deserve."
Stakeholder response: Association of Physical Education
To send a comment to the afPE click here
A spokesperson told ePolitix.com: "The Association for Physical Education (afPE) values dance as an integral part of national curriculum physical education, and as an essential element of a broad and balanced curriculum.
"afPE welcomes the outcomes of the dance review, believing that positive relationships between teachers of dance and physical education will provide enhanced experiences for all children, both boys and girls.
"Dance is the second most popular school physical education activity, so afPE warmly welcomes this new investment. We are delighted that our CEO, Professor Margaret Talbot OBE, will be a member of the Dance Review Programme Board.
"However, afPE urges that attention be given to aligning the needs of this welcome investment, with other aspects of government policy. For example, while the government emphasises the importance of dance and physical education to children's learning and school life, there have been, paradoxically, reductions in the allocation of Initial Teacher Training (ITT) places for both dance and physical education.
"Thus far, too, there has been little visibility of dance's facilities needs in the "Building Schools for the Future" capital programme.
"Finally, the systemic weaknesses in some initial training for primary teachers, in preparing them adequately for physical education and dance, does need to be addressed.
"afPE looks forward to government recognition of the effects of its policies in initial teacher training on physical education and dance, and to further focus on school facilities, so that Lord Adonis' assertion that all should have the opportunity to dance and that schools need a sprung floor and suitably qualified teacher, made at the launch of Tony Hall's (chief executive of the Royal Opera House) dance review, can be realised.
"afPE will support the implementation of the dance review, and welcomes the opportunity to support it through contributing to strategy, through the extensive expertise and experience of its members, and through its own publications and continuing professional development."
