Member News
By Frank Doran MP - 11th October 2011
Frank Doran MP warns that under recent school curriculum reforms the role dance can play in education is in danger of being overlooked.
Few people realise how popular dance is for young people. The PE and Schools Sport Club Links scheme survey reveals dance is second only to football as the most popular physical activity for young people in England, and the Dance in Scotland report in August stated that more people in Scotland are dancing than playing football.
However, in the recent reform of the school curriculum to support young peoples' knowledge and skills, the role dance can play in education is in danger of being overlooked.
Studies have shown that dance can make a huge difference to a child’s overall performance in school. Dance as a subject is unique because it contributes to both the artistic education and physical activity offers in schools, whilst helping children develop skills to help them communicate better, work as a team member, analyse further and imagine more. Research undertaken at Karolinska University in Sweden and the Umea Institute, published in the Journal of Neuroscience in 2008, shows that accuracy in timing is important to the brain processes responsible for problem solving and reasoning. Trinity Laban has undertaken research on 11-14 year olds involved in creative dance activity which showed increased self-esteem and motivation for students, which can also contribute to government’s targets to improve young people’s happiness.
The All Party Parliamentary Dance Group has been working for five years to raise the profile of dance in Westminster.
The Department for Education has stated that competitive sport will be part of the curriculum, but what role will dance play in PE considering it gives the highest chance of engaging young people in physical activity who don't enjoy or perform well in competitive sport? 40 per cent of girls have dropped out of all sports by the time they are 18. As dance is the most popular physical activity for girls, we must address provision of dance as an option for girls in schools to encourage women to exercise for their whole lives.
GCSE and A-level dance are rigorous subjects which stretch pupils physically and academically, and enrich the broad education of young people. Advice from The Russell Group Universities Guide to pupils making subject choices post 16 says "…students who take one 'soft' subject as part of a wider portfolio of subjects do not experience any problems applying to a Russell Group University". If this is the case, why are ministers singling out dance as a subject which isn't valuable, except for those pupils who want to become dancers?
Music in education is supported much more than dance - just 58 pence per school aged child is spent on dance activity, compared to £38.21 per child invested in music, and £79.47 per child invested in sport.
The performing arts industry contributes £3.5bn annually to the British economy. The Dance and Drama Awards offer scholarships to exceptionally talented students and the nine Centres for Advanced Training enable further exceptional students to access quality dance training whilst remaining in mainstream education. The DaDAs have been particularly successful in doubling the percentage of black, minority and ethnic students in performing arts training between 1999 and 2010. How are we going to ensure the DaDAs and CATs continue to support students from challenging socio-economic backgrounds and dance doesn't become a subject for those who can afford it?
Frank Doranhas been Labour MP for Aberdeen North since 1987 and is secretary of the all party parliamentary dance group.
Dods Parliamentary Communications Ltd