Dance teachers are ideally positioned to implement safe dance practices and injury prevention strategies for their students. However, to date, it is unclear whether these safe dance practices are being utilized and implemented by teachers in dance schools and private studios. To this end, we aimed to understand dance teachers' knowledge, beliefs,…

The study explores the pedagogical practices employed by ballet instructors for engaging boys in ballet. Inclusive practices for gender non-conforming children in ballet are also considered. Four ballet instructors shared their experiences in semi-structured interviews. Findings indicate that male-focused strategies in both recruitment and…

Teachers are key players in creating inclusive dance education environments. Guided by a conceptual framework of relational ethics, this qualitative study explored the perceptions and practices of four elementary school dance teachers teaching in public schools in two large school districts in Western Canada. Data collection involved interviews,…

"Dance for individuals with Down syndrome has many benefits; however, there is little research on this topic." Down syndrome is the most common "genetic condition," resulting in psychological, physical, and social impairments. There is research to suggest that dance may be a beneficial activity for people with Down syndrome;…

Among 20 Ontario elementary school teachers (average teaching experience 13 years), none had ever taught creative dance but all felt it should be included in the elementary curriculum. Barriers to implementation included lack of training and confidence, little support from administrators and policymakers, and lack of resources and facilities. (SV)

Eight preschool and primary school teachers participated in workshops on planning creative dance instruction. Four months after the workshops, all eight were using dance as an educational tool. Reasons for teachers' choice to use dance in the classroom are discussed. (MDM)