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  • Introduction - Overview of DTAPs Mission and Work to Date
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  • Regulatory Framework - Report back from Breakout Discussion Groups

History of DTAP

The aim of DTAP, instigated by Laban in 2007, was to bring together key national dance organisations with remits for dance education and youth dance to discuss ways in which access to participatory dance for young people might be more readily available. The original project partners were: Council for Dance Education and Training, Dance UK, Foundation for Community Dance, Laban, National Dance Teachers Association and Youth Dance England.

A report, commissioned by DTAP and written by Susanne Burns was published in January 2008. It focused on the training and accreditation needs of dance professionals without formal teaching qualifications who work with young people both within and outside of the formal school sector. The report was presented at a dissemination event (February 2008) attended by representatives from across the dance sector.

Following the report, the original DTAP partners took developments into a new phase with the creation of the Dance and Training and Accreditation Partnership thus maintaining the DTAP acronym. The group expanded its membership to include other partners (*) that reflect the breadth of the dance sector that contribute to the provision of dance for young people. The Dance Training and Accreditation Partnership, established as a consortium, now comprises:

• Association of Dance of the African Diaspora (ADAD) *
• Council for Dance Education and Training (CDET)
• Dance UK
• Foundation for Community Dance (FCD)
• National Dance Teachers Association (NDTA)
• Standing Conference of Dance in Higher Education (SCODHE) *
• South Asian Dance Alliance (SADA)*
• Youth Dance England (YDE)
  Together with National Dance Network (NDN) * and Laban as consultative partners

In April 2009 Arts Council England made an award of £200,000 from Grants for the Arts to Foundation for Community Dance to support DTAP.

This funding will enable the development of a qualification for working in dance with young people (led by Youth Dance England), the development of professional standards  in community dance (led by Foundation for Community Dance), and research and development for a broader regulatory framework for the teaching of dance outside of formal education.