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• 2010 DTAP Conference
  • Introduction - Overview of DTAPs Mission and Work to Date
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The Diploma in Dance Teaching & Learning (Children & Young People)

The Diploma in Dance Teaching & Learning (Children & Young People) or DDTAL (CYP) sits at Level 6 of the Qualification and Credit Framework (QCF). The diploma recently achieved QTLS status and benchmarks the practice of dance artists and practitioners working with children and young people.  DDTAL (CYP) is a Trinity College London (TCL) qualification, commissioned by DTAP. 

DDTAL (CYP) is the first qualification that:

• Has been developed at the request of the major national dance organisations, led by Youth Dance England (YDE) on behalf of DTAP
• Is designed specifically for dance artists and practitioners who wish to, or already, work with children and young people beyond statutory education and the private dance sector
• Provides evidence to employers, colleagues and parents/carers that a dance artist or practitioner has the expertise to teach children and young people
• Provides relevant and accessible continuing professional development, gained through independent study, professional guidance and/or taught sessions
• DDTAL (CYP) has 90 credits at Level 6 of the national QCF, which is comparable to the assessment standards of the third year of a BA honours degree. It demonstrates that dance artists and practitioners have the knowledge, experience, expertise and skill needed to teach dance to young people effectively and safely.

DDTAL (CYP) is the only industry-led qualification of its kind, and is a major step forward for dance teaching and learning in the UK. 

Where can I take DDTAL (CYP)?

Organisations interested in offering the Diploma, and candidates wishing to take the diploma either through a course of study, or independent assessment, should contact Trinity College London directly.

Further details, including a list of current training providers can be found at www.trinitycollege.co.uk/DDTAL or by emailing dance@trinitycollege.co.uk

How does the Qualification work?

In simple terms the qualification produced by TCL is similar to the driving test. They have set the indicative course content, standards, assessment modes and criteria and will examine the performance of the candidates. All the support services that are delivered by driving schools to help people prepare to take the test have to be created to assist people prepare to take the Qualification and it is this area that DTAP is now considering how to support.

The qualification is designed to be flexible to meet the needs of practitioners who will be at different stages in careers. Overall the aims of the Qualification state:

This qualification requires candidates to demonstrate professional competence in dance teaching and learning for children and young people, the ability to refine and use understanding, methods and skills in teaching and learning practice, to demonstrate the ability to create high quality, safe and informed teaching and learning practice in a range of formal and informal settings (e.g. community dance, youth dance, after school clubs, dance projects within curriculum time, youth clubs, youth justice work, sports centres) and the ability to work autonomously and with professionalism. Candidates are encouraged to be reflective practitioners applying theory to practice in teaching and learning contexts.

The Qualification can be taken in two ways:

1. Experienced practitioners who want to enter assessment materials directly to TCL with limited intervention, probably in the form of course guidance and mentoring
2. Less experienced practitioners who will need to access training courses in order to acquire the skills needed to take the qualification.

How will DDTAL (CYP) impact upon dance?

The impact of the industry-wide DTAP work on the Qualification, will be:

• A better skilled workforce, with increased capacity to meet demand
• Better understanding of children and young people’s participatory dance by employers and the ever-growing market for dance professionals
• Increased quality control of CPD provision
• Increased influence on initial training / Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to develop a more ‘employment-ready’ workforce

History - developing DDTAL (CYP)

DTAP was originally set up as a strategic initiative aiming to bring together the key national organisations in the youth and education dance sector, to overcome a significant barrier to increased access and participation in dance for young people.

For a number of years, a major issue for the increase of dance participation across the youth dance and education sector has been the lack of well-trained and accredited dance teachers. This has long been recognised, and was identified at the Department for Culture Media and Sports (DCMS) Dance Health Seminar held at Laban in December 2004, as key to the success of future development.

In early 2007, with the support of Nike, Arts and Business and Youth Dance England, Trinity Laban initiated a national project to investigate and develop appropriate training and accreditation models for dance teachers to work with young people across diverse dance styles and cultural traditions outside of formal education. DTAP commissioned Susanne Burns to research and make recommend actions for addressing this issue. The report: Dance Training and Accreditation Project: Research Phase Report (January 2008) was discussed at seminars in 2008 and received strong industry backing to take forwards the recommendations. (The report is available as a download on this website - see the left navigation bar.)

As a result of this research, funding was secured by DTAP from Arts Council England (awarded April 2009) to commission Trinity College London (TCL) to produce a new qualification: The Diploma in Dance Teaching and Learning (Children and Young People) or DDTAL (CYP) at Level 6 on the QCF, in full consultation with DTAP. The DDTAL (CYP) was accredited in spring 2010.

Where can I find out more?

If you are interested either in taking the Qualification or offering training for those wishing to take it, you should in the first instance contact the awarding body, Trinity College London, by emailing dance@trinitycollege.co.uk. A copy of the qualification document can be found at www.trinitycollege.co.uk/DDTAL.