Young Prince George of Cambridge will have ballet lessons as part of his curriculum at his new primary school. As you can imagine, the establishment are torn. On one hand there is the recognition of ballet as one of the most traditional and beautiful of the Arts, on the other hand…boys and ballet! Is this what future kings do now?

The answer is yes. Why should future kings miss out on one of the great opportunities available in a modern education?

The main focus of the Dance Curriculum is students. It is about developing in them a skill set that goes way beyond ‘doing a dance’. Students are taught how to tell a story, portray an emotion or explore an idea. Their aim is to connect with an audience and in some way move that audience to have an emotional or intellectual response.

Dance is also about developing an understanding of cultural artefacts and what they reveal about history and people. Dance has always been strongly linked to ceremony, ritual and religion. An understanding of this promotes a more tolerant, inclusive attitude. Events of recent times make us cognisant of the importance of this world view.

Research at the University of Sydney shows studying Arts subjects such as Dance has benefits across all areas of learning. Kids are:

1. More academically engaged
2. More academically motivated
3. Have higher self esteem
4. Have a greater sense of meaning in life
5. Achieve higher outcomes in other subjects

So… yes. Dance is part of an education that a future world leader like Prince George requires. It is part of a holistic, human education that we all require.

Read more about the benefits of dance on the Knowing Girls blog.

 

Film created by Simon Martin, Santa Maria College, Western Australia.