Seeking: Qualified Dance Teachers

The certificate will be valuable for dance majors who wish to expand their career options beyond performance. Jack Ecke

There’s a high demand for dance in K–12 schools, and not enough educators are offering it, according to Chell Parkins, the director of dance education in the UW Dance Department.

“What I hear consistently from teachers is that most people don’t feel well equipped to teach dance in their physical education programs,” she says.

Now, the Dance Department is offering a certificate program aimed at undergraduate students with an interest in dance education. The 14-credit program in dance education, which launched this fall, will prepare them for a variety of careers that involve teaching dance or integrating dance in educational settings.

The certificate, while not a teacher-licensing program, will be valuable for dance majors who wish to expand their career options beyond performance. “When students go out into the world, they are likely going to be teaching — in community settings, in companies, in private studios, in schools,” says Parkins. “The dance education certificate will train them specifically in pedagogical strategies for teaching dance.”

The certificate program is unique in the nation in its focus on cultivating students’ cultural awareness and sensitivity.

“Understanding and experiencing culture through all styles of dance enhances relationships and appreciation among human beings,” says Jin-Wen Yu, chair of the Dance Department.

The dance education certificate advances UW–Madison’s commitment to being a leader within the field.

“As the birthplace of dance education, nearly a hundred years ago, this is a really important historical site,” says Parkins. “People are watching what’s going on in Wisconsin.”

Published in the Winter 2024 issue