What dance education covers
Dance education develops movement skills, choreography and creativity, and the ability to respond to dance as an art form, across styles from ballet and modern to cultural and social dance. It is both a fine art and a healthy, expressive form of physical activity.
Many styles and traditions
Dance spans a wide range — ballet, modern, jazz, hip-hop, and the cultural and folk dances of communities worldwide — giving students both technique and a window into cultures.
The four artistic processes
Dance follows the arts processes — create, perform, respond and connect — treating movement as a language of expression.
National Core Arts Standards
Dance follows the NCAS artistic processes, sometimes as a dedicated arts pathway and sometimes within physical education.
How it's measured
Dance is assessed through performance, choreography and reflection, with recitals, showcases and portfolios documenting growth.
Where it leads
Dance builds physical literacy, discipline, creativity and confidence, and connects to careers in performance, choreography, dance therapy and education — while offering lifelong healthy activity.
How families can help
- Encourage free movement and dance at home
- Expose children to many dance styles and cultures
- Support classes and performances
- Frame it as both art and healthy activity
Related resources
See the Arts Education toolkit, the arts lesson library, and Physical Education.
Frequently asked questions
- Is dance an art or a sport? Both. It is taught as a fine art (choreography and expression) and provides real physical activity.
- Where is dance taught in school? In early physical education and creative movement, then as dedicated arts electives and companies in some middle and high schools.
- What dance styles are taught? A range — ballet, modern, jazz, hip-hop, and cultural and folk dances — giving students both technique and cultural understanding.
- What can dance lead to? Performance and choreography, plus dance education, dance therapy, and the discipline and fitness that help in any path.
- Does dance count as arts or PE credit? It varies by school; dance may be offered as a fine-arts course, within physical education, or both.