Standards

Many excellent dance educators in the Capital Region have developed programs that already meet state and national standards. However, a
“standards-based” dance education program offers credibility and validity for promotion and advocacy.

Standards are guidelines for program development and assessment. They outline the range and breadth of dance education. They provide new inspiration for the seasoned teacher, and outline the content and skills of dance education in an age-appropriate progression for the inexperienced dance educator.

Maryland and Virginia provide state standards for dance education in
K-12 school environments, and DC's are currently being developed. NDEO provides three sets of standards on its website that address dance arts education in the 21st century for all dance environments: Standards for Dance in Early Childhood, Standards for Teaching and Learning Dance in the Arts: Ages 5-18 (K-12), and Professional Teaching Standards for Dance in Arts Education. Visit the NDEO website for free and public access or click on the standard below.