Arts Council England publishes research into private dance school sector

Arts Council England has published new research providing the clearest national picture yet of private dance school provision for children and young people in England. Carried out by researchers at the University of Bedfordshire, the study maps provision across the country and explores its role in supporting children and young people to take part in, develop through and progress in dance.

The research identified more than 5,200 private dance schools working with children and young people across England and points to a diverse landscape — spanning different dance forms, communities, business models and reasons for taking part, from cultural heritage and artistic development to health, wellbeing and competition. It also explores access and inclusion, affordability, provider sustainability, safeguarding and progression, alongside the wider value that children, young people and families gain from dance.

Because the sector is so varied, and its smallest and most informal provision is hard to identify, the research offers a strong baseline rather than a complete record. Arts Council England will now work with the External Reference Group and the wider dance sector to discuss the findings and consider where future work could add most value.

The report is published alongside a new interactive map. Read the research and explore the map here.

Cate Canniffe, Director, Dance, Arts Council England, said: "It is really exciting to see the scale, diversity and contribution of private dance school provision in England. What stands out is that the offer of dance training is not confined to more affluent areas; it reaches across all communities - though not always evenly - which demonstrates the value of dance across society. And the range of dance on offer is expansive. Dance plays a clear role in young people's lives — whether for enjoyment, health, sociability or as a future career. This research gives us a stronger evidence base from which to listen, learn and build better connections across the wider dance ecology."