When we talk about inclusion in dance, it can sometimes feel as though we need to add something.
- A SEND-specific class.
- A specialist teacher.
- An additional session.
- A completely different programme.
But for many busy dance schools, that simply isn’t realistic.
Studios are full. Timetables are packed. Teachers are already stretched. And finding another hour—or another suitable teacher—to create a specialist class may not be financially or practically possible.
But here’s the important bit:
Inclusion doesn’t have to be another class on your timetable.
It can be woven into the classes you already teach, the conversations you already have and the culture you’re already creating.
In fact, one of the most powerful things we can do is make our existing dance classes more accessible, so children with additional needs don’t automatically have to go somewhere separate in order to participate.
Start with culture, not classes.
Before thinking about what you need to add to your timetable, look at what already happens within it.
Does your dance school communicate:
“This is how we do things here—children need to fit in.”
Or:
“This is how we usually do things—but we can adapt when somebody needs us to.”
That small difference in mindset can completely change a child’s experience.
Inclusive dance teaching isn’t about having different expectations for every pupil or abandoning the structure of your classes.
It’s about recognising that children may need different routes to access the same experience.
One child might need to watch before joining in.
Another might need instructions broken into smaller chunks.
Another might feel more comfortable standing at the end of a line rather than in the middle.
Another might need to step out of the studio for five minutes and then return.
And another may need no adjustments at all.
The class hasn’t changed. The timetable hasn’t changed. But accessibility has.
Here are several ways to make your dance classes more accessible…
Create predictable classes
For many children with additional needs, knowing what is going to happen can make an enormous difference.
You don’t necessarily need elaborate visual timetables or lots of additional resources.
It might simply be telling the class:
“We’ll do our warm-up first, then corner work, then we’re learning our dance and we’ll finish with stretches.”
Give warnings before transitions:
“Two more turns and then we’re moving on.”
Try to keep familiar routines where possible.
Predictability can reduce uncertainty—and importantly, it can benefit everyone in the room.
Give instructions in different ways
We can sometimes mistake difficulty processing an instruction for a child not listening.
Try combining verbal instructions with:
- demonstrations
- visual cues
- key words
- counts or rhythms
- opportunities to copy alongside someone
- instructions broken into smaller steps
- a little extra processing time
You don’t need six different lesson plans.
You’re teaching one lesson in several accessible ways.
Build flexibility into your expectations
Does every child really need to sit cross-legged while you’re explaining something?
Does everyone need to stand in exactly the same place?
Does a child have to look directly at you to be listening?
Sometimes our routines exist simply because that’s how dance classes have always worked.
Thoughtfully questioning those expectations can reveal barriers we didn’t even realise were there.
And flexibility doesn’t mean lowering standards.
Give children permission to regulate
A dance studio can be a lot.
Music. Mirrors. Bright lighting. Other children. Physical contact. Instructions. Changing formations. Noise from the next studio. Performance pressure.
For some children, that’s a huge amount of sensory and emotional information to process.
Could a pupil stand at the side for a moment?
Have a drink?
Use a fidget while listening?
Use appropriate noise-reducing support at certain points?
Take a short break and return?
The goal doesn’t always have to be “keep them participating.”
Sometimes giving a child permission to regulate is exactly what enables them to participate.
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“I want to make my dance school more inclusive, but where do I actually start?”
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Think about transitions
Often the tricky part isn’t actually the dancing.
It’s everything surrounding it.
Walking into a busy studio. Saying goodbye to a parent. Changing shoes. Moving from one activity to another. Being allocated a partner. Suddenly being asked to perform. Finishing an activity they love. Leaving at the end.
If a child regularly struggles at a particular point in your class, get curious about what happens immediately before it.
The adjustment they need might be surprisingly small.
Make adjustments quietly and confidently
One of the worries I hear from dance teachers is:
“What will the other parents think if I’m letting one child do something differently?”
But fair doesn’t always mean everybody receiving exactly the same thing.
A child who needs glasses isn’t receiving preferential treatment because they’re allowed to wear them.
Inclusive adjustments work on the same principle.
We provide children with what they need to access the opportunity.
When children grow up seeing that different people need different things, we’re teaching them something incredibly valuable about acceptance and empathy too.
Make your registration process inclusive
Inclusion can begin before a child ever walks through your studio doors.
Look at your registration forms and trial process.
Instead of only asking:
“Does your child have any medical conditions or additional needs?”
consider questions such as:
“Is there anything we can do to help your child feel comfortable and confident in class?”
or:
“Is there anything you’d like their teacher to know before their first session?”
That information gives your teachers an opportunity to prepare rather than discovering a child’s needs when they’re already struggling.
Build relationships with families
Parents and carers know their children incredibly well.
You don’t need to be an expert in every diagnosis.
You can simply ask:
“What helps?”
“Is there anything that makes joining in easier?”
And perhaps most importantly:
“What would you like us to know about your child?”
This turns inclusion into a partnership rather than something the teacher feels responsible for solving alone.
Ready to take the next step?
If this blog has made you reflect on inclusion within your own dance school, you don’t have to figure everything out at once—or alone.
Need help with a particular pupil or challenge?
Our Inclusion Support Calls give you an opportunity to talk things through and explore practical approaches that could work within your setting.
Want to look at inclusion across your whole school?
Explore the BELONG Accreditation, created to help dance schools reflect on, develop and celebrate their inclusive practice.
Or simply start with our free resources and make one small change this week.
Because becoming a more inclusive dance school isn’t about reaching a point where you can say:
“We’ve finished.”
It’s about creating a culture that keeps asking:
“What can we do to help more children belong?”
Hope this helps!
Katie x
Inspiring Inclusion
Where Everyone Belongs. Where Every Child Can Shine. 💜
