Idea and Circumstances of “The Dance Class" in Dance Education in Taiwan

Abstract

In Taiwan, there is a system of dance education that is not found in Japan. It is called “the dance class," a special course for rising talent. A curriculum for “the dance class" in primary, junior high, and high school exists in the Taiwanese national teaching guidelines. However, the effects of the class, in practice, are unclear.

Cooperation between schools and standardized teaching guidelines is not always sufficient or put into practice. Classes are mainly implemented in order to teach practical skills, without any attention toward theory of dance. The effect and quality of the course content, moreover, is not always guaranteed. Teachers who specialize in dance are only employed part-time; there are simply not enough educators working in this field. This article, therefore, aims to understand the standards for “the dance class" and consider issues in implementing the curriculum.