As dance is increasingly recognised as an important part of the arts curriculum of a school there is great interest in involving dance artists from a range of dance styles to complement the schools' curriculum through workshops and projects. These are frequently linked to the repertoire of dance companies and relate to the various examination syllabuses such as GCSE, AS, A Level, and BTEC/GNVQ courses in Dance and Performing Arts. Or they may be part of the schools' policy to make links between the professional dance world and what goes on in the curriculum.

Whatever the aim of the activity dance artists need to have strong teaching skills as well as understanding of how schools work, the national curriculum and examination syllabuses to be able to respond appropriately to these demands.

Training for dance artists interested in dance education are limited. Regional dance agencies do organise short courses in this area from time to time, as does the National Dance Teachers' Association (see NDTA Courses).

If you are interested in working as a dance artist in schools then there are a number of agencies and organisations that you can contact for information. The Association of National Dance Agencies has details of these national organisations at www.anda.org.uk and you can find the regional dance organisations at www.cdet.org.uk. A number of creative arts projects in schools have been set up around the country by Creative Partnerships, which is funded through Arts Council England. Find them at www.creative-partnerships.com and ACE at www.artscouncil.org.uk. Some local authorities run their own arts in schools projects. Contact details for local education authorities can be found at www.dfes.gov.uk/info/dfeelea.htm