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Introduction

A white female teacher dressed in black, instructs a class of very young dancers all in various colors, all posed in different shapes.

The Standards for Dance in Early Childhood provide parents, care-givers, teachers, and administrators guidelines of what children should know and be able to do each year from birth through five years of age in the arts-making processes of Performing, Creating, Responding to, and Interconnecting dance to life and other disciplines. The developmental progression of the standards is based on neurological development, motor development, social development, and cognitive development as well as artistic learning.

These standards are outlined by age, arranged in a progressive chart, and listed in a rubric for assessment purposes. For more information, see How the Standards are Organized.
 
The Standards for Early Childhood  are founded on fundamental beliefs regarding the role dance can and should play in the development and learning of young children. These standards uphold the vision that all children have a right to enjoy dance and that they will receive numerous benefits from participation in dance education. To learn more about the beliefs that shaped these standards, see Philosophy.

Additional Resources