Safety is a fundamental right, a legal requirement and a moral obligation. The overwhelming majority of dance studios comprehensively uphold their obligations to protect and nurture their students. However, with the 2015 child abuse conviction of Sydney dance teacher Grant Davies and the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse’s recent call for submissions about Child Sex Abuse in the Entertainment Industry, many teachers are rethinking their safety policies and practices.
There are a number of dimensions of safety. The psychological dimension is concerned with the emotional health and wellbeing of students, such as creating an environment that is nurturing and supportive. The physical aspect of safety addresses such things as properly equipped classrooms and correct anatomical instruction of technique along with injury prevention.
The legal aspect of safety, according to Ausdance Safe Dance Fact Sheet, enshrines the right of children to “be safe from any form of abuse when involved in dance, sport or associated activities”. This involves, for dance teachers, due diligence with regard to human contact and touch.
At the extreme end of the scale, some studios are considering the need for surveillance, in the form of CCTV cameras. But, as principal of Darebin School of Dance (Vic) Robert MacNamara says, this raises a Pandora’s box of other issues, such as “who will have access to that vision and how the school will protect student privacy". The installation of such cameras would also require the school to get signed parental permission for students to be filmed.
A small price to pay, some may think. Yet for the vast majority of teachers who do the right thing, does surveillance create unnecessary suspicion and distrust that simply shouldn’t exist? For those who feel that installing cameras in the classroom is too extreme, there are other practices that can be put in place.
Touch
Dance is a physical art and touch is an essential component of teaching, not to mention the most efficient way of correcting a student. Many studios now have policies on touching designed to both protect and respect the student. Carole Hall, principal of the Carolan School of Ballet in South Australia, advises that at her studio teachers are required to “speak to the student first to ask permission to touch in order to direct placement and alignment”. She explains that teachers respect the student’s wishes if they object to being touched. While “teachers may touch the ankle and knee, generally students will be asked to touch the thigh to correct placement themselves”.
Jane Allyn, co-director (with her husband Ashley Killar) of Ecole Vocational Ballet and Contemporary in NSW, says that the male teachers at her school “tend to teach without physical touch, unless it is pas de deux class or rehearsal”.
In place of touching, a number of studios use inventive methods such as chalk lines drawn on leotards and stickers on knees and ankles to help students self-correct their alignment with the use of studio mirrors.
Physical Environment
Safety of the studio environment is one of the essential considerations for teachers. Sprung floors, secure barres, adequate lighting, correct ceiling height and good ventilation are essential. In addition, small hazards can be avoided, as advises Marie Walton Mahon of Tanya Pearson Classical Coaching in NSW, by checking that nothing is left on the floor before class commences; there is no spillage from water bottles; students are wearing the correct footwear and there are no bubbles in the dance floor. It's also a good idea to have regular safety audits and to practise fire evacuations.
Open Classrooms
Dance studios can ensure transparency through an open classroom policy. Viewing windows are ideal. Open Days and invitations to parents to watch classes create a welcoming and open environment. Vicki Morgan, from Marie Walton Mahon Dance Academy (in Newcastle), admits that it can be disruptive to have parents attending class all the time. Instead, she has “an open week every term for parents to come and watch classes. However, every private lesson, regardless of the week, is open for parents to watch”.
Psychological Safety
Building trusting relationships between students, teachers and parents is at the heart of an open classroom policy along with good communication and respect between all parties. Allyn says it is essential that “all teachers on staff share the same work ethic, principles and values” in order to create a nurturing environment for students. Many studios have anti-bullying policies. At Ecole, “teachers encourage an atmosphere of trust and care which ensures that if a student has a concern, they do not feel anxious to talk to the teacher about it”. Many schools are focused on building the self esteem and emotional well being of the students and emphasise a balanced approach to training.
Private Lessons
According to MacNamara, there is no such thing as a private lesson. As a male teacher, he says that he has to be extremely careful given the “disservice done to male teachers by the few who do the wrong thing”. He insists on either a parent or other students being in the room at the same time. This he says is necessary, “to protect both the safety of the student and the teacher”. He claims that, due to the unconscionable actions of a few, there is unfair pressure on male teachers and this has shaped the policies at his school.
Working with Children Checks and First Aid
In addition to the guidelines and policies put out by syllabus organisations, teachers who work with children are required to undergo the relevant State or Territory “working with children” check. All States and Territories except Tasmania have a system in place and these clearances must be updated regularly. As well as ensuring that teachers are cleared to work with children, many syllabus organisations and studios require their teachers to hold current First Aid Certificates.
Safety Before and After Class
While much of the focus in safety is directed to what goes on in the studio, for many teachers the concern is about before and after class. At both Ecole and Darebin School of Dance, students are not allowed to leave the studio until they are collected by a parent or guardian and, MacNamara says, “we have to have met the parent or guardian prior to pickup”. Allyn explains “no student of any age is left alone at night outside the building”. And on another tack, Allyn advises that at Ecole “there are locked dressing cubicles in the dressing room and students are not allowed to use their mobile phones in the dressing room”.
Reporting
According to the Child Protection Fact Sheet published by Ausdance, teachers must be aware of the indicators of abuse and neglect and understand their obligations to report suspected risk of harm. This should form part of the studio’s staff induction policy and records should be kept of any incidents or reports made to the State or Territory child protection agency.
The issue of child safety is one that is not going to go away. Of real concern is the damage done to our wonderful and talented male teachers who might do the right thing but are tarnished by the actions of a few. What a travesty it would be if the irreplaceable expertise of these teachers was lost. For studio owners around the country, developing a comprehensive safety policy is essential to protect their students, their teachers and themselves.