Apr. 25, 2014 03:57PM EST
There were plenty of reasons why we were happy to bid 2020 a not-so-fond farewell, but for tap dancers, the end of such a difficult year was the final curtain on a decade in which the art form experienced remarkable growth.
Over the past 10 years, The School at Jacob's Pillow launched its first-ever tap programs; companies such as Dorrance Dance and Caleb Teicher & Company emerged and produced award-winning work; Operation Tap became an important voice in online tap education; the American Tap Dance Foundation established its new home in Greenwich Village; The Kennedy Center presented its first full-length tap concert; and so much more.
As the new year sees tap dance trying to maintain this positive momentum despite the ongoing restrictions of the pandemic, we invited several of the field's living legends to meet on Zoom and discuss how they perceive the current state of tap dance and tap education.
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<p>The participants included Brenda Bufalino, renowned performer, master teacher, choreographer and co-founder of the American Tap Dance Orchestra (now the American Tap Dance Foundation); Debbi Dee, highly sought-after teacher at worldwide conventions and festivals, as well as universities and private schools; Jane Goldberg, tap historian, writer, soloist and comedian; Deborah Mitchell, founder and artistic director of New Jersey Tap Dance Ensemble; Tony Waag, artistic director of the ATDF; and Dianne Walker, celebrated teacher and original cast member, assistant choreographer and dance captain of Broadway's <em>Black and Blue</em>. The interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.</p>
<p><strong>Ryan Casey:</strong> What immediately comes to mind when you think about the state of tap dance today?<br><br><strong>Deborah Mitchell: </strong>It's in a good place. When I think about when I came on the scene, or even what was happening 15 or 20 years ago, you can't even compare it. There's so much happening, so many voices out there, so many young people involved. I'm having a hard time keeping up. You still run into some people that say, "What happened to tap dance?," but I know that they're just not involved in the arts scene, because tap is out there in so many directions. It's global now. It wasn't so widespread when I started.<br><br><strong>Debbi Dee:</strong> I agree. All these tap festivals and intensives didn't exist years ago; it was just ballet intensives. It's wonderful to see how much tap has grown.<br><br><strong>Jane Goldberg: </strong>It's really promising. When Brenda and I used to talk about tap, it was called a "lost art" or a "dying art."</p>
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<p><strong></strong><strong>Brenda Bufalino:</strong> The original problem of tap's "demise" was that tap didn't die, but the venues did. Although the state of the dancing itself is quite amazing, and there are plenty of tap dancers working, one of the things we're still hoping for is that more venues open up for tap. I've really been suggesting to studios to please hold studio performances.</p><p><strong>Dianne Walker: </strong>We owe Aaron Mattocks [director of programming at The Joyce Theater in New York City] a round of applause. He has been very vocal about the fact that he felt tap dance has not had its due or visibility. There were four fabulous shows in one season at The Joyce, and he's agreed to do that again. I'm hoping his voice will continue to flourish and we have other theaters around the country who will hear him.<br></p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTU0MTQzNS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMTQyMDAwNn0.0zAnvwPlsr-aMv84J8MNbgqyjzQX-tGsylogyEjqYRU/img.jpg?width=980" id="bd71f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="b06c5143d6155921f72ba46adf6fe046" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Jason Samuels Smith, Dormeshia and Derick K. Grant dance on a small stage, with a band in the corner. They wear all black, with shiny tap shoes, and jump slightly in the air with their arms to the sides." data-width="3000" data-height="1997" />
And Still You Must Swing at The Joyce Theater, one of the tap shows programmed by Aaron Mattocks. Photo by Christopher Duggan, courtesy Richard Kornberg & Associates
<p><strong></strong><strong>Deborah Mitchell:</strong> Many presenters still hesitate to have a concert of just tap. They'll immediately accept a modern or ballet company, but if you bring in a tap company, it's always "Well…" They always wonder if it's going to be a draw.</p><p><strong>Jane Goldberg: </strong>Or they'll ask, "What are you going to do to the floor?"</p>
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<p><strong>Deborah Mitchell: </strong>That's if they even know what we need. They'll say, "Oh, the floor's not a problem; we have marley." We're still fighting to get them to understand what the needs are.</p><p><strong>Tony Waag:</strong> A lot has not changed!<br><br><strong>Ryan Casey: </strong>In terms of what <em>has</em> changed for tap dancers, how has tap responded to the pandemic?<br><br><strong>Tony Waag: </strong>It's like a new frontier. We're reinventing ourselves again, and I think tap dancers do that all the time because we've had to. We've had to create our own venues from the beginning. There's no doubt that teaching tap on the internet is limited for obvious reasons: the sound lag, the minimum space. But at the same time, I'm excited about the interactions being much deeper. I had an artist in residence tell me that she's enjoying the one-on-one lessons because she can actually have a conversation.</p>
<p><strong>Dianne Walker:</strong> I've watched Derick [K. Grant]'s virtual improv labs on Saturday mornings—I don't know if they would have happened that way without COVID. It's a wonderful way for dancers to get more one-on-one time and start getting into themselves as dancers and work choreographically and improvisationally.<br><br><strong>Brenda Bufalino:</strong> There's a nascent interest in composition and choreography, which is what I've been concentrated on teaching. There's a history of dance composition being taught to modern dancers and ballet dancers, and tap dance has lagged behind that. It's exciting to watch younger dancers using their improvisations to drive composition.<br><br><strong>Jane Goldberg:</strong> Brenda, you were trying to start a tap conservatory at one time, right?<br><br><strong>Brenda Bufalino: </strong>Yes, that's still a dream, though I think we've achieved that at the ATDF and with [The School at] Jacob's Pillow. I remember the first time I went there in the '80s. Nobody even talked to me; I was not welcome. But Michelle [Dorrance] and Dormeshia's programs have been terrific.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTU0MTQ0NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNjYzNDgxNH0.W15C6mgcRO_nbhz2COcR5jnC5_SlsZjhZblauLIWN2A/img.jpg?width=980" id="5b67e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3ae251a4d59b59ed621f32dc02d1ad42" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Michelle Dorrance stands at the front of a light-filled barn-like studio, with dozens of teen tap students behind her, following her." data-width="3000" data-height="2000" />
Michelle Dorrance teaching at Jacob's Pillow in 2019. Photo by Grace Kathryn Landefeld, courtesy Jacob's Pillow
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<p><strong>Ryan Casey: </strong>The tap program at the Pillow definitely marks a big step forward in tap education. What other changes are you all seeing?<br><br><strong>Debbi Dee: </strong>There are a lot of dance conventions and even dancing schools in the country that don't offer tap anymore, which is pretty sad. At least someone who wants to take tap can go to festivals, but I think it has to start at the dance schools, having that one person with a love for tap to expose the kids. Most dancers go to their local dance studios first.<br><br><strong>Brenda Bufalino:</strong> Why do you think that's happening?<br><br><strong>Debbi Dee: </strong>I think it has a lot to do with what kids are seeing on television, like "So You Think You Can Dance," where they're not representing tap.<br><br><strong>Brenda Bufalino:</strong> I think it's because tap is too hard. It's so much more complicated. All people, even if they can't dance yet, they can walk and lift their arms and turn. But you can't do a shuffle until you learn how to shuffle!</p>
<p><strong>Deborah Mitchell: </strong>I think you're right, Brenda. On "So You Think You Can Dance," for example, they go into the studio and have to be ready for a dance in a week's time. You can't do that with tap dance! You're not, in a week, going to be able to do anything that's representative of what we do. Those of us that tap make it look easy, and people don't realize the years of training it takes to do it.<br><br><strong>Dianne Walker:</strong> In the '40s and '50s we had great dancing schools because the people who were teaching were straight off the [vaudeville] circuit. As that generation grew older, unless they had a family member who continued the legacy, they started to employ their student teachers, and over the years the work started to pale by comparison. But I do applaud the dancing-school teachers for holding it down all this time—whether it was good, bad or indifferent.<br><br><strong>Ryan Casey:</strong> Are you seeing dancing schools as not valuing tap, then? Or not having qualified teachers? What's the problem?<br><br><strong>Deborah Mitchell:</strong> It was war at first, teaching rhythm tap. The dance schools literally said, "Don't talk to us, stay away," as if we were doing something that was against them. They had never heard anyone teach tap by using another kind of language, with phrases like <em>za ba ba BA. </em>They didn't know what the hell you were talking about.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTU0MTQ5NS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0MzU5NjM1Mn0.yMC6lGdtroRU-fSJnSf9Qjo7ZB8c7L40SsFpRzpT6Qo/img.jpg?width=980" id="65740" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="ee2be0600dedf1e89c79757d9b927cab" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Deborah Mitchell, a middle-aged Black woman, leans on the mirror of a dance studio, looking down at a piece of paper in her hands. Several adult dancers surround her, listening." data-width="640" data-height="427" />
Deborah Mitchell rehearsing with NJTAP. Photo by Vibeckedphoto, courtesy Mitchell
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<p><strong>Debbi Dee: </strong>More studios are realizing that we're not there to steal their students; we're there to grow an art form.</p><p><strong>Dianne Walker:</strong> It took a long time for us to come to a relationship with the dancing schools where they understood: We don't want to take your students—we just want to bring in some knowledge that's going to help strengthen your program. It's great to see them employing tap dancers now, because then our dancers have a place to work. I see us moving toward being a more integrated discipline, which feels good.</p><p><strong>Brenda Bufalino:</strong> In the early days of tap festivals, it was adults who came—adults who would then be able to teach. Now in the festivals it's mostly children, and they're not going to be teaching. I wish we could reach out to get more teachers at our festivals, because if we want to propagate the art form and keep advancing history, too, we need adult dancers.</p><p><strong>Debbi Dee: </strong>Brenda, do you think adults aren't taking class at festivals because our young dancers are so good now, and maybe the teachers are nervous about dancing with them? Would it be more appropriate to have teachers' classes?<span></span><br></p>
<p><strong></strong><strong>Brenda Bufalino: </strong>Well, I'm not only talking about teachers; I'm talking about adult dancers. A lot of people start tap dance late. Those people who came to the early festivals weren't teachers, they were students, and they became the teachers and the choreographers.</p><p>Another exciting thing is the tap teacher training program [at the ATDF] that Susan Hebach and Margaret Morrison have put together. Some really fabulous dancers come to that and are learning how to teach beginners, which is exciting to see.<br><br><strong>Tony Waag: </strong>I would love to think it's a good sign that there is more demand for teaching. More teachers are showing up because they need more information.<br><br><strong>Deborah Mitchell:</strong> In any industry, people go back for refresher courses. Why should it be any different for us?<br><br><strong>Debbi Dee: </strong>Well, not all dancers are good teachers.<br><br><strong>Deborah Mitchell:</strong> I agree. And not all great dancers are comfortable with an audience. The stage is a different kind of place.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTU0MTQ1OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2OTQ0NzczOH0.0WcbpMLoythmmX_sTGYUBNH573P_YZEkQZe9pZApC8M/img.jpg?width=980" id="37e50" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e79563f98bbca47f6c7b0a1bb5f659a7" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Tony Waag, a middle-aged white man, leads a small studio of adult tap dancers, who all wear top hats." data-width="4032" data-height="3024" />
Tony Waag teaching at an ATDF intensive. Photo courtesy Waag
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<p><strong>Brenda Bufalino:</strong> That's true. As we've all been dancing on tap boards lately, I've been trying to describe what it feels like to be on a stage. We've been teaching in lines, which has been dangerous. I feel responsible that I have kept people in place for far too long, in part because that's how we did our festivals in the '70s and '80s. That's something for us to think about as educators: how we use the stage and the dance floor. Young dancers are absorbing that information.<br><br><strong>Ryan Casey</strong>: What else are you seeing in today's young tap dancers?<br><br><strong>Jane Goldberg:</strong> I'm concerned that technique has overridden some of the other great aspects that were part of the tap tradition, like the comedy of the old hoofers. On the other hand, I'm finding now that young dancers really want to know more about the history. They're a lot more interested in tap lore than they used to be.</p><p><strong>Tony Waag:</strong> Brenda taught me a long time ago that it's really not about tap dance. Tap is the vehicle for a much larger experience. I love what she said earlier about how hard it is—it is, it's so complicated and fascinating, and that's why we love it. [The history of tap] parallels the American experience. There's ageism, sexism, racism…<br><br><strong>Jane Goldberg: </strong>Yes, all the "-isms." Tap is like a microcosm of the world.</p>
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In 2001, young Chanel, a determined, ambitious, fiery, headstrong teenager, was about to begin her sophomore year at LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, also known as the highly acclaimed "Fame" school. I was a great student, a promising young dancer and well-liked by my teachers and my peers. On paper, everything seemed in order. In reality, this picture-perfect image was fractured. There was a crack that I've attempted to hide, cover up and bury for nearly 20 years.
<p>Now, I'm sharing the truth in order to call our community to action. As many know, cases of sexual misconduct involving students plague dance institutions year after year. Reports of those in positions of leadership abusing their power have become commonplace. Sometimes, the stories go back decades.</p>
<p>For 32 of my nearly 35 years, I have had the honor of dedicating my life to dance. And now, in my role as teacher, mentor and co-founder of MOVE|NYC|, I feel the weight of keeping my students out of harm's way. The thought that one of them could possibly fall victim to the manipulation that so dramatically impacted my life frightens and infuriates me.</p><p>With the rise of the #MeToo movement, we have heard of countless cases of sexual misconduct survivors being ignored, dismissed, victim-shamed or, worst of all, punished for speaking up. How can it be that we too—a community that says we believe in the healing power of sharing our stories—are complicit in silencing those abused? How can it be that we—a community that promotes the enrichment and empowerment of young people—turn a blind eye when they come forward in need of safety and protection? How can it be that, after decades of reports, sexual misconduct continues to be an open secret in dance?</p><p>While attending LaGuardia, I also studied at a private dance studio, where I received excellent training in multiple genres. There, I also experienced the magic of mentorship. Our teachers were not just our teachers; they became our village. Our family. They challenged us artistically and made it a point to develop personal relationships with us.</p>
<p>Not only did the students trust these teachers, so did our parents. It was commonplace for teachers to drive us home after rehearsal. They mentored us outside of the studio in casual settings, inviting us into their homes and having one-on-one sessions over dinner. Most times these experiences were productive and nurturing. However, one of my teachers took advantage of these opportunities to sexually abuse me.</p><p>It first began on what I assumed was a usual Friday night post-rehearsal drop-off. We were in his car, chatting about dance and my continued path as a dancer, and as I was about to get out he leaned over and kissed me.</p><p>Looking back, I now recognize that for all my confidence as a 15-year-old, I was so very naïve. I was a child with a child's understanding of the world, unaware of the extreme power dynamics that underscore the culture of dance education. Like many who find themselves in this situation, I believed I had no power. A belief that was reinforced by my abuser. I thought that if I said anything, I would be blacklisted in the dance community that I desperately wanted to be a part of.</p>
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<p>Over two years I fell victim to continued sexual abuse at the hands of this teacher. Even though it never felt right, I kept thinking, If I said no would my teacher not like me anymore? Would all of my opportunities for performances be taken away from me? Will anybody believe me if I speak out?</p><p>It became a shameful secret. I was terrified to tell anyone. In a strange and complex twist of emotions, I had been manipulated to believe this man loved me. He was my teacher, my mentor, an accomplished artist. A trusted member of our village. I feared if I said anything, he would go to prison. At the age of 15, that terrified and paralyzed me!</p><p>Therapy in my mid-20s helped me see and understand some key truths that were critical to my healing.</p>
<p>First, that at the time of this abuse, I was a minor<em>—a child—</em>who was taken advantage of.</p><p>Second, my trusted teacher, recognizing my vulnerability and inexperience, used his power of both position and maturity to manipulate me.</p><p>Lastly, what happened to me was <em>not</em> my fault. This insight helped me to let go of the shame I've carried for nearly two decades.</p>
<p>It wasn't until 2018, at the age of 32, that I had the courage to finally speak up. I was having a catch-up lunch with another of my former teachers who had been a part of my dance training "village." He was now in business with my abuser, having founded a new dance school. Struck by the realization that this man, my abuser, was now in an even more powerful position—and still holding sway over impressionable young dancers—I began to share my story. I needed my former teacher to know the character of his business partner and what he might be capable of.</p><p>He was stunned. After much discussion, we agreed this had to be addressed. Although I was fearful about the potential harm to my reputation, I decided it was time for my experience to come to light so that, hopefully, other students would not share my fate.</p><p>In the fall of 2019, I relayed my story privately to the board of directors of his new dance school. My intention was to offer my testimony of what happened so that they would take preventive measures. Yet to my surprise and disappointment, at the time of this writing, my abuser remains in his position.</p>
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<p>Unfortunately, my story is not unusual. A Google search of "sexual misconduct in dance" shows that I was not the first in the dance community to fall victim to sexual misconduct and was indeed not the last. Now in a position where young people look to me for guidance, I believe it is my duty to create a safe environment for them to thrive.</p><p>Our students deserve to train, grow and evolve without harm. They should never have to be afraid of being shunned for not succumbing to immoral actions. And when their rights have been violated, there should be a system of protection where leaders eliminate the threat and provide healing. It shouldn't take another class-action lawsuit for dance education to take this seriously.</p><p>Recalibrating the culture of dance education would be a good place to start. Teachers and leaders often position themselves as gatekeepers to be revered and even feared. Young dancers are groomed to believe that they have no power to question, disagree or defend themselves. It is daunting to find the confidence to speak up, believing you could possibly be jeopardizing your "spot," so you remain silent and comply just to stay in the good graces of your leaders. This needs to change.</p>
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUxNTg1NC9vcmlnaW4ucG5nIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2NDQyNjc0MX0.f424QPGRMBa6FN6-Tx4ag7s3_2QHubRGiSMG-2DNng8/img.png?width=980" id="af871" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c2ffb50548b3772f75c1bf54b800686e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Chanel DaSilva sits at a white table with a teenage girl, pointing at a notebook the girl is writing in. There are other tables and chairs and a TV in the background." data-width="2656" data-height="1768" />
Chanel DaSilva working with a MOVE|NYC| student.
Rachel Papo
<p>Second, we need to improve systems for prevention and correction. Consequences of sexual misconduct need to be clear and consistently enforced. Over the last five years, through public institutions where I've taught, I've participated in a multitude of workshops and mandatory trainings in which matters such as sexual harassment and sexual misconduct are thoroughly examined, and explicit repercussions are shared. Public institutions, albeit not perfect, have higher standards of accountability. Private institutions need to adopt and reinforce similar standards.</p><p>As co-founder of MOVE|NYC|, an organization dedicated to the empowerment and enrichment of young dancers, I know that I am in a position to create change. We are implementing programs to protect and empower students and parents and to educate them about warning signs and recourse, should that ever be necessary. We believe it's critical to be vigilant about preventive measures, implementing policies that govern behavior and set expectations for teachers, administrators and partners, and that make consequences clear.</p><p>It is time that we learn from other communities with similar blemished histories—gymnastics, sports, religious institutions—to begin the uncomfortable and difficult work of improving our culture. The time is now for us to speak up, put protections in place, and educate students, parents, teachers and leaders to create accountability and catalyze change.</p><p>Sharing this story is my personal pledge to continue this conversation. I come forward from a place of truth and love. I love dance. And it is this love, and a feeling of responsibility, that compels me to ask that we join together in conversation and action. For the sake of our future dancers and future leaders, we must do better. For the sake of our community and our humanity, we must do better. Will you join me? </p>
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<p><br></p><p><em>To go along with Chanel DaSilva's story, </em>Dance Magazine <em>also spoke with a range of experts to get their insight on what could be done to better protect young dancers. Read it <a href="https://www.dancemagazine.com/sexual-abuse-dance-education-2650145602.html" target="_blank">here</a>. </em></p>
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Though the #MeToo movement has spurred many dancers to come forward with their stories of sexual harassment and abuse, the dance world has yet to have a full reckoning on the subject. Few institutions have made true cultural changes, and many alleged predators continue to work in the industry.
As Chanel DaSilva's story shows, young dancers are particularly vulnerable to abuse because of the power differential between teacher and student. We spoke with eight experts in dance, education and psychology about steps that dance schools could take to protect their students from sexual abuse.
Make Basic Safety Measures Standard
<p><strong>Peter Flew, director of the </strong><strong>School of Education at University of Roehampton in London, trustee of the Royal Academy of Dance, and chair of Safer Dance</strong></p><p>"When I joined the RAD Board of Trustees, I couldn't believe how little regulation there was around dance schools. When a school is hiring a teacher, they need to do a background check. Does that person have a conviction for sexual abuse or child abuse, for example? Are there gaps in their CV that they don't want to explain?</p><p>"Another important issue is data protection. Does the dance teacher have the cell phone number of the student? This is a common and really bad practice. Teachers should be talking to parents, not the children. And this is an issue with social media, as well.</p><p>"We also need to empower children, so they know that they can say no when they're uncomfortable. And we need to empower parents. If you're looking at a school and you don't see their safeguarding procedures written on their website or in their brochure, you should question them as to what they're going to do to keep your child safe."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUzNzQ5NC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNDYzMDA1Nn0.b4jpgnjWUD5GldXFwU8oAm38kdtuN2B1SjU0jPQ1un0/img.jpg?width=980" id="60a8e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="30319bba60beaa7e995720bf6e6ed847" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Peter Flew is a middle aged white man wearing a jacket and blue patterned tie. He has glasses and blonde hair, and smiles softly at the camera" data-width="4928" data-height="3280" />
David Tett, Courtesy Flew
Create a Trauma-Informed Classroom
<p><strong>Dr. Paula Thomson, clinical psychologist and professor at California State University, Northridge</strong></p><p>"Administrative staff and teachers need to learn the signs that there may be some kind of emotional, physical or sexual abuse going on, and learn how to approach a child to check in. In dance schools, kids are socialized to keep their mouths shut. And that's a perfect predatory environment, because abusers will groom a child and make them feel very special. Children need a line of safety. Ideally they should have more than one person they can go to if something is wrong."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUzNzQ5Ny9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NjYwMDI4MH0.6iOeq4_5uLHUi057JPfQhPBe3Ikn1y3V3USlSPfCICw/img.jpg?width=980" id="f4b60" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="75415ddf82ce11d8b5e6ec35cde083d4" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Dr. Paula Thomas is a middle-aged white woman wearing a long-sleeved grey shirt and a black vest. Her dark, curly hair is in an updo, and falls around her face. She has a bright smile" data-width="3664" data-height="5603" />
Shawn Flint Blair, Courtesy Thomson
Self-Regulate Through Education
<p><strong>Leslie Scott Zanovitch, founder of Youth Protection Advocates in Dance (YPAD)</strong></p><p><span></span>"A lot of people use this word 'complicit.' And I believe that some people are complicit. But I also believe there are people who are just ill-equipped. They've never been trained about what the red flags are, so they never saw the red flags. We have to train people to be advocates for children. And then we have to normalize these conversations, because, otherwise, what will happen is what happened to me when I spoke up about the commodification and exploitation of children in Hollywood. I was blackballed. I was shamed. I was told by my colleagues that I was messing with their money."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUzNzQ5OS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2Mzk1NjgwNn0.R8GtINSsT3yx35QzuXAkDu6DHNwdvd4OYKMl5MBpYq0/img.jpg?width=980" id="2ff8b" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="53ee9caa64db50dde5a99fc4c3c9dc52" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Leslie Scott Zanovitch is a young white woman, wearing a graphic shirt, a leather jacket and large hoop earrings. She has long wavy brown hair that spills down her shoulders, and she has a big, open smile" data-width="4016" data-height="6016" />
Michael King, Courtesy Zanovitch
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Let Kids Be Kids
<p><strong><span style="background-color: initial;">Dr. Christina Donaldson, clinical psychologist and YPAD </span><span style="background-color: initial;">advisor</span></strong></p><p>"Dancers are constantly being told how to use their body as a tool. This can lead them to feel separated from their bodies, and that can actually lead to grooming and abuse. The same is true of dancing in a way that is really sexual, or to music with sexual lyrics. That is a form of inadvertent grooming. You're desensitizing them to sexually explicit material they don't necessarily understand. We need to let kids be kids."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUzNzUwMC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1MzU0NTAzM30.9EUO_WRxVk4FxqpQimoc12_-DHM924vgV9jPWX2V1ws/img.jpg?width=980" id="040c8" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="c9d08dd8912e56a05aaf649f145db1fb" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Dr. Christina Donaldson, a middle aged white woman with short wavy blonde hair, wears a black long sleeved shirt and dangling earrings. She's turned to the side, head facing the camera and smiling" data-width="1862" data-height="2328" />
Fritz Olenberger, Courtesy Donaldson
Encourage Accountability
<p><strong>Cat Cogliandro, teacher and co-founder of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thedancesafe/?hl=en" target="_blank">@thedancesafe</a></strong></p><p>"We can all stand up together as a field and say that abusive behavior is not appropriate, and that if you hurt someone, you need to be held accountable. If we can empower people to come forward, it's going to be a chain reaction. On The Dance Safe Instagram, we have a link you can click on and report abuse. And if you disclose to us, the first thing I'm going to do is respond and make sure you're safe, and ask how I can further support you. We connect people with mental health professionals, doctors, social workers and people who can help them navigate the legal system if that's what they want. And if people want to go public and tell their story, we're supportive of that, too."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUzNzUxMC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzNDUwNDkwOH0.IVGLmZ0OPaXOxJPZCb3QIkJCaONtuKDKYuduLQsPJ2Y/img.jpg?width=980" id="c960d" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="50a6b6655f5551eba873e0af0fabf8a6" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Cat Cogliandro, who has short, dark hair, kneels on the ground, and pulls on the zipper of her jacket." data-width="1125" data-height="1110" />
Courtesy Cogliandro
Use Touch Appropriately
<p><strong>Sydney Skybetter, choreographer and lecturer at Brown University<br></strong></p><p>"I focus a great deal of classroom time on establishing a practice of consent. This means letting students know at the beginning of class that touch can be used as an instructional device, and should they prefer not to be touched, to let the instructor know at any time. Then, an instructor should ask and receive consent before any touch happens. Students are empowered to opt in or out of physical contact on their own terms."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUzNzUxMS9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYxOTE5NTA0M30.954o9SQ-0uTbk5zSDiRqMt3txdZoqA4Jrd_TRn90YQQ/img.jpg?width=980" id="2ca3a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="0b06ed0980ee18ba685f2fdb61f6b2f6" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Sydney Skybetter, a young white man, wears a white button down shirt and glasses. He looks rather seriously at the camera" data-width="7360" data-height="4912" />
Liza Voll, Courtesy Skybetter
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Take Action
<p><strong>Sarah Arnold, ballet teacher in the San Francisco Bay area<br></strong></p><p>"A few years ago, two young women came forward to say that a male teacher at the school I was working at had sexually assaulted them. The directors did nothing until a group of parents came together to demand they take action. Finally, they asked the teacher to resign, but he continues to teach elsewhere. I and several other teachers left the school over it.</p><p>"He should have been immediately fired, and the reason should have been public knowledge. I also think the directors should have sent a letter out to all the parents to let them know what happened, so they could talk to their children in case there was any abuse their kids weren't telling them about. We should make it as easy as possible for children to come forward."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUzNzUzNC9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0Nzk3MDI5Nn0.HxLKPQiunKMKPGNds9noJFD7TL7IfNKWmQv3oMPVr6U/img.jpg?width=980" id="a8603" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="63459bdafaad9b000f06a0c4b9c160c0" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Sarah Arnold, a white woman with grey hair in a bun, leans against a tree, and smiles softly at the camera. SHe wears a knit black sweater, and a silver necklace and earrings" data-width="900" data-height="1355" />
Peter Young, Courtesy Arnold
Build Boundaries
<p><strong><span style="background-color: initial;">Emily Bufferd, jazz teacher at Broadway Dance Center, Steps on Broadway and the Joffrey Ballet School</span><br></strong></p><p>"Teachers should never be inviting assistants or students to their homes or hotel rooms alone. It's important to protect your students and yourself by maintaining boundaries, no matter how good your intentions. And students should know that if a teacher says they need to be alone with you, you can question that. When I teach privates, I always have an open-door policy. Parents are always welcome.</p><p>"Ever since I did my YPAD certification, I feel much more prepared to handle it if a student comes to me with a problem. I think dance studios should consider having someone on staff, or several people, who are trained advocates that dancers know they can go to for help."</p><img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTUzNzUxNy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NzAzOTkzOX0.WUVFuGKmC6P8hPqCyyVJleSa7EOHNRhiEvOSBrMTD4s/img.jpg?width=980" id="13c5a" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3548cd0272967ed5b11649fb0c99f010" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" alt="Emily Buffered, a young white woman, wears a lacey white sweater, and silver earrings and a necklace. Her light brown hair is back in a ponytail, and she smiles softly at the camera" data-width="3840" data-height="5760" />
Jaqlin Medlock, Courtesy Bufferd
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