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Welcoming the ISTD Academy Cultivating collaboration in a shifting landscape. ISTD Academy
Natalie Dickmann ISTD Academy Programme Manager
Most great learning happens in groups. Collaboration is the stuff of growth. The late Sir Ken Robinson, educationalist
You may have recently seen some information about the creation of the ISTD Academy. The Academy is an Approved Dance Centre (ADC) and meets our legal and regulatory obligations by ensuring that there is separation between the entities that deliver our teacher training and our examinations. Natalie Dickmann was appointed to the new role of Academy Programme Manager in July and talks to us in this article about what the Academy hopes to achieve and how it can support the members’ journey.
Introduction I was thrilled to take on the role of ISTD Academy Programme Manager this summer and it has been a nonstop whirlwind ever since! We hit the ground running with the launch of our first ISTD Academy teacher training course in October, welcoming students from across the globe onto the Diploma in Dance Pedagogy (DDP) programme. We are delighted to have such a committed cohort with a wealth of teaching experience, all offering different perspectives and motivations for wanting to pursue a higher teaching qualification. The Academy is now focused on developing its delivery of other teaching qualifications. Our aim is to offer a clear and accessible pathway through the ISTD qualifications, working with specialist coaches and lecturers to support teachers in their own personal development. Some teachers may wish to focus on syllabus delivery and entering students for exams, whereas others may choose to work within schools and community settings. Given the diverse options offered by the ISTD teaching examinations, we want to work together with our teachers to understand their individual goals to help guide them toward the appropriate pathway. As we build the portfolio of teaching qualifications on offer at the Academy, we hope that progression routes will become
clearer, enabling individuals to advance through levels more easily taking the pathway that best suits their needs and aspirations. We are currently developing units of study for Level 4 Diploma in Dance Education (DDE) from June 2024. We are looking to offer a blended online learning experience with both recorded and live modules. By delivering these more specialised units we hope to support international dance centres to begin delivery of DDE – in country. We also want to work with international schools to enable access to this regulated teaching qualification. By Easter of 2024, our ambition is to offer the Licentiate teaching qualification for individual genres. These will be delivered as intensive courses for those teachers who have experience and may have been developing their training but need a final push to complete the examination. Through online workshops and mentoring we will prepare you towards the examination by working with genre specialists and lecturers to support you on the way. If you would like to express an interest in this course and please let us know by emailing: academyinfo@istdacademy.org We will be commencing the application process from January 2024. Inspired by the heritage of London College, the Academy is committed to nurturing the next generation of dance teachers and ensuring pathways are transparent and progressive. However, it is more than just teaching for me; it is about building a dance community, sharing practice and breaking down the barriers to learning.
Our vision The Academy aspires to be a leading example of good practice, showcasing our capacity to innovate and explore new methodologies and courses. We are committed to delivering exceptional education that empowers a diverse range of teachers to thrive and progress within a creative and forwardthinking environment. Our goal is to support and
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