A recent report by Roehampton Unversity on a national dancing scheme supported by Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova from the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing TV show, has found that 80 per cent of participating schoolchildren thought that dancing in physical education lessons is “exciting, cool and brilliant”. The report adds that ballroom and Latin dance in School PE lessons can improve children’s fitness, engagement in physical activity, social skills, self-esteem and classroom behaviour.

Carried out in 29 primary and secondary schools across the country between April to May this year, the scheme involved over 2,500 school pupils aged 5 to 17.  

Key findings from the report show that attitudes towards exercise and dance changed as a result of dancing in PE lessons:

• less sporty children became more engaged in physical activity
• shy children gained self-esteem and made friends
• behaviour improved, which teachers attributed to the disciplined and structured nature of ballroom and Latin dance
• the majority, especially girls, expressed an interest in further dance lessons.

At one school where behaviour in PE lessons had previously been poor, the teacher praised the scheme saying: “These boys, they usually can’t get out of school fast enough and now they’re giving up their free time to do this.” One previously reticent boy said: “I used to hate dance now I love it.” When asked how to fit dance in to the busy school curriculum, another boy replied: “Cancel maths – put dance on instead.”

Teachers who expected wariness were surprised by the children’s instant engagement. “It opens up children who are less competitive and not as confident in PE lessons,” said a primary school teacher.

Communication and cooperation improved between boys and girls, who worked together as dance partners, and across age groups as older children taught younger ones new dance steps in the playground. This infectious enthusiasm spilled over into extra-curricular activities, such as after-school dance clubs where dinner ladies, teachers and students learned side by side. Some participating schools now plan to host community tea dances.

Dr Keay said: "The response to the pilot programme was overwhelmingly positive. Dance clearly has the potential to make a huge impact on all children's learning, helping pupils learn to move and move to learn.

"The research also found that the introduction of dance into schools through this type of scheme has the potential to positively affect social interaction within families and in local communities."

The scheme reflects the core ethos of the Aldridge Foundation, which is to tackle educational underachievement and social immobility. Rob Aldridge, Chairman of The Aldridge Foundation, said: "As a young boy, I was an under-achiever academically but gained confidence by competing in both sport and dance. I wanted to find a way to make this experience available to all children, no matter what their socio-economic background. So it’s immensely rewarding to see how this dance scheme has ignited the passion of a new generation of children in a way that can also improve their fitness and social skills."

Teachers who participated in the scheme also said they believed the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing TV show has had a positive impact on children’s awareness and positive perceptions of ballroom dance. This was especially so for boys who viewed sports figures, such as cricket player Darren Gough who previously won the TV competition with Lilia Kopylova, as role models.

Darren Bennett, who helped Lilia Kopylova to develop the training resource for the scheme, said: "It has always been our dream that every young person should have the opportunity to learn ballroom and Latin American dancing and finally this is being realised through Essentially Dance. It is exciting to see how successful it has become and we are looking forward to seeing the long-term results."

The Essentially Dance scheme is designed to meet the government’s Every Child Matters outcomes on health, enjoyment and achievement targets to reduce childhood obesity and the National Curriculum’s key stage 1–5 provision for Physical Education. The scheme will be launched nationally today at the Royal Festival Hall, with a dance demonstration by Darren Bennett, Lilia Kopylova and schoolchildren from Bromley and Croydon, in south London.

You can find the report at http://www.aldridgefoundation.com/hfw6wethj0admin/uploads/files/ED%20pilot%20evaluation.pdf