Arts Education in Dance

(Part One)

In the 21st century, the legal framework for education in Spain has evolved significantly, with reforms focused on improving educational quality and ensuring accessible training for all students. This context has also influenced Arts Education in Dance, which has gained greater academic and professional recognition.

EDUCATION LAWS IN SPAIN

Over recent decades, several laws have been enacted that have transformed the Spanish education system. Among the most relevant are:

• Organic Law on Education (LOE) – 2006: Established compulsory, free education up to the age of 16, laying the foundations for a more structured education system.
• Organic Law for the Improvement of Educational Quality (LOMCE) – 2013: Introduced more competitive and selective measures which, although they improved academic performance, attracted criticism for increasing inequality.
• Organic Law Amending the Organic Law on Education (LOMLOE) – 2020: Reversed several changes introduced by the LOMCE, seeking more inclusive and equitable education, with an emphasis on gender equality, children’s rights and sustainability.

These laws have had a direct impact on the teaching of artistic disciplines such as dance. They have facilitated academic and professional recognition of these areas, offering greater opportunities to those who choose to specialise in them.

Changes(*) in Arts Education in Dance

With the LOMLOE in force since the 2021/2022 school year, important changes have been introduced that affect Professional and Higher Arts Education in Dance, giving them greater academic standing. The most relevant changes are:

Qualification in Professional Arts Education in Dance:

• Students who complete Professional Arts Education in Dance will obtain the corresponding professional qualification.
• They may also obtain the Bachiller qualification in the Arts pathway, provided they have passed the common Bachillerato subjects, facilitating a dual qualification and more academic possibilities.

Qualification in Higher Arts Education in Dance:

• Successful completion of these studies entitles students to obtain the higher degree in the corresponding specialisation, equivalent in all respects to a university degree. It allows access to postgraduate studies or recognition equivalent to traditional university degrees.

THE VALUE OF ARTS EDUCATION IN DANCE

These reforms improve the academic and professional recognition of dance, providing a clear path for students seeking a career in this art. Making the higher degree in dance equivalent to a university degree is an important step towards integrating artistic training into the general academic framework, strengthening the professionalisation of future dancers.

TYPES OF CENTRES OFFERING ARTS EDUCATION IN DANCE

• Dance conservatoires: Public centres offering official qualifications.
• Authorised private centres: Such as the Centro de Danza Mari Cruz Alcalá centres, which provide regulated studies and enable you to obtain official qualifications with academic validity; we are a private conservatoire.
• Non-regulated dance schools: They offer artistic training without official academic validity.
• Integrated Arts Education in Dance centres: Public centres offering general education (Primary, Secondary and Bachillerato) in which dance education is integrated.

At the Centro de Danza Mari Cruz Alcalá centres, we are proud to be among the authorised private centres that offer regulated education, guaranteeing quality training that, in addition to being artistic, has official recognition. This allows us to offer our students solid preparation at both artistic and academic levels.

WHAT DOES STUDYING AT AN AUTHORISED PRIVATE CENTRE INVOLVE?

Choosing an authorised private centre ensures that the training received is not only distinguished, but endorsed by the education authorities, enabling you to obtain qualifications with official validity. Students at our centres benefit from comprehensive training that allows them to continue their studies at university or enter the professional world of dance. At the Centro de Danza Mari Cruz Alcalá centres, we offer training in an environment where quality and official recognition go hand in hand. We help our students achieve their goals in both academic and professional fields.

The education system in Spain has progressed by integrating and recognising Arts Education in Dance. These programmes are regulated by the education authorities of the Autonomous Communities. They are structured into three levels:

• Elementary Education
• Professional Education
• Higher Education

In the following blog posts we will discuss each of these levels.

See you soon, and thank you for sharing this reading with us.

(*)“BOE” no. 139, of 08/06/2024. Law 1/2024, published on 8 June 2024, regulates higher arts education in Spain. Entry into force: 28/06/2024. Department: Head of State. Reference: BOE-A-2024-11613

We wanted to share this article from the newspaper Las Provincias, from 1983, written by Luis Miguel Ubeda. A project developed with enthusiasm and focused on arts education by the director of our centres, Mari Cruz Alcalá.