A Provincial Specialist Association of the BC Teachers’ Federation
BC DANCE EDUCATORS '
ASSOCIATION
About the BCDEA
The BC Dance Educators’ Association is an association of teachers dedicated to supporting and promoting quality dance education for all British Columbia students. It is a PSA (provincial specialist association) of the B.C. Teachers’ Federation. The association provides a network for dance educators at the Primary, Intermediate and Secondary levels, and provides opportunities for professional development, collaboration, awards, and grants.
BCDEA MEMBERSHIP PERKS
Community Support &
Teacher Collaboration
Teachers teach better together! As dance specialists, there is usually only one of us (maybe two if we are lucky) at each school. Join a community of incredible public school dance educators working with the new BC Curriculum! Becoming a member will allow you to stay connected, share ideas, talk through concerns and motivate each other! Get to know dance specialists all over the province and collaborate on topics/projects such as lesson/unit planning, feild trips, shows/events etc. Get support from our teacher community on how to navigate through the challenges of teaching. Share your success and failures with us and allow us to celebrate and support you!
Professional Development & Teaching Resources
Each year the BCDEA hosts a province wide professional development conference called, "Move Your Body" - where clinicals are hired to give workshops on topics around dance & education. Some of the topics we have covered in the past include: Dance Video Editing with Adobe Premiere, Contemporary with a Theme of Optimism, Using Breakdancing to Teach Cross-Curricular Work, Creating Stunning Choreography with Vivid Story Lines, Teaching Hip-Hop Fundamentals, Racism in the Dance World etc.
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Between each major conference, the BCDEA also hosts a series of a smaller "mini- conferences" lead by our very own members and mediated by our executive team. Want to freshen up your teaching approach? Want to discuss a new topic/big idea in the new BC Curriculum? Having an idea to share? These mini-conferences helps up keep the conversation and collaboration going.
Teaching resources and videos from each conference are stored and shared on our members-only section of our website. This members only session also includes a plethora of teaching resources such as dance genre specific lesson/unit Plans, assessment tools, assignment/project ideas etc.
Scholarships & Grants
BCDEA members also have access to professional development project grants as well as exclusive scholarship opportunities for your students. Need a grant to help you develop that new assessment tool or unit plan? Have a student who shows excellence in dance and wants to pursue dance after graduation? Our members only page will give you specific information on how and when to apply for funding to support your Pro-D project or budding dance student
