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Keep Kids Safe In Dance

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25.01.2022 In a recent survey conducted by Keep Kids Safe In Dance, 80.66% of respondents admitted to being a victim or witness of emotional or psychological abuse at their dance school. Child abuse is more than bruises or broken bones. Physical abuse is shocking due to the scars it leaves but not all child abuse is as obvious. Ignoring children’s needs, putting them in unsupervised, dangerous situations, or making a child feel worthless or stupid are also child abuse. Regardless of t...he type of child abuse, the result is serious emotional harm. helpguide.org We have limited research to really understand the issues in the dance community in Australia, however out of 363 respondents to the survey over 58% were under 24 years of age so the issues are obviously STILL very current. THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE. It simply starts with awareness. Please share. Parents encourage your kids to be aware of what is acceptable and unacceptable. Teachers be accountable for all that you do. Kids know that you are in charge of yourself and your body. People in power. STEP UP AND HELP US MAKE THE CHANGE THAT IS NEEDED to keep our kids safe. #keepkidssafe #dance #danceaustralia #dancekids #safedance #danceteachersaustralia

25.01.2022 Victorian Dance Schools..... IMPORTANT Possible Business Funding. Are you a sole trader? Do you have an ABN? Do you pay rent?... Are you receiving job-keeper? Are you affected by the current COVID-19 situation? I urge you to look at the sole trader grants provided by the Victorian Government. Make an application today and see if you are eligible. You've got nothing to lose! There are other grants available for businesses at Business Victoria. Have a search of the website. https://www.business.vic.gov.au///sole-trader-support-fund

25.01.2022 Teachers, Parents, Guardians, Studio Owners, Industry, Government.... Are we doing enough???

24.01.2022 10 kids in a class does not represent the capacity studios have to be safe and keep the children safe. 10 kids does not keep our studios open. 10 kids does not keep our kids mentally, physically and emotionally well. 10 kids is NOT in line with other restrictions that have been lifted. Our dancers practice social distancing in every lesson, it’s what we do. ... PLEASE let our dance schools exercise caution whilst still educating our young people. Keep our industry alive! #dance #danceschools #safedance #keepkidssafeindance

24.01.2022 So many tears of hope and love. Amazing humans. Luca Dinardo you are an absolute legend! Please share with your students.... such a beautiful message and so positive for our young ones

24.01.2022 Merry Christmas to all of the wonderful dance teachers who do so much for our young people. May you all have a wonderful celebration with loved ones and hopefully a well earned rest. You are all amazing! Much love and respect

23.01.2022 Proud and privileged to be a dance teacher #changinglives

23.01.2022 This girl could change your life! Keep Kids Safe Ambassador Luca Dinardo is everything you need! Amazing Luca

23.01.2022 Child abuse is more than bruises or broken bones. Physical abuse is shocking due to the scars it leaves but not all child abuse is as obvious Ignoring children’s needs, putting them in unsupervised, dangerous situations, or making a child feel worthless or stupid are also child abuse. Regardless of the type of child abuse, the result is serious emotional harm. helpguide.org... We have limited research to really understand the issues in the dance community in Australia, however out of 363 respondents to the survey over 58% were under 24 years of age so the issue are obviously STILL very current. THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE. It simply starts with awareness. Please share. Parents encourage your kids to be aware of what is acceptable and unacceptable. Teachers be accountable for all that you do. Kids know that you are in charge of yourself and your body. People in power. STEP UP AND HELP US MAKE THE CHANGE THAT IS NEEDED to keep our kids safe. #keepkidssafe #dance #danceaustralia #dancekids #safedance #danceteachersaustralia

22.01.2022 "The most valuable resource that all teachers have is each other. Without collaboration our growth is limited to our own perspectives." Robert John Meehan. Always a pleasure presenting to responsible and passionate studio owners and teachers. It's always the amazing ones who attend professional development and networking events.... its amazing to see people making the most of these opportunities. Dance Architect

21.01.2022 Love and strength to all studio owners and teachers. Child Safe Training available now. Go to www.keepkidssafeindance.com.au... #childsafety #dancestudioowner #danceteacher #danceteacherlife #kidsmentalhealth #dancestudio #dancers #dancekids #danceeducation

21.01.2022 Sooooooooooooooo much love and admiration for every dance school and teacher. You are BRAVE, COURAGEOUS and SELFLESS. Enjoy ALL the COVID safe love you will be getting!

20.01.2022 Being a dance teacher is a challenge every single day. The constant drive to impact the lives of little people in a super positive way and the pressure to turn up and be better every day. The rewards are amazing, the appreciation, the smiles, the love and the successes (big or tiny) make showing up every day worth it. But showing up on zoom doesn't quite fill the cup. But still, dance teachers all over Australia, push themselves to give everything they have and then wake up a...nd do it again tomorrow. Every single day of being a dance teacher is hard and then add the restrictions and tragedy of a pandemic, taking away the very soul of what we do, its heart breaking. Teachers need to be back in the studio to TEACH, our little ones need to back in a safe environment that fosters their health and wellbeing mentally, physically and emotionally. It's great to see parks and beaches open and bustling in Melbourne. But can't help feeling frustrated seeing kids climbing over each other and parents gathering in large groups yet children can not go to dance in a naturally socially distanced environment with procedures in place to keep everyone safe. If dance schools can not open then they need to be COMPENSATED. Dance teachers need financial and emotional support. Please do not ignore the emotional and mental impact this is having on our teachers who LIVE TO GIVE. Teachers please feel the support from your communities and the industry as a whole. Though this has been such a tragedy, it's great to see the industry coming together. Love to all... WE WILL GET THERE xo

20.01.2022 Victorian Dance and Performing Arts Industry on Verge of Collapse MEDIA RELEASE VICTORIAN DANCE AND PERFORMING ARTS INDUSTRY ON VERGE OF COLLAPSE... Victorian Dance and Performing Arts Studios are lobbying the Victorian Premier for urgent funding support to protect its 1000 studios across Victoria that are in varying states of financial distress. Many studios are ineligible for JobKeeper and the State Government grants because of the structure of their business. For those studios who have been lucky enough to obtained funding support, the State Government’s one-off payments of $10,000 and $5,000 are not enough to curb the mounting expenses they are facing. A recent survey of 142 Victorian Dance and Performing Arts Studios has shown during the first lockdown, the industry lost over $17m in turnover a second lockdown for Melbourne, and a nervous customer base across the state is compounding this loss and is having a devastating effect across the industry. Industry support from the Victorian Government is being provided to sport, tourism, hospitality, and education; yet the Dance and Performing Arts industry which trains 150,000 Victorian children each week has been left to fend for itself. Dance and Performing Arts studios were forced to shut their doors on 23 March. Since then, businesses have been either teaching online to deliver their classes, or remained closed. Those in Melbourne were able to open for one week (22-28 June) and now are closed again until at least 19 August. - Dance is the second most popular after-school activity for girls in Victoria (source: Australian Sports Commission 2017) - Over 150,000 children attend a dance and performing arts studio each week (source: ABS 2016) - Dance provides physical and mental health benefits. Even one dance class can help reduce depression (source: The Arts in Psychotherapy 2011) and increased levels in happiness from dance can last up to a week after class (source: University of Hertfordshire 2012) Quotes attributable to Director of Australian Academy of Dance, Mike Harrison-Lamond ‘Anyone who danced when they were growing up, or currently has a child enrolled in a dance and performing arts studio needs to contact their local MP today. With no support, there is a good chance your studio will not be reopening after this’. ‘We provide professional training, yet we aren’t classified as a school, we are a team training industry, yet we aren’t classified as a sport, and we provide pathways into the arts industry, yet we aren’t classified in the arts sector. We miss out on funding and support because we fall through the cracks in classification’. Contact: Mike Harrison-Lamond

20.01.2022 ‘Dancing has the highest participation rates of all extracurricular activities for females aged between 5 and 14 years. And we remain unregulated as an industry.* WHY? Lack of regulation is a huge contributing factor to our industry being high risk when it comes to child safety. No regulation means we have no governing body, no central organisation with staff available to offer consistent support and advice, no dissemination of policies, good practice and government initiati...Continue reading

19.01.2022 Posting AGAIN because unfortunately it is still relevant! Love to all Victorian Dance Schools. We will be heard! MEAA Dan Andrews

19.01.2022 As teachers, we have the power to influence a little persons world in so many wonderful ways. #dancekids #dance #safedance #safekids #teacher #danceteacher #damcestudio #thefuture

18.01.2022 Arna Singleton.... One of THE MOST passionate and dedicated professionals in the dance training industry. Arna is committed to the preservation and teaching of the real history of hip hop and teaches authentically and with pride. Australia is so lucky to have her! Arna is massively dedicated to the growth and development of young people and encourages them to be accountable and true to themselves. The dedication from Arna is BEYOND and I'm sure anyone who has been taught by A...rna or seen their child experience her passion, love and care will agree that she is one of the most important people in the Australian dance scene. Arna thank you for your wisdom, strength, knowledge, talent, love and ongoing/unconditional support. You are the epitome of what it means to be authentic and an amazing mentor/ambassador for Keep Kids Safe In Dance. Much love xo Arna Singleton See more

18.01.2022 .....cause they are only that way for a little while.

17.01.2022 This is so incredibly powerful. You may connect with some of these words as: - a studio owner reopening your school or preparing to reopen at some point - a dance teacher returning to face to face classes (or continuing online for term 4)... - a professional dancer returing to work or looking for work or WAITING for work to come again - a full time dance student online or returning to face to face. OR you may see these concerns or red flags at some level in your students/dancers. These thoughts highlight the mental intimidation and emotional concerns of artists..... YOU ARE NOT ALONE! But you CAN do this. And your students and audiences need you to do this! Read with self love and care and know that this fragility is often present it artists. We can not be the creators without the emotion, we just need to learn how to manage it and share it and as an industry SUPPORT it. Much Love xoxoxo NOTE: explicit language used and may not be appropriate for young people

17.01.2022 In an unregulated industry we are limited in references to answer this question. However within the context of child safety it is important to always consider the child's wellbeing both mentally and physically. The most effective way to teach and correct young people in dance is often to have physical contact. By allowing this behaviour, everyone in the organisation must be aware of the rules and the boundaries.... In every dance school's code of conduct the type of work that is done must be referenced and communicated widely as well as how teachers will behave and what is appropriate. Parents and students should be informed through codes of conduct, that from time to time in class teachers will correct students by, for example, moving them into different positions. Parents and children should be alerted here as to what is appropriate and inappropriate. It should be direct and specific, for example: 'Teachers will always ask a student for permission to correct them physically. If permission is not given, teachers are not allowed to touch the student. It is appropriate for teachers to move a limb, help change a position or lift a student with care if it is age appropriate and related to the class content and with the child's permission. However, teachers must not brush against intentionally or touch a student in a private area or make them feel at all uncomfortable or violated. A teacher should never talk about a child's private parts. A teacher must never compromise a child's safety or challenge their personal boundaries. Should a child at any moment feel unsafe or uncomfortable they should feel supported (by the codes of conduct, leadership at the studio and parents open conversations) to say no, stop and report this to the child safe officer in the organisation.' There are other ideas to consider including using stickers, tape or chalk marks that student can put on/draw on themselves. The Compulsory Victorian Minimum Child Safe Standards and the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations focus on the development and implementation of policies and codes of conduct that support the prevention of child abuse in organisations. The dance Training industry is a high risk industry. We must have policies and codes of conduct in place that describe the work we do, the risks and what steps have been taken to reduce the likelihood of those risks occurring. We must protect our children but also the hardworking teachers who strive to provide exceptional education in all that they do. By putting codes of conduct into place, everyone is aware of the rules, boundaries and expectations and also the consequences of not upholding the codes. EVERYONE in the organisation is held to a standard and if everyone knows the rules then everyone can monitor them. For support and training, please visit our website www.keepkidssafeindance.com.au

16.01.2022 Let’s get our kids back to dance. Responsible practices can make the return to dance safe! http://chng.it/6hqcSr8xZM

15.01.2022 A regulated industry not only keeps everyone safe but it allows us to very clearly state what is acceptable and unacceptable. The AFL or any other organisation can ASK sure, but we can say NO. Regulation speaks on behalf of our industry, setting clear boundaries, it doesn’t allow rogue schools to bring our industry down and make us unworthy. Can we please make sure we also look beyond this AFL issue to the bigger issue. We are not regulated! We are not governed. We are not ...protected. if we want people to stop asking us to do things for free... we have to stop doing things for free. We have to regulate our industry and make sure people CANNOT misrepresent us. If you run a dance school you are Responsible for the emotional, psychological and physical safety and growth of the young people in your care. And beyond that you belong to an INDUSTRY, a collective of businesses, people and clients and as an industry we must support each other, support our development and support our value. Love to all during these challenging times and always xxx

15.01.2022 Highly recommend

14.01.2022 As a teacher and/or studio owner you are an adult in a position of authority and you MUST understand the risks to children in your classes or studio and you need to take steps to reduce these risks. You must also understand the indicators of abuse and you have a legal requirement to report on this. Failure to do so leads to an increased number of young people who are affected by abuse without intervention and support. Failure to report suspected abuse now carries with it a pr...ison sentence. Many dance schools are unaware of the potential risks in their organisation let alone the risks many young people face at home, at school or in the community. When in a position of power, it is your legal responsibility to keep children safe. *****Are you a child safe teacher or studio owner?***** TRAINING AVAILABLE NOW Become certified as a Keep Kids Safe In Dance Studio or teacher. 100% ONLINE 10 hour studio owner course 4 hour teacher course No time limit to complete - study at your own pace Easy and accessible training with mostly videos GO TO: www.keepkidssafeindance.com.au

14.01.2022 So excited to launch the Keep Kids Safe In Dance Online Training Courses!!! As a studio owner or dance teacher who works directly with children, you carry a great responsibility to keep them safe. By completing training with Keep Kids Safe In Dance you are committing to creating a safer environment for the children and young people in your care. With practical advice immediately transferrable to the studio, the courses provide studio owners and teachers with a deep understan...ding of their role in keeping children safe. Each course provides detailed training on the Victorian Compulsory Minimum Child Safe Standards (which are compulsory by law in Victoria) and the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations in an engaging and easily accessible format. All participants will finish as a Certified Keep Kids Safe In Dance Child Safe Studio Owner or Teacher. Go to: www.keepkidssafeindance.com.au Much love and respect xo

13.01.2022 We know through the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and independent research carried out by KKSID that emotional and psychological abuse exists in dance schools and in the culture of dance teaching by some teachers. This is the very culture that we need to root out in order to keep our children safe. Teachers and dance schools need to place a high importance on the mental health of the young people in their care. This is done by putting the... children first, having appropriate codes of conduct so everyone knows how to behave around children in the organisation, ongoing support for the children with their general mental health and their mental health around dance, appropriate tone and language used throughout the school community, governance over the use of social media, ongoing consultation with children and families to ensure they have a voice and robust human resource practices to ensure only the RIGHT people are hired to work in the organisation, those who have proper training and experience and knowledge of how to protect young people and their mental and emotional health. Beyond Blue presents us with some very important statistics around mental health and young people including: https://www.beyondblue.org.au/media/statistics - Half of all the mental health conditions we experience at some point in our lives will have started by age 14 - Suicide continues to be the biggest killer of young Australians. - Over 75% of mental health problems occur before the age of 25. - One in seven young people aged 4 to 17 years experience a mental health condition in any given year. - One in ten young people aged 12-17 years old will self-harm, one in 13 will seriously consider a suicide attempt, and one in 40 will attempt suicide. - Young people are less likely than any other age group to seek professional help. These statistics are terrifying. As an industry that engages a significant number of young people, we must be aware of the problems and issues they face. Understanding the indicators of abuse is extremely important. If you teach a child or young people struggling with mental health and they, their families or you need support, please use the organisations available to help including: Head to Health - Australian Government Department of Health https://headtohealth.gov.au/supporting-someone-e//children Beyond Blue https://www.beyondblue.org.au/who-does-it-affect/children https://healthyfamilies.beyondblue.org.au/ Reachout.Com https://au.reachout.com/ Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 https://kidshelpline.com.au/ Lifeline 13 11 14 https://www.lifeline.org.au/ Headspace https://headspace.org.au/ Call the Parentline in your State or Territory SANE Australia 1800 18 7263 https://www.sane.org/

13.01.2022 A change room is a safe place for young people. Only adults who absolutely need to be in a change room should be there. Not to mention the need for a WWCC and the child safe policies implemented at the studio. Adults should not be of the opinion that they have a ‘right’ to be in a change room with children or young adults. And NEVER should anyone film or take photos whilst in this safe place. What may feel innocent to some may not be so for others. Not to mention how children... feel if they are photographed whilst changing. We have a responsibility to keep our kids safe, a change room is a high risk area and should be treated as such by all adults. If as an adult you were changing and someone walked in and started filming or taking photos.... how would you feel?! Im very sure you would have something to say. Unfortunately young people cannot always articulate their feelings or feel intimated to do so. Don’t make it normal for kids to have people disrespect their privacy. We can ALWAYS do better. We should always respect the privacy of our kids. Please think about your duty of care and look after our little dancers. Respect and love #childsafe #kidsindance #respect See more

13.01.2022 'Truly great teachers and choreographers should hold their dancers’ health in the highest respect. They should not let expediency in running a rehearsal direct their decision. They should also not let the fear of changing a piece last minute deter them from telling a young limping dancer that it’s time to sit this one out.' Why Are We Dancing Sick and Injured by Chelsea Thomas of Dance Informa. https://www.danceinforma.com//why-are-we-dancing-sick-and/

13.01.2022 IMPORTANT INDUSTRY SURVEY CLOSING SOON..... If you have ever taken a dance class, please complete and SHARE! We're all in this together! Please help us to encourage change in our industry. If you have ever taken a dance class please take 3mins to complete the following survey about the current issues in the dance training industry.... The industry has limited data available which makes it very difficult to initiate change. Please be a part of enhancing the support available to our young people and professionals alike. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! ***YOU COULD WIN A $200 VISA GIFT VOUCHER*** https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KKSID

12.01.2022 Coping through COVID for dancers is a free hour long film providing tips and strategies for our young dancers during these challenging times. Aimed at dancers aged 12 and up but suitable for any age, jackie From Keep Kids Safe In Dance and her guests share tips and strategies to engage and motivate dancers during these unsettling times. The amazing guests themselves are navigating their way through these uncertain times and share openly how they are coping. They are honest, ...passionate and generous with their time and advice. Students will learn about each individual and their achievements. Every contributor is kind, humble and perfect mentors for any young person (or adult!) in dance. The content could be used to support young people through any challenges they may face. The guests talk openly about ways they manage stress and change. Tertiary students, pre professionals and even professional performers, teachers and administrators would benefit from taking some time out to absorb the positive messages that are shared. So proud to exist in an industry where despite the challenges our people face, they still have time and energy to support others. Love, support and strength to all the dancers everywhere xxx Use the Link: https://youtu.be/tsB8TIM2mco Or go to the Keep Kids Safe In Dance Youtube channel. A huge heart felt thanks goes out to all those who contributed to this important project. Marko Panzic Sam Dashwood Luca Dinardo Kyla Bartholomeusz Stephen Mahy Ben Scarmozzino Nadia Tornese Arna Singleton Mitchell Fistrovic Euan Doidge Isobelle Dashwood Monica Swayne

12.01.2022 What an incredible and inspiring day with this unbelievable woman Marie Walton Mahon. Professional development is so important in order to keep our teaching met...hods safe and up to date. Keep our kids safe by continually learning and bettering yourself. The ongoing research in our industry is so exciting! Highly recommend this course! @progressingballettechnique Marie you are AMAZING!!! @mimidashwood See more

12.01.2022 Expressions of interest for a Term 4 Child Safe Training Session. Please Message me if you are interested in attending term 4 child safe training in Melbourne (December). Jackie x Please share with anyone you think may be interested or anyone you know hasn't implemented the Child Safe Standards.

12.01.2022 As a responsible, passionate and loving teacher, you know that dance for young people has so many benefits. Not just physically but emotionally and psychologically too. It's important for EVERYONE in our industry to understand that pushing young people beyond their physical and emotional limitations is dangerous. These students often begin to resent dance and their experiences and unfortunately lose their love and support for the dance community. Every child should be enrol...led in dance with the schools promise to provide a well rounded and respectful education and to most importantly KEEP THEM SAFE. Whilst most children will absolutely love and cherish their experiences, many will unfortunately experience a level of abuse that is irreversible. We don't have the statistics as there is limited research in our industry, however we do know that only a VERY SMALL percentage of children who take dance lessons will go on to become a professional dancer. Our responsibility as a teacher is to meet the needs of ALL children! To the wonderfully committed teachers, keep doing what you are doing to positively impact the lives of little people and instil in them a love for the arts. These kids grow up to support the industry in which we work as audiences, the new breed of dance parents and contributors to the arts in many ways. To those teachers who continue to push the boundaries and put our young people at risk, stop and recognise the damage you are doing. xo

12.01.2022 Let's get our industry on the same page. Studio owner and teacher training available. Fully online, work at your own pace (no set time limit to complete). Suitable for all schools and teachers across Australia. Covering topics including: - Child abuse... how to identify and report it... - Child safe cultures - Creating safe spaces and classes - Professional development for dance teachers - Codes of conduct - Studio policies - Risk factors in the dance industry - Risk assessments - Regulation - Important National and State Standards - HR polices and Procedures and so much more.... Let's get all dance schools AND teachers child safe. Please reach out if you have any questions. Jackie xo

12.01.2022 Dance teachers and staff... regardless of your employment terms you deserve to work in a safe and supportive environment. You need to be looked after so in turn you can look after our kids. Do not think our industry provides any excuses for poor behavior. Worksafe vic makes this very clear. ‘Your physical and mental wellbeing is everything’. Let’s break the cycle... call us for support

11.01.2022 So grateful to all those who completed the recent survey. We can only make change if we understand the issues. And the issues are big and deep seated and honestly quite devastating.This is only the beginning.... change is coming! PLEASE share the KKSID details and let’s get the industry together to help KEEP KIDS SAFE IN DANCE.

11.01.2022 Shout out to Miss Samantha Pulvirenti from Pulsate Dance Force who spoke so beautifully on TODAY this morning and represented the dance training industry so well! Thank you MEAA for your support of dance schools. https://9now.nine.com.au//5df449f7-42e9-4c32-9938-8c040523

10.01.2022 One of Australia’s most loved and trusted artists. I highly recommend making contact with Sam, he is full of knowledge, light and love . He is fully invested in supporting the mental health of all artists. He is exceptional with young people, an amazing role model. Contact him via social media or email him at [email protected]

10.01.2022 Its always nice to hear how others are coping through these tough times, beautful words from Marko for students and actually all of us. Sending love to you all xoxoxo #dancers #danceschools #Kidssafeindance #keepdancing #danceformentalhealth #dancemelbourne #supportdancers #danceteachers

10.01.2022 Let’s make this happen!

10.01.2022 Sending LOVE, SUPPORT and STRENGTH every single day to our studio owners and teachers. You are all AMAZING! #kidssafeindance #keepdancing #dancers #danceformentalhealth #supportdancers #danceteachers #danceschools #safedance

10.01.2022 So many amazing dance schools out there who care deeply about the little people in their organisation. Schools that don’t show favoritism, or manipulate children or make choices to suit the adults rather than the kids. Though we know there are problems, there is also a great deal of good practice out there. Your hard work is not unappreciated. So a big shout out to all those teachers and studio owners making sacrifices every day for the enjoyment of others. If your young people don’t exist in your school with joy and laughter.. Its time to reevaluate your offering and delivery. #keepkidssafe #safedance #dance #danceteachersaustralia #kidsindance

10.01.2022 Hi everyone, As a response to the post on the Dance Teachers - Melbourne page on Monday this week i have put together 'A Guide for New Dance Teachers'. Its a comprehensive document to support and guide new teachers. This should support new teachers AND studio owners. Very important points were raised and conversations started in the thread. It once again highlights the desperate need for our industry to be regulated - we will keep fighting!!!... As with everything we do it is an ongoing work in progress and i will continue adding to it. Its is available on the KKSID website free for everyone. https://www.keepkidssafeindance.com.au/resources Please distribute to everyone who will benefit from it; other teachers, studio owners, senior students, full time students and so on. Please take the time to read it. We can only ever truly achieve what we want to and need to if we are all on the same page. We have been through so much this year as an industry and everyone is trying to get back on their feet. Support and love for each other can only ever help! Love to you all as always. Jackie xo

09.01.2022 Such a big responsibility! It’s not a ‘have to’ but a ‘want to’! #keepkidssafe #kidsindance #danceaustralia #dance #dancelife

08.01.2022 Thank goodness for our dance teachers!!! At such challenging times the kids need you more than ever. And even while you deal with your own struggles, you continue to be there for our students. Bless every dance teacher with strength, love and support. #grateful #dance #safedance #dancing #danceteachers #danceschools #dancestudio #dancestudiolife #melbournedancers #keepdancing #danceformentalhealth #danceaustralia #dancemelbourne #sydneydancers #perthdancers #canberradancers #darwindance #tasmaniadancers #safedancepractice #kidsindance

08.01.2022 Children are children, they are not mini adults. Teachers and studio owners have a responsibility to ensure their students are not exposed in any way. By forcing children to wear overly sexualised or inappropriate costumes you are failing in your responsibility and potentially committing child abuse. Parents please use your voice as children often don’t have one in these situations. As always... shout out to those studio owners and teachers who respect and love their children and treat them appropriately

05.01.2022 Children are not mini adults, they need to be protected from harm. Michelle Brown Sam Dashwood Kristin Maree Agnoli

05.01.2022 How many experts are needed to stop teachers from teaching over stretching? Not maintaining the physical wellbeing of the children in your care is abuse. PLEASE STOP OVER STRETCHING. The Australian Ballet recommends Strength over stretch - they have reduced the amount of injuries in their professional dancers tenfold. Sue Mayes, Director of the Artistic Health Team at the Australian Ballet says "We have found that by strengthening, you can increase your range of movement much... more effectively and safely obviously. There is so much dance medicine research out there that all teachers should be educating themselves on. Many of you take part in regular professional development, stay abreast of dance medicine research and take part in professional classes yourself, keep it up, you are amazing! With new information comes new ways of teaching. Please consider if the ways in which you teach are safe. Classes must never start with a stretch. Many will remember learning dance and starting classes with a stretch, this is not safe and should not be practiced. A few amazing resources, organisations and websites for your own professional development below (and there are so many more!) https://www.theballetblog.com/ https://pbt.dance/en https://performancemedicine.com.au/ https://www.iadms.org/ http://www.safeindance.com/ Please stay safe and keep your children safe. Please contact us at KKSID if you need support. We are here for you. Progressing Ballet Technique Annie Strauch The Ballet Blog IADMS - International Association for Dance Medicine & Science

05.01.2022 At such a challenging and unprecedented time for our world it is especially important we support in all the ways we can. We are lucky to live in an age where technology is readily available and we are in a position for it to support our industry. Let’s keep our studios running and our teachers employed. If you have been forced to close down or you have made the choice yourself as a business and especially if you are not offering refunds for paid fees, PLEASE continue to emplo...y your teachers. Either pay them with the fees you have taken from clients or keep them working. The process is far less stressful then many of you are feeling. Employ your teachers by having them teach their classes as normal online. There are many ways to do this. You could do this via a YouTube channel or via zoom for example. They can come into your studio and exercise social distancing by using a studio alone at their allocated teaching time OR they could film it from home. They can upload their own videos or send them to you. This may seem overwhelming to some studio owners, so please use the wonderful people around you to help. Many teachers would be more than happy to support you to get your classes online, especially if this means they stay employed. Call our to your local community, you will be overwhelmed by the response. Even if you haven’t closed, use the holidays to get your online network figured out so you are ready if you need to be for mandatory shut down if it happens. We want to keep teachers employed, keep schools running and keep kids fit and active during this difficult time. Of course everyone’s situation is different, however in challenging times we must make the best out of the situation. Love to everyone in the dance training industry at this time. Please use each other for support . NB. If you are running online classes please put a a particular focus on safety. As you are not there in person to supervise or support the children, please do not challenge them too much. Keep the movement and exercises safe and within their skill level. Ensure you have written a policy around online learning which includes adult supervision at home and privacy.

05.01.2022 ‘For children to thrive we need to come together as a community and put children’s needs first during National Child Protection Week and every week.’ www.napcan.org.au

05.01.2022 VICTORIA - WE WILL GET BACK and if we keep campaigning together it could be earlier that expected. We are stronger together! A beautiful video from Royal Academy of Dance Australia for our little ones on their return. We love Emma Wiggle and her positive messages. #safedance #dancers #saveourdanceschools #kidsindance #dance #dancemum #dancestudio https://youtu.be/L51RWTv2ROo

04.01.2022 A message to all the dancers from Olivia. Hang in there... especially in Vic, you’ll be back in the studio soon. Yes you are all AMAZING

04.01.2022 This coming week 1st-7th September 2019 is National National Child Protection Week. Be mindful of all the ways you can make a difference! #ncpw #ncpw19 #playyourpart

04.01.2022 This AFL debacle is another reminder that.... EDUCATION of what is acceptable needs to start at grassroots level... in our dance schools TEACHERS must be educated to educate young people.... REGULATION is needed more than ever. We continue to fight as individuals... we need to fight together with a governing body. We need consistent CODES of CONDUCT and policies that support all areas of our industry from child safety to professional development to performance and pay. We need to STAND TOGETHER so that we are unified in our responses to organisations such as the AFL... we all AGREE that these are our codes. Every single dance school, teacher, professional, parent and child should stand united in their response. WE NEED TO BE REGULATED, GOVERNED, PROTECTED, CARED FOR, SUPPORTED and the CULTURES that destroy our industry need to STOPPED! KEEP USING YOUR VOICE, you ARE being heard and WE WILL BE UNITED through regulation and governance. WE WILL. xoxoxo

04.01.2022 Has your dance school been affected by the recent Australian bushfires in any way? Studio owners, parents, kids, teachers please get in touch. Leave a message here or email [email protected]

03.01.2022 It's undeniably a difficult time for our beautiful industry and we feel so deeply for the young dancers who are experiencing such a great sense of loss. These beautiful artists speak directly to our young dancers about ways to cope during difficult times. Teachers please share with your families, parents please watch with your kids, dancers please know you are not alone. Much respect to our beautiful industry..... we will return bigger and better than ever! xoxoxo Full Video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/tsB8TIM2mco

03.01.2022 New Look... Same Love xxx

03.01.2022 Though we remain unregulated as an industry in Australia, there are some important National and State Government initiatives that need to be implemented into dance schools by dance studio owners. Child safety is paramount and we must make our dance schools safe organisations for the children that access them. Now is the time for change in our industry. We must band together and implement these standards in order to make our industry safer. As individuals, we need the motivat...ion to want to create child safe environments. Not because we are told to but because we want to! Safety should be the norm in dance schools, not the exception. In 2019 the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations were released and endorsed by all Commonwealth, state and territory governments. They provide a nationally consistent approach to embedding child safe cultures within organisations that engage with children. All organisations in Australia should have adopted and implemented these standards. The State of Victoria had already acted on the outcomes of the Royal commission into Institutional responses to child sexual abuse and In January 2017 it became COMPULSORY by law for all organisations in Victoria who deliver services to children to implement the Child Safe Standards into their organisations, this includes ALL DANCE SCHOOLS. If you own a school in Victoria, have you implemented the 7 child safe standards? If you have but need support, if you have tried but having trouble or even if you haven't even started.... contact us now and we can help you! Let's get all Victorian Dance Schools compliant. We urge you to become certified as a Keep Kids Safe In Dance Child Safe Dance Studio or Teacher. Go to www.keepkidssafeindance.com.au for training details. WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER! xoxoxo

03.01.2022 Being injured as a dancer is not by choice. Forcing a dancer to perform on an injury is abuse. It is our responsibility and duty of care to ensure we support dancers through their injuries and allow trained professionals to guide us. There is plenty of training available to improve knowledge in injury prevention and support. #keepkidssafe #safedance #danceaustralia #injureddancer #healthydancer

02.01.2022 At this very sad time in Australian history, as we watch our beautiful country suffer in a state of emergency, it's hard to know how to help. So we’re going to do what we do best and use our passion and talent to entertain! Euan Doidge and Showstoppers invite you to ‘SING FOR AUSTRALIA’. A night of our best performers raising much needed funds and awareness in an industry showcase to be held on Sunday 19th January at the Bank on Collins 8.30pm. $30 entry drinks and food avail...able to purchase at the bar. Do what you can to help.... SHARE this post, COME ALONG, INVITE YOUR FRIENDS and celebrate our amazing industry as you contribute to this worthy cause. ALL proceeds from the night go directly to WILDLIFE VIC. With so much love to all at this time

02.01.2022 Our industry has been shattered! Our teachers out of work with no jobseeker. Our school owners struggling. Our students unhappy and desperate to return. They are at school playing openly but can’t be in a dance class social distancing (which we do naturally). ... This can’t go on much longer.... our industry has NO SUPPORT and very little understanding about what we do by those in power. WE ARE NOT GYMS! We support safety and stopping the spread but we expect a fair go! Please listen! @safedance @keepkidssafeindance See more

01.01.2022 IMPORTANT - Please take 3mins to complete the following survey about the current issues in the dance training industry. The industry has limited data available which makes it very difficult to initiate change. Please be a part of enhancing the support available to our young people and professionals alike. YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!... ***YOU COULD WIN A $200 VISA GIFT VOUCHER*** https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KKSID

01.01.2022 Some ways that your dance school can be (should be) committed to child safety.... Head over to https://www.keepkidssafeindance.com.au/ to get more info and resources. We must all be in this together

01.01.2022 The amazing Stephen Mahy giving us some words of wisdom and support during these challenging times. We adore you Stephen Mahy thank you for being there when we need inspiration. Full video on YouTube https://youtu.be/tsB8TIM2mco Stephen is a major musical theatre star with credits including Bob Gaudio in Jersey Boys, Kenickie in Grease, Brad in The Rocky Horror Show, Sky in Mamma Mia, Fosco and Frank Jnr in Saturday Night Fever to name but only a few. Grateful for your knowledge and experience Stephen xoxoxo