We are happy to introduce the affiliated (umbrella) organizations which Alliantie Dans Veilig works with to create a socially safe dance sector. This time we spoke with Saskia Sap, president of professional organization Dansbelang, about her diverse work within the dance sector and how Dansbelang contributes to strengthening the position of dance teachers and promoting a safe learning environment for both teachers and students.
From student to a multi-faceted role within the dance sector
Saskia explains how she became employed within the dance sector. “I used to be a smart kid, but I was in my head a lot. When I was sixteen, I saw Soldatenmis, a performance by Nederlands Dans Theater with only men, something that changed my view of classical ballet. The story was about the war and it made me realize that ballet could also be powerful and tough. It appealed to me and I wanted to give it a go. It went well! Since sixteen is a relatively late age to start ballet, my dance teacher suggested that I become a teacher.” Saskia trained as a dance teacher at the Nel Roos Academy in Amsterdam, majoring in classical ballet and jazz dance.
“When you see them beaming and moving confidently,
it makes me a satisfied teacher”
Saskia now transfers her personal experience to her students. “Dance has brought me philosophically into the here and now. I have always been creative but was also a little shy. Dance taught me to take my space. That’s why I love working with children as a dance teacher. Children have imagination, are spontaneous and creative. I want to give them the pleasure of moving in their own way. When you then see them beaming and moving confidently, it makes me a satisfied teacher.”
Saskia had her own dance school for many years and has worked as a teacher of pedagogy and psychology at the Amsterdam School of the Arts since 1994. She also writes a lot about dance and combines all this with, among other things, the chairmanship of Dansbelang.
The role of Dansbelang within the dance sector
“Dansbelang provides support to dance teachers in all styles and techniques within the dance sector. We focus on both individual dance teachers and dance studios. The profession of a dance teacher can be lonely and requires a lot of independence. Dansbelang helps teachers build networks and draw up official documents such as general conditions, employment contracts and scripts for performances. We also have training days with inspiring dance classes several times a year. In addition, we act as a legal and financial resource.”
Photo by Alexander van der Linden
Social safety
Social safety has gained an increasingly prominent place on the agenda within Dansbelang in recent years, Saskia explains. “Where previously the subject was discussed sporadically, awareness of its importance has grown enormously. We have established a quality register for dance teachers and dance schools that meet certain standards. Obviously, you can’t guarantee anything, but with this you have checked a number of important things. Teachers must submit their refresher courses every three years to keep their place in the register. We also visit our member dance schools, inspect the facilities, have conversations with the management and check things like first aid (BHV) courses.”
Saskia explains how Dansbelang is constantly exploring ways to further integrate social safety: “We have our internal training Certificate of Competence for Dance Teacher. People who have been teaching dance classes for some time but have never taken an official teacher training course are then given several subjects to obtain a certificate. We would like to add the subject of social safety to this and open it up to other dance teachers as well. This subject should not only teach teachers how to deal with their students, but also give them insight into their emotional resilience. What do you do if you suspect something is going on with a student? And how do you avoid overstepping boundaries as a teacher? A first group has already followed a workshop in this. We now want to start embedding this so that it comes back annually.”
“It is important to start the conversation, break the culture of silence
and thus initiate positive change”
Joining the Alliantie Dans Veilig
Saskia explains why Dansbelang joined the Alliantie Dans Veilig as early as its inception. “Social safety is a super important topic that has received too little attention for decades. Many people in the dance world – in classical ballet, for example – have been taught in a harsh, authoritarian way. Nowadays, fortunately, there are improvements, but teachers are now more on display; that can be quite vulnerable. It is important to start the conversation about this, to break the culture of silence and thus initiate positive change.”
About Dansbelang’s contribution within the Alliance, Saskia explains, “Thanks to our broad network of dance teachers, our quality register and Certificate of Competence training, we can play an important role in, for example, the development of certification. In addition, we can offer practical support to the sector by offering workshops.”
Saskia concludes with her wish for the dance sector: “A free and safe dance environment for everyone, where you feel the respect that allows you to be fully yourself.”
Saskia Sap
Photo by Nicolet Peters
For more information about Dansbelang, visit: https://dansbelang.nl/