Step-Up is special dance training and teaching program has been developed and designed for school children of all ages – to be easy to understand, to be fun and uncomplicated. It provides training so that it may be delivered by school teachers. It is linked to the NSW Department of Education and Training (“DET”) curriculum requirements and as an “in-school” program, it does not compete with the many others sporting programs offered commercially as after school activity.

Step-Up utilizes ten “ballroom” dances, selected from the International Standard - waltz, tango, foxtrot, vienesse waltz, quickstep and Latin - the cha-cha, rumba, samba, pasa doble, jive - groups. The program follows proven teaching methods using the basic patterns and principles of human movement and enhances interaction between children in a social sense.

Those involved in the development of Step-Up are Mr. Lee Wilton, a DanceSport coach of many years standing, and include – the NSW Branch of DanceSport Australia, the NSW Department of Education and Training schoolteachers, The Australian Council for Health, Physical Education and Recreation (“ACHPER”), and DanceSport trained and accredited dance teachers and coaches.

Why?

Through the Step-Up program, DanceSport is dedicated to providing a life-long, lasting interest for participation in the sport. At present, there is not nearly enough effort or expense directed towards very strong junior development, one of the very best ways of achieving that long term participation. 

The primary purpose is to provide a strong and “embedded” avenue for the junior development of future DanceSport competitors. There is an enormous pool of talented children who would both benefit from and contribute to our sport. The Step-Up proposal will expose DanceSport and its benefits to children, their parents and teachers - a large and receptive audience at an age when lifestyle activities are being selected.

Pilot programs run at two schools in Western Sydney have produced very positive feedback. At Liverpool West Primary School......”an improved sense of well being and achievement’….”an improvement in inter-personal skills”. ….”valuable identifier of children with learning difficulties”…. Holy Spirit Primary School, Carnes Hill ...” the teachers would like the resource to be available now”.

There is also good potential for commercial returns. A financial model has been prepared that suggests that with sufficient schools taking up the program, it will pay for itself and good returns will be forthcoming.

How?

Step-Up is a resource that will be made available to the education industry of New South Wales, where there are 3,158 schools with 1.1 million students. It is intended to start in the South Western Sydney schools region, with 114,000 potential students in Years 1 to 10, spread over 272 schools.  

 Initial promotion of the program will be at a special purpose ACHPER arranged teacher training day in late April early May, 2008 designed to introduce “Step-Up” to 100-150 PE school teachers. Following this, personal contact will be established with those teachers to arrange “sign up”. Then a Step-Up Development Co-coordinator will attend each signed-up school and provide personal instruction and conduct demonstrations on how to operate the program, and give advice on ways of teaching the different dances. Ongoing support will be provided. Expansion of the program will be on a school-by-school basis through word of mouth, and direct contact with schools within the target region