Royal Academy of Dance
Bringing the joy of dance to more young people
Learning to dance benefits our bodies, minds and emotional wellbeing. It can help with everything from calming anxiety and improving mood to strengthening memory and boosting self-esteem.
Dance can be a particularly positive activity for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). That’s why we supported the Royal Academy of Dance with a grant for their inclusive dance programme RADiate. The programme provides weekly subsidised dance and movement sessions, delivered by specialist dance artists, to primary school children with SEND, including those who are neurodiverse, have behavioural, emotional and social difficulties, learning disabilities and medical conditions, and children who are pre-verbal and non-speaking.
- Of the children dancing with RADiate, two-thirds are boys and one-third are girls.
- At least 75% of pupils across all participating schools experienced positive outcomes from RADiate.
- Our grant has enabled weekly in-person sessions at 9 schools over 31 weeks and 3 weekly sessions at RAD headquarters over 35 weeks, reaching approximately 150 young people.
Encouraging self-expression
“We see how much the dance sessions benefit the children’s wellbeing,” says Rian, an assistant headteacher at one of the schools taking part in RADiate. “It makes them really happy to dance and to be creative. I think it’s the best thing they have in their lives and the joy on their faces rubs off on the staff.”
RADiate classes offer a creative space for children and their carers to explore and dance together. Taking a playful approach, they use sensory props and music, encouraging children to use their imagination and express themselves through movement. Trained dance teachers run the classes, assisted by students or new dance teachers. Having assistants provides additional support for the young people taking part while helping to develop a new generation of dance teachers committed to making dance more inclusive for people with disabilities.
Our grant also included funding for core running costs, helping the organisation to build capacity, fundraise and run other dance programmes throughout the year.
The Kusuma Trust has been supporting the Royal Academy of Dance since 2024, when we funded a new studio space. Read about the Kusuma Studio here.
“My son has profound occupational therapy needs. RADiate sessions skillfully allow him to increase his proprioceptive understanding in a fun and enjoyable way. He was able to dance at his birthday party – willingly, without any need for encouragement. This would not have happened before we began RADiate.”
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