DEL Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in Dance Education

DEL Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in Dance Education

Course Description: DEL Culturally Responsive Pedagogy in Dance Education is a six-week asynchronous course where participants delve into the key components of cultivating culturally responsive pedagogy in dance education drawing from key video resources created especially for DEL by Dr. Nyama McCarthy-Brown.

The course is built around Dr. McCarthy-Brown’s curated videos and additional resources designed to guide dance educators through a process of self-examination and teacher reflection; as well as provide culturally responsive teaching tools. Participants will examine how culture, identity, and race show up in their teaching practice and will be asked to reflect on how race and other marginalizing stereotypes operate in their learning environments. In addition, participants will be given building blocks of culturally responsive teaching strategies to de-center Whiteness in the dance classroom.

Course Designed by: Dr. Nyama McCarthy-Brown

Learning Objectives: 

In this course, participants will…

• Understand how to embed culturally responsive instructional practices in diverse learning contexts
• Identify and address cultural appropriation in dance learning and choreography
• Examine one’s own beliefs and personal and cultural biases in order to promote authentic self-reflection around racist attitudes
• Learn strategies to address the many ways racism shows out in the classroom such as in perpetuation of cultural stereotypes
• Cultivate and practice anti-racist practices as related to dance education and other spheres and domains
• Understand how to “de-center Whiteness” in the dance classroom in a range of ways

Course Format: Asynchronous – All course material online! Students receive access to all course materials for 1 Year.

Prerequisites: None

Study Options: Independent Study ($190) or Facilitated Study ($380)

Independent Study – Cost: $190

Independent Study courses offer students the freedom to learn at their own pace, allowing them to dedicate as much or as little time to the material as they choose. With no set deadlines, students have full control over the timing and progression of their learning. This format is best suited for those who prefer to study independently and autonomously. Students will retain access to course materials for one year, providing ample opportunity to revisit and review content at their convenience.

Facilitated Study – Cost: $380

Facilitated Study courses offer a more structured and interactive learning experience, ideal for students who value consistent feedback, community engagement, and a clear course timeline. Students will submit weekly assignments, along with a final assignment, and receive written feedback from facilitators. Courses may include discussion boards for peer interaction and all feature a mid-course Zoom meeting where students can meet their cohort, engage with peers, and connect directly with the course facilitator for additional support and guidance. Designed for students who thrive in a guided, collaborative setting, this format requires approximately 3 hours of engagement per week. Additionally, all Facilitated Study courses are eligible for undergraduate credit through DEL’s partnership with SUNY Empire State University for a separate and additional fee. 

Facilitated Study Course Dates:  March 2 – April 12, 2026, with final assignments due April 26, 2026.

Credits:

Students may take this course for SUNY Empire State University credit for a separate and additional fee, and will receive 4 undergraduate credits. 

Educators can also receive New York State CTLE credits for completed DEL courses.

Discounts:

• NYCDOE dance specialists get 50% off every DEL course.
• NYCDOE common branch teachers get 10% off every DEL course.
• NYCDOE Arnhold New Teachers get DEL courses free for their first and second year teaching in the DOE.

Scholarships: Scholarships are available through 92NY. General 92NY scholarship information and applications are found HERE. 

Must register by Wednesday, February 25, 2026.

QUESTIONS? Please reach out to [email protected].

Photo by Christopher Duggan for Nel Shelby Productions.

Meet Your Instructors

Dr. Nyama McCarthy-Brown

Dr. Nyama McCarthy-Brown is a culturally sustaining pedagogue.  She is an Associate Professor of Dance Pedagogy through Community Engagement on faculty at The Ohio State University and is the university’s first Artist Laureate. She teaches dance education and contemporary dance with Africanist underpinnings, grounded in the celebration of all movers;...

Read More About Dr. Nyama McCarthy-Brown

Mariangela Lopez

Mariangela Lopez is a Brooklyn-based dance artist and educator from Caracas, Venezuela. Since 1999, she has built extensive experience teaching dance to different communities across the country and abroad, from professional dancers to college students, public schools (Pre K-12), and communities at risk. She is a faculty member at The...

Read More About Mariangela Lopez

Edwin Brathwaite

Edwin Brathwaite is a certified science and dance educator teaches at Meyer Levin Performing Arts School, IS 285, for the past 20 years. A native of Barbados, West Indies, He facilitates New York Citywide Dance professional development, Arts Monday and workshops for Dance Educational Laboratory (DEL). He is currently facilitating...

Read More About Edwin Brathwaite