The DEL Institute teacher training program

Join DEL’s Yearlong, Online Teacher Training Program for Dance Educators

Dance artists often begin teaching because of their deep belief in the value of dance education. Yet amidst the demands of lesson planning, scheduling, and daily classroom logistics, it can be easy to lose touch with the passion that first inspired them to teach. The DEL Institute offers dance educators a welcoming learning community where they can reconnect with that purpose while developing the skills, pedagogy, and artistry needed to deepen and sustain their practice.

Apply Today!

Early Bird Application Deadline: June 15
Regular Admission Application Deadline: August 31
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions!

About The DEL Institute

The DEL Institute Teacher Training Program is a yearlong, online professional learning experience for dance educators seeking to deepen their practice, strengthen their pedagogy, and build practical dance teaching skills. Participants engage in a sequential curriculum, receive weekly feedback from expert faculty, connect with a supportive cohort, and design a final curriculum project rooted in their own teaching context.

career-continuum

A sequential curriculum of seven courses that builds over the year

Programming-01

Weekly course work with multimodal assignment options

top-experts

Direct feedback and coaching from experienced leaders in the field

customized-pathway

A cohort-based experience with consistent peer engagement

career-continuum

A final curriculum project you can use in your professional work

All coursework is online and designed to be completed alongside your existing professional commitments.

Who It's For

  • Dance educators
  • Teaching artists
  • Studio owners and teachers
  • Professional dancers
  • Classroom teachers
  • Higher education faculty
  • Choreographers
  • Movement Practitioners 

What You Gain

Participants leave the DEL Institute with practical teaching tools, a stronger pedagogical foundation, and a final dance curriculum they can immediately teach. Many also describe a deeper transformation that is harder to quantify: a renewed sense of purpose, artistry, and connection to their teacher’s heart.

By the end of the program, you will: 

  • Understand and apply the DEL Model in your teaching
  • Build and refine your approach to dance education
  • Design dynamic and student-centered curricula
  • Gain practical tools you immediately apply to your teaching
  • Connect to a dedicated and passionate community of dance educators
Apply Today

Join an Information Session

Early Bird Panel | Tuesday June 9, 7-8 PM ET

Join Ann Biddle and current and former DEL Institute participants for a panel discussion to learn more about the program and hear about the student experience. Ask any questions and hear directly from DEL Institute Alumni!

Regular Admission Q&A | Wednesday August 12, 7-8 PM ET 

Join DEL Professional Learning and Curriculum Senior Consultant, Ann Biddle, for a Q&A! Learn about the benefits, scope, and sequence of the program, and ask any questions you may have about applying and participating.

Sign Up to Receive Details

DEL Institute Program Structure

DEL Institute Curriculum

Required Coursework

You will complete six courses over the year: DEL Foundations (10 weeks) and five core courses (6 weeks each). Each course includes an optional mid-course Zoom meeting: an opportunity to meet with course facilitators and fellow students to ask questions and connect.

Cohort Seminar

You will join your cohort for five Cohort Seminar meetings held via Zoom (including Orientation and Graduation), designed to foster discussion, reflection, and community building. This is intentional space for connection, to build relationships with peers and facilitators who can hold you accountable.

1:1 Coaching

You will receive four one-on-one coaching sessions throughout the program with Ann Biddle, DEL Professional Learning and Curriculum Senior Consultant. Coaching is tailored to your individual goals and teaching context, offering guidance, support, and actionable strategies to deepen your pedagogy and strengthen your work with students.

DEL Curriculum Project

The program culminates in a final curriculum project within the Curriculum Design course, created to strengthen and showcase your professional portfolio in dance education.

College Credit (Optional)

Participants may enroll separately at SUNY Empire State University to receive undergraduate credit for an additional fee. Contact [email protected] for details.

Note: The DEL Institute Program does not result in state dance teacher certification. 

"This experience was one that I was searching for the past five years. I wanted to find a way to connect my love for teaching and my passion for dance. I searched for a program that would allow me to grow as a dancer and gain more pedagogy as well. The DEL Institute provided exactly the right ingredients."
-DEL Institute Participant

2026-2027 DEL Institute Calendar

Cohort Seminars: October (Orientation), January, April, June, October (Graduation)

Coaching Sessions: November, February, May, September

View Course Descriptions
For 25-26 Cohort: 2025-2026 Course Calendar

Time Commitment

At the DEL Institute, we recognize that participants are often balancing full-time work, family, and creative commitments. The program is intentionally designed with that reality in mind.

Plan to spend approximately 3 hours each week engaging with course content and completing assignments. The asynchronous format allows you to work on your own schedule within each week, fitting coursework into the times that work best for you.

Apply Now!

Hear from DEL Institute Students

DEL INSTITUTE PRICING

Invest in Professional Advancement

2026-2027 DEL Institute Tuition

$2,190
(+$35 processing fee)

Early-bird discount 
(Applications Received May 15-June 15)

Payment schedule:
  • $250 Upon Acceptance (Non-Refundable Deposit)
  • $485 by Sep 15, 2026
  • $485 by Dec 15, 2026
  • $485 by Mar 15, 2027
  • $485 by Jun 15, 2027
(+$35 processing fee)

Regular admission
(Applications Received June 16-Aug 31)

Payment schedule:
  • $250 Upon Acceptance (Non-Refundable Deposit)
  • $550 by Sep 15, 2026 
  • $550 by Dec 15, 2026
  • $550 by Mar 15, 2027
  • $550 by Jun 15, 2027

DEL Institute Tuition includes:

  • Six asynchronous courses, scheduled from Oct 2026 – Oct 2027 
  • Four 1:1 coaching sessions
  • Six cohort seminars
  • Free webinars and in-person courses at the 92NY for the duration of your time in the DEL Institute 
  • 20% discount for additional asynchronous DEL courses in the year after your DEL Institute graduation

Registration must be completed within two weeks of receiving your acceptance letter. 

Financial assistance is available! Financial assistance applications are included in the DEL Institute application form.

Apply Now

June 15: Early Bird Application Deadline

August 31: Regular Admission Application Deadline

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Please reach out to [email protected] with any questions!

Will your School Administration or Organization Help Fund Your Enrollment?

Copy our letter-writing template to request financial assistance from your Professional Development budget! Please contact [email protected] for more information.

Copy Our Letter Template

Our Values

The DEL Institute is rooted in the DEL Model of dance education: an inclusive and accessible framework for teaching dance that focuses on student-centered learning, collaborative dance-making, creative exploration, and culturally-responsive pedagogy. The DEL Model is designed to be applied across a wide variety of dance education contexts for all learners and practitioners.

We design learning experiences and teaching practices that are accessible, flexible, and responsive to all participants and their students.

We intentionally create time and space for connection. Participants build relationships with peers and facilitators, exchange ideas, and develop a lasting professional network.

We offer multiple pathways for engagement and expression, along with individualized support to help each participant succeed.

We center the artist. Creative practice is essential to teaching, and participants are continually engaged in creating, reflecting, and refining their work.

We emphasize the practical work of teaching. Participants learn to design clear, intentional lessons and units with defined goals for what students will know, do, and understand.

Our Online Learning Platform

Meet The DEL Institute Team

Ann Biddle, DEL Professional Learning and Curriculum Senior Consultant & DEL Founding Faculty

Ann leads the DEL Institute and is committed to ensuring that each student has a meaningful and successful learning experience. As Founding Faculty since DEL’s inception in 1995, she has contributed greatly to the growth and development of DEL. A recipient of the 2023 NDEO Outstanding Leadership Award in PK-12 Dance Education, Ann is a leading force in the field of dance education and brings her wealth of experience as a dance educator, professional developer, curriculum writer, and school administrator to the DEL Institute.

Click HERE to learn more about Ann! 

DEL Institute Faculty

Frequently Asked Questions

Although course content is delivered asynchronously, the DEL Institute is designed to foster meaningful connections! Opportunities for community-building include:

  • Five one-on-one coaching sessions with Ann Biddle, DEL Professional Learning and Curriculum Senior Consultant
  • Six cohort seminars with all DEL Institute participants on Zoom
  • Weekly personalized feedback from a DEL facilitator
  • Optional mid-course Zoom meetings for discussion, questions, and connection

A limited number of in-person courses at DEL 92NY in New York City may be taken in place of asynchronous courses, in consultation with Ann Biddle.

In addition, DEL Institute participants may attend any other DEL webinars or in-person workshops at 92NY free of charge during their time in the program.

DEL strives to create a supportive and welcoming adult learning environment where our participants feel valued and nurtured. Our feedback philosophy is designed to provide relevant feedback to help participants deepen their understanding of the course content and apply their new learning directly to their teaching context. DEL is not a conventional academic program and values process over product; however, we do provide numeric grades at the conclusion of each course. DEL’s criteria for success include the following expectations:

  • Active online participation in all course modules
  • Successful completion of module assignments as specified in each course module

No. The DEL Institute does not offer accreditation or state certification. 

  • Module assignments are due each Sunday at 11:59 PM ET. 
  • Final assignments are due no later than 2 weeks after the course ends. 
  • Final grades and feedback will be shared within 4 weeks after the course ends.

DEL encourages open and honest communication, and we are here to support all students. If you anticipate submitting late, email both Ann Biddle and your instructor in advance. 

Late assignments may result in a grade given without feedback or require you to re-enroll in the course at a later date for an additional fee through our Extended Pathway program.

Yes! Need-based financial assistance is available through the 92NY. The financial assistance application is included in the DEL Institute application. 

If you apply for financial assistance, do not receive it, and choose not to participate in the program, your $250 deposit will be refunded. 

The $250 deposit and any subsequent tuition payments are nonrefundable if you withdraw from the program.

We understand that life happens! Our priority is to see you to the finish line if you’d like to complete the program. 

If you need to pause or require more time to complete a course, you may retake the course the following year through our Extended Pathway program.

The fee is $350 for DEL Foundations Extended Pathway, and $150 for all other courses. Payment must be completed prior to the course start date. 

If you decide to enroll in the Extended Pathway program, you do not need to reapply to the DEL Institute. 

We’d love to connect with you! Please reach out to the DEL team at [email protected]. 

Banner Image Photo Credit: Danica Paulos for Nel Shelby Productions