Training for the State Diploma in Dance Teaching is designed to prepare dancers to teach dance. The DE is compulsory for teaching classical, contemporary and jazz dance.
The State Dance Teacher Diploma was reformed in 2025, with recognition at level 6 of professional certification and a structure based on 5 cross-disciplinary skill blocks and 6 specific skill blocks, replacing the former teaching units:
Block of skills no. 1 - Master at least one dance technique in its artistic dimensions at professional level
Block of skills no. 2 - Use choreographic and musical culture in teaching
Block of skills no. 3 - Support pupils' sensitive physical development and prevent the risks associated with dance practice
Block of skills no. 4 - Teach dance
Block of skills no. 5 - Build artistic and cultural education and mediation pathways
Block of skills no. 6 - Question artistic and teaching practices and initiate a research approach
The CND offers two training courses leading to the DE diploma, aimed exclusively at professional choreographic artists:
The new ‘Teaching Dance: Block 4 of the State Diploma for Dance Teachers’ course (which replaces the current 400-hour DE course) prepares students for the DE final exams and is now organised into 5 modules (each lasting 2 to 4 weeks) spread over 10 months, for a total of 540 hours of training. It is aimed at choreographic artists who can benefit from the equivalence of the EAT and the other blocks of skills.
The CND also offers the ‘Enseigner la danse : diplôme d'État de plein droit’ course (which replaces the current DE 200h course). It is open to choreographic artists with at least 3 years' professional experience in a national ballet or company in France or Europe (paragraph 6 of article L362-1 of the Education Code).
Certification title: DE - Diplôme d'État de professeur de danse
RNCP Code: 40006
Certifier: Ministère de la Culture
RNCP Level: Level 6
Registration deadline: 05-12-2029
Training
Teaching dance:
block 4 of the Diplôme d'État de professeur de danse
The aim of block 4 of the ‘Teaching dance’ competencies is to acquire and verify the ability to transmit the art of dance. The training aims to develop mastery of the learning process according to the age and level of the students, an approach to pedagogical progression, mastery of the relationship between dance and music, functional analysis of the body in danced movement, and elements of reflection on the transmission of a physical and artistic technique. It also involves a number of teaching situations. The course also looks at current issues of accessibility, audience diversity, violence prevention and autonomy in the learning process, as well as how dance intersects with other artistic practices.
Public
Professional choreographic artists who can benefit from the equivalence of the EAT and the other blocks of skills. The training booklet mentioning these equivalences can be obtained from the Direction régionale des Affaires culturelles (DRAC).
Ballet,
contemporary and jazz dance options in Pantin
Training:
Module 1
12.01 > 6.02.2026
Module 2
9 > 20.03.2026
Module 3
13 > 24.04.2026
Module 4
29.06 > 10.07.2026
Module 5
14.09 > 2.10.2026
Between each module there will also be time for videoconferencing, observation and the writing of pedagogical and methodological reports: the dates are still to be determined.
Dancers must complete the entire training programme.
Exams:
19 > 30.10.2026
The opening of the course is subject to sufficient numbers enrolling in each option.
Contemporary dance option
at the CN D in Lyon (provisional dates)
Training:
6.01.2026 > 05.03.2027
Examinations:
22 > 26.03.2027
Training
Teaching dance: full State Diploma
The programme covers the fundamentals of teaching, functional analysis of the body in danced movement, mastery of learning processes according to the age and level of pupils, mastery of relationships with music, the pedagogy of technical learning specific to each option, dance teaching regulations and the professional status of teachers. Once they have completed this training, choreographic artists are automatically entitled to the State Dance Teacher Diploma, on presentation of a certificate attesting that they have completed the entire training programme and that their work experience report has been validated. The placement report is a short written work of around fifteen pages, the result of research into a subject related to dance pedagogy. It is written under the guidance of a tutor throughout the course.
Public
Choreographic artists with at least three years' professional experience in the ballet of the Opéra national de Paris, the ballets of the Réunion des Opéras de France, national choreographic centres or companies from a Member State of the European Union or another State party to the Agreement on the European Economic Area, a list of which is set by order of the Minister for Culture (article L362-1 of the Education Code).
Next session
Ballet and contemporary dance options
in Pantin: 06 > 07.2027
- Après le DE — débouchés et passerelles 2025 pdf 38.9 kB
- Taux d’obtention de l’UE de pédagogie pdf 64.9 kB
- Avant l'inscription — informations pdf 51.4 kB
- Textes officiels 2024 pdf 440.6 kB