Specialized School Students Instruct in Physical Education Classes! 'Dance Academy' 5th Year Starts June 18 at Koto-ku Toyo Elementary School

Tokyo School of Music & Dance (TSM), a specialized school under the Shigeki Gakuen educational corporation, will launch the first half of the 2026 academic year of its industry-academia collaboration program 'Dance Academy' at Koto-ku Toyo Elementary School in Tokyo starting Thursday, June 18. In this program, dance major students enter public elementary school physical education classes to teach dance. Now in its fifth year since starting in 2022, a cumulative total of approximately 1,800 children have participated. This year, Nagoya has been newly added, bringing the program to three cities nationwide: Tokyo, Fukuoka, and Nagoya.

TSM dance students and related parties. They teach dance to elementary school children using choreography they have devised.

A project to jointly address challenges in educational settings

According to a recent survey released by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) in March 2026, the nationwide shortage of teachers in public elementary, junior high, and high schools stands at 3,827. Elementary school teachers spend an average of 10 hours and 9 minutes at school on weekdays, making it increasingly difficult to secure time for preparing specialized lessons.

Furthermore, the elementary school curriculum guidelines mandate 'expressive movement' in physical education for all grades, but many teachers say they don't know how to teach dance. The 'Dance Academy' is a model that concretizes a system to continuously deliver specialized personnel to this area through a three-party collaboration of public elementary schools, specialized schools, and companies.

Students teach dance in a fun and easy-to-understand manner, like older brothers and sisters. They pay a courtesy visit to Sanken Setsubi Kogyo, which participates as a sponsor every year.

*1 MEXT 'FY2027 Survey on Teacher Shortage' (announced March 5, 2026)
*2 MEXT 'Teacher Work Status Survey (FY2022)'
*3 Elementary School Curriculum Guidelines (2017 notification, full implementation from 2020)

First Half of 2026 Academic Year Implementation Schedule

The first half of 2026 will be held at Koto-ku Toyo Elementary School on the following schedule:

Schedule:
June 18 (Thu) 5th grade, 4 classes
June 19 (Fri) 5th grade, 4 classes
June 22 (Mon) 3rd grade, 3 classes / 5th grade recital
June 23 (Tue) 3rd grade, 3 classes / 3rd grade recital

Time Allocation:
All days: 4 periods (1st to 4th periods)
(1st period 8:45- / 2nd period 9:35- / 3rd period 10:40- / 4th period 11:30-)

Dance instruction
Specialized students provide careful instruction in groups or one-on-one.

The final day features a recital.
Students deepen bonds with elementary school children as sessions repeat.
Feedback
They receive opinions from the principal and visitors for improvement.
A chain of warm interactions
Elementary school children send heartfelt letters to the students.

Media representatives are welcome to observe and photograph the above classes. Past year materials are also available.

Comment from TSM Instructor KYONKO

I consider this initiative as an important part of practical education, hoping students acquire not only dance skills but also the ability to convey their knowledge to others. In teaching elementary school children, flexibility is required: not just teaching choreography but also adjusting language and pace to the situation. Initially, students showed nervousness and hesitation, but as sessions repeated, they improved in devising their own approaches and creating an atmosphere where children could learn enjoyably. Sharing time with children of various grades provides valuable experience in dealing with each individual, which will be a great asset when they become instructors in the future. I hope this experience helps students grow not just as dancers but as people who can communicate effectively.

Comment from Principal Yasuo Yasuda, Koto-ku Toyo Elementary School

As the educational environment changes, opportunities for children to receive genuine expertise from adults other than their school teachers are becoming increasingly important. TSM students face children with seriousness and sincerity each year. Now in the fifth year, I feel great significance as an educator in the sense of accomplishment children feel through dance and the emergence of looks that say 'I want to become an adult like that.' Having local specialized personnel enter schools and broaden children's horizons—the accumulation of such experiences forms the foundation of rich school education.

Comment from Mr. Eiichi Matsui, President of Sanken Setsubi Kogyo Co., Ltd.

We are entering our fourth year participating in this project. We are delighted to contribute once again to this wonderful opportunity for specialized school students striving toward their dreams—teaching dance to children is a concrete step toward those dreams. After last year's Dance Academy, we were able to meet directly with the specialized school students. Hearing their honest impressions and passionate aspirations for the future, we once again realized the infinite possibilities born from interactions between local youth and children. This project is a valuable learning experience for young people and an unforgettable encounter for children, making it extremely meaningful for both parties. We will continue to support this wonderful project and contribute to the revitalization of the local community and the growth of young people who will carry the future.

Participating Organizations

■ Sanken Setsubi Kogyo Co., Ltd.

Since its founding in 1946, as an environmental creation company for air and water, we have provided comfortable and safe spaces centered on air conditioning, water supply, and drainage equipment for all buildings. We aim to be a leading company in building a decarbonized society and have pioneered ZEB (Net Zero Energy Buildings) that achieve zero energy consumption while maintaining comfortable indoor environments. We contribute to a sustainable society by promoting ZEB incorporating environmental load reduction technologies.

■ Tokyo School of Music & Dance

Since its opening in 1988, this specialized school has been cultivating professionals ready for immediate contribution in the music and entertainment industry through 'industry-academia collaboration education.' We provide practical learning through projects with renowned domestic and international artists and companies, with many graduates active at the forefront of the industry. In recent years, we have focused on K-POP education, developing a unique curriculum leveraging strong networks with Korean entertainment companies.

Media Contact

Tokyo School of Music & Dance
PR Contact: Yosuke Sekiguchi, ATARAYO Inc.
TEL: 080-4471-3208 MAIL: pr@atarayo-inc.com