YPAD Certified Studio

We are so thrilled to announce that after completing an in-depth course on the best practices to protect the mental, emotional and physical health of our students, all teachers and staff members at The Next Step School of Dance are YPAD (Youth Protection Advocates in Dance) Certified. As part of our certification, everyone is CPR Trained and has completed a background check.

YPAD was founded by Leslie Scott, a professional dancer, choreographer and educator, in 2012. In 2019, Leslie approached Misty Lown of More Than Just Great Dancing to take on the leadership of YPAD in order to give it the structural support it needed to take its important message to the larger dance community. Leslie remains an advisor to the curriculum and supports the YPAD mission.

The Next Step School of Dance is a dance studio where our students can learn life skills through dance in a safe, age-appropriate environment. We are blessed to walk along this dance journey with some of the best educators in the dance industry, who believe the same as we do, that the studio should be a safe haven for our children to take class with appropriate moves, music and costumes. We’ve equipped our team with the knowledge and resources for injury prevention, safety for the students and families we serve, and emotional wellness of our students. YPAD is setting a standard for best practices in the dance industry along with a commitment to keeping students happy, healthy and safe in dance. It was our responsibility, as dance educators, to have become a YPAD Certified dance studio.

We are proud to be YPAD Certified and will continue to provide the best for our studio families.