Dance school industry to advance regulation after teacher's arrest

In the wake of the high profile arrest of a Sydney dance school teacher for multiple offences, including sexual assault of a minor and possession of child pornography, the dance school community is moving quickly to regulate their industry.

Representatives of Australia's largest dance schools met this week to discuss proposals for a national body to oversee regulation in the wake of the sex assault scandal at Sydney's RG Dance Studio.

Despite the fact that as many as half a million Australian children learn dance, the industry is largely unregulated.

The push for change comes after the arrest of Grant Davies, who has been charged with ten offences including the sexual assault of a minor and for producing and disseminating child pornography.

Davies (pictured) was arrested two weeks ago and the school has since been shut down.

Police strike force Patstone, which includes officers from the sex-crimes squad, has been set up to investigate the allegations against Davies.

Peter Oxford, who runs Australia's biggest dance eisteddfod, says people within the dance community were shocked by the allegations.

Oxford told the ABC "there has never been anything like this in the industry - it is just something that we could never imagine

"I grew up in an industry where we were nurtured by our teacher and it has changed so much now that we have to go back and take stock and just go back and help each other."

Oxford says the industry has been "rocked", but he is determined to help it get back on its feet working with dance teacher Tracie Marie Seipel and the NSW Children's Guardian, Kerryn Boland, to give practical and legal advice on child safety.

The Office of the Children's Guardian is rolling out workshops for dance schools across New South Wales with similar programs expected to be introduced nationally.

For more information go to www.kidsguardian.nsw.gov.au/

Image of Grant Davies: Facebook.