Photographing Children at Dance Shows: Consent and GDPR

On show night, every dance school wants the same thing: every child seen, every family happy, and no awkward conversations afterwards about who was filmed and where the video went. Photos and video of pupils are part of the magic of a show, but they are also personal data, and parents rightly care about how they are used.

Here is a plain English guide to photographing and filming children at dance shows in the UK, based on what the Information Commissioner’s Office says, and how I handle it when I film and photograph dance shows in Liverpool. It is practical guidance, not legal advice, so check anything specific with your own adviser.

1. What the ICO says

The ICO’s advice on taking photographs at school events is the clearest starting point for dance schools too. The key points:

• Personal use is not covered. People can take photos and video for their own personal use, such as a family album, without data protection law applying.
• Be transparent. Tell families up front what photos and video will be taken, and how they will be used, ideally at the start of the year and again before the show.
• Offer an opt out. Give families the chance to say no, particularly for promotional use.
• Get permission before publishing. Before a child’s photo goes on your website, social media or a flyer, make sure the family has had the chance to opt out.
• Act on objections. If a family objects later, remove the digital copies.

Read the full advice here: ICO: taking photographs, data protection advice for schools.

2. Can parents film the show?

Data protection law does not stop parents filming their own child for personal use. But you can still set your own house rules for other reasons, such as a phone light distracting the dancers, a blocked view, or simply wanting the audience to watch the show rather than their screens.

Whatever you allow is fine by me. If you would rather your audience watched instead of filming, an official film is usually the easiest way to make that stick, because families know they will get a proper copy anyway.

3. Your official photos and film

When your school books a photographer or videographer, the photos and film are taken on your behalf, so they need handling with care. A simple approach that works well:

4. How I handle consent on show night

I work to your own policy, whether that is the school’s, the company’s or the venue’s, and you hold the consent list. Tell me what needs to be in place and who has opted out before the day, and it is sorted in advance rather than in a corridor on the night.

• Opted out pupils are kept out of the edit and out of anything that is ever seen publicly.
• Delivery is private: a password protected gallery, and you decide who gets the password.
• Nothing goes public on social media, my website or a showreel without written permission from the school.

5. Sharing the film and photos safely

How the film reaches families matters as much as how it is shot:

• Use a private link, not a public YouTube video or an open Facebook post.
• Password protect it, and send the password only to your families.
• Avoid full names on titles, chapters and file names.
• Choose promotional images carefully, only from families who have not opted out.
• Keep it tidy: decide how long the gallery stays live, then take it down.

Questions dance schools ask

More guides for dance schools: How much does it cost to film a dance show? · Music licences for dance show videos · How to get your dance show filmed.