RAD Intermediate Exam

[dancemum09]

Hi everyone, 

DD is joining some additional classes from her dance school soon and one of them is RAD Intermediate. Does anyone know how RAD’s Intermediate compares with ISTD’s Intermediate? In terms of difficulty, no. of exercises, etc. Also I believe for the RAD exam she needs soft blocks/Demi pointe shoes as well as pointe shoes. Does she not need regular flats at all? If not do they wear the soft blocks in class instead of flat? Many thanks! 

[balletbean]

Hi. DD taking intermediate in the next few weeks. Soft blocks are needed. Not flats. Hope that helps. 

[dancemum09]

balletbean Thank you! I am assuming your DD wears the soft blocks in the lessons too? 

[drdance]

Slightly fewer exercises in RAD but the exercises themselves are longer. Difficulty is similar I think although it’s been a long time since I did taught the ISTD. 

 

Regular flats might be worn in class but for the RAD exam it’s soft blocks.

[TooTu]

dd is taking her RAD intermediate soon & wears soft blocks for the class too. In her school they are encouraged to wear soft blocks for all classes rather than flats. 

[dancemum09]

10 hours ago, drdance said:

Slightly fewer exercises in RAD but the exercises themselves are longer. Difficulty is similar I think although it’s been a long time since I did taught the ISTD. 

 

Regular flats might be worn in class but for the RAD exam it’s soft blocks.

Thank you both! 

7 hours ago, TooTu said:

dd is taking her RAD intermediate soon & wears soft blocks for the class too. In her school they are encouraged to wear soft blocks for all classes rather than flats. 

 

[RHowarth]

Is this ISTD Cecchetti? I would say the ISTD is more harshly marked. There was a good ten marks between my result in ISTD Cecchetti and the new RAD Inter as an adult. But I was trained in RAD (and had done the old Inter and possibly begun it when it was still called Elementary!) so it might have just been that I was more comfortable with the style. 

[balletbean]

17 hours ago, dancemum09 said:

balletbean Thank you! I am assuming your DD wears the soft blocks in the lessons too? 

Yes. They’ve been wedged in the bottom draw for ages but now with the exam looming they’ve started wearing them everylesson. As they were supposed to from the beginning but as usual back to back lessons of different Grades they just kept their flats on. 🙆‍♀️

[Clarkd3]

Balance is very different in soft blocks to flats so they should wear them from the outset according to my DD’s teacher! They are a nightmare to prepare though depending on how fussy the teacher is about the noise! X

[balletbean]

19 hours ago, Clarkd3 said:

Balance is very different in soft blocks to flats so they should wear them from the outset according to my DD’s teacher! They are a nightmare to prepare though depending on how fussy the teacher is about the noise! X

Probably a good idea as we bought them ages ago for just that reason. Somehow they didn’t leave the bottom draw and now she tells me ‘mummmmm my soft blocks are a bit tight’ yup the usual, just 10 days before exam dress rehearsal. The phrase ‘you will have to make do’ was mentioned. Bless ‘em all 😉😂🙆‍♀️

[ParentTaxi]

There is probably the 'usual' difference between RAD and ISTD, in the form of 'free work'? So ISTD exams will, as always, have a free work element, consisting of various free enchainements set by the examiner, as there are from the earliest grades. I know that 'numbered' RAD grades don't usually have these, and just have set, rehearsed exercises - I don't know whether the Intermediate is the same? I shouldn't think it is a problem if moving ISTD to RAD, but could be more of an issue when moving RAD to ISTD.

[Nicola H]

1 hour ago, ParentTaxi said:

There is probably the 'usual' difference between RAD and ISTD, in the form of 'free work'? So ISTD exams will, as always, have a free work element, consisting of various free enchainements set by the examiner, as there are from the earliest grades. I know that 'numbered' RAD grades don't usually have these, and just have set, rehearsed exercises - I don't know whether the Intermediate is the same? I shouldn't think it is a problem if moving ISTD to RAD, but could be more of an issue when moving RAD to ISTD.

if i recall correctly RAD  VGEs   have a free enchainment section  

[drdance]

2 hours ago, Nicola H said:

if i recall correctly RAD  VGEs   have a free enchainment section  

 

Correct - although only one free enchainement, in the allegro section. ISTD (imperial) has more free enchainements dotted throughout although less than in the grades of my memory serves me correctly!

[ParentTaxi]

Thanks for setting my post right, Nicola and DrDance!

 

DD has only ever done ISTD (Imperial), and I know that pupils who have moved to her school from RAD schools over the years have been surprised by the element of free work, which DD has always seen as 'normal'. I didn't know that changed for vocational grades - DD is working towards Adv 1, still with ISTD - so will add that to my extensive store of 'dance things I never knew!'

[Skibidi]

Hello. Total newbie here (had major issues getting past the Captcha thing to register).

Can I ask if they HAVE to wear soft blocks for RAD Intermediate? Seems mental- why wouldn't they just do the whole thing in pointe shoes? 

I'm asking because my daughter is going to go all out to try and get inter this year having only reached grade 4 Cecchetti. 

[Cara in NZ]

1 hour ago, Skibidi said:

Hello. Total newbie here (had major issues getting past the Captcha thing to register).

Can I ask if they HAVE to wear soft blocks for RAD Intermediate? Seems mental- why wouldn't they just do the whole thing in pointe shoes? 

I'm asking because my daughter is going to go all out to try and get inter this year having only reached grade 4 Cecchetti. 

Yes, for Inter Foundation they have the option of ballet flats with ribbons, but for Intermediate the RAD specs say 'soft pointe shoes', ie demis.

In our experience, the girls HATED demis, and would leave them in their dance bags to see if they could get away with wearing their lovely soft split-soles that hug their feet. And yes, the whole reason for demis is to make them work through the block and strengthen their feet. But our DDs said they were just as uncomfortable as pointe shoes but DIDN'T EVEN LOOK NICE 🤣.

The RAD website has all the info, but you have to download the Specifications doc to see the uniform details: https://www.royalacademyofdance.org/achieve/exams/what-we-do/rules-regulations-and-specifications
I've added a screenshot to save you downloading

[Jan McNulty]

Hello Skibidi and welcome to the Forum!

[Skibidi]

Thank you. It's a bit annoying that soft blocks are pointless (Haha) and won't be worn after the exam. Grrr. Oh well. Off to melt my credit card again...

[balletbean]

On 15/11/2018 at 09:10, Skibidi said:

Thank you. It's a bit annoying that soft blocks are pointless (Haha) and won't be worn after the exam. Grrr. Oh well. Off to melt my credit card again...

Good Luck

My DD took RAD Inter in June. Having buried her soft blocks in the draw for months then discovering they were too small at the exam dress rehearsal. How she got that far without her teacher noticing goodness knows. Too tight fisted mum (me) didn’t rush off to buy new pair, so darling DD Squeezed her feet into them just long enough for the exam. No Pain no gain as they say. 

Two weeks later the uniform list arrived for vocational school and sure enough Soft Blocks were required. 😉😂😩

[Fiz]

🤣

[Skibidi]

Bah! Why though? What's the actual point of demi pointe?

[Cara in NZ]

5 hours ago, Skibidi said:

Bah! Why though? What's the actual point of demi pointe?

 

OK I've thought about it some more. Here's my theory...

1. They start out in soft shoes, getting the hang of articulation. Before split soles were 'invented', they still had to work against the full sole. Some schools restrict or ban split-soles.

 

2. As they get a bit older (age 7-11), they need to understand 'high demi-pointe' in their soft shoes because that is the closest they can get to the required foot position en pointe, ie strengthening their ankles and feet and learning to 'pull up'. (Ideally they have 'pre-pointe' or pointe preparation work in Grade 4/5 to help with this process.)

 

3. They get to Intermediate Foundation and start basic pointework. But they don't get soft blocks that year because then they will want to try to go en pointe in them, which is a terrible idea as they don't have any support. And they have enough to deal with as the reality hits of how hard pointe is!

 

3. After doing IF pointework, they have an idea of how much harder it is to work through the foot to get it to look half as nice as in their soft flats... they have also developed some strength from pointework and as they have pointe shoes, they won't be tempted to try pointe in soft blocks.

 

4. In Intermediate they get soft blocks to make them work on articulating through the foot doing similar exercises to what they are used to doing in soft shoes. This prepares them for stronger feet and harder pointework in the advanced vocational levels (RAD).

 

Does that make sense?

[The_Red_Shoes]

Many years ago we only had full sole soft ballet shoes with a fairly stiff leather sole. This was before the days of the more flexible chrome leather soles which I think appeared around the late 70s and initially the RAD didn't allow. The sole had some depth to it and finished underneath the heel in the same way that the sole on the pointe shoe does - so it needed working hard in order to point the foot, was uncomfortable if your weight was dropped too far back and there was a slight feel of being slightly raised off the level of the ground. So working for years in those shoes was much more similar to working in pointe shoes than modern split sole or even a modern full sole soft shoe. Demi-pointe shoes didn't exist and once we had a supply of used pointe shoes that's what we used to wear all the time in class. The old exam regs for RAD used to require the wearing of soft pointe shoes. Eventually the shoe makers found a market for a shoe that prepared the dancer for working in the stiffer pointe shoe. However the exam specifications don't say that the student must wear "demi-pointe shoes" - it still specifies "soft pointe shoes", so I assume students could still wear old pointe shoes.

[LinMM]

A very good point the Red Shoes....they may need tarting up a bit for the exam but would save money .....that is if the examinee has been doing enough pointework beforehand.

On a bit of a silly note when I first typed "tarting" above it came up as "tarring" ......definitely wouldn't recommend this though!!

[Nicola H]

10 hours ago, Cara in NZ said:

 

OK I've thought about it some more. Here's my theory...

1. They start out in soft shoes, getting the hang of articulation. Before split soles were 'invented', they still had to work against the full sole. Some schools restrict or ban split-soles.

 

2. As they get a bit older (age 7-11), they need to understand 'high demi-pointe' in their soft shoes because that is the closest they can get to the required foot position en pointe, ie strengthening their ankles and feet and learning to 'pull up'. (Ideally they have 'pre-pointe' or pointe preparation work in Grade 4/5 to help with this process.)

 

3. They get to Intermediate Foundation and start basic pointework. But they don't get soft blocks that year because then they will want to try to go en pointe in them, which is a terrible idea as they don't have any support. And they have enough to deal with as the reality hits of how hard pointe is!

 

3. After doing IF pointework, they have an idea of how much harder it is to work through the foot to get it to look half as nice as in their soft flats... they have also developed some strength from pointework and as they have pointe shoes, they won't be tempted to try pointe in soft blocks.

 

4. In Intermediate they get soft blocks to make them work on articulating through the foot doing similar exercises to what they are used to doing in soft shoes. This prepares them for stronger feet and harder pointework in the advanced vocational levels (RAD).

 

Does that make sense?

Absolutely it does ... 

also fits with what  oneof my regular teachers  ( a PDTD holder) says  , she encourages her adult students who are or who want to take  pointe class to do their normal classes in soft blocks ...

[Skibidi]

Ah that does indeed make sense. Thank you - I feel a bit less annoyed about it now!

[Legseleven]

It’s very therapeutic to bash a dead pair of pointe shoes into submission for use as soft pointes - lots of stress and frustration can be released by ripping out the insoles, hammering/running car wheels over the blocks and generally attacking them. (Best to wrap them in a couple of fairly strong plastic bags first to avoid tyre prints etc....) Then wash the ribbons and clean the shoes before using calamine or similar on them 😉

[Fiz]

I used to watch the pupils at a dance school our daughters went to using a hammer on theirs or shutting them in a door hinge. They did it with new pointe shoes too. I used to watch in fascinated horror and think of their poor parents’ bank accounts.

[Nicola H]

5 hours ago, Fiz said:

I used to watch the pupils at a dance school our daughters went to using a hammer on theirs or shutting them in a door hinge. They did it with new pointe shoes too. I used to watch in fascinated horror and think of their poor parents’ bank accounts.

the whole shutting them in the  door hinge  thing  is  something that people do because they've seen / heard the pros doing it -   usually  when they  need a pair of shoes show ready  quick smart  so don;t have  the time to  wear them in   in class or rehearsal 

[Dance*is*life]

The latest RAD syllabi are very different from the old ones and certainly the choreography is far more creative than it used to be.  There is one free enchainement and the format has just been changed slightly. The examiner can choose between three focal steps and use whatever she likes from a list of linking steps.  There is a choice of two dances, one classical or one neo/modern. Demi-pointe shoes must be worn, but they can be old pointe shoes with the inner sole removed.  The actual pointe work is fairly simple. 3 exercises on the barre and two in the centre, plus the reverence......... put simply wearing demi-pointes prepares you for working in pointe shoes on stage.ointework

 

[Viv]

In addition to the articulation points, they're also trying to train centre balance and jumping in a slightly different shoe. Standing in canvas shoes is basically like wearing socks and takes no extra work to balance. Plus, you can jump with the worst technique and while you might land with a thud, the shoes won't add to that at all. Pointe is different! Pointe shoes have a slightly raised sole which causes the foot to rock a bit more on the ground and makes them much harder to balance in them - try adage in your pointe shoes sometime and you'll see what I mean! Soft pointe shoes (either de-shanked regular pointes or specially bought demi pointes) are supposed to mimic the feeling of dancing with your toes slightly compressed, balancing on a different sole when on flat, keeping a high demi-pointe and how to land softly through a shoe that has a box. I buy bloch split sole and they have been made so comfortable that I think it completely defeats the purpose of a demi-pointe, it has none of the benefits and just looks ugly...but that's another issue.

[Peanut68]

Viv, you perfectly describe the differences in working in flats v Demi pointe or even pointe...

as very few will go on to a classical ballet careee dancing almost completely in pointe shoes it does seem an unnecessary thrus back to former times when perhaps many fewer took these exams & they were truly ‘vicatiinal’ ie. a sign of preparing for world of  work as a professional ballet dancer. I reckon wearing Demi pointe quite likely cost me large amounts of marks as my balance was completely disturbed - especially in adage....probably should’ve started wearing the dreaded Demi pointe shoes much earlier (literally first time I wore them was one week prior to exam in our ‘mock’) Probably not the best idea wearing a pair of hand me downs from my daughter either 🤣

I can hear my own words that would ring out to DD.... “be well prepared”.... but as a working mum (& with high maintenance partner if you know what I mean...!) just getting to 2 classes a week was hard work enough... having time to shop for shoes/sew on ribbons/break them in etc etc? Not a chance!! 🤣

[sarahw]

My grumble about soft blocks is the lack of choice of styles - if you have a 'difficult' shape foot for whatever reason it's a nightmare. (Unfortunately deshanked pointes didn't work for my DD.)