IDTA Level 4 Diploma

[claudstar90]

Hi,

 

I am currently studying to take the last part of the IDTA Level 4 Diploma in Dance Teaching in Ballet. This is for Unit 3 and is the for the last exam where you have to teach a class in front of the examiner. I was wondering if anyone has taken this in any style and could help with a couple of questions?

 

1. Are we allowed to take notes into the room with some exercises written down to teach to the class?

2. Do you wait to hear from the examiner inbetween each exercise taught or is it better to carry on teaching as if you would in a class and she is mostly there to observe

3. How many exercises do you think I need to prepare for the exam and which ones? eg. plies, tendu's, set adage etc? The handbook says the examiner could ask for anything.

 

Thanks.

[swanprincess]

Hi Claudstar, I took this exam in April so will hopefully be able to advise. 

 

No, you’re not allowed notes, and the examiner only observes you teach then you have a conversation with her after the class when the students have left the room.

 

the examiner will write down what she wants you to teach, then you’ll have 10 minutes to think before the students come in. I’d prepared possible exercises but didn’t end up needing them in the exam! I was asked to teach a barre warm up, an adage in the centre, an exercise involving pas de basque, an exercise to develop musicality, and a cool down. 

 

Do you know the age/grade of the students in your class? This might help you, to think of any new steps that are in their grade, or any steps that they’ve done in lower grades as the examiner will likely ask for an exercise involving one or two particular steps from the set work. 

 

It’s a non syllabus class so she won’t expect you to teach a set exercise.

 

let me know if you have any more questions!xx

[Jan McNulty]

Hello Claudstar90 and welcome out of the lurking shadows.  Now that you have broken the posting ice I hope you will continue to contribute.

[claudstar90]

Hey,

 

Thank you very much for your reply on this.

 

I will be taking students of Grade 3 in with me, I have been creating some possible enchainements which focus on the new steps within the grade. With what she asked you to teach, I am guessing this wasn't as specific as teach a grand battements exercise, a rond de jambe exercise, a demi pointe exercise etc? It seemed to be one at the barre, an adage in the centre and some sort of exercise including a particular movement? with the musicality one, I guess this could be something like creative improvisation? 

 

I think I always overthink these exams but I always think it is best to be over prepared!

 

 

[swanprincess]

She specified she wanted a warm up facing the barre, but then wasn't particularly specific over the other exercises.

 

i found it a really lovely exam to do, good luck with yours!xx

[claudstar90]

Hi Swan Princess,

 

I am not sure if you will get this message or not but I wondered if you had already taught some of the exercises which you had thought of (like a warm up) to the students prior to the exam? Or did you have to teach a warm up in the class to the students step by step rather than the students just performing it quickly to warm up?

[swanprincess]

Hi! So the day before my exam I met the children who would be dancing for me (I knew them but hadn’t taught them for a few years)- i taught them some exercises as a ‘practice run’ but then in my exam the examiner asked for specific things which I hadn’t already prepared- such as, I would usually do a warm up in the centre with grade 3’s but the examiner wanted a warm up at the barre