Dance*is*life

Spanner - that's what I used to love at Battersea Fun Fair! The ring doughnuts hot out of the oil with a spot of powdered sugar on them. Ooh just the smell! I would not go home until I'd dragged my Dad to find the doughnut stand!!! Funny that it's something I've remembered all these years! I find the jam doughnuts too stodgy and sweet - these were light and melt in the mouth!

I did a quick google - here you are - Loukoumades (Greek Honey Soaked Doughnuts) This is a Mediterranean sweet made from deep-fried dough balls, which are soaked in a honey syrup with cinnamon. Enjoy these immediately.

When I was a kid my favourite treat during the annual trip to the Battersea Park fun fair was the stand that made hot doughnuts on the spot. Could not resist them! They actually opened a DD here and for a while had queues into the street for them, but somehow after a while the queues dwindled away and they eventually closed. Much better for my figure as I have to confess to loving them - reminded me of my childhood treat!

Yes, also some schools work slower than others, perhaps because they can't offer enough classes and some students with borderline ages according to school intake may be behind or ahead in their ballet because of that, so that their exam level may not truly reflect their ability. I have two girls who are due to take Inter this coming session - one is 14 and one 15 but they are in the same class at school and in ballet. Also, as people have noted, not everyone does RAD. I sent a student to the Prague Master Classes this summer. She is one who took Advanced 1 early at 13 and 10 months. I would have preferred to give her another year on it, but knew that the class below hers wouldn't be able to do the syllabus (she always worked with older girls). She never took Advanced 2, because the girls she was with graduated before she was ready for it. However, I simply told them in Prague that she was at Advanced 2 level and they accepted my statement. I have students who are at the level of the exam, but choose not to take it for financial reasons or because they don't like exams. It doesn't detract from their standard (although I personally feel that the exams do push them on to greater heights) and were they to audition for a place in an SI I would hope that it would go by their actual audition.

That's an interesting point, but whilst the new Advanced Foundation is definitely harder technically and richer vocabulary wise than the old AF, I don't think it is quite up to the old Adv 1, although I'm sure that the audition panel will be aware of the upgrade to AF. Anyway, the situation wouldn't arise because you can't take the new exams yet, so anyone taking the old Adv 1 would have to have done so before January 2015 and anyone up for the new AF after Jan 2015. Quite honestly I don't think the exams are that important a factor in the decision making cycle. I'm sure both AF or Adv 1 are acceptable and the decision will be made at the actual audition.

Legseleven - do you know when the 4 teachers you mentioned got permission to enter children underage? The new minimum age rule just came into being this year, it's only been in force since January 2013. When I wrote to them with a general enquiry as to whether they would still allow exceptions, I was told no.

They've done away with the exception clause for entering an exam early, together with the change in age limit whereby you have to be the minimum age by the January or June before the exam rather than by the end of the year in which you take the exam. The RAD WAS originally a training system. I still have the books for the Six Years of Study for the more advanced levels and my original Primary certificate from 1953, which was called something like Ballet in Education syllabus, can't remember exactly. Of course all the steps in the vocabulary always had to be taught separately before teaching the settings, but the old settings for the Advanced 1 and 2 were far more straightforward and so easier to pass on to the students. I thought they were excellent actually and really enjoyed teaching them. They were challenging and interesting and many professional dancers perfected their technique by working on the exam syllabi, which were on a very high standard both vocabulary wise and technical difficulty. I also much preferred the old style free enchainements without the focal steps etc, which I find very restricting. I find the new work much more complicated choreographically and musically - it gives me the impression that they have thrown everything in but the kitchen sink! I personally like enchainements that are natural and flow easily and I find the new style rather "bitty" - a bit of that - a bit of this! Still, as I said I am reserving final judgement until we actually have a course in it.

From what we were shown at the launch, it seems to me that the new syllabi are drastically different from what we have had before from the RAD and are going to be really difficult to teach. As I am going to have to teach all the new vocabulary first, I won't have any time left to start teaching them the very complicated choreography of the set enchainements and variations, which means that with the two syllabus classes a week I have them for, every grade will need 2 years. In the past the new vocabulary was actually introduced in a fairly simple set exercise, so once you'd taught it to them you just needed to work on it to prepare for the exam. Of course once they had mastered the new step, you could use it in your own free enchainements for the students, but that was your option. Another problem I see is that there is very little pointe work in Intermediate, but in Advanced Foundation they have introduced two very long and difficult pointe variations. This is supposed to be the stepping stone to Advanced 1- not a two year struggle. Most students at regular schools don't have enough training to cope with these levels, but we were still able to teach the old syllabi to our most talented students, and from the little they showed us, I don't see that happening with the new work. Anyway, the exams are far too expensive for the average family, so I think most people will give up exams after Inter and that will be it. Of course the Advanced work was never easy, but it was accessible - I shall reserve total judgement until after we have had the official course in it, but my feelings about it are tinged with scepticism, I'm afraid.

I put clear nail varnish on the ends of the ribbons to stop them fraying. I always keep a bottle in my little sewing kit when I go to teach. I also use it to stop ladders in tights as well. I have to carry a sewing/emergency kit with me as I frequently have to sew on ribbons that have fallen off, because they were sewn on any old way with a few stitches. If I were only paid for every set of ribbons that I've sewn on for my pupils, I'd be a rich woman today! Nobody seems to know how to sew here - it's usually Grandma that does it or an actual seamstress (who of course has no clue where the ribbons should be sewn.

I was delighted when the RAD made it compulsary to have ribbons on shoes only from IF onwards. Tying the shoe ribbons of dozens of little girls every year and hoping that they would manage to undo them to change for character was a nightmare. I am quite surprised that there are still teachers who require ribbons for the little ones, even if it looks nicer! Glutton for punishment IMO!!!

Talking about Are you any good at fitting pointe shoes? Most of them aren't! I get pupils who have to go back to the shop three or four times, because the fitter has sold them pointe shoes that are too big, too wide, too high or too low in the vamp etc etc. Mind you the shoes I particularly love are the soft slippers for the little ones, who are sold shoes two sizes too big, because when you pull the drawstrings tight they fit! What about the wads of leather flapping around the sides and the fact that the child can't point because of the vast expanse of shoe hanging off the top of her toes. Grrrrr

Just put down the highest qualifying exam she has passed - if she has passed RAD Intermediate they definitely do not need to know that she passed Primary, Grade 1 etc - it doesn't matter - she is allowed the affiliate membership because of the vocational exam she has passed and that's what counts. I think they add the bit about non RAD exams, because you can also become a member if you have the same level qualification in IDTA or ISTD or something. I also presume they're talking about ballet exams and not modern or tap.

Yes, great article, but I have to admit that I was rather astounded that he was doing 6 hours of dance practise a day at 7 years old! It's very hard for the boys and I've taught a number over the years. They have to be very tough to get above all the teasing and stick to it, but the few that really get the bug are usually even more determined than the girls.

Two things struck me - Ellen Price danced it much faster than Osipova (although it could just be the recording) and she would not have had pointe shoes as sophisticated as our modern ones, which may have hindered her getting right over her shoes. I believe the early pointe shoes had very little "block" in them to support the feet. Of course modern training and subsequent advancement in technique gives a totally different look to the execution of the steps, but what I find remarkable is just how good the early dancers were, in spite of this. I was fortunate enough to see Ulanova dance when the Bolshoi first came to London in 1956. I had inspirational memories of the performances I saw then ever after. When I discovered that there was a DVD of Ulanova from that period, I was almost afraid to buy it in case I would find her disappointing after all those years. Still I bought it and she was just as glorious as I had remembered her. Osipova is truly beautiful and a real artist as well as a technician, but those early dancers had something special, which is often missing today in the obsession for athleticism and ultra-flexibility. By the way do click on some of the other extracts that pop up once you've watched the original video. There's a lovely interview with Makarova and Ashton where he talks about seeing Pavlova - fascinating.....

I took and passed my RAD vocational exams on one class in the syllabi a week, both at my arts school and at the RBS. However during the rest of the week I attended non-syllabus ballet classes on the equivalent level and this in my opinion is what's important. We use exams in our school to motivate the students rather than to evaluate them. Not every student suits exams and many a time I have had a good girl get a lower mark in the exam than I expected and vice versa of course. It's the hard work and the process of preparing seriously for the exam that is the key to advancement. Knowing that you have to master a particularly difficult step in order to perform it in the exam makes a student stick at it and keep working. However, what is crucial is the number of good classical classes at the advanced level that a student takes during the week - the exam is IMO an extra.

I think obsessing about flexibility is rather misplaced. Whilst it is true that nowadays it is expected that legs will be raised high, a strong well-placed turned-out leg to the side at 150 degrees is better than a distorted, hip lifted, turned in leg somewhere round the ear. Dancers are not artistic gymnasts - the right physique, strong pointe work, well held pirouettes, beautiful lines, sensitive arms, dance quality, musicality and presentation are what's important. And just because a girl can descend into splits, doesn't mean that she can hold the legs in the air at that height - you need strength to hold legs high. And you know even if you do a million tests, they can't prove conclusively if one dancer will get chosen over another, because at the end of the day it's all about personal opinion and what each school or company is looking for. I remember that for one company I was too small and for another too tall! Go figure!

I chose the pseudonym Dance*is*life because for me it is just that and everyone who knows me personally knows that without dance I wouldn't be me! I started dancing at 3 and a half and haven't stopped since, more than 60+ years later. I don't feel that it was a sacrifice - on the contrary for me it has been a blessing - class whether teaching it or dancing it has always been my special place - MY place. Luckily for my parents it wasn't a sacrifice financially as I had scholarships, nor was it a sacrifice emotionally as I lived at home throughout my training. I went abroad to perform in a ballet company, but not so far that they couldn't come and visit. I never taught so much that my family felt neglected when my kids were young and they are all very proud of me and actually liked the fact that I was different from their friends' parents! They still come to my school recitals and they have come numerous times to watch me perform in character roles with our local ballet company. Last November, my middle son brought his 4 year old son to see Grandma as the nanny in Romeo and Juliet Ballet has kept me fit and active; it has taught me to work hard and persevere and it has filled my life with pleasure at being involved in something so special. I think it has been a privilege - not a sacrifice.

Well yes, good for her, but I have to say with all these endurance swims and iron man comps, marathon runs etc etc - my reaction is Why would you want to do it? OK maybe I'm just jealous because I can only swim 10 strokes and I'm exhausted after a 90 minute ballet class!

Here is the web link to Eve Trew http://www.evetrew.com/dance-school - Sounds like it could be a good fit for you. Good luck!!! Just one thought - would you be interested in sending your daughter away to vocational school? It would solve all your problems I think (well except for the expense )

Just wanted to note that I know three Russians who are called Irena and they pronounce it Ir -eh -na and not Ir - ee- na, so I don't think it's just their spelling.

A male student of mine took his Advanced 2 whilst he was training at Elmhurst. When he started there I remember saying to him "At last you'll get to do an RAD vocational exam with other boys!" because I was sure that at HQ there would be two or three boys together. Ha! He travelled on the train down to HQ from Birmingham and he was the lone male yet again It's a shame because the syllabus is very rich and demanding and really prepares the young men for professional careers.

What about the RAD children's summer school at HQ? Oh, just realised that the original post was from last November. Wonder what Lemongirl's daughter did in the end!

I imagine that it won't be easy to find a regular school that teaches Adv 2. Most students seem to study it in vocational schools, because it is very hard to find local schools that offer sufficient classes at that level. There are non-vocational schools that teach it, but the ones I know of are outside London.

Is the RAD HQ too far for you? You can ask them for a list of schools in the area you need if it is.

Wow Dramascientist - that was quite an achievement!!! I have never forgotten entering for the modern cup they introduced in the early 1960's. Our teacher got Ben Stevenson, then with Festival Ballet, who was just starting on his choreographic career, to compose dances for five of us. I had a super dance - very different - and the judges voted me runner-up. However, the winner was an outstanding boy, Tony Kemp, who became quite famous, and they obviously felt that none of the girls had a chance against him, so they made me a miniature duplicate cup as compensation, which I still have. So many nice memories.........