EverHopeful

I’m loving being back in the studio... but I’m also so frustrated with myself about all the progress I’ve lost. 
I need to start making some decisions about whether or not to take video exams this term - exams I would have been ready to take in summer had all this not happened. But my fitness, technique, appearance, confidence(!!) and general exam-readiness have all deteriorated a LOT in the last 6 months. I just don’t know if I’m prepared to accept a lower mark than I may be capable of in ‘normal’ times. People keep telling me the marks don’t matter, but if that’s the case then why do exams at all? They matter to me, a lot. The idea of working towards an exam and getting feedback and hopefully getting the mark I hope for, that’s what motivates me. I would rather get 80% in a lower grade than get 70% in a higher one - I’m a perfectionist, that’s just how my brain works. 
I can always do the higher grade in future. Convincing my teacher to let me try a lower one again is proving much more of a challenge. 

1 hour ago, youngatheart said:

The guidelines have been updated on gov.uk and clarify that dance and fitness classes of any size can go ahead if COVID-19 secure

That’s great to hear! 

According to these articles, gatherings of more than 6 people will be illegal from Monday. It says schools, work places and ‘organised team sports’ are exempt from the new rules - so hopefully vocational schools will be ok to continue. But where do local dance schools fall within this new guidance? 
https://news.sky.com/story/coronavirus-social-gatherings-of-more-than-six-people-to-be-banned-in-england-from-monday-12066910

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54081131

One option for me next term is to take my next exam by video submission. I’m completely torn on the issue - on the one hand it’s a really positive thing to work towards after all the madness. But on the other hand, my ability has decreased drastically unfortunately due to the coronavirus. I’ve also heard some reports that students have received results  much lower than expected due to taking exams by video submission. Do I go for it and just ‘get it over with’ and try to achieve the best I can? Or do I wait until ‘normal’ exams return with the hope of achieving a better result ? 
I genuinely don’t know what to do for the best. I will never be a professional dancer but I very much hope to be accepted on the CBTS course in the next few years. 

Completely about to lose the plot here with all the confusing guidelines. Nothing is clear. Everything is left open to interpretation. So angry at the whole situation. What we need is set rules. Precise, exact, detailed rules. I’m so sick of vague claims and announcements. And the rules should apply to everyone. What was the point of this whole lockdown if people in positions of power can just decide to do what they want and it be put down to judgement. What kind of message does that send?
Yes a lot of lives have been saved compared to having had no interventions. But I really truly feel that we’re giving up too early. The infection rate and death rate are still too high. In the end this will have been a waste of time and in my opinion there will be a massive second peak due to lack of consistency in guidance. If only lockdown had held out strictly a bit longer to get the transmission down further. 
Sorry, I got completely riled up there!! 
And breathe 😓
I want to go back to the studio as much as anyone. But what I don’t want is a return to everything too soon which will eventually lead to another lockdown and several more months of limbo. I just want to get this year over with, Get truly on top of this awful virus, and then return to a genuine normal ASAP. 

Of course it’s possible. Pointe is just as accessible to male dancers as virtuosity and grand allegro are to female dancers. 
if that is your goal then I completely back you on it. You can achieve whatever you set your mind to.... as long as you have the dedication and determination to succeed xx

In my personal opinion 180 degree, perfect square split grand jetes are beautiful. Over split grand jetes do catch attention, but they’re not my personal preference. 

I have a bit of a different opinion on this personally. I don’t feel like getting a lower mark just to have done the Grade is good enough. If they have worked hard and applied themselves then they deserve the best mark they are capable of for their personal ability. Why should someone have to just accept a lower mark when, by absolutely no fault of their own, they had to be examined by video rather than in person? 
If someone works hard and studies and trains and puts their all into a grade and is good at it, I don’t personally think it’s ok to dismiss a lower mark as ‘fine given the circumstances’, ‘you’ll do better next time’.
Because they danced their hearts out this time and deserved better. I’m not suggesting candidates should be given inflated marks or any extra advantage for having done them by video... but I strongly believe they shouldn’t be penalised for it either. 

3 hours ago, balletgremlin said:

Results have finally come through. Everyone did much worse than expected, especially performance wise. The girls are all great performers. Maybe it didn't shine through on the camera. None of them got a distinction and even the merits weren't all that high.

That’s awful! Which grades was it for? Are the results significantly lower than previous results for the same candidates?

How sad if the results have been badly affected because of the video. 

Is anyone else a bit depressed about the exam cancellations and the uncertainty of when they will resume? 
So many plans up in the air. It’s ok for me in the long term (if inconvenient and very disappointing), but I feel bad for those who will be moving on to college or university (or leaving for whatever reason) that now won’t get the opportunity to do their next level. 

Just now, balletgremlin said:

 

Yes, they did.

Thank you so much. This is the best news I’ve had in ages haha

27 minutes ago, balletgremlin said:

I used to have a pair of Katz toepads which were clear and super thick.

 

No idea if these are the same ones - https://www.katz-dancewear.co.uk/productpage.php?product=901

Do you happen to remember if they came in a see through pouch with a zip like closing? Sorry, I just really really loved my old ones!

I previously had a wonderful pair of toe pads that made it very easy and comfortable for me to be on pointe. They eventually got holes in them after too much use and I just can’t find a replacement good enough. I can’t remember the brand but they were completely clear gel/silicon and very thick at the toes. The shop I bought them from have changed brands and couldn’t remember which ones they were either. 
Could anyone recommend ones that are particularly thick at the toes please? 
Thank you. 

I do qualify for the flu jab but have always refused it as my mum got severely ill after taking it. I now feel so very stupid for that decision 

8 minutes ago, Peony said:

when you say moderate, are you on a steroid inhaler long term and qualify for the flu jab? If you are you need to go for stringent social distancing, technically just from Saturday but depending where you are in the country- if a city do it now. So no I wouldn’t go to ballet 😫

Yes twice a day (when I wake up and before bed) I need to take a dose of my blue inhaler followed by 2 of my brown (steroid) inhaler, all through a spacer. I get chest infections about 3 times a year generally so wouldn’t know how to differentiate Coronavirus from my usual issues. 
I don’t want to just skip ballet as it makes me happier than anything in the world. But I’m starting to worry it may be necessary 

I personally love the RAD app, I use it several times each week 

My dance school hasn’t yet closed but I’m considering not going as I’m a moderate asthmatic. Opinions? Am I overreacting? 

As a side note, how do I strap my boobs up to stop them bouncing around?! 🤣

Hello all,

I’m having an issue just now where I am trying to order leotards/dance underwear/general dancewear... it seems UK size 12 is ‘large’ and 14 is rarely available as ‘xl’. 
Are bigger/adult bodies really all that rare in dance classes and dance exams these days? Surely we’ve come so far in pushing for equality. So where is the inclusive dancewear?

Did anyone else notice that the candidates in the example that scored 70 and were in the +4 category were actually bumped up by 5 to 75 and Distinction?

Does this mean that the RAD don’t actually award a score of 74, (maybe it applies to 54 and the pass-merit boundary as well)? 

On 30/12/2019 at 00:35, Picturesinthefirelight said:

I came across this document about a year ago and thought get it explained the process very well. There are several stages that are gone through before marks are adjusted, including looking at the examiner involved standardisation report. 

 

https://media.royalacademyofdance.org/media/2019/01/11124829/20170316informationforteachersonexamsmoderation.pdf

@BalletBear how are you getting on? Wishing you lots of love and luck 🤞🏻♥️

I love the medals. I wish they’d introduce them for the vocational grades and discovering repertoire as well! 

1 hour ago, Michelle Groves said:

Correct posture, placement, alignment, deportment and a sense of performance

Aside from not knowing what deportment means (I will google it as soon as I’ve posted this!), luckily for me my result enquiry report from the RAD for my latest exam mentions my posture, alignment and performance regularly in a positive way. Sadly it seems my inability to maintain my (decent) turn out and lack of fondu has let me down. 
I still have a lot to learn on the technique side. I know the names and the steps and what I’m supposed to do, what it’s supposed to look like. But I haven’t quite managed to make my body catch on in some ways. Yet!! 
Ballet is my absolute passion and I will do everything I can to help others find the happiness that it has brought me 

After a lot of thought, I’ve come to the conclusion that change is scary in general and just takes time! 
I got my result enquiry report back today which has highlighted the exact areas that let me down. I actually feel really relieved and happy to know what the examiner wanted that I didn’t manage to show. It means I can work hard on those areas and (hopefully!) fix it for next time! 

I read in the latest issue of Focus on Exams that from 2021, the result bands for RAD exams will be changing to include High Merit and High Distinction. 
0-39 Standard Not Attained

40-54 Pass

55-64 Merit

65-74 High Merit

75-84 Distinction

85-100 High Distinction

As someone who would fall into the High Merit category based on the exams I’ve taken so far, I’m not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand, it would be nice to be acknowledged as being on the upper end of the Merit spectrum. But on the other, I’ll have gone from achieving the second highest possible grade to the third highest.

Over all, I do think it’s a good idea. Clearly those who achieve marks in the 90s deserve some recognition for scoring so highly. I just find it frustrating from a personal point of view, that now even if I do finally achieve my dream of a Distinction one day it still won’t be the top grade. 

Just wondered what everyone else’s opinion on this change is?