RAD Ballet Grades

[balletmum13]

Hello everyone, my dd is 13 and mainly does non-syllabus work (Vaganova, Balanchine and English) for four hours per week all at intermediate level. She also takes ISTD grade 5 ballet for one hour. She also takes other sales of dance such as modern, jazz, tap, musical theatre and contemporary. She is on pointe too.

 

However, recently she has been wanting to take more ballet exams as preparation for vocational school auditions. We have phoned other local dance schools and decided on which one we like. She is going to do a trial class in their inter foundation and intermediate class.

 

By what i have said, do you think this is the right level of class to start in? 

 

Thanks x

[2dancersmum]

I think you probably have picked the right classes for her to trial yes.  If she is ever interested in taking any RAD exams, inter foundation is optional but you do need to pass intermediate before you can go onto the advanced grades so even if she found the intermediate quite easy, it could be worth her taking the class and preparing for the exam.

[balletmum13]

Thank you 2dancersmum! I didn't know that. Do you have to have taken the graded exams to take the vocational exams?

[taxi4ballet]

Do you have to have taken the graded exams to take the vocational exams?

No, you don't have to do that, the only requirements are that you have to have passed Inter before you take Adv1; and Adv1 before Adv2, and be above the minimum age for that exam.

 

I think that if you have passed other equivalent exams with another examining body (ISTD for instance), then the RAD will allow that, and you don't have to retake theirs.

[sarahw]

My dd is moving from another syllabus to RAD. I am not familiar with advanced foundation. Does everyone take it or is it a voluntary grade? Thanks

[Picturesinthefirelight]

It is an optional grade.

[taxi4ballet]

As Pictures says, yes it is optional, but since they brought in the new advanced syllabus it is probably advisable!! The new adv grades are a big change from the old syllabus from what I've heard on the grapevine.

[Legseleven]

Advanced Foundation is a voluntary grade, as is Intermediate Foundation. Although it isn't a huge step at all - in fact DD found some exercises in Advanced Foundation harder than Advanced 1 as they seemed to her (and her teachers) to be easier for shorter limbed dancers.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

How long has the new grade been in taxi? Dd has just moved into Adv 1 having taken Intermediate before Easter. It took 1 year to go from IF to Inter but she thinks it will bec18 month - 2 years before she can take Adv 1

[Kate_N]

I remember doing the old Intermediate and what used to be Elementary together (when I was a teenager), which are now Inter Foundation & Intermediate I think? Lovely syllabus back then. You could look on YouTube to see the kinds of combinations - lots of young people post short videos of them doing their syllabus work. Some better than others - don't use the vids as tutorials, but you'll see the kinds of level of work.

[Legseleven]

The old Elementary and Intermediate are now Intermediate and Advanced Foundation/Advanced 1 I think? I know the old Pre-Elementary is now Intermediate Foundation anyway.

Pictures, possibly 18 months to do Advanced 1 after Intermediate is about right? I know your DD is dancing at a vocational school so will almost certainly be able to progress more quickly. Equally 18-24 months wouldn't seem too long - it is quite a leap from Intermediate to Advanced 1.

[taxi4ballet]

How long has the new grade been in taxi? Dd has just moved into Adv 1 having taken Intermediate before Easter. It took 1 year to go from IF to Inter but she thinks it will bec18 month - 2 years before she can take Adv 1

The last exams taken in the old adv syllabus were in Dec 14 and the new ones were released before that and have been examined from Jan 15 onwards.

[Karen]

How long has the new grade been in taxi? Dd has just moved into Adv 1 having taken Intermediate before Easter. It took 1 year to go from IF to Inter but she thinks it will bec18 month - 2 years before she can take Adv 1

[Karen]

Sorry, pictures, not got my quoting and posting quite right! Dd took Adv 1 a year after moving from Intetmediate - hard but doable. Not sure if she is going to do the same with Adv 2 though; she would like to take a bit longer if possible.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Seeing as she's only actually had one Adv 1 lesson so far perhaps she's being a bit pessimistic then.