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Taking Ballet Exams as an adult


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I can officially say that I didn't just pass my Advanced 1 - I got a distinction!!! A full 10 marks higher than Advanced Foundation.

 

In my wildest dreams going into this exam, I didn't imagine this was possible. Add in all the injuries this year and the partially dislocated knee in the exam itself - I was genuinely convinced I had failed! I maybe cried a little (okay maybe a lot) when I found out... I am happy to be able to draw my exam journey to an end on such a high note. I feel no desire whatsoever to torture myself with Advanced 2 😂

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Wow Viv that is just amazing it’s so difficult to get Distinctions at that level you must be very talented!! Well deserved for all your perseverance too. 
Perhaps you could look for an amateur company to perform with now as a next step? 
I know of a very good one in Adelaide but think you are in Sydney? 
It looks like it’s time to have some fun …though the week  pre performance could nearly resonate with exam torture lol. 
A terrific achievement anyway 💐🍾🌟

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17 hours ago, Viv said:

I can officially say that I didn't just pass my Advanced 1 - I got a distinction!!! A full 10 marks higher than Advanced Foundation.

 

In my wildest dreams going into this exam, I didn't imagine this was possible. Add in all the injuries this year and the partially dislocated knee in the exam itself - I was genuinely convinced I had failed! I maybe cried a little (okay maybe a lot) when I found out... I am happy to be able to draw my exam journey to an end on such a high note. I feel no desire whatsoever to torture myself with Advanced 2 😂

Woo hooo!! Huge congratulations Viv! What a fantastic result. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Happy New Year everyone, and wishing super good luck to all who are taking exams this year.

 

Not content to take a break from exam pressure, I am entering for one or two units of DR Level 2 in the March exam session! I shall be 70 in March so that's a good way to celebrate, I think.

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I have recently received my certificate and can't believe it, I got a 9 for barre! I personally think the examiner maybe hadn't put her glasses on yet :) Equally thrilled with a 6 for pointe, the same score as advanced foundation - my goal was to maintain that score if not better it, and given the partially dislocated knee I am pretty darn happy to not have dropped. 

 

Good luck to everyone sitting exams this year!

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2 minutes ago, Viv said:

I have recently received my certificate and can't believe it, I got a 9 for barre! I personally think the examiner maybe hadn't put her glasses on yet :) Equally thrilled with a 6 for pointe, the same score as advanced foundation - my goal was to maintain that score if not better it, and given the partially dislocated knee I am pretty darn happy to not have dropped. 

 

Good luck to everyone sitting exams this year!

 

Brilliant news Viv!  Congratulations!

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On 24/01/2023 at 15:07, Viv said:

I have recently received my certificate and can't believe it, I got a 9 for barre! I personally think the examiner maybe hadn't put her glasses on yet :) Equally thrilled with a 6 for pointe, the same score as advanced foundation - my goal was to maintain that score if not better it, and given the partially dislocated knee I am pretty darn happy to not have dropped. 

 

Good luck to everyone sitting exams this year!

Wow those are fantastic results Viv especially the 9 for barre 😮🙌🙌🙌 you should be very proud ❤️

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3 minutes ago, EverHopeful said:

Is anyone doing any exams this term? I’ve been entered for my grade 7. Very excited but also starting to worry a little!

How exciting. I really enjoyed the process of doing an exam as an adult. It was a completely new experience, I was so nervous yet really excited to perform the syllabus to an examiner. I have noticed that now I don’t have an exam looming, I’ve missed lots of classes due to life getting in the way and have felt less motivated to practice. Your post reminded me that I need to set myself a new challenge! Are you taking the exam alone? 

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7 minutes ago, EverHopeful said:

Which exam(s) have you done @Thelittleswans and which ones would you like to aim for next? 
I’m in a group of 4 but I’m the only adult. That doesn’t bother me though, I’m just happy to be doing it. 

I took intermediate in December. Working on Adv Foundation however it will be a while until I take it, my pointe work isn’t strong. I was thinking of maybe looking at discovering repertoire possibly in the meantime. I also took my exam with teenagers and doesn’t both me either. I haven’t take the higher grades, I think the character work puts me off a bit.

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On 10/02/2023 at 09:44, EverHopeful said:

Is anyone doing any exams this term? I’ve been entered for my grade 7. Very excited but also starting to worry a little!

Not this term @EverHopeful - my teacher has said I’ll be doing my intermediate foundation in June, but I don’t think she’s entered me for the exam yet as I’ve still got allegros 2 & 3 to learn and the last bit of variation 1. Enjoy your exam preparation - I think anyone doing exams as an adult deserves a medal. Ballet is hard, let alone when, as in my case, it’s not something you’ve done in the past. 

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I was going to take Discovering Repertoire this term but I decided against it as there are some very important non-ballet things that I really should be doing and I know that if I'm preparing for an exam they will be put on the back burner (again). But I do miss the excitement and focus of exam prep and I've found as well that I've been a bit lax about class. I think I've missed more classes this term so far than in the whole of the previous year.

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2 hours ago, EverHopeful said:

@Angela Essex I didn’t do any ballet as a child either. I went to a class for fun one day and now I’m obsessed! 

Same! Started dancing about 2 years ago now. It’s physically hard and annoying that at 46 I can’t do what I could’ve been able to do if I’d of started in my 20s or even 30s but at least I found ballet at all. How long have you all been dancing? 

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I started age 6 or 7, up to Intermediate (old style) as a teenager, stopped for a few years and started again in my late 20s after babies. I danced in open classes/adult classes more or less consistently and at times quite obsessively till I was around 40, stopped ballet then and switched to Kathak for about 5 years then stopped completely for the next 20 odd years. I returned to ballet 6 years ago and have passed Inter (for the second time but obviously with nothing like the same result!), Grade 6, missed Grade 7 because of COVID and then Grade 8 just last year.

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On 10/02/2023 at 11:44, EverHopeful said:

Is anyone doing any exams this term? I’ve been entered for my grade 7. Very excited but also starting to worry a little!

That's really good that you're in a group of 4, as you won't have ro do the exercises alone - except for the Grand Allegro and the dance study.  Grade 7 is really lovely.  Don't  just think about technique, but also about the romantic style and quality.  I always tell my students to look on it as a performance and not an exam!  Try and think of that when you feel pressurised!  Good luck to you all -I am so impressed by your determination and courage!  Bravo!

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  • 2 weeks later...
23 hours ago, EverHopeful said:

There’s only around one month to go until my exam now. I’m looking forward to it but I can’t help worrying I’ll make a mistake or forget an exercise on the day. I love doing exams, I just wish I wouldn’t be so nervous about them!

This is why I tell my students that the process of learning and working towards an exam is what's important - because you never know what will happen in the exam!  Nerves can easily get the better of us 🥴   Of course we all want great marks, but even if we don't in the end, it doesn't really matter, because what counts is how much we've improved, advanced and strengthened whilst working towards the exam.  So try not to get pressurised and think of the exam as a performance and enjoy it!   

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