Jump to content

Taking Ballet Exams as an adult


JCS

Recommended Posts

On 30/08/2022 at 19:12, balletgremlin said:

Advanced Foundation is lovely. I was working towards taking my exam in November but ongoing hip issues means I've not been dancing for two months and not jumping or lifting my leg for several months before that.

 

7 & 8 are also really enjoyable. I took grade 7 in April (delayed from November 2019) and had to pull out of grade 8 because of my injury.

 

I'm always going to recommend doing as much dancing as possible, especially as I can't currently dance myself - I've got to live vicariously through others. I got used to dancing with teenagers young enough to be my daughters but do wish there were more classes for adults which focus on exams - I did some of the Discovering Repertoire syllabus with some 60+ year old women who all passed, some with merits. Felt very smug with my distinction.

Huge congrats 🎉 on your distinction Gremlin! 🙌🙌

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 623
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

16 hours ago, Angela Essex said:

Fabulous job! Not long to go now. Good luck with the pointe off the barre. For me doing weight training for legs and core has helped my strength and confidence it’s just so hard to find time for weights on top of ballet not to mention work and family 🤯

Thanks and I totally understand about struggling for time - so much to juggle! :) I do make sure I do loads of rises whenever I am at the kitchen worktop though which hopefully will help with strength - can't beat a bit of multitasking! :)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 30/08/2022 at 22:49, Peanut68 said:

Anyone on here experience of RAD Adv Foundation? It seems vocational training teens etc tend to miss this grade out & go straight to Adv 1. 
As on oldie who took Inter aged 50 but then had minimal dance during the covid years, is this a nuts idea to try join a class? I’d rather like to try grade 7 or 8 (as I think these don’t have pointe work & are possibly more ‘dancer’?) but issue is finding a class that’s suitable location/time/level/not just gif under 16’s.

Feeling I need a purpose of goal to get fitter again!

 

Adv Foundation and Grade 7 are tied as my two favourites of the RAD exams 😂 Grade 7 focuses on the romantic era ballets, a lot of the music is straight from La Sylphide which I really enjoyed. It's a performers exam I think. Adv Foundation on the other hand is very tough and technical, introduces far more complicated jumps with beats and is a huge step up pointe wise from intermediate. I've found pointe in Adv 1 is about the same level as Adv Foundation to be honest, so I don't think Adv Foundation really straddles the gap between Intermediate and Adv 1 pointe as well as it possibly should. But Adv Foundation also has the nicest music and the choreography is very mature, which was a strong positive. 

 

I am entered for Adv 1 in 6 weeks! I am in a weird mental space, I'm not feeling as ready in this part of the year as I usually do before an exam. I can do all the exercises just fine without music, but the second the music comes on I get flustered and don't do what I know how to do... It doesn't help that I am injured AGAIN, this time my knees, so in the final stages where I should be pushing for stamina and consistency every time, my body is falling apart. I am trying to focus on the things that are working to keep myself positive about the things that aren't, and then whatever comes out on the day is what it is. I am hoping to improve my mark from Adv Foundation, but if that doesn't happen, I can blame the ankle impingement, broken rib, dislocated shoulder, knee impingement and covid for that 😅

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Viv said:

 

Adv Foundation and Grade 7 are tied as my two favourites of the RAD exams 😂 Grade 7 focuses on the romantic era ballets, a lot of the music is straight from La Sylphide which I really enjoyed. It's a performers exam I think. Adv Foundation on the other hand is very tough and technical, introduces far more complicated jumps with beats and is a huge step up pointe wise from intermediate. I've found pointe in Adv 1 is about the same level as Adv Foundation to be honest, so I don't think Adv Foundation really straddles the gap between Intermediate and Adv 1 pointe as well as it possibly should. But Adv Foundation also has the nicest music and the choreography is very mature, which was a strong positive. 

 

I am entered for Adv 1 in 6 weeks! I am in a weird mental space, I'm not feeling as ready in this part of the year as I usually do before an exam. I can do all the exercises just fine without music, but the second the music comes on I get flustered and don't do what I know how to do... It doesn't help that I am injured AGAIN, this time my knees, so in the final stages where I should be pushing for stamina and consistency every time, my body is falling apart. I am trying to focus on the things that are working to keep myself positive about the things that aren't, and then whatever comes out on the day is what it is. I am hoping to improve my mark from Adv Foundation, but if that doesn't happen, I can blame the ankle impingement, broken rib, dislocated shoulder, knee impingement and covid for that 😅

Best of luck with your exam, I hope all goes well. I am also learning grade 7 at the moment and love the music and flow of the exercises. Huge syllabus though so a fair way off of doing the exam in that one! :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

First class today after the summer break and my calves and glutes are really noticing it! I have committed to taking Grade 8 exam in the winter exam season - I have just paid the fee - so end of November or early December. I'm adding an extra weekly coaching class to my regular routine. So far I have been working in a semi-private lesson with another super-mature lady but in the coaching class we will be meeting the teens who will be taking the exam with us. There are three of them and two of us, so it looks like we won't need to be in a group with any young ones for the actual exam.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi everyone, I am new here, it's nice to find a thread of adult RAD students. I went back to dancing as an adult, and I just took my Adv 1 exam via a video exam this summer. I received my results this week and I was very pleased that I passed with merit (especially considering the circumstances of the video exam), though I was just two marks below a high merit which was my goal. I hope to take the Adv 2 exam next, if my body allows it. I am also learning the Discovering Rep bluebird variation this year. Thanks for this supportive group, and I am interested to read about everyone's goals for this year.

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Berry said:

Hi everyone, I am new here, it's nice to find a thread of adult RAD students. I went back to dancing as an adult, and I just took my Adv 1 exam via a video exam this summer. I received my results this week and I was very pleased that I passed with merit (especially considering the circumstances of the video exam), though I was just two marks below a high merit which was my goal. I hope to take the Adv 2 exam next, if my body allows it. I am also learning the Discovering Rep bluebird variation this year. Thanks for this supportive group, and I am interested to read about everyone's goals for this year.


Hello Berry and welcome to the Forum!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, Berry said:

Hi everyone, I am new here, it's nice to find a thread of adult RAD students. I went back to dancing as an adult, and I just took my Adv 1 exam via a video exam this summer. I received my results this week and I was very pleased that I passed with merit (especially considering the circumstances of the video exam), though I was just two marks below a high merit which was my goal. I hope to take the Adv 2 exam next, if my body allows it. I am also learning the Discovering Rep bluebird variation this year. Thanks for this supportive group, and I am interested to read about everyone's goals for this year.

Welcome Berry! And congratulations on your exam result - what a fabulous achievement. I’m learning the intermediate foundation syllabus (very slowly as I only started ballet just over a year ago aged 45😂). Currently I’ve not finished learning the syllabus so the exam won’t be until next year. All the best with your preparation for Adv 2 , looking forward to hearing your updates 😊

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

So I sat my Advanced 1 exam earlier this week. It started off really well, I felt like things were coming off as well as I expected them too. While I had done certain elements better on their own in class, in the context of the whole exercise I felt like I still managed to present well where I am at this point in time. And that's really all you can hope for in the exam right?

 

Unfortunately, I landed one the first fouette sautes in allegro 4 badly somehow and injured my knee. I have had impingement and inflammation in the fatpad of that knee for about 6 weeks, but it was under control and wasn't giving me any pain until then. Suddenly I landed the jump and the knee started swelling basically immediately. I pushed through allegro 5 but didn't do my fouette turns as well as I was hoping for as the knee I was releveing on was the hurt one.

 

By the time I put my pointe shoes on, my entire left leg was basically in revolt. My knee wouldn't bend or stretch fully, and I had pain lancing up into my hip and down into my foot. I could barely get over my box on that side. I did all the exercises and think I even managed to cover how bad it was for the first four pointe exercises. But by pointe enchainment 3, which is always my worst exercise, I just had no power at all left in that leg. I couldn't use it to plie and push me onto the right leg, and I definitely couldn't make it sustain my whole weight. There is one part of the exercise where you do three sissone releves en pointe in a row, en avant, de cote and en arriere, and my left leg completely crumbled underneath me. I didn't manage a single one on the left side. For the en arriere I didn't even attempt it because I was worried I would land even more badly and injure myself more. I basically had tears in my eyes a this point and looked over at the examiner with a plea for mercy...

 

Then the variation happened, and I tried to finish strong, but I just couldn't. I lost control of my turnout, I came off my pointe shoe, and then I forgot part of the variation because I was so focused on everything else. Oh and then the heel came off my right shoe to make it even worse. I am so disappointed because I love that variation and wasn't able to showcase how hard I'd worked on it. 

 

My teacher wants me to apply for special consideration, so I am seeing my physio for a letter in support. I don't think it'll make much of a difference, the whole point of the exam is they mark what you show on the day and sometimes what you show isn't your best. But I'm hoping it at least explains to the examiner why it was such a significant drop in ability from the first half to the second half of the exam. Other than that, it's now out of my hands...

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Viv said:

So I sat my Advanced 1 exam earlier this week. It started off really well, I felt like things were coming off as well as I expected them too. While I had done certain elements better on their own in class, in the context of the whole exercise I felt like I still managed to present well where I am at this point in time. And that's really all you can hope for in the exam right?

 

Unfortunately, I landed one the first fouette sautes in allegro 4 badly somehow and injured my knee. I have had impingement and inflammation in the fatpad of that knee for about 6 weeks, but it was under control and wasn't giving me any pain until then. Suddenly I landed the jump and the knee started swelling basically immediately. I pushed through allegro 5 but didn't do my fouette turns as well as I was hoping for as the knee I was releveing on was the hurt one.

 

By the time I put my pointe shoes on, my entire left leg was basically in revolt. My knee wouldn't bend or stretch fully, and I had pain lancing up into my hip and down into my foot. I could barely get over my box on that side. I did all the exercises and think I even managed to cover how bad it was for the first four pointe exercises. But by pointe enchainment 3, which is always my worst exercise, I just had no power at all left in that leg. I couldn't use it to plie and push me onto the right leg, and I definitely couldn't make it sustain my whole weight. There is one part of the exercise where you do three sissone releves en pointe in a row, en avant, de cote and en arriere, and my left leg completely crumbled underneath me. I didn't manage a single one on the left side. For the en arriere I didn't even attempt it because I was worried I would land even more badly and injure myself more. I basically had tears in my eyes a this point and looked over at the examiner with a plea for mercy...

 

Then the variation happened, and I tried to finish strong, but I just couldn't. I lost control of my turnout, I came off my pointe shoe, and then I forgot part of the variation because I was so focused on everything else. Oh and then the heel came off my right shoe to make it even worse. I am so disappointed because I love that variation and wasn't able to showcase how hard I'd worked on it. 

 

My teacher wants me to apply for special consideration, so I am seeing my physio for a letter in support. I don't think it'll make much of a difference, the whole point of the exam is they mark what you show on the day and sometimes what you show isn't your best. But I'm hoping it at least explains to the examiner why it was such a significant drop in ability from the first half to the second half of the exam. Other than that, it's now out of my hands...

 So sorry to hear Viv! It is so rough when something an injury occurs at the worst moment. Congratulations on going for the exam and for achieving what you did! My exam had some rough disappointments as well - it was a video exam and the studio we rented did not have air conditioning and it ended up being the hottest day of the summer. My asthma flared up quite badly  and I needed to take several breaks to manage it, and my pointe shoes melted in the heat.  Don't be too hard on yourself. Allow yourself to recover from the exam and continue doing what you love!!!! You've made it this far - which is not for the faint of heart! Much love and I hope your results surprise you in a good weay!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's so disappointing when you have put so much work and time into something and then circumstances outside of your control prevent you from being able to show that. I said my goal going into this wasn't necessarily a mark, it was to feel like I had shown the examiner what I'm capable of. I just feel like I didn't get to do that :( 

 

Your exam also sounds like a bit of nightmare @Berry, I'm not sure I'd even begin to know how to handle melting pointe shoes! You should be really proud of yourself for making it through and getting a merit, this exam is a bloody marathon. I'm not sure I even want to attempt advanced 2 after this...

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, Viv said:

So I sat my Advanced 1 exam earlier this week. It started off really well, I felt like things were coming off as well as I expected them too. While I had done certain elements better on their own in class, in the context of the whole exercise I felt like I still managed to present well where I am at this point in time. And that's really all you can hope for in the exam right?

 

Unfortunately, I landed one the first fouette sautes in allegro 4 badly somehow and injured my knee. I have had impingement and inflammation in the fatpad of that knee for about 6 weeks, but it was under control and wasn't giving me any pain until then. Suddenly I landed the jump and the knee started swelling basically immediately. I pushed through allegro 5 but didn't do my fouette turns as well as I was hoping for as the knee I was releveing on was the hurt one.

 

By the time I put my pointe shoes on, my entire left leg was basically in revolt. My knee wouldn't bend or stretch fully, and I had pain lancing up into my hip and down into my foot. I could barely get over my box on that side. I did all the exercises and think I even managed to cover how bad it was for the first four pointe exercises. But by pointe enchainment 3, which is always my worst exercise, I just had no power at all left in that leg. I couldn't use it to plie and push me onto the right leg, and I definitely couldn't make it sustain my whole weight. There is one part of the exercise where you do three sissone releves en pointe in a row, en avant, de cote and en arriere, and my left leg completely crumbled underneath me. I didn't manage a single one on the left side. For the en arriere I didn't even attempt it because I was worried I would land even more badly and injure myself more. I basically had tears in my eyes a this point and looked over at the examiner with a plea for mercy...

 

Then the variation happened, and I tried to finish strong, but I just couldn't. I lost control of my turnout, I came off my pointe shoe, and then I forgot part of the variation because I was so focused on everything else. Oh and then the heel came off my right shoe to make it even worse. I am so disappointed because I love that variation and wasn't able to showcase how hard I'd worked on it. 

 

My teacher wants me to apply for special consideration, so I am seeing my physio for a letter in support. I don't think it'll make much of a difference, the whole point of the exam is they mark what you show on the day and sometimes what you show isn't your best. But I'm hoping it at least explains to the examiner why it was such a significant drop in ability from the first half to the second half of the exam. Other than that, it's now out of my hands...

Oh gosh Viv what rotten luck - well done for managing to finish the exam at all. Under the circumstances that in itself was a massive achievement and a testament to your determination a d dedication. I think they’d be pretty mean not to be lenient on you given that you’d injured yourself mid exam. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for you. How’s the knee now? 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

40 minutes ago, Viv said:

The physio believes I may have partially dislocated my knee in the exam, so you have to hope they will be understanding that I wasn't at my best after that!

 

Gosh, that sounds nasty Viv.  I hope you have a good and speedy recovery.

 

Fingers crossed for your exam result.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Viv said:

The physio believes I may have partially dislocated my knee in the exam, so you have to hope they will be understanding that I wasn't at my best after that!

 

I expect that the examiner noticed a marked difference in your performance after your injury and could probably see the pain on your face.  I think it is well worth applying for 'Special Circumstances'.  I think this sort of circumstance is exactly what it is designed for.

 

Hope your recovery goes smoothly.  It sounds very painful.

Edited by glowlight
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Viv said:

The physio believes I may have partially dislocated my knee in the exam, so you have to hope they will be understanding that I wasn't at my best after that!

😮how is your knee now Viv? Yes I should hope they would be very generous with the marks considering that. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, Viv said:

The physio believes I may have partially dislocated my knee in the exam, so you have to hope they will be understanding that I wasn't at my best after that!

Wow, that sounds painful! Well done for managing to get through the rest of the exam - definitely deserves special consideration. I hope your recovery is going well and fingers crossed for your exam.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well they definitely need to add some points for perseverance!! 
I don’t know what happens in such circumstances in exams but perhaps they can give you the benefit of the doubt that however you performed in the first half is how you would have continued without the accident. 
Not exactly a perfect solution but they may be able to work something out. 
If it turns out to be well below what you expected then perhaps you could retake the exam before it gets changed again as you are now well acquainted with the material. 
Honestly what bad luck! And I know how injuries can start to zap your confidence. Perhaps wear a knee support in the exam if you do repeat it. So sorry about all these trials. 
Berry——melting pointe shoes…never heard of that before! I used to wear mine far too soft but melting is another level lol!! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I hope you are recovering from your injury, Viv, as well as the terrible disappointment. Wishing you all the best.

 

I have my Grade 8 exam on the 29th. My mock exam is this week and then I will have just three more lessons in which to put the corrections into place. However I am feeling fully prepared and actually quite pleased with my Free Movement and Character dances. I'm aiming to pick up the most marks I can for expression and quality in the classical dances as there's not much more I can do to improve the technical side. However my teacher does say that I have beautiful ports de bras and expression so my aim is always to distract as much as possible from my feet! Valse Printemps is still a challenge to my stamina but at least I can now get through it in one piece even if I have to have a lie down after my exit! We have a very sensitive pianist who keeps the tempo up in the sections it's needed and adds a judicious rallentando for catching breath wherever possible.

 

We will have two trainee examiners. I don't quite know how I feel about that. Possibly it may even feel more natural having a larger audience.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 14/11/2022 at 10:31, The_Red_Shoes said:

I hope you are recovering from your injury, Viv, as well as the terrible disappointment. Wishing you all the best.

 

I have my Grade 8 exam on the 29th. My mock exam is this week and then I will have just three more lessons in which to put the corrections into place. However I am feeling fully prepared and actually quite pleased with my Free Movement and Character dances. I'm aiming to pick up the most marks I can for expression and quality in the classical dances as there's not much more I can do to improve the technical side. However my teacher does say that I have beautiful ports de bras and expression so my aim is always to distract as much as possible from my feet! Valse Printemps is still a challenge to my stamina but at least I can now get through it in one piece even if I have to have a lie down after my exit! We have a very sensitive pianist who keeps the tempo up in the sections it's needed and adds a judicious rallentando for catching breath wherever possible.

 

We will have two trainee examiners. I don't quite know how I feel about that. Possibly it may even feel more natural having a larger audience.

Good luck for your mock exam and for the 29th. Looking forward to hearing how you get on x

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 16/11/2022 at 23:51, LinMM said:

Yes Good luck with the exam!! 
Any adult past a certain age who is taking any sort of Advanced exam (anything above Grade 7) deserves to start with half marks automatically for just being there!! 

If only that was the case Lin - I agree it should be though. So far in trying to do allegro 2 for intermediate foundation I’ve landed with my toe bent underneath myself during a glissade and have literally hit the deck one time trying to do a jump I could easily do as a child (don’t know what said jump is called but it involves swishing both legs out to side in air and clicking ankles Dick Van Dyke style so not ballet but still 😂) Gravity is not my friend as an adult beginner . I could do said jumps side to side so easily as a child but tried once and found myself on the floor. Lucky I didn’t break my hip. I agree Lin they should give me at least half marks in acknowledgement of the danger factor involved 😂

Edited by Angela Essex
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’ve had quite a bit of experience of ballet on and off over the years and luckily got quite a few exams out of the way when younger but nevertheless haven’t passed Advanced one or two so could have gone for first one of those but chickened out a few years back I’m afraid!!
I am now at that age where any jumps can be a bit risky so often don’t attempt those landing on one leg lol! 
Im now a pas de chat person as opposed to a grand jete one!! And grand jete en tournante which I used to love in my 20’s is definitely a no no now!! Pirouettes are okay one at a time lol!! I think you have to do at least 2 for Advanced! 
Keep going as far as you can Angela hopefully without breaking anything. 
There is Life after exams for those getting a bit too close to 7th decade….Silver Swans Improvers plus classes are great for the more mature dancer lol and could possibly see one out!! 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I will take up Silver Swans probably at some point in the future but for now I'm continuing with regular classes. I don't do plie in 4th, avoid anything that involves kneeling (but had to manage somehow in various exams) and, alas, favourite grand Allegro jumps like grand jete en tournant, fouette and saut de Basque are no longer in my repertoire. Yes, it's landing on one leg that just feels too risky when combined with a turn. I'm still fine with pirouettes but it's slow adage type things I struggle with as my balance is absolute rubbish. I like nice dancey enchainments with plenty of pas de valse!

 

My mock exam went pretty well with comment on my musicality and expression, which is just as well as that's where I'm hoping to pick up the marks.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Strange, I'm having trouble posting. My comment keeps disappearing. I hope this post doesn't eventually appear half a dozen times!

 

I was just trying to say: Angela, that sounds like a character cabriole (holubetz?) It appears frequently in higher grades. I usually just kick myself painfully and don't manage the required neat audible click.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 20/11/2022 at 10:25, The_Red_Shoes said:

Strange, I'm having trouble posting. My comment keeps disappearing. I hope this post doesn't eventually appear half a dozen times!

 

I was just trying to say: Angela, that sounds like a character cabriole (holubetz?) It appears frequently in higher grades. I usually just kick myself painfully and don't manage the required neat audible click.

Thank you. It’s good to know what they’re called. I didn’t dance as a child but remember seeing someone doing these jumps in a film and clearly remember being able to do them multiple times side to side without a second thought.

 

Glad your mock went well. Good luck for 29th.

 

@Vivany news? Xx

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well Glowlight you would think so but I have osteopaenia and have had it for about 10 years now but to look at me you’d never guess as you tend to think of people with much smaller frames as suffering from thin bones!! 
Just recently the  doctor wanted me to go on some huge calcium supplement but I’ve rejected that however am taking extra calcium now but in a smaller dose than recommended and combined with magnesium and vit D and in citrate form for easier absorption. I absolutely know my diet had sufficient calcium before so couldn’t see the point of taking huge amounts if my body is already not sending it to the bones properly for whatever reason!! 
On a very recent Dexta scan ( last one was 6 years ago) my left hip level score had gone up but spine level was down so perhaps the ballet has been doing some good!! I haven’t quite reached osteoporosis level of thin-ness yet though but probably better to avoid falling over so a bit of a catch 22 situation with ballet lol!! 
 

Edited by LinMM
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, Angela Essex said:

 

@Vivany news? Xx

 

None yet, though the wait is starting to drive me a bit crazy. I thought the new iPad system was meant to speed things up?

 

Normally we get results between 1-15 December (in non-covid years) so I am hoping for the earlier side of that and trying not to get a bit frantic while we're still in November...

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now

×
×
  • Create New...