Angela Essex Posted March 4, 2022 Share Posted March 4, 2022 Hello! I’m in the process of preparing for my RAD intermediate foundation exam and I’m hoping to sit it at the end of this year or next year. I’m doing 2 classes a week, a one hour private lesson, 2 hours of weights and tracking my calorie and protein intake on my fitness pal with my online personal trainer. I started ballet a year ago now having never danced before and was wondering if there’s anyone on here preparing for the same exam so we could share experiences and tips. Or any teachers that can share wisdom about how best to prepare, how much to practice, how many classes to take, cross training etc. Looking for some RAD intermediate foundation buddies - I’m nosy about how other people prepare for RAD exams 😂🩰 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiz Posted March 4, 2022 Share Posted March 4, 2022 I can’t offer any advice, @Angela Essexbut this is amazing progress when you have been dancing for such a short time. Congratulations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dance*is*life Posted March 5, 2022 Share Posted March 5, 2022 The amount of actual dancing you're doing is good. Well done for advancing so quickly! And good luck for the future! Don't forget that there's an unseen enchainement in IF for whuch you need to know all the ballet vocabulary. The examiner sets it on the spot, by telling you just the names of the steps. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HopelessMummy Posted March 6, 2022 Share Posted March 6, 2022 Good luck. There are a few mock exams on YouTube that are quite helpful for the music if nothing else. Well done for achieving so much in such a short space of time 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeverTooOld Posted March 7, 2022 Share Posted March 7, 2022 I'm also working towards that exam so happy to share the experience. I've hit a bit of a stumbling block as my back went into spasm a few weeks ago and it is taking ages to sort itself out - getting better but slowly! I had been building up quite nicely and was feeling stronger but now hoping this hasn't set me back too much. I'm not too far off most of it but just struggling a bit with the pointe centre exercise - I can do echappes and releves at the barre but am having a really mental block in terms of bravery in trying it in the centre. Once my back is better though, I'll hopefully be back on the way. I am also working towards grade 7 having done grade 6 in 2018. Well done on your progress. From reading your other posts, you have done incredibly well so far. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angela Essex Posted March 9, 2022 Author Share Posted March 9, 2022 On 05/03/2022 at 22:03, Dance*is*life said: The amount of actual dancing you're doing is good. Well done for advancing so quickly! And good luck for the future! Don't forget that there's an unseen enchainement in IF for whuch you need to know all the ballet vocabulary. The examiner sets it on the spot, by telling you just the names of the steps. Yes thank you my teacher had mentioned that so I know it’s on her radar to prepare me for that xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angela Essex Posted March 9, 2022 Author Share Posted March 9, 2022 On 06/03/2022 at 23:40, HopelessMummy said: Good luck. There are a few mock exams on YouTube that are quite helpful for the music if nothing else. Well done for achieving so much in such a short space of time Thank you 😊 I’m quite a long way off doing the exam - probably next year but I’m enjoying the preparation process x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angela Essex Posted March 9, 2022 Author Share Posted March 9, 2022 On 07/03/2022 at 13:59, NeverTooOld said: I'm also working towards that exam so happy to share the experience. I've hit a bit of a stumbling block as my back went into spasm a few weeks ago and it is taking ages to sort itself out - getting better but slowly! I had been building up quite nicely and was feeling stronger but now hoping this hasn't set me back too much. I'm not too far off most of it but just struggling a bit with the pointe centre exercise - I can do echappes and releves at the barre but am having a really mental block in terms of bravery in trying it in the centre. Once my back is better though, I'll hopefully be back on the way. I am also working towards grade 7 having done grade 6 in 2018. Well done on your progress. From reading your other posts, you have done incredibly well so far. Hello! I hope your back settles down soon that must be very frustrating for you. I’m a long way off being ready for the exam I’m thinking next year. I’ve only had one pointe class so far so I’ve not started doing the pointe part of the exam, but yes it does scare me a tiny bit letting go of the barre in pointe shoes. I’m currently trying to get all the barre work slick, work on my pirouettes and on variation 1. It’s a work in progress. Good to meet another person doing the same exam x 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angela Essex Posted March 9, 2022 Author Share Posted March 9, 2022 On 04/03/2022 at 17:07, Fiz said: I can’t offer any advice, @Angela Essexbut this is amazing progress when you have been dancing for such a short time. Congratulations! Aww thank you Fiz. I’d done yoga and weights for several years before starting ballet which I think has helped. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viv Posted March 12, 2022 Share Posted March 12, 2022 On 10/03/2022 at 06:20, Angela Essex said: Hello! I hope your back settles down soon that must be very frustrating for you. I’m a long way off being ready for the exam I’m thinking next year. I’ve only had one pointe class so far so I’ve not started doing the pointe part of the exam, but yes it does scare me a tiny bit letting go of the barre in pointe shoes. I’m currently trying to get all the barre work slick, work on my pirouettes and on variation 1. It’s a work in progress. Good to meet another person doing the same exam x After just one pointe class, I don't think anyone would expect you to take your hands off the barre yet Pointe is a whole different feeling and feels a bit like starting all over again in a way. My teacher kept me working in parallel for my first lesson, just transferring my weight from one foot to the other. Then moved to turnout at the barre and only after that was stable was there any move to the centre. We actually started by practiced balancing flat but wearing pointe shoes in the centre because even that feels different as the sole is thicker. It's been a few years now since I did IF but I remember it well. Best of luck with the preparation and remember, you don't need to have everything perfectly. You'll be working on your craft for years to come. There's no such thing as a perfect plie, there's always more to do. I also found I didn't start to really nail single pirouettes until I started doing (and failing to do...) doubles. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angela Essex Posted October 1, 2022 Author Share Posted October 1, 2022 Hello all, I’ve revived this thread to ask if anyone knows of any places that do RAD intermediate foundation classes for adults? I know RAD HQ do them but I was hoping to find somewhere closer than Battersea. At the moment I do a local non-syllabus class on Monday, Harlow Ballet alternate Tuesdays, Hannah Frosts beginner class at Pineapple on either Thursday or Friday (usually online but I try to get to Pineapple in person at least once a month). Plus I have a lesson from another RAD teacher on Saturdays. This has pretty much been my schedule consistently since the beginning of this year, but recently I’ve been feeling that I’d be better focusing all my efforts into just working on the RAD intermediate foundation syllabus since I’ll be doing the exam hopefully next year. Unfortunately nowhere local seems to do RAD intermediate foundation classes for adults so I’m hoping someone out there can advise me of possibilities local to South Essex Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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