Changes to RAD Vocational Exams

[balletgremlin]

Thanks to COVID, the RAD got rid of the requirements for a pianist or having to wear demi-pointe shoes for vocational exams. This is supposed to end in December.

 

Does anyone know if there's any chance this could be a permanent change? My current options are doing Advanced Foundation in my studio in the winter session (with a CD and in flat shoes) or having to go to a RAV and dance with a pianist I don't know next Spring. November seems a bit soon so am crossing my fingers they won't bring back these requirements.

 

Apologises if you saw a similar post yesterday. I posted while the forum was being wonky and it disappeared.

[Peanut68]

Oh gosh, so wish I could’ve taken Inter in regular flats (as opposed to hand me down Demi pointe shoes the DD grew out of years before that I actually used in just 3 classes before....like an idiot!) Also, a familiar CD better; we had a pianist who I think had an urgent appointment to get to..... completely raced through the dance st what seemed like double time! 

I’d be hopeful they changed will stay as let’s fsce it, most measures that save any business costs have become permanent did better or (often) worse....

Goid luck with your exam prep! 

[Dance*is*life]

I think a lot of people are, like you, crossing their fingers and toes in the hope that the option NOT to use demi-pointes will remain!  Life is still unpredictable - students continue to miss classes because of Covid and quite honestly, the parents really don't need the added expense of demi-pointes in these difficult times.  As a teacher, I really don't see the need for them - I would rather give my students a pointe class and let them wear soft shoes for regular class.  Not everyone who studies the Vocational syllabi,  for example,  is hoping for a professional dancing career, but still wants to take exams for the challenge.   As far as the music is concerned I feel that this could also be made optional.  We are lucky in that we work all year round with pianists, but many schools just hire a pianist for exams, who may well play the music quite differently from the recordings.  As you noted that is also quite problematic.  Last year when we came back after 6 months on Zoom and eventualy filmed some vocational exams, we opted not to use the pianists, because they were rusty and the students had got used to the CD.  I was so grateful that the option was there.   

[balletgremlin]

Thank you both for your replies. Intermediate was definitely much nicer in flat shoes and not having to worry about pianists changing the tempo of an exercise and having four counts intro to prepare yourself to do if differently to normal.

 

Another change they implemented was giving us a choice of sides in exercises that involve turns/leaps on a diagonal. This, alongside an injury which makes me favour my right side has made me very lopsided.

[Peanut68]

Almost makes me feel I could consider another exam....if there's a combo of soft shoes, reliable repeat music (CD) & a choice of sides!!

[Kerfuffle]

If you wear your soft blocks in for a considerable amount of time they won’t feel that different to soft shoes - they don’t have to be sparkly clean and new for the exam. 

 

 

[invisiblecircus]

Pardon my ignorance but what is the connection between Covid and not wearing demi-pointes? 🙃

[balletgremlin]

3 hours ago, Kerfuffle said:

If you wear your soft blocks in for a considerable amount of time they won’t feel that different to soft shoes - they don’t have to be sparkly clean and new for the exam. 

 

I have several pairs broken down well enough to be very comfy like soft shoes. However, I have very narrow feet and due to the lack of options even the narrowest demi pointes I can find are too wide so my foot moves within the shoe rather than with the shoe.

 

1 hour ago, invisiblecircus said:

Pardon my ignorance but what is the connection between Covid and not wearing demi-pointes? 🙃

 

Apparently dancers couldn't get fitted in them while all the shops were shut so haven't had the practice time they usually would in them.

[Peanut68]

I too have a narrow foot & the Demi pointe shoes just were not a good fit….and at over 50 I wasn’t exactly getting through pointe shoes to have old ones to break down 🤣 In my youth I loved battered old dead pointe shoes - they didn’t to my knowledge even sell ready made demi-pointe shoes (?) And am not sure I ever saw such a thing as canvas or split sole as an option either! So soft pointes felt lighter than kid leather with full leather soles…Now in my ‘dotage’ I find the full sole of Demi- pointe shoes bulky & difficult to releve & balance & much harder to turn….
Re: Covid times, I think the covid link to not using Demi pointe shoes could also relate to people having had to dance in small non dance floor spaces (like kitchens!) for much of their pre-exam lessons & practise & there is possibly better grip & connection to floor in flats than with soft pointe shoes? 

[Viv]

On 04/05/2022 at 04:04, balletgremlin said:

 

I have several pairs broken down well enough to be very comfy like soft shoes. However, I have very narrow feet and due to the lack of options even the narrowest demi pointes I can find are too wide so my foot moves within the shoe rather than with the shoe.

 

 

I am the same! I have a narrow, low profile foot. Demi pointes look horrendous on me. My foot points inside the shoe but the end part of the shoe itself doesn't move. This meant that when I started crunching my toes instead of keeping them long my teacher couldn't see it happening inside the stiff box to correct it, and my calves and intrinsic foot muscles weren't working like they should be. I also find the shank twists so it looks like I'm sickling when I'm not. Honestly, I wish I could burn my demi pointe shoes!

 

I spoke with an examiner the other week who hinted that these matters were currently under discussion, so I don't think even the RAD knows what measures they're going to retain post-covid. I made my thoughts on demi pointes well known to her at least 😂 

Edited May 8, 2022 by Viv

[Confuddled]

My dd was hoping to do her Intermediate exam without soft blocks, but has just been told they are once again mandatory. So a week to buy pointe shoes and turn them in to demi pointes (her teacher doesn’t approve of buying demi pointes). Just a little stressful, not to mention expensive…

Edited May 14, 2022 by Confuddled
Typo

[balletgremlin]

Sounds like a teacher issue, not an RAD one. They aren't required until next year. 

 

Administrative/format adaptations (valid until December 2022)

 

Soft-pointe shoes - Due to the ongoing international impact of COVID-19 on the preparation of students for examinations, the use of soft-pointe shoes will not be compulsory for relevant vocational graded examinations (Intermediate Foundation to Advanced 2). Soft ballet shoes may be worn with either ribbons or elastic. Pointe shoes are required for the pointe section.

[Legseleven]

Oh my goodness Confuddled, that seems such an unnecessary stress and expense for you! If soft pointes are not required until after December this year then it would be madness to require you to do this just because the teacher prefers it. And even if you are happy for your DD to wear soft pointes for her exam despite their not being required, then if demi pointes work for your DD I’m afraid I would be buying them rather than having to buy and destroy new pointe shoes in such a short period of time just because the teacher doesn’t approve of buying demi pointes. Something has to give if you are being required to get soft pointes which are sufficiently destroyed to be comfortable for your DD to wear in her exam in a week! You are the one buying and destroying the shoes, not the teacher. 

[Dance*is*life]

My goodness - I wouldn't dream of subjecting my students to wearing demi-pointes if they are not mandatory!  Totally uneccessary expense and stress!   If it's not too late, I would tell the teacher that you understand that it's not mandatory at least until December '22 and that you can't afford them!   Your daughter needs several months to break in demi-pointes and you want her to do her best!

[Confuddled]

So after a weekend of making pointes into demi-pointes, RAD just confirmed to the teacher we don’t need them. But we don’t have any new canvas ballet shoes so it’s now a race to see if I can get some of those in time (the old ones are dirty and not exam-suitable). I did ask dd if she needed new canvas flats, and she said oh no...

 

I’m just hoping dd’s feet have finished growing, because then at least she can use the demi-pointes for the next exam, which I assume will be after December this year.

[Legseleven]

Are you able to clean up her old flats at all? My DD did her Intermediate wearing very bashed soft pointes which we had washed as far as possible but still had definite signs of wear and were definitely less than pristine. One of her teachers is an RAD vocational examiner and was very clear that that wouldn’t be a problem. 

[junedancer]

Canvas flats will wash - just take care with drying - I insert an old tea towel to get them into shape and dry naturally. I once put them on the washing line and they shrunk as it was a sunny day. 😭

Edited May 16, 2022 by junedancer

[Confuddled]

I plan to wash them, but from experience the ground-in dirt around the toe doesn’t come out, though it does fade. I’ve also ordered a new pair from eBay, which if I’m lucky might get here in time. I find getting dd to wear them damp works to stop them shrinking too much. So we’re sorted, either way.

[Jewel]

Unless they have holes in them they will be fine.  My daughter always did exams in her oldest ballet shoes as they were the most comfortable.

[taxi4ballet]

On 17/05/2022 at 09:23, Confuddled said:

I plan to wash them, but from experience the ground-in dirt around the toe doesn’t come out, though it does fade. I’ve also ordered a new pair from eBay, which if I’m lucky might get here in time. I find getting dd to wear them damp works to stop them shrinking too much. So we’re sorted, either way.

You can use calamine lotion on them, it disguises the dirty bits and takes the shine off new-looking shoes as well.

[Confuddled]

All sorted - new canvas ones arrived the day before (thanks to eBay) and she was told during the warm up at RAD HQ that she was able to wear them, despite what her teacher had been told beforehand. So all good.

[Fiz]

Good luck!

[balletgremlin]

This is an old topic, but thought I'd share the good news. RAD have done away with requiring demi-pointe shoes or pianists for vocational exams, dancers may wear short skirts and for the graded syllabi dancers genders have been scrapped, anyone can do any exercise/dance. For vocational and repertoire exams, anyone can do either syllabus but has to stick to one gender per exam (i.e if you do pointe work you have to do the female variation and if you chose the additional allegro, you do the male one - this is as it is at the moment). Grade 6 and 7 can now be done as solo performance awards and it's candidates choice of sides in all exercises where examiners previously picked.

 

Taken from the most recent Focus on Exams.

[EverHopeful]

I wonder why the change to grade 5 - you now only have to do one out of centre practice and pirouettes. 
The wording suggests that not all candidates in the exam have to pick the same one though. 

[Meetmeatthebarre]

On 31/10/2022 at 21:17, balletgremlin said:

This is an old topic, but thought I'd share the good news. RAD have done away with requiring demi-pointe shoes or pianists for vocational exams, dancers may wear short skirts and for the graded syllabi dancers genders have been scrapped, anyone can do any exercise/dance. For vocational and repertoire exams, anyone can do either syllabus but has to stick to one gender per exam (i.e if you do pointe work you have to do the female variation and if you chose the additional allegro, you do the male one - this is as it is at the moment). Grade 6 and 7 can now be done as solo performance awards and it's candidates choice of sides in all exercises where examiners previously picked.

 

Taken from the most recent Focus on Exams.

 

Would you happen to have a link? All I can find online is Issue 2 from June, which doesn't appear to cover this. I'm looking to take Inter in the spring, so would very much like the reassurance (as well as not having to pay for new soft blocks and a tutu!) Thank you so much!

[balletgremlin]

7 hours ago, Meetmeatthebarre said:

 

Would you happen to have a link? All I can find online is Issue 2 from June, which doesn't appear to cover this. I'm looking to take Inter in the spring, so would very much like the reassurance (as well as not having to pay for new soft blocks and a tutu!) Thank you so much!

Of course, completely understand you'd want an official source.

 

Click through from the RAD page  - https://mailchi.mp/rad.org.uk/jul-2022-focus-exams-2543909

Direct link - https://online.fliphtml5.com/fznc/sqoz/#p=1

 

[Dance*is*life]

On 09/11/2022 at 01:38, Meetmeatthebarre said:

 

Would you happen to have a link? All I can find online is Issue 2 from June, which doesn't appear to cover this. I'm looking to take Inter in the spring, so would very much like the reassurance (as well as not having to pay for new soft blocks and a tutu!) Thank you so much!

The tutu skirt was and is completely optional, so it was always candidate/teacher's choice to wear one for the dance or not. My students absolutely adore wearing a tutu skirt though, but our school  provides them, so no extra expense.  All uniform is optional now - but recommended .  We are all delighted about the demi-pointes - sighs of relief all round!

[Meetmeatthebarre]

On 09/11/2022 at 07:26, balletgremlin said:

Of course, completely understand you'd want an official source.

 

Click through from the RAD page  - https://mailchi.mp/rad.org.uk/jul-2022-focus-exams-2543909

Direct link - https://online.fliphtml5.com/fznc/sqoz/#p=1

 

A very belated thanks for this - really appreciated!

[Harriet]

I'm taking my Intermediate in December. There's no pianist at my school, so I guess it'll be recorded music?

[EverHopeful]

@Harriet It’s optional now to either use a pianist or the recorded music. Maybe check with your teacher just to be sure in case they still choose to hire a pianist for the exam day. 
Lots of luck, hope it goes well.