Inter foundation

[Pointeshoes]

Hi sorry to sound very ignorant (but i am) with the vocational studies what exactly is the difference between them and graded rad exams ? My dd is just starting grade 6 ,would she start on inter foundation?

Thank you in advance x

[mumoffive]

We've just moved from ISTD Grade 6 to RAD Intermediate and Adv 1 Foundation classes so this is all new to us too. We were told that the graded exams were more for those not looking to dance professionally whilst the "Inter" etc are "vocational" exams. You can do both alongside each other though. Also I've found that not all schools seem to do the Inter Foundation or Adv 1 Foundation and some skip straight to Inter and Adv 1 as apparently the Foundation exams aren't compulsory.

[Anna C]

One major difference between RAD Graded exams and Vocational Exams is that there is no pointework in the Graded Exam Syllabi. The marking for Vocational exams is stricter too. At our school you have to be invited to do Vocational exams.

 

If I remember rightly, my daughter started studying Inter Foundation when she was studying Grade 4 and then 5.

[Fiz]

Yes, my two were told by the principal that they were to do Interfoundation at the end of Grade four. My youngest was just 11.

[Dance*is*life]

As a teacher I do find IF very useful even if it's not compulsary, because it really prepares the student well for Intermediate.  I think I mentioned in another post that I put students in this year for the new intermediate exam and they found the work very difficult because they came to it without having done IF.  The graded exams Pre-primary to Grade 8 all include character work and free movement exercises (although in the new syllabi these are not in separate sections) and as someone mentioned there is no pointework.  The marking is very different in the grade exams from the vocational exams - a much higher percentage of the marks go for classical ballet technique in the latter.  If you are intending to make a career in ballet the vocationals are important exam levels, but even if ballet is not your speciality, they are useful in getting your classical technique up to standard, which in turn strengthens your modern dance technique.  Different schools do seem to do the exams in different order.  Perhaps your daughter could take IF as well as Grade 6 classes, Pointeshoes? 

[Pointeshoes]

Thank you for all the replies. My dd is starting at vocational school in sept and I've been told she will start her vocational exams there, they do not currently offer them at dd dance school , I'm still discovering the world of ballet x

[Actsingdance]

Have you had a letter today Pointeshoes?

 

My dds current dance school doesn't offer an inter foundation class either as there sent enough though they do have an intermediate class.

 

My understanding is they expect most of the year 7s to start in IF with a few who have already taken it doing Intermediate

 

It will only be a few as the minimum age to take IF is 11 so some year 7s wont have been old enough.

 

They won't be doing grades (dd is a bit disappointed as she's been working in her current grade for ages as it was delayed due to shows/syllabus changes etc)

Edited July 1, 2013 by Actsingdance

[Pointeshoes]

Hi yes just got the letter. That's a shame that they won't do exams,I wasn't aware of that. The start of term is coming ever nearer, my dd is really looking forward to getting started .induction day was great for everyone getting to meet one another x