RAD Advanced Foundation exam?

[Legseleven]

DD has been working at RAD Advanced level for almost a year, at first taking Advanced Foundation and Advanced 1 classes alongside her intermediate classes. She therefore knew most of the vocabulary before starting to learn the new RAD Advanced Foundation syllabus, with a view to taking her exam in one of the first sessions in the new syllabus in 2015.

 

She loves the new syllabus (especially the ports de bras!), despite believing that it is rather harder than the old and already knows the majority of the set work. Their classes are a mixture of set and free work and they always learn the new steps in free work before learning the set exercises incorporating those new steps a while later.

 

One of her teachers is concerned that as she has learned the Advanced Foundation work so quickly, she will become bored with it as she obviously has to wait until next year to take the exam. She has suggested that DD actively learns the Advanced 1 work as well and decides next year whether to take Advanced Foundation or to skip it and go on to Advanced 1. I think her age will be an issue with the RAD's new stricter age limits (which I need to check), although a friend at her studio has just taken her intermediate foundation despite being below the requisite age, having received special permission from the RAD.

 

Obviously she can and almost certainly will learn the new Advanced 1 work alongside the Advanced Foundation, but does anyone have any views as to whether it is a better idea to take the Advanced Foundation exam or to go straight onto Advanced 1?

Edited January 20, 2014 by Legseleven

[hfbrew]

Be guided by your teacher.

 

Remember advanced foundation is not a compulsory exam and as your dd will have covered the work which is designed to prepare for advanced one then if the teacher thinks shes capable of doing the advanced one why not save some expense and skip the foundation exam?

 

On the other hand if your dd isnt bored and wants to do it then all well and good. She may have learnt the settings quickly but it will take time to perfect the technique and its good that her classes include free work too,sounds like a good teacher!

[Legseleven]

Thank you, hfbrew. I wasn't sure whether it was simply a question of deciding whether or not to incur the expense of the Advanced Foundation exam or whether there was a feeling that it is better to take the Foundation exam for some reason. There is no rush to take any exams, especially as DD has no vocational aspirations at present, so I will see how she feels towards the end of this year.

 

I suspect the loveliness of the new Foundation syllabus may sway her in its favour ;-) but we will see.

[LinMM]

I feel from your post that the teacher has confidence in her and agree that it sounds like a very good school your DD is at.

I'm sure there's no arm in learning the Advanced one syllabus and then she can decide herself next year what she wants to do.

Children often have their own inner guide and some like to move more slowly and gradually and others want to move more quickly.

I'm sure when the time comes the right decision will be made by your DD for her!!

[Legseleven]

Thank you LinMM, I think she is indeed lucky to be at a good school and one where her teachers are proactive in suggesting different routes to suit different students. As you say, DD will make the decision based on what she feels is best and what she wants to do. As she is only 13 there is no rush and she may even decide to do no further exams at all, just to carry on dancing for the love of it and the 'buzz' exercise gives her ;-) (and it is very helpful with all her sports!)

[balletqs]

As a teacher I have found, without exception, that the students marks are higher if they have pursued, studied, not just learnt and retained, and taken the foundation exams. Preparing for each exam is a learning curve in itself and Advanced one requires a great deal of maturity, not age necessarily, but the ability to show the examiner an in depth understanding of the grade in every aspect. My teacher is one of the top vocational examiners, as in one of the longest serving and is held in high regard by all, this is her approach also. However, yr daughters obviously very aware and good teacher is your best advisor, she will I am sure guide yr daughter to find areas of the syllabus she can study in greater detail to stop her getting bored. My senior students always work on the next grade up along with their current one to enhance their understanding of their aims so this is very normal.

[Legseleven]

Thank you Balletqs, I agree about the need to show maturity - emotional rather than actual - in the highest grades. One of DD's teachers is also a top international vocational examiner and although she was overseas examining when her colleague made the suggestion about possibly missing out the Advanced Foundation exam, her opinion toward the end of this year will be key. The school's approach is usually to take the Advanced Foundation exam unless students are older, so it sounds as though that would accord with your teacher's approach.

 

We will see how DD feels and canvass all of her teachers' opinions before making any decision. Thank you all so much for your insight and suggestions! :-)