Picturesinthefirelight Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 Has anyone's child been on one of the RAD syllabus days just prior to taking an exam. If so, did they find it useful/worth the trip? It doesn't include the variations - there is a separate variations course but at the other end of the country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boogalou Posted January 3, 2015 Share Posted January 3, 2015 My dd went to the intermediate foundation course at Leeds and found it useful. She said they were given some corrections but mainly it gave her confidence in knowing she was ready for the exam (which was a month later). She also did the variations course which was in the same venue on the same day and enjoyed that too although it meant she had to also do the variation her school hadn't chosen and she didn't know. I think she will do the course again before her next exam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2dancersmum Posted January 4, 2015 Share Posted January 4, 2015 Younger DD did one before her inter foundation exam also - though her exam ended up being six months later (timing issue with school rather than readiness). As Boogalou said it is more about confidence in knowing you are ready for the exam, than anything else. On DD's day there were about 20 students and all but 5 of them were taking the exam 2-3 weeks after the syllabus day - so very few corrections on the whole. Our closest venue was not in our RAD region but less miles for us than the regional one for where we live. The session was great as a confidence builder but I am not sure if we would bother if it was a long distance away. No variations on the course DD did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballettaxi Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 DD did the Intermediate syllabus and variations coaching day approx 4 weeks before her exam. She loved the day and felt that it was just exactly what she needed to boost her confidence ahead of the exam. There were approx 20 students taking part all of varying abilities and readiness for the exam - which she enjoyed as they were working through every aspect of the syllabus and she was able to really 'baseline' everything she knew back to the instruction being given. During the variations coaching session they covered both variations. Those who weren't about to sit the exam were able to follow those who were exam ready. DD always loves the variations and the amazing feedback she was given really helped her to enjoy this element of the exam (she scored a 9 in the exam!!). All the girls who were about to take the exam were asked which variation they were plannng to do and they were given loads of encouragement and little pointers to help them get the best from it. When DD is ready for her Advanced Foundation exam I will definitely get her to another one of these days - regardless of the distance as it was exactly what she needed. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bailarin Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 I'm waiting for an Adv 1 one to come up. Any ideas when they might do one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picturesinthefirelight Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 It's a shame that they don't seem to be doing the variations coaching at Birmingham. There is no way we could travel to the variations one & back in a day. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 Also looking for an advanced 1 new syllabus:) they don't seem to do the advanced ones as often???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballettaxi Posted January 5, 2015 Share Posted January 5, 2015 There is an Advanced 1 course in Stirling on 22nd February - that's the only one I've seen. DD is attending the morning Advanced Foundation class - but as she's only just started the course this is as a treat (she'll have just finished prelims at school) and we'll be looking for another once she's learnt the full syllabus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballettaxi Posted February 3, 2015 Share Posted February 3, 2015 Just heard from RAD that the Advanced Foundation Course planned for 22nd February in Stirling has been cancelled due to insufficient numbers. I know these courses have to be financially viable - but hugely disappointed for DD who was so looking forward to this. There are so few of these near us that's it's a big let down when they are cancelled. It would be interesting to know if they were just short one or two attendees as I'd happily pay a bit more for DD's place to cover the shortfall to let her attend. Ah well back to trawling the RAD website for something else for her. Unfortunately she can't go to any Easter Courses this year as her Exams start at the end of April so she'll be studying at that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Picturesinthefirelight Posted February 3, 2015 Author Share Posted February 3, 2015 What a shame. I wonder if it didn't help that Advanced Foundation is one of the optional grades that done schools don't do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballettaxi Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 Quite possibly, although there was an Advanced 1 course scheduled for the afternoon of the same day - I wonder if anyone know's if that's also been cancelled. It's really disappointing as the last course DD attended was also at risk of being cancelled until they received a few last minute entries. I know these courses are a bit pricey, but they are so few and far between (esp. near us) and they are great value for money. I'm worried that if they continually don't get a good response they will stop even trying to do these day's here. That would be a real letdown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pups_mum Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 That is disappointing. As you say, there's not a lot outside London so it's a shame these courses aren't better supported. We live in the middle of nowhere so my DD has done the RAD summer intensive courses for all her vocational grades so far. We make it into a holiday for the rest of the family. If you book early you can get good deals on the Travelodge in Battersea which is only a short bus ride or about 15 mins walk from the RAD. You do need to know the syllabus pretty well to get the most out of the intensive course but my DD has found them very useful, so maybe that's an option to consider if there is nothing local. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dance*is*life Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 Are there any other RAD schools around your area? If the teachers are on good terms with each other, perhaps they would agree to do a joint exam readiness runthrough. We have done that here and it's very interesting. Sometimes we teachers discover that we've missed some details or made a mistake in the syllabus and also the students can observe each other and learn a lot from it. All teachers have their own style and it's a bit wierd to look at students from various schools and see how the same syllabus work can look quite different! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yetanotherdancemum Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 The Advanced 1 course in Stirling has been cancelled as well. I tried to book DD on it today. Apparently only a couple of dancers had signed up for it. Guess there just isn't the demand for it in Scotland! Shame because DD is sitting the exam in March along with the rest of the students in her class but I don't think the RAD corse was advertised in the school. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youngatheart Posted February 4, 2015 Share Posted February 4, 2015 I wonder if it's because not enough schools have got that far with the new syllabus yet? Many were still entering the old advanced levels up until Xmas. It would not then give time for such a student to be fully conversant with the next syllabus in time for this course. Maybe once the new syllabi are bedded in there will be more takers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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