Page 14 - DANCE Guide 2022

2022 SyllabuS Guide
WEBSITE:
au.royalacademyofdance.org
FOUNDER/DIRECTOR:
Royal Academy of Dance Examiner and Tutor.
Lindsay Ellman-
Brown,
Chief Executive - Luke Rittner OBE, President - Dame Darcey Bussell DBE, Vice Presidents - David McAllister AM, Li Cunxin AO,
David Bintley CBE, Dame Beryl Grey DBE DMus DLitt DEd FRSA,
Wayne Sleep OBE, Sir Peter Wright CBE DMus DLitt FBSM.
HISTORY:
With over 13,000 members in 85 countries, The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) is one of the largest and most influential dance education and training organisations in the world.
Established in 1920 to improve standards and re-invigorate dance training, there are over 1000 students in full-time or part-time teacher training programs with the Academy each year, and the examination syllabus is taught to more than a quarter of a million students worldwide.
Our Mission is to inspire the world to dance by being a recognised leader in dance, education and training. We believe in the power of dance to transform lives, and we welcome every body to dance.
STYLES/GENRE:
Classical Ballet
GRADING/MARKING SYSTEM:
Internationally recognised classical ballet syllabus including Grades and Vocational Grades from Pre-Primary to Solo Seal.
TEACHER QUALIFICATIONS:
Through our Faculty of Education the RAD offers a range of higher education and teacher training programmes delivered as on site and distance learning. The Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies (CBTS) and Professional Dancers’ Postgraduate Teaching Certificate (PDPTC) are delivered in Australia.
COMPETITIONS/AWARDS
The RAD rewards excellence, artistry
and achievement through a range of state based Awards days. The Australian Advanced 1 Bursary is a national competition supporting the winner through their final year of training and the Fonteyn International Ballet Competition is our flagship pre-professional competition.
What was the procedure to qualify
to be an examiner?
When I applied in 1998, I had to pass two auditions to be accepted onto the training course. The first consisted of teaching a class in my own school in Harare, Zimbabwe,
in front of an examiner and then having an interview with that examiner.
The second required me to fly
to Johannesburg in South Africa
and undertake a syllabus exam, where
I had to perform selected exercises/ dances from all the male and female graded syllabi, conduct a mock exam (including writing a report), and then have a final interview with the Head
of Examiners, plus two other examiners. On passing that audition, I flew to the RAD headquarters in London for six weeks for a training course – there were only three of us being trained. This was a very rigorous course which I shared with two other Australian colleagues.
What do you enjoy about your job?
I love seeing students come into the examination room, quite nervous, and
then see them relax and be able to perform to their best ability and enjoy the process.
I get so much satisfaction from making
it a pleasant experience for them.
I have also travelled extensively
and have met and worked with some amazing people. Going into teacher’s studios around the world, meeting them and their staff and examining their students is a real privilege.
I also have a passion for working with young teachers so tutoring on various RAD programs is also something I love.
What is the purpose of exams/ assessments and why do you think they are beneficial?
I believe that exams give students a goal
to work towards and to have a chance to perform what they have learnt and be assessed on it. The benefits of this process can ripple throughout students’ lives. Even things such as having to be well groomed, knowing how to politely greet the examiner and pianist, remembering all the exercises and dances, despite nerves, can all assist later in life with exams, job interviews, etc.
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ROYAL ACADEMY OF DANCE