25 replies to this topic

[Hamorah]

I would be very pleased if my students were to get 70+ for their IF!!!! Very well done! You must be at a very good school if the girls in your class all got Distinctions. Also, don't forget that you were only 5 points away from Distinction yourself, so that really is excellent result. There used to be a break down for all the marks and the reasoning criteria behind it all, but the new syllabus is marked differently, so it won't help you much to try and search for it on the RAD site. However, you could look for the breakdown of the technical details they're looking for. Alignment,co-ordination, weight placement, use of feet - it's endless! All the marks are out of 10, so the higher the mark the better obviously. Pass on the other hand is 4 out of 10 and in fact nowadays if you manage to reach 40, inspite of some marks being below 4, you still pass. How long did the girls work on the syllabus in your class and how many classes a week did they take? Just curious, because of the Distinctions. We usually work on the syllabus for about 6 months, twice a week 90 minute classes.

[Miss Persistent]

In scoring systems like the one apparently used, often the scorer forms an overall impression of your work and then that overall impression guides what the scorer puts down for the categories. It is very easy to read too much into scores like that.

I had to laugh at that last category, special consideration. We used to call things like that "brownie points,"

I understand that exams are part of the culture in RAD. They can act as something like merit badges to encourage people to continue. They can provide goals for students to attain. But outside of that and especially for adults, what do they really mean? To me, as an adult student (who spent his entire professional life in the standardized testing business) it is nothing.

Just to further clarify along with Hamorah's answer;

Special consideration marks are adjustment/additionally marks allowed for things such as if someone has submitted an injury or illness form, if a car crashes through your exam room, or the examiner has a heart attack and you have to retake your exam - the examiner can choose to award these as they feel appropriate, but special forms must be filled out and red tape jumped over - not very common.

All the technical categories are marked on 6 criteria;
- Correct Posture and Weight Placment
- Control
- Co-ordination
- Line
- Spacial awareness
- Dynamics
You are marked out of 10 in each category based on the above, so while is is an "overall feeling" mark, it isn't without a standardised basis. Music and performance categories have their own criteria, but similar ideas.

Some people feel exams are a waste of time and money, but I feel even for adults there are benefits apart from just having goals. An adult who wanted to become a teacher could pass a certain amount of exams to be eligible to enter the teacher training program for example - it all depends what you want. These days it seems you can start a whole new career at 40!

[danceprincess]

Your story sounds a lot like mine. I'm enjoying reading about your process as an adult dancer taking class with teenagers. That is where I am right now as well. Started in the adult classes and was given permission to take the advanced beginner classes with the teens. I'll say my official start date was in January but I'm already seeing progress. I'm not in my splits yet but I stretch everyday. I take 6 hours of class a week as well (4 hours ballet, 1 hour jazz and 1 hour african). I can only hold my legs at 45 degrees as well. I'm hoping that as I progress I'll start to see improvement in my extensions. This topic definitely gives me hope!

[pianolady]

An update! I just had my Intermediate exam early december. I was pretty anxious about it, because it is a pass-fail level.
I really hope that I manage to pull it through. I was the first person ever to do new intermediate syllabus exam in my school. Will report back on results in the hopefully 2 months from now.

[Hamorah]

As I mentioned above - as long as your total marks are 40 or above you will pass the exam. Intermediate is the last of the exams where you can fail some sections and still pass the exam. I had a student who got a couple of 3's for it, but as the rest of the marks were good the total mark was a 67. So I think you should try not to be too tense for the next couple of months until you hear the result! And do let us know your mark, please!

[pianolady]

Thanks Hamorah! Will keep the thread updated.

You were asking (and I forgot to answer)

How long did the girls work on the syllabus in your class and how many classes a week did they take? Just curious, because of the Distinctions.

Typically one year because here in my country the exam only happens once a year. And the students takes at least four classes a week (each 90 minutes), and some even takes five classes. However, the intermediate syllabus class itself is once a week, the other classes are: free class, jazz, and higher grades syllabus (grade 6,7, or 8). The ones taking five classes are considered selected for "special class (pre-pro pathway)", and they are having one more free classes at higher level. Last year, I was the only one with "merit", the other five girls with distinction are all selected teens under the "special class".

[pianolady]

Updates! Got the result of exams.. I thankfully passed, and more suprisingly, scored 78 (Distinction)! I got lucky, I guess.. Haven't received the detailed scoring though, will update once I got it..

[chocakety]

Congrats on the distinction for Intermediate!

[Balletlove]

WOW!!! Well done, well done, well done that is awesome

[insidesoloist]

Congratulations, pianolady. The "Distinction" is icing on the cake, isn't it? Well done.

[pianolady]

Got the detailed score today. It's different system from the past syllabus. And my certificate is signed by Darcey Bussell! Here's the detailed score from the report:

• Technique - Barre = 8
• Technique - Port de Bras, Centre Practice and Pirouettes = 8
• Technique - Adage = 8
• Technique - Allegro = 8
• Technique - Free Enchainement = 8
• Technique - Point = 8
• Music = 8
• Performance = 8
• Variation - Technique = 7
• Variation - Music and Performance = 7
• Special consideration mark = 0

Total = 78

PS I chose Variation 2 (modern / contemporary) for my exam.