Possible Career

[Guest Talularocks]

I am a bit nervous about asking my teacher about becoming a RAD syllabus teacher. I am an adult student (27) who did not do ballet when younger. At the moment I am progressing quite well, even doing better in exams than my younger classmates. I know that a lot of teachers are ex professional dancers and am worried about that fact, since I know that I am too old to obtain that sort of excellence. I do live and breathe ballet and take it quite seriously. I also help my teacher in some of the girls classes and do enjoy teaching. I am being realistic or just keep it as a hobby?

[Victoria Leigh]

The only way to know is to ask your teacher. Certainly many others have done it, as not all teachers have a professional performing background. With enough training to get yourself to a solid level of technique, and the extra training of the RAD syllabus and teacher certification, I would think that it would be quite possible.

[duckie9876]

I have always wondered -- are studios that teach a particular technique (Like RAD, or Vaganova) considered more serious/respected than those that don't? For example, is there an expectation to maintain a certain passing score or rating for the dancers or is it purely a way to assign students to levels of study?

 

I've never seen a RAD class for Adults, but I know they exist because everyone here talks about them. I am quite serious about ballet, but don't know the first thing about those types of "exams". How does a studio qualify to teach a RAD syllabus and where do the RAD examiners come from?

[Dance_Scholar_London]

Check out www.rad.org.uk and you will get a lot of information

[Victoria Leigh]

It still all comes down to the teachers, in terms of their qualifications and their abilities as teachers, no matter what method they teach. There are, at least in this country, studios that say "Vaganova" method, but unfortunately that claim can mean someone took a two week seminar in Vaganova technique. It does not mean they are actually certified in the method.

 

While RAD and Cecchetti teachers do prepare their students for exams, there are still good RAD and Cecchetti teachers, and very poor teachers, of these methods. It seems that passing the exams does not necessarily make one a well trained dancer or teacher.

 

So, to answer your question, no, studios that teach a particular technique are not necessarily more "serious" than other schools. And, even "serious" does not always indicate professional in terms of quality of instruction. Look for the background of the teacher, but also look at the students. How advanced are the "advanced" dancers? Has the school produced professional dancers? Are their students accepted into major SI programs and into company positions? (And I don't mean students who studied there when they were 10, and then left for a professional school or residency program.)