Grade 6 RAD ballet

[LiveLaughLoveDance]

Ok,

I have had one grade 6 lesson and now i am taking my exam in June

My teacher was talking about how the style is very important.

Does anyone who has taken the exam think that this "change" was a hard thing to achieve or portray?

Anyone who's taken it who could tell if the marks are broken down differently from the lower grades..?

Anything would be helpful.

I am looking for distinction haha

Much thanks,

live_laugh_love_dance

[Mel Johnson]

Wait, you've just started the grade 6 syllabus, and your exam is in June? Good luck. That's a lot of material to cover, and you're just going to have to take the classes in order to find out what the level is like. Stylistically, the year is very much based on the Romantic style, rather like La Sylphide or Giselle.

[LilBalletDancer1993]

Hey!! I took my Grade 6 RAD a while ago, and LOVED it!! I got a distinction (96%) somehow!!!! If you are taking it in June, one thing I must say is you really must work hard!!! Like Mel Johnson said, there is a lot to cover....

It is totally different syle-wise compared to the lower grades. You are now in a "higher grade" so you are expected to have a much more mature sense of style, and there is a lot of emphasis on musicality, That's not so much on keeping with the rythm of the music (though this is of course very important!), but more interpreting it, so portraying what each piece means to you by the way you dance to it, if you catch my drift ;) ... It is a grade based on the romantic period, (giselle and la sylphide) so one thing I was told to remember was at that time, artists and dancer and poets were kind of depressed (!!!) so were trying to make happier feelings through writing things and dancing as sylph-like fairy creatures. This relates to the style you use, because you do not have to be as stretched and extended in your centre work (though you did at the barre- if not you will lose a LOT of technique marks!! ), so in the centre let your arms be more loose and relaxed, but with very expressive hands if possible. This is what my dance teacher told me, anyway. But just because you are loose and relaxed does not mean you look lazy!!!! Be slightly aware of that!!!!! Oh, and in everything, use reaaaaally big port de bras, and don't be afraid to go over the top with using your epaulement (spelling?)!!! This grade must be very fluid and beautiful, so even if you think you are a bit over the top, remember that you would look sillier if you were trying to confine yourself!!!! Oh, and in the waltz enchainement, make sure you are very waltzy (if you get what I mean!!!). Oh, and you know you wear a long floaty skirt for the grade? Well make your dancing just like it! Elegant and floaty, but rememeber it does show your feet, so you can do some nice crisp footwork to get those technique marks!!! The marks are broken down (there are ten marks for each): Classical technique 1, Classical technique 2, Classical technique 3, Classical Performance, Classical music, Waltz enchainement, Free Movement exercises, Character Exercises, Study Performance and Musicality, and Study Technique.

I hope this helps!!!

P.S. sorry moderators if this is too much like giving advice, I just really liked this grade. Feel free to delete it if you find it inappropriate!!

[Mel Johnson]

It's OK. Better to have the value of recent experience.

 

I wasn't trained RAD, but I work in a school where it's taught, and I can never get quite straight how the marking system is set up. I used to know it, then it changed, and changed, and changed....

[LilBalletDancer1993]

What I said is how it is now because I took my exam in November, and only just got back my report and certificate (!) even though I had gotten my marks in December!!!! Oh, and thanks for saying it's okay, I tried to not put in "you have to do this"!!!

I do RAD and ISTD, because my teacher says that way you get taught more steps sooner through ISTD, but you get the right technique to cope with them so soon through RAD!!!

[Mel Johnson]

Mixing curricula is a good way to pick up a lot of information. As a matter of fact, RAD recommends a certain number of "free" (non-RAD-syllabus) classes be written into a student's schedule.