Starting Intermediate RAD

[panda bear 16]

I’m starting my Intermediate RAD this September, and am new to RAD. I’m 17 and know that I’m a year or 2 behind. I’m just wondering what is involved with the exam. I have done Checttie exams is there a similarity between the two?

What new steps are introduced?

How much point is there?

Is there a dance you have to perform?

Is the dance chosen for you or do you choose?

How long does the exam take?

Are two 2-hour classes a week enough?

Thanks

[Mel Johnson]

Panda bear, I took down the duplicate post on another forum, as we do not allow crossposting here.

 

Before we can start answering your questions, we have to know a little something more, like what level of Cecchetti you were studying previously. We can't tell you about "new steps" if we don't know what the "old steps" were. Were you on pointe at your previous school? And no, two classes a week will not even support pointe study. It's not even enough to be called a "maintenance level".

[panda bear 16]

i was doing Checcttie 6 , I have been doing point for 4 years. thanks

[Mel Johnson]

Here is a link for RAD Headquarters in London. It will send you to the page about Vocational track, which is where Intermediate is located. Click where it says for "Handbook for teachers". That should show you what the examination process is like. RAD is standard worldwide.

 

http://www.rad.org.uk/05exams/052vocational.htm

[Mel Johnson]

A suggestion comes from sam7 from "down under":

 

There are a lot of the exercises on youtube for Intermediate, if you do a search or try here http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=clara98&p=r

 

which is well taken.

[panda bear 16]

should I try to take classes at another studio as well because those are the only times my studio is offering it?

[Mel Johnson]

Aha, I see a point of confusion here. You don't have to take syllabus classes exclusively, in fact the Academy advises teachers to incorporate non-syllabus material into class offerings to assist the students to work on new combinations of exercises and steps rather than just repeat material by rote memory. Twice-a-week syllabus class can work fine, as long as you're taking other classes, no matter where, to make at least three classes total per week. More would be better, but let's just start with getting you on track, then we can work on getting up to speed!

[panda bear 16]

Ok that makes sense, I also have a ballet preformance class once a week. Is there any thing I can do at home to help?

[Mel Johnson]

Thank you for your patience; I saw your post earlier today, but did not have time properly to compose an answer that might have seemed unnecessarily brusque.

 

Probably the best thing you can do for yourself at home right now is to get a copy of Rhonda Ryman's Dictionary of Classical Ballet Terminology, Which is published in conjunction with the RAD. You might also get the same author's Dictionary of Classical Ballet Terms-Cecchetti in order to compare the ways that things are named and done differently in the two schools. At a grade 6 Cecchetti, you should find the latter book extremely familiar, but now we have to get you to RAD-speak.

[panda bear 16]

I have had a couple years of nonsylabus classes which were RAD based but am still slightly confused, thanks. Where would i find the books?

[Mel Johnson]

For fast and free relief, there's your local library, and interlibrary loan service. To obtain copies of these books for YOUR VERY OWN, consult the amazon.com link at the top of this page.

[panda bear 16]

I had my first class last night. and found it similar in strcture to what i was doing before, I really enjoyed the class. We start point tomorrow , I'm most concerned about the arm and head positions, that's what i find most confusing and even with 2.5 years of nonsyllabus RAD classes. How ever my teacher seemes exclent and very sweet .

[Mel Johnson]

Good. I thought that you would find lots of points of contact. Early RAD in the 1920s was very heavily based in Cecchetti.

[janninepointe]

The R.A.D Intermediate exam and vocational exams are all quite dry in terms of expression but they are excellent for improving your technique because they are so particular. They also are an excellent way practise to dancing in high stress situations. To answer your questions:

The steps are all very basic

there isn't very much pointe work perhaps 8 or so exercises

You have to do a short solo watlz at the end, it is set

The exam is quite short (it does not examine you on each exercise) about 1h

As to the amount of classes it depends on how hard you work and what your technique level is at currently, make sure you memorize the exercises as quickly as possible so that you can work on the technique and all of the little details in class

[panda bear 16]

I'm finding that I've done similar or the same excercises in my unset techinque classes. I'm finding the actual steps quite easy my problem right now is keeping every thing straight and not mixing up excercises. Now to work for prefection. any excercises the examiners are really picky about more than others?