Ballet
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The art of ballet is known to teach life-skills like perseverance, dedication, motivation, work ethic, stamina, and strength. All its dancers need to work hard with their technique while learning ballet, but the results are always worth it.
Ballet is special because it allows dancers to spread their wings and fly through their different performances and choreographies.
At CDT, we teach ballet through the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) syllabus. This means that dancers are taught a curriculum of dance work that progresses through levels.
This is an internationally recognized ballet training syllabus that develops a strong technique foundation as students progress in their ballet skills.
What we love about RAD ballet is that if our dancers enter the performing arts industry, with RAD ballet exams on their CV for auditions, they are already advantaged from having a certain level of fundamental technique.
The syllabus is divided into grades, which students learn and improve in not just in the exercise but the understanding of the technique required to execute it and the french meaning behind what they are doing
(so they get to learn another language too - bonus!)
The RAD ballet grade is made up of a series of exercises as well as a routine and Grade 1 and above learn a ‘Character Routine’ - this is a theatrical presentation of national or folk dance.
When it comes to exams - there are two types, class award and assessment. Assessments are graded examinations, class awards are feedback based to build confidence for our students to grow.
Year Overview:
Term One
Students will learn their grade work. Depending on the grade, they learn a certain amount of barre, centre and allegro steps as well as a routine and a Character routine.
Term Two:
Students will continue to refine their grade work, the technique and syllabus details are ore refined .
RAD BALLET DISPLAY
In Week 10 of this Term, each ballet class will be presenting their work to their families, their teacher and the CDT directors. This is where families will be able to see what the students have been working on as well as an explanation of what is required to attend an exam. This will be in class time in Week 10.
From there, our ballet teachers and the directors will decide who is ready to take part in exams and families will be notified from there. Students who are not quite ready will be invited to take part in an in-house assessment on the 1st October.
CDT will not be given an exam date until September - but it is in Term Four.
Term Three:
Students will continue to refine their grade work as well as all students will begin to learn their concert routine.
For all RAD exam students, they are required to take part in a RAD ballet workshop and mock exam in the school holidays - this will be September 29, 30 and October 1st.
Term Four
Students will continue to work on their grade and concert work.
The RAD exam students will take part in their exam on the date the RAD allocate.
All ballet students will take part in CDT’s end of year concert.
What to Wear:
Girls:
Primary: Black leotard, ballet skirt, ballet tights, pink canvas ballet shoes.
Grade 1 and above: black leotard, ballet skirt, ballet tights, pink canvas ballet shoes
Bring to class: black character skirt with blue ribbon, character shoes. (small heel for Grades 1 and 2)
Inter Found and above: pointe shoes (when students have been assessed by teacher)
Boys:
White shirt, black ballet tights, black ballet shoes.
Pointe Work
Students will be assessed for pointe work when the teacher feels this is ready (and once their feet have stopped growing). Students must have the strength and technique established to be able to sustain the pointe work required.
This includes a pre-pointe assessment at the studio where students must be able to complete a series of exercises to show they are ready. From there, CDT will contact the families and then they must book in a pointe assessment at a physiotherapy facility. (We recommend Bounce Back at Narellan that specialises in Dance Physiotherapy).
Once they have given the all clear, students can then book in to get their first pair of pointe shoes. This is such a special and momentous occasion!
RAD ballet have official examinations where dancers are assessed on the syllabus level they have learnt.
What is an Exam?
If chosen by the teachers to take part in exams, it is an extremely beneficial exercise as these students execute their grade work in front of a certified examiner where they are assessed on their work, given feedback and get to progress to the next grade. They can. be chosen for two types
- assessment
- class award
Exams are held at the the studio.
Dancers must wear the specified RAD exam wear , slick ballet hair and any additional objects (character skirts and shoes or props).
This is such a fun experience for our dancers - and so beneficial for their training and to be assessed by a RAD offical examiner.
When exam result are in, students receive a special rose from their teacher. The exams results are awarded on the score they receive.
The cost of exams does depend on the grade your dancer is in.
If chosen for exams, you can choose to pay in installments.
