RAD or ISDT?

[chauffeurmummy]

I have always thought of ISDT as being the poor relation to RAD for ballet. Am I being unfair??

My dd6 has joined a new dance school where she can do Modern, tap and street which is all good. Looks like a great school and I am really excited for her. She can also do ballet there - but it is ISDT not RAD so I am unsure!! For now I have said she needs to stay with her existing ballet teacher - but am I just being silly????

Look forward to all your sensible and experienced views!!

I'm not a ballet teacher, nor do I have any great experience in baller. But, my daughter does ISTD, and we know children from ISTD who have got associate places at the Royal Ballet, Elmhurst, Tring and another associate school in Bristol (not sure which one).

I don't know how the ISTD is valued, but from my limited experience it certainly doesn't seem to stop talented children from getting a place as an associate at a vocational school if they're good enough.

Thank you - that's good to know!

ISTD and RAD are on a par with each other. Mine do both.

Happen to live in a town where both 'big' dance schools have principals are high up in ISTD. Both schools send children to vocational schools.

Tbh, it seems to be the quality of the teacher (in terms of the emphasis on absolutely correct technique, strong basics etc etc) rather than the exam board that makes the difference. I am not a dance expert, but having sat through really quite a lot of dance performances as a parent, I would say there is a big gap between ballet performances from different schools (in terms of their quality and security of ballet technique) but that does not depend on the exam board that school follows.

It doesn't matter tbh. If you're sending your dd to ballet classes with aspirations for her to become a dancer then it's talent, hard work and good teaching that she needs - regardless of the syllabus.

If it's for fun, then as long as she's having fun you're sending her to the right place

Just read that she's 6 and you're excited about all the other styles. Go for it, sounds like a lovely school

Thank you! I do sort of realise I am being silly!! I don't have any particular aspirations for her - she's only little, bless her! However, she does love it and I would hate to make a "silly error" on her behalf - which threw the spanner in the works if she did decide to take it more seriously. I was mainly worried about how transferable the techniques were - if that makes sense!

Sparkly - interesting your dd does both. Do her teachers not mind - as I know a lot around here are really funny about the children dancing for more than one school?

My dd only attends one dance school. I say she does both, actually she recently stopped ISTD ballet as the teacher that taught it left.

That said, she has also done exams in IDTA ballet and whilst all the syllabi are slightly different and have different strengths and weaknesses they are all transferable skills wise and if they have a talent for it then will flourish with any of them.

Dd currently does RAD ballet grade 5 and Interfoundation. She is taking her grade 5 exam in november. Then she follows the ISTD syllabi for Classical Greek, Modern an Tap. RAD, as far as I am aware , only do ballet so most schools follow other syllabi for other genres.

Oh I see - I hadn't realised that some schools offered both! So much to learn! Thank you!!

I think you should always question the reasoning for only attending one dance school (particularly at older ages)

But for younger children generally one style/board is better for consistency of terminology while learning the basics

I understand a mixture of exams and performance work leads to a more rounded skill base than pushing through the exams one after another

KatyMac I believe the reasoning behind only attending one school is for consistency, and to prevent conflicts of interest.

We have had children come to our dance school for "top up" classes that attend other dance schools and it usually ends in tears. It has also lead to children not feeling as though they "belong" anywhere.

Inter-school politics are sadly very real. If school have good relations then it can work, and we have had festival groups which have been a combination of girls from two schools which have worked well. But the teachers need to be on friendly terms for that to work.

But if you only offer Ballet & threaten to stop classes if they take up Jazz/Tap/Modern somewhere else

Or if when a child gets a place at RBS associates & gets thrown out as they now have another teacher

Something is wrong (imo)

I have never known a child to be thrown out because they are doing JAs. that's slightly different IMO. And if you only offer Ballet then I would expect you would allow a child to study another genre elsewhere.

JAs is quite an achievement and Ime teachers are very prou if their students are accepted onto the scheme.

The only thing I would add is that is it quite difficult to change to RAD once you have started ISTD or Cecchetti. Having said that, whichever one you learn your teacher will be passionate that theirs is the best method! Makes no difference really!

We also have to sign something to say we will not let children attend classes at competing schools. As sparklymommy says, JA is the only exception as they actually require children to continue with their normal classes anyway, plus it is seen as a prestigious thing to have attached to their name.