Ballet exams and prep (RAD)

[deendon]

Just after a bit of advice please

My daughter is doing grade 2 RAD and the solo award there are over 40 doing the exam and 6 doing the solo award (which is an invitation only extension thing), we're overseas so I've changed the dates to make things simple.
I'm fuming with her ballet school and need a bit of perspective or advice.
Our exams are shortly after the school holidays, we're off school from 1/10 to 12/10 in the last week of the holidays we have exam prep classes (so from 8th to 12th) then my daughter has her exam on 19th, her solo award is not until 25th.
What's making me mad is that she and only she has to do her ballet exam at the exact same time as the last class before the solo award meaning she wont have practiced it for 2 weeks before hand (everyone else will have had a 90 minute practice class 6 days beforehand)
There were over 40 other slots they could have chosen for her to do the exam in.

The moment I saw this I phoned the school and pointed out their error and asked them to change it, I then got some patronising and rude email back which avoided the issue saying that some terms you paid for 8 weeks and some 9 and the time of the exam can't be changed.

She's worked hard for this, ballet is expensive and I'm traipsing all over town for multiple classes and I feel like it is all pointless. I'd have less to fuss about if no one had practiced their solo dances for 2 weeks but it will be just my child.

We're supposed to be doing comps and performances next term and I just feel like flouncing over the whole bloody thing

Please help me see get some perspective!!

Ask for an extra lesson for her. You'll probably have to pay for it.

Ask if you can video her last practice, so she can practice in the two weeks off.

Thanks for reading

They can't do an extra lesson!!

I will see if I can video

Sounds like bad planning. Being abroad the school probably has to fit into the examiner tour schedule but the dance school can and should schedule better.

2 weeks is a long time for a young child not to have practised. Heck, my 15 year old daughter’s teachers even scheduled an extra class in when her exam fell the first day back after the Easter holidays.

That is pretty bad. DD and friends often end up with exams shortly after holidays etc. so children are missing lessons. In those situations her teacher gives them a CD/data stick of the music in case they want to practice. The school also runs extra lessons on a Sunday/trial exams.

If none of that is possible do you have any friends with older daughters who have done the exam/dance before? Maybe they could help with a run through. Maybe she could do a run through with one of the girls who IS getting a lesson (or even share the lesson). At least you can look at the syllabus on You Tube these days.

DD does her exams in groups of 2 or 3 (it isn't the class award, so presumably she does the solo awards). Even at grade 4 I don't think she has ever needed a private lesson.

Madcats - there are now 3 different types of exam at Grades 1-5

Class award which isn’t accredited & is meant for children who either are not quite ready or don’t attend enough lessons to cover the full syllabus.

Graded exams - they perform in groups I 3/4 but assessed individually syllabus excercises & Set dances - the traditional exam

Solo Performance Awards - assessed in the performance of 3 solo dances - no set excercises. Meant to develop a sense of performance.

how old is she? I would just timetable her a practice time at home for the few days before hand. Can you get the music or a video as others have said? I don't think that would be an unreasonable request.

The Solo Performance Awards don't get credit points because they aren't set exercises.

My DD goes to a large ballet school. A couple of hundred children do the exams each season, and if my DD’s exam meant she missed a class, I would just accept it: the school will have spent ages on the timetable already, and you win some and lose some. DD’s ballet class is Mondays, and the summer exams in June/July come pretty soon after two missed Mondays due to bank holidays in May. Everyone just gets on with it.

Also, the school can’t dictate the dates/times of the exams: they can request particular days but it’s not always possible. DD had to miss an afternoon of school for an exam recently.

DD gets a CD of the music with a cribsheet to help with practising at home, and if the teacher is worried about a particular child they’ll call the parent into a couple of lessons to observe or take videos.

Thanks guys I don't think there are any scheduling issues there are 2 weeks of exams and 34 other slots for grade 2 alone they could have given her. I'd be delighted for her to miss school

I've assumed the exam sessions for the individual child are assigned by the office and the person doing it is just a bit thick/lazy/can't be arsed to do a proper job!! If they are assigned by RAD I will contact the office here and see if they can agree to change her.

I have assumed that on the basis that had I told the school dd had say an operation or similar during those 2 weeks they would not have scheduled her exam for the exact same time.

thanks madcats I will see if I can find the solo dances on you tube (we've found all the other stuff just not them) I suspect anyone who has done the before will have forgotten them!! They only do exams once a year at the studio. She can't share the lesson she'll be doing the exam.

If I only what are credit points? I have just assumed they will get a certificate like last time.

let it go (nice name !!) If everyone was not doing the dances for 2 weeks I'd be fine but it's just one child. I shouldn't really have to lump it the studio should do a proper job, but I agree Monday is a pain because of missing all the bank holiday classes.

I will ask about videos too thanks

My one consolation is that 'performance' is much more her thing than putting her toes where they should be

she will get a certificate yes but in the UK there are credit points which supposedly are then equivalent to academic qualifications. These can only be awarded for full graded exams so I believe the class awards and solo performance awards do not qualify for these as they have a reduced content. generally they get 7 points for grade 1/2/3ish I think. Will see if I can find the website that explains it