pre-Primary ballet exam

6 replies

misshardbroom · 14/11/2008 22:19

Question for anyone who's dd (or ds, for that matter) does ballet.

My dd is just turned 5. She started ballet at 2 yrs & 11months and really loves it, spends lots of time showing me things at home and playing ballet lessons.

Until she was 4 she went to a pre-school ballet class, then when she turned 4 she moved into a pre-primary class.

There's talk about them doing an exam to move up into Primary ballet... some of them will do it this month, others in the spring term and others in the summer.

DD is the youngest in her class and so I'm not bothered that she hasn't been put in for it this time, her teacher said she should probably wait until later in the year. Actually, I'm not really bothered if she does it at all, I don't kid myself she's the next Darcey Bussell, it's just good fun and good exercise.

However, the whole exam thing is a bit of a mystery to me and I wondered if anyone could explain a bit about how it works: what standard do they need to be? what do they have to do? do they dance as a group or by themselves? It's an RAD affiliated school, btw.

Thanks in advance.

OP posts:

jenkel · 14/11/2008 22:34

My dd done it in July, she is also the youngest in the class and I was really worried about her doing but the ballet teacher really encouraged her to give it a go. And I have to say, it was a lovely experience for her.

I took her to the place where the exam was due to take place which was somewhere different to where they normally do ballet as they have to do the exam to live music. All the girls were getting their hair done together, and the hair styles seemed pretty involved and she seemed to really enjoy that part and having the ribbons put in her hair. Nobody seemed nervous, to be honest I think they were too young to appreciate what an exam is, the exam lasted about 20 mins and they had to go in a group of 4.

My Mum came with me and she also thought it was a lovely un-pressurised experince for her.

And she loves ballet now especially as she has to wear character shoes and they have a heel!!

goldilocksandmylittlebear · 14/11/2008 22:35

The RAD Primary Ballet exams are for 6 years and over only x

cazzybabs · 14/11/2008 22:36

ditto jenkel and also with the character shoes

mimsum · 15/11/2008 23:32

my dd did a cechetti (sp?) primary 1 ballet exam last summer at the age of 5 - somehow she's ended up in a class of children who are predominantly a year older ...

they did it in groups of 4, with the teacher there who could tell them what they were going to do next but couldn't correct individuals

I was quite worried about it as I didn't want dd's first experience of an exam to be a negative one, however she really wanted to do it, wasn't nervous at all

the ballet teacher assured me that no-one could fail at this level - and dd ended up with a B which she was delighted with

gigglewitch · 15/11/2008 23:41

how about having a look here at the RAD website
pretty good explanation of what goes on.
(I'm a dance teacher btw)

Angad · 02/02/2013 17:29

Maybe you can answer some of my questions. What age are they put in for their pre primary test? Are they entered on ability or age? My daughter has been going since may last year, she is 4 (5 in July). Some have been entered, some haven't-y daughter hasnt. Most of the ones entered are older than my daughter and have been going longer but I think that several who she is friends with will now be moving up a class which is a shame. What normally happens? What are decisions based on?
Thanks xxx

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