Royal Academy of Dance Examinations
The Royal Academy of Dance syllabus develops students’ physical skills, stamina, creativity, expression, and musicality using a range of sounds and musical styles. This prepares students for the transition to ballet and other dance genres at higher levels.
Students work up through different levels of examinations.
We offer examinations to suit all ages and abilities. There are no upper age limits and both male and females students can enter.
Our examinations provide students with:
- Achievable goals to work towards.
- Recognition from the world’s largest ballet examination board.
- Qualifications that are accredited by the UK qualifications regulators.
- The impetus to achieve their personal best in a fun and nurturing environment.
The Graded syllabus
- Pre-Primary in Dance
- Primary in Dance
- Grades 1–8
- These examinations provide a broad practical dance education and develop technical, musical and performance skills (age 5+).
Vocational Graded Examinations
- Intermediate Foundation,
- Intermediate,
- Advanced Foundation
- Advanced 1
- Advanced 2
These examinations provide an in-depth study of ballet and prepare students for a career in dance (age 11+).
Graded and Vocational Graded Examinations can be taken at the same time.
The knowledge and skills gained through successful completion of these levels provide a basis for progression to subsequent examinations in dance (Grades 1-8).Graded examinations, solo performance awards, and vocational graded examinations in dance are progressive structured assessments which ultimately lead to recognised achievement at a high level in dance performance. The higher level qualifications are accepted as benchmarks of achievement by vocational schools, attended by most young dancers intending to enter the profession. They are also taken into account by universities and other HE institutions offering degree courses and programmes in dance and dance teacher education (such as the RAD itself). Such qualifications also aid progression to workplace opportunities such as: professional dancer, professional dance teacher, professional choreographer, professional dance notator, professional dance historian, lecturer in dance, and facilitator in community dance.
Achievement in dance contributes to the development of a range of competencies and life skills, such as motor control, health and safety awareness, self-expression, physical fitness and stamina, discipline, mental ability and confidence.