The RAD Intermediate Foundation ballet exam
The RAD Intermediate Foundation ballet exam is not an exam many kids take. It runs alongside the usual grades (from Pre-Primary to Grade 8) and is around the equivalent of a Grade 5, but it is much more rigorous. Along with the subsequent exams – Intermediate and Advanced – it is a vocational qualification. As my daughter’s teacher summed it up: ‘It’s not a children’s exam’. The Intermediate...
Getting the first pointe shoes
Getting your first pointe shoes is a really big deal for a little ballet dancer, and my daughter was no exception. Most little ballerina’s mums were also ballerinas and know this stuff themselves. Me? I failed a modern exam at the age of 7. Yes, I’m that bad. So I have no idea about pointe shoes, other than a lot of rumours. I knew they were VERY EXPENSIVE. Over £100. Also, I know that, at 11, my daughter has just started...
Preparing for first pointe shoes
At the start of this year, my daughter started simultaneously working on both her Grade 4 and Grade 5 in ballet. Her Grade 5 class included girls ranging in age from two school years above her right up to a girl who could drive! Every week the Grade 5 (or Intermediate Foundation) class had an extra lesson preparing for pointe work, working on strengthening exercises. And in the spring, most of the older girls got their pointe shoes....
