Can anyone tell me the exact rules for getting into this competition? I heard you must receive Highly Commended or Honors on the RAD Intermediate & Advanced Exams.<P>Then I heard, just Intermediate. Please let me know. I am working toward this goal. <P>

Hi! I am not as up to date as I used to be, but it was always Advanced or Solo Seal when I was teaching, and I doubt very much if things have changed.<BR>There is also an age limit, so if you are serious about going for it I should get in touch with the RAD soon and ask for details, which they will be more than pleased to supply.

Hi,<P>I do not teach RAD but the sort of thing you are saying sounds about right. Why not check out their website <A HREF="http://www.rad.org.uk" TARGET=_blank>www.rad.org.uk</A> that gives lots of info and contact numbers/sddresses etc so I'm sure it will be of help to you.

Thanks for the info. I did look on the website for rad and I could NOT find the rules. I'll keep looking..but I'll check and see if anyone posts here!!<P>

OK, here's the info, and it's fresh, as I wrote them an e-mail yesterday.<P>Candidates must be 19 or under at the closing date for entries, and must have either their Advanced with Highly Commended or Honours OR have passed Solo Seal (You can't do Solo Seal unless you have passed your Advanced). Or both, naturally

Red Shoes, many thanks for getting that information - really appreciated.

My pleasure, Stuart.<BR>I must say they replied quite quickly, didn't they!? The wonders of e-mail.

Yes thanks very much Red Shoes.<P>The RAD are good at replying to e-mails, I asked them a question before on behalf of someone here and they replied within 24 hours. Well done RAD.

Thanks Red Shoes.<P>Much appreciated. I would have emailed them but the last time I did, instead of emailing me back with the information I asked, they snail-mailed it!!<P>Since we are on the subject of RAD here, does anyone know of ballet companies/school which utilize their syllabus? Or at least have some background in RAD?<P>I am reaching the point where I need to move to a bigger school in hopes of being noticed and get into a company. Here in America, RAD doesn't seem as popular. I LOVE IT and love taking the exams and credit my technique to their strict study of syllabus. AND of course, my AWESOME teacher!<P>

Rieglerina -<P>I would think that if you wrote to RAD they would be able to advise you of any teachers/schools in your area - or a specific area in which you are interested.

rieglerina - I don't know how old you are, what standard you are at or where you are, but you say you have an awesome teacher? Do you need to move on right now?<P>RAD, as many of us know, is a good base, and many English/Australian/SouthAfrican dancers in particular have trained in that system, but there is a wider world out there, and you will realise that getting into a company will not depend on your Exam certificates.<P>The Genée winners of the past have mostly gone on to the Royal Ballet Company (a lot of them were and are already training at the Royal Ballet Upper School).<P>The RBS uses various training methods, as far as I know, but the girls in the Upper School all do Their RAD Major exams during their training. As I've said before, I had the doubtful pleasure of taking a major exam alongside a girl from RBS who later went on to become a principle dancer in the Birmingham Royal ballet, where she still is... <P>If you feel you are ready to move on from your present teacher, I suggest you ask her advice first of all, and then check out the entry requirements for the various professional schools where you are.<P>

Thanks for all the help. <P>I am going to take my Intermediate RAD in March. I received Highly Commended on my Elementary this year, and last year I received Honors on Pre-Elementary.<BR>My teacher thinks that AFTER I take my Intermediate I will be about ready to move on. My teacher is 79 years old and does not have performances and thinks I need more exposure than she can give me. She is SO SO wonderful. She studied under the people who "created" the RAD syllabus. She definitely has prepared my "technique". I recently moved 2 hours away from her and am commuting back to take from her. <P>SO, for one more year I have her, then we are trying to plan ahead for where I should or could go. My dream would be to dance at the Royal Ballet. It is more my style and I love what they do. I would like to find out more if I might even study abroad. I am homeschooled so I can do a lot more..meaning travel. My mom is even willing to do an exchange student situation. Meaning, we could take someone from abroad to live with us!<P>Keep giving me ideas!!<P>Thanks a lot!! <BR><p>[This message has been edited by Rieglerina (edited June 28, 2001).]

It's wonderful that you have had such a great teacher. It is important to also have performing experience and audition experience. This is an important part of the dancer's training. <P>Have you tried anything like that during your studies?

We recently moved to a "city" and I am attending the "best" there is here, but....<P><BR>Anyway, we had a spring "ballet" and I had a nice solo, "the prayer", and two duets and in the corps during finale and was also coppelia. (we had just moved here and I was the "new kid". <P>I was going to audition for SFB, ABT, Northwest Pacific, and Kirov, but I had an injury and was unable to audition for any of those. I plan to audition the next time around.<P>I love to perform. That's the ONE good thing about moving. I get more opportunity to perform. I also have to represent our school and perform at local events. Have done 3 just this summer.<P>As they say, "don't despise small beginnings"<P>Do you know if any of the bigger schools I would audition for give scholarships? I mean REAL ones? I've heard that they pretend to give you one, just to get you to come, but it is still SO SO expensive!<P>Thanks<BR>

I love that quote "don't despise small beginnings" !!<P>Anna Pavlova didn't despise small beginnings or small venues - she danced in venues all over the world that most artists wouldn't even consider. She didn't feel it was beneath her at all. And so many people came to dance because of having seen her.<P>A number of years ago I did personally know of one dancer who auditioned for NYCB and made it with a full scholarship - stipend - and living expenses. If you would like to read about this it is in the following thread - scroll down to my post of January 12, 200l - 12:39 - The story (it's a true story) is called "The Whippersnapper":<P><A HREF=../../../ubb/Forum7/HTML/000308.html><B>Finishing the Combination</B></A><P><p>[This message has been edited by Basheva (edited June 28, 2001).]