There are different types of dance examinations and this information will help you understand the benefits and progression that ISTD examinations can provide your child /young dancer.
If your child is taking part in dance classes led by an ISTD-qualified dance teacher, your child will be learning ISTD syllabus material.
The Graded Examinations build up progressively, ensuring that steps and skills learned at lower levels prepare for more complex movements as the candidate progresses.
Dancesport genres that feature graded examinations include: Modern Ballroom, Latin American and Disco Freestyle and Classical Sequence.
Theatre genres that feature graded examinations include: Classical Ballet (Cecchetti and Imperial methods), Modern Theatre, Tap, National Dance, Classical Greek and Classical Indian Dance styles: Kathak and Bharatanatyam.
Dancesport medal tests can be taken as part of the following genres: Modern Ballroom, Latin American, Sequence, Disco Freestyle, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Country and Western and Street Dance.
Medal test levels progress from Under 6, Under 8, Social Dance Test, Pre-Bronze Dance Test, to Bronze, Silver, Gold, Gold Star and higher awards.
Theatre medal tests can be taken as part of the following genres: Classical Greek, Tap and National and Jazz Awards.
The Medal tests and Jazz Awards are shorter, more succinct examinations and are designed to be used by those who wish to use dance for recreational purposes. These non-regulated examinations augment the training of the dancer who may wish to pursue a career in dance.
For further questions regarding the differing types of examination or medal tests on offer to your child, please send your enquiries to the Examinations team.
Keen to learn more about the structure of ISTD examinations/medal tests?
Dance examinations generally follow a graded system where the learner may advance through grades by mastering each progressive level. Dance examinations are available in both theatre and dancesport genres.
Graded examinations may be taken in Classical Ballet (Cecchetti and Imperial methods), Contemporary, Modern Theatre, Tap, National Dance, Classical Greek, Classical Indian Dance, Modern Ballroom, Latin American, Disco Freestyle and Classical Sequence.
Our Ofqual-regulated Graded examinations have a clearly defined structure from Grade 1 to 6, allowing learning to take place in the context of safe dance practice.
Medal tests are shorter, more succinct examinations and are designed to be used by those who wish to use dance for recreational purposes. These non-regulated examinations augment the training of the dancer who may wish to pursue a career in dance.
These tests may be taken in Modern Ballroom, Latin American, Sequence, Disco Freestyle, Rock ‘n’ Roll, Country and Western, Classical Greek, Jazz, Tap and National.
They are designed to be accessible to any age group, from children to adults, and are a great way of providing students with a goal to work towards, increasing dance knowledge, technique and artistic quality.
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