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EXAMINATIONS

What are the benefits of my child taking part in a dance exam/medal test? 

Research shows that dancing can be brilliant for our mental and physical health. Dance exams and tests can be hugely rewarding for your child and can help to develop a range of personal, social, physical and mental well-being and transferable skills such as:  

Personal Skills

  • Ability to analyze
  • Application of knowledge
  • Commitment
  • Confidence
  • Concentration
  • Conviction
  • Cooperation and teamwork


Technical Skills

  • Accuracy
  • Application of feedback
  • Application of technique
  • Coordination
  • Creative engagement with movement material
  • Fitness
  • Flexibility
  • Kinesthetic awareness
  • Mastery
  • Memory and recall
  • Movement intensity appropriate to the style
  • Placement
  • Rhythm
  • Sensitivity to the cultural framework and/or stylistic influences of the technique
  • Stamina
  • Strength
  • Timing
  • Understanding of anatomy and physiology
 
 

Progression

  • Provide a measure of achievement of technical ability, musicality, and performance based skills from a beginner to professional level.
  • Provide the highest quality of constructive feedback, supported by a tested marking framework.
  • Exam certification acknowledges achievement, which is important for those who wish to pursue a career in dance.
  • 90% of Theatre exams offered are regulated through Ofqual, so meet a high standard of technical content and delivery.
  • Grade 6 and Intermediate exams have UCAS points attached suggesting further progression in higher education if desired.
  • For Theatre exams the grades and vocational exams produce dancers who go onto vocational training and into the dance industry on a wide scale and that transferable skills learnt allow people to go into teaching and the creative industries.
  • Following a syllabus ensures training that is based on accumulated professional teaching experiences from many great teachers. Syllabi have and continue to evolve to offer in-depth safe and age-appropriate foundational training with attainable yet exciting goals and challenges.
  • Giving students achievable goals can instil increased work ethic and focus.
  • Teachers who belong to the ISTD have undertaken rigorous teaching qualifications and will continually be challenged to upgrade their skills and knowledge with various Continued Professional Development courses. 
  • Many students love to be challenged, achieve, and progress, and take great pride in exam success.

Performance

  • Exams enable students to optimise opportunities to realise their potential
  • A chance to gain a qualification/medal which recognises dance excellence 

Exams also help to develop a student’s:

  • Creativity
  • Critical self-reflection
  • Discipline
  • Individuality
  • Mental and physical wellbeing
  • Perseverance
  • Problem solving
  • Respect
  • Response to feedback
  • Self-challenge
  • Self-management
  • Self-motivation
  • Setting and achieving goals
  • Understanding and appreciation of cultural framework, style and genre

Most importantly - it's fun!

  • Making friends
  • A huge sense of achievement

And many more!

 

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the benefit of dance exams