All About Ballet

[butterflybee]

I have dance shoes - pink soft leather, black heel shoes (grade 2), black skirts.

All second hand. Black shoes will be $10/pair. The others - free. Let me know if you are interested and size required. My dg and friends have many to let go. She’s in p5@grade 4 now. Has outgrown many.

[Oh My Gosh]

phtthp:

But if can allow to skip grades, then parents won't be here, sharing their misery that their ballet Tr say cannot skip, despite their dd having good ballet dance underground.


If their dd totally zero ballet background, that, we can understand.
But on the contrary, their dd are dancing very well, they have talent in ballet, yet not allowed to skip grade.
So what ?
Inspite of their talent, the rigidity in their ballet Tr bar them from learning faster ?

Or is it under the old syllabus - can skip grades.
But now under the new syllabus - not allowed to skip ?
Which is which ?
This part, many parents, are confused.
Then how do you strike a balance, between talented ballet dancers vs. going by the rigid rules : step by step, grade by grade

In piano, is clear cut.
If a child is talented in music, can skip grades : because the child is already musically talented.

But in ballet, line not clear.
Can any experienced ballet Tr here help to clarify ?

Seriously I cannot comment if there is any guidelines or regulations in ballet for the skipping of grades. I am only listing the example of my friend's DD. She took up ballet in June of the year she was in Primary 2, and went straight for her ballet exams in April when she was in Primary 3. However, the start was really tough as she has to join the classes and learn the steps of Grade 1 and Grade 2. Not sure if she took just Grade 2 exams (but still learn Grade 1 steps) or took both exams. But I knew she scored a distinction in her Grade 2 exams from FB. Should be the new syllabus as she just took the exam this April.

[SAHM2KIDS]

Skip grades is possible. My dd skip the primary level, from pre-primary straight to grade 1 but that was under old syllabus. She did pretty well for grade 1 but grade 2 and 3 results (new syllabus) dropped significantly. The foundation is very crucial, the legs must be strong. As the higher grades requires alot of strength, stamina and body flexibility. Dd doing grade 5 now with new syllabus. Her training hours extended to 90mins per lesson with 9 months of coaching lesson.

[nicnac]

A few of my Dd’s preschool friends only started ballet at primary 1, whilst my dd started from N2.

2 of them are 1 grade higher than her, cos they started at grade 1 at p1.
1 of them is 1 grade lower than her, cos she started at primary grade at P1.
another 1 who was doing 1 grade lower than dd was allowed to skip grade or do 2 grades at the same time this year… So technically, now same grade as dd.

These girls are with different schools…

[sembgal]

nicnac:

A few of my Dd's preschool friends only started ballet at primary 1, whilst my dd started from N2.

2 of them are 1 grade higher than her, cos they started at grade 1 at p1.
1 of them is 1 grade lower than her, cos she started at primary grade at P1.
another 1 who was doing 1 grade lower than dd was allowed to skip grade or do 2 grades at the same time this year... So technically, now same grade as dd.

These girls are with different schools..

Are these girls with the same ballet teacher?

[nicnac]

Nope…

The first 2 (1 grade higher )are with same tr.
The other 2 are with another tr at another centre.
Dd was with the second tr previously. She is with the first tr now.

[sembgal]

nicnac:

Nope..

The first 2 (1 grade higher )are with same tr.
The other 2 are with another tr at another centre.
Dd was with the second tr previously. She is with the first tr now.

I'm confused.

[FantasyLandDreams]

Hi

I need to clarify an understanding for the minimum age requirement to take grade one rad exam at 7 years old. Does it go by calendar year or birthday month? Meaning to say those born in 2008 can take rad grade one exam in April 2015 or not? Or is it a case whereby those born before April 2008 can take the exam but not those born in or after April 2008? Anyone can help? Thanks.

[sembgal]

FantasyLandDreams:

Hi

I need to clarify an understanding for the minimum age requirement to take grade one rad exam at 7 years old. Does it go by calendar year or birthday month? Meaning to say those born in 2008 can take rad grade one exam in April 2015 or not? Or is it a case whereby those born before April 2008 can take the exam but not those born in or after April 2008? Anyone can help? Thanks.

From my understanding, the child has to turn 7 before taking Grade One exam. I read it somewhere in the RAD syllabus.

[phtthp]

Oh My Gosh:

Ballet is like piano.. you can skip grades, but your DD must shows that she is capable of dancing the steps required at a higher level.


It requires more leg/ calf power.
.

Saw one girl born 2008, while her older sister born 2007.
Both sisters started young, since N2.
The younger one tagged along with her older sister, danced in the same ballet class as her sister (2007 born.)

In April 2013 -
the younger 2008 born girl had passed the \"Pre-primary\" RAD grade.

This year April 2014 (just a few months ago), the younger girl just passed her RAD \"Primary\" grade, together with her older sister.
By right, 2008 born cohort would have only just cleared \"Pre-primary\" grade, this year.
So, this little girl is advanced one grade , ahead of her 2008 born peers.
London examiners prepared the ballet certificate, ready in June.
The cert arrived in Sg in July by air flight, then given to the local Tr here.
She obtained her ballet cert from her Tr, in early August.

Can, because she started learning ballet, from as young as N2.
had already built quite a strong foundation, the fundamentals.
(is not that she had zero ballet background.)

Because she is ready for the exam, so Tr let this 2008 born take \"Primary\" grade exam this year, one grade ahead of her peers born in the same year.
Is on a \"case by case\" basis.

Come next year April 2015 -
This younger one will take RAD Grade 1, together with her older sister. (born 2007).