Caulfield School of Dance
Royal Academy Of Dance Program
Lower Grades:
Grade IV
Ballet, Character, & Free Movement
Age 9 +
Enrolment in Caulfield School of Dance R.A.D. ballet programs is by invitation* only. Every R.A.D. ballet program is designed individually for each exam candidate.
To enroll in an R.A.D. program with or without the option to perform (see more information on Performing below), please contact us.
The 2020/21 Grade IV RAD Program consists of:
Grade IV RAD Syllabus Course
Friday, 6:15 – 7:15 pm
Plus a minimum of 2 Level C Technique Courses:
Level C Ballet Technique
Monday 5:00 – 6:00 pm
Tuesday 7:00 – 8:00 pm
Saturday 1:45 – 2:45 pm
Some or all of the following courses are usually also part of a complete Grade IV RAD Program:
Intro Pointe Technique, Monday 6:15 – 6:45pm
Intro Pointe Technique, Tuesday 8:00 – 8:30 pm
Progressing Ballet Technique, Friday 7:15 – 7:45 pm
Intro Pointe Technique, Saturday 2:45 – 3:15 pm
Students in the Grade IV RAD program can also choose to have Ballet Performing* Course:
Ballet Performance 3
Monday 6:00 – 6:15 pm
* Note: With the uncertainty of group performing due to health concerns, we have the chance in the upcoming months to focus on developing dancers in a way that focuses more than ever before on the advancement of each student’s skill and artistry. This will mean that when the possibilities for performing repertoire in groups are clear, our students will be ready to learn pieces quickly and perform in the best contexts we can provide.
Also highly recommended/required on an individual basis are courses at your child’s age in the following disciplines:
Jazz Technique
Acro Technique
Musical Theatre
Acting
Hip Hop
Please see further information in Program Composition below on training in the above disciplines (yes, even Hip Hop!) as part of career preparation in classical dance.
The days and times of these courses in the above disciplines are listed the Courses by Age Schedule pages.
By Audition and special permission, students in the Grade IV RAD program can be selected for the Closed Ballet Performance 3 Course, which is in a package of most/all of the above plus:
Closed Ballet Technique 3
Wednesday 4:45 – 5:45 pm
Closed Ballet Performance 3
Wednesday 5:45 – 6:00 pm
* An R.A.D. program is “closed”, including Ballet Performance 3 which is only available to those taking a full R.A.D. ballet program, in that enrolment in the program is only by teacher assessment. It does not however require parents to sign and adhere to the Closed Program contract, unless their children are in a ballet performance course whose name designates it as “closed” such as Closed Ballet Performance 2/3.
Performance Training Company membership is by audition only.
Limited Private and/ or Semiprivate instruction in Voice, Speech Arts, and any Dance Discipline available.
Program Composition
Every R.A.D. ballet program is designed individually for each exam candidate.
All Grades I through V R.A.D. exam candidates must take Supplemental Exam Preparation instruction in addition to their regular course work, the cost of which is not likely to exceed $80. This cost will not be adjusted due to imperfect attendance. Additional private or semiprivate instruction may also be required of candidates at a cost of $75 per hour.
Students at the Grade IV level who wish to pursue ballet into the RA.D. Higher or Vocational grades, will ideally take a program of 8 or more hours of Ballet/ Modern/ Jazz/ Acrobatics per week to develop core strength, flexibility, jumps, and turning skills. Students who take Tap have better musicality and rhythm than students who do not, and those who take Musical Theatre and/or Acting have better confidence/stage presence and expressivity than those who do not. Hip Hop is a necessary part of career preparation in dance, even classical dance.
Home practice with parental assistance is obligatory for all R.A.D. program students. Practice music will be provided by digital download for all enrolled students. Examination candidates must keep a notebook in which to track home study, and record notes including vocabulary and corrections received.
Supplemental Exam Preparation
All Grades I through V R.A.D. exam candidates must take Supplemental Exam Preparation instruction in addition to their regular course work, the cost of which is not likely to exceed $80. This cost will not be adjusted due to imperfect attendance. Additional private or semiprivate instruction may also be required of candidates at a cost of $75 per hour.
Examinations
The Royal Academy of Dance, or R.A.D., is the world’s leading organization for ballet instruction. The syllabi are progressive, expressive, and complete.
Examinations provide a goal setting focus for training. Examinations are optional – promotion in the Lower grades is by examination or instructor assessment – but all students in the program must work with the same level of dedication to improvement.
Some years, Grades I through V will be examined by an R.A.D. examiner. R.A.D. examiner examined examinations provide candidates with a numerical score, and if successful, a certificate. The School will collect and forward all exam fees to the Royal Academy of Dance. Exam fees are non-refundable even if a candidate is deemed unable to stand an exam due to inadequate home practice or illness. All candidates must have the approval of the signing instructor(s) to stand an examination. Any additional costs for examinations will be divided fairly amongst all candidates.
In-house R.A.D. examinations provide candidates with a written assessment from at least 2 Ballet professionals, a numerical score, and if successful, the option of a certificate. In some years Grade I through V students are eligible for consideration to stand in-house R.A.D. examinations. All candidates must have instructor approval to stand an in-house examination. All costs for examinations are divided fairly amongst all candidates. Once parental consent is received, In-house exam fees can be waived only with a physician’s note and more than 1 week’s written notice.
Character Dance, Free Movement, and Pointe Work
Grade I through V students learn “Character Dance” which is unauthentic European folk dance, and “Free Movement” which is Modern/Contemporary based dance, as part of their syllabi. All students require Character shoes. Please see your Guidebook for more information.
Female students require a C.S.D. Character skirt for class work and examinations. There is a $15 per year fee for all Grade I through V R.A.D. students which covers rental of all required rental items such as Character skirts for girls and bolero vests for boys.
Only the Vocational R.A.D levels include pointe work, however, some male and female Grade IV students are given pointe courses in their programs to take in soft shoes for the conditioning benefits and/or to prepare for pointe work.
Performing
Students in the R.A.D. program are able to enrol in closed Ballet Performance courses which prepare performance pieces for competition(s) and for our annual yearend stage production. Students in the R.A.D. program are also able to enrol in Basic Ballet courses which include both technique instruction and the preparation of a performing piece.
Performance pieces can be created drawing on the Classical Ballet, Character, or Free Movement elements of the syllabi.
