Dance Teachers On-Line

NEWSLETTERS FOR MAILING LIST SUBSCRIBERS

15th July 2008

Do you like doing dance exams? Or do you prefer just to dance for enjoyment? Here's a selection of some comments made by DTOL dance teacher members over the past few weeks. Let me know what you think:

DTOL member Sharon Pinsley (s_pinsley@hotmail.com) from Israel responded to a question from Kim Field about dance examinations:

"My own feelings about exams are somewhat mixed and although I see some good in motivating the ballet student toward a specific goal, i.e. exams. I have seen the pain and the damage the RAD exams and their examiners can cause. If you have someone who has a prejudice against a specific country for instance, the results can be colored by this (this, I have heard about more than once from local RAD teachers). These kids are under such duress that they often either excel beyond their expectations or fail due to intimidating atmosphere.

With the matriculation exams the dance students undergo locally (as HS seniors), the attitude is usually more supportive and understanding. This may somewhat lower the level of excellence, but gives far more students an opportunity to succeed. This alone can motivate her/him to continue in pursuit of their dance dreams/goals.

In-house exams for me are unnecessary and I would prefer an annual or even bi-annual assessment of the student's achievements with recommendations for the following year and this done face to face, perhaps with the parent in attendance. I also think that the school concerts are the real test of a young dancer's attainments....mho."

DTOL member April Martin (a.r.martin@ntlworld.com) from Cambridgeshire, UK added her views:

"I agree with Sharon about exams, sure they can be a useful tool in measuring a student's progress but for whom? Teachers who know their students and who have been well trained can monitor progress in their normal classes and an external examiner will only mark what he or she sees on the day and lets face it no matter how able the candidate they can have an "off day".

Most of the organisations that offer an examination syllabus have a set syllabus where the candidate learns the syllabus and reproduces this for the exam, then moves on to the next level. How much of a measure of a true dancer is this?

A dancer must be able to dance, express and follow a choreographer, and create for themselves. This is what is measured when they go to an audition for vocational dance college or for a position in a company, not how many certificates they have.

Let's face it how many of the children we teach will go on to become dancers? very few ,so why not let them enjoy the experience of learning to dance rather than subject them to the exam treadmill (of course there is a certain amount pf pressure from parents to have their child "achieve" and gain the certificate to prove it!)

Exams? Use them as a tool rather than as a necessity, don't make them the way a child's progress is measured and don't make them compulsory."

However, Celeste Theunissen (celeste@celestarstudio.com) from Malaysia (and Singapore) has an alternative view:

"I read Sharon Pinsley's response concerning dance examinations. I have to disagree with her. Examinations are very important, not just for dance but for any and every educational subject. Exams give one a purpose and a goal. A yard stick to measure one's progress. Sharon is from the Modern dance genre and I have noticed that most Contemporary and Modern enthusiasts are anti-exams. I can understand this because being a modern and Contemporary dancer myself, I understand the freedom of expression and of being organic.

For the other genres such as ballet, jazz dance (which includes hip-hop and break dance), Latin and some of the other Social dance forms, a goal in the form of an exam or a competition is very important. Therein lies the fruit of all the hard labour.

How can one know whether you have improved? Whether you have mastered the art? What the next goal is? There are those who are quite happy with just simply dancing, expressing, etc. But there are also those who are happy with simply dancing and expressing, but who also want something to show for it. I have mastered Ballet and Jazz Dance, I don't have to get up and dance to prove that I have, I am 44 years old and retired. But I can show you my certificates and diplomas instead.

I think that every human being, not just dance teachers, but every human being should ask: "I have had several requests from parents asking me why are the SCHOOL students doing SCHOOL examinations?

Please let us as teachers know what is the benefit for an in house SCHOOL exam and what is the difference if it gets done through an affiliation, and the benefits for doing exams." Once they know the answers to these questions, they should then apply it to dance."

Susan Clarke (demisemi1@ntlworld.com) from Kent, UK sent her views:

"I have been a Teaching Member of the RAD for almost 18 years and have just decided not to renew my membership this year. There are a number of reasons for this but the main one being that I have reached the decision not to enter my children for examinations any longer. Over the years there has become an increasing volume of paperwork involved with exam entries and I find this very time consuming. Another reason:- I may be alone here, but I do feel that the majority of my pupils require a small number of extra classes running up to the exam session, more administration in booking the studio, pianist etc.

I have felt under pressure, in recent years, to enter a larger amount of pupils in order that the examinations may take place at my own school venue. When I have entered a small amount of candidates, this has meant us travelling to another location - sometimes a good distance from the school. The children are unfamiliar with the venue and, again, more work involved in giving directions, times etc. to parents [many of whom work during the daytimes or have younger children to care for and this makes arrangements difficult].

I know there is a facility to "join" with other teachers in our area but this is not always easy. I find that increasingly, parents do not take up the offer of the examination for their child. Some feel the exams are too expensive [I do not teach in a particularly affluent area of London], some feel their children already have to sit too many exams within their daily school life. To sum up, there is a great deal of work [I am not afraid of hard work - I promise!], and a great deal of pressure for which there is little or no financial gain.

Some years ago, I was privileged to receive private coaching in the Russian [Vaganova] system. [I have mentioned this previously on the DTOL site]. I much prefer this system and have great faith in it. As far as I am aware, there is no official examination board for this system in the UK. I intend to continue teaching the RAD syllabus to my pre-school and very young children but will continue teaching "free" classes based on the Russian system to my older pupils - who are excelling in it! I have lost the pressure of exams, this will allow me more time to study the Russian system further and present more performances at my school.

I am aware that Academy examinations are now accredited under the National Qualifications Framework of the UK, however, I feel strongly that, if my students enter vocational schools in the future [some already have], they are not asked to show examination certificates, but would either pass or fail an audition. I am sure somebody out there will correct me on this if I am wrong.

So - no more examinations for me - but "on with the dance" as they say!"

Clare Robson (info@primaschool.co.uk) from Tyne and Wear, UK:

"In your last newsletter April Martin said "why not let them enjoy the experience of learning to dance rather than subject them to the exam treadmill (of course there is a certain amount of pressure from parents to have their child "achieve" and gain the certificate to prove it!)"

I disagree! I have a discussion entitled "Exams - do you love them or hate them?" on my school's Facebook page. The responses I have had have all been positive for exams (we do RAD and IDTA), for example:

- My daughter said she loves doing the exams but doesn't know why - although she did say that the examiners are always really nice and smile a lot!

- My daughter loves exams, she thinks that they mean she's doing well and I don't really mind if she does them or not. I think the parents get more stressed than the kids.

- I get nervous for my daughter... But she loves them! Yesterday's RAD exam was the longest but it didn't seem to bother her... and it was exam no15... not bad for a 7 year old.

I think that having something to aim for pushes the teacher to do a better job and gives the children something to aim and work for. There are some that don't cope so well with exam pressure but the majority love them."

Kath Grimbley (k.grimbley@finhampark.co.uk) from Coventry, UK:

"I have taught for over 30 years and for many years entered pupils for examinations - I also work in a senior school and stopped entering exams when schools started doing GCSE/AS/A Level exams in dance and theatre arts and then went onto university to do a degree in these subjects - All free, whereas exams within an association were costly, they not only included the actual exam fee, lesson fees, but then it was an exams uniform for tap, a different one for ballet, then jazz etc.etc. Also a cd was also required and so it went on.

Pupils can now come out of school or university with good or equal qualifications, which look very impressive on their headed paper when they open up their own schools in competition with your own. Also the old problem of non-qualified people opening up schools still exists. These people have never taken an exam in their life in any dance or theatre subject, but nothing can be done to stop them, (obviously parents do their research to assess each school before committing their child) so why put your pupils through all the stress of the exam situation when you can more or less do what you like without any qualifications, simply work through the exam syllabus in your classes thereby teaching all the correct steps etc. and move on? If parents insist on 'a level' then a good and enjoyable way to test standard is to enter a local/regional competition."

Jill Gregory (dance@mee-gregory.freeserve.co.uk) from Nottingham, UK:

"I'd like to add to the discussion on exams. I feel that it is important for dance students to do exams. If dancers are working towards an aim, they improve. Teachers can ensure that students achieve suitable level of technique before they move up to another group. Sometimes, we have parents who can't understand why we haven't moved their children up to another group, because they have been dancing for a certain time or are a certain age. My reply is that we want to ensure that all dancers in a group are working at the same level. If parents can't accept teachers decisions on this then exams are necessary to keep this in line.

Last year, I had a couple of girls working for Intermediate Tap. Although they could do all the work, they completely lacked energy and presentation for that standard. I kept saying that they needed to present their work better in order to take the exam with the rest of the class. They decided to stop taking exams and just work along with the others. Within a few months, they decided to give up dancing, saying that it was boring doing the work when they weren't working for exams. Their choice!

Another reason that I feel that exams are important is because a number of years ago, my French penfriend's daughter came to stay with me and she was studying ballet at a Conservatoire in France. She joined in Grade 4 or 5 Ballet in my school at the time. I asked her if she had done this step and that step as we did the class. She said "certainly, I've done everything, I'm in the class where one only has to improve". Well, she had a lot of improving to do! Her technique was appalling. She had never done exams.

I also had a very experienced Italian dancer come to me to take some exams. She was very good, but once again, there were technical issues she just wasn't aware of. I also think it is good for pupils to have the sense of achievement when they receive a certificate or trophy. Life is full of tests along the way. Starting dance exams at an early age is really good for children as it means that (with a few exceptions) they accept exams as a way of life and thus don't worry about the ones they do in school. Also, dance exams can be a good preparation for real life, in terms of job interviews. Dance lessons and exams aren't just about the dancing, they are an excellent preparation for many things in life."

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The following readers want dance pen friends. Email direct if you want to correspond with them:

My name is Angela Boyce and I live in the U.S. in Fountain, Colorado. My email address is dancindime168@yahoo.com. My dance interests are in traditional West African dance and hip-hop. The kind of person that I would like as my dance pen friend is someone who can share the same interest in the culture and the art of dance within its self. Someone who is knowledgeable to where we can help each other out when needed. Thank You!

My name is Chi Jan Jung. I live in Hong Kong. My ballet dance level is Advanced Foundation. I would like to meet with male dancer. I prefer to locate in Hong Kong or China and dance ballet. But it is not specific.
janjung@hkbn.net

Elvis Mliswa
emliswa@yahoo.com
Witbank, Mpumalanga province, South Africa
I'm interested in breakdance, with the popping, & I like ballet & ballroom dancing
kind of person you would like as your dance pen friend - a person who does any type of dance & has a good character of humor & more

My name is Ashton tomlinson my email is englishmart@hotmail.co.uk I live in Hartlepool in England. The kind of dancing I like is hip hop and really any. I would like any one to talk to really I am really friendly.

Sanjeev
Shmla, Himachal, India
bhardwaj.sanjeev@hotmail.com
dance interest: western

Beth
wild_child11@hotmail.co.uk
billingham, cleveland, england
I like street dancing and break dancing and also dirty dancing
male fun happy joyful trustworthy American

Stacey Andrews
staceysxy007@msn.com
Berkshire, England
I love street dance but can also do others such as contemporary and jazz. I'm studying it at college and coming to an end but want to take a gap year and have more lessons, and next year go to uni or dance school. Which do you think I could benefit more from, I've only been dancing for 2 yrs but my teacher says I could go far?

Nandini Sinha
nandinisinha@gmail.com
Kolkata, India
Fields of interest: dance-Kathak, innovative, fusion/collaboration/vocal music/theatre/acting/concept maker/choreographing/teaching/travelling.
mobile;+919831583461[India] +9745025751 [Doha]
Website: www.nandinisinha.com

Lettie Visser
lettie.visser@yahoo.com
Sasolburg, South Africa
my dance interests - Ballroom
the kind of person I would like as my dance pen friend - fun loving gentleman who loves ballroom dancing.

Beena
Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India
beena_721@yahoo.com
Classical dancing
Dancers from any country who will help me to go their country to perform my classical dancing.

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DTOL's Dance Pen Friend scheme: if you would like to correspond by email with someone who shares your dance interests but is in a different country - or a different part of your country - then just email me briefly with:

* your name
* your email address
* your town, state/province/county and country
* your dance interests
* the kind of person you would like as your dance pen friend

I will then publish your details in the newsletter and, hopefully, other newsletter subscribers will get in touch with you.

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bodyTRAFFIC is a new repertory dance ensemble based in Los Angeles, USA. Collaborating with highly skilled performers and innovative choreographers from around the globe, Co-Directors Lillian Barbeito and Tina Finkelman Berkett aim to catapult Los Angeles to the forefront of contemporary dance in the United States.

Renowned choreographers Club Guy & Roni from The Netherlands will create new work. Rehearsals begin on August 18th for performances at The Japan America Theatre and Laguna Dance Festival. Minimum starting salary $500 per week. Ideal candidates are tall, athletic, classically trained contemporary dancers. Experienced performers with formal modern technique, improvisation and partnering skills encouraged to apply.

AUDITION for MALE DANCERS
Saturday, August 9th, 2:00 PM
Colburn Dance Institute
244 South San Pedro
Los Angeles, CA 90012

For more information, contact: bodyTRAFFIC@gmail.com

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An advertisement from a DTOL Silver Member:

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Dansgroep Amsterdam Krisztina de Châtel and Itzik Galili are seeking male and female dancers with strong contemporary technique for contracts beginning in January 2009. An audition wth be held over three days, 5 - 7 September in Amsterdam.
Your presence is required on all three days. For more information and a downloadable application form go to www.dansgroepamsterdam.nl. Deadline for applications: 1 September 2008.

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And here is a really good web site for dance auditions:

http://www.danceeurope.net/site/jobs.shtml

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Have you seen any amazing dance performances recently? If so, share your experience with the over 5,000 readers of this newsletter by emailing details to me.

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The following readers want dance classes. If you know of a suitable class in your area for any of these readers, please email them direct to let them know.

Ashley Jensen
ashcrash88@hotmail.com
Arizona, USA
lyrical/ Jazz
any dance opportunities nearby?

Vickie
Norwich, England
I would really like to start hip hop/street dance classes but finding it difficult to find places in my area, anywhere in Norwich will do fine
Doraythee-XX@hotmail.com

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If you want to find out about classes in your area, email me and let me know (very briefly):

- Your name
- Your location (including country)
- The kind of dance class you want
- Your email address

I'll include you next time! BUT, if you don't give it to me in this format, it may not get in.

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