Are you an adult who wishes you could have trained in ballet as a child? Or do you dream of continuing your training where you left off years ago? If so, Joy of Dance offers you a unique opportunity.
Our Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) program trains adults for ballet exams. This one-of-a-kind program offers conservatory-style training within an accessible, part-time schedule. Directed by Emily Tench, the courses inspire discovery and excellence in an inclusive environment. We see your potential and want to help you reach your goals.
Dancers can take courses from either stream. For the best results, we suggest alternating between streams.
RAD Advanced 1* (2 year course)
September 2019 to June 2021
RAD Intermediate (1 year course)
January 2020 to March 2021
RAD Intermediate Foundation (1 year course)
September 2020 to June 2021
RAD Advanced Foundation* (1 year course)
September 2020 to June/November 2021 (depending on the student’s level)
For more information about the courses we offer, please see the descriptions below.
To enter the Adult RAD Program you need to attend an in-studio assessment. If you are interested in the program, please fill out our “New Student Form” and you will be contacted to schedule your assessment shortly.
The studio is CLOSED on Sunday April 4 and Monday April 5 for Easter.
The RAD offers a series of 5 vocational syllabi which provide an in depth, progressive education in ballet. Each syllabus course introduces movements and concepts appropriate to the level. In these courses, you will develop the skills to dance confidently at an advanced, or professional, level.
Female students:
Male students:
Prerequisite: 2-3 years of continuous ballet training.
Assessment: Group or private assessment required for new students.
Student Trajectory for 2020: If you join this course in Fall 2020, please register first for Discovering Repertoire Level 2 from January to June, 2020.
Next available course: September 2020 to June 2021
Registration: September 2020
Exam Period: June 2021
Intermediate Foundation is a course for advanced beginners. Through basic choreography, you will develop your fundamental ballet technique and hone your artistic skills. To be exam ready in this course, we recommend you take 2 RAD classes a week. To supplement your training, we also recommend you take at least 1 non-exam ballet class per week and practice at home 1-2 hours a week.
All: Basic pas de bourrées, single pirouettes en dehors and en dedans, developes devant and 2nd in the centre. Allergo: glissades de côté, basic assemblés, sissonnes fermé, jeté ordinaire, temps levé in 1st arabesque, grand jetés.
Male: single tour en l’àir.
Pointe: Courus sur place, relevés 5th and echappé relevés at the barre and in the centre.
Prerequisite: 3-5 years of continuous ballet training and 1 year of pointe experience for women.
Assessment: Group or private assessment required for new students.
Course Dates: January 2020 to March 2021
Registration: January 2020
Exam Period: February – March 2021
RAD Intermediate is the first mandatory syllabus. It is a prerequisite for all advanced-level RAD exams. You must also pass this level to apply for RAD teacher training. To be exam ready in this course, we recommend you take 2 RAD classes per week. To supplement your training, we also recommend you take 1-2 non-exam ballet classes per week and practice at home 1-3 hours a week. Dancers who are not interested in taking exams are still welcome to take this course.
All: Double pirouettes en dehors and en dedans, posé piqué turns en dedans, fouetté of adage, developé passé, entrechat quatre, assemblé battu, sissonne ouvert, brissé dessus, pas de basque sauté.
Male: Grand allegro and chassé coupé turns en manège, single tours en l’air, sissonnes with changes of alignment.
Pointe: Barre: Coupé fouetté racourci and posé piqué de côté. Centre: Relevé devant/ derriere/ passé, temps lié en avant and de côté, courus de côté and en tournent.
Prerequisite to take the course: 5+ years of continuous training and 2-3 years of pointe for women.
Assessment: Group or private assessment required for new students.
Prerequisite to take the exam: Pass the RAD Intermediate Exam
Student Trajectory: If you plan to take this course in Fall 2020, we recommend you first take Discovering Repertoire Level 2 from January to June, 2020. Female dancers, we recommend you take Discovering Repertoire on pointe.
Course Dates: September 2020 to November 2021
Registration: September 2020
Exam Period: June – November 2021
This course introduces ballet movements used by professional dancers. The choreography you will learn in this course is both challenging and fun. To attend this course, your posture and alignment must be secure. Your turnout, core, feet and legs must be strong and well controlled. To be exam ready in this course, we recommend you take 2 RAD classes per week. To supplement your training, we also recommend you take 2-3 non-exam ballet classes per week.
All: Double pirouettes en dedans with fouetté, posé piqué turns en dedans, pivots (promenade) in attitude derrière, entrechat trios and cinq, brissé desus, failli, sissonne doublé, ballonnée, grand jeté en tournent.
Male: Double tour en l’air, multiple piroettes en deshors.
Pointe: Barre: relevé 1-1. Centre: relevé passé with ¼ turns, assemblé soutinue, posé piqué en avant to arabesque, posé piqué de côté and en arrière to retiré, emboités, single pirouettes en dehors and en dedans, posé piqué turns en dedans.
Prerequisite to take the course: 6+ years of continuous training and 4-6 years of pointe for women.
Assessment: Group or private assessment required for new students.
Prerequisite to take the exam: Pass the RAD Intermediate Exam
Current Course: September 2019 to June 2021 (2 Year Course)
Registration: We are accepting new students until September 2020 (pending assessment)
Exam Period: June 2021
Advanced 1 is a true vocational syllabus. The movements taught in this course can be seen in professional ballets around the world. The training is detailed, demanding and rewarding. To be exam ready in this course, we recommend you take 2 RAD classes per week. To supplement you training, we also recommend you take 3-5 non-exam ballet classes per week (at the advanced level). To succeed at this level, you must maintain a high level of fitness, strength and flexibility. To prevent injuries, we recommend cross training such as Pilates and yoga.
In your first year, you will learn all the movement vocabulary needed for the exam. Training focuses on strength, coordination, control and artistry.
In your second year, you will solidify your technique, learn the exam choreography and prepare (both mentally and artistically) for your exam.
All: Pas de bourrée couru, pivots (promenade) in arabesque, penchée, fouetté turns (female, demi-pointe), Piroettes finishing in open positions, chainés, coupé brisse, sissonnes changées, fouetté sauté, ballottés sautés.
Male: Pivots (promenades) à la second, pirouettes à la second, double tours en l’air, retiré passé sauté, pas de basque sauté battu, sissonne battu fermé, sauté de basque en menage
Pointe: polka step, single pirouettes en dedans with fouetté, posé piqué turns en deshors, chainés, emboité turns, relevé in 2nd en l’air with rond de jambe en l’air, sissonne fermé relevés.
The RAD recently introduced 3 new syllabi called Discovering Repertoire. Their focus is teaching solo variations from classical ballets like The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, and Coppélia. In each Discovering Repertoire syllabus there are 3 possible exams: a technique-class exam, a variation 1 exam and a variation 2 exam. Each 2 hour class includes a technique class and then variation training. Depending on your ability, you may take class in soft shoes or all on point. Male and female dancers will train together, however they have different variations.
For more information about Discovering Repertoire, see the course descriptions below. To get a taste of these new syllabi, watch this RAD video:
Watch VideoLevel equivalent: RAD Grade 5, Intermediate Foundation, Intermediate. In-studio assessment required.
Student Trajectory: Students who complete this course can move on to Intermediate Foundation or Advanced Foundation in September 2020. Female dancers preparing for Advanced Foundation should take the course on pointe. Intermediate and Advanced 1 level students are also welcome to join the course.
Next Course: January 2020 to June 2020 (6 month course)
Registration: Fall 2019
Exam Period – May 29 to June 30, 2020
This year the course will focus on the variations from Giselle. Classes will be two hours long. The first hour will be a technique class. The second hour will focus on progressively training the variations. Regardless of your ability, this course will give you the confidence needed to perform each variation.
Female: Act 1, Peasant pas de deux excerpt
Male: Act 1, Peasant pas de deux excerpt
Level equivalent: RAD Grades 6-8, Intermediate, Advanced 1. In-studio assessment required.
Student Trajectory: Intermediate, Advanced Foundation and Advanced 1 level dancers are welcome to register. We recommend that female dancers at the Advanced level take this course on pointe.
Next Course: September 2021 to June 2022
Registration: Summer 2021
Exam Period: June 2022
This course will focus on the variations from The Sleeping Beauty and Paquita. Classes will be two hours long. The first hour will be a technique class. The second hour will focus on progressively training the variations. Regardless of your ability, this course will give you the confidence needed to perform each variation. There are two possible formats for this course. We can choose to do 2 exams, one in February and one in June. Or we can spend the whole year working towards 2 exams in June.
Female: Princes Florine (Blue Bird)
Male: Act 2, Prince Désiré
Female: Pas de Trois
Male: Variation from Paquita
Level equivalent: Advanced Foundation, Advanced 1, Advanced 2. In-studio assessment required.
Student Trajectory: To take this course, you must complete Advanced Foundation, Advanced 1 or Discovering Repertoire Level 3. Female dancers preparing for Advanced 1 or Advanced 2 should take the course on pointe.
Next Course: September 2023 to June 2024
Registration: Summer of 2023
Exam Period: June 2024
This course will focus on the variations from Swan Lake and The Nutcracker. Classes will be two hours long. The first hour will be a technique class. The second hour will focus on progressively training the variations. Regardless of your ability, this course will give you the confidence needed to perform each variation. There are two possible formats for this course. We can choose to do 2 exams, one in February and one in June. Or we can spend the whole year working towards 2 exams in June.
Female: Act 2, Odette
Male: Act 3, Prince Siegfried
Female: Sugar Plum Fairy
Male: Act 2, The Nutcracker Prince
Progressing Ballet Technique is an innovative dance conditioning program developed by Marie Walton-Mahon in Australia. This training system develops a dancer’s muscle memory to improve their core stability, weight placement and alignment, as well as over-all strength and control. Dancers perform exercises using a fitness ball or resistance band. The tools give the dancer immediate feedback on their alignment while training specific muscle groups and coordinations required for ballet and other dance forms. Each exercise has been developed with the care and guidance of a team of physiotherapists. The system is now taught world wide and has helped countless dancers prepare for careers in dance.
Please stay tuned to our website for future website.
Stay tuned for Summer 2021 Ballet Intensive.
To apply for any Adult exam course, you must first book an assessment. This ensures that you are placed in a level that matches your abilities. To book an assessment, please fill out the New Student Form.
If you have less than 2 or 3 years of ballet training, we recommend you take Adult Beginner Ballet for 1 year, followed by Adult Advanced Beginner Ballet for 1 to 2 years. We do not offer RAD ballet exams for beginner adult dancers.
The Intermediate RAD exam is a prerequisite for all Advanced levels. If you have non-RAD training, please let us know. The RAD recognizes some exams from other organizations.
To prepare for a ballet exam, we recommend you take 2 exam classes per week. Depending on your level, you should supplement these exam classes with 1 to 4 drop-in ballet classes per week. This will give you the fitness, strength, confidence and consistency required for the exam.
Adult RAD courses are progressive. This means that each new movement of concept introduced is building on skills you have learned previously. Each course has three terms. During term 1 you will learn preparatory exercises. This training will give you the technical skills needed for the exam material. In term 2, you will learn the set exam choreography. In term 3, we will clean and finesse your choreography and prepare you (mentally and artistically) for your exam.
If you want rigorous ballet training, but do not want to take an exam, you are still welcome in our adult RAD program. You may take any exam-level course without doing the exam.
If you are an aspiring RAD teacher, you must pass the Intermediate exam before you can apply to the RAD’s teacher training program. For more information on the RAD’s teacher training options, visit radcanada.org.
We are closed for Easter, Sunday April 4 and Monday April 5.
Term Fees for Men – Vocational Stream (1.5 hr classes):
Once/ week: 16 classes: $300
Twice/ week: 32 classes: $570
RAD Jump-in Passes:
Single (women): $28
5-Class Pass (women): $135
10-Class Pass (women): $265
Single (men): $21
5-Class Pass (men): $102
10-Class Pass (men): $199
Term Fees for Women & Men – Repertoire Stream (2 hr classes):
Once/ week: 14 classes: $400
Twice/ week: 28 classes: $760
RAD Private Lessons:
Single: $45
The Adult RAD Program at Joy of Dance offers small class sizes for excellent student to teacher ratio. If registration numbers are too low, however, rather than cancel classes we will make the following adjustments:
4-5 registered students*: Semi-private course
Regular Course Fees, No Make-up classes offered, limited live accompanist
6+ registered students*: Group class
Regular Course Fees, 2 Make-up classes offered per term. limited live accompanist.
8+ registered students*: Group class
Regular Course Fees, 2 Make-up classes offered per term. live accompanist 1 class/week.
Are you interested in training for RAD exam and you don’t know what level you are at? At Joy of Dance, you have access to a $30 private assessment for 45 minutes. Please call for availability.
All new students who are interested in joining the Adult RAD Ballet Program must attend an assessment. Dancers can be assessed in our Elementary/Intermediate or Advanced level jump-in ballet classes or in currently running RAD syllabus classes. Please call to book your spot in a class. Jump-in class rates apply.
If you are registered for one of our Teen or Adult RAD programs and are preparing for a ballet exam you have access to RAD coaching classes. These are half hour private lessons specifically designed to work on your exam exercises and choreographies. We want you to succeed in your exams, and private lessons give a huge boost to your training and progress. Contact your teacher for bookings. You have access to a 30 minute coaching session for $45.
It is not necessary that dancers wear their exam uniform in classes all year. However, it is strongly recommended that they wear the exam uniform for the final term before the exam. Please refer to the Course Expectations menu for more information.
Body Suite: sleeveless or capped sleeve scoop neck leotard
Body Suite Colours: black, navy blue, royal blue, purple
Skirt: Variation 1 – Half/practice tutu may be worn. Colour should tone or match with leotard.
Variation 2 – Short chiffon wrap skirt may be worn . Colour should match or tone with leotard.
Belt: optional waistband. 2cm elastic, colour to match leotard
Tights: pink / flesh coloured tights
Shoes: Soft block/ dead pointe shoes
*For Intermediate Foundation only: soft ballet slippers may be worn
Pointe shoes worn for the pointe work section
All shoes should be pink / flesh coloured (to tone with tights) with matching ribbons.
Split sole shoes are permitted.
Head Ribbons: optional and should be velvet, in the same colour as the leotard
Top: Leotard or well-fitted short sleeved t-shirt worn tucked into tights
Top Colour: white
Socks: white socks, worn over the tights
Tights: grey, navy or black stirrup tights
Shoes: white or black, canvas or leather soft ballet shoes with elastic. Split sole shoes are permitted.
Socks: should be the same colour as the shoes. Pulled up to mid calf, over tights.
Male: Vocational Syllabus (Advanced Foundation-Advanced 2)
Top: Leotard
Top Colour: white, black, navy
Socks: short white socks (with grey or navy tights) or black socks (with black tights)
Tights: grey, navy or black stirrup tights
Shoes: white or black, canvas or leather soft ballet shoes with elastic. Split sole shoes are permitted.
Socks: should be the same colour as the shoes. Pulled up to mid calf, over tights.
Body Suite: capped sleeve scooped neck or camisole leotard
Body Suite Colour: black, burgundy
Skirt: Variations – Optional asymmetrical knee length chiffon skirt to match leotard,
OR a romantic or classical tutu in white or black with-or-without decorative ribbons may be worn.
No Belt
Tights: pink / flesh coloured tights
Shoes: soft ballet shoes in satin, canvas or leather ribbons may be worn for all Units. Split sole shoes are
permitted. Shoes may be pink / flesh coloured (to tone with tights) with pink / flesh coloured
elastic or ribbons.
Pointe shoes or soft pointe shoes may be worn for Units: Variation 1 and Variation 2, in all
levels. (satin pink or flesh coloured pointe shoes with ribbons).
*Note: Units: Variation 1 and 2 must be performed completely wearing the pointe shoes, the dancer cannot change shoes half way through.
Top: short sleeved leotard or well fitted t-shirt
Top Colour: white t-shirt / white, navy or black leotard
Socks: short white socks (with grey or navy tights) or black socks (with black tights)
Tights: grey, navy or black stirrup tights
Shoes: white or black ballet shoes in canvas or leather with matching elastic and socks
Training for an RAD ballet exam takes commitment. Here is what we expect of you, and what you can expect from us:
This program takes time and commitment. We understand that as an adult student, you have a career, a family, and non-dance obligations. We recognize that teaching ballet to adults is different than teaching ballet to children and youth. We encourage you to work hard, but will treat you with respect and empathy. We want your experience to be engaging, satisfying and rewarding.
Teen and Adult Ballet Program Director
Ballet & Barre Fitness
Ballet
Hard work, mental focus and dedication are all part of the process. Just remember that in life the best part is often the journey not the destination which gives us our greatest joy. Step into your future, point your toes and embrace your dream.
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