What is RAD?

Founded in 1920, by a small group of celebrated European dancers, the Royal Academy of Dance has grown to become a global organization that exists to develop and promote the knowledge, understanding and practice of dance internationally.  Every year more than a quarter of a million students around the world in over 63 countries are taught the Academy’s classical ballet syllabus by Academy trained teachers.

The Academy considers professional training of young children in classical ballet to be vitally important.  The Academy’s syllabus has been devised with great care to enable a child to progress through their dance training in planned stages, demanding no more of a young body than it can cope with.

The Academy’s two Syllabus routes – Graded and Vocational – and two methods of assessment – examination or presentation class are designed to encourage children and to formally recognise their achievements and progress.

All students begin with the Graded Syllabus.  At eleven or above they can progress to the higher Grades, or begin the Vocational Syllabus, devised for students who may wish to study ballet more seriously, perhaps with a view to pursuing a career in dance.

RAD examination qualifications are accredited by the regulatory authorities.  Their examiners are trained and monitored; their marking schemes and assessment criteria published, and appeals procedures in place.

All ballet classes for children and youth at Tanzschule Küsnacht are structured around the RAD System.  Children have the possibility to enter into examinations with the consent of their teacher.  PLEASE NOTE: Children that do not enter into examinations (but have learned the syllabus in class) will also move into the next level regardless.