The Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and Rambert Grades has announced a first-of-its kind collaboration in a three-year pilot. Together, they introduce a new opportunity to Australian dance students and teachers with Rambert Grades, a progressive and inclusive contemporary dance syllabus created by two of the world’s leading contemporary dance organisations: Rambert School and Rambert (company). As one of the world’s leading dance education training organisations with a strong network of almost 1,000 qualified dance educators in Australia, the RAD is best positioned to bring Rambert Grades to a broader Australian dance community.
The collaboration enables RAD Registered Teachers in Australia to secure a 40% discount on individual Rambert Grades membership and undertake teacher training in September and October this year. Delivered in an online learning environment, training encompasses the Rambert Grades syllabus across three levels and 8 qualifications (Grades 1-8). RAD teachers can then begin teaching this exciting contemporary dance syllabus to Australian dancers and enter them for online Rambert Grades exams.
Tim Arthur, RAD Chief Executive, said, “I can’t tell you how delighted I am to be entering into this collaboration with Rambert Grades. The RAD has a huge and longstanding love and appreciation for the remarkable creative vision and undeniable brilliance of Rambert. We were very proud to award Dame Marie Rambert the RAD’s Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award in 1956. Dance is fundamentally an act of creative collaboration, we’re certain that with this relationship we can create great things and at the same time bring the world of dance a little closer together.”
Ray Oudkerk, Chair of Rambert Grades, said, “Rambert and the Royal Academy of Dance have an amazing shared expertise in world- leading dance education. This combination makes for a unique collaborative launch of the new Rambert Grades Contemporary Dance syllabus in Australia and we can’t wait for teachers to get teaching and young people of all experiences to get training.”
Amanda Britton, Joint CEO of Rambert Grades and Principal and Artistic Director of Rambert School, said, “Both the Royal Academy of Dance and Rambert School were founded over a century ago, yet both put progressive and innovative practice at the centre of their work. This collaboration between Rambert Grades and the Royal Academy of Dance is a really exciting moment in dance education.”
Created in a landmark collaborative partnership between Rambert (dance company) and Rambert School, Rambert Grades is a progressive and inclusive contemporary dance syllabus. The syllabus was developed by a team of industry experts with additional solo material created by internationally renowned choreographers Hofesh Shechter OBE, Alesandra Seutin and Benoit Swan Pouffer. Training is accessible to all ages, abilities and bodies regardless of prior experience of formal dance training. Across three levels and eight qualifications (grades 1-8), Rambert Grades teachers are taught to promote a safe environment for students to develop lifelong skills. This approach resonates with RAD’s values; both a belief that every body can dance, and a commitment to ensuring a quality and safe dance experience for all.
Helen Shute, Joint CEO of Rambert Grades and Chief Executive and Executive Producer at Rambert (dance company), said, “At Rambert, we believe that to give brilliant and daring people the chance to inspire others is to give them the power to change the world for the better. Rambert Grades celebrates the talent and creativity of young people from every background. We are proud to be joining forces with the Royal Academy of Dance to bring the brilliant and daring young people of Australia an accredited contemporary dance syllabus that recognises their individuality and champions it.”
Speaking of the benefit to RAD Registered Teachers and their students, RAD Artistic Director Gerard Charles said, “Not only does Rambert offer an excellent standard of dance training, they also share our values of quality teaching, student engagement, movement quality, response to music, and making good dance education available to all. I am pleased that by making this contemporary syllabus available to our RAD teaching members this will add value to the opportunities they can bring their students.”
Applications to become a Rambert Grades member are now open. RAD Registered Teachers in Australia may take advantage of an exclusive 40 percent discount on individual Rambert Grades membership. The next online Syllabus Training for all levels commences this month, September 2022, during the Australian Spring school holidays, with further training dates to be announced.
Rambert Grades Invited Choreographer and Artistic Director of Rambert, Benoit Swan Pouffer said, “This collaboration between Rambert Grades and the Royal Academy of Dance offers even more young people the opportunity to discover their talent, and how the power of dance can change their lives. I’m really excited for young dancers of Australia to explore my choreography, as Artistic Director of Rambert, alongside celebrated international artists such as Hofesh Shechter.”
Rambert Grades Invited Choreographer Hofesh Shechter OBE said, “When I was first asked to create solo material for the Rambert Grades curriculum, I was pleased to be able to share my work with more teachers and young people across the UK. Now that Rambert Grades is being rolled out in Australia, I am delighted to see the development of this training programme – a chance to share my work with more teachers and young people internationally, is something close to my heart.”
Learn more and become a Rambert Grades member here.
RAD Registered Teachers in Australia can learn how to access their discount and find out more about Syllabus Training here. Those interested in RAD Membership, to secure this and other fantastic benefits, should head to the RAD website at au.royalacademyofdance.org/membership.
Rambert Grades will be at Victorian Dance Festival at the Vitality Dance Teacher day, exclusively for dance teachers and studio owners – April 14. Take a class in Rambert Grades to get a feel for the syllabus, connect and ask questions with Rambert representatives and find out more at VDF. Tickets are at www.VDF.com.au/teacherday
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