Welcome back to our spotlight on dance syllabi, as we speak to some of the biggest names in accredited dance training. If you missed part one, check it out here to get to know these renowned organisations and what we’ve learned so far.
What support and opportunities do you offer your members (teachers and students) to sustain and evolve their own education?
ATOD
Leah Belford – President of Australian Teachers of Dancing (ATOD)
“We offer 24/7 support to our members. They can phone or email our head office at anytime and receive the support they need. Our examiners are very approachable and willing to share their expert knowledge and help where they can. ATOD offers professional development throughout the year and encourages all members to participate. ATOD have state meetings on a regular basis so members are never alone. This is a great networking opportunity and fabulous way to share news and knowledge and lifelong friendships are made.”
CECCHETTI
Anne Butler – Chair for Cecchetti Ballet Australia
“Cecchetti Ballet Australia is proactive nationally in each state; we have overseas branches in NZ/Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, and we are one of seven major countries who form Cecchetti International Classical Ballet.
We offer quality and the pursuit of excellence in ballet education by delivering comprehensive training to both our members and students. This includes State teacher refresher courses; teacher and student conventions; online and face-to-face teacher conferences employing both national and international guest presenters on broad range of subjects from syllabi; dance medicine; wellness; history; current government policies and business practice; choreography; performances; master classes for students; boys programs; scholars programs conducted by leading industry professionals; choreographic competitions; young performers awards; state and national medal awards; international summer schools and winter school programs for students and various scholarships including the biannual Valrene Tweedie Scholarship worth $10,000.
The triennial international Cecchetti Ballet competition has been hosted by our international bodies in the UK, USA, Canada, Italy with the inaugural event staged in Australia.
Team Australia saw eight young Australians representing us in Holland, Michigan, USA in July 2024, with four advancing to the final and three medals between them at the time of publication.”
COMDANCE
Diane Gepp – President, Comdance Inc.
“Professional Development is compulsory at Comdance. All members must undertake syllabus work. We also strongly encourage teachers to find PD that interests them. This may be in business modules; biomechanics; dance wellness and safety, child psychology and a range of other options. These are all recognized in the compulsory hours required to renew and keep membership. At Comdance, we feel it is vital for all teachers to continue their education.
We also provide both syllabus workshops and masterclasses. In 2023, our masterclass roadshow offered some amazing teachers, including Sarah Baker, Tahlia Fowler, Rachel Douse, Kelly Abbey, Thomas Lacey, Jason Winters and many more of Australia’s leading artists.”
RAMBERT GRADES
Holly Pooley – Speaking on behalf of Rambert Grades
“We offer a combination of low cost and free member workshops with these complimentary sessions covering areas such as inclusive practice, safeguarding, improvisation and floor work basics. We also firmly believe in community and try as much as possible to have an open-door policy whereby members are always able to drop in and chat with us. Our monthly support sessions offer opportunities for members to bring their questions, and our Facebook group is a triumphant example of peer-to-peer support where queries and thoughts are regularly exchanged.
Another exciting exclusive perk is free access to Rambert Plus, a vast online resource of educational classes and materials.”
RAD
Shelley Yacopetti, National Director of Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) Australia
“RAD does this in a variety of ways. For dancers and students, we offer syllabus examination intensives in preparation for exams, masterclasses, and workshops; and to celebrate the achievements of our students, we run a National Student Awards program with around 3,800 students participating each year. These events bring the community together, celebrate our dancers and offer them invaluable performance opportunities. We also have our Project B program for boys which we started a while ago and which we will be reviving over the next few years.
For teachers at all stages in their careers, we offer our CPD program as well as opportunities to connect, volunteer and be involved in the decisions that affect them by joining one of our Regional Advisory Panels. In terms of career progression, RAD teachers can become examiners, mentors and tutors, and more.”
How do you keep the teaching of syllabus or prescribed classwork fresh for your members? How can teachers keep classes fresh and engaging for students?
Comdance
“Our syllabus is reviewed by the technical committee and leading artists as required. As dance reflects the world we live in, it is important for our syllabi to reflect not just strong technique but contemporary ideas and trends. As such, this is implemented when required. We are conscientious, however, not to overburden teachers with change for change sake.
The teachers’ syllabi workshops, online resources and remote access tutorials all allow for teachers to keep across the syllabi contents. The fact that the syllabi are choreographed by working choreographers and current stars of the stage all contribute to the composition of the syllabi and keep it fresh and engaging. Many of these people are also the facilitators to our workshops. This results in teachers gaining full understanding of not just the content but the intention of the work.
The relevancy of the syllabi content produces interested and engaged students. The teaching ‘method’ tutorials and workshops offered to members also helps to deliver the most current teaching methods. As we are able to offer classroom, stage exams and career pathways along with competition opportunities provides dancers with a variety of career pathways. We also aim to produce an informed and appreciative audience for our next generation of performers.”
RAD
“For syllabus, we offer syllabus-based courses with our expert tutors to drill down into the detail and gain an in-depth understanding of the syllabus. For general teaching, we offer courses on teaching strategies, wellbeing, musicality, physio-based topics. We are constantly gathering feedback on what our members are seeking, and we engage with industry professionals to bring their knowledge to our members. An example is our new Teaching Techniques for Success program, a series of four two-hour courses focussing on elements of a ballet class, such as barre work, port de bras, pointe work and allegro with tutors such as Lindsay Ellman-Brown and Hilary Kaplan.
Other ways teachers can keep their classes fresh and engaging is to be engaged in learning themselves. There is so much exceptionally useful and current research available on dance and dance teaching. At our conferences, we bring this research to our members so they can keep up to date and bring new strategies and ideas into studios and to their students.
A piece of advice to teachers to keep classes fresh and engaging would be to pick a couple of teaching focus areas over a term or a year. It could be that you have a class with quite differing levels of ability, and you want all your students to develop and improve equally, and so you might look into differentiation strategies to support you to teach to each individual effectively. Once you have a focus and a strategy, you can embed into your lesson plans and monitor your success. Being self-reflective as a teacher is an important part of how to evolve and develop your craft. And, keep things light and easy – it’s dance, it’s joy, and we should try and avoid stripping away enjoyment in order to progress technique.”
ATOD
“ATOD is constantly evolving and always adjusting where necessary to our systems of training. We have a mobile app for our students to be able to practice at home and an online platform for our members which contains very extensive teaching notes, videos and music. ATOD is always thinking outside the square to bring the best to its members.”
Cecchetti
“The support and the opportunities that Cecchetti Ballet Australia offers to our members is what invigorates both the teacher and the student. Cecchetti Ballet Australia creates a community and family. Our members on state-based committees, work together as a unit to offer new and fresh ideas.
Last year, we launched a new pointe work program with teacher training courses. A component of the program also integrated into our intermediate level examination (from about 12 years of age). It has been meticulously designed to empower our teachers, allowing them to work on the individual body and developmental stages of students.
Our organisation embraces dance science as Enrico Cecchetti did himself. Our organisation moves forward on many levels including digital, so that we can offer student and teacher portals with study notes, for example. Our online conference this year included a guest teacher from USA developing ways to inspire the young students of today. To keep things fresh, yes there is always constant review, but the important ingredient is to nurture the teacher whether new or with a wealth of experience by allowing a community/family feel to all so that one is excited to attend events, chat with their peers, share experiences, to nurture the soul and replenish the love of dance so that they can impart the beauty, the power, and a love of learning to their students in our art form.
As a national body, we are also very aware to stay abreast with current ways that life, communities and cultures are moving.”
Rambert Grades
“There is ample space for choice within our framework. The Creative Strand is student-led and allows for their creativity to shine. Many of our Technical exercises also have choice built-in, with windows for improvisational exploration of technical ideas or decisions on direction.
Another area of choice is music. We provide suggested playlists, but we do not prescribe the music that must be used and encourage teachers and dancers to explore different options to develop a sense of qualitative change dependent on the music.”
How can people interested in teaching your programs access you?
Rambert Grades
“We require a Level 4 qualification to become a Rambert Grades teacher; however, we know that everybody’s journey is different and will consider relevant experience.
All information is available online at rambertgrades.com, on social media channels at @rambertgrades, and by email at applications@rambertgrades.com.”
RAD
“The RAD Australia website is a great place to start, get connected through our socials, or call us for a chat or visit us at a dance trade event. We would love to talk with anyone interested in becoming an RAD teacher or offering RAD exams and programs at their studios. We offer recognition and RAD registration pathways to teachers with other dance qualifications.
Sign up to receive our newsletter through our website to hear about other opportunities. We recently held free sessions open to all, on insights into our Grade 6, 7 and 8 syllabus, and our Discovering Repertoire syllabus.”
ATOD
“Anyone interested in becoming a member or looking at any of our systems of training is encouraged to contact ATOD at anytime either by phone on 1800 106 227 or by emailing our team at membership@atod.net.au. You can also apply for membership (and there are several levels of membership) via our website www.atod.net.au. ATOD is also very active on social media, and you can keep up to date by following our pages.”
Cecchetti
“We offer Crossing over examinations for interested teachers, and RPL as appropriate to our teacher training Status examinations. You can browse through our website, cecchettiballet.org, and find contact details for our national office and state branches.”
Comdance
“At Comdance, we offer many pathways to teaching the syllabus. Affiliate membership is available via Recognition of prior learning to those that have dance qualifications with another organisation; University or VET qualifications and extended performance experience. Full membership is offered to teachers holding a Comdance Teachers Diploma.
Once a teacher becomes an affiliate member, the syllabi and all workshop training is available to them. We then work with the new member to offer the support that they may need with syllabus content. Find out more via our website, comdance.org.”
Click here to read part one of ‘Spotlight on Dance Syllabi’ in Dance Informa magazine Australia.
Share this:
