GRADES vs GCSE

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glinda
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GRADES vs GCSE

Post by glinda »

My dd who is 14 has been dancing since 5, just jazz and tap. She took up ballet at 13 and will be doing her Grade 4 quite soon. Her jazz and tap classes are good, she loves her teacher and friends and they put on amazing shows. However they dont do grades. I signed her up for an extra curricular GCSE dance lesson which she is now half way through. My question is, is GCSE a decent replacement for Grades?
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Pearl
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Re: GRADES vs GCSE

Post by Pearl »

I don't think so!!

My dd has been dancing and doing grades since she was young. I have just signed her up to do GCSE dance at her dance school because they don't do it at her school.
I get the impression that the dance done in GCSE is more contemporary style and not too difficult. There are girls who do GCSE who are not particularly strong dances.
I would say that if your dd wanted to take dance seriously she should do the grades.
Bring it on!!!
Kitschqueen
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Re: GRADES vs GCSE

Post by Kitschqueen »

I agree with Pearl, I feel grades are far more useful that GCSE dance.

Anything my dd has auditioned for to date has asked for which dance exam grade she is studying on the application form. She is not studying GCSE dance (it is not available at her school either) but has taken grades in ballet, tap and modern since she was very young. She now also attends a CAT scheme so I don't feel it is necessary.

However, I do not think syllabus work is the be all and end all and is great that your DD is participating in shows and getting the opportunity to perform.

Look out for dance days and workshops too so that she gets used to working with different teachers and used to picking up new choreography quickly. It is these skills she needs in an audition as well as technique.

If your dd is serious about her dance then I would definitely supplement what she is doing now with grade work.

:)
paulears
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Re: GRADES vs GCSE

Post by paulears »

GCSE Dance is designed for beginners, who know nothing about dance - and for two left feet boys with lots of enthusiasm and little talent to be able to pass. "Real' dancers breeze GCSE, which is how a dance school can do it in double quick time. Routines are basic, rehearsal time is long and sometimes, results are quite un-dancelike! Proper Dance grades are much tougher and more linked to what happens in dance classes.
puck
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Re: GRADES vs GCSE

Post by puck »

GCSE dance and the grade exams of recognised boards e.g. RAD, ISTD, IDTA, BBO etc are very different but I would say both can be beneficial in differing ways. The grade exams build on technical skills - posture, core strength, musicality, flexibility and provide the physical skills needed to follow a dance-based career path. While GCSE dance can be taken by students with little/no previous dance experience and is not technically very demanding it does cover a broad range of skills not often encountered by those just studying the grades e.g. choreography, dance analysis and critique etc. I would therefore disagree with Paulears that it is just for beginners. My dd was RAD Advanced ballet when she took GCSE Dance and while the set dances were very easy for her she learnt many of the choreographic techniques that she still uses today. She is now entering her final year at one of the top ballet schools and has had considerable choreographic success.

In terms of considering a future in dance it will not matter if a student has never taken either type of exam as it is purely the performance at audition that is taken into account. On application forms it is perfectly acceptable if last exam passed is asked for the write that classes are not syllabus-based but your current working level is equivilent to say RAD Intermediate. GCSE dance would be expected to be listed under academic qualifications.
Last edited by puck on Sat Jun 16, 2012 10:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
glinda
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Re: GRADES vs GCSE

Post by glinda »

Thank you all for your replies. They have really given me food for thought. :D
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