Graded examinations

The Graded syllabus starts at Pre-primary level and goes through to Grade 8, and Polly is currently at Grade 3. In her exam she’ll show the examiner her Classical, Free Movement and Character work.

What do I do in the exam?

You need to wear exam uniform and a coloured ribbon, either pink, blue, white or yellow (or a number if you are taking part in a Presentation Class.) This way, the examiner will be able to identify you. When the examiner is ready to start the exam, s/he rings a bell and you enter the studio. The studio will be set up with a table at the front where the examiner will sit. There will also be a pianist present who plays the examination music. You will be asked to demonstrate the work you have learned in class and the examiner will ask for each exercise by name. At the end of the exam you perform a reverence before saying goodbye to the examiner and leave the studio.

Do I perform the exercise on my own or with my friends?

The examiner will ask you for each of the exercises required. She/he will tell you whether to do the exercise on your own, in a pair, or as a group so make sure you listen carefully. You will show the examiner most of the exercises you have prepared, but there may be some that you miss out. Listen carefully; the examiner is there to help you do your best.

Why is someone playing the piano in my exam?

In an exam there is a pianist who plays music to accompany your exercises. If you are used to practicing with a CD it may sound a little different to normal. The pianist may watch you as they play as it helps them to make sure they are playing at the right speed for you. Remember to listen carefully and enjoy yourself; it is a real treat to have a live musician.

Will I fail if I forget something?

Don’t worry if you forget something, just carry on and do your best. You are marked on your technique, music, performance, and your dance studies so even if you feel you have not performed well in one section, you may have opportunity to perform even better in another section.

Is the examiner scary?

We have just under 200 examiners across the world that love watching children dance. Sometimes your examiner has flown in from another country just to come and see you take your exam so you have to give them an extra special performance. Examiners aren’t scary, they are really nice people. And remember – if they smile at you, you have to smile back.

What happens after the exam?

When you have completed the exam your teacher will let you know whether you will be moving up to the next grade immediately or whether you will finish you term at your current level. Results can not be released until all the other students in your tour have completed their exam. A tour is made up all the schools in your area, so these students are all examiner by the same examiner as you. Once the tour is completed it takes 4 weeks to process and after this time your teacher will receive notification of your result. 212,356 students take their exams every year - so there are lots of examinations to process!