Royal Academy of Dance Program

What is the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD)?

With over 13,000 members spread across 79 countries, the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) is one of the largest and most influential dance education and training organizations in the world.

The Graded Syllabus is designed to meet the needs of young people ages 6 and up who attend ballet class once or twice a week. The syllabus has been carefully structured by a panel of experts beginning with Pre-Primary and followed by nine levels of Primary through to Grade 8. These touch on the full spectrum of qualities a youngster may gain from the study of ballet such as: awareness of one’s own body and its capabilities for movement; expression and sensitivity; the sense of achievement which comes from mastering a goal and moving on to the next challenge.  These levels are all geared with a growing child’s physical, emotional and artistic development in mind. Above all, the Graded Syllabus is designed to be enjoyed. It should bring pleasure as well as sense of achievement of the student who progresses from one grade to the next. The natural delight in dancing is combined with the knowledge and self-discipline gained by the study of classical ballet. Annual examinations are not compulsory. Nevertheless, they are an invaluable yardstick by which parents and teachers can measure the student’s progress and level of achievement. Students are eligible for Affiliate Membership of the Royal Academy of Dance once they have completed the Grade 6, 7 or 8 examinations.

Vocational (Major) Examinations are designed to measure the progress of students 11 years of age and older who wish to become professional dancers or teachers, and a very high standard of execution is required. The examinations fall into five levels:

Intermediate Foundation
Intermediate
Advanced Foundation
Advanced 1
Advanced 2

The Verdi Academy of Dance offers professional dance training to the very highest standards in a caring environment. Each student receives an exceptionally high level of individual instruction ensuring that their talents are developed to their maximum potential.

Melody Movement

Verdi Academy has classes designed for 3-6 year olds and uses a Pre-School dance curriculum from the Royal Academy of Dance and Melody Movement. These programs are perfectly designed and students will learn the foundations of movement without even realizing it!

International Dances

Students will learn various styles taught through character dances, commonly practiced in other countries such as Hungary, Poland, and Russia.

Examinations

the system of learning and advancement offered through the Royal Academy of Dance, provides for yearly examinations, thereby enabling students to earn certificates and medals of accomplishment. National and International RAD examiners travel once a year to Las Cruces to grade and advance our applicants. Through these studies, students may elect to continue studying and training in this artistic and classic art form.

Dance Recitals

Each year we present two recitals, one before Christmas and one at the end of the Spring semester (May) at the New Mexico State University Center for the Arts.