The
General Graded syllabi from Grade 1 upwards states that Candidates
are expected to combine any movements contained in this and
previous syllabi into simple sequences set by the examiner
and have knowledge of the French terms used.
From
January 2006 examiners will be including previous vocabulary
in all examinations.
The
following list gives the movements from previous grades that
are most likely to be included at the various
levels as well as clarifications concerning examination procedure.
Primary
Music section - candidates will be expected to identify,
clap and count, with or without the music, the Waltz and
Polka. (The counting replaces the asking of time signatures)
Grade 1
Step and dégagé on fondu (step and point
as in Primary), walks, galops forwards and sideways, skips,
spring points
The knowledge of the positions of the feet will be tested
during the examination and not formally at the end of
the barre
Polka - this consists of hop, step, coupé, jeté
(as opposed to hop, chasse, coupe, jeté)
Music section - candidates will be expected to identify,
clap and count, with or without the music, the Waltz,
March and Polka. (The counting replaces the asking of
time signatures)
Grade
2
Barre
Battement tendu in 4 counts
Assemblé soutenu - if the head is used follow the
arm as one would for a simple port de bras
Centre
Port de Bras will be seen on both sides
Chassé may be shown in direction, but the dancers
should stay facing the same way i.e. chassé passé
should not start en face and finish croisé, but
could start croisé and finish ouvert
Arabesque line could be put into simple enchaînement
using walks, runs or chassé
Simple warm up allegro
Primary and Grade 1 vocabulary e.g. walks, dégagés,
skips, galops, spring points, polka, pose temps levé.
The understanding of direction will be tested during the
examination and not just with use of chassé
Music section
As before the pianist will play eight crotchets to establish
the tempo followed by either quavers, crotchets, minims
or semibreves. The examiner may also request that a candidate
claps a note value after the pianist has played eight
crotchets to establish the tempo. The candidates should
know how many crotchet beats there are in any of the other
notes
Grade
3
Barre
Battement tendu - delete previous set head. If the head
is used it should follow the arm as one would for a simple
port de bras. (The boys port de bras is now just en avant
then to à la seconde and held for the first tendu
to second and derrière, then lowering bras with
the closing of the second tendu to second -similar to
the girls)
Assemblé soutenu - if the head is used just follow
the arm as one would for a simple port de bras
Grand battement in 2 counts
Centre
1st arabesque
Posé exercise - the examiner may request how this
is danced i.e. en diagonale, down the room or in a circle
Simple warm up allegro
Use of earlier allegro vocabulary as in Grade 2
Grade
4
Barre
Développé en croix - as Grade 3
Centre
Dégagés with épaulement will not
be examined as before. The candidate will be expected
to show coordinated épaulement on the closing of
basic movements such as dégagé or chassé
Attitude ordinaire
Simple warm up allegro
Demi-contretemps finishes in a demi plié in 4th
Use of earlier allegro vocabulary as in Grade 3
As well as the girls set exercise, chassé coupe
and chassé temps levé could be seen as vocabulary
for both boys and girls using either an arabesque leg
line or a pirouette position derrière. Port de
bras would be basic, i.e. 2nd or 3rd arabesque, attitude
or bras croisé
Balancé
Grade
5
Barre
Battements tendus in 2 counts closing on straight legs
or demi-plié (at barre)
Battements frappés
Grands battements in 2 counts (at barre)
Centre
Temps lié en avant
Simple warm up allegro
Use of earlier allegro as in Grade 4
Grade
6
Barre
Battements tendus and grands battements as Grade 5 (at
barre)
Battements fondu en l’air (at barre)
Rond de jambe en l’air - singles (at barre)
The preparatory exercise for battement en rond will
not be examined
Fouetté rond de jambe may be either the Grade
6 or the Intermediate setting (teacher’s choice)
Centre
Unset adage in centre which might include a développé
to 2nd
Fouetté of Adage may be either
the Grade 6 or the Intermediate Foundation setting (teacher’s
choice)
Pirouette en dehors - candidates will be asked to show
the pirouette from 5th (as Grade 5 - boys from 2nd as
well) as well as the Grade 6 version from 4th
Pirouette en dedans may be either the Grade 6 or Intermediate
setting with a single turn (teacher’s choice)
Simple warm up allegro
Use of earlier allegro as in Grade 5
Grand jeté en tournant
The examination will finish with a ‘cool down’
i.e walks, ports de bras or balances/waltz turns
General
Information
The order of the barre work will be altered to reflect
current practice
Assemblé soutenu – if the head is use it
should follow the arm as one would for a simple port de
bras
Pirouettes from 4th may be taken from either a plié
or a fondu (teacher’s choice)
All candidates will be expected to perform their dance/variation
one at a time
In Grades 1 and 2 the terminology used will be a set port
de bras not set arm exercise as in Primary
From Grade 1 upwards the terminology used is réverence
and not curtsey/bow as in Primary.
Advanced 1 battement frappé the port de bras for
both boys and girls on the doubles to a dégagé
will be the same as the Grade 3 battement tendu
Advanced 1 boys preparation for Grande pirouette will
be seen on both sides
FDI dance practice covers all the grades up to and including
Grade 5, this includes Primary Grade
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Copyright
2002 ISTD Dance Examinations Board
