Learning
to dance at JMDS
Good
technique lies at the heart of all forms of dance and our class work at
Berkhamsted and Hemel Hempstead is designed
to enhance the dancing skills of all our pupils. Below
are details of the competitions you can enter and the exams that will allow you
to reach a higher grade. Additional details of the syllabus for each of
our activities
will be added soon.
Click
on the small pictures to see the full size version.
CHOREOGRAPHY COMPETITION
This
takes place in October or November each year. Children are invited to enter this competition with their own dance
composition either for themselves or another child at the school, a duet, or
even for small or large groups. The
sections that they can enter are the same as for the British Arts Awards.
Medals will be awarded to each child for their effort in the Medal
Section and a trophy to the highest mark in the Choreography section. There will also be the possibility of items being entered for the
British Arts
Awards Competition. Costumes may
be worn for this and there will be a small entry fee. The competition will be judged by
three adjudicators.
BRITISH ARTS AWARDS COMPETITIONS
This is a competition organised between dancing schools throughout England.
Preliminary sessions are held locally. Semi-Finals are held in Hemel or Berkhamsted
(both organised by Miss Jayne) and at,
Greenford, Middlesex and Barking, Essex. The Finals are held in London. If
pupils are involved in groups, solos and duets it will be necessary for them
to travel to Semi-Finals and Finals and some may be necessary in school time.
Competitors must gain an Honours mark to go through to the Semi-Finals and a
Merit Certificate must be achieved at Semi-Finals to put on the list for
Finals. Only the top three
finalists in each age group and section in the country are put through to the
Finals.
Children can be entered as solo, duet or group items in the following
sections: Ballet, tap, song &
dance, acrobatic, character, national, solo song, and drama. There is an entry fee for all items and costumes are required.
For full details and questions regarding this competition please ask
Miss Jayne.
PRESENTATION
DAY
Held in February each year in
Berkhamsted. A show is produced
where, most years, every child in
the school takes part. A Grand
Finale which EVERY pupil must attend, is held followed by a presentation of
cups and trophies which are awarded for children's work during the year.
School uniform is needed for the Finale. Two or more performances are held and two full rehearsals
during the two weeks before the show. Every
pupil must attend and dates for these are given well in advance. We produce full length ballets and musicals and when this takes place
other activities during that year may have to be cancelled. As this show entails many hours preparation there may be occasions when
it is scaled down, or occasions where only selected pupils are involved.
EXAMS
We are following the ISTD (Imperial Society of Teachers' Dancing) syllabi for
ballet, and British Arts for tap, drama,
ballet and modern medal tests, and occasionally ballet grades.
The ISTD also do national exams. Uniform
is required for ISTD exams and also pink satin ballet shoes with ribbons.
Apart from ISTD Ballet Grade exams pupils will not necessarily
progress into the next class. Marks
are given as follows: Fail, Pass, Pass Plus, Commended, Highly Commended,
Honours.
For
the ISTD web site go to: www.istd.org/
The British Arts has further information at: www.britisharts.org