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Durham E-Theses A century of change in classical ballet teaching: the role of the Royal Academy of dancing/dance in the training of teachers of classical ballet (1900-2000) Mitchell, June Campbell How to cite: Mitchell, June Campbell (2001) A century of change in classical ballet teaching: the role of the Royal Academy of dancing/dance in the training of teachers of classical ballet (1900-2000), Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/3828/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 A CENTURY OF CHANGE IN CLASSICAL BALLET TEACHING The role of the Royal Academy of Dancing/Dance in the training of teachers of classical ballet (1900-2000) The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published in any form, including Electronic and the Internet, without the author's prior written consent. All information derived from this thesis must be acknowledged appropriately. JUNE CAMPBELL MITCHELL Submitted in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of MA in Education University of Durham September 2001 ·~· 119 APR ZDOZ -+- ,f .....(~·· . ;A· ABSTRACT A Century of Change in Classical Ballet: The role of the Royal Academy of Dancing/Dance in the training of teachers of classical baUet (1900-2000) June Mitchell MA Thesis in Education (200 1) Progressive phases in the evolution of the Royal Academy ofDancing's founding intentions and philosophy have been explored in order to determine the on-going development and contextualisation of the training of classical ballet teachers. While the use of archival material and interviews comprised the main source of evidence another significant source was the author's personal perspective first as a student and then as a teacher and examiner in the system under review. An examination of ways in which the many issues, values and practices of teaching ballet interrelate and function revealed a number of tensions, one of which was the identification ofhow the specifics of this multiform enterprise of teaching have been amalgamated at key stages to achieve reliable learning outcomes in the Academy's development. Since its foundation as the Association of Operatic Dancing of Great Britain in 1920, the Royal Academy of Dancing, RAD (retitled in 200las the Royal Academy of Dance) devised a spectrum of examinations, reaching its zenith in the last decade of the twentieth century with the introduction of degree programmes validated by the University ofDurham In terms of structure, content and aspirations, an in-depth study of these degrees, and ofthe Routemaster which followed them, reveals tenets considered necessary to produce an increasingly informed classical ballet teacher. As the RAD enters the twenty-first century with its declared policy of widening access and extending genre, and with the introduction of a single distance learning degree, questions are raised concerning the ability of the World's leading organisation in classical ballet education to maintain and promote its reputation for executant excellence. While acknowledging that some of the current changes reflect the difficult fmancial position facing the Academy, a case is put forward for alternative ways of proceeding and recommendations made for a critical reappraisal of classical ballet teaching in the light of the original aims of the organisation and the current context in which it operates. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my gratitude to both institutions: the Royal Academy of Dance and the University of Durham for making this thesis possible and, in particular to the librarian of the Philip Richardson Archival Library, Eleanor Jack BA (Hons) for her infinite patience in guiding me to relevant sources. My thanks go to Graeme Orrick BSc for his assistance with the formulation of the diagrams, to Eric McLaughlin BA (Hons) for his meticulous proofreading of the final text and to Pauline Wetton B.Phil (Hons) for the original inspiration that led me to undertake this investigation. I am indebted to the many graduates and colleagues who shared their memories, particularly Jean Bedells FRAD ARAD, Dr Susan Danby DCL (Dunelm) FRAD LRAD ARAD, Dr Mollie Davies MBE FRAD, Jacqueline Ferguson ARAD FISTD, Carol Martin MA LRAD, Peter Reynolds LTCL Cert.Ed. and Joan White MA FRSA whose interviews have significantly informed the text. The final appreciation goes to my tutors Dr Mollie Davies MBE FRAD and Dr Michael Waring B.Ed (Hons) MSc who gave invaluable help and professional advice and who, throughout the writing of this thesis, kept my enthusiasm alive with their constant support, vitality and encouragement. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION 1 1. HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE: FIFTY YEARS (1936-1986) 6 1.1 Raising the Status 7 1.2 Royal Patronage 19 1.3 Royal Charter 24 1.4 Membership 31 1.5 Registration 33 2. DIPLOMA TO DEGREE (1946-1992) 37 Part One: RAD Teachers' Diploma Course 2.1 Upgrading to College 38 2.2 Primary Search for Validation 44 2.3 Validation Success 46 Part Two: First Degree in Classical Ballet Teaching 2.4 Degree Submission 48 2.5 Course Content 49 2.6 Ass~ssment 58 2.7 Modes ofPresentation 63 3. DISTANCE LEARNING DEGREES 66 Part One: B.Phil (Hons) in Ballet and Contextual Studies 3.1 Rationale 67 3.2 Course Content 70 3. 3 Assessment 73 3.4 Parity 74 3.5 Weighting ofModules 75 Part Two: Routemaster Stage One 76 3.6 Steering Committee 77 3. 7 Validation Schedule 82 3. 8 Amendments 85 3.9 New Partnership RAD/ University of Durham 89 Stage Two 3.10 BA (Hons) in Classical Ballet Teaching 92 3.11 Course Content 93 3.12 Assessments 96 Page 4. CONSOLIDATION AND CHANGE 97 Part One: Modifications 98 Section 1: The Three Degrees 4.1 BA (Hons) in Art and Teaching of Ballet 100 4.2 B. Phil (Hons) in Ballet and Contextual Studies 108 4.3 BA (Hons) in Classical Ballet Teaching 113 4.4 S urnmary 115 Section 2: Quality Control and Assessment 115 4.5 Periodic Review 116 Part Two: New Management and Initiatives 4.6 Two New Appointments: Dean and ChiefExecutive 122 4.7 Faculty ofEducation 124 4.8 BA (Hons) in Dance Education 128 4.9 Course Content ofDegree level 130 5. REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATIONS 132 Part One: Review 5.1 Change ofEmphasis 133 5.2 'On Site' Full time Programme 136 5.3 Distance Learning Degrees 140 5.4 Registration 142 5.5 Role ofthe Academy 145 Part Two: Reflections and Recommendations 5.6 Reflections 149 5. 7 Recommendations 149 Figures Amalgamation of'Schools ofTraining' 13 2 Route to the Formation of the Fourth Royal Academy 23 3 Membership Routes 26 4 Growth of the AOD since the Introduction of Examinations 28 5 Journey to Degree 29 6 Present Day Membership 3 2 7 Diploma Subjects Prior to Degree 50 8 The Four Units of BA (Hons) in the Art and Teaching of Classical 52/3 Ballet Figures (cont.) Page 9 The Graduate Teacher 54 10 Dance History BA(Hons) in the Art and Teaching of Ballet 56 11 Contextual Studies BA(Hons) in the Art and Teaching of Ballet 57 12 Module A: Studies Skills B.Phil (Hons) in Ballet and Contextual 70 Studies 13 Module B: Education B.Phil (Hons) in Ballet and Contextual Studies 71 14 Module C: Electives B. Phil (Hons) in Ballet and Contextual Studies 72 15 Module D: Individual Investigation B. Phil (Hons) in Ballet and 73 Contextual Studies 16 Weighting of Modules B. Phil (Hons) in Ballet and Contextual Studies 75 17 Original 'Routemaster' Map 80 18 New proposal (simplified) for the Routemaster Scheme 86 19 Final Classification Weighting of BA (Hons) in Classical Ballet 93 Teaching 20 Module 1 Vocabulary Analysis BA (Hons) in Classical Ballet Teaching 94 21 Module 2 Teaching Studies BA (Hons) in Classical Ballet Teaching 94 22 Module 3 Teaching Studies BA (Hons) in Classical Ballet Teaching 95 23 Module 4 Individual Investigation BA (Hons) in Classical Ballet 95 Teaching 24 Countries of Origin of BA (Hons) in the Art and Teaching of Ballet 100 Graduates 1996-1999 25 Performance Studies 100 26 Education Unit 102 27 Modifications to Psychology 103 28 Dance History 104 29 Contextual Studies 106 30 Countries of Origin ofB.Phil (Hons) in Ballet and Contextual Studies 108 Graduates 1996-1999 31 Modules of BA (Hons) in Classical Ballet Teaching 113 32 Weighting of Components of the Teaching Studies in the BA(Hons) in 114 Classical Ballet Teaching 33 Degree classifications BA (Hons) in the Art and Teaching of Ballet 118 1996-1999 34 Administration and Organisation of BA (Hons) in the Art and Teaching 119 of Ballet 35 Major Areas of Responsibility for the Dean 123 36 Current FOE Organisation Chart 125 37 Course Content: BA (Hons) in Dance Education Level 3 131 Photographs Page 1 Edouard Espinosa Teaching a Student 10 2 Philip J.S. Richardson at his Desk 1950 11 3 Adeline Genee, President 12 4 Adeline Genee, Presentation at Court 20 5 Frank lsitt, Genee's Husband 22 6 College Graduation Day 39 7 College Graduation Certificate 41 8 Workshop 1986 45 9 Dame Margot Fonteyn, Chancellor of the University of Durham 47 10 Durham Graduation of the First Cohort 1996 54 11 Students in a Classical Class 61 12 Student Teacher with a Primary Class 63 13 Team Work: Danby and Davies Architects of the First two Degrees 68 BA(Hons) and B.Phil.

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