Press Release 29th April 2007:
Dance RAD and IDTA working together to celebrate dance To celebrate International Dance Day the two leading international dance teaching organisations, the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and the International Dance Teachers’ Association (IDTA), held Invitation to Dance on 29 April 2007 at RAD headquarters in London. The event marked the first joint initiative following the announcement last September that the two organisations would be working together to the mutual benefit of their members in examinations, teacher education and training.
The fully subscribed event, Invitation to Dance, provided members of both organisations the opportunity to attend free observational classes and teaching workshops in musical theatre, modern jazz, ballet and tap. The established Faculty comprised of Denise Skinner IDTA Fellow and Examiner, Ian Meeson IDTA Fellow, teacher and lecturer, Karen Berry BSc (Desig), BA Hons, LISTD, RAD Dip, Phil Winston, IDTA Fellow, Director and Examiner and Theatre Council Vice Chairman 2005-2007 and Jennifer McCrow, IDTA Fellow and Examiner who informatively discussed and with the help of their very able students, demonstrated the merits of each syllabus. Karen Berry’s discussion on the RAD syllabus was accompanied by staff pianist Martin Cleave Dip RCM.
The day brought together members of each organisation for the first time and was well received by the participants. Luke Rittner, RAD Chief Executive, commented; “Today has been enormously successful, we came together to celebrate dance and to cement the new association between our two organisations, and I think that you will all agree that it is clear how much we can achieve together. I hope that this is the first of many such events.”
Keith Holmes, Chief Executive of IDTA, concluded; “Today has been a great success, and has been pleasing to see Members of both organisations mixing together. I am very proud of what the IDTA has to offer, and I know Luke is equally proud of what the RAD has to offer, together I know we will make a difference.”
In September 2006, the RAD and the IDTA announced that both organisations would formally grant teachers of the respective organisation the opportunity to enter candidates for its examinations thereby ensuring that both organisations recognise the right of qualified teachers to enter candidates for examinations of either awarding body.