Royal Academy of Dance

History

The Royal Academy of Dance was established in 1920 at the Trocadero Restaurant in Piccadilly, London by a small group of eminent dance professionals.Brought together by Philip Richardson, former editor of 'Dancing Times', the group included five European greats: Adeline Genée from Denmark, Tamara Karsavina of Russia, Italy's Lucia Cormani, France's Edouard Espinosa and Phyllis Bedells of England.They represented the principal dance training methods of the time. It was their concern for the poor quality and badly organised state of dance training in Britain at the time that led to the emergence of the Association of Operatic Dancing of Great Britain.Over the next decade, the Association grew in size and influence. At the last Privy Council Meeting of King George V in 1935, the Association was granted a Royal Charter and became the Royal Academy of Dancing.

Description

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 organisations in the world.The Academy's patron is HM Queen Elizabeth II. RAD Membership supports the advancement of dance and includes professional dancers, students, teachers, benefactors and friends. Established in 1920, to improve standards and re-invigorate dance training initially within the UK, the Academy helps and encourages its teachers to perfect their teaching skills and pass on this knowledge to their students.There are currently over 1,000 students in full-time or part-time teacher training programmes with the Academy and each year, the examination syllabus is taught to more than a quarter of a million students worldwide.