Ignite's Journey to Rambert Grades
Holly Pooley, Ignite Dance WA
This month's blog is a more personal reflection, looking at my journey with contemporary dance and Rambert Grades.
Sharing my personal journey of discovering and implementing this innovative syllabus, we will explore what makes Rambert Grades so special, and how it aligns with Ignite's values of inclusivity, individuality, and creative exploration.
Enjoy reading,
Holly
Image: Nicole Guarino Photography, Miss Holly as a contemporary dance student, UK, 2015
As a contemporary dance teacher, I struggled to find a syllabus that I felt truly captured the essence of contemporary dance. I wanted something that allowed for exploration and creativity, while also providing a strong technical foundation. I wanted something that encapsulated this living breathing ever growing thing that is contemporary. I was worried that a syllabus would make it 'stuck in time'.
I set off to create my own syllabus, a structure that gave equal weight to a variety of contemporary techniques with a strong creative element. It was being received well - students were progressing and class numbers were growing, however, it was very difficult as a teacher without the support network that a syllabus provides.
And then one day there was a whisper.
"Have you heard of this new syllabus, Holly? Rambert Grades, I think you'll like it."
Fast forward to September 2022, and Miss Hayley and I were participating in intensive training sessions on Zoom with teachers from all around the world. We were inspired by the syllabus, and we knew straight away that it was the perfect fit for Ignite.
So what is Rambert Grades and why is it special?!
From Rambert Grades;
"Rambert Grades is a pioneering contemporary dance syllabus born from the partnership between two of the world’s leading contemporary dance organisations: Rambert and Rambert School. The 8-grade syllabus offers students the opportunity to develop lifelong skills. Rambert Grades encourages young people to own their individuality, be playful, work in a present manner, think independently, relate with others and have confidence in decision making while learning and embodying our three strands, Technique, Performance and Creative."
💭 This is key. Three equal stands; performance, creativity and technique, creating the holistic, well-rounded, healthy dancer.
"Each grade includes exploring how to create material and improvise, learning all elements of technical skill to the highest standard, from floorwork to complex leaps, and performing solo material from renowned choreographers, Hofesh Shechter and Alesandra Seutin."
💭 My worries about a rigid syllabus were put to rest. This syllabus is dynamic, it is current and it is reflective of contemporary dance's history.
"The Rambert Grades syllabus is progressive and inclusive and is designed to be accessible for people from all backgrounds.
Rambert Grades teachers are taught to promote a safe environment where physical explorations can exist without rigidity, yet with focus, discipline and collaboration. Students are seen as individuals and encouraged to express their ideas and discover their unique voices."
💭 Inclusive, unique voices - aligning so well with Ignite. Helping people discover their own journey.
Learn more about Rambert Grades
How is Rambert Grades going at Ignite?
It is early days - we are only 8 weeks into implementing the syllabus! So far, we have 21 Rambert Grades students studying across three different grades. Students have a range of dancing backgrounds and have embraced the syllabus wholeheartedly.
Here is what they have to say:
Image: Rambert Grades, Grade 3 Contemporary students.
Written text (L-R): movement, friends, team, free, teamwork, soft, tricky, lyrical, creepy, free
The Next Steps
Our journey to Rambert Grades has been an exciting and rewarding experience. In two months, we've seen our students grow and develop their technique, creativity, and performance skills, while also gaining confidence and independence. The holistic approach of the syllabus, with its focus on individuality, inclusivity, and exploration, aligns perfectly with Ignite's mission to help people discover their unique voices and paths in dance. We're grateful for the opportunity to be a part of this pioneering syllabus and to continue to explore and expand our understanding of contemporary dance. We can't wait to see what the future holds and where our journey with Rambert Grades will take us next.
Image: Summer Workshops Perth 2021 Student
Sources
(Accessed: 15/03/2023)
Rambert Grades: https://www.rambertgrades.com/what-is-rambert-grades
Hofesh Shechter Company: https://hofesh.co.uk/
Vocab Dance, Alesandra Seutin: https://www.vocabdance.co.uk/
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