Royal Academy Of Dance
With about 14,000 members spread across 83 countries, the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) is one of the largest and most influential dance education and training organisations in the world. Established in the 1920s, 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 thousands of young people worldwide, with around a quarter of a million pupils per year going on to take our exams.
1928 saw Queen Mary become the Association’s first Patron and in 1936 it became the Royal Academy of Dancing (RAD) after receiving its Royal Charter from King George V. Queen Elizabeth II consented to becoming the Royal Patron following the death of Queen Mary in 1953.
The Queen opened the RAD’s newly refurbished building in 1974, and the RAD’s highest honour – the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Award – was instituted to mark the occasion of her patronage.
For more information visit: www.rad.org.uk
Luke Rittner, Chief Executive, Royal Academy of Dance
“We are extremely proud to have Her Majesty The Queen as our Patron, and to celebrate this milestone birthday. As an international organisation, The Queen’s patronage carries with it an incalculable benefit in terms of prestige and respect.”
Sue’s Story
Please Click the video link below to view Sue’s Story
Sue has been working with RAD for more than 22 years and is the Programme and Artistic Director for Step into Dance: a fully inclusive community dance programme, created in partnership between the RAD and The Jack Petchey Foundation. The programme has grown into the largest sustainable secondary school dance programme in the UK, operating in over 200 mainstream Secondary schools (including 54 Special Educational Needs schools and Pupil Referral Units) in London and Essex.