EXAMINATIONS
Uniform
This is the bbodance uniform for all adults taking their ballet exams. All candidates must wear a black leotard and pink tights with the option to wear a black skirt and/or cover up.
Footwear
Below are the different types of footwear that can be worn during your bbodance examination. Canvas, leather or silk ballet shoes can be worn with either elastics or ribbons and a full or split sole. Depending on the grade you are taking you will be require to wear the following;
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GRADE 1-3 - Full soled ballet shoes with elastics or ribbons.
GRADE 4 & 5 - Full soled shoes with ribbons.
GRADE INTER-FOUNDATION - Option A – Full-soled Ballet shoes (not split soles) with elastics or ribbons and pointe shoes with ribbons Option B – Full or split-soled Ballet shoes with elastics or ribbons
GRADE 6+ - Full or split soled shoes with elastics or ribbons.
Examination Questions
During the exam you are required to demonstrate/answer two questions from the following list. One from the demonstration section and one from the technical section.
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Grade 2
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Demonstration Sections
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1 Can you demonstrate a battement tendu to 2nd position?
2 Can you demonstrate a demi-plié in 3rd position?
3 Can you demonstrate any port de bras with use of the head?
4 Can you demonstrate 3
rd position of the arms?
5 Can you demonstrate a chassé to 2nd position?
6 Can you demonstrate a glissade dessus (over with back foot)?
7 Can you demonstrate an assemblé soutenu en tournant?
8 Can you demonstrate a balancé to the right?
9 Can you demonstrate three petit jetés derrière?
10 Can you demonstrate two changement?
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Technical Section
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1 What does derrière mean?
2 Where is turn-out held from?
3 What quality of movement should be shown in the Temps Lié exercise?
4 Can you name a step using a glissé movement?
5 What does tournant mean?
6 Describe how a petit allegro should be performed
7 What is the time signature or counting of balancé?
8 What quality of movement should be demonstrated in balancé?
9 Describe what should be demonstrated in the Ḗchappé Sauté exercise
10 How does the music help the action in échappé sauté?
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Grade 3
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Demonstration Sections
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1. Can you demonstrate a fondu?
2. Can you demonstrate 1st arabesque?
3. Can you demonstrate 2nd arabesque?
4. Can you demonstrate a relevé in 5th position?
5. Can you demonstrate 4th position of the arms?
6. Can you demonstrate a jeté derriere?
7. Can you demonstrate a pas de bouree devant?
8. Can you demonstrate a pas de chat?
9. Can you demonstrate an echappé sauté to 2nd with a change of the feet?
10. Can you demonstrate a glissade derriere?
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Technical Section
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1. What does pas de chat mean?
2. What does assemble mean?.
3. How does a relevé commence and finish?
4. Can you describe the quality of a waltz enchantment exercise?
5. How does the music time signature 2/4 help the action in the Allegro 2 exercise?
6. What is meant by en l’air?
7. What words would you use to describe pas de bouree?
8. What is meant by a terre? On the ground
9. How do you keep your balance in an arabesque?
10. When does the foot leave the floor on a grand battement en cloch?
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Grade 4
Demonstration Sections
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1. Can you demonstrate a pas de bouree derriere?
2. Can you demonstrate epaulement?
3. Can you demonstrate the coup de pied position?
4. Can you demonstrate a pas de basque glisse?
5. Can you demonstrate an echappé saute to fourth closing to 5th position?
6. Can you demonstrate a tendu en fondu devant?
7. Can you demonstrate a chasse en avant?
8. Can you demonstrate three soubresaut?
9. Can you demonstrate 5 pivots turning (two or three turns?)
10. Can you demonstrate a glissade desous (under)?
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Technical Section
1. Where should the knee be in a plié?
2. What is meant by en dehor or en dedan?
3. What joints are used in a battement frappe?
4. What is the cou de pied?
5. Describe the co-ordination of the arms and legs in Developpe?
6. What steps are in a grand allegro?
7. Describe what epaulement is?
8. Describe the placing of the leg in attitude en l’air
9. Describe a pas de bouree dessous (over)
10. Describe the movement of the head in pirouettes
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Grade 5
Demonstration Section
1. Can you demonstrate an écarté arm line?
2. Can you demonstrate pas de bourée dessus (over)?
3. Can you demonstrate a sissonne fermée?
4. Can you demonstrate two changement with épaulement?
5. Can you demonstrate a chassé to 4th position croisé?
6. Can you demonstrate a pirouette en dedans?
7. Can you demonstrate a developpé devant?
8. Can you demonstrate an assemblé souetenu en tournant?
9. Can you demonstrate two entrechats quatre?
10. Can you demonstrate a chassé passé en arriere?
Technical Questions
1. How do you ensure that turnout is maintained on the supporting leg?
2. Describe how the feet should be placed in 5th position?
3. Which joint is used in petit battement?
4. Describe the correct alignment of the body in pirouette position
5. Describe the action of the supporting foot in relevé
6. What does en avant mean?
7. What does en croix?
8. How does the music for the Temp lié exercise help the quality of movement?
9. What does de coté mean?
10. What movement is in a grand jeté en avant?
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Grade - Intermediate Foundation
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Demonstration Section
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1 Can you demonstrate a relevé derrière?
2 Can you demonstrate a reverse port de bras from bras bas to 5th position?
3 Can you demonstrate a glissade under (dessous)?
4 Can you demonstrate a pas de bourrée dessous (under)?
5 Can you demonstrate a full contretemps?
6 Can you demonstrate emboîtés?
7 Can you demonstrate a single/double pirouette en dehors?
8 Can you demonstrate coupé chassé pas de bourrée dessus (over)?
9 Can you demonstrate an assemblé en arrière?
10 Can you demonstrate two pas de basque sautés to croisé?
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Technical Questions
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1 What is the correct height of rond de jambe en l’air?
2 What is the movement of arm and leg from devant to 2nd position in a fouetté rond de jambe?
3 Can you describe what type of movement a fouetté is?
4 What movement precedes a grand jeté en avant?
5 Describe the four steps in a full contretemps
6 Describe the qualities required when performing a pas de basque sauté
7 What is the meaning of couru?
8 What is the meaning of pas de valse?
9 Where should a rond de jambe en l’air be executed?
10 Explain the position of the feet and legs when on full point
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Grade 6
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Demonstration Section
1. Can you demonstrate a croisé position facing downstage right?
2. Can you demonstrate rond de jambe à terre en dehor?
3. Can you demonstrate arabesque à dos?
4. Can you demonstrate an effacè position?
5. Can you demonstrate sissone ordinaire devant, petit assemble?
6. Can you demonstrate temps levé, pas de bourée dessous (under)?
7. Can you demonstrate posé développe?
8. Can you demonstrate pas de chat, pas de bourée pique?
9. Can you demonstrate relevè passè en avant?
10. Can you demonstrate 1st arabesque en l’air?
Technical Section
1. Describe the correct placing of the feet à terre
2. What are the possible consequences of “rolling feet”?
3. What is the meaning of serré?
4. What is a temps levé?
5. What is the meaning of assemblé?
6. What is the meaning of effacé?
7. What is the meaning of soutenu?
8. In a rotation, what does the word ‘rotation’ refer to?
9. What is the meaning of tombé?
10. What is a brisé?
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