EXAM NOTES FOR GRADE 5 STUDENTS

Students enter the room in 2's without their teacher, the examiner introduces herself.Go to the barre first. Be prepared to show all classwork to the examiner, generally in two's, but some steps may be shown individually such as jumps and the dance. Listen to the instructions: she could say 'introduction', place hand on barre, or 'preparation', arms to second, or in the centre, this could be preparing arms and legs etc. Know what you have to do for each preparation.

1. 3/4 Facing the barre:, 1st position. Battement tendu, r ft devant (1), flex (2) stretch (3) close 1st (4). Rpt 2nd and 4th derriere demi plie, straighten, rise and lower. Rpt left leg.

2. 4/4 Plies: prepare to 2nd position, arm down. Rise and lower with 1st port de bras to 2nd, demi plie bringing arm down, grand plie, low arms, and close to 1st position. Rpt in 1st, 5th devant and 5th derriere, finish closing 5th devant.

Nb. Plies are usually repeated on the other side, however in the exam, most exercises will be done on one side only.

3. 4/4 Battement tendus. Prepare to 2nd. 4 battement tendus to 2nd with alternate closing, with Cecchetti accent 'out', temps lie away from barre and temps lie towards barre. Rpt. Arms en bas

4. 2/4 Battements degages to a la 2nd. Prepare leg only to 2nd. 2 degages into 1st position, 3rd one closing slowly into 5th derriere. Rpt 2 degages into 1st and one to 5th devant, then 8 battements degages to a la 2nd alternate closing 5th derriere and 5th devant.

5. 4/4 Prepare arm to 2nd. 3 Grands battements devant, counting 'and close on one, hold 5th 2', retire passe on 'and 4'. Repeat en croix.

6. 4/4 5th position. Preparation, plie degage carry arm and leg to 2nd a terre. 4 Ronds de Jambe a terre en dehors and 3 1/2 en dedans, finish closing 5th devant lowering arm as leg closes to 5th.

7. 2/4 Battements Frappes. Prepare leg to 2nd and cou de pied. 3 single battements frappes and hold on count '4'. Rpt, then repeat with double battement frappes. Close into 5th after the music. No arms.

8. 2/4 Petits Battements. Prepare as for Battements Frappes. No arms. 8 slow petits battements (1-16) 'back and front and...' then slowly rise, bring leg to retire devant and balance in pirouette position.

9. 2/4 Adage. Introduction place hand on barre. Developpe devant (1-4) carry leg in grand Rond de Jambe en l'air to 4th derriere, close 5th (5-8). Developpe a la 2nd (1-4) fouette to face barre (5-6) and bend leg into attitude (7-8). Close on final chord.

10. 6/8 Battements balances. Prepare tendu to 4th derriere, arm to 2nd. 4 battements balances at low height and 4 at full height finish closing in 1st position.

11. 2/4 Releves away from the barre. Echappe releve change to 2nd, releve 5th, releve devant and releve derriere. Repeat all, 4x altogether.

Au milieu-come into the centre.

12. 6/8 (i)Port de Bras: preparatory exercise: Start in efface, corner 1, r ft front. 5th position. 2 counts intro. Chasse into pointe tendu efface derriere, arms up in attitude. Brush leg thru to pt tendu croise devant and arms change to croise devant. Close 5th on plie, (5) r leg tendu 2nd and close devant bringing arms down, with soft soutenu (straighten and plie) (&6) hasse pas de bouree to r. to change legs. Rpt left side. (ii) 4th port de bras 4 times.

13. 4/4 Battement Tendus, 8 to a la seconde closing derriere each time, alternate legs, then en avant: start facing en face in 5th position. Use head incline to close derriere and epaulement to close devant.

14. 6/8 Temps Lie. In efface r ft front in 5th position. Plie degage r ft devant, temps lie to epaule, close 5th derriere. (1-4) Battement tendu in ecarte full arms and position, close 5th derriere. (5-8) Rpt all to same side.

15. 12/8 Developpe and Demi Rond de Jambe. In croise r ft front-face '2'. Grand plie (1-4) releve 5th and hold, turn and lower on cou de pied facing front (5-8). Developpe devant (1-4) Demi Grand Rond de Jambe to a la 2nd (5-7) retire and close 5th derriere to start on the other side. (&8)

16. 4/4 Arabesques. Start in 5th croise. Rise lower (1-2), plie and chasse into 4th arabesque a terre (3-4). Bring r arm into 5th arabesque and lift leg (5-8). Recover to pt tendu derriere and full port de bras over 5th en haut to place 4th in a lunge (1-4) for pirouette en dedans, plie 5th releve 5th with arms to 5th en haut (5&6&), chasse left ft front to other side and close 5th derriere (7-8) to start left side.

17. 2/4 Pirouette en dehors: 4 times alternate sides. Face 5, en face. 4 count intro. Releve 5th, 2 petits changements, releve devant and single turn en dehors.

18. 4/4 Boys. Tours en lair. Plie and jump with a 3/4 turn to the right. Stretch knees. (1-4) Rpt but turning to the left. Rpt all.

19. 2/4 Pirouette en dedans. Face 2 croise. Tendu devant, arms 5th en avant, place lunge, 1/4 pirouette en dedans to face 1, plie 5th. Rpt to left side then rpt all with full pirouette en dedans.

Allegro: Know these steps for the unset enchainement!! Balance en arriere and en tournant, entrechat quartre, glissade changee, pas de bouree dessus soutenu, sissonne en avant ouverte, en arriere fermee, soutenu and de suite, soubresaut.

20. 2/4 Changements and Soubresauts. 2 count intro. 3 petits changements and 2 soubresauts. En face x2 then with the soubresauts travelling in croise, arms to 3rd arabesque.

21. 3/4 2 bars intro. Glissade assemble. En face. R ft derriere. Glissade derriere, soubresaut, glissade derriere, assemble dessus (over), repeat to left side, then 3x glissade derriere assemble dessus and finish with releve 5th in croise, arms en bas, and lower to 5th position to finish.

22. 6/8 Sissonnes. 2 count intro. Girls: efface 5th position. 2 sissonnes fermees and 3rd one ouverte arms slowly to 3rd arabesque, pas de bouree under (1-4) Rpt on left side. Sissone en arriere fermee, arms to open 5th en avant, soutenu, sissonne en arriere fermee and changement to change efface,(1-4) rpt sissonnes en arriere on left side.

23. 3/4Boys Sissonnes. 2 count intro. In efface. 2 sissonnes en avant soutenu bring arms to 3rd arabesque. 2 sissonnes en arriere soutenu arms to a la 2nd. Rpt all without the soutenu-2 en avant 2 en arriere-echappe ferme saute closing with a beat to face efface ready for left side. Rpt left side.

24. 3/4 Round the room. Prepare with chasse en avant, left ft front. 4 Chasse temps leves ie. 4x alternate legs, arms in demi 2nd, then chasse temps leve 3rd arabesque, step jete in attitude (hitchkick) 5x alternate legs, arms 5th en avant, and finish with ending of own choice.

25. 2 bars intro. 3/4Chasse temps leve balance from corner 3. Efface, 5th position. Chasse temps leve 1st arabesque, balance back, chasses temps leve balance turning, x2, chasse pas be bouree to change sides. Rpt left side.

26. 6/8 Pas de chat. 2 counts intro. Right foot behind in 3rd position. 1 pas de chat, stay in 5th position plie, pas de bouree dessous, rpt left side, rpt r. side, extra pas de bouree dessus (left leg! ' &a7'), soutenu (&8). Rpt all to left side.

27. 2/4 Petits Tours. From corner 3. In 1st position, rise on intro and place hands on shoulders. 8 patters sur place and 3 petits tours finish chasse into 3rd arabesque towards corner 1.

28. 6/8 Batterie. Face en face (5) 5th position 4 count intro. Echappe to 2nd, closing with a beat to change legs and entrechat quartre soutenu. 4x altogether.

29. Dance: Moskowski waltz.

30. Reverence as in Grade 4

Dancers will need to know how to show and name: Positions of the arms: 3rd position, position of the body: epaule, movement in dancing: glisser and 1st, 2nd and 3rd arabesques.

Grade 3 Notes

Candidates should know 1st position of the arms, demi seconde, and the meanings of plier and sauter, in addition to the theory from Grades 1 and 2, that is, the 3 5th positions of the arms, 5 positions of the feet 8 directions of the corners of the room and walls. Also directions: a la quartrieme devant and derriere and a la seconde.

Barre:
On the introductions, place hand(s) on the barre. For the preparations, in grands battements and ronds de jambe a terre, arms go through 5th en avant to a la seconde, place barre arm on barre. NB the examiner may say 'introduction' or 'preparation' so make sure you know which exercise has which!

Warm Up facing barre.
1.Feet in parallel. Pick up right foot onto demi pointe, lift foot like a pony trot, place on demi pointe and lower to parallel. (counts 1-4). 2 lifts to fully pointed pony trot position with the same leg (5-8) Rpt on left leg. And repeat all.

2. Plies
Prepare leg with battement tendu to 2nd position from 5th position, place hand on barre. Demi plie, rise, demi plie tendu and close into 1st position. Rpt in 1st, 5th devant and 5th derriere positions.

3. Battements tendus.
From 5th position, introduction. 1 battement tendu devant (1-2), 1 battement devant closing into 5th position on plie (3-4), 1 battement tendu devant (5) holding (6-7) close 5th (8). Rpt en croix.

4. Battements degages. From 1st position
Prepare leg to a la seconde on introduction. 8 Battements degages with the accent 'out ' closing into 1st position at the end of the music.

5. Grands battements. From 5th position. Music goes in 3's, (polonaise) preparation. 5th position. 4 grands battements devant and 4 to a la seconde end with leg 5th derriere.

6. Face the barre in 1st position, introduction: 3 grands battements derriere and rise in 1st position with right leg then rpt with left leg.

7. Ronds de Jambe a terre. From 1st position. Preparation.
2 slow ronds de Jambe en dehors and 2 en dedans.4 counts per rond de jambe.

8. Battements Frappes from 5th position.
Prepare leg to a la seconde and bring to cou de pied at last moment.
8 battements frappes to a la seconde, close after the music.

9. Adages: from 5th position
a) Fouette of adage. Introduction.

That's it! Good luck everyone!