1 April 2021 17:40
A year of dancing at home
The last 12 months have been a challenge for everyone. Here at the RAD we challenged ourselves to support our members and wider dance community in a number of ways. And, as we’ve reached the milestone of one year since lockdown, we’ve taken stock of what we have achieved in a year of dancing at home.
We created the RAD@Home online hub, to provide our audiences with free dance classes, to share how our members found ways to keep dancing and motivate them to continue to do so, to entertain and support dance fans around the world throughout 2020. During that time, RAD@Home has had nearly 1M views, making it one of the most popular initiatives we've ever launched.
Visit our timeline below to find out about all the different initiatives undertaken during the pandemic - our record-breaking online Silver Swans classes and new Royal Vice-Patron, our World Ballet Day participation, and our Dancing Feet competition, amongst other highlights.
Supporting teachers
We recognised the need to support our members, prioritizing teachers in particular, as the pandemic affected dance studios around the world. We increased communications and created video material to assist with delivering classes online. We provided the opportunity for teachers to add online classes to their listings on the RAD website. We moved to an online model of delivering examinations. We lobbied the UK, Australian and Canadian governments for the interest of teaching members and their students.
In a year like no other, we had to work differently, adapt and be there for our membership, keep listening and improving on our provision. We hope that, although impossible to get everything right, we have stood by our members and provided the support required to see them through this unusual year.
This is what our members have to say about the support they received:
” I am truly grateful for all the correspondence you have provided and for the filmed examining work. The RAD has been my lifeline during this pandemic. I cannot imagine my life without the RAD.”
“Thanks for being there in these hard times and I applaud all the staff who are brilliant and supportive.”
“I think the benefits of being an RAD member have been particularly apparent during the pandemic. Overall, my membership satisfaction has increased during this period, with definite improvements compared with previous years. The increased communication is greatly appreciated.”
“Thank you for keeping us informed of all the English Government changes in regards to COVID-19 and helping us to stay positive and take the right steps and precautions in order for us to either open a new dance school or reopen studio doors.”
“I would like to say that you are doing great, trying to improve, ask the members, showing your care, innovating, creating more access for all public. I believed I chose RAD because that, If you want to learn and be a professional the method supports you/ your students, If you want to practice to work or just for physical activity and health the method is flexible for the teachers to adapt for all the students necessities and expectations. – Keep innovating and reaching new niches of people, and making the dance a life philosophy!”