History of the RAD: The 1920s

GenA©eQueenMaryPrincessRoyal1950H6a - Royal Academy of Dance

31 December 1920

Once the syllabus was agreed, The Association of Teachers of Operatic Dancing of Great Britain was born, now known as The Royal Academy of Dance. Dame Adeline Genée was confirmed as President; a position that she held for 34 years.

01FirstSyllabus1920DancingTimesrotated - Royal Academy of Dance — Photo The Elementary Operatic Syllabus 1920 in <em>Dancing Times<em>

November 1923

First Matinee performance at the Gaiety Theatre where Dame Adeline Genée performed for the first time in seven years.

1923ProgrammeCover-copy - Royal Academy of Dance — Photo Programme cover for the First Annual Matinée It includes a divertissement by Phillip Richardson entitled No English Need Apply which satirised the prejudice felt to exist against British dancers at the time and the assumed greater success of dancers from the continent It also saw the return to the stage of Adeline Genée after an absence of six or seven years and a revival of The Dancing Master with both Edouard Espinosa and Phyllis Bedells in their original roles

March 1924

The first children’s (amateur) examinations were held.

Pauline-CrankshawGrade11926-copy - Royal Academy of Dance — Photo 1926 certificate issued to Pauline Crankshaw who achieved 94 in her Grade 1 examination

1925

Earliest recorded gift donation. The Reverend Stewart Headlam was an advocate of good relations between the church and the stage and a great educationalist. A great admirer of ballet, and friend of Adeline Genée, he attended many of the Dancer’s Circle dinners and was a great supporter of the move to obtain state recognition for the teacher of dancing.

Stewart-Headlam-Bequest - Royal Academy of Dance

1928

Queen Mary was interested in dance, and ballet in particular. With an approach from Dame Adeline Genée, Queen Mary became our First Royal Patron.