Steven McRae (Australia)
Now a Principal dancer with The Royal Ballet, Steven’s introduction to ballet was through the RAD. Taught by RAD teacher Hilary Kaplan in his hometown of Sydney, Australia, Steven learned the foundations of classical ballet through the RAD syllabus and annual exams.
In 2002, he went on to compete in the Genée International Ballet Competition (now The Margot Fonteyn International Ballet Competition) where at age 16 he won the coveted Adeline Genée Gold Medal. Steven joined The Royal Ballet School in 2003, graduated into The Royal Ballet in 2004, and worked his way up to Principal in 2009. The RAD provided Steven with the crucial stepping stones to facilitate a successful career in dance and to this day, Hilary remains a source of support and inspiration as he performs on a world stage.
Steven says: “My introduction to ballet was through the RAD, a syllabus that not only taught me the foundations of Classical Ballet but also about discipline and structure.”
“My annual exams were always a landmark to work towards, culminating in achieving the Solo Seal award. This award enabled me to compete in the Genée International Ballet Competition that ultimately gave me the opportunity to perform on the ‘World Stage’. As a world-class educational institute, the RAD provided stepping stones that helped facilitate my career in dance, and I hope that my future in dance will remain connected to this wonderful organization.”