WEBSITE
www.rambertgrades.com
DIRECTOR
Amanda Britton, Chief Executive Officer
HISTORY
Rambert Grades is a progressive and inclusive Contemporary Dance syllabus created by Rambert dance company and Rambert School. Drawing on a century of artistic and pedagogic excellence, it unlocks creative potential, nurtures individuality and equips educators with high-quality, industry-informed training. Across Technical, Performance and Creative Strands, students connect with the professional stage, learning material by renowned choreographers such as Matthew Bourne and Hofesh Shechter. Spanning four levels and twelve qualifications, the syllabus is accessible to all ages, abilities and bodies, supporting safe learning and developing lifelong skills.
STYLES/GENRE
Contemporary Dance
GRADING/MARKING SYSTEM
Rambert Grades qualifications are recognised by The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual).
Designed to celebrate holistic progression and create milestones for each dancer, all Rambert Grades are filmed by the teacher in the student’s familiar surroundings and submitted digitally for remote assessment. The examinations act as moment for students and their teachers to acknowledge and celebrate their achievements and recognise stages within their learning journey.
Examinations may be tailored to suit the needs of each student, perhaps shaping these into performances with an audience present. or downplaying the moment to capture student progression in a discrete and supportive manner.
We have two grading systems:
- Creative Movers, Pre-Primary, Primary and Future Movers: pass/fail
- Grades 1-8: Pass, Merit, Distinction, Distinction*
TEACHER QUALIFICATIONS
Online Syllabus Training is available for the following qualifications:
Entry Level: Creative Movers, Pre-Primary and Primary
Entry Level: Future Movers
Level 1 (Grades 1-3)
Level 2 (Grades 4-5)
Level 3 (Grades 6-8)
Jen Murray
Contemporary dance teacher, choreographer & workshop facilitator, Inaugural recipient of the 2024 Rambert Grades Examination Award for Examiner Choice in the region of Australia.
In your view, what makes your syllabus distinctive compared to others?
Rambert Grades offers a unique and highly accessible approach to dance education. Examinations are filmed in the student’s own studio and submitted digitally, which opens opportunities for teachers and students in all locations, no matter how remote. Teacher training is offered both in-person and online, removing travel barriers that can prevent dance educators from accessing high quality professional development. I find it remarkable that such a current, progressive syllabus, that has been shaped by leading figures in the contemporary dance world, can be engaged with globally.
The syllabus content is structured around three strands: Technical, Performance, and Creative. The creative strand is incredibly empowering for young dancers; giving them space to find their artistic voice and take primary ownership of the creative score they perform in the examination. As a group, students choose a stimulus, then under the facilitator’s guidance begin research and exploratory tasks, using improvisation. This process fosters autonomy, decision making, and a sense of creative freedom for young dancers. It nurtures curiosity, exploration, and risk taking, qualities that are valued by today’s contemporary choreographers. In my experience, the earlier improvisation and collaboration are woven into regular training, the more naturally and confidently students develop these skill sets.
This sense of student agency also extends to the technical strand. For each grade, the exam candidates and I will select eight of the set exercises to submit for examination. This collaborative approach is always enjoyable and revealing, as students identify the material that resonates most strongly with them. While the facilitator needs to ensure that the final selection remains varied and balanced, students genuinely appreciate having their preferences acknowledged and valued.
The performance strand is incredibly exciting, as it features work by renowned choreographers such as Matthew Bourne and Hofesh Schechter. Learning and refining these remarkable pieces of choreography offers emerging dancers a very rare and valuable opportunity for both artistic and technical development.
Can you share a standout memory—either from your own exam days or as a teacher/adjudicator—that has stayed with you?
A standout memory for me as a Rambert Grades teacher occurs each time I film a group’s creative score for exam submission. After months of shared research and movement development, the dancer’s ideas crystallise into a few potent minutes of textured and responsive movement. It is breathtaking to watch their collective imagination take form. There are moments of spontaneous synchronicity and connection as the dancers move as a cohesive ensemble, while maintaining their individuality. In these moments, I see young artists emerging not just as dancers, but as innovative creators. Capturing this work and sharing it with the examiner is always an honour.