Read Julia Farron's speech - Royal Academy of Dance

Royal Academy of Dance Awards Day 2012 Speech by Julia Farron OBE
Thank you Mr Rittner. I am delighted to be here today and to be able to congratulate you all on
your awards for which you have all worked so hard. I would like to thank all of those who have
encouraged you to arrive at this day; your parents, your own teachers who have inspired you, and all
here at the Academy who have supported you.
The RAD now covers so much of dance training. Teaching at all levels – from children who learn for
fun, right up to those wanting to specialise in all aspects of dance and teacher training.
When I started, there were four children’s Grades and three Major Examinations – no training and
certainly no awards.
I thought it might amuse you if I went back to the late 1920’s when I first learned to dance. The
RAD was formed in 1920 when it was known as The Association of Operatic of Dancing Teachers.
Today I shall call it RAD. It was founded by dancers of many nationalities who has settled in London
and had opened their own studios, each teaching their own syllabus. They came from many different
countries including Denmark, Russia, France and Italy, and of course, here in England.
By gathering together with some distinguished English dancers and teachers including Phyllis Bedells,
Ruth French and others, they pooled their knowledge and created a syllabus suitable for teaching
both children and adults. At each level there would be examinations, taken by experienced teachers,
appointed by the organisation.
In 1928 when I started to learn to dance, this syllabus was already in place.
However, my first teacher did not teach any syllabus. She was a lady of great enthusiasm but
somewhat eccentric who earned her living by providing dance sequences for productions of amateur
Operatic Societies, which at that time were very popular. To add to her income she gave dance
classes for children in small private schools. These classes were known as fancy dancing! I attended
my first class aged about six at a small local school where Madam Hogarth (for that was her name)
was teaching.
The studio was obviously somebody’s sitting room. Furniture was pushed against the walls and rugs
were rolled up. In the corner was a piano where an elderly lady waited to play for us. There was no
sight of a barre.
I was instructed to stand at the back and copy the girls in front (a phrase that I was to hear many
times years later when I was first a professional).
Madam stood in front, lifted her skirt (showing us her French knickers with little pink bows at the
knee). She shouted ‘AND’ setting off on what seemed to be an impromptu dance. All the girls
copied – expect me. I stood stock still in amazement until the end of the class.
On our way home my mother, who had watched the class, protested and wanted an explanation. I
told her that I wanted somebody to show me. I was allowed to try one more time on condition that
I moved. I did, and found to my surprise that I enjoyed dancing and in fact I had taken my first step
into the world of dance.
I cannot recall much about what we did in these classes except for ‘Spring Changes’ which I suppose
were Changements – and later in the year something called ‘Stay Turns’.

Royal Academy of Dance Awards Day 2012 Speech by Julia Farron OBE
It took me years to work out that they were, in fact, Grand Jetes en tournant, which was somewhat
ambitious for a child aged six!
At the end of the year, Madam said I should go to a proper school. My mother was puzzled; she
thought I was already at a proper school. She took the advice and we were introduced to a school
run by three sisters, Grace Lillie and Valerie Cone.
The school was already well established and taught both the Cecchetti system and the new RAD
syllabus. The head of the school, Miss Grace Cone had studied with Cecchetti who was teaching in
London at that time.
I was directed to a teacher who taught children the new syllabus. She had studied dance and was an
inspiring teacher with great musicality, humour and a love of movement, all essential if you want to
teach. She later became a much loved children’s examiner for the RAD. There were only about eight
or ten of us in the class and within about two years we had passed from Grade 1 to Grade IV. An
examiner used to come to the school – we loved those occasions. At the end of each Grade, there
was a dance to perform – very short – each Grade had its own solo, an Irish Jig, a Scottish Reel, a
Sailor’s Hornpipe and a Hungarian Peasant Dance. Looking back, this was the icing on the cake. We
all loved performing and in fact we all became professionals, either in ballet, acting, skating or film.
After we had gained our five Grades (one more exam had been added by then) we passed over to a
different teacher for the Major Work. From Elementary onwards, we made a visit to Holland Park
(the Headquarters of the Academy) for our examinations. The Association rented two floors in a big
house. On the ground floor they had offices and down in the basement, they had built a dance studio
out into the garden. There we gathered for our Major Examinations. The examiners were
distinguished and they say at a long table (often four or five of them). I can still remember the
tension as we waited for the studio door to be opened. For Elementary, there were eight or ten
girls and we were examined by these very grand ladies and gentlemen, who could not resist on
occasion, standing up ad correcting us.
The atmosphere was tense and I can recall one or two of the girls for whom the experience proved
to be overwhelming and who had to be escorted out in tears into the arms of waiting parents and
teachers.
Intermediate and Advanced followed the same pattern, although there were fewer entrants. But the
examiners did still, on occasion, stand up to correct something. I recall the great dancer Idzikowsky
coming to me and holding my hands to help me jump high enough to do an Entrechat Six.
Later, the Solo Seal was added. This was very different. We did a barre and a short set of
enchainements in the Centre. After this you left the room to change into a white tutu, returning one
by one to present a dance which had been choreographed by the RAD. After that, you changed into
a costume of your choice for a second variation which had to be choreographed by you with no help
from your teacher. You were however permitted the assistance of your pianist in choosing suitable
music for a Demi Caractere solo. I was lucky to have a really good and helpful pianist.
This was quite an occasion. The examiners were of the highest order. Dame Adeline Genee, who
was our President, sat in the centre of the table wearing hat and gloves as if she were attending a
garden party.

Royal Academy of Dance Awards Day 2012 Speech by Julia Farron OBE
That took one to the end of the course. Because I was still at school, I was encouraged to go over
to the Cecchetti syllabus, but soon gained a scholarship to attend classes at Sadler’s Wells, which
Ninette de Valois had opened in order to provide dancers for her company. The school introduced
me to a mixture of both Cecchetti and Russian systems.
This led to my career with Sadler’s Wells, later becoming The Royal Ballet, and 25 years later, I
commenced my second career as a teacher.
How different are things now – you have so many courses for both teachers and dancers. It took
many years to get to the teaching courses and examinations – now look at the choice you have. And
how wonderful to have carefully selected music which inspires and supports both the dancers and
the teachers all over the world. This gives me a great opportunity to say Congratulations to the
RAD, what an achievement!
I do hope that you will have as much enjoyment as I had as both dancer and teacher.
Let me, before I leave, give you a little advice, given to me by Dame Ninette De Valois, who said, ‘As
you finish a class, leave them laughing!’. She did it, I tried it, it worked!
Good luck to you all, and once again, many congratulations. Thank you.