RAD Musical Theatre Pilot Programme
Colours of Dance has been selected to take part in the pilot for the Royal Academy of Dance's new Musical Theatre Programme! This is a fantastic opportunity for students who enjoy Musical Theatre to participate and achieve a benchmarked exam recognition.
The RAD Musical Theatre programme gives equal weight to acting, singing and dance, but with a wide degree of flexibility to perform to an individual’s strengths. Exams can take the form of an individual exam (presented as a set of 4, but marked individually) or as a class award for those more nervous or preferring not to present solo work. Musicals covered will be carefully selected for age appropriateness in terms of content and every lesson will include all three elements, so that our students develop broad skills and confidence.
Our Musical Theatre classes will welcome those with lots of experience or none at all, as well as those who have dance experience in any genre. This programme would also be perfect for anyone who has participated in a school production, enjoyed it, and who would like to do more. The ultimate goal of the new RAD Musical Theatre grades is to prepare a student to apply confidently to a vocational school at 18 with their portfolio and audition pieces all ready.
If you'd like to participate, register for one of our Musical Theatre classes:
Musical Theatre Level 1 (ages 8 - 12)
Musical Theatre Level 2 (ages 13+)
Timetable Supporting Access through funding:
Colours of Dance has a hardship fund in place to support families who are struggling financially to pay fees. This fund is supported by Cambridge City Council Active Lifestyles team, thanks to the generosity of funding by The Leys School Community Fund . Requests will be considered on an individual basis. Please contact The Principal confidentially if you wish to discuss your eligibility and funding options.
We also have a second hand cupboard for uniform items which are donated by parents & students. ALL students benefit from this, as anyone can ask if we have any item needed put by. Lots of people hand in uniform they have grown out of but which is still in good condition, and take the next size up. This is particularly helpful for shoes!
Rambert Grades
We have a strong tradition of contemporary movement at Colours of Dance, and we are delighted that examination results at the end of our first year of Rambert Grades have been strong. Rambert Grades offer our students (and us as teachers) an external development and process framework to stengthen the work we do, and also to offer a form of independent recognition of acheivement through assessment and examination. Miss Brittanie, Miss Beth and Miss Imogen have completed training in Rambert Grades 1-5, with Miss Claire and Miss Eleanor having completed training in the pre-school and primary levels.
Rambert Grades is a syllabus that is supportive for all forms of dance, (and paraphrasing) ... underpinning the basic foundations of movement, those being balance, core strength and flexibility, whilst also encouraging a creative spirit, independent thinking, freedom of expression and self-confidence. It is hoped that this work will support us in our efforts to grow and nurture creative skills and instincts, working from the inside rather than the outside. That is, considering how a movement feels as it comes from within us, rather than trying to reproduce or copy exactly someone else's movement.
The school year has seen us fully implment the grade structure in both the naming and training in specific classes and cohorts of students, so that we now have classe from Pre-Primary through to Grade 5 in our timetable. As with all examinations at Colours of Dance, participation in examinations is completely optional and will not affect a student's ability to develop, progress and move up as a dancer with us.
Term Dates
During half terms and holiday periods our phones will be unattended and any emails sent will be replied to in due course. So email or leave a message and we will get back to you when we have rested!
Please note that Outreach classes held at Kings College School, St John's College School, the Perse Pelican & the Perse Prep will run in line with the clubs term at these schools, and may vary from the main dance school term dates.
Term Dates 2025-2026
Autumn Term 2025: Saturday 6th September to Tuesday 16th December Half Term: 25th Oct to 2nd Nov (2 Saturdays)
Spring Term 2026: Wednesday 7th January to Friday 27th March Half Term: 14th Feb to 22nd Feb (2 Saturdays)
Summer Term 2026: Thursday 16th April to Saturday 11th July Half Term: 23rd May to 30th Jun (2 Saturdays)
Black Lives Matter
Every person at Colours of Dance believes Black Lives Matter.
We are committed to having a culture in our school that is safe and does not support, enable or turn a blind eye to discrimination of any kind. Decisions in any aspect of the school, whether they are about recruitment, costumes, uniform, exam or show participation or anything else, will be made after an open & transparent process has taken place and we will, at all times, seek to listen to individual feelings and need, learning and adapting as we do.We published 'An Ethos for a Dance Education’ some years ago. We are listening to and learning from the Black Lives Matter movement, and have returned to this document to ensure that our statement of ethics and the language used, is considerate to the black person’s experience. To read the Ethos in full, please click here: Notices - from Miss Imogen
We would be glad to hear from any person at any time who wishes to share their thoughts or experience about this issue.
The Mark of a Good Teacher
Dance schools form what the government terms an 'Out Of School Setting', and whilst these settings are not regulated, there are guidelines for good practice. These guidelines also include advice for what parents can look for in a quality provider.
You can find these guidelines here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-parents-and-carers-on-safeguarding-children-in-out-of-school-settings
It is important that you as parents know that your child is getting the best quality of teaching in a safe environment.
ISTD have created guidelines for parents and a poster for their members to show parents about these guidelines. The initiative is designed to reassure you that as reputable teachers and members of the ISTD, at Colours of Dance, we are doing our best to give you what we promised and also what is expected.
Here is a checklist for you to check that we are giving our best and following guidelines. If you click on either of these images, they will take you to the ISTD website where you may read more information.
All RAD teachers are required to know and abide by a Code of Professional Practice (you may read this here: RAD Code of Practice), re-affirming this each year at renewal of their teaching membership.
At Colours of Dance, we incorporate the standards that both these organisations have set as professional leaders in dance education, and we have a code of conduct for all our teachers and staff, in addition to the Ethos for the school, as written and set by our Principal, Miss Imogen. Staff meet formally regularly and talk constantly to each other, to try to ensure that however you experience Colours of Dance, you will receive an honest, professional and positive experience of dance. Our teachers have a variety of backgrounds, many of whom are registered with either or both the RAD and ISTD, or who qualified as teachers with other organisations. You can see detailed bios for each of our teachers on their pages: Teachers - Bios.
Please check back often for new notices.