I've just waved my eight-year-old daughter off as she goes to her ballet exam. She seems ok about it! There's a lot of debate about whether exams in the performing arts are valuable or not, and I've heard plenty of stories, maybe exaggerated, maybe not, about 'nightmare' experiences when taking grade 2 trumpet or whatever it might be.
Are these exams valuable or just unnecessary suffering brought on by over zealous teachers and pushy parents? Well, in my opinion, it really depends on what you think the point of them are.
I think exams in performing arts have a lot of value, and a lot of point. If you act, dance, sing or play an instrument then presumably you are doing it to give pleasure to yourself and, most importantly, others. You are an entertainer, a story-teller, you provide an opportunity for escapism, a suspension of reality, you are an ARTIST.
It doesn't matter if you are performing for 3000 people in the Royal Albert Hall or Granny and Grandad on a Sunday after lunch, you are doing the same thing.
Artists perform for people. They act, sing, dance and play in front of people who watch them. Not wanting to do this is like deciding to become a vet so long as it doesn't involve animals. Exams can be scary, nerve-wracking, they can go well and they can go badly. Examiners can be lovely, warm people, and they can be cold and heartless.
In my view, exams provide experience, in handy bite-sized chunks, of performing under pressure, which is what every artist chooses to do. Of course they are also indicators of progress, targets.
You might disagree or agree - feel free to comment!
