Royal Academy of Dancing (Great Britain)

The first meeting of the Royal Academy of Dancing [R.A.D.], then the Association of Operatic Dancing of Great Britain, was held on December 31, 1920, with Mme. Adeline Genée as president, P.J.S. Richardson as secretary-treasurer, and a committee consisting of Phyllis Bedells, Madame Lucia Cormani, Edouard Espinosa, and Tamara Karsavina. King George V granted the academy a Royal Charter in 1935, and by Royal Command the title was changed to the Royal Academy of Dancing. The Royal Charter of Incorporation was signed on January 17, 1936. A Supplemental Charter was granted on November 15, 1948. The headquarters are in London, England.

The objectives of the R.A.D. are to improve the standard of classical ballet technique and to act a guardians of correct teaching standards, and to advance the art of the dance throughout Great Britain and the British Commonwealth. The academy was established as a non-profit organization which also promoted the teaching of Greek dance and the preservation of national dances. It has developped syllabi used by teachers and holds regular examinations. It also awards scholarships and medals to talented students and gives special lectures and post-graduate courses. There is a Teachers' Training Course designed for students wishing to teach but not to become professional dancers. The Royal Academy of Dancing Gazette is the official publication and is published quarterly.

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