Celebrating the Royal Academy of Dance at 100
The RAD has been inspiring the world to dance for a century, officially turning 100 on 31 December 2020.
To celebrate this landmark in our history, we planned a year-long programme of events and initiatives throughout 2020, leading up to that moment and focused on sharing our past, our present and our future with our global dance community. After a wonderful start to the year including our Summer Dance/Boys Dance workshops in Adelaide and a successful and inspiring Shaping Bodies, Shaping Minds conference in Melbourne, unfortunately, due to the outbreak of Coronavirus COVID-19 we had to press pause on our Centenary celebrations in Australia. Now we have reached our landmark officially and are able to resume activities once more, we are pleased to share with you how we plan to mark this milestone throughout 2021.
The Royal Academy of Dance at 100
Our centenary is an important time to recognise our roots, our achievements, our influence, and also to look to building our legacy. It is also the right time to show our gratitude to our dedicated membership and the part they have played in making the RAD the organisation, the authority, and even the family, that it has become.
Throughout 2021 we will continue to tell the story of the RAD, an organisation that has been teaching the world to dance for 100 years, through the stories, experiences and remarkable achievements, of our teachers, examiners and students from children through to adults and Silver Swans from around the world.
Photo: Dame Adeline Genée with Queen Mary and the Princess Royal at the Stoll Theatre, 1950.
RAD milestones
Travel through the decades and discover RAD’s milestone events throughout its 100-year history.
My #RADFamily
RAD Voices
On Point: Royal Academy of Dance at 100
RAD Trivia
Centenary Merchandise
RAD Australia Centenary Medal
To commemorate the Royal Academy of Dance teaching the world to dance and supporting young dancers’ development for 100 years RAD Australia will introduce the Centenary Medal. The Centenary Medal will be awarded to the dancer who demonstrates exceptional artistry and performance for an audience. To find out more about the criteria and which events will incorporate the Centenary Medal discover more here.
A commemorative book
We are publishing a new book, Royal Academy of Dance: Celebrating 100 Years. This commemorative volume, released in December 2019, charts the history of the RAD, providing an overview of the Academy’s accomplishments up until the present, along with a sense of its plans for the future. Containing stunning archival and contemporary photographs, this is a fabulous celebration of exams, training, events and competitions, and the many personalities associated with the RAD over the years. Purchase your copy here
Join Our Celebrations
If you would like to know more about our centenary plans, or would like to be a part of them as a participant, sponsor or volunteer please contact Nichola Hall National Marketing and Communications Manager on marketing@rad.org.au. We’d also love to hear more about your own plans to mark the milestone.