The Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) is the world's leading dance examinations board. Formed in 1904 it is today a registered educational charity and is the only organization that covers the full spectrum of dance examinations on a truly global scale.

The ISTD's chief objective is 'to educate the public in the art of dancing in all its forms'. To achieve this, the ISTD works in four main ways:

to promote knowledge of dance

to maintain and improve teaching standards

to qualify, by examination, teachers of dancing in the ISTD's specialist techniques taught by our 10,000 members in schools of dancing throughout the world

to provide, through its syllabi, techniques upon which to train dancers for the profession.

To this end, the ISTD's syllabi are kept up-to'date and teachers are encouraged to learn the new material. The ISTD provides a wide number of courses, summer schools and congresses to assist them in this.

Each year upwards of 250,000 people are examined, for whom we provide grade examinations and medal tests to assess their proficiency.

In 1924 the ISTD had grown to such a size that it was decided to create a number of Faculties, each dealing with a different aspect of the dance. Originally three in number, these now number twelve. Today, the structure is based on three levels: Faculty Committees, Faculty Boards and Administrative Council.







Zelia Raye was a dynamic pioneer of dance in the 1920s. Her article Limbering and Stretching, which appeared in the Dancing Times (1927) and her book Rational Limbering, offered a revoltionary approach to dancing. As a result of Raye's ideas the ISTD established the Stage Branch (later to become the Modern Theatre Faculty) in 1932 and invited Zelia Raye to create the first syllabus.

Modern Theatre Dance defies a single permanent definition. This is largely due to its ability to adapt, develop and evolve with the changing fashion in dance. Through a carefully planned and well-tried examination syllabus, which combines modern dance, jazz and other dance styles, young people are trained to become disciplined and versatile dancers who have a professional attitude towards dance.

A series of examinations has been created from children's grades through to professional teaching qualifications. The children's work is based on natural movements: walking, running, jumping and skipping. It is designed to encourage an imaginative and rapid response from beginners. The Jazz Awards provide a basic grounding in modern jazz, and are ideal for the late beginner or as a recreational course of movement. Boys' work has been developed to meet increasing demand for modern dance training for boys.

Students who have completed examinations Intermediate and up can receive credits through their High School towards graduation.







The glossary and tap technique were originally compiled by the founder Zelia Raye for what was then known, in 1932, as the Stage Branch. The work was developed and adapted further by Janet Cram and Tom Parry, Marjorie Davies, Gwen Carter and Moyra Gay, whose publications Modern Tap Technique and The Basic Technique of Tap are the standard text books.

Apart from being an essential skill for the professional dancer, tap dance is one of the most enjoyable and rhythmic forms of recreational dance. The work of the Faculty reflects this by providing extensive syllabi for the amateur market in addition to the children's and professional syllabi.

The Faculty offers a series of examinations from Children's grades through to professional teaching qualifications. The grade and the major syllabi were revised in the 1980s to reflect the influence of American Tap on British Musical Theatre.

Students who have completed examinations Intermediate and up can receive credits through their High School towards graduation.







The Education and Training Department of the ISTD was established in December 2002 as a way of supporting the continuous professional development of its members, as well as offering an advice service to dancers who would like to join the Society and become teachers themselves. This includes the following;

Advising current teachers and new students of the teaching qualifications progression route.

Arranging and administering continuous professional development in the form of Tutor Training, APL refresher courses, summer and Easter courses, and the residential summer schools.

Advising students and parents on schools and teachers in their local area Accrediting current teachers prior learning (APL) Implementing the accredited teaching qualifications and associated material.

Assisting schools/colleges to become Approved Dance Centers to deliver the accredited teaching qualifications and supporting their delivery of such.

Registering and certificating candidates for the accredited teaching qualifications.

Administer the written units of the accredited teaching qualifications.