If you have been wondering how well you dance and would like to take a short course (just five hours) to help sharpen your performance and identify those little places where you still aren’t quite perfect, then the DAA is for you. If you’ve taken all the Medal Tests and want a greater challenge, once you are 12 years of age you can move on to take the DAA.
What is the DAA?
Previously known as the Dancing Proficiency Award, this dancing assessment scheme was relaunched as the “Dancing Achievement Award”. In response to requests from groups, the E&T Committee decided to open the DAA at all levels to all dancers looking to develop their personal dancing, not just those who are RSCDS members. We hope this will encourage more dancers to take part, and may even inspire some to join the RSCDS.
The Dancing Achievement Award is an opportunity for dancers to work with a course tutor and have a personal critique of their dancing. It is also a chance for those who are thinking of taking the RSCDS teaching qualifications to have their dancing assessed in preparation for Unit 2.
Where can I take the DAA?
DAA courses are run by the worldwide network of Branches and are also available at our annual Summer School in St. Andrews.
"If you're keen to take the DAA encourage your friends to do it too!"
Branches require at least six participants to hold a DAA course and assessment (plus two more people to make up a set if there are only six taking the DAA) and Summer School will only hold their advertised DAA courses if enough people participate.
What level is right for me?
There are three levels: Intermediate, Advanced and Very Advanced.
watch different levels of dAA Dances performed
The dances set for each level become progressively more challenging and are aimed to extend the dancers’ knowledge, while bringing together dances published in early RSCDS books with those in more recent publications. Find out more by looking at the syllabus and guidelines in the forms and documents section below.
In assessing participants, feedback has been taken from tutors and assessors, as well as those who have undertaken this award, and a revised assessment sheet is now in place. The pass mark for all levels is exactly 50%, with an emphasis on achieving positive marks for elements of technique.
Additional formations will be seen as single 8-bar phrases so that the amount of work is manageable in the five hours that it is suggested the course should last, and dancers will know what is expected at the assessment. Look at the assessment forms to see for yourself what is involved.
Associated fees
| Category | RSCDS member price | Non-RSCDS member price |
| Adult rate | £20.00 | £25.00 |
| Youth rate (25 and under) | £16.00 | £20.00 |
Financial assistance may be available for you to participate in a DAA course and assessment or to your Branch to hold a course; please see the scholarships page for more information.
Forms and documents
For further information or help with anything on this page please contact the RSCDS Office at: info@rscds.org
The DAA has been updated from October 2019.
Please find an updated syllabus and further information below:
This tells teachers and organisers:
- The DAA’s aims
- The logistics of organising a DAA course and assessment, including minimum numbers; deadlines; forms and other paperwork to complete; people, places and equipment to provide
- The conduct of the assessment
- Fees, costs and provisions for cancellation
- What HQ provides
It tells the dancers:
- What they need to do in advance – send in the forms; acquire the syllabus and the Manual; learn the dances and formations
- What the 5-hour course involves
- Details of the assessment process
- Fees, costs and provisions for cancellation
It does not provide information on provisions made for those suffering from disabilities or impairment. For more detailed information please see the Guidelines for Assessors.
The DAA syllabus has been updated from October 2019.
Forms
These forms enable you to see exactly what the assessors are looking for and at, and so how they arrive at their assessment of the quality of your dancing.
Additional documents for Assessors
Application Forms
For Dancers:
For Organisers/Course Teachers:
Examples of disability / impairment / disadvantage include deafness, limb impairment, dyslexia, temporary injury; also if English if your second language.
Dancers suffering any disability or impairment at the time of the DAA test must:
- Contact both the organiser and the course teacher to discuss this
- Ensure that this information is entered on the document DAA - 10 List of Dancers
- Ensure that the course teacher provides this information to the Assessors on their arrival
