The RAD is justly proud of its geographical reach. It has members in over 80 countries, and holds exams in almost 70. Sending examiners out across the world isn’t easy – it may involve long distance travel or out-of-city locations – but I’ve learned that the Academy is cheerfully committed to sending examiners to even hard-to-access schools across the globe.

Intrigued by these conversations, I wondered: where in the world would we find the most northerly location for RAD exams? And what about the most southerly? Could we also throw in east and west? (I know that these are moveable concepts, depending on where you start – but I’m typing this on a grey London morning, coffee in hand and cat snoozing beside me, so this currently represents the cosy centre of my universe.)

The RAD is justly proud of its geographical reach. It has members in over 80 countries, and holds exams in almost 70. Sending examiners out across the world isn’t easy – it may involve long distance travel or out-of-city locations – but I’ve learned that the Academy is cheerfully committed to sending examiners to even hard-to-access schools across the globe.

Intrigued by these conversations, I wondered: where in the world would we find the most northerly location for RAD exams? And what about the most southerly? Could we also throw in east and west? (I know that these are moveable concepts, depending on where you start – but I’m typing this on a grey London morning, coffee in hand and cat snoozing beside me, so this currently represents the cosy centre of my universe.)

Requests were made, emails sent and patient national directors offered coordinates for their furthest flung schools. We have identified four schools in four very different countries – and asked the writer Natasha Tripney to chat to four teachers about what makes their schools unique, and why holding RAD exams is so important to them.

That isn’t the only way in which the RAD touches dancing lives. This issue also explores ballet for tinies and how the RAD, like the profession at large, is rethinking who can dance on and off pointe. We also meet Delhi’s street orphans, an advocate for art as healthcare, and the artist who has made Elphaba, Glinda and all the munchkins dance – Christopher Scott, choreographer of Wicked.

David Jays
Editor