Updates for members

Anatomy & Physiology exam
We want to remind members to send the request form and completed application form to the Head Office 6-8 weeks before the preferred examination date (as per the information on the application form). The reason for this is that we are unable to email question papers out; they must be posted in a sealed envelope, as it is a regulated examination. Therefore, we need enough time to ensure the application can be processed and papers posted in plenty of time. We cannot accommodate last-minute requests, and these will be refused.

Processing times
We no longer prioritise sessions by presentation date and have not done so since the pandemic. Sessions are processed strictly in date, then session number order. Members are advised to wait until they have received their awards before scheduling their presentations. In peak periods, processing times can reach 8 weeks from the date of the examination. In off-peak periods, we aim for 4 weeks from the date of the examination.

Contact information at IDTA
Please do not email e.percy@idta.co.uk, g.feo@idta.co.uk, t.davenhill@idta.co.uk or r.smith@idta.co.uk as they are no longer in use and will not respond to any emails.

For the official contact information, please use our list available here.

Updating contact information
To ensure you receive all of our email communications, please avoid using role‑based email addresses—those linked to a job title or department rather than a specific person (examples: such as admin@, info@, support@). These inboxes are often shared, change owners frequently, or become inactive. Because messages sent to these types of addresses are more likely to go undelivered or be flagged by email systems, platforms like Mailchimp prevent them from being added to mailing lists.

Presentation dates
Please remember that you should only schedule a presentation once you’ve received confirmation that the awards have been dispatched to you. You can always track progress via the Section Progress page in the Members Area.

Award price update
The 2nd Gold Bar award price has been updated across Ballroom, Freestyle and Theatre.
  
Important information regarding examinations
Please ensure your 2026 membership subscription is paid before submitting your request. Without a paid membership, we can’t allocate examiners.
Before requesting any examinations, please refer to the availability calendar, which is updated regularly on the website.
Request forms must be fully completed before submission; we cannot accept blank or incomplete request forms. Please ensure details of your exams are fully completed, including the levels of exams and the times you wish the exam to run from and to. This will ensure a smooth process when allocating Examiners.
Please avoid mailing examination requests, as postal issues may cause significant delays.
All UK examination requests must be submitted to: ukexaminationrequests@idta.co.uk.
All Overseas examination requests must be submitted to: overseasexaminationrequests@idta.co.uk.
The Examinations department is unable to secure exam dates over the phone. A request form must always be submitted.
Professional applications, including Level 4 and Level 3, must be submitted with the request form or at least one week after the request form. Please email these to the relevant email address:
Professionals (Associates, Licentiates, and Fellowships): professionalapplications@idta.co.uk
Level 4 Applications – level4@idta.co.uk
Level 3 Applications – level3@idta.co.uk
All Professionals and Level 4 exam fees must be paid before the exam. We are unable to allocate an Examiner for these exams until payment has been made.
Reasonable adjustments must be submitted to reasonableadjustments@idta.co.uk 6-8 weeks before the exam session. Please ensure this is fully completed and submitted for every exam. We do not keep previous applications due to GDPR and the sensitivity of the information.

Acrobatic Dance

Acrobatic First Steps is now available. Anyone entering candidates, ensure you use the First Steps report forms.

Please note that there should be no hold release during any Ballroom Dance Award from One Dance onwards. The only holds permissible with a partner are: Ballroom Hold, Promenade Position, Fallaway.

Freestyle examinations – number of students allowed

Please note that the maximum number of students that can take a Freestyle examination is 5 (not 8). This information will be updated in the next reprint of syllabi.

Examinations: To conduct an examination session a minimum level of fees is required. The fees for each daily session must amount to a minimum of £425 for an in-person exam session or £225 for a live stream exam session. A surcharge will be applied for sessions which do not reach the minimum session fee.

Ballroom & Theatre updated code books are now available for download: Theatre Code book | Ballroom Code book

Online exams: Please ensure all exam videos are labelled with the candidates’ names.

Examiner timetables: all teachers please remember to send examiner timetables before the session and confirm the venue location.

Our First Steps has no upper age limit.

The minimum age for Junior Dance Awards and One Dance examinations is 5 years old.

Minimum pass mark & marking professional exams: From the 1st of January 2026, candidates must have gained a pass mark (39) in the technique box on all professional exams, Level 4 – Fellowship.

Theatre Craft: In professional examinations, Associate, Level 4 Diploma, Licentiate and Fellowship Amalgamations currently in Module 2 are now transferred to Module 3 with immediate effect. For examiners only – If the candidate has already prepared amalgamations, then please accept in either module.

Ballet: The Pre-Juvenile Award examination is no longer in existence; this has been replaced by First Steps. From September 2025, candidates will be required at the examiner’s discretion to show individual steps from the glossary in Grades 1-3. Advanced 1 Ballet: The Examiner will see either Set Adage 1 or 2. Advanced 1 Ballet: The examiner will see either Batterie Study A or B. Advanced 2: Boys Allegro Warm Up it is the Italian Temps de cuisse. Level 4 Unit 3: The candidates should remain in the room when setting up their class.

Theatre syllabus: upper age limits have been removed from all Rosettes, Stardance and First Steps awards.

Musical Theatre: New Musical Theatre Acting Award Gold Bar 2 and 3 will be available for examination from the 1st of September (2025).

Examinations:

• It was discussed and agreed that, where needed, different levels of students can go in for exams together to make classes work. For example, bronze and silver teams/ Mixed Stages would have to demonstrate their required exercises and then come together for the group’s performance.
• It was decided that this year was the FINAL year the Musical Theatre Committee will accept vocal numbers for consideration for the Musical Theatre Awards.
• Entries for the 2026 Musical Theatre Awards without movement in their musical theatre performance, however good, will not be accepted.

Please see a reference to a snippet of the syllabus here:

Musical Theatre Performance

This is a theatrical piece and must be a balanced performance of the three skills, acting, singing and movement.

Stardance Awards (Theatre only) – Eight new awards added: two Ballet, two Tap, two CMJ and two Theatre Craft. The syllabus will be available from September, and exams will be available from October.

Musical Theatre Acting Awards – We’ve added Gold Bars 2 and 3.

The Pre-Juvenile has been replaced by the First Steps examination.

Solo Demonstration changes for Licentiate and Fellowship in Ballroom and Latin: From September 1st this year, a change is being made to the Solo Demonstration for Licentiate and Fellowship in Ballroom and Latin. From the above date, examiners may include one Licentiate or Fellowship figure in the three-figure amalgamation to music, depending on the level being taken. However, please be aware that certain figures are not suitable for inclusion, particularly if the candidate is demonstrating as a lady. An example would be the Continuous Circular Hip Twist. If you have any queries, please contact a faculty member.

New Practice-Based Awards (Ballroom only) – Celebrating difference and inclusivity in your dance classes. They are for dancers with a physical disability or for those who are neurodiverse. The start date is the 1st of September, and all information will soon be available in the members’ area.

All professional Ballroom & Latin examinations (from 1st September 2025):

• Solo Demonstrations to Music: The three figures asked for by the Examiner will not be confined to the Associate syllabus.
• Pre-Associate & Associate: No change.
• Licentiate: 3 figures from the Licentiate/ Associate syllabus.
• Fellowship: 3 figures from the Fellowship/ Licentiate/ Associate syllabus.

American Smooth Professional examinations: coming soon for members already qualified in IDTA Professional Ballroom examinations, at the same level, for Licentiate and Associate qualifications. These are dance-based full examinations in the four American Smooth dances, Waltz, Tango, Foxtrot and Viennese Waltz. The technical information required is in the American Smooth Technique by Sehyoung Jang Ph.D.and Adele Jang Fellow (AKA: Dr Jang and Adele Don), which will be available from IDTA Sales. Full Professional Syllabus details will be available on the IDTA website, and further examinations are to be developed by the Ballroom Faculty. American Smooth Dance Awards for Amateurs are currently available and can be entered by any IDTA Ballroom Branch qualified teacher.

Upcoming new Latin Grades: We are currently developing Grades 6 and 7 in Latin American. These will allow students to take Grades that have UCAS points. More updates to come soon!

Solo Demonstration changes for Licentiate and Fellowship in Freestyle: From September 1st this year, a change has been made to the Solo Demonstration for Licentiate and Fellowship in Freestyle. From the above date, examiners may include one Licentiate or Fellowship figure in the three-figure amalgamation to music, depending on the level being taken. However, please be aware that any figures marked with an asterisk in the syllabus cannot be included. If you have any queries, please contact a faculty member.

New Freestyle report forms: Please do not use the old report forms, as they are not valid anymore. The new reports should be used for all Freestyle subjects i.e. Freestyle, Street Dance, Cheer Dance, Rock ’n’ Roll, Line Dancing, Belly Dancing and River Dance.

Cheer: Please remember that Cheer basics, Cheer stunt and Cheer ground-based are obsolete. Make sure you’re using the book “IDTA Cheer Dance Technique”, which can be purchased from IDTA Sales at shop.idta.co.uk (code: P334). The syllabus is available in the Freestyle Professional Syllabus (pages 40-45). The blue Cheer Technique Book (1998) is now obsolete and no longer used for examination purposes.

When studying for Street Dance examinations, please only use the new Street Dance syllabus (picture below) available from our shop (code: P337). Any older versions of the syllabus are outdated and no longer relevant.