Barbara Peters, a life-enhancing RAD teacher from Yorkshire, has been teaching for over 60 years. She has travelled the world as an RAD examiner, and continued teaching throughout the pandemic over Zoom, attracting some devoted international students. A couple of years ago, in her 80s, she passed the RAD’s Grade 7 and 8 exams, attracting much media interest, and has now been recognised by a fellowship of the RAD and the British Empire Medal. Dance is crucial to the way she approaches the world: we are proud to be her first podcast interview.About Barbara PetersBorn in Huddersfield, Barbara Peters began her dance journey over 75 years ago when she had her first RAD ballet class, at the age of nine. Between 1948 and 1950, she passed Grades 1 to 5 all with Honours, as it was then. In 1954, after passing Intermediate, she became a full member of RAD. Following an audition to attend the RAD teachers’ training course, she became a student in 1956. In 1957, she passed Advanced and the next year, she was elected Senior Student. She then moved to Italy to help establish the RAD Children’s Ballet in Education syllabus there.Barbara has been teaching dance for 66 years and at the age of 80, passed Grades 7 and 8, and Discovering Repertoire, all with Merit. In 2022, Barbara was named in the New Year’s Honours list as a recipient of the British Empire Medal for services to dance.Find out more about Silver Swans for over 55s: https://bit.ly/3pJiOX6Learn more about Discovering Repertoire: https://bit.ly/37buiw3Find your nearest RAD teacher: https://bit.ly/3EW4L6xFind out more about RAD exams: https://bit.ly/34jJdDcFollow the RAD on social media, and join the conversation with host David JaysInstagram @royalacademyofdanceFacebook @RoyalAcademyofDanceTwitter @RADheadquartersYouTube / royalacademydanceDavid Jays @mrdavidjaysSign up to our mailing list: https://bit.ly/3frWPh9RAD is an independent educational charity and does not receive regular government funding. Every penny we make goes back into the work we do. You can support us by either naming a seat as part of our Name A Seat Campaign: https://bit.ly/3fnxEwm or make a donation: https://bit.ly/3bxA6z5 Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.