Dance, musical theatre, acting and more! Find out what PAA is all about.
Performance Arts Awards (PAA) are industry-led qualifications to support you on your journey from beginner to Diploma.
These syllabuses are designed to support students to develop the skills and confidence needed to excel in the industry. Exams can be performed either face-to-face or via video. If you're doing a performance for your exam, the examiner will come to you at a time that's convenient - all you need is a space for the performance, technical skills demonstration, and discussion.
The suite of syllabuses includes:
- Musical Theatre
- Street Dance
- Jazz Dance
- Public Speaking
- Acting
- Screen Acting
Teachers and learners alike are supported with an abundance of helpful tools that are almost all FREE! That includes all PAA syllabuses plus supporting resources and examples of steps and syllabus content.
If you're doing a dance or MT exam, your whole cohort could do their exam in the same staged performance. This can be as part of your show run, a dress rehearsal, or a completely separate run through for the Examiner. Do a show, a soiree, or showcase, or something of your own invention - as long as the candidates demonstrate the syllabus requirements, your creativity is the only limitation.
These syllabuses are a fabulous pathway into the industry, and will help you develop skills that will set you up for life. Unlock doors with the power to communicate confidently, clearly, and effectively - a highly sought-after ability for a career anywhere!
What does an exam involve?
That depends on which syllabus you choose. Each will include a performance element as well as relevant components such as technical skill demonstrations, and discussions about character, prose, or warm up routines. In each case, the free syllabus clearly sets out the requirements for each grade, including breakdown of weighting , expectations of knowledge, and skill level.
I have a group of students who are of mixed abilities. Do they all have to do the same grade?
Not at all. For a Musical Theatre exam, your cast could be composed of every different grade! The Examiner will assess each against the relevant syllabus criteria. The only thing to remember is that the whole cast needs to specialise in the same area - singing, dancing OR acting - for the technical skill demonstration.
Do I have to register as a teacher, or pay subs to access syllabuses or teach the material?
Nope. We love how accessible these syllabuses are and how easy it is for your and your students to get involved and earn qualifications. Even the dance syllabuses don't require teacher registration or annual subs. The only thing you'll pay is the exam fee for your students. Syllabuses are free to download, as are the majority of supporting resources.
What resources are available?
The UK Rockschool website (the parent behind the syllabuses) has lots of resources for all syllabuses and the majority are free to access. That includes the syllabuses themselves, exemplars of selected grades (Public Speaking), suggested audio and dance style example videos (Street Dance freestyle), and even specially adapted musicals for schools and youth casts.
How is PAA Musical Theatre different to the AMEB Musical Theatre syllabus?
These are both great syllabuses and work brilliantly as a complementary sets of goals. The AMEB syllabus is purely a singing syllabus in the MT genre. The PAA syllabus assesses the triple threat - singing, acting, and dancing - in a staged setting. If singing is your passion, or if you want to build those skills to match your others, the AMEB syllabus will be a great tool to help you with focussed development.
Can I use a PAA exam toward an AMEB Award?
You certainly can! In fact, if you're like many people who love the performing arts, you're probably doing a lot toward achieving your next AMEB Award already! All AMEB exams from Grade 3 upwards - that includes PAA, Rockschool, Classical music, and Speech and Drama - could go towards an AMEB Award. Find out more about this brilliant program that rewards and recognises achievement in the performing arts here.
Can I get TCE bonus points for a PAA exam?
Yes you can! And that goes for any AMEB exam, including all Rockschool and PAA syllabuses. In fact, all practical exams are eligible for TCE bonus points from Grade 4 onwards, as well as Theory Grade 2+.
When can I do a PAA exam?
Any time! Convenience is at the heart of these exams. Regardless of whether you do a face-to-face or video (Recorded Digital) exam, they're available year-round. Head to SCORE to enrol today or contact our friendly team in the AMEB Federal Office to have a chat.
I have more questions.
That's great! We'd love to help with those. Please feel free to browse the other great sources of information on our website or get in touch to find out more.
