I . S . T . D
The "Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing" (I.S.T.D.) is the world's leading dance examination board. Formed in 1904, it is today a registered educational charity and is the only organisation that covers the full spectrum of dance examinations on a truly global scale.
The 'Imperial Society of Dance Teachers' (as it was first known) was formed on the 25th July 1904 at the Hotel Cecil in Covent Garden, London. A council of management was formed under the presidency of Robert Morris Crompton.
In 1906 the first Congress of the I.S.T.D. was held. These technical schools lasted eight days and were attended by forty-two members. Congresses have been held ever since, with the exception of the war years 1915-1917.
In September 1907 the first issue of 'Dance Journal' was published and in 1909 Major Cecil H Taylor succeeded Robert Morris Compton as President. By 1913 the I.S.T.D. consisted of 132 members with a cash balance of £104!
The development of the I.S.T.D. was restricted during and after World War One and it wasn't until 1924 that the foundations of the present structure of the I.S.T.D. were established by the formation of the Branches (now Faculties). By 1930 the number of members had passed 2000. 1925 saw a change of name to 'The Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing'.
As well as the Operatic and General, new branches were formed to deal with the following techniques: Modern Ballroom Dancing; Classical; Classical Ballet Cecchetti Method; Greek Dance - Ruby Ginner Method; Natural Movement - Madge Atkinson Method. In 1931 the Stage Branch was formed to provide a basic training for all dance and embraced specialist stage techniques. The expansion as a result of this was immense. By 1935 membership had risen to 3000 and by 1938 reached 4000.
Upon the outbreak of War, the activities of the I.S.T.D. were greatly reduced but did not cease. The Dance Journal was suspended, but a quarterly bulletin was published. Subscriptions were reduced and a smaller administrative Council appointed. Restricted examinations, Annual Congresses and General Meetings continued.
In 1945 the I.S.T.D. became an Incorporated body. The special licence granted by the Board of Trade was a recognition of the I.S.T.D.'s stability. On Major Taylor's retirement in 1945, Mr Victor Silvester became Chairman, the Administrative status of President having been discontinued on Incorporation. In 1953 the Grand Council of the I.S.T.D. were formed. This was composed of people eminent in the Arts World.
On his retirement in 1958, Mr Cyril Beaumont became Chairman and the status of President became an honorary one, Mr Silvester the first elected to office.
As the profession expanded in the post-war years, it became apparent that the teachers' need for an authoritative and comprehensive syllabus in each technique could be best supplied by the formation of specialist branches (now called Faculties) in each form of dance, and the precedent established in the reorganisation of 1924 was followed by the creation of the remaining branches of the I.S.T.D: Victorian and Sequence Dance Branch, 1948; Latin American Dance Branch, 1951; Historical Dance Branch, 1952 and Scottish Country Dance Branch 1953. The Disco/Freestyle/Rock'n'Roll Faculty was formed in 1990. It caters for the forms of social dance suggested by the creative freedom of popular music.
The South Asian Dance Faculty formed in 1998 is the most recent addition to the I.S.T.D.
To find out more about the history of the I.S.T.D. visit: www.istd.org