Alina Cojocaru is one of the great ballerinas of her generation – her Giselle, Odette-Odile and Manon bring those complex, anguished characters to life. This deep dive of a conversation offers a rare chance to hear a dancer at the peak of their profession discuss the ways in which art works on both artist and audience. Now a freelance dancer, Alina can shape her own artistic path. She founded her own production company, ACWorkroom, and is currently guesting with London City Ballet – and tells us about creating character, mining emotion and sharing it with an audience.Alina Cojocaru CBE is a former Principal of the Royal Ballet and English National Ballet. After studying at the Royal Ballet School she joined the Kiev Ballet in Ukraine as a principal dancer and then the Royal Ballet, being promoted to Principal aged 19, in 2001. In 2013 she joined English National Ballet, where lead roles included Akram Khan’s acclaimed reimagining of Giselle. Her numerous awards include Best Female Dancer at the 2002 Critic’s Circle Awards and the 2004 and 2012 Benois de la Danse awards. A permanent Guest Artist with John Neumeier’s Hamburg Ballet, Alina dances as a guest artist with the world’s foremost ballet companies.Alina’s company ACWorkroom https://www.alinacojocaru.com/London City Ballet (Alina performs in Oxford, Bath, Birmingham and at Sadler's Wells in London) https://londoncityballet.com/production/momentum/#tour-datesWhy Dance Matters is a dance podcast featuring inspiring conversations with extraordinary people from the world of dance and beyond. Hosted by David Jays, editor of Dance Gazette, this podcast explores how dance shapes lives and why it matters to us all. Brought to you by the RAD, which inspires the world to dance, these insightful stories will surprise and delight. Tune in and discover more on our website. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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S10 E10: Robert Pranzatelli / Pilobolus
We take a deep dive into a single dance company – the tumbling, twisty, transporting Pilobolus – through the eyes of Robert Pranzatelli, who has written a wonderfully involving book about the company and its work. Pilobolus began in 1971, at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. It grew out of dance classes held at the then all-male university, and soon found a following in the US and beyond – one early description of their work was Dr Seuss meets Monty Python. Seeing them perform also changed Robert Pranzatelli’s life, as he tells us.Robert Pranzatelli is the author of a number of essays published by the Paris Review and other literary journals, and a longtime staff member of Yale University Press. His book Pilobolus: A Story of Dance and Life is published by the University Press of Florida.Robert’s book: https://www.ubcpress.ca/pilobolusPilobolus in New York: https://pilobolus.org/tour-dates/2025/the-joyce"Why Dance Matters" is a dance podcast featuring inspiring conversations with extraordinary people from the world of dance and beyond. Hosted by David Jays, editor of Dance Gazette, this podcast explores how dance shapes lives and why it matters to us all. Brought to you by the RAD, which inspires the world to dance, these insightful stories will surprise and delight. Tune in and discover more on our website. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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S10 E9: Amir Nizar Zuabi
Amir Nizar Zuabi is artistic director of The Herds – an astonishing work of cardboard and imagination, which is sweeping northwards from Africa. The lifesize puppets of The Herds are given dazzling life by teams of puppeteers, drawing attention to climate emergency as the animals look for home in a changing world. Amir previously directed The Walk, where a 12-foot puppet girl sought refuge, greeted by dance and music wherever she went – these projects inspire art as well as empathy. Amir’s own journey is also remarkable – a Palestinian-Israeli director now working on an almost unimaginable scale. Amir Nizar Zuabi is an award-winning playwright and director. He was the founding Artistic Director of ShiberHur Theater Company, an Associate Director of the Young Vic Theatre, a member of the United Theaters Europe for artistic achievement, and an alumni of the Sundance Institute Theatre Program. Following his work on The Walk, in 2022 he took up the role of Artistic Director of The Walk Productions Limited. Alongside many writing credits, he has directed productions at Flanders Opera, Edinburgh International Festival, Bouffes du Nord and Royal Shakespeare Company. The Herds https://www.theherds.org/ The Herds on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/the__herds/ Why Dance Matters is a dance podcast featuring inspiring conversations with extraordinary people from the world of dance and beyond. Hosted by David Jays, editor of Dance Gazette, this podcast explores how dance shapes lives and why it matters to us all. Brought to you by the RAD, which inspires the world to dance, these insightful stories will surprise and delight. Tune in and discover more on our website. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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S10 E8: Angela Rippon
When it comes to youthful spirit, Angela Rippon is unmatchable. Angela is a journalist and broadcaster, who 50 years ago this year became the BBC’s first regular female newsreader. But dance has also defined her career. She caused a sensation in 1976 as a high-kicking guest on the Morecambe and Wise Christmas show, and in 2023, at 79, she took part in tv’s Strictly Come Dancing, almost reaching the final. Still an enthusiastic dancer, she’s an ambassador for the RAD’s Silver Swans programme and founder of Let’s Dance – an untiring advocate for the benefits of ballet in wellbeing.Angela Rippon is an award-winning journalist, TV presenter, newsreader and author, whose career spans over 50 years. She’s had a groundbreaking career, hitting many milestones, and has presented a diverse array of television programmes. After becoming a reporter at the BBC, she transitioned to the role of newsreader in 1975. She has since presented numerous notable shows, and in 1988 became the host of the predecessor to Strictly Come Dancing –taking part in the competition herself in 2023. She is Ambassador for the RAD’s Silver Swans programme and founder of Let’s Dance.Why Dance Matters is a dance podcast featuring inspiring conversations with extraordinary people from the world of dance and beyond. Hosted by David Jays, editor of Dance Gazette, this podcast explores how dance shapes lives and why it matters to us all. Brought to you by the RAD, which inspires the world to dance, these insightful stories will surprise and delight. Tune in and discover more on our website Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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S10 E7: Christina Ho
Christina S Ho, Professor of Law at Rutgers University, is deeply engaged in questions around access to healthcare, law and governance – but is also a lover of ballet. We relish enriching conversations with non-dancers on Why Dance Matters, and Christina who not only cherishes her time in ballet class, but also sees ballet as a model for civil society. Issues around the right to health or the rule of law aren’t quiet questions in today’s United States – are Christina’s ballet classes a sanctuary from the onrush of turbulent headlines?Christina S Ho is Professor of Law at Rutgers University. She previously held senior roles at the China Health Law Initiative at Georgetown University Law Center, and on the Clinton Foundation’s China program. During the Clinton Administration, she worked on the Domestic Policy Council at the White House and later led Senator Hillary Clinton’s health legislative staff. Her book, Normalizing an American Right to Health, was published last year by Oxford University Press.Christina at Rutgers https://law.rutgers.edu/christina-s-hoChristina’s book https://academic.oup.com/book/45833Why Dance Matters is a dance podcast featuring inspiring conversations with extraordinary people from the world of dance and beyond. Hosted by David Jays, editor of Dance Gazette, this podcast explores how dance shapes lives and why it matters to us all. Brought to you by the RAD, which inspires the world to dance, these insightful stories will surprise and delight. Tune in and discover more on our website. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Why Dance Matters is a series of conversations with extraordinary people from the world of dance and beyond. It traces the impact of dance on their lives and asks why dance matters to them – and why it might matter to us all. The RAD inspires the world to dance, and we hope these insightful personal conversations – hosted by David Jays, editor of Dance Gazette, the RAD magazine – will delight and even surprise you. Find out more on our website > https://www.royalacademyofdance.org/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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