Sonia Brown is an award-winning RAD teacher in Berkshire, UK. The RAD’s Silver Swans programme, aimed at people aged 55 and over, struck a chord with her. Her mother was Sonia’s first student, and the classes have grown into a warm and inclusive community of dancers: they even threw her a surprise hen party when she got married. And in 2025 Sonia won the People’s Choice Award at the One Dance UK Awards. But how do you release the joy of dance among people who may not have danced for decades, or have never danced before?
Sonia’s dance classes: https://www.withsoniabrown.com/
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.
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