Why Dance Matters

Our guest today is the choreographer Sonia Sabri – dance changed her life, and now she uses it to change others. Sonia grew up in Wolverhampton, UK, in a traditional Indian family. Unusually her parents supported her dancing: her dad hoped she might conquer Bollywood, but instead, she devoted herself to kathak, which helped her withstand disapproval and bullying. Alongside her international career, her teaching reinforces the power of sharing dance – building not just steps, but self-belief. Our conversation touches on mental health and domestic abuse – Sonia has helped students change their lives in ways she would never have predicted. Sonia Sabri MBE is a multi-award-winning dance artist, choreographer and movement director and Artistic Director of Sonia Sabri Company (SSC). One of the world’s leading Kathak dance artists, her work explores both the classical roots of Kathak and contemporary approaches, reflecting Western and Eastern cultures. In 2022, she was associate choreographer for Wondrous Stories, launching Birmingham Festival Commonwealth Games, and for the Opening Ceremony. SSC is an Associate Artist at Birmingham Hippodrome and Sonia is Creative Resident at Curve. Sonia Sabri Company https://ssco.org.uk/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.

Dr. Mark Broomfield is a dance scholar and artist, and the author of Black Queer Dance: Gay Men and the Politics of Passing for Almost Straight. Born in London, he has spent much of his career in New York, currently as Associate Professor of English and the Founder and Director of Performance as Social Change at SUNY Geneseo. He says his work is about “moving minds, moving bodies and moving souls” to advance transformational social change. We’ll ask about bodies, identity and change. Dr. Mark Broomfield is Associate Professor of English, Founder and Director of Performance as Social Change™ at SUNY Geneseo. The award-winning, London-born scholar and artist of Jamaican heritage has numerous publications on race, gender, sexuality, dance and ethnography, and he has lectured, choreographed and directed widely. His first book is Black Queer Dance: Gay Men and the Politics of Passing for Almost Straight (Routledge), while his forthcoming documentary Danced Out explores Black, gay male dancers in New York City.Mark’s website https://www.markbroomfield.org/Black Queer Dance https://www.routledge.com/Black-Queer-Dance-Gay-Men-and-the-Politics-of-Passing-for-Almost-Straight/Broomfield/p/book/9780367076351

We meet Elizabeth Honer – the RAD’s first female chief executive in its 106 year history – marking her first year in post. Elizabeth’s career in public service has included leadership roles in the UK’s Treasury and Foreign Office. But ballet has long been a passion, and Elizabeth first encountered the RAD when taking exams as a child. She returned to dance as a Silver Swan, the life-changing programme for older dance students. How do her values translate into leadership? Culture doesn’t stand still, so leaders must stay alert – how will the RAD develop on her watch?Elizabeth Honer has had a lifelong love of dance, starting her career at Sadler’s Wells and most recently through classes at RAD headquarters and as a member of the RAD’s Finance Committee, before being appointed Chief Executive of the RAD. She has had an illustrious career in public service, latterly as CEO of an HM Treasury commercial agency and a director at the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office, engaging at senior levels around the globe. Elizabeth was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours. 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.

Jamiel Devernay-Laurence has a dance brain, but also a business brain. Founder, artistic director and enthusiastic compere of the ever-growing series of Ballet Nights events, he has also created the production house Fundamentally Dance. Having danced with Scottish Ballet, Jamiel then parlayed his energy into Ballet Nights, taking its programmes of dance into big London venues like Cadogan Hall and the Ministry of Sound nightclub, and to international editions. New events are in the works, and Jamiel’s ballet evangelism knows no bounds – why shouldn’t ballet play the biggest stadiums? Jamiel Devernay-Laurence is an acclaimed creative arts producer, choreographer, filmmaker and entrepreneur. Through his production house, Fundamentally Dance, and the performance umbrella Ballet Nights, he curates and produces high-impact programmes of ballet and contemporary dance across the UK and beyond. A former Soloist with Scottish Ballet, he has earned critical acclaim and a nomination for the Innovation Award at the 2024 Stage Awards in recognition of his dynamic approach to developing exciting new ideas in performing arts. An Evening With Matthew Ball is at the Susie Sainsbury Theatre, London on 14 December: https://www.fundamentallydance.com/an-evening-with-matthew-ballBallet Nights New Year’s Day Concert is at Cadogan Hall, London: https://www.balletnights.com/new-years-dayWhy 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.

Here’s an unusual compliment: “Evie has amazing eyes that can emote both compassion and complete psychotic behaviour.” This is a director describing Evie Templeton, who at 16 stars in the hit Netflix series Wednesday. Evie brings her compassionate/psychotic presence to Agnes DeMille – stalker and ally of Wednesday Addams in the comic and macabre series. The character, named for the pioneering choreographer Agnes DeMille, even dances to an original number by Lady Gaga. Evie herself has a background in RAD ballet (her sister Jessica was a medallist at the RAD’s Genée competition). How has ballet shaped Evie’s approach to performing? Evie Templeton was born in Barbados and later moved to England. Aged 10, she played young Cosette and Eponine in Les Misérables in the West End. She made her film debut in Red, followed by roles in Life After Life, Disney’s Pinocchio and Lord of Misrule. As well as playing Agnes DeMille in Wednesday, she is due to appear in Return to Silent Hill. Wednesday on Netflix https://www.netflix.com/gb/title/81231974Why 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

Few classical singers embrace movement as vividly as the star countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo. He explores all the possibilities of a performing career, from opera to cabaret. His captivating high tones specialise in both early and modern operas: famously, in the testing title role of Philip Glass’ Akhnaten. Recent audacious projects include playing Maria Callas, and a solo Marriage of Figaro where he sang all the roles. As director of Opera Philadelphia he has attracted new audiences with a successful Pick Your Price ticket scheme. He’s an astonishing, eloquent advocate for the arts – including dance.Anthony Roth Costanzo began performing professionally aged 11 and has appeared in opera, concert, recital, film and on Broadway. In 2024, he became the General Director and President of Opera Philadelphia. He has appeared with many of the world’s leading opera houses and at a venues ranging from Carnegie Hall to Madison Square Garden. His most recent album is Anthony Roth Costanzo & Justin Vivian Bond: Only an Octave Apart, and he stars on the Metropolitan Opera’s Grammy award-winning recording of Akhnaten.Anthony’s website https://anthonyrothcostanzo.com/Opera Philadelphia https://www.operaphila.org/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.

To be artistic director of one of the world’s great ballet companies is a daunting task. But Tamara Rojo is accustomed to pressure: as Royal Ballet, artistic director of English National Ballet, and now of San Francisco Ballet (SFB), America’s oldest classical company. Tamara has the gift of making each programmes an event; the highlight of her first season at SFB was Mere Mortals, a ballet for the age of AI, which attracted a new audience to watch and party. We ask Tamara: how does she juggle all the demands of her role? And what is it like to lead a major arts organisation in modern America? Tamara Rojo is a celebrated leader and principal dancer who became Artistic Director of San Francisco Ballet in 2022. Previously, she was Artistic Director and Lead Principal of English National Ballet (ENB) for over 10 years, having also been principal dancer of the Royal Ballet. Her repertoire includes lead roles in all full-length ballet classics, as well as works by Balanchine, Robbins, Ashton and MacMillan. Her numerous awards include the Olivier Award for Best Achievement in Dance in 2017 and the Principe de Asturias Award in 2005. In 2016, she was awarded a CBE for services to dance. Listen to RAD's Why Dance Matters podcast now, available on all major listening platforms.

Today we enter the world of Strictly Come Dancing. The show is a phenomenon of British television, and our guest is the longest serving professional dancer on the series – the sparky Venezuelan-American dancer Karen Hauer. Karen spoke to us just before she learned her partner for the 2025 series would be the Team GB sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (aka Nitro from Gladiators) – but Karen tells us how she forges a partnership with a non-dancing celebrity, and about the pressures and pleasures of the iconic show. Karen Hauer is Strictly Come Dancing's longest standing professional dancer, starring in the show since 2012. Her partners have included Westlife's Nicky Byrne, The ‘Hairy Biker’ Dave Myers, Jeremy Vine, Will Young, Jayde Adams and Paul Merson. Previously, she was crowned 2008 World Mambo Champion, was a finalist on So You Think You Can Dance USA, and principal female dancer in the original Broadway cast of Burn The Floor and subsequent world tours. With Gorka Marquez, she created the successful shows Firedance and Speakeasy, on which she was Associate Choreographer and Associate Creative Producer. Karen’s Hauer Power website https://www.hauerpower.co.uk/homepageStrictly Come Dancing on BBC https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006m8dq 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.