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 as...
Valentino Zucchetti When Valentino Zucchetti won the gold medal at the Genée International Ballet Competition in 2006, Dance Gazette called him ‘dazzling’ and ‘above all, devastatingly charismatic.’ The Italian artist has brought those qualities as dancer with the Royal Ballet in London (especially in vivid roles like Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet, Lescaut in Manon and Lensky in Onegin), and an award-winning choreographer. Works like Scherzo, Anemoi and Jeunesse (created for the RAD’s Fonteyn competition in 2023) radiate a lyrical eye and a heartfelt response to music. As he prepares a premiere for the London Handel Festival, he discusses the rewards and challenges of his dual career. Valentino Zucchetti trained at La Scala and the Royal Ballet School and won the RAD’s 2006 Genée International Ballet Competition (now The Fonteyn) and the 2007 Solo Seal award. He danced with Zürich Ballet and Norwegian National Ballet before joining the Royal Ballet in 2010, promoted to First Soloist in 2014. He won the RBS’s Ursula Moreton Choreographic Award in 2005, and has created ballets for New English Ballet Theatre (Orbital Motion, Enticement’s Lure, Firth of Fifth, Into the Light) and the Royal Ballet, including Scherzo (South Bank Sky Arts Award for Dance) and Anemoi (Critic’s Circle National Dance Award). He created Jeunesse for The Fonteyn 2023. LINKShttps://www.london-handel-festival.com/show/2025-double-bill-tales-of-apollo-hercules/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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S10 E4: Takero Shimazaki
The architect Takero Shimazaki was born in Tokyo but is a longtime Londoner. He has designed many kinds of buildings – including the London home of the Royal Academy of Dance. It’s a warm, open, lovingly designed space and last year, the Royal Institute of British Architects gave it both an RIBA National Award and RIBA London Award, calling it “an uplifting, welcoming and inclusively safe place.” So how do you take a heritage organisation like the RAD and build it a 21st century home? An architect can shape the way bodies move through space, just like a choreographer – so we ask Takero why dance matters to him.Takero Shimazaki is an architect and a director of Takero Shimazaki Architects, t-sa. He studied at University of Wales, Cardiff and The Bartlett, UCL. He has worked for Richard Rogers Partnership, Itsuko Hasegawa and Alison and Peter Smithson, and is a lecturer in Architecture at the School of Art, Architecture and Design at London Metropolitan University.LINKShttps://www.t-sa.co.uk/https://www.ribaj.com/buildings/riba-awards-2024-london-south-west-royal-academy-of-dance-takero-shimazaki-architects-education-wandsworthhttps://www.royalacademyofdance.org/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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S10 E3: Vicki Igbokwe-Ozoagu
Vicki Igbokwe-Ozoagu is an inventive choreographer, an Olympic movement director and a very positive lifecoach. Her dance company Uchenna promises to Empower, Entertain & Educate, while she wants everyone she engages with to Think Fierce, Be Fabulous & Live Free Spirited. Sadler’s Wells in London are channelling that positive spirit, asking her to create Our Mighty Groove, a show that will open their brand new theatre in London’s Olympic Park – just minutes from where Vicki helped create the legendary opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics. Vicki tells us about taking her own advice, andhow she first got her groove on.Vicki Igbokwe-Ozoagu is the founder and joint CEO of Uchenna, an international touring dance company. Her work in theatre as a choreographer and movement director includes productions at Leeds Playhouse, Regents Park Open Air Theatre, Greenwich and Docklands International Festival, National Youth Theatre, Royal Court and more. She created Uchenna’s four touring shows: Our Mighty Groove, The Head Wrap Diaries, Hansel and Gretel and The Head Wrap Diaries – Fierce and Free. Internationally, she has worked as a mass movement choreographer for Olympic and Paralympic Ceremonies, including London 2012. She is Director of Empowerment at People Make It Work and is the Self-First Instigator, empowering creative women to kickstart the habit of putting themselves first.LINKShttps://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/vicki-igbokwe-ozoagus-our-mighty-groove/https://www.vickiigbokwe.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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S10 E2: Pia Sutaria
India is renowned for its rich dance traditions, but rarely for ballet. Pia Sutaria is changing that. Pia’s career has been immensely varied – from ballet to modern, from TedX talks to musical theatre. She’s also an RAD dance teacher, and in 2018 set up the Institute of Classical & Modern Dance in her home city of Mumbai. It aims to broaden access to dance, and particularly ballet, for those who might not otherwise have the opportunity to pursue it. Students from the ICMD are already training in some of the world’s best vocational schools. Pia tells us how Billy Elliott brought her to ballet, and why dance matters to her. Pia Sutaria is a registered teacher of the Royal Academy of Dance. She also received the Disney Theatrical Scholarship at the Royal Academy of Music, London and performed in the UK tour of the musical Bombay Superstar, with Welsh National Opera and more. Her performances in India and beyond include touring internationally with Navdhara India Dance Theatre. She has represented global brands and gave a TEDx talk on dance and classical ballet in India. In 2018, Pia founded the Institute of Classical & Modern Dance (ICMD) to make vocational training in dance accessible to young artists in India. The school has successfully sent students on scholarships to top performing arts institutions in Europe, UK and USA. Institute of Classical & Modern Dance https://icmdindia.com/faculty/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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S10 E1: Matthew Bourne
To celebrate our tenth series, we are launching this season with a brilliant episode with Sir Matthew Bourne whose Swan Lake returns this year for its 30th anniversary. 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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