Anthony Roth Costanzo: high notes and bold choices
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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Tamara Rojo: the buck stops here
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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Karen Hauer: my life in Strictly
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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Maddie Jamieson: but I’m a cheerleader!
Maddie Jamieson is one of the UK’s leading experts in dance team. As a former competitive dancer, and now a choreographer, coach and judge, she’s the perfect guide to a discipline which sits between sport and art (the International Cheer Union was recently recognised by the IOC, possibly paving the way for inclusion in a future Olympic Games). What is the difference between dance team and cheerleading? Why is ballet training good for dance team? And what is the best way to use a pom-pom? Maddie Jamieson is an internationally-renowned dance team choreographer, coach and adjudicator. Following a dance career which saw her place 7th in the world and work for the BBC, IKEA, and Disney, she went on to coach the national dance team of Scotland to a bronze medal at the ICU World Championships in 2022, and had three teams placing in the top 10 at the Dance Worlds 2024. She has also judged across three continents including at the ICU European Championships in 2023. 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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Alexander Campbell on becoming RAD's Artistic Director
Alexander Campbell has been Artistic Director of the Royal Academy of Dance for just over a year. Formerly a gleaming principal with the Royal Ballet, the Australian-born dancer is no stranger to the RAD. His grandmother was an RAD examiner, so he took the RAD exams and won medals in its major competitions. Stepping off stage and into the office must have seemed like a natural move – or did it? How easy is it for a dancer to leave their all-consuming dance routine? In a changing dance landscape, how might the RAD develop? And why does dance matter to Alexander?Alexander Campbell was born in Sydney, moving to the UK to train at the Royal Ballet School. In 2003 he won the silver medal at the Genée International Ballet Competition and was a Prix de Lausanne finalist. He joined Birmingham Royal Ballet in 2005, and moved to the Royal Ballet in 2011, becoming a Principal in 2016. He left the Royal Ballet and became Artistic Director of the Royal Academy of Dance in 2024.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.
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.
Ireland