Podcasts about ballet black

This week's episode begins with a rare emotional Kev giving a heartfelt (FORTY MINUTE!!!) breakdown of the Carabao Cup Final, followed by reviews of Invincible S3 (00:49:35), Red Bull Culture Clash (00:56:19), Playboi Carti - I AM MUSIC (01:00:23) & Ballet Black (01:13:37). The topic section covers a conversation about the term ‘Industry plant' (01:17:03), Big U's rico case (01:20:41) plus an update on Jay Z's lawsuit as well as the UMG x Drake case (01:23:19). This week's ‘What's Your Five?' Segment is dedicated the boys' 5 Favourite Aura Farmers (01:25:43). The Rapid Topics (01:41:29) segment covers The BBL Bracket, Filthy Fellas Vs From My Left, Ted Lasso S4 being announced, the Snowfall spin off & the Black Mirror/You Season 5 Trailer. Plus catch the weekly ‘Put ons' segment (01:50:14). FT DUB BT DUB. IAMGEORDIE.

In 2018, brown and bronze pointe shoes, tailored for dancers of colour, made their commercial debut in the UK — nearly two centuries after the introduction of pink ones. The delay begs the questions: Why? Who paved the way? What were dancers of colour doing before then? And how has the landscape changed since? Join us as we dive into these questions with Cassa Pancho, the trailblazing founder of Ballet Black, a company committed to carving out space for dancers of colour in classical ballet.In today's episode, we discuss: The question that sparked the idea for Ballet Black Ballet Black's role in changing what ballet repertoire looks likeCassa's feedback on early prototypes of the brown pointe shoesThe reaction to the launch of the shoesWe'll soon be wrapping up our first season and we're looking ahead to bringing you more great guests in Season 2! Share your thoughts on the episodes so far and suggest potential guests in our quick 4-minute survey. Find it here or by pasting this link in your browser: https://bit.ly/madeforuspod. Your input matters to us!If you liked this episode, don't keep it to yourself. Please share with a fellow podcast lover and don't forget to leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help others discover the show. ---About Cassa Pancho: Born to Trinidadian and British parents, Cassa Pancho launched Ballet Black in 2001 after graduating from professional dance training. Her initial goal was to provide role models to young, aspiring Black and Asian dancers. Ballet Black won the Critics' Circle National Dance Award for Outstanding Company in 2009 and Best Mid-Scale Company in 2022. Cassa was awarded an MBE in the 2013 New Years' Honours List for Services to classical ballet. To date, she has commissioned over 40 choreographers to create over 60 new ballets for Ballet Black. Learn more about Ballet BlackWebsite: https://balletblack.co.ukFollow Ballet Black on Instagram: @originalballetblack---Connect with Made for UsShow notes and transcripts: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/

For decades, dancers of colour at classical ballet companies have used makeup to dye their pink pointe shoes a darker shade to match their skin tone. My guest this week, award-winning ballerina Cira Robinson, tells me about the day she got tired of ‘pancaking' and asked the renowned shoemaker Freed of London to make a pair of brown pointe shoes for her. What we discuss in this episode:Cira's experience with the Dance Theatre of Harlem under the legendary Arthur MitchellHer move to London to join Ballet BlackThe role pointe shoes play in a dancer's life and the need for customisationHow she worked with Freed and Ballet Black to create inclusive pointe shoes and the impact they've hadIf you liked this episode, it would be great if you could leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify to help others discover the show. This is the first of two episodes on inclusive pointe shoes. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss my interview with Cassa Pancho, founder of Ballet Black, in a few weeks! ---About Cira Robinson Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Cira began her ballet career as an apprentice with the Dance Theatre of Harlem's Dancing Through Barriers Ensemble. After a few months, she became a full member and danced many works from the DTH repertoire under the guidance of Arthur Mitchell.She joined Ballet Black in London in 2008 and in 2013 was nominated for Outstanding Classical Female at the Critics Circle National Dance Awards. While at Ballet Black, Cira worked with the company and with Freed of London to create the first Brown and Bronze pointe shoe for dancers of colour. After retiring in 2022, she took up a new role as Director of the Yorkshire Ballet Seminars.Follow Cira on Instagram: @ciraoslynn---Connect with Made for UsShow notes and transcripts: https://made-for-us.captivate.fm/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/madeforuspodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madeforuspodcast/

Host Colbert Cannon sits down with John Amaechi OBE, founder of APS Intelligence, an organizational consulting firm that helps businesses create ethical workplace cultures, and drive productivity, growth, retention, and success. John explains how he coaches businesses to find practical solutions that work for their specific type of organization and distinct needs. We also talk about how John leveraged his time in the NBA to carve out a unique lane in psychology with broad and scalable impact. Learn more about John Amaechi and APS Intelligence here. Learn more about Colbert's Best Idea for the week, the Apple Plus TV show Hijack, here.

Eric Underwood is a former leading dancer with The Royal Ballet in London. Born in Washington DC, Eric began his dance training at the School of American Ballet before joining The Royal Ballet in 2006. Eric has also made a name for himself in the fashion world, modelling for brands like Louis Vuitton and Diesel in publications such as Vogue, GQ and Esquire. Throughout his career, Eric has been a vocal advocate for greater diversity and inclusivity in both the ballet and fashion industries – and has worked with organisations such as Ballet Black and The Black Iris Project to promote greater representation and opportunities for dancers of colour. Here, he sits down with SLMan editor Charlotte Collins to tell his fascinating story, talk through his fitness regime and share his top London recommendations for culture, going out and tailoring. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cassa Pancho founded Ballet Black for dancers of black and Asian descent and is bringing diversity to the world of ballet. Here's what we talk about in this episode; Alternative, Art, Creativity, Culture, Dance, Diversity, Entertainment, Equality, History, Racism

Cathy Marston, internationally renowned, award winning British Choreographer and Artistic Director has created critically acclaimed works for The Royal Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Northern Ballet, English National Ballet, Cuban National Ballet, Ballet Black and more. In this insightful podcast, Cathy shares her journey from dancer to choreographer, her inspiration for creating narrative ballets, her choreographic process and how she works with the dancers in the studio. We also discuss the importance of women choreographers and diverse voices in the dance industry. Houston Ballet Principals Jessica Collado as Alma, Chase O'Connell as John and Soloist Mackenzie Richter as the Angel in Cathy Marston's Summer and Smoke. Photo by Lawrence Elizabeth Knox (2023), Courtesy of Houston Ballet. This month sees the world premiere of Cathy's interpretation of Tennessee Williams' Summer and Smoke with Houston Ballet, America's fourth largest ballet company. Listen to Cathy describe this tragic tale of love and betrayal, how she developed the characters' movement motifs and the inventive staging that it set to impress audiences. Houston Ballet Principal Jessica Collado as Alma and Soloist Mackenzie Richter as the Angel with Artists of Houston Ballet in Cathy Marston's Summer and Smoke. Photo by Amitava Sarkar (2023), Courtesy of Houston Ballet. ​​The world premiere of Tennessee Williams' Summer and Smoke runs to 19 March 2023. For more information and tickets visit: Houston Ballet PRESS PLAY

Cathy Marston, internationally renowned, award winning British Choreographer and Artistic Director has created critically acclaimed works for The Royal Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Northern Ballet, English National Ballet, Cuban National Ballet, Ballet Black and more. In this insightful podcast, Cathy shares her journey from dancer to choreographer, her inspiration for creating narrative ballets, her choreographic process and how she works with the dancers in the studio. We also discuss the importance of women choreographers and diverse voices in the dance industry. Houston Ballet Principals Jessica Collado as Alma, Chase O'Connell as John and Soloist Mackenzie Richter as the Angel in Cathy Marston's Summer and Smoke. Photo by Lawrence Elizabeth Knox (2023), Courtesy of Houston Ballet. This month sees the world premiere of Cathy's interpretation of Tennessee Williams' Summer and Smoke with Houston Ballet, America's fourth largest ballet company. Listen to Cathy describe this tragic tale of love and betrayal, how she developed the characters' movement motifs and the inventive staging that it set to impress audiences. Houston Ballet Principal Jessica Collado as Alma and Soloist Mackenzie Richter as the Angel with Artists of Houston Ballet in Cathy Marston's Summer and Smoke. Photo by Amitava Sarkar (2023), Courtesy of Houston Ballet. ​​The world premiere of Tennessee Williams' Summer and Smoke runs to 19 March 2023. For more information and tickets visit: Houston Ballet PRESS PLAY

George Balanchine is one of the most revered and influential choreographers of the twentieth century. In this first major biography about his life Jennifer Homans offers an intimate portrait of the man who co-founded the New York City Ballet and brought the art form so spectacularly into the modern age. She explores his life and legacy, revealing a complicated genius who was inspired to choreograph dances from subjects as diverse as Spinoza's philosophy to Orthodox icons, disrupting the norms of ballet and pushing the dancers into creative worlds of abstraction. Wayne McGregor is a contemporary titan of the dance world. He has just returned from Toronto where his ballet based on Margaret Atwood's post-apocalyptic book, MADDADDAM, had its world premiere in a joint production for The Royal Ballet and the National Ballet of Canada. Wayne McGregor's own dance company is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary and since its inception has been the experimental and creative forum for Wayne's innovative choreographic style. Ballet Black was founded by Cassa Pancho just over twenty years ago in response to the lack of racial diversity in ballet and offers dancers of Black and Asian descent a platform to showcase their talents. The company has gone from strength to strength, continually overturning stereotypes and transforming the landscape of classical dance. In March 2023 the company will perform ‘Pioneers' at the Barbican, comprising new and original work by award-winning choreographers Will Tuckett and Mthuthuzeli November. Producer: Natalia Fernandez Music credits: Wayne McGregor's MADDADDAM, Act 1 (except), original score by Max Richter. A co-production between the National Ballet of Canada and The Royal Ballet, inspired by the trilogy by Margaret Atwood. ‘Then or Now'. (ballet choreographed by Will Tuckett. The poetry of Adrienne Rich with music by Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber, arranged by Daniel Pioro. The poetry reading is by Michael Shaeffer.) Simon Rattle / Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra - Stravinsky: Apollon Musagete (Second Tableau, variation of Calliope

Author Katherine Rundell talks to Tom Sutcliffe about her book Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne, which has won this year's The Baillie Gifford. In the first in a series of interviews with the artists shortlisted for this year's Turner Prize, Sin Wai Kin discusses how they use performance to challenge misogyny and racism. The acclaimed dance company Ballet Black, known for giving a platform to Black and Asian dancers and choreographers, turns 20 this year. Michael McKenzie visits rehearsals to hear how they are marking the anniversary. And as the Horniman Museum in London hands back their collection of Benin Bronzes to Nigeria, Professor Abba Tijani, the Director General of Nigeria's National Commission for Museums and Monuments, discusses what receiving the artworks means for Nigeria. Presenter: Tom Sutcliffe Producer: Emma Wallace Image credit: Sin Wai Kin by Holly Falconer

Yann Seabra is a stage designer whose work has been sought after by companies such as The Royal Opera House, San Francisco Ballet, Circa, Ballet Black and Protein Dance company.He and Emma discuss the tutu he designed with 5000 Swarovski crystals on it for Cira Robinson, why he loves a 70s silhouette, his long time collaboration with choreographer Arthur Pita and his new work for Mthuthuzeli November's piece Wailers at Northern Ballet.www.yannseabra.comThe 3 Questions...Was there a piece of art that changed everything for you? Alternative Miss World  Was there a piece of art that you think has value but don't necessarily like? Tate Modern: Surrealism Beyond Borders What/who should we check out that we may not know about?... Dmitri Papapganos and  Katrin Brach 

The one where it's suddenly safer to inhabit your Black identity than your white one  Emma and Nicole speak to Florence Kollie Raja, founder of Ethical Era and former professional ballerina to talk about her life and experience as refugee having lived through two civil wars and living across the cultural divide of the Russo-Ukraine war of 2022. Preorder our book The Half Of It: https://amzn.to/3rDq1qo Our website: https://www.mixedup.co.uk/ Our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mixeduppodcast Our Instagram: https://instagram.com/mixedup.podcast  Florence's IG: https://www.instagram.com/buqalife/    Culture Mix: Cassa Pancho's Ballet Black: https://www.instagram.com/originalballetblack 

In the first episode of Kiss My Black Side, Brenda Emmanus OBE chats with a trio of Black dance talent who share their stories of reaching success in the dance world – from acknowledging their passion for the art form, to dealing with changing perceptions and promoting more diversity in dance. They explore their unique views on whether Black dance can be defined. What is Black dance? Does a dancer of colour in any genre of dance make it so? Is such a definition limiting? Throughout the conversation it becomes clear that dance has not only provided these Black practitioners with a form of expression, but a platform to inspire others to create positive change. Host: Brenda Emmanus OBE: Brenda Emmanus OBE is a television presenter and journalist working across print, radio and television. She has established her career across a range of genres - news and current affairs, popular factual, travel, fashion and the arts. Brenda has presented features and documentaries on a broad range of subjects from Princess Diana to African Fashion. She has interviewed some of the biggest names in arts and entertainment - from Oprah Winfrey and Maya Angelou, to Sir Elton John and Tom Cruise. Brenda was awarded an OBE in 2019 for services to Broadcasting and Diversity. Guests:Jonzi D – MC, Dancer, Spoken Word Artist and DirectorHailed as the foremost advocate for hip hop, Jonzi D has changed the profile and influenced the development of the UK British hip hop dance and theatre scene over two decades. Jonzi is the Artistic Director of Breakin' Convention and an associate artist of Sadler's Wells. He has successfully supported hundreds of dance and rap/poetry artists on their journey to creating theatre. Precious Adams - Ballet DancerPrecious joined English National Ballet in 2014 and was promoted to First Artist in 2017. In January 2018 she won the Emerging Dancer Competition. Precious was named as one of BBC's 100 Women - a list of inspiring and influential women from around the world in 2019. Sharon Watson MBE - Principal, Northern School of Contemporary DancePrincipal of Northern School Contemporary Dance, Sharon was previously the longest standing Artistic Director of the award-winning Pheonix Dance Theatre. She was the first female to be invited to join the then all-male company and has created numerous works, including the much-celebrated Windrush: Movement of the People and Black Waters. Twitter@jonzid@watson_dance@Sadlers_WellsInstagram@preciousagram@brendaemmanusWeb PagesJonzi DPrecious AdamsBrenda EmmanusSadler's Wells - Well Seasoned Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Deeply Human Series 2Dance https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct3hgv Ballet Black: companhia de Londres aposta na diversidade há 20 anos; brasileiro participa de nova turnê https://g1.globo.com/globonews/globonews-em-ponto/video/ballet-black-companhia-de-londres-aposta-na-diversidade-ha-20-anos-brasileiro-participa-de-nova-turne-10529141.ghtml Brasil lidera derrubada de florestas tropicais no mundo https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/ambiente/2022/04/brasil-lidera-derrubada-de-florestas-tropicais-no-mundo.shtml Venus And Jupiter Will Appear to ‘Nearly Collide' in The Night Sky This Week https://www.sciencealert.com/it-s-not-over-yet-venus-and-jupiter-will-nearly-collide-in-the-night-sky-this-week A microscopic look at why the world is running ... Read more

A transcript of this episode is available here: https://thedanceedit.com/transcript-episode-113Subscribe to The Dance Edit Extra: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dance-edit-extra/id1579075769Links referenced in/relevant to episode 113:-Associated Press coverage of allegations against Break the Floor: https://apnews.com/article/dance-company-sexual-misconduct-allegations-190b7a81d2aeccde252bae59b4509f03-AP (via Washington Post) story on the Egyptian woman sentenced to prison in TikTok dance case: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/egyptian-woman-sentenced-to-3-years-in-tiktok-video-case/2022/04/19/08471c3a-bff2-11ec-b5df-1fba61a66c75_story.html-New York Times feature on Ballet Black's anniversary: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/25/arts/dance/ballet-black-london.html-Dance Magazine feature on Ballet Black: https://www.dancemagazine.com/ballet-black/-Pointe story on the Youth America Grand Prix winners: https://pointemagazine.com/yagp-winners-2022/-Vulture tribute to Robert Morse: https://www.vulture.com/article/robert-morse-mad-men-best-things-dancer-interview.html-Dance Magazine feature on crediting choreography: https://www.dancemagazine.com/credit-where-its-due-handling-credit-on-collaborative-creations/-Pointe story on hair in "Serenade": https://pointemagazine.com/hair-serenade-ballet/-Pointe story on diversifying hair in ballet: https://pointemagazine.com/why-we-need-to-diversify-hair-in-ballet/

This week the Tangent Twinz begin by keeping Will Smith's Wife's name out of their mouths (00:02:06) before they discuss Kanye being removed from the Grammy's (00:24:12), Plan C (00:30:23), Triple H retiring (00:35:27), the changes to PS Plus (00:41:10), Jamaica vs the Royal family (00:47:28), Abromovich (00:50:06) & the Game of Thrones Prequel (00:56:53). Catch recaps of the latest in football (00:59:23), Atlanta S3 (01:17:52), URL (01:31:42),Snowfall (01:36:51), Abbott Elementary (01:40:26) & The Batman's Deleted Joker Scene (01:42:55). There are also reviews of Nigo - I Know Nigo (01:45:10), Blade Brown x K Trap - Joints 2 (01:50:05), Jay Worthy x Larry June - 2Pz in a pod(01:52:00), Gta online ps5 (01:52:53) & Ballet Black (01:54:34). Plus catch the weekly ‘Put Ons' segment (01:59:09) FT DUB BT DUB FRESHPRINCE

Kwame Kwei-Armah is British actor, playwright, director and broadcaster. In 2018 he was made Artistic Director of the Young Vic, where he has directed Twelfth Night and Tree. From 2011 to 2018 he was previously the Artistic Director of Baltimore Center Stage where he directed: Jazz, Marley, One Night in Miami, Amadeus, Dance of the Holy Ghosts, The Mountaintop; An Enemy of the People, The Whipping Man and Things of Dry Hours.Other work as a director includes: Tree (Manchester International Festival), Twelfth Night, Comedy of Errors, Much Ado About Nothing, Detroit'67 (Public Theatre, New York), The Liquid Plain (Signature Theatre, New York and Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Porgy and Bess (Baltimore Symphony Orchestra) the Olivier Nominated One night in Miami for Best New Play 2016 (Donmar Warehouse) and One Love (Birmingham Repertory Theatre). As a playwright his credits include Tree (Manchester International Festival, Young Vic), One Love(Birmingham Repertory Theatre), Beneatha's Place (Baltimore Center Stage) Elmina's Kitchen, Fix Up, Statement of Regret (National Theatre) Let There Be Love and Seize the Day (Tricycle Theatre). Kwame was Artistic Director for the Festival of Black arts and Culture, Senegal, in 2010. He conceived and directed the opening ceremony at Senghor National stadium. He was an Associate Director of the Donmar Warehouse and has served on the boards of the National Theatre, Tricycle Theatre, and Theatre Communications Group. Kwame was the Chancellor of the University of the Arts London from 2010 to 2015, and in 2012 was awarded an OBE for Services to Drama.In 2012, 2013 and 2014 Kwame was named Best Director in City Paper's Best of Baltimore Awards and in 2015 was nominated for the prestigious Stage Directors and Choreographers Zelda Fichandler Award for Best Regional Artistic Director. In 2016 he was awarded the Urban Visionary Award alongside House Representative Elijah Cummings by the Center for Urban Families for his work in the Baltimore community. In 2019 he was the Chair of the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting. Kwame is a patron of Ballet Black and a visiting fellow of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Chris Hirst, Global CEO of advertising group Havas Creative, cuts through the bullshit and gets to the heart of modern leadership in this straight-talking podcast brought to you by Intelligence Squared.In this episode Chris speaks to Kwame Kwei-Armah, the Artistic Director of the Young Vic theatre in London. He is also an actor, playwright, singer and broadcaster. From 2011 to 2018 he was the Artistic Director of Baltimore Center Stage, and he was Artistic Director for the Festival of Black arts and Culture, Senegal, in 2010. His series of eight short films, Soon Gone: A Windrush Chronicle, was shown on BBC4 in 2019. He is a patron of Ballet Black and a visiting fellow of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University. If you enjoyed this podcast please let us know what you think by rating and reviewing No Bullsh*t Leadership on Apple Podcasts. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/intelligencesquared. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today I spoke with Christopher Hampson. Aside from his notable credits as a dancer and choreographer with companies like English National Ballet, Christopher joined Scottish Ballet as Artistic Director in 2012 and was appointed CEO/Artistic Director in 2015. The Company has performed across the world, and Christopher has brought some of the most sought-after dance creators to work with Scottish Ballet, while also developing in-house talent. Christopher is on the Boards of Central School of Ballet and Ballet Black. In this episode, we chatted about many aspects of the ballet world where change must happen. From issues with artistic leadership, power dynamics in a ballet company, diversity in ballet, to helping dancers retire, this conversation was one for the books. To connect with Scottish Ballet: https://www.scottishballet.co.uk/ IG: @scottishballet Facebook @scottishballet Christopher's response piece to the Guardian article mentioned in the show: https://www.scottishballet.co.uk/articles/does-ballet-have-a-race-problem Christopher's Ted Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FjeP9_YmiU Please remember that I am not a mental health professional, and anything you hear me say on the show is based on personal experience and perspectives, and should not be considered medical advice. If you are in crisis, please call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to reach a 24-hour crisis center, text MHA to 741741, call 911, or go to the nearest emergency room. To find a local MHA affiliate who can provide services, check out https://www.mhanational.org/ Theme music is, "A Journey" by Kevin Hartnell It has been edited and reproduced under the Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0). Follow us on Instagram! Dance; Better Podcast @dancebetterpodcast Send in your questions or episode suggestions to dancebetterpodcast@gmail.com ...and don't forget to check out our sponsor, Minding the Gap at www.wearemindingthegap.org If you relate and found this episode helpful, please click follow/subscribe and leave us a review. (We might even read it on the next episode!) This helps to make our show more searchable, and will make it more accessible to more people...plus, we'd love to hear from you!

Born in Zolani, South Africa, brothers Mthuthuzeli & Siphe November have danced together since before either of them can remember, until their passion for dance grew into two accomplished careers and sent them to two different continents. Siphe has been an undeniable force and integral part of the National Ballet of Canada; and Mthuthuzeli's work as a dancer and choreographer in London, England with Ballet Black continues to dazzle and win prestigious awards. We caught up with both brothers in the midst of their creation process in London to chat about how they were getting along. Their highly-anticipated work, titled My Mother's Son, was filmed by Canadian director Vikram Dasgupta at the palatial Battersea Arts Centre in London, and premieres on Oct. 13 as part of Fall for Dance North's digital event 2021 Signature Program, co-presented by TO Live.

Chris Hirst, Global CEO of advertising group Havas Creative, cuts through the bullshit and gets to the heart of modern leadership in this straight-talking podcast brought to you by Intelligence Squared. In this episode Chris speaks to Kwame Kwei-Armah, the Artistic Director of the Young Vic theatre in London. He is also an actor, playwright, singer and broadcaster. From 2011 to 2018 he was the Artistic Director of Baltimore Center Stage, and he was Artistic Director for the Festival of Black arts and Culture, Senegal, in 2010. His series of eight short films, Soon Gone: A Windrush Chronicle, was shown on BBC4 in 2019. He is a patron of Ballet Black and a visiting fellow of Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University. If you enjoyed this podcast please let us know what you think by rating and reviewing No Bullsh*t Leadership on Apple Podcasts. For updates on the series follow @intelligence2 and @chrishirst on Twitter. Executive Producer: Farah Jassat; Editor: Emma Corsham; Technical Support: Mark Roberts. Chris Hirst is author of the award-winning book No Bulls*ht Leadership: Why the World Needs More Everyday Leaders and Why That Leader Is You. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Scottish Ballet's CEO & Artistic Director Christopher Hampson is joined by Cassa Pancho MBE, Artistic Director & Founder of Ballet Black and Rishan Benjamin, Scottish Ballet Artist, to explore how the dance community can do more to stamp out racism within the industry, and beyond.  The opinions expressed are those of the individuals involved and do not necessarily represent the views of Scottish Ballet and its employees. 

This Artform is mine I continue my conversation with Cassa Pancho, Founder and Artistic Director of Ballet Black. We talk about the role Ballet Black's dancers played in creating the Bronze line for Freed of London, the first line of pointe shoes for dancers of color with this 90 year old company. We also chat about the importance of representation in the need for ballet to evolve, and the need to change performative activism in the dance world. Website: https://balletblack.co.uk/ Instagram: @originalballetblack

Creating space for Black Dancers in Ballet In the first episode of Season 3, I talk with Founder and Artistic Director of Ballet Black, Cassa Pancho. Cassa talks about her introduction to the dance world, and launches into an intellectually inquisitive examination of the British Ballet world through the lens of race. Cassa talks about her process of creating a space for black dancers in Britain, highlighting the struggles and the successes. We also talk about her thoughts of breaking the stereotypes of black bodies in dance thru her work with the company. Website: https://balletblack.co.uk/ Instagram: @originalballetblack

Our second podcast guest is founder and artistic director of Ballet Black, Cassa Pancho. After completing a degree in classical ballet, Cassa founded Ballet Black in 2001 to provide role models to Asian and black aspiring dancers, gaining an MBE in 2013 for services to classical ballet. The founder of the revolutionary classical company speaks to Laura Barton about her deep need for rhythm, diversity in the ballet world and the sounds and sensations that led her to enter the world of dance. TOAST Podcast Series 5 is presented by Laura Barton and produced by Geoff Bird. Music for this season was written and performed by Laura James. All views expressed in the podcast are the interviewees own and not necessarily those of TOAST.

Viviana Durante is an international ballet star and former principal dancer with The Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, La Scala and K-Ballet.  Hailed as one of the most dramatic dancers of her time, Viviana has forged an esteemed career as an Artistic Director, Producer, Coach, Judge and Author. In this podcast, Viviana talks about training at the Royal Ballet School, dancing with The Royal Ballet, establishing her own company and the influence on her new role as the Artistic Director of English National Ballet School, following her appointment just a year ago as the School's Dance Director.  Viviana also shares her experience as the Artistic Director of Viviana Durante Company and curating ground breaking programmes, featuring a roster of famous dancers from The Royal Ballet, Ballet Black and Scottish Ballet. Listen to Viviana's vision for the English National Ballet School, the rigours of ballet training, the challenges faced by students during the covid pandemic, and how the School is supporting their young dancers as they return to class. PRESS PLAY!

Viviana Durante is an international ballet star and former principal dancer with The Royal Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, La Scala and K-Ballet.  Hailed as one of the most dramatic dancers of her time, Viviana has forged an esteemed career as an Artistic Director, Producer, Coach, Judge and Author. In this podcast, Viviana talks about training at the Royal Ballet School, dancing with The Royal Ballet, establishing her own company and the influence on her new role as the Artistic Director of English National Ballet School, following her appointment just a year ago as the School's Dance Director.  Viviana also shares her experience as the Artistic Director of Viviana Durante Company and curating ground breaking programmes, featuring a roster of famous dancers from The Royal Ballet, Ballet Black and Scottish Ballet. Listen to Viviana's vision for the English National Ballet School, the rigours of ballet training, the challenges faced by students during the covid pandemic, and how the School is supporting their young dancers as they return to class. PRESS PLAY!

Speakers: Martha Awojobi: Curator & Host Martha is a consultant who has worked in the charity sector for almost a decade in fundraising roles, from face to face, individual giving, to crowdfunding, digital and corporate before starting her own consultancy in June 2020. She was chosen as one of Fundraising Magazines 25 most outstanding fundraisers under 35 this year for her contribution to the fundraising sector. Martha is one of the organisers of #CharitySoWhite, a campaign that roots out racism in the charity sector and has been putting pressure on foundations to distribute emergency Covid19 funding equitably. Martha is currently curating and hosting the first BAME Fundraising Conference and has consulted with BAME fundraisers and organisations across the UK to design a programme of content that was made by BAME fundraisers for BAME fundraisers. Layal Marten   Ugo Ikokwu: Independent Consultant Ugo has over a decade experience working within the social sector. Most recently he was programme director at The Fore, where he led a team of (14) overseeing the distribution of grants into small charities, research, learning and evaluation, pro-bono and corporate partnerships. Helping to grow the organisation's grant giving budget and co-producing the first impact report to substantiate the org's approach to grant giving. Prior to that he worked for Social Investment Business (SIB) across the business development and investment team, where he was involved in deal origination, capital raising, investment and portfolio management of charities and social enterprises. He is an expert at designing programmes, and funds addressing a range of social needs. Ugo sits on several board and committees and is a director for YSYS and DINN (Both female-led enterprises seeking to address the under-representation of women in tech) Patricia Hamzahee: Founder/co-Founder After some 20 years in investment banking and financial communications, Patricia now helps social enterprises attract private capital and advises companies on their responsible investment strategies through her consultancy Integriti Capital. She is also working to diversify access to funding as co-founder of Extend Ventures. She is a Trustee of Ballet Black and Areté Network. She has been a Trustee and Chair of the Development Board of Black Cultural Archives. She is President of Friends of International House New York UK, Associate Director of The Finance Foundation, a member of Women in Social Finance and of the Centre for the Study of Financial Innovation.

The UK cleaning sector is worth almost £50bn a year to the country’s economy. It employs more than 900,000 people, mostly women. Right now, many are vulnerable. Some feel they won't be able to stop working if they fall ill or have to self- isolate because they can't afford it. Jenni speaks to Katy, a cleaner. Also Maria Gonzalez who's an employment barrister and Janet Macleod who's a Unite representative Cassa Pancho set up Ballet Black twenty years ago. It's a professional ballet company for Black and Asian dancers, and from the start its aim was to make the dance world more diverse. As well as Cassa, we also talk to Cira Robinson who performed with Stormzy at last year's Glastonbury. Tonight Ballet Black is part of a new BBC TV series called Danceworks. Jackie Kay, the National Poet for Scotland, also known as Makar, discusses her new online poetry and music festival. It's called Makar to Makar and streams via the National Theatre of Scotland's YouTube channel. We also hear from Gerda Stevenson who's a writer, actor, director and singer and is on Jackie's show, plus the singer Claire Brown, who performs a beautiful, traditional Scottish song live.

Then or Now - the episode featuring the poetry of Adrienne Rich and our collaboration with Ballet Black is no longer available, since we hope to be able to announce details soon of the full dance production! More news soon! ********* We are delighted to share a special edition of The Poetry Exchange podcast featuring the score from Ballet Black's new piece, Then or Now, choreographed by William Tuckett, which would have had its world premiere at The Barbican, London, on March 26th. The score features poems by Adrienne Rich and the music of Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber (1644-1704), played by solo violinist Daniel Pioro. Poetry Direction is by The Poetry Exchange's Founder and Director, Fiona Bennett and poems are voiced by Natasha Gordon, Michael Shaeffer and Hafsah Annela Bashir. It is with great thanks to the Adrienne Rich Estate and all the artists involved that we are able to share this unique collaboration between Ballet Black and The Poetry Exchange with you as a prelude to the full experience, once the ballet can be performed. Adrienne Rich is one of the greatest modern poets of our time. She was a tireless activist and ambassador for human rights and social justice. She was an active force in the Civil Rights Movement, a leading voice in the Feminist Movement and spoke out against all forms of oppression and injustice. Her exemplary approach to political activism, her scholarly and artistic integrity make her a highly relevant and vital source of inspiration for our time. She died in 2012 and her legacy is a defining force in the ongoing development of poetry. You can find out more about the life and work of Adrienne Rich through the Adrienne Rich Literary Trust here: www.adriennerich.net We are grateful to The Adrienne Rich Literary Trust and W.W. Norton and Company, Inc. for granting us permission to feature poems from Dark Fields of the Republic. Dark Fields of the Republic is published by W.W. Norton and available here: www.wwnorton.co.uk/books/9780393313987-dark-fields-of-the-republic. Many thanks to the wonderful Ballet Black and The Barbican. Find out more about their work below, and to stay updated with rescheduled ‘Then or Now' performance dates: www.balletblack.co.uk www.barbican.org.uk The extraordinary work of violinist, Daniel Pioro can also be found here: www.danielpioro.com/ Below is ‘What Kind of Times Are These' by Adrienne Rich - the opening poem from 'Dark Fields' of the Republic, and this episode. Photo credit: Camilla Greenwell and Ballet Black ***** What Kind of Times Are These By Adrienne Rich There's a place between two stands of trees where the grass grows uphill and the old revolutionary road breaks off into shadows near a meeting-house abandoned by the persecuted who disappeared into those shadows. I've walked there picking mushrooms at the edge of dread, but don't be fooled this isn't a Russian poem, this is not somewhere else but here, our country moving closer to its own truth and dread, its own ways of making people disappear. I won't tell you where the place is, the dark mesh of the woods meeting the unmarked strip of light— ghost-ridden crossroads, leafmold paradise: I already know who wants to buy it, sell it, make it disappear. And I won't tell you where it is, so why do I tell you anything? Because you still listen, because in times like these to have you listen at all, it's necessary to talk about trees.

This week, in the final episode of our Sound Unbound series, Cassa Pancho, choreographer and founder of Ballet Black, discusses Ravel’s Sonata for Violin and Cello, the challenges of choreographing work to music and the emotional impact music can have on the audience. Read the transcript: https://bit.ly/32wGcdqSubscribe to Nothing Concrete on Acast, Spotify or wherever you find your podcasts.Sound Unbound is a music series in which Josie Long talks to creative minds about the music that moves them, with some help from conductor Ben Gernon.Sound Unbound is produced by Freya Hellier for Loftus Media. The assistant producer is Alex Quinn. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The critically acclaimed award-winning Annabelle Lopez Ochoa is a choreographer that you need to know. A prolific artist, she has created dance works for over 60 top ballet and dance companies including: English National Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, Finnish National Ballet, The Washington Ballet, Ballet Black, Dance Theatre of Harlem and so many more. Annabelle has recently been bestowed another award, receiving the Jacob's Pillow Choreography Award to add to her long list of accolades. In this podcast, Annabelle shares her inspiration for the many unique works that she's choreographed, including the incredible biopic of Frida Kahlo 'Broken Wings' created for ENB, which she has turned into a full length ballet for the Dutch National Ballet (premiering in February), plus the award-winning A Street Car Named Desire. Listen to Annabelle talk about her career as a professional dancer, her move to create full-time, her creative process and how she works with dancers to devise stunning works for theatre, opera, musical theatre and dance. PRESS PLAY. https://djwpodcasts.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/1wwwod/Annabelle+final.mp3 Katja Khaniukova as Frida with ENB Artists in Annabelle Lopez Ochoa's Broken Wings. Photo by Laurent Liotardo  

How can dance, and ballet in particular, be more diverse? This is a big question!  To help us better understand this issue we sat down with Cassa Pancho MBE, Artistic Director of Ballet Black.  Throughout the episode we discuss where ballet has been. Where it is now and where it needs to go to become a truly diverse and inclusive art form.

Rainbow Blak brings you a hard hitting jam packed episode exploring how UK Grime artist Stormyz single-handley shut down Glastonbury Festival by dominating the iconic Pyramid stage with his powerfully curated show at the legendary festival in the UK. Stormyz not only headlined Glastonbury he got people debating, talking, thinking a bout social issues which have for the most part been sweep under a rather large political rug by the UK governments. He bought us the splendour of Ballet Black a groundbreaking ballet company who lit up twitter when they told their story through beautifully choreographed dance and emotive music scores, you had gospel, bike life displays, street dance and Grenfell Tower bought to the forefront of his set. More importantly you had giants like Bansky collaborating with Stormyz to grab the attention of the masses to highlight the epidemic of young people dying through knife crime across the UK. Oh and Boris Johnson MP got his own serenade to the tune of thousands. Stormyz took us on a journey were we ready hell yes. This was a performance that will be discussed for years to come it came with controversy and upset but l rather think that was the point. One things for sure UK Grime artists have a fan base on the festival circuit and the appetite is not dying down. Other artists that stood out were new legends Lizzo and Little Simz and of course Lauryn Hill. Rainbow Blak also goes in on that revealing Windrush Generation documentary by David Olusoga "Unwanted:The Secret Windrush Files who exposes how the UK government knowing created a hostile environment for Caribbean people for over 70 years. Airing on BBC IPlayer. Rainbow Blak talks on first female Black Priest for Church of England Rose Hudson-Wilkin's whats the tea. This is an podcast episode you won't want to miss tune in and enjoy the thought provoking reflections of Rainbow Blak. Ampersand The Enigma Podcast is now available on the below platforms enjoy. Like, listen, comment, rate, share & subscribe. Thanku xx https://open.spotify.com/show/0OpiwAQWCB7tzVW2kgnW9X https://www.breaker.audio/ampersand-the-enigma-podcast https://pca.st/Ps32 https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/ampersand-the-enigma-podcast/id1458766364 https://anchor.fm/atep https://overcast.fm/itunes1458766364/ampersand-the-enigma-podcast https://radiopublic.com/ampersand-the-enigma-podcast-GmkMED Hit me up on my socials Ampersand the Enigma Podcast, share on your socials and subscribe. Connect and show support via my socials; www.instagram.com/ampersandtheenigmapodcast www.twitter.com/ampersandtheenigmapodcast Email:rainbowblak@hotmail.com www.twitter.com/RainbowBlak All shows curated, produced, edited and presented by Rainbow Blak. Musik By Rainbow Blak- Copyrighted © --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/atep/message

Dr Rebecca Lent, executive secretary of the International Whaling Commission, talks about conserving whale stocks; proving you are never too young to force large businesses to change their strategies, Madi Vorva has been campaigning against unsustainable palm oil since the age of 11 and Cassa Pancho MBE, founder of Ballet Black, a company for dancers […]

(Photo Holly McGlynn) Cassa Pancho MBE is the founder and Artistic Director of Ballet Black, a professional ballet company. Cassa saw a real lack of black dancers and this ignited the creation of Ballet Black in 2001. Cassa's goal is ultimately to see a change in the number of black and asian dancers in mainstream ballet companies. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Our latest podcast is a special extended edition of Backstage Pass, recorded live at Henley Festival. On the 10 July 2015 the Philharmonia Orchestra performed with Gregory Porter, Alison Balsom, Laura Mvula, Shona McGarty, Ballet Black and Ji Liu in a celebration of George Gershwin's music, led by Troy Miller and Fabio D'Andrea. Follow the musicians backstage in this episode for a glimpse of this spectacular event. The podcast features interviews with Alison Balsom, Gregory Porter, Laura Mvula and dancers from Ballet Black as well as a host of other special guests.