1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:01,920 Actually cut that because I don't know if that's been an 2 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:09,080 idea. Hello and welcome to Drinks at 3 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:11,840 the Bar, a podcast where we breakthrough the 4th wall and 4 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:14,520 discuss everything about dance and the theatre industry. 5 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:17,960 My name is poor James Rooney, a dancer, choreographer and dance 6 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:21,320 teacher based in Copenhagen, and I am your host of Drinks at the 7 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:24,040 Bar. Today I'm joined by my regular 8 00:00:24,040 --> 00:00:26,560 guest host. You may know her as the lady in 9 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:29,080 the Bathtub from the Cadbury's Flake commercials in the early 10 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:31,840 90s. Please welcome Damien Lee Sturk. 11 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:34,640 Oh my God, these are getting ridiculous. 12 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:39,520 Hi everybody, I'm Damien Lee Sturk, director of the Dancers 13 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:43,240 Studio London, classical ballet teacher and actor with the Royal 14 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:46,240 Ballet. Here we will discuss everything 15 00:00:46,240 --> 00:00:49,400 from hearing backstage stories, touring shenanigans, to deeper 16 00:00:49,400 --> 00:00:52,520 issues like body image training, the reality of being a freelance 17 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:55,760 dancer, and how much water fell out and was wasted in that 18 00:00:55,760 --> 00:01:00,840 bathtub in the flavor. With guest professionals, we are 19 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:03,680 here to share our knowledge, experience and help you with any 20 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:07,240 questions or problems or plumbing issues you may have 21 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:09,960 about dancing. Navigating the dance world. 22 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:14,360 I seriously though, I remember that commercial and one of the 23 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:17,280 things I used to remember was the water is overflowing. 24 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:18,920 It's going to go. It's going to ruin her floors. 25 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:20,960 It's going to go those. Floors are going to be ruined 26 00:01:20,960 --> 00:01:22,760 and what a waste. Hi, Denise. 27 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:27,480 Hi. Good evening. 28 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:28,280 Good. Evening. 29 00:01:28,280 --> 00:01:30,800 How are you? I'm good, thank you. 30 00:01:30,840 --> 00:01:33,800 I'm juggling what feels like 30 jobs. 31 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:36,320 Um, just little things I need to do. 32 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:40,360 Like Monday is an admin day and um and I do look forward to 33 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:43,200 Mondays to get little jobs done and ticked off. 34 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:47,400 But I've been because I wanted to go to the gym that eats up a 35 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:50,960 little bit of time. So I'm now kind of vacuuming 36 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:54,840 whilst packing, whilst prepping dinner, whilst pouring a drink 37 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:56,680 whilst. Recording, vacuuming whilst 38 00:01:56,680 --> 00:01:59,480 doing drinks at the bar. So if you hear anything in the 39 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:02,320 background it's just Denise doing the shaken vac. 40 00:02:06,560 --> 00:02:10,440 Well I I have a day off today. Like I told I said a couple of 41 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:13,200 weeks ago or whenever it was. I've already started with James 42 00:02:13,200 --> 00:02:16,560 being in the studio, we've started creating a rehearsing 43 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:20,080 for My Fair Lady but Mondays is my day off so it's just been a 44 00:02:20,080 --> 00:02:23,560 very, very, very chill day and I'm looking forward to this 45 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:27,080 lovely rhubarb and ginger edible gin and tonic. 46 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:33,760 Oh lovely, I have gone for an M&S gin and tonic but it is with 47 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:39,760 extra dry severe oranges. Oh nice, lovely. 48 00:02:39,760 --> 00:02:44,040 And I've poured it into a gorgeous little 1930s coop style 49 00:02:44,040 --> 00:02:46,640 glass. So I just thought, why not? 50 00:02:46,840 --> 00:02:49,800 Even though I have to be at the train station at 10:30 tomorrow 51 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:52,760 morning, but it's fine. Even though I have to take your 52 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:54,880 word for it because it looks like it's just a Barocca. 53 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:00,960 A Barocca in a champagne coop. It was Barocca. 54 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:05,440 Could I do this? Cheers love. 55 00:03:07,320 --> 00:03:15,000 Cheers, I've already started. So I want to hear everything. 56 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:18,160 What have you been up to? How has it been going? 57 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:23,080 Well, tell me everything about your winged adventure. 58 00:03:23,440 --> 00:03:27,760 Wow, indeed, I still haven't really registered. 59 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:31,920 Well, I, I've registered what happened, but I haven't really 60 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:36,520 had time to kind of decompress. So I'm still on a bit of a high, 61 00:03:36,840 --> 00:03:39,160 but I've. So for those who may not know, 62 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:41,800 I've just done a week of performances at the Limbree with 63 00:03:41,800 --> 00:03:44,360 the Royal Ballet with Natalia Osipova. 64 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:50,480 She has done a programme, an evening of three pieces and I 65 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:56,440 was in the first piece along with Rain and Patricia Rev and 66 00:03:56,840 --> 00:04:04,520 it has just been a surreal, mind blowing, intimate, magical 67 00:04:05,040 --> 00:04:09,240 experience. I, I can't really describe it 68 00:04:09,240 --> 00:04:13,360 because if you can imagine, you know, you and I have done a lot 69 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:15,440 in our careers. We've toured all over the world 70 00:04:15,440 --> 00:04:17,959 multiple times. We've, you know, we've had a 71 00:04:17,959 --> 00:04:21,839 really fantastic, colourful career. 72 00:04:21,959 --> 00:04:27,280 But to be standing next to Ossipova Natalia where there are 73 00:04:27,280 --> 00:04:32,560 only 6 people on that stage is something completely different. 74 00:04:32,560 --> 00:04:35,440 And you know, we had a fantastic week. 75 00:04:36,160 --> 00:04:41,080 I was nervous but with joy. It was just such it was, you 76 00:04:41,080 --> 00:04:43,960 know, without sounding too soppy like oh you know, I'm so 77 00:04:43,960 --> 00:04:46,000 blessed. But it was really amazing. 78 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:50,520 And you know, the opening night we had very casual intimate 79 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:54,240 drinks with just the cast and crew and the crew crew have also 80 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:56,760 been amazing, like a lovely family. 81 00:04:57,080 --> 00:05:01,960 And Natalie gave Rain and IA hug and I received a little kiss 82 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:05,640 from her and it was just, it's just, you know, starstruck 83 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:11,120 really, because of course I see her a lot at the Opera House on 84 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:15,120 and off stage. But when you share such an 85 00:05:15,120 --> 00:05:20,480 intimate moment with someone and particularly a great artist, 86 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:23,320 it's like you've walked into another dimension. 87 00:05:23,320 --> 00:05:25,080 It was just it's just been amazing. 88 00:05:25,080 --> 00:05:28,320 And to to be well looked after, treated with respect, with 89 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:34,720 kindness and and grace has just been I've been on a high all 90 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:39,160 week. So yeah, I'm I'm, I'm just so 91 00:05:39,160 --> 00:05:43,440 happy right now with the gin. But I think it's really the 92 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:46,280 endorphins are still pumping. I think it's been, it's been 93 00:05:46,280 --> 00:05:48,600 brilliant. Because I know of her, I have 94 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:51,960 seen her online presence, like I've seen videos of her on the 95 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:54,240 Internet, everything, but I've never had the opportunity to 96 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:56,880 watch her live, like performing live. 97 00:05:57,320 --> 00:06:00,720 But has she been involved in, for example, this one, Legs, the 98 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:03,640 Alice in Wonderland, the stuff that you've done at the Royal as 99 00:06:03,640 --> 00:06:05,160 an actor? Absolutely. 100 00:06:05,200 --> 00:06:10,440 She's done the classics and I find her so exciting on stage 101 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:15,200 and she really makes eye contact with the company, you know, so 102 00:06:15,200 --> 00:06:19,840 there's communication there rather than just dancing a deal, 103 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:23,880 you know, she's projecting and she's bringing in the audience, 104 00:06:23,880 --> 00:06:28,040 but she's also taking the company that are with her. 105 00:06:28,280 --> 00:06:30,680 She's taking us with her on that journey on stage. 106 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:32,440 Yeah, connecting with everybody involved. 107 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:34,480 Absolutely. And, you know, I find her to be 108 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:37,720 a very serious, she loves her craft. 109 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:40,840 You can clearly see that and takes it very, very seriously. 110 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:46,760 And I think first impressions, she comes across as not shy, but 111 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:50,280 maybe reserved. But that's because she cares so 112 00:06:50,280 --> 00:06:56,320 much about her art, I think. But once you get in a space, A 113 00:06:56,320 --> 00:07:03,680 creative space with her, she's very warm and kind and and yeah, 114 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:06,960 I think I'm still gob smacked that it happened, to be 115 00:07:06,960 --> 00:07:09,840 perfectly honest. But you saying that her being 116 00:07:09,840 --> 00:07:16,240 shy, I mean, I remember upon meeting Tamara, upon meeting, I 117 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:18,240 mean Alice Crawford, I remember when she was doing Clara with 118 00:07:18,240 --> 00:07:22,080 the English National Ballet, upon meeting Marionella. 119 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:26,000 You know, lots of lots of these ballerinas or ballet dancers do 120 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:30,120 come across shy because, you know, apart from drinks at the 121 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:33,640 bar, you know, dancers don't really speak. 122 00:07:33,640 --> 00:07:36,320 It's not something that we do. Our job is physical and 123 00:07:36,320 --> 00:07:39,240 performing. We're used to not being shy when 124 00:07:39,240 --> 00:07:41,120 it comes to a movement and dancing. 125 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:44,720 But obviously to open your mouth and talk and introduce yourself 126 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:46,880 to people. To be honest, it doesn't 127 00:07:46,880 --> 00:07:49,280 surprise me that she comes across as shy in that sense. 128 00:07:49,520 --> 00:07:51,560 Yeah, that, I mean, that makes perfect sense. 129 00:07:51,560 --> 00:07:55,400 It's it, it is unusual, I think for you and I as teachers, we're 130 00:07:55,400 --> 00:07:58,680 used to being so vocal because we're teaching. 131 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:01,680 So, but we had to learn those skills. 132 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:06,360 You know, if I think back two decades, over 2 decades ago when 133 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:10,480 I first started teaching, you know, it was intimidating having 134 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:14,920 to speak and and verbalize as well as showing the exercise to 135 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:17,320 a company, even if that was your company. 136 00:08:18,160 --> 00:08:21,920 But I think, you know, over time you get used to that setting, 137 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:24,480 don't you? So it becomes second nature 138 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:27,400 really. Although I still get a little 139 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:31,360 fluttering of of anticipation when I have to say the first 140 00:08:31,360 --> 00:08:35,600 line in class, which is usually OK. 141 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:37,760 Good morning everybody, welcome to such an. 142 00:08:37,880 --> 00:08:41,360 I always feel like, OK, I'm like my internal dialogue is just 143 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:44,200 start talking. The rest will follow. 144 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:49,000 Even now it's mad, isn't it? But I think that's because we 145 00:08:49,000 --> 00:08:51,720 care so much and we want things to be right and done in the 146 00:08:51,720 --> 00:08:53,520 right way. And when you're in a room full 147 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:56,400 of people, it's, it's like breaking the ice. 148 00:08:56,400 --> 00:08:59,800 And then and then you, it all comes flooding back and you're 149 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:01,920 on your way. I mean, when I first started 150 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:06,400 teaching to recorded music, like to contemporary class or jazz 151 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:09,960 classes at schools and you end up teaching like, I don't know, 152 00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:13,720 three classes in a row or three classes that day or whatever. 153 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:16,200 It doesn't happen that much in ballet class. 154 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:18,880 I mean a little bit, but mainly in jazz class and contemporary 155 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:20,960 class. Like you talk over the music 156 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:23,760 that's playing and when it's a instead of a pianist, when it's 157 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:25,640 recorded music, there's speakers all around the room. 158 00:09:25,640 --> 00:09:28,560 So you're having to really project your voice, like really 159 00:09:28,560 --> 00:09:32,120 the next day, oh, lost my voice the first couple of times I 160 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:34,720 would teach because you're really screaming over the music. 161 00:09:35,040 --> 00:09:36,400 And that's something I learnt straight away. 162 00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:38,600 It's like, no Paul, you're going to turn down the music or you're 163 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:40,640 going to stop the music. Just say what you need to say 164 00:09:40,640 --> 00:09:42,840 because you can't just go around with like losing your voice 165 00:09:42,840 --> 00:09:44,320 because I also have a performance in the evening. 166 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:48,200 I need to sing or whatever. Like that's one of the big 167 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:52,200 things I found about teaching is that you're vocally you, you 168 00:09:52,200 --> 00:09:55,680 talk a hell of a lot, but also you never have a break because 169 00:09:55,680 --> 00:09:59,280 usually as a as a dancer, you go to the right and then the next 170 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:02,000 group start as a teacher, you're watching everybody. 171 00:10:02,000 --> 00:10:03,800 And then as soon as all the groups are done, you then have 172 00:10:03,800 --> 00:10:05,840 to sit in the X exercise and you never really have a break in 173 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:08,240 that sense. Like it's very tiring to be a 174 00:10:08,240 --> 00:10:10,560 teacher. And that's what shocked me when 175 00:10:10,560 --> 00:10:13,720 I first started teaching. Like it is a you're you're on 176 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:17,120 constantly, whereas as a dancer you can talk to Jessica at the 177 00:10:17,120 --> 00:10:19,040 back while the second group is going on. 178 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:21,280 Yeah. And you can also be like Moody 179 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:25,240 and tired, but still do class. You know, when you're teaching, 180 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:30,720 you know, you're leading a group of people and you know they will 181 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:34,040 feed off of your energy. So if you're tired and you're 182 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:36,840 not giving anything, the atmosphere in that class will be 183 00:10:36,840 --> 00:10:38,560 very, very flat. So. 184 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:41,080 And you know, you and I are very passionate teachers. 185 00:10:41,080 --> 00:10:47,440 I certainly talk a lot guide. It's I'm guiding the the 186 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:52,080 exercises and I do sometimes feel guilty because, you know, 187 00:10:52,080 --> 00:10:56,800 we have some wonderful pianists and the music is so beautiful 188 00:10:56,800 --> 00:10:58,560 and I'm thinking, Oh my. God. 189 00:10:59,200 --> 00:11:01,720 Not screaming, but it may come across as screaming for the 190 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:04,360 pianist to, you know, he's also trying to focus and concentrate. 191 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:08,800 But I'm sure, I'm sure they're used to it because most teachers 192 00:11:08,880 --> 00:11:13,960 are vocal during an exercise. Because for me, I feel there are 193 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:17,720 certainly times when I will be completely quiet when I'm asking 194 00:11:17,960 --> 00:11:21,760 my dancers to tune in to the live music to support the 195 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:25,760 exercise. But even then it only lasts 196 00:11:25,760 --> 00:11:28,560 maybe a few counts and then I start, you know, vocalising. 197 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:33,200 Again, so I want to quickly before we move on, I want to 198 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:36,080 quickly jump back to your Ossa Prova extravaganza. 199 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:41,120 So obviously you did your performance like you said you 200 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:44,280 were in one of the one of the three pieces about in the 201 00:11:44,320 --> 00:11:45,280 evening. Did you manage to? 202 00:11:45,280 --> 00:11:47,800 I don't know when the tech rehearsals go out front and 203 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:52,040 watch the other pieces or? Yeah, a little, a little. 204 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:57,200 I saw in full the exhibition, which was amazing. 205 00:11:57,200 --> 00:12:01,040 Which is actually, you may know Chris Acrell now I know that 206 00:12:01,040 --> 00:12:01,560 you. Oh, yeah. 207 00:12:01,680 --> 00:12:04,880 Yeah. So Chris Acrell is the other 208 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:07,720 person, the other dancer in the exhibition. 209 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:13,000 And because that's the last piece, I had time to get changed 210 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:16,760 and it's after the interval. So I managed to watch the 211 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:19,520 exhibition. But there was a beautiful video 212 00:12:19,520 --> 00:12:24,120 footage of, I think it's 5 Brahm waltzes where Natalia looked 213 00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:27,080 stunning, but I only caught glimpses of that. 214 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:31,600 And I didn't see this, the second live piece, just because 215 00:12:31,600 --> 00:12:33,480 we were getting changed and we were backstage. 216 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:36,160 But I did see a little bit of it, yeah. 217 00:12:36,440 --> 00:12:38,360 And was the whole evening supposed to be? 218 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:40,840 It's not like a retirement thing, It was just like a 219 00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:44,640 celebration. Or no, no, not at all a 220 00:12:44,680 --> 00:12:47,800 celebration of Ossipova, which was I think it's the second year 221 00:12:47,800 --> 00:12:51,320 in a row, slightly different programming, but the second year 222 00:12:51,320 --> 00:12:54,640 in a row at at the Limbury for the Royal Ballet. 223 00:12:55,360 --> 00:12:59,240 And has she decided on the pieces or like maybe working a 224 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:01,520 collaboration with somebody deciding on the pieces or maybe 225 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:03,560 you don't? Know, I don't know for certain. 226 00:13:03,560 --> 00:13:08,040 I imagine she had a conversation with several choreographers that 227 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:11,840 she wanted to work with, and that's how they came up with 228 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:14,400 this particular program. Yeah. 229 00:13:14,480 --> 00:13:17,480 I mean, but I don't know. I don't know the insurance and 230 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:19,720 outs. All I do know is that I'm so 231 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:25,240 grateful that Middle Duet 2 by Alexi Ratmansky was chosen, and 232 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:30,280 I'm thrilled that Kevin O'Hare asked for Rain and I and that we 233 00:13:30,280 --> 00:13:33,000 got to do it. And also I hadn't realized I was 234 00:13:33,000 --> 00:13:35,440 having a conversation with one of the dancers from the company 235 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:39,520 because so basically they're they're the two main characters, 236 00:13:39,600 --> 00:13:42,400 Natalia and her partner Patricio. 237 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:47,600 And then Rainn and I are also on stage the entire time for the 10 238 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:50,160 for the 10 minutes. And then right at the end, a 239 00:13:50,160 --> 00:13:53,920 young couple who addressed identical to the lead couples 240 00:13:53,920 --> 00:13:57,560 come on. And one of the male dancers from 241 00:13:57,560 --> 00:14:02,520 the company mentioned that when he was called to the office to 242 00:14:02,520 --> 00:14:06,600 be told he'd be a part of it, it was like almost like it was 243 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:10,160 delivered as a reward. So it was also equally exciting, 244 00:14:10,200 --> 00:14:14,920 you know, for the dancers. So as much as it was for us, so 245 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:20,040 it was, it was just a really wonderful experience. 246 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:24,440 And I found because we only had five performances over six days, 247 00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:29,680 and I found myself feeling a little bit, not sad that it was 248 00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:32,400 ending, but a little bit. I mean, I'm a Pisces. 249 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:36,080 I'm a classic March Pisces, you know, Yeah, I'm emotional. 250 00:14:36,440 --> 00:14:41,160 I'm not one to like, I'm not one to like sobbing movies, you 251 00:14:41,160 --> 00:14:44,320 know, I'm not that kind of a well, maybe some like you look 252 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:45,800 at surprise. I am OK. 253 00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:47,960 Well, it's because I am that person. 254 00:14:48,080 --> 00:14:51,920 I'm not built that I am. I'm emotional, but I'm not I'm 255 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:53,240 not. I wouldn't cry at the drop of a 256 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:56,400 hat. However, I found myself feeling 257 00:14:56,400 --> 00:14:58,880 a little bit melancholy thinking, Oh God, we only got 3 258 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:02,240 shows left, only two shows left until I decided just to switch 259 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:04,840 it up and, and, and say to myself, just be, just be 260 00:15:04,840 --> 00:15:06,920 grateful it happened because it's amazing. 261 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:10,640 And then I something just clicked and it kind of stopped 262 00:15:10,640 --> 00:15:13,840 the kind of melancholy because of course, when you're 263 00:15:14,000 --> 00:15:17,920 participating in something magical, it's hard to then let 264 00:15:17,920 --> 00:15:20,360 give it up, isn't it? But I just thought, Oh my God, 265 00:15:20,360 --> 00:15:23,160 this, this job came out of nowhere, first of all. 266 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:27,080 So I just, I'm just eternally, eternally grateful. 267 00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:29,320 And I'm still high as a Kai. Really. 268 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:30,880 Yeah. It's fantastic. 269 00:15:30,880 --> 00:15:33,480 I mean, and like you said about, you know, also the dancer from 270 00:15:33,480 --> 00:15:37,200 the company feeling like, wow, I was chosen because, you know, 271 00:15:37,200 --> 00:15:40,960 yes, fine, they will be doing solos in other shows or been 272 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:43,360 featured roles in other shows on the big stage. 273 00:15:43,360 --> 00:15:48,200 But when it is literally a handful of specifically picked 274 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:52,120 people for this small intimate performance, like there is a an 275 00:15:52,120 --> 00:15:54,360 air about it. Yeah. 276 00:15:54,360 --> 00:15:55,800 But, you know, you could have picked anyone. 277 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:58,600 You picked me. There is these two principal 278 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:00,920 dancers. One of them, of course, is Ossa 279 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:02,800 Prova because, you know, her name is on the program. 280 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:08,360 And then out of anybody else in the whole world, you chose me. 281 00:16:08,360 --> 00:16:10,120 Like, of course that's going to feel. 282 00:16:10,320 --> 00:16:13,360 Wow. So Chris Ackle, I know from 283 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:16,160 Pinocchio, I think I told, I told the story about how I got 284 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:20,280 my first principal role was my birthday, which was also Chris 285 00:16:20,280 --> 00:16:22,960 Ackle's birthday when he was ill. 286 00:16:23,040 --> 00:16:25,560 And I then played Pinocchio because he was off. 287 00:16:25,600 --> 00:16:28,880 Oh my gosh, that's right. Well, I, I've of course heard of 288 00:16:28,880 --> 00:16:34,040 Chris, but I'd never met him. And so we all, all the dancers, 289 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:36,920 all the male dancers were sharing the one dressing room. 290 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:39,640 So it was nice because we were doing different pieces, but it 291 00:16:39,640 --> 00:16:43,680 was nice to spend some time with Chris and hear his stories and 292 00:16:43,680 --> 00:16:47,000 so many people, so many crossovers of of friends and 293 00:16:47,000 --> 00:16:49,040 colleagues. So yeah, that was great. 294 00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:52,800 And of course, as soon as he said Pinocchio, I put two and 295 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:53,640 two together. But. 296 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:57,720 Of course, because Rain was there, so Rain worked with Chris 297 00:16:57,720 --> 00:17:01,200 in Pinocchio as well. Yes, and Chris and Rain were 298 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:04,119 reminiscing because there was a moment. 299 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:07,119 I mean, Rain really needs to tell this story because it's but 300 00:17:07,280 --> 00:17:09,760 it's hilarious. It wasn't for Rain, but and 301 00:17:09,760 --> 00:17:11,720 Andrew Corbett was part of that cast. 302 00:17:12,280 --> 00:17:15,520 And I think Andrew dislocated his shoulder. 303 00:17:16,079 --> 00:17:20,280 And so rain, Rain had to go on with like half an hour's notice, 304 00:17:20,720 --> 00:17:25,040 which, you know, for anybody that's, you know, anxiety 305 00:17:25,040 --> 00:17:27,720 provoking. But Rain is a serious planner. 306 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:30,760 He's always, always early. So that would have been a big 307 00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:34,280 shock, you know, to be thrown on stage unprepared really. 308 00:17:34,520 --> 00:17:37,360 But he did it and, and, and he did it. 309 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:40,160 He did it very well. So and he has a great story to 310 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:41,440 tell. But they were talking about 311 00:17:41,440 --> 00:17:43,760 those days. And so Andrew Corbett came up 312 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:46,840 and then and also, I think that was the second time that Chris 313 00:17:46,840 --> 00:17:50,000 did Pinocchio, because the first time it was Matthew Hart. 314 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:53,040 Is that right? Yeah, the original, The original 315 00:17:53,040 --> 00:17:56,320 the year before or two years before, whenever it was, it was 316 00:17:56,400 --> 00:17:59,720 Matthew Hart playing Pinocchio. I think Matthew Hart and Chris 317 00:17:59,720 --> 00:18:03,880 might have shared Pinocchio, but Chris played lamp Wick, which is 318 00:18:03,880 --> 00:18:07,400 the role that I played right when I did Pinocchio and Chris 319 00:18:07,400 --> 00:18:08,840 was doing Pinocchio. Yeah. 320 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:09,880 Oh, that's lovely. Yeah. 321 00:18:10,160 --> 00:18:11,200 Yeah. So that was fun. 322 00:18:11,200 --> 00:18:13,880 It was nice to be like, oh, I know so and so and yeah. 323 00:18:14,840 --> 00:18:19,520 Such a small world. So I have a story about what 324 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:23,560 happened to me this week. So I had to clear out my 325 00:18:23,640 --> 00:18:27,000 bookcase in the living room and I decided to then, oh, I'm going 326 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:29,040 to change things around, move the shelves around, put 327 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:31,360 different things on different shelves that kind of, you know, 328 00:18:31,400 --> 00:18:33,880 change it up a little bit. So I went up to my attic and I 329 00:18:33,880 --> 00:18:35,360 was like, oh, I've got these ballet books. 330 00:18:35,360 --> 00:18:38,600 Like I've got the Darcy Bussell photography book, which is 331 00:18:38,760 --> 00:18:41,080 stunning. And I have like a book on the 332 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:43,560 pantomime theater in Denmark. And I have some other books. 333 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:46,520 And I had an old ballet book for my mom and I said, oh, I've got 334 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:48,080 some more of those upstairs in the attic. 335 00:18:48,080 --> 00:18:49,640 Let me just go get those. Now. 336 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:52,840 I think I've told this story before that when I was at 337 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:57,040 Elmhurst I was doing Nutcracker, Derek Ding's Nutcracker as a 338 00:18:57,280 --> 00:19:00,560 quotation, Mark's child, this 15 year old child. 339 00:19:02,360 --> 00:19:06,240 And after we had learnt the Rep, then obviously we were 340 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:07,920 rehearsing with everybody, with the whole company. 341 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:11,960 And David Wall was then the rehearsal director of Ballet 342 00:19:11,960 --> 00:19:13,480 Master. I think he was at EMB. 343 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:17,520 So he was taking the rehearsals and I mentioned it in passing to 344 00:19:17,520 --> 00:19:21,040 my mum and my mum said, oh, he was my favorite dancer growing 345 00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:23,120 up. I loved watching David, David 346 00:19:23,120 --> 00:19:24,880 Wall. And then she gave me one of her 347 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:27,280 old ballet books. And there was, I mean, David 348 00:19:27,280 --> 00:19:32,800 Wall was a huge ballet star for of young people listening. 349 00:19:33,040 --> 00:19:37,440 He was the guy, the Carlos Acosta, the like, he was the 350 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:40,520 guy. So no surprise there was a 351 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:43,600 billion pictures of him in these old ballet books. 352 00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:48,880 And so I took one of the ballet books from my mom's house to 353 00:19:48,880 --> 00:19:50,680 Elmhurst. And then when I went up to 354 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:56,080 rehearse, J Muse with Embi, asked him to sign this picture 355 00:19:56,080 --> 00:19:58,640 of himself. And then I, we get the coach 356 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:00,440 back from London. I go to my dormitory. 357 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:03,880 And then that's when I flick through the book to look at what 358 00:20:03,880 --> 00:20:05,760 he's done. And then I notice a picture of 359 00:20:05,760 --> 00:20:09,000 Alfreda Thorogood. And I told that story before 360 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:12,280 that I went down to her office and I said, oh, I asked your 361 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:15,320 husband, David Wall, to sign a picture. 362 00:20:15,320 --> 00:20:17,760 And I found a picture of you. Could you, would you mind 363 00:20:17,760 --> 00:20:19,000 signing this picture of yourself? 364 00:20:19,480 --> 00:20:22,640 And the first thing she said is. Well, that leg's not very 365 00:20:22,640 --> 00:20:24,480 straight. And then she whips out a devil 366 00:20:24,480 --> 00:20:26,200 pay for me and then signs the book. 367 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:33,360 So anyway, Fast forward to 2025. I tell my mum that I'm bringing 368 00:20:33,360 --> 00:20:36,160 down these ballet books from the attic and then she'll say, Oh 369 00:20:36,160 --> 00:20:38,040 yeah, I think some of them are signed. 370 00:20:38,040 --> 00:20:42,760 And I was like, yes, Gillian, that was me who got them signed 371 00:20:42,760 --> 00:20:45,640 for you kind of thing. But you know, she's my mother's. 372 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:51,040 So I just was like, oh, really thinking, yeah, I know they're 373 00:20:51,040 --> 00:20:53,080 signed. I did it, but cool, thanks. 374 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:56,680 So I bring them all downstairs and then I'm like, grab a glass 375 00:20:56,680 --> 00:20:58,480 of red wine and flick through these ballet books. 376 00:20:58,880 --> 00:21:03,320 And I open up one of the ballet books that isn't the one that I 377 00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:05,800 took to go and get signed, one of the other ones that I haven't 378 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:09,160 really looked through. And I open it and on the front 379 00:21:09,160 --> 00:21:12,680 page there's a signature from Robert Heltman. 380 00:21:13,120 --> 00:21:18,240 I was like, OK, then I start flicking through this book and 381 00:21:18,240 --> 00:21:23,680 there's Leslie Edwards, Michael Solmes, Peter Clegg, Philip 382 00:21:23,680 --> 00:21:28,720 Chatfield, Donald Mccleary, like, what on earth? 383 00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:30,160 All these signatures in this book. 384 00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:34,080 And then I turn a page and there is a signed photograph of Margot 385 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:40,400 Fontaine. Oh my God, don't tell Rain 386 00:21:40,440 --> 00:21:44,000 because he will book a flight to Copenhagen, break into your 387 00:21:44,000 --> 00:21:48,520 apartment and steal the book. Isn't that crazy? 388 00:21:49,040 --> 00:21:52,080 I literally was like, yes, Gillian, I got David Walter, 389 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:53,560 sign your book. Calm down. 390 00:21:55,120 --> 00:21:58,880 I have a book with Margot Fontaine's autograph, like what 391 00:21:58,880 --> 00:22:02,600 on earth it's and how special it's. 392 00:22:02,920 --> 00:22:06,880 And also side note, these ballet books, that's one of them. 393 00:22:06,880 --> 00:22:09,440 There's this other one which doesn't have any signatures in 394 00:22:09,600 --> 00:22:12,880 which I think is called the Royal Ballet today, and it's 395 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:16,640 from I think 1967 or something. And the photographs in it are 396 00:22:16,680 --> 00:22:21,520 incredible, like the photos of Margot Fontaine in Ondine and 397 00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:23,560 beautiful. These, I'm so happy to have 398 00:22:23,560 --> 00:22:25,560 these books. They're absolutely stunning. 399 00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:29,240 But yeah, signed photograph of Margot Fontaine. 400 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:32,560 Incredible. That is really incredible. 401 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:37,760 I asked my mum and I think it's because my granddad was, did he? 402 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:40,040 He was a painter and an artist like on the side. 403 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:42,600 It wasn't his job. He was a businessman, but for 404 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:46,400 fun, he was a very good artist. And I think he went up to the 405 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:50,640 Royal Ballet to just for himself to like sketch the dancers just 406 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:52,400 for fun. He probably wrote to them and 407 00:22:52,400 --> 00:22:54,920 said, oh, would you mind if I came and sit in rehearsals or 408 00:22:54,920 --> 00:22:57,040 something like that? And I think while he was up 409 00:22:57,040 --> 00:23:00,360 there, he must have asked some random dancers to sign 410 00:23:00,360 --> 00:23:03,360 photographs of themselves in this book, you know, random 411 00:23:03,360 --> 00:23:08,200 dancers being Margaret Fontaine. Thank goodness he did. 412 00:23:08,200 --> 00:23:09,080 It's. Crazy, right? 413 00:23:09,680 --> 00:23:15,360 But it reminds me of my first year at the Royal Ballet School, 414 00:23:15,360 --> 00:23:17,600 White Lodge. So there was, I mean, they 415 00:23:17,600 --> 00:23:19,440 probably still do it, but back then there was this. 416 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:23,240 They have a summer fate. So like the end of term and 417 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:27,440 there's dancing on the lawn and all your parents come and all 418 00:23:27,440 --> 00:23:32,360 this kind of very British kind of school fate kind of thing. 419 00:23:32,880 --> 00:23:38,120 And I remember it was the 7th, 75th anniversary of it was an 420 00:23:38,120 --> 00:23:42,080 anniversary of White Lodge. I'm not sure what year it was 60 421 00:23:42,080 --> 00:23:48,080 or 70 or something like that. And I remember there buying a 422 00:23:48,080 --> 00:23:54,480 poster that was signed by Nanette de Valois, Fiona 423 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:58,640 Chadwick and Sarah Wildor. I think Nanette Devour had 424 00:23:58,640 --> 00:24:01,880 signed a couple of these posters for this school Fate. 425 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:03,760 She wasn't there. She was still alive at the time. 426 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:08,760 She had signed these posters. And then at the event was Sarah 427 00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:11,800 Wildo and I asked her to sign it and and I still have that up in 428 00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:14,280 my attic. Oh, thank God, because I have 429 00:24:14,520 --> 00:24:17,640 Sylvie Guillem's autograph, but I couldn't tell you where it is. 430 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:20,240 I was going to say, is there anyone that you've got autograph 431 00:24:20,240 --> 00:24:21,720 of? You've got Sylvie as well. 432 00:24:21,720 --> 00:24:23,480 Well, I went when we were at ballet school. 433 00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:26,760 We were taken to see a matinee of Swan Lake at the Opera House 434 00:24:26,760 --> 00:24:31,000 and it was Sylvie will be with Jonathan Cope and I think I may 435 00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:34,920 maybe even in Season 1. I told the story before, but it 436 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:38,000 was exquisite. But we were also first years at 437 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:42,560 ballet school, upper School. So we left completely depressed, 438 00:24:42,800 --> 00:24:47,560 like for the remainder depressed because when you witness that 439 00:24:47,560 --> 00:24:49,920 live, we were just like, Oh my God. 440 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:55,120 And I actually went up to stage door at the Opera House and 441 00:24:55,120 --> 00:24:58,040 asked for her autograph twice. I could not tell you. 442 00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:01,280 I'm so devastated. I could not tell you where that 443 00:25:01,280 --> 00:25:04,120 autograph is. But I did ask Natalia. 444 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:08,120 I actually created. So when you do a performance at 445 00:25:08,120 --> 00:25:10,640 the Opera House, you have a printed program and you also 446 00:25:10,640 --> 00:25:15,760 have a digital program. OK, now the digital program, I 447 00:25:15,760 --> 00:25:18,440 decided to print. It basically says the Royal 448 00:25:18,440 --> 00:25:21,840 Ballet. It has all the artistic crew, so 449 00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:25,000 director original founder, Ninnette de Val Bois, Frederick 450 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:27,440 Ashton, Constant Lambert, etcetera, Kevin O'Hare, 451 00:25:27,440 --> 00:25:30,520 etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. And then it has middle Duet and 452 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:32,320 then it has all of the casting creatives. 453 00:25:32,320 --> 00:25:38,560 So I I rejigged all of that and into an A5 size printed a couple 454 00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:44,240 of copies so that Rainn and I could have a copy each and all 455 00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:47,120 of the cast signed signed it for us. 456 00:25:47,120 --> 00:25:52,200 So now, oh fantastic, which will be framed yes, because it's very 457 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:57,400 rare that because it was such an intimate project project doesn't 458 00:25:57,400 --> 00:26:00,360 feel, you know, mighty enough for the for what we went through 459 00:26:00,360 --> 00:26:04,400 because it was so amazing. But you know, actors are very 460 00:26:04,400 --> 00:26:07,960 rarely credited in that way. But just to have like 6 names, 461 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:11,320 you know, under the piece title was really, really special. 462 00:26:11,320 --> 00:26:15,480 So we wanted to to make sure we had Natalia's signature as well 463 00:26:15,480 --> 00:26:18,440 as all the other dancers and and have something special to keep. 464 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:23,520 But I also have, I have a book that I also had signed at 465 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:26,680 Yorkshire Ballet Seminar. So I have Alicia Markova 466 00:26:26,680 --> 00:26:30,160 signature. I have Dame Beryl Grey. 467 00:26:30,320 --> 00:26:33,760 Well actually she signed, she signed, I think she signed the 468 00:26:33,760 --> 00:26:39,840 book, but I have a Polaroid of her as a deal that she's signed 469 00:26:39,840 --> 00:26:42,280 also. Dear Damien, and you know, much 470 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:47,720 luck and I think I may even have David Wall's autograph. 471 00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:51,640 I certainly hope I do in the same book because they would 472 00:26:51,640 --> 00:26:53,040 have all toured at Yorkshire Ballet so of. 473 00:26:53,440 --> 00:26:56,160 Course, yeah. Wow. 474 00:26:56,160 --> 00:26:59,240 But again, I think it was, it must be my mother like nudging 475 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:01,680 me because I don't think you think of getting an autograph 476 00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:04,720 like 11-12 years old. Not of a teacher. 477 00:27:04,840 --> 00:27:06,920 No. Because back then you don't 478 00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:11,360 think of like probably actually Leanne Cope mentioned it on her 479 00:27:11,360 --> 00:27:14,080 interview, like the students don't think of you as that. 480 00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:17,440 They think of you as your teacher as as their teacher. 481 00:27:17,560 --> 00:27:20,080 And Leanne Campbell Cope was saying like, you know, her 482 00:27:20,080 --> 00:27:23,600 students were so shocked when the rumor goes around the school 483 00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:25,840 and like, did you know that Leanne Cope went to the Met 484 00:27:25,840 --> 00:27:27,720 Gala? They were like, Oh my God, why 485 00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:30,000 did you go to the Met Gala? And like not knowing who their 486 00:27:30,000 --> 00:27:32,720 teacher is and not knowing that she was like original American 487 00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:35,200 empowers and this kind of stuff. Like it was exactly the same as 488 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:37,520 us. I mean, I wasn't taught by by 489 00:27:37,520 --> 00:27:40,280 her, but the, the girls at White Lodge, the first year girls were 490 00:27:40,280 --> 00:27:45,480 taught by Shirley Graham and I that name I don't really know as 491 00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:47,360 a dancer. I we, like we said in one of our 492 00:27:47,360 --> 00:27:49,760 previous episodes, we can't know every reference. 493 00:27:49,760 --> 00:27:51,400 We can't know every single person. 494 00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:56,960 And in these books, I saw rehearsal pictures of Shirley 495 00:27:56,960 --> 00:28:00,920 Graham as Odetto deal Swan Lake rehearsing in the old Talgarth 496 00:28:00,920 --> 00:28:03,840 Rd. studios and stuff. So again, it's like, oh, I have 497 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:07,560 no idea that, you know, the lowest school girls ballet 498 00:28:07,560 --> 00:28:10,640 teacher was, you know, principal dancer with the Royal Ballet 499 00:28:10,640 --> 00:28:13,920 Company in the 60s, that you just, you wouldn't think, you 500 00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:15,280 don't think like that when you're a kid. 501 00:28:15,280 --> 00:28:16,840 You're thinking, OK, this is my teacher. 502 00:28:17,080 --> 00:28:20,600 Yeah, exactly, exactly. So I'm, I'm grateful that, you 503 00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:25,240 know, we have those signatures because it's just, well, you 504 00:28:25,240 --> 00:28:28,840 know, we respect what we do. We respect the craft. 505 00:28:28,880 --> 00:28:34,800 So it's, they're lovely little markers or tokens of, of, you 506 00:28:34,800 --> 00:28:37,840 know, of these, the legacy of these artists. 507 00:28:37,840 --> 00:28:41,120 Because like, I certainly don't have, I'd love to have Nureyev's 508 00:28:41,120 --> 00:28:45,280 and, and Margot Fontaine's of course, signatures somewhere, 509 00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:48,800 which is why, you know, now I have, you know, I bought 510 00:28:48,800 --> 00:28:51,200 Marinella's book and I asked her to sign it. 511 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:55,000 So I have her signature now I have Natalia's, you know, and I, 512 00:28:56,000 --> 00:28:57,840 I think they're just, you know, it makes me happy. 513 00:28:57,840 --> 00:29:01,640 So why not? And it's, I mean, it was lovely 514 00:29:01,640 --> 00:29:03,920 for me to sit there with a glass of red wine and go through 515 00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:06,120 these, these books and everything and look at old 516 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:09,840 photos and kind of give these people who have either passed on 517 00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:13,640 or have retired or very elderly now. 518 00:29:13,640 --> 00:29:18,560 Like it was nice to give them, you know, another life in my 519 00:29:18,560 --> 00:29:20,600 brain. Like remember what they were and 520 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:23,600 look at their art that they created and have a little 521 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:26,760 Bunhead evening because I don't have many Bunhead moments in 522 00:29:26,760 --> 00:29:30,200 that sense. But it's also talking about what 523 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:34,320 you say about one. Now you're actively, you know, 524 00:29:34,360 --> 00:29:36,360 with Marianella's autograph and such. 525 00:29:36,880 --> 00:29:39,160 It's one of the reasons, you know, why I'm wanting to 526 00:29:39,160 --> 00:29:41,480 interview people for the podcast because I want to. 527 00:29:42,280 --> 00:29:44,840 It's my way of getting their autograph, so to speak. 528 00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:47,640 Like, you know, interview Christopher Hampson and talk to 529 00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:50,680 him and, you know, have some words of wisdom come out of his 530 00:29:50,680 --> 00:29:52,600 mouth. It's better than an autograph 531 00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:55,800 kind of thing. And it's important because it's, 532 00:29:56,000 --> 00:29:59,800 you know, some insight into the way that they think, which is, 533 00:29:59,960 --> 00:30:02,480 you know, we discussed at the beginning of this episode, 534 00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:06,520 dancers don't usually talk, you know, Well, we certainly make up 535 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:12,320 for it off stage at the bar. But, you know, we're, we're with 536 00:30:12,320 --> 00:30:15,240 an art form that is not vocalized. 537 00:30:15,240 --> 00:30:19,000 So it's quite, you know, occasionally you may see a 538 00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:23,960 director in print in a magazine or, or a feature or a 539 00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:28,000 choreographer's new work, but it's quite rare and continues to 540 00:30:28,000 --> 00:30:33,760 be quite rare to, to get real insight from a, from an artist. 541 00:30:33,760 --> 00:30:38,280 So, yeah, these episodes with your special guests, you know, 542 00:30:38,280 --> 00:30:43,400 you haven't a real opportunity just to get inside their mind 543 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:47,520 and, and, and some insight into, you know, what they think and 544 00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:52,120 what they thought and, and, and share some of their story, you 545 00:30:52,120 --> 00:30:55,480 know, which is brilliant. It's really, really brilliant. 546 00:30:55,640 --> 00:30:58,920 And actually, just to mention, I was teaching yesterday, 547 00:30:58,920 --> 00:31:03,600 actually, there's a very funny moment where I've been teaching 548 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:08,040 for 2 1/2 hours, very serious at the Opera House, ballet 549 00:31:08,040 --> 00:31:11,680 technique, live music, everybody focused, concentrated 550 00:31:11,680 --> 00:31:15,800 discipline, sweating. And then as I was checking 551 00:31:15,800 --> 00:31:21,480 people out, one of our wonderful dancers, Patty, as the door was 552 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:25,080 about to close, she just shouted before she ran. 553 00:31:25,320 --> 00:31:28,920 Thank you, Auntie Denise, she's a listener. 554 00:31:29,280 --> 00:31:32,040 Which made me laugh so much. It was so, so funny. 555 00:31:33,200 --> 00:31:37,400 And it's also lovely to have to have a moment where you you 556 00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:40,280 realise people are listening, you know, to what we're doing 557 00:31:40,280 --> 00:31:43,680 right now. It's it's, it was fun. 558 00:31:43,680 --> 00:31:45,160 It was a fun moment. It was lovely. 559 00:31:47,520 --> 00:31:51,960 So I have a funny story just talking about meeting people at 560 00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:56,320 autographs and such. So when I was Aja Junior 561 00:31:56,440 --> 00:32:00,880 Associate of the Royal Ballet School, when I was Aja, I think 562 00:32:00,880 --> 00:32:07,360 it was my final year as Aja and a handful of us boys and girls 563 00:32:08,040 --> 00:32:11,200 were picked to be part of a special performance. 564 00:32:11,600 --> 00:32:16,280 It was, it was celebrating 50 years of the Opera House opening 565 00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:19,520 after the Second World War. So during the Second World War 566 00:32:19,520 --> 00:32:22,160 the Opera House was closed. So this was celebrating the 567 00:32:22,160 --> 00:32:24,080 amount of years it had been reopened for. 568 00:32:24,280 --> 00:32:27,240 When they reopened after Second World War, they reopened the 569 00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:29,600 Opera House with the production of Sleeping Beauty. 570 00:32:30,320 --> 00:32:34,760 And so for this celebration, the Royal Balin Company were doing a 571 00:32:34,760 --> 00:32:38,560 production of Sleeping Beauty and it was the Sleeping Beauty, 572 00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:40,880 you know, the one with the cobweb with the Velcro across 573 00:32:40,880 --> 00:32:43,000 the stage that they ripped open that one. 574 00:32:43,920 --> 00:32:47,400 And So what happened? They did their they did the 575 00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:52,240 performance and I think if I remember it correctly, just 576 00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:58,760 before she wakes up, they stopped the show and 1 by 1, all 577 00:32:58,760 --> 00:33:03,440 the remaining, you know, still living dancers who were in that 578 00:33:03,440 --> 00:33:06,520 specific performance of Sleeping Beauty when the Opera House 579 00:33:06,520 --> 00:33:11,600 opened, one by one came on stage and we walked on and gave them a 580 00:33:11,600 --> 00:33:13,680 rose. Like these junior associate 581 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:18,560 dancers came on stage and gave them a rose and then a cake was 582 00:33:18,560 --> 00:33:23,440 wheeled on stage and Dave Lynette Devaloir came on stage 583 00:33:23,440 --> 00:33:27,040 and cut the cake and, you know, clap, clap, clap, blah, blah, 584 00:33:27,040 --> 00:33:29,120 blah. Then they carried on with the 585 00:33:29,120 --> 00:33:31,400 show. So then that all stopped and 586 00:33:31,400 --> 00:33:33,560 then they carried on with the show anyway. 587 00:33:33,600 --> 00:33:35,560 That's not the story. God. 588 00:33:37,360 --> 00:33:40,160 The story is. The cake is the story. 589 00:33:41,760 --> 00:33:47,600 The story is, is that we were rehearsing this, so we were all, 590 00:33:47,920 --> 00:33:52,280 all the JA's were in the wings and had just rehearsed these 591 00:33:52,280 --> 00:33:54,760 older dancers coming on stage and we're giving them the rows 592 00:33:54,760 --> 00:33:56,280 and blah, blah, blah, and all this kind of stuff. 593 00:33:56,680 --> 00:33:59,920 But then we needed to also do the curtain call of the entire 594 00:33:59,920 --> 00:34:02,600 show. So then we needed the entire 595 00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:04,960 company to come on stage to find out where all these older 596 00:34:04,960 --> 00:34:07,240 dancers, where all the JA's are going to stand, where Damien 597 00:34:07,240 --> 00:34:09,920 Nettemao is going to stand for the curtain call when it 598 00:34:09,920 --> 00:34:11,440 actually becomes the end of the show. 599 00:34:11,639 --> 00:34:14,800 And I remember us all sat there and you know, the stage manager 600 00:34:14,920 --> 00:34:17,360 is saying, right, let's just do the last, I don't know, 30 601 00:34:17,360 --> 00:34:19,679 seconds of the show or whatever it is. 602 00:34:20,520 --> 00:34:24,120 And all the core on stage or the soloists are on stage. 603 00:34:24,120 --> 00:34:27,199 The J as are sat in the wings just waiting around to do the 604 00:34:27,199 --> 00:34:30,239 curtain call. And then they call down the 605 00:34:30,239 --> 00:34:32,320 principal was to be to be there as well. 606 00:34:32,760 --> 00:34:39,040 And Darcy Bossel walks past me. She doesn't throw them down. 607 00:34:39,040 --> 00:34:42,400 She puts her point. She's down next to me and she is 608 00:34:42,400 --> 00:34:44,920 obviously about to leave. She's finished with her 609 00:34:44,920 --> 00:34:47,400 rehearsal, so she just needs to come on stage, stand in her 610 00:34:47,400 --> 00:34:49,520 place for us all to plan this curtain call. 611 00:34:49,639 --> 00:34:54,760 She comes downstairs in like these chunky black heels, double 612 00:34:54,760 --> 00:34:58,960 denim, so denim jeans, and she's wearing a denim jacket with 613 00:34:58,960 --> 00:35:03,200 Looney Tunes on the back. And she puts her point shoes on 614 00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:06,520 the floor right next to me. And I'm like, and I just 615 00:35:06,520 --> 00:35:08,720 remember like looking around, Is anyone looking? 616 00:35:08,720 --> 00:35:10,520 Is anyone looking now? And then I reach over and I just 617 00:35:10,520 --> 00:35:14,280 touch these, these point shoes. I'm like I touched Darcy 618 00:35:14,320 --> 00:35:18,680 Russell's point shoes. What a moment though, and how 619 00:35:18,680 --> 00:35:22,400 lovely to have that, like these memories, like you can't, can't 620 00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:27,000 make these moments up, you know? And it's so nice to, to have the 621 00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:30,920 nostalgia of a, of a special moment like that. 622 00:35:30,920 --> 00:35:34,440 I mean, considering how many icons would have been standing 623 00:35:34,440 --> 00:35:39,840 on that stage at the same time is just, and I get it, like if 624 00:35:39,840 --> 00:35:42,320 you're not a bun head and you, you know, it's, it's kind of 625 00:35:42,320 --> 00:35:46,080 like whatever. But like for us with such an 626 00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:50,600 that is our world and to, you know, have an appreciation of 627 00:35:50,600 --> 00:35:57,520 that and be surrounded by those people is just like, wow, really 628 00:35:57,520 --> 00:35:59,280 is. For me at that point, and even 629 00:35:59,280 --> 00:36:02,760 to this day, you know, Darcy buzzer walking past me, putting 630 00:36:02,760 --> 00:36:05,640 her Pointe shoes on the floor and then going on stage. 631 00:36:05,800 --> 00:36:08,200 It's literally like, I don't know, a musical theatre nerd 632 00:36:08,200 --> 00:36:11,840 being sat there and Cynthia Riva, Cynthia Riva walks past, 633 00:36:11,840 --> 00:36:13,720 clicks off her nails and puts him on the floor and you're like 634 00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:19,360 her nails, like, you know, it's it is our Justin Bieber. 635 00:36:19,360 --> 00:36:22,640 It's our you know, whoever. It's incredible. 636 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:26,800 And then especially, you know, Damien in it Devour is the fact 637 00:36:26,800 --> 00:36:29,200 that I I haven't had a conversation with her. 638 00:36:29,200 --> 00:36:33,520 I haven't met her, but I've been, you know, in the same room 639 00:36:33,520 --> 00:36:36,400 with her and a couple of times and it's that's incredible to 640 00:36:36,400 --> 00:36:39,400 even think that. Yeah, I've been in the same room 641 00:36:39,400 --> 00:36:42,000 as David Annette about why it's kind of incredible. 642 00:36:42,320 --> 00:36:46,200 It's incredible. We we live 2 blocks away from 643 00:36:46,200 --> 00:36:51,680 where she lived and there's a plaque of her apartment and I'm 644 00:36:51,680 --> 00:36:55,840 so eager to know. In fact, one day I was walking 645 00:36:55,840 --> 00:37:00,480 back from the station and I passed her former apartment and 646 00:37:00,480 --> 00:37:03,120 somebody was coming out, a gentleman was coming out. 647 00:37:03,120 --> 00:37:05,320 And I said, I said, I'm so sorry to bother you. 648 00:37:05,360 --> 00:37:08,960 I said. But do you know if Damianette 649 00:37:08,960 --> 00:37:13,240 Duvaloire pointed at the plaque if she owned the entire or she 650 00:37:13,240 --> 00:37:15,440 lived in the entire? Because it's like 4 Storey 651 00:37:15,600 --> 00:37:19,120 townhouse. Oh, the old fashioned white. 652 00:37:19,280 --> 00:37:24,720 White columns outside, but the plaque is on like the basement 653 00:37:24,720 --> 00:37:28,040 flat, which don't get me wrong, is still exquisite. 654 00:37:28,320 --> 00:37:31,280 And I just, I just want, I just wanted to know because I just 655 00:37:31,280 --> 00:37:34,200 want to kind of I wanted to kind of visualize, you know, I had 656 00:37:34,200 --> 00:37:38,360 this image of like, you know, Margot and, and an array of 657 00:37:38,360 --> 00:37:40,800 having like, you know, dinner there one evening. 658 00:37:40,800 --> 00:37:44,320 I don't know, something I don't know, I just fantasies of times 659 00:37:44,320 --> 00:37:47,200 gone by. And unfortunately he said, I'm 660 00:37:47,200 --> 00:37:48,920 so sorry, but I'm just a guest here. 661 00:37:48,920 --> 00:37:51,320 I don't know, I don't live here. And I was like, damn. 662 00:37:51,360 --> 00:37:59,080 It I'm sorry, who are you? I need to know every detail and 663 00:37:59,080 --> 00:38:01,720 I did have a look online, but it's hard to get that kind of 664 00:38:01,720 --> 00:38:05,200 information, you know, like how many floors would she own? 665 00:38:06,960 --> 00:38:09,920 If anybody does know the answer to that question, I'd love you 666 00:38:09,960 --> 00:38:13,320 to message us and tricks at the bar on our Instagram page, 667 00:38:13,320 --> 00:38:18,360 because I'd love to know the insurance and outs of that 668 00:38:18,400 --> 00:38:22,480 location because even now it's just a joy to walk past it and 669 00:38:22,480 --> 00:38:26,880 see her name on on the plaque. It's it's thrilling. 670 00:38:27,120 --> 00:38:30,640 I mean, I remember when I lived, when I lived in London, I lived 671 00:38:30,640 --> 00:38:34,040 in Golders Green and I think that I had lived there for, I 672 00:38:34,040 --> 00:38:36,560 don't know, a couple of months. And then one day I decided to, 673 00:38:37,120 --> 00:38:39,360 you know, meander around my area. 674 00:38:39,360 --> 00:38:42,000 Because when I lived, I mean, when you and I lived together 675 00:38:42,320 --> 00:38:45,640 and in various places and when I lived in Golders Green and when 676 00:38:45,640 --> 00:38:49,760 I lived in the Docklands, like a lot of the time it was just a 677 00:38:49,760 --> 00:38:51,800 bed. Like, you know, I lived there, I 678 00:38:51,800 --> 00:38:54,440 had my food there, I slept there, but I never really walked 679 00:38:54,440 --> 00:38:56,520 around the area. It was get on the tube, get on 680 00:38:56,520 --> 00:38:57,880 the bus, get into central London. 681 00:38:58,080 --> 00:39:00,720 So I never really looked around my own area. 682 00:39:00,920 --> 00:39:03,280 And so it was a couple of months I lived in Golders Green and 683 00:39:03,280 --> 00:39:06,400 then decided to take a walk. And that's when I discovered 684 00:39:06,400 --> 00:39:08,640 that, oh, Goddess Green is really close to hamster teeth. 685 00:39:08,640 --> 00:39:11,720 I had no idea, you know, meandered around and found 686 00:39:11,920 --> 00:39:15,960 Golders Hill Park and was like, oh, I live right next to a park 687 00:39:15,960 --> 00:39:18,720 with deer in. I had no idea and then found 688 00:39:18,720 --> 00:39:23,160 this White House in this park and like you said, a blue plaque 689 00:39:23,160 --> 00:39:25,240 was on it and it was where Anna Pavlova used to live. 690 00:39:25,680 --> 00:39:30,400 I had no idea that Anna Pavlova was my neighbor. 691 00:39:31,440 --> 00:39:34,200 Amazing, amazing. I don't know if you can still 692 00:39:34,200 --> 00:39:38,840 visit that house, her house, but I, you and I have been in that 693 00:39:38,840 --> 00:39:42,520 park near the house, I think 1 winter because there was snow on 694 00:39:42,520 --> 00:39:45,440 the ground, but we didn't go in. I don't think it was open 695 00:39:45,440 --> 00:39:46,960 otherwise I'm sure we would have gone in. 696 00:39:47,200 --> 00:39:51,280 But I need to find out whether we can still get access, because 697 00:39:51,280 --> 00:39:54,480 that would be fun to go into. I think it might have been, I 698 00:39:54,480 --> 00:39:58,320 mean, we're talking obviously over 15 years ago when I lived 699 00:39:58,320 --> 00:40:02,680 there, but I think at that point that house might also have been 700 00:40:02,680 --> 00:40:05,000 a local ballet school. Right. 701 00:40:05,680 --> 00:40:09,440 Again, message us on Instagram and let us know. 702 00:40:09,440 --> 00:40:11,960 You need answers. It's funny, isn't it? 703 00:40:11,960 --> 00:40:15,920 Because on the King's Road there is a beautiful building which is 704 00:40:15,920 --> 00:40:21,200 now actually a Pizza Express. However it is, it was the former 705 00:40:21,200 --> 00:40:24,040 ballet school where Margot Fontaine first trained. 706 00:40:24,400 --> 00:40:28,600 And so you can still, I keep meaning to go into Pizza Expert 707 00:40:28,600 --> 00:40:31,080 because it's a public building. I could actually just, you know, 708 00:40:31,680 --> 00:40:33,960 book a table and order Margarita. 709 00:40:33,960 --> 00:40:36,360 Get some garlic dough. Balls exactly. 710 00:40:37,120 --> 00:40:39,680 And just be in that building. Of course, it looks completely 711 00:40:39,680 --> 00:40:44,320 different, but just to be standing or seated in a building 712 00:40:44,800 --> 00:40:48,440 that was such a, you know, starting point for one of the 713 00:40:48,440 --> 00:40:51,320 world's most famous, if not most famous ballerinas. 714 00:40:51,560 --> 00:40:56,160 And also I made a point of when I was in Paris, just standing 715 00:40:56,160 --> 00:41:00,840 outside the apartment that Nureyev owned when he lived in 716 00:41:00,840 --> 00:41:03,520 Paris, when he was director of the Paris Opera and what not. 717 00:41:03,520 --> 00:41:06,440 And just these. And also there's a location not 718 00:41:06,440 --> 00:41:10,920 too far from Kensington Gardens and there's a blue plaque where 719 00:41:10,920 --> 00:41:13,640 Nureyev used to stay when he was when he would come over and 720 00:41:13,640 --> 00:41:19,240 perform with Festival Ballet. So it's it's there's a tour in 721 00:41:19,240 --> 00:41:22,960 this. There's a walking tour. 722 00:41:23,240 --> 00:41:26,800 There's a walking tour in this. Let me just make a note. 723 00:41:27,760 --> 00:41:31,760 Well, I have to say though, I mean when I was doing a piece, I 724 00:41:31,760 --> 00:41:34,640 was choreographing a piece with my friend Mattie. 725 00:41:34,640 --> 00:41:37,640 He was doing lots of the videos and photography for the pieces, 726 00:41:37,640 --> 00:41:43,320 like a mixed media performance. And through Peter Bo Bendixon, 727 00:41:43,320 --> 00:41:46,200 who was the director of Tivoli Ballet Theatre when I was there, 728 00:41:46,880 --> 00:41:49,880 we managed to rehearse in the studios of the Royal Danish. 729 00:41:50,320 --> 00:41:56,120 And we were in this old studio. And I look around, I'm like, and 730 00:41:56,120 --> 00:41:58,560 there's pictures on the wall. And when there's a little break, 731 00:41:58,560 --> 00:42:00,800 I then start investigating into this studio that I'm in in the 732 00:42:00,800 --> 00:42:04,440 Royal Danish. And it was the room where August 733 00:42:04,440 --> 00:42:08,600 Bonneville created Silfeed and created Napoli. 734 00:42:08,600 --> 00:42:11,080 I was in the studio. And that studio is still used to 735 00:42:11,080 --> 00:42:13,320 this day, like at the Royal Danish, like, you know, they 736 00:42:13,320 --> 00:42:16,480 haven't changed buildings. And yes, obviously there's been 737 00:42:16,480 --> 00:42:20,160 some refurbs or whatever, but like the skeleton is still what 738 00:42:20,160 --> 00:42:22,480 it is. And also lots of those, it's not 739 00:42:22,480 --> 00:42:26,960 the most modern of buildings. So it's incredible to have been 740 00:42:27,240 --> 00:42:30,080 stood in a room where August Bonneville had created these 741 00:42:30,880 --> 00:42:33,600 classics, these performances that are still to this day 742 00:42:33,600 --> 00:42:36,440 performed exactly how he he created them. 743 00:42:36,440 --> 00:42:39,920 And to be stood in the room where those steps left his brain 744 00:42:39,920 --> 00:42:43,400 and were put onto a dancer, it was just like, wow, a magical 745 00:42:43,400 --> 00:42:44,400 feeling. I love. 746 00:42:45,200 --> 00:42:47,240 So you can also have a walking tour in Denmark. 747 00:42:47,600 --> 00:42:49,760 Oh, for sure, yeah. We need to get our heads 748 00:42:49,760 --> 00:42:57,520 together and and collaborate. Yeah, so before we end this 749 00:42:57,520 --> 00:43:00,880 episode, I just have to fan girl for a second. 750 00:43:01,840 --> 00:43:04,720 I was on my best behaviour last week, as you can hear in the 751 00:43:04,720 --> 00:43:08,160 episode, but Brian Friedman, Oh my God. 752 00:43:08,760 --> 00:43:13,160 Like, OK, I know we've just been talking about how for us, you 753 00:43:13,160 --> 00:43:16,000 know, Darcy Bussell, Nanette de Valois and everything, these 754 00:43:16,000 --> 00:43:19,160 people are rock stars to us. For me also, like we mentioned 755 00:43:19,160 --> 00:43:22,880 actually a couple of weeks ago on our pop culture episode, 756 00:43:23,280 --> 00:43:27,440 Brian Friedman for me is just wow. 757 00:43:27,600 --> 00:43:31,120 And I was on my best behaviour. I don't think I came across to 758 00:43:31,240 --> 00:43:35,960 stalkerish or fan girly in episode, but it was fantastic to 759 00:43:35,960 --> 00:43:38,920 interview him and it was it was nice for him. 760 00:43:38,920 --> 00:43:43,240 It was nice to hear hear a side of him that you know, I have, I 761 00:43:43,240 --> 00:43:46,000 don't know the guy at all. So to interview him and hear 762 00:43:46,440 --> 00:43:50,480 that he's very much like yourself and, and I loves 763 00:43:50,480 --> 00:43:52,960 teaching and teaching is his favorite thing to do. 764 00:43:52,960 --> 00:43:56,400 And yeah, just to hear how passionate he is about teaching. 765 00:43:56,400 --> 00:43:59,960 And that side of him was just, yeah, loved it. 766 00:43:59,960 --> 00:44:02,680 And the best. We both had a similar thing 767 00:44:02,680 --> 00:44:05,920 happened to us within the past couple of days, which is when a 768 00:44:05,920 --> 00:44:09,720 student comes up to you at the end of class and says, so is 769 00:44:09,720 --> 00:44:12,200 there anything in particular that I could work on? 770 00:44:13,360 --> 00:44:17,600 And he said, obviously you can hear the episode, but in the 771 00:44:17,600 --> 00:44:22,240 episode he says, yes, everything that I just said, everything 772 00:44:22,240 --> 00:44:25,760 that I was saying over the past hour and a half class, that 773 00:44:25,800 --> 00:44:28,440 that's what you need to work on, everything that I just said, 774 00:44:29,880 --> 00:44:31,200 that was such a great thing to say. 775 00:44:32,600 --> 00:44:34,160 Well, yeah, but I mean a general. 776 00:44:34,160 --> 00:44:37,160 If you're giving a general correction or a general note, 777 00:44:37,160 --> 00:44:40,440 then you just please assume it applies to you too, like. 778 00:44:41,280 --> 00:44:43,280 It happened to me literally the other day. 779 00:44:43,280 --> 00:44:46,520 A student comes up to me after I've just done a class with 780 00:44:46,520 --> 00:44:48,080 like, I don't know, 30 people in it. 781 00:44:48,480 --> 00:44:50,800 And the girl comes up to me. She's like, I just wanted to 782 00:44:50,800 --> 00:44:53,800 say, I just wanted to ask, was there something like in 783 00:44:53,800 --> 00:44:55,760 particular that I needed to work on? 784 00:44:56,160 --> 00:44:59,920 And I know it's done out of the goodness of their heart and I 785 00:44:59,920 --> 00:45:03,280 know it's done through maybe wanting to show interest and 786 00:45:03,280 --> 00:45:04,760 show that they're eager and stuff. 787 00:45:05,120 --> 00:45:10,000 But it also puts me on the spot and makes me think, oh God, that 788 00:45:10,000 --> 00:45:13,640 girl who was stood in the third row for an hour and a half 789 00:45:13,640 --> 00:45:15,720 surrounded by other 30 people. I have no idea. 790 00:45:15,720 --> 00:45:18,120 You know what I mean? It kind of it make, doesn't make 791 00:45:18,120 --> 00:45:22,000 me feel bad, but it could very easily, you know, make me feel 792 00:45:22,000 --> 00:45:23,720 unprofessional because I actually don't have a correction 793 00:45:23,720 --> 00:45:26,400 for you because I didn't notice anything particular for you. 794 00:45:27,000 --> 00:45:30,920 But yeah, it's also, yeah, the corrections that I gave in the 795 00:45:30,920 --> 00:45:33,440 class were for everybody, darling. 796 00:45:37,120 --> 00:45:40,640 He knows his craft. But yeah, I mean, interviewing 797 00:45:40,640 --> 00:45:45,760 Brian was just fantastic. And and like I said, like we 798 00:45:45,760 --> 00:45:49,520 both said in the in our previous episode about pop culture, like, 799 00:45:49,920 --> 00:45:52,520 yes, Britney Spears was the person that we were watching. 800 00:45:52,520 --> 00:45:55,440 Britney Spears was the star, but the steps that she was doing 801 00:45:55,440 --> 00:45:59,960 were his steps and the choreography was his, and he was 802 00:45:59,960 --> 00:46:04,520 one of the dancers behind her. So for me it was, yeah, big fan 803 00:46:04,520 --> 00:46:06,600 over here. So I just have to geek get my 804 00:46:06,600 --> 00:46:09,520 geeking out here because he's not in the room and he's not 805 00:46:09,520 --> 00:46:12,800 listening. Yeah, I mean so exciting, so 806 00:46:12,800 --> 00:46:16,240 exciting. I completely get it like an 807 00:46:16,240 --> 00:46:18,560 amazing accomplishment. You know, I remember you and I 808 00:46:18,880 --> 00:46:24,480 having conversations and pre planning and pre production, you 809 00:46:24,480 --> 00:46:28,520 know, talking about, you know, access and you know, who we can 810 00:46:28,520 --> 00:46:32,720 reach out to and who we'd love to talk with and talk to. 811 00:46:33,080 --> 00:46:36,920 And so for this just, you know, to materialise and, and now you 812 00:46:36,920 --> 00:46:41,080 have an episode, it's recorded for people to listen, you know, 813 00:46:41,080 --> 00:46:44,280 that you can share is brilliant. It's it's really, really 814 00:46:44,280 --> 00:46:46,360 fantastic. It is because, you know, we've 815 00:46:46,640 --> 00:46:49,680 used our connections, you know, people that we have worked with 816 00:46:49,680 --> 00:46:53,880 before with Gary Avis and Tom Whitehead and all these people 817 00:46:53,880 --> 00:46:57,280 that we have interviewed. But, you know, there's also, you 818 00:46:57,280 --> 00:46:59,880 know, thinking about Brian was like, well, I have no connection 819 00:46:59,880 --> 00:47:04,640 to the guy, so just have to like, you know, cold call, send 820 00:47:04,800 --> 00:47:08,520 a random Instagram message and see if he wants to. 821 00:47:08,520 --> 00:47:10,040 And straight up, he was like, yeah, I'd love to. 822 00:47:10,840 --> 00:47:14,160 Oh, OK. And what was lovely, he didn't. 823 00:47:14,240 --> 00:47:18,920 He said when I stopped recording, he said, I've done a 824 00:47:18,920 --> 00:47:22,240 lot of these interviews before, and this is hands down being one 825 00:47:22,240 --> 00:47:24,360 of the best interviews I've had because I'm actually talking to 826 00:47:24,360 --> 00:47:26,800 someone who knows what they're talking about. 827 00:47:27,320 --> 00:47:31,800 It was nice to kind of just batch 2 heads together, like 2 828 00:47:31,800 --> 00:47:34,840 dancers, kind of like nerd and just yes, because usually 829 00:47:34,840 --> 00:47:38,600 interviewers that he has spoken to have been, you know, TV 830 00:47:38,600 --> 00:47:42,760 interviewers or, or what have you, not a fellow dancer. 831 00:47:42,760 --> 00:47:46,760 So that was also really nice that he deemed me as someone who 832 00:47:46,760 --> 00:47:50,480 knows what they're talking. About of course, and, and that 833 00:47:50,480 --> 00:47:53,480 makes me like him even more now because how lovely and how 834 00:47:53,480 --> 00:47:59,680 gracious to, to firstly say yes, I'd love to, I'd love to be 835 00:47:59,680 --> 00:48:02,560 interviewed by you or have a discussion with you, You know, 836 00:48:02,920 --> 00:48:05,600 not not knowing each other personally, I think that tells 837 00:48:05,600 --> 00:48:08,280 you a lot about a person and their character that they're, 838 00:48:09,520 --> 00:48:12,280 you know, they're not above themselves because he is 839 00:48:12,960 --> 00:48:15,760 massively famous. You know, he could quite easily 840 00:48:15,760 --> 00:48:20,840 be full of ego and, and dismissive, you know, and busy. 841 00:48:20,840 --> 00:48:24,360 But the fact that he took the time and enjoyed the experience, 842 00:48:24,360 --> 00:48:27,880 you know, what a wonderful moment to share with somebody 843 00:48:27,880 --> 00:48:30,840 that you, you know, deeply respect and, and admire. 844 00:48:31,000 --> 00:48:35,400 How great. Oh Denise, it was so lovely 845 00:48:35,400 --> 00:48:37,240 having a nice catch up again sweetheart. 846 00:48:37,800 --> 00:48:40,480 Yeah, it really was darling, and always nice to check in with my 847 00:48:40,480 --> 00:48:44,200 little sister before I rush off on tour again tomorrow morning. 848 00:48:45,200 --> 00:48:48,080 Well please don't forget about little old me and our listeners 849 00:48:48,080 --> 00:48:50,120 as you are off gallivanting around the UK. 850 00:48:50,480 --> 00:48:52,680 Maybe I should do some leafleting about drinks at the 851 00:48:52,680 --> 00:48:55,520 bar whilst I'm on tour in Manchester and Southampton 852 00:48:55,520 --> 00:48:58,800 because they need to know we exist. 853 00:49:00,480 --> 00:49:02,960 Good idea, I'll get on moonpig.com or something and 854 00:49:02,960 --> 00:49:04,840 print something. For you to marvelous. 855 00:49:07,480 --> 00:49:10,280 All right, everybody, thank you so much for listening to another 856 00:49:10,280 --> 00:49:13,160 episode of Drinks at the Bar. Yes. 857 00:49:13,160 --> 00:49:16,720 Thank you all for listening and have a wonderful, wonderful 858 00:49:16,800 --> 00:49:19,120 week. Denise, it's been a pleasure and 859 00:49:19,120 --> 00:49:21,400 enjoy your tour. Thank you darling. 860 00:49:21,400 --> 00:49:26,560 Yep, 2 weeks left and then I have our final workshop, festive 861 00:49:26,560 --> 00:49:29,200 workshop at the Opera House with the Dancer Studio, London. 862 00:49:29,520 --> 00:49:31,400 And then it's officially holiday time. 863 00:49:31,400 --> 00:49:35,400 So a little bit of rest, a little bit of repose, an 864 00:49:35,400 --> 00:49:39,640 upcoming birthday for someone special, wink wink. 865 00:49:42,200 --> 00:49:45,240 Denise, it's a pleasure. Love you lots. 866 00:49:45,480 --> 00:49:47,360 Lots of love. Bye darling. 867 00:49:47,360 --> 00:49:50,440 Bye everybody. Take care, bye bye.