Episode 17 - Alethia Antonia on Balancing Rigor and Care, Different Seasons of Life, and Creating Spaces that Support Growth

In this episode, Megan is joined by Alethia, a British Caribbean choreographer, performer, teacher and researcher based in the UK, for a wide-ranging conversation on sustainability, authorship and care within contemporary dance practice.Together, they reflect on their respective journeys into movement, from early training to their current work across choreography, teaching and research. The conversation moves through questions of balance — between rigor and rest, planning and intuition, holding space for others while tending to one’s own capacity — particularly within freelance life.Alethia shares candidly about navigating burnout, energy management, and how living with ME has reshaped the way they approach creation, rehearsal structures and long-term projects. Megan and Alethia also explore dancer empowerment in the studio, the value of trust and risk-taking in process, and the often unseen labour behind choreography.The episode closes with reflections on inhabiting dual identities as choreographer and performer, the grief and growth that come with changing physical capacities, and a shared call for greater accessibility and inclusivity within dance spaces and theatres.