MSP 201: From the Stage to the Page with Rym Kechacha

Sometimes you can get everything you want as a dancer, only to discover the reality is quite different from what you imagined it would be. In this episode, author and former dancer, Rym Kechacha, shares how that realization shaped her own journey, from early ballet training in London to dancing professionally with Northern Ballet, where touring life was both joyful and intensely demanding. She reflects on what it felt like to end her career as a dancer earlier than expected, and how that ending opened the door to a new creative identity. Rym traces her path into teaching, studying creative writing, and eventually publishing fiction, shaped by a lifelong love of books and fantasy. Our conversation explores her latest novel, The Apple and the Pearl, a ballet-inspired fantasy that captures both the beauty and cruelty of the stage world, blending realism with folkloric and fantastical elements. Thoughtful and candid about reinvention, artistry, and creative freedom, Rym offers her insights on what happens when one dream ends and another begins. Listen in for a rich discussion on dance, writing, and the stories that carry us forward! Key Points From This Episode: Rym's upbringing in London and her love of dance from a young age. How she persuaded her parents to let her attend ballet school at age 16. The demanding daily schedule of life at Central School of Ballet. Figuring out her plans after Ballet School and how her love of story ballets guided her. How she joined Northern Ballet and what it was like touring with the company. The serious impact of arts funding cuts and austerity measures in 2010. Losing her place at Northern Ballet: why it was both sad and liberating. What Rym did next in her career: travelling, au pairing, and becoming a teacher. How she rediscovered writing, earned her creative writing MA, and published her first novel.  Reflections on the challenges of publishing and how ballet prepares you for rejection. Her experience writing her latest book, The Apple and The Pearl, and how it relates to ballet. A closer look at her upcoming novels, from Algerian history to London folklore and fantasy. Rym Kechacha is a former dancer, now writer from London, UK.  For more on Rym & this episode: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast Follow us on Instagram & Facebook