Drinks at the Barre

We are here one final time this season for a quick natter before Xmas. And there is no better time to discuss how to keep in shape and when to rest whilst taking a break from work.So grab a glass of wine and your thera band & do some foot exercises whilst listening to this episode. You'll thank yourself later!

It’s a white wine week & we are joined a lady who has had an incredible career, the incomparable Dinna Bjørn. A Principal Ballerina with the Royal Danish Ballet and then became Director of the Finish National Ballet & The Norwegian National Ballet. As a Bournonville expert she has travelled the world teaching his repertoire & techniques.So grab yourself a glass of Chablis, Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio & enjoy our long conversation all about Dinna and her fantastic life and career.

We respect our listeners so much that we are doing an entire episode based on respect! How respectful!

We catch up with Denise after her amazing week performing with Osipova and hear stories about great dancers & legends

The word icon is thrown around far too often of late, however, this is my podcast and I throwing that word at this weeks guest. The 2000's & 2010's would be a very different place without this increible choreographer. He is the genius behind Britney Spears' 'Slave For you' & 'Toxic'Welcome, the incredible Brian Friedman

Damien & Paul are dealing out random pieces of advice - there have been some technical hiccups along the way, but we have an episode for our lovely loyal listeners.

Has cancelling 'Top of the Pops' doomed humanity?!Today we chat about Pop Culture and how it has inspired us and our careers. But where is dance in the 2020's? Bunheads can also love Britney!

At some point during this episode Damien & Paul do talk about the chosen subject, however it has been a while since their last chat, so a catch up & and natter ensued.

Pouring your Pinot whilst pointing his feet is the wonderful Christopher Hampson.Former soloist with English National Ballet, international choreographer and the CEO & Artistic Director of Scottish Ballet. Grab yourself a drink & enjoy this week's episode with the intelligent, artistic, down-to-earth, funny & friendly man that is Christopher Hampson

It's hard - to give constructive criticism in an age of people getting offended very easily. You listeners have nothing to worry about, Auntie Denise is here to let you know that all you need to do, is be honest...... in a tactful manner.

Diving deeper into the horror & trauma that is auditions.Never fear, Damien Lee Stirk is back to hold your hand through it all.

Our first barretender of the season joins us from the other side of the globe. Soloist dancer & choreographer in resident with the Royal New Zealand Ballet and old friend of mine, Shaun James Kelly.

Just when you thought it was safe to invite Paul to your open class.

Welcome back everyone & welcome to season 3!! We hope you all had a great summer. Here is a nice episode to kick off the season and give you all the opportunity to get to know us a little bit better.

Time flies when you're having fun, and season 2 has flown by! Denise and Poppy are here for a final time this season, discussing and dissecting as only they can. Don't miss this final episode before a well deserved summer break!

Our final guest of the season has won the National Dance Award for Outstanding Male Performance twice and in 2018 he was made an MBE for his services in Dance and Charity. He is here to share is story and his passion for theatre. It is none other than Senior Repetiteur and Principal Character Artist with The Royal Ballet the incomparable Gary Avis.

This week the competition is on - Denise is going for gold and Paul is happy with a participation medal! Discussing everything about dance competitions - are they healthy? Are they helpful? We'll tell you...well, we will give you our opinion on them!

Back again for one week only is our first ever guest Barretender James Leece. He comes to us straight off the back of choreographing his first musical. Join us in catching up with a dear friend of the pod - come for the drinks and stay for all the gossip!!

Dancing for a living & being physical for a job is going to lead to aches and pains. So here is Doctor Denise and Podiatrist Poppy are here to help and advise! WARNING - Denise & Poppy do not have medical licenses

Everyone on your best behaviour please - Here comes the stage manager!!! We have mixed it all up this week and we are shining the spotlight on someone who is usually hiding backstage. A show is far more than just the people onstage - it is not a competition but the stage manager is probably the most important person of them all. So everyone be quiet in the wings and be ready on time for this weeks guest Troels Oxholm Thomsen.

Our school days are only so long, and teachers can only throw a certain amount of knowledge at their students. Luckily, all you listeners have Denise and Poppy to teach you and pass on all the advice that you didn't ask for or want! In this school session however, you are all allowed to bring drinks!

Pouring you all a lovely glass of South African Syrah is my wonderful friend Kathleen. Due to injury she was forced to retire at a very young age, and has gone on to have a great career outside the dance world. We wanted Kath to join us on the pod as we believe her story is very important to tell. Injury affects a lot of dancers and sadly does force quite a few people into an early retirement from dance, so it is a very important topic to disucss.

Sometimes we just need to talk. Luckily Poppy and Denise have a podcast to do it on! This week's episode shifts into a slightly more serious tone as we discuss some subjects that are not openly spoken about, but we feel are important to share.

It happens to the best of us, EVEN to Damien and Paul. Whether it be a costume mishap or a forgotten entrance, it is live theatre and things can and do sometimes go wrong!

Serving you all drinks this week is the beautiful, talented and funny Leanne Cope. From being a dancer with The Royal Ballet to originating the lead role in 'An American in Paris' - as soon as the interview started Leanne prinkled her magic and we were chatting and giggling. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed recording it.

It's time we spoke about models in pointe shoes, and dance movies. We cannot sit here silent anymore, our voices and opinions are being voiced... whether you wanted to hear them of not, and of course who else would we trust to gossip and complain with but our fantastic Damien Lee Stirk

Damien and Paul are back together, this time answering your questions that you have sent in, answering them in only a way that they can. Maybe they will help you out? Maybe they will entertain you?Maybe they will go off topic and talk about something else! Either way, Denise and Poppy are back chatting away and hopefully helping you all out with your queries.

This week we are joined by dancer and choreographer Nellie Bethel Rainey. From dancing with Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna & Beyonce to dancing at The SuperBowl halftime show. Listen as Paul and Nellie chat and discuss the industry, and giggle and laugh as a new friendship ignites.

We catch up with Damien & Paul and are talking about auditions....when they decide to keep on topic we are talking about auditions. What can you expect when you put two best friends together, we’re lucky they kept talking about dance! Either way, Denise and Poppy are talking about the industry and occasionally mention auditions!

It's a school reunion behind the Barre this week! We are joined by Principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre - Thomas Forster. This episode is just an excuse for Tom and I to catch up. It has been over 20 years since we chatted, so sit down, grab and drink and take a trip down memory lane with us.

Damien Lee Stirk is back and we discuss freelancing. Not all dance jobs are in dance companies and not all jobs are year long contracts. Dance School doesn't always inform us about these other types of work, luckily we have Auntie Denise to teach us!

Grab your drinks and head out onto the street. This week we are joined by the phenomenal dancer and choreographer Tommy Franzén. From Theatre to TV to movies he has done it all and is joining us this week to talk about everything. A dancer in multiple theatre productions & films, a choreographer for Strictly Come Dancing - grab a drink and enjoy season 2's first guest.

As with every industry there are things you learn on the job, there are things that are expected of you that aren't spoken about. This week Damien and Paul discuss 'Unwritten Rules' - things that maybe aren't in your contract or are not taught by teachers, but are expected of you as a dancer.

We're back! Drinks at the Barre is back for a second season and we are so excited. Starting us off with the first episode of the season Damien and Paul are discussing 'Firsts' - first job, first mistake - onstage nothing is of limits!

Damien and Paul James are here spreading Juletid joy in the studio and sharing with you some great shows to see over the Xmas time. This episode may have been recorded after already having a 'Drink at the Barre' so look forward to some festive fun. Merry Christmas from us at Drinks at the Barre.

Our household makeup artist Damien Lee Stirk is back again and this time is giving you FREE advice on all things makeup. What you should have in your kit and where you should buy it!

Damien and Paul are back in the studio to try and change the world.... not really, to try and help young dancers out there with some helpful advice on warming up.

We are briefly back to say hi! Both Damien and Paul have missed not only each other but you listeners so wanted to record a little episode to hold you over until season 2 starts next year. There may be a few of these little episodes popping up, so here is your first Saturday Short!

Paul James and Denise are together for one last time this season. They reminisce and disucss subjects brought up by our guests over the season and give us one last giggle before a well deserved break!

We cannot believe it ourselves! Drinks are being poured this week by a true icon. She was a Principal ballerina with The Royal Ballet Company where she danced Odette/Odile in Swan Lake, Princess Aurora Sleeping Beauty to name a few. She was a prolific teacher and became the Artistic Director of Elmhurst Ballet School for 10 years. She has worked as a guest repetiteur for English National Ballet and also staged ballets at The Royal Ballet. We are so excited, shocked, amazed and in awe to welcome Alfreda Thorogood!

The captains of the ship have had a few drinks and are over sharing again! Discussing how it is being a Dance Captain and hopefully offering some helpful advice for both dancers and other dance captains out there. If not then just listen and have a giggle!

Making Margaritas this week is a wonderful man who has danced all over world - from being a Principal dancer with English National Ballet to The Australian Ballet. He was an amazing dancer and is now on a new journey as the director of Ballet de Monterrey - we are so happy to welcome Yosvani Ramos.

Denise is back and we discuss all aspects of Class and the differences between company class, open class from the dancer's POV but also as the teacher. And of course, it's Damien and Paul together so there are always giggles!

It’s been 15 years since we’ve spoken so we grabbed a beer and had a good old catch up!He has worked with The Royal Ballet Company for 30 years as a Soloist dancer and now as a Principal Character Artist. He has performed in Manon, Don Quixote, Onegin, Carlos Acosta’s Carmen, Hofesh Schecter’s Untouchable, He danced the lead role of The Swan in the 2006 world tour of Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake. Tom is also a certified Breathworker instructor and shares his passion and knowledge of Breathwork with us.

Getting to know Denise that little bit more as both Paul James and Damien answer the guest 'pop' questions.

He stayed around after 'last call' talking to all of us whilst we were closing up the Barre, so we decided to keep him on for another week! Keeping us entertained with his knowledge, stories and sense of humour it is the fantastic Will Tuckett.

Pouring your drinks this week is none other than ex- Royal Ballet dancer, international and Olivier Award winning Director and Choreographer Will Tuckett. Here to share his incredible life, knowledge & stories that sprinkled with humour that could only come from him. We are so honored and ecstatically happy to welcome Will Tuckett to Drinks at the Barre.

Joining us at the barre this week is Principal Dancer with the Royal Danish Ballet - Holly Dorger. Sharing her story from Scottish Dancing in America to dancing Balanchine in Denmark. We are very happy to welcome this fellow expat living in Denmark.

Damien is back and this week we are discussing how it is to join a ballet company. We try and help you out by giving you advice on how to make a good impression & how to not fall into the pitfalls when joining a company.

Mixing your cocktails this week is none other than Tim Rushton MBE - an internationally renowned choreographer & Artistic director of Kompagni B – The Royal Danish Ballet’s youth company. He has choreographed works for The Royal Danish Ballet, Scottish Ballet, Singapore Ballet and Danish Dance Theatre where he was artistic director for over 16 years. He joins us to discuss his career and life as a choreographer.