Rephonic
Artwork for Voices of British Ballet

Voices of British Ballet

Voices of British Ballet
Ballet
Royal Ballet
British Ballet
Kenneth Macmillan
World War II
Ninette De Valois
Frederick Ashton
Dance
Margot Fonteyn
New York City Ballet
Sadler's Wells Ballet
Brenda Hamlyn
Ballet Rambert
Wendy Toye
Royal Ballet School
Contemporary Dance
Darcey Bussell
Dame Darcey Bussell
Violette Verdy
Victoria and Albert Museum

Voices of British Ballet tells the story of dance in Britain through conversations with the people that built its history. Choreographers, dancers, designers, producers and composers describe their part in the development of the artform from the beginning of the twentieth century.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes68Founded4 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
HistoryArtsPerforming Arts

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for Voices of British Ballet

Latest Episodes

Here is Alan Cunliffe talking to Patricia Linton, founder and director of Voices of British Ballet. Inspired by watching pantomimes with his mother at the Harrow Coliseum in the 1950s, Cunliffe broke with the family military tradition and decided to ... more

The fate of many a dancer is discussed at the end of the interview featured in this episode. Adventures are recounted with unaffected humour and a deliciously 1930s delivery. In this interview with Patricia Linton, founder and director of Voices of B... more

In this interview with Patricia Linton, founder and director of Voices of British Ballet, Barbara Vernon illustrates that it is not all plain sailing out of the mainstream of the ballet world and gives a glimpse of a different sort of struggle, where... more

In 2026 Voices of British Ballet is celebrating the life of Ninette de Valois, to mark the centenary of the Royal Ballet School, with a series of interviews and special episodes that illuminate her life and artistic practice.

In this episode, Dr Ann... more

Key Facts

Accepts Guests
Contact Information
Podcast Host
Number of Listeners
Find out how many people listen to this podcast per episode and each month.

Similar Podcasts

People also subscribe to these shows.

What's Up Docs?
What's Up Docs?BBC Radio 4
Why Dance Matters
Why Dance MattersRoyal Academy of Dance
Great Lives
Great LivesBBC Radio 4
Newscast
NewscastBBC News

Recent Guests

Felicity Sands-Widdrington
Former Bluebell Girl who danced with Margaret Kelly's company before World War II
Bluebell Girls, Margaret Kelly's company
Episode: Felicity Sands Widdrington
Barbara Vernon
Subject interviewee; proponent of Legat teaching and Harlequin Ballet
Harlequin Ballet (through Barbara Vernon and John Gregory)
Episode: Barbara Vernon
Giannandrea Poesio
Dance writer and historian
None specified
Episode: Celebrating Ninette de Valois - a conversation with Giannadrea Poesio
Roger Tully
Dancer and teacher who influenced a generation of British ballet through an improvisational, principles-based approach
Independent artist/teacher
Episode: Roger Tully
Kevin Richmond
British dancer, long-time performer with London Festival Ballet
London Festival Ballet
Episode: Kevin Richmond
Anna Meadmore
Manager of special collections at the Royal Ballet School, dance historian
Royal Ballet School
Episode: Celebrating Ninette de Valois: Checkmate
Jill Tookey
Founder of the National Youth Ballet
National Youth Ballet
Episode: Jill Tookey
Patricia Thorburn
Scottish dancer who trained at Sadler's Wells Ballet School and performed with Carl Rosa Opera Company and Anglo Polish Ballet
British ballet including Carl Rosa Opera Company and Anglo Polish Ballet
Episode: Patricia Thorburn
Irina Baronova
A legendary ballerina and guest on the episode
Episode: Irina Baronova

Host

Natalie Steed
Host focusing on archival context and interview-driven storytelling around British ballet history.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 11 ratings
  • A vibrant capturing of British Ballet history

    These wonderful podcasts are such a vibrant way to capture the history of British Ballet - I love hearing the eclectic interviews, each bringing a particular perspective, and carefully contextualised with skill, knowledge and sensitivity. So many insights which complement and bring to life and illuminate this part of dance history. A huge thank you to everyone involved.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jedthecat
    United Kingdom4 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Interviews feel eclectic yet well-contextualised with knowledge and sensitivity.
Quality storytelling that illuminates archival material with nuance.
Shows depth and breadth of British ballet history.
A valuable resource for dance historians and enthusiasts alike.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Barbara Vernon
Q: Barbara, could you explain how Legat's teaching differed from the RAD approach you had studied?
Barbara describes Legat's focus on flow and an integrated approach to movement, contrasting it with RAD's emphasis on precise, individual steps, and notes how Legat's class of perfection aimed to develop dancers who could present a cohesive, expressive movement language.
Felicity Sands Widdrington
Q: So who did you start off with?
My very first interview was with my next door neighbour, Felicity Sands-Widdrington, who, while not a dancer herself at the time, had studied ballet and traveled from Australia to London to pursue it, shaping the early part of the oral history project.
Dianne Richards
Q: How was Alicia Markova as a coach?
Markova was very quiet and distant, yet meticulous in her coaching style.
Dianne Richards
Q: What made Festival Ballet so special?
The leadership and the interesting repertoire managed by Dolin made the experience truly engaging and unique for the dancers.
Patrick Harding-Irmer
Q: Tell me a bit more about Robert Cohan and the London Contemporary Dance Theatre.
Cohan was the founding artist director, and he shaped a company known for its individuality.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About Voices of British Ballet

What is Voices of British Ballet about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A history-forward series centered on Britain's ballet ecosystem, featuring in-depth conversations with dancers, choreographers, historians, designers, and administrators. Episodes weave archival context, personal memories, and backstage anecdotes to illuminate how institutions like the Royal Ballet and Sadler's Wells shaped the art form across the 20th century, with occasional focus on trailblazing initiatives around diversity and education. Known for scholarly rigor, nuanced storytelling, and a respect for archival detail, the show is likely to appeal to listeners who love dance history, performance culture, and the people behind iconic productions.

Where can I find podcast stats for Voices of British Ballet?

Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for Voices of British Ballet. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to Voices of British Ballet and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.

How many listeners does Voices of British Ballet get?

Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for Voices of British Ballet, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.

What are the audience demographics for Voices of British Ballet?

Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for Voices of British Ballet, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.

How many subscribers and views does Voices of British Ballet have?

To see how many followers or subscribers Voices of British Ballet has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Voices of British Ballet?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Voices of British Ballet:

1. What's Up Docs?
2. Why Dance Matters
3. Great Lives
4. Radio Times Podcast
5. Newscast

How many episodes of Voices of British Ballet are there?

Voices of British Ballet launched 4 years ago and published 68 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact Voices of British Ballet?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

Where can I see ratings and reviews for Voices of British Ballet?

Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for Voices of British Ballet from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.

View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.

How do I access podcast episode transcripts for Voices of British Ballet?

Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of Voices of British Ballet. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.

What guests have appeared on Voices of British Ballet?

Recent guests on Voices of British Ballet include:

1. Felicity Sands-Widdrington
2. Barbara Vernon
3. Giannandrea Poesio
4. Roger Tully
5. Kevin Richmond
6. Anna Meadmore
7. Jill Tookey
8. Patricia Thorburn

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

Find and pitch the right podcasts

We help savvy brands, marketers and PR professionals to find the right podcasts for any topic or niche. Get the data and contacts you need to pitch podcasts at scale and turn listeners into customers.
Try it free for 7 days