Series 2

September – November 2021.

Interviews include James Whiteside, Leanne Benjamin, Libby Clegg and Ralph Heimans.

Fonteyn special: Ashley Page

Broadcast date: 8 September This one-off special episode of Why Dance Matters marks the final of The Margot Fonteyn International Ballet Competition, the RAD's flagship…
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Episode 1: James Whiteside

Broadcast date: 30 September 2021 James Whiteside is not only a principal at American Ballet Theatre, dancing all iconic classical princes as well as ambitious…
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Episode 2: Yami ‘Rowdy’ Löfvenberg

Broadcast date: 7 October 2021 Yami ‘Rowdy' Löfvenberg. Photo by Robert Alleyne. The hip-hop choreographer, dancer and teacher Yami Löfvenberg is also known as ‘Rowdy'.…
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Episode 3: Gerard Charles

Broadcast date: 14 October 2021 Gerard Charles arrived at the Royal Academy of Dance as its new Artistic Director in 2018, having been in leadership…
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Episode 4: Libby Clegg MBE

Broadcast date: 21 October 2021 Libby Clegg loved dance and ballet when she was little, but became a multi-medal-winning Paralympic athlete. She won five medals…
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Episode 5: Leanne Benjamin

Broadcast date: 28 October 2021 Australian ballerina Leanne Benjamin is a self-declared perfectionist – difficult in ballet, where the perfect performance is a tantalising impossibility.…
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Episode 6: Dr Guddi Singh

Broadcast date: 23 June 2021 Dance touches lives beyond performers, so the guests on Why Dance Matters aren't only professional dancers. Guddi Singh is a…
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Episode 7: Ralph Heimans

Broadcast: 11 November 2021 This week we meet portrait artist Ralph Heimans as the RAD prepares to celebrate a landmark in its 100-year history- a…
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