Everything Is Content - Everything In Conversation: Balletcore, Billy Elliot & Who Is Ballet For?

Episode Date: November 12, 2025

Happy Wednesday EICuties! This week it's something a little bit special- Everything Is Content went on tour! For this week's midweek episode we went to Sadler's Wells East in Stratford, a brand new theatre for dance, that is (in their words) "home to everything from hip hop to ballet, rave to rhumba and kathak to krumping."For this week's content school trip we were toured around Sadler's Wells East by dance artist Liam Riddick, who talks us through the basics of ballet, Sadler's Wells' ethos, the future (and past) of dance and why the aesthetics of this dance has been so pervasive in today's wider culture.Thanks for listening! We so appreciate it! O, R, B xxxxIn collaboration with Sadler's Wells. Show notes / Further readingWelcome to Sadler's Wells East Sadler's Wells- Academy Breakin' Convention FAQsSadler's Wells - What's On Barbican - The Seagull Instagram - ModelsDoingBallet Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'm Beth. I'm Ruchera and I'm Anoni, and this is Everything in Conversation. This week we have a very special episode brought to you in collaboration with Sadler's Wells. We are three pop culture enthusiasts and were thrilled when Sadd as Wells invite us to learn more about ballet for World Ballet Day, which is today. What you'll hear is us getting a very special tour around their brand new theatre space in Stratford, London and deep diving into the world of ballet why it feels so exclusive how TikTok has opened up a whole new world for dancers and of course ballet pop culture it was so much fun we will be sharing more about our day with you on social media too so keep your eyes peeled at everything's content

pod on instagram and ticot but before that i want to ask you both what was your favorite part of everything as content goes on tour at saddles well so i actually thought it was very cool learning about their new academy, which is Academy Breaking Conventions, EG ABC, which is the UK's first free level three qualification specific to hip-hop theatre for 16 to 19-year-olds. Not dissimilar to the Brits School, the full-time course provides young creatives with the opportunity to have high-quality training in all areas of hip-pop culture through a theatrical lens, as well as develop as emerging professionals. I do remember you and Anoni asking if you guys could be mature students and them looking quite awkward. That was the only thing. I think they'll be calling any day. That was my

favorite bit when we got to try on the ballet shoes and the tutus and then we were back at the bar and I really embodied my inner eight-year-old who used to love Valley and I kind of wanted to stop the podcast and just have a full class and in my head I was that I'm going to go on class pass and sign up to go to a Valley class but obviously have not done that what was your favorite bit Richer oh it was definitely putting on the tutus I had these black suit trousers so I had a massive muffin top but it still felt amazing I still felt beautiful you know tittering across the place I don't think I'm going to be a ballet dancer in my future, but it was nice to try it on. This is the theatre at Saddles Wales East in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

It's a mid-sized 570 sita theatre, which allows Saddles Wales to showcase and develop mid-scale work in a flexible space that suits a range of formats. But yeah, no, it's a really great space. And when you're on the stage, it's ginormous. It feels big. But also, it's like intimate, right? that's what I like about it. It feels like homey as well. And the seats are all great because it's so leveled up. You don't have to worry about the really tall person who's a late comer coming in going, oh, he's going to sit in front of me, isn't they? That's what I'm going to say, because it's so deep. It's deceptive. That's what it probably feels like there's more seats in a way, because you would have more seats crammed into that high view. So everything is content is on tour, and we're currently on tour at Sadler's West. And we are joined by Liam. Now, Liam, for the listeners. please, could you tell us who you are?

My name's Liam Riddick. I am a dancer and artist and, yeah, I've been working professionally in the industry for 18, 19 years now. I've worked with Saddle as well as a lot throughout my career, mainly in Angel, because that was obviously here before this lovely, beautiful venue opened at the beginning of this year. So Liam's going to be taking us around Saddle as well east,

telling us more about ballet, opening our minds and hearts to the art and hopefully we'll take you along with us on the journey. I love that. I've been mind and heart to the art. I'm excited. I just came up with that. Right, shall we go and have a little introduction to ballet? Yes, please. Fantastic.

So I think we need to ask the most basic questionable. What is ballet? What is the definition of ballet? Ballet is a form of dance. Ballet is an art form. It's more classical. Ballet is more classical. I feel like it's strict and to generalise it. it. Ballets a lot of things, but the two fundamental factors are movement of music. It uses

them to share stories, ideas, emotions on stage with all the excitement of theatre, with costume design and lighting. But also, like, ballet is a fundamental practice in any form of dance. It teaches you how to stand properly. It teaches you where to put you weight. It teaches you how to stand on one leg, even walk across the room. You know, it's fundamental for anyone who wants to pursue or have a hobby or any kind of practice within the dance world. Could you give us an introduction to how you got into ballet and obviously now it's been your career for how many years did you say 30 years? Well not your career obviously when you were six but you've been doing it for 30 years. Yeah so yes I started when I was six and I went and did

tap dancing and modern in like a local school got bullied by the girls in the class so didn't want to do it. Oh, no. I know. It's weird because it's kind of backward. Got bullied because I was the only boy. So I don't think there was like an intimidation or something, but got, I say bullied. It wasn't, but I got like...

Picked on. Yeah, by the girls. So I didn't like it, moved away. We tried football. My dad was football mad. Hated that. So back to dance, I went and then it stuck. It was from watching Michael Flatley on telly.

I think we touched on it earlier. I said that his seeing a male prominent figure who was strong and confident and, and had no inhibitions and was charismatic and just couldn't keep your eyes off him. I said, that's what I want to do. I was so attracted to that energy. And that's why I chose to go to dance. And then it kind of stuck. And even though there was a stereotype about male dancers in the world,

you just didn't back in the day, I didn't care about that. Never really, like, bullied or picked on as a young child. And this was pre-Billy Elliott. This was pre-Billy Elliott, yeah, before it was like a thing. before it got more of a thing. But yeah, there was like one instance at school, it was so minor. You know, some people get bullied

like all their lives for doing what they love. But I was really lucky that I just didn't. And I didn't really put it out there into the world. I just quietly did what I did and I loved what I did. And yeah, I started from young age and just loved it. And it just completely overpowered my life because I was just addicted to it. And it was every day.

If I wasn't dancing every day, I was doing something wrong. It's your vocation. You like find your calling. That's it, yeah. And I was quite shy as a child. as well. And I didn't communicate a lot. It's like I'm a mute. I'm not.

But I didn't have much confidence growing up, but put me in a studio and put the music on and I just flew. And like, I had so much confident, even though I was noticing people watching me and stuff, I was a bit insecure there. But I just wanted to jump

higher and I wanted to fly faster and spin quicker. And yeah, there was something addictive about it that I just could not stop. I think that's something we forgot that you can find, like, your language or yourself through movement, whereas everyone always wants everything to be, like, so psychological in your brain. But being in your body sometimes can be, it's all one thing, really, isn't it? That's really sweet to find that thing.

As someone who has been in this world consumed ballet, I assume you love to go to the ballet, not just performing the ballet. Do you think, or what do you make of this idea, that there is a right way to watch it, a right way to consume it, do you have to understand it to enjoy it? Can you talk a little bit about that? I don't think you have to... I think there has to be some level of enjoyment, otherwise you wouldn't want to go. Someone who hates dance is not going to buy a ticket for the ballet.

But if someone who's curious but intimidated or a skid of maybe being pushed outside of their comfort zones from the way they think, I would encourage people to just leave that at the door and go because you'd be pleasantly surprised. I think most people in today's society would rather pay money to go and see Shrek the Musical because you know what Shrek the musical is about.

We've all seen the film, a ticket to go and see Don Cotea at the Royal Opera House because they're scared that they won't get their monies with or they're scared that they're not going to enjoy it so it's going to be a waste of money. But take something else from it, there's music, there's costumes, there's set, there's dancers, there's story, there's creative, there's so much in there. You don't have to enjoy the actual movement of the choreography. You enjoy the experience of going to the theatre, having pre-show drinks, having the experience of sitting in beautiful buildings and it's just so much more than the actual thing you're going to see, you know?

Watching someone be excellent at something as well, I think it's always enjoyable. Honestly, sometimes, like, I've shocked myself over how much I love going to see, like, a play. I don't go enough to go to the theatre to actually watch theatre. And even though I don't, even if I don't necessarily like the play, I am so obsessed with watching people be good at what they do. And when you can just sit there, and I'm not quite sure what's going on, I saw something at the Barbecue, not too long ago. Oh, it's called Seagull with Cape Blancet.

Is that Kate Blanchett, am I right? Yeah. So good. That's like an amazing play that I've always said. I'm going to go and see it and never do. It was so good. Her because I have my husband who works at Barber Consentor. Shout out, Glenn May and Worry.

And there was times that I was like, oh, I'm not quite sure what's going on. But the cast was so good. They just held, like, I didn't have to worry about it. I could just appreciate people just being really good at what they do. And I love that. And you can take that into dance. You can appreciate it like, oh, this is a bit weird. Look how high they're jumping.

And look how high they're jumping. how fast they're moving and their technique. It's so embedded in them that people up there just not thinking and just do it. Also, I think you're so right. It's so true with any kind of art and theatres. I think people are intimidated from this fear of thinking they're not going to get it. But you can go to a ballet, absorb all the emotion, the drama, and then afterwards read up about it and be like, oh, I understand.

It doesn't matter if in that moment. And also, you have to trust your gut, I think, with things like this, where you probably are understanding it more than you think. But if you overthink what you think you're getting from it, then it makes you go, oh, I don't. what's happening. But if you just go with the flow, you're probably right. A majority of people do think that way, and that's why they won't go.

And that's why I feel like culture and the arts is kind of dipping a little bit. But it's like, try something different. Go and support. And you go to the pub for a drink, so you go and support your local pub. Go and support the local theatre. And it's like a big pub. Yeah. A really big... They have drinks here. With live entertainment.

Hey, they're basically like Witherspoons. And Witherspooners are really fancy that. So it's just a really big one in couple garden. So the architects at Saddles Wales East are O'Donnell and Toomey, established in 1988. O'Donnell and Toomey is an award-winning architectural practice, led by Sheila O'Donnell and John Toomey, with studios based in Dublin Cork and London. They also designed the VNA, which is a couple of buildings across. Lost of national light.

The lightings all designed by William Fourth South, and it's done created so that the light doesn't cast a shadow on the dancer. So you know if you have lighting from above, you can get quite silhouetti. Yeah, so that was the sign of that. It can get a bit of silhouetti if you go in front of the windows, but the natural light is gorgeous. And you can see I have a voyage from you. I would like to have a little look, just to check it still in one piece,

ready for our return. This is the light of passage, which she did at the Royal Opera House. This was a ballet created with Black Sabbath, and Saddlers. Matthew Bourne, who you saw on the video doing Swan Lake, which is just over here. Ballet Boys, they're a company I used to dance for two years. They're based in Kingston. in close to Richmond

examples of white and black swan played by the same dancer is this from the account that's like models don't, I can't remember what it is but it's just calling out. It's like models do ballet or something. Moddes do ballet and like how badly is this a shaming wall? Yeah.

You can like just to look at their feet it's just really sad because like it just shouldn't be done. Just shouldn't be done. Yeah or just don't go off point. It's so dangerous She's probably slightly sat on the bar, isn't she? Yeah, she's not sure. For the listener, I think we're looking at,

I want to say Kendall Jenner against the bar attempting to be on point, which we are saying. It's not the one. Don't do that. For an idiot like me, can you tell me why is it dangerous to go on point if you're not trained or professional? Because you're not using your ankle support. You're not using any of the muscles that you develop

through training in point. So to go up on point, you're allowing your whole body weight to be supported by your ankle. Like, basically for your toe. If you think about it, if you just go up on your toes like that, to balance your whole body weight. So imagine on top of that and your ankles are not supported to go over is like, yeah, not good. Like, that is not good.

So here's some ballet shoes that have been, so in the video we talked about when they first come, they're quite hard and stiff and not really danceable. So dancers tend to break the shank, as they call it. You sort of beat the crap out of it. Because if you feel of them, they're quite hard to... Not much, they're a tiny foot about ballet. Ballet's quite hardcore.

Yeah, totally. Who does the... Oh, it's got my initials on it. Who does this belong to? Well, you apparently. But I actually watch on TikTok sometimes videos of people doing their ballet shoes. I find it so fascinating. Do you have you never watched that?

Just how much they're big into it. But why... And this is a question which people ask on TikTok, but why don't they just make the shoe ready to go? That's a good question. I'm not sure. I think people... They have to be moldable, so they mold to your feet, you know?

Because if they're just a block, everyone's going to have the same, and your feet are all different. Like, you know what your shoes after you're wearing after you stop rubbing? They become your feet like broken stocks. Same with ballet shoes, I guess. So it's like standardized to begin with, and then you break it to your... Yeah. Because also, like, you can't really dance in something that's designed like a table, you know? So you have to break them in, you have to break all the seals.

And then I want to say it's called Darnin. Is that right? When they... Oh, you do the sewing at the bottom. So it makes... So when they first come, they're a bit more rounded, but when you darn them, it makes them flatter. So when you stand on point, you can turn better,

and it's just more... English National Ballet of London Seas. Ballet looks so beautiful. We literally see its footprints from Sex and the City with Carrie Bradshaw and her tutus to the rise of ballet flats coming back in. And I was wondering, why do you think ballet core,

the aesthetics of ballet, are so influential visually? I don't know. It's kind of always been there, right? like that kind of style of fashion's always been there but we're living in an age now where those kind of things are coming back and becoming more fashionable and it's a shame that we don't have the same frame of mind would actually physically go in to do the thing

but the fashion sense of it, I don't know I'm not really, maybe that's more of a conversation for you team than for us fashionistas. What is so fascinating I think is how much like ballet call whether it's the slick back bun or the ballet flats the little cardigans come in but then I think culturally there has been such a big shift away

not just from ballet but from like going to the theatre. And it's interesting how many people will have all of these references and not necessarily relate back or recognise where they've come from. And I do think there is just that slight disconnect of that overwhelmed feeling of, I don't think that's for me, because before, like, I've actually been to roll out plus, you don't actually have to, I did really actually kind of overdress, because I thought you did have to get really dressed out. Really? Do you not have to dress up? You don't have to be, like, ridiculously dressed up, no. Ah, I didn't even know that. So what did you think you had to go, like, wore gown, taxi?

Not that extreme, but. I saw Emily in Paris. I think she goes to some kind of ballet and she wears a gown. Of course. So that's kind of my assumption. You'll see references in film and television and things, like sex in the city, but you wouldn't rock up to somewhere in a track suit. Like I think we said this year earlier, you wouldn't come in pajamas. You can look smart, but you can wear like jeans and a vladens or like, you can wear what we're wearing now and still go to the ballet, you know? You don't have to, it's not like down to nancy abbey where you have to like. I was actually quite sad that it wasn't there

because I did want to wear any excuse to wear a pair of heels. Did you want the fantasy of life? Yeah, I wanted, I kind of wanted to be like at the fan of the opera with a mask. Yeah. What do you see is the demographic that comes, is it like older? Or have we got a skewed idea? Like, do you get lots of young people and Genzi are you coming through the doors to watch these ballets or does it skew to be a bit older? I think now you do because ballet is more accessible in the way that people are starting to do it. So not so much, I was, well, I'm not like an avid, avid go into the opera house to like

traditional ballet houses, but because fairy tale and storytelling and these ballets that already existed are being manipulated and transformed and reworked into new, fresh ideas that are moving with the times in different formats that people are working in now, I think yes, it is becoming more accessible for Gen Zia's and younger people to have more of a ballet experience without it

being Royal Opera House standard ballet. Standard is a wrong word. Traditional. Yeah, so it's becoming more accessible now because there's people are starting to play and explore and there's no rules really with dance. Well, there's loads of rules. In like technique, it's like rules-based.

Do whatever you want. No, but like I said, like for instance, Matthew Bourne's a prime example of it, like having the traditional swan lake but then flipping that on his head and having an all-male company, all-male swans do that. Same with things like Carmen.

And he produced the carman as opposed to Carmen. And yeah, there's loads of hip-hop companies and choreographers that are spinning all ballets now. And I know commercial choreographers have done nutcracket. There's loads of different stuff. And you can. Like, there's no rules to it. That honestly leads me perfectly to the question that I really wanted to ask, which is,

does that mean that the definition of ballet is widening? And is that an amazing thing? Is that an interesting development? Like, what was your take on the fact that there are all these reinterpretations? of, you know, classics and things like that? I think it's great. I think it has to. We have to move with the way the world is going. You can't just cling on to what has been.

And I say that because when I was professionally working, especially with the company that I was with for eight years, it was more old school. It was more Cunningham-based and rep companies, and we were tour the company with Triple Bill, so three different pieces, and that would be the, you'd go and see us on stage and you'd see what dancers they're doing.

those kind of companies don't exist now, which is a shame, but it's moving with the times. It's a different world that people are living in now, and students are studying different things. Their training is very different to the old school way that I was training back in the day, and you either carry on with it, or it's almost like, it's not like fighting and losing cause. You just evolve, you know, we all evolve and change, and I think it's wonderful because it still keeps dance alive. It still keeps the arts exciting and new and fresh, because you don't know what people are going to do. you might see a choreographer's name who's really hot at the minute

and then it just says Swan Lake underneath and you go ooh or it'll say Giselle like when Akun Khan did Giselle or you know if you see this big up it's just it's exciting because you don't know what they're going to do you know the story so well

but it's like oh how are they going to do that so yeah I think it's great like I said it has to move on we have to keep going forward but also remember the past because it's really really important I miss on like the work what I used to work

with the company I was with called Rich Dior and dance company, they no longer exist anymore. But it's so important to remember as well where all this thing is now, which is wonderful, where all that came from, on why it's still accessible and able, I'm losing my words, why these choreographers are still able to be working in an environment and in an industry where they can put on these exciting things is because people in the past have part of the way for that to happen. And I do think it's important that we still remember that and celebrate that so that it doesn't

get so overpowered by the wonderful nest that is coming up in the world. But yeah, in class, in ballet, you always start at the bar. Start the bar with warm-up, and you'd go, like, with feet, and then your legs, and then your body, and then your arms, and then you would build up to your nice and warm, and then you head into the centre then. How old were you when you started dancing? Six. Wow.

I know. It's crazy, isn't it? And I'm 36 now. And when did you go from being a dancer to getting into choreography and doing that side? Dabbled in it before COVID, did bits and bobs, but since, since, since, post-COVID, I've now moving away from the performing aspect, physical aspect of it and moving more into a creative side. And how do you miss the dance? Do you miss the dance? Is it like any sport, your body

gets very tired after a while? I think you'll always miss it generally. I think even when I'm like 90, hopefully I'll get to that age. Well, maybe I don't want to get to that age. When I'm older. A very well 90-year-old. A very well, healthy 90-year-old. I think being a dancer, you'll always miss dancing and you'll always miss moving or watch someone on stage, go, oh, I could do that. Oh, I want to do that. But I don't miss. aches and pains and like because yeah I have a really tight lower back and a tight butt and a tight this that everything's just tight always has been but yeah I don't miss the pain and I don't miss the like the the it's always if you have like two weeks off it's four weeks to get back to where you

were you know I don't miss that it's like being an athlete you have to train and train and train and as much as I love class and learning stuff about the body as you continue to learn I don't miss the the gruelingness of everyday training to get to being in a touring company or something like that. Dancer, like the top of their game, age-wise? Hmm. I don't know. I always...

I don't know. It depends because there's people in... There's dancers who are in, like, Royal Ballet, who are a lot older, but they're still going. There's people who have to stop because of injury. Everyone's different. I always said I would go until my body couldn't anymore. Scrap that.

Gone. Yeah. You just know. You know what it is. is. I don't think there's an age on it. I mean, sad as well as have an amazing company called the company of elders who are all, I want to say over 65, and they're magnificent. They're wonderful. You see them performing and you think, oh God, why am I complaining about my lower back? So yeah, age is just a number.

But is the performance, because you obviously, I imagine the training must be so rigorous, is it, it's the whole package bit that you must being on the stage and getting that. Being on the stage is like 5% of what it is. And it's the best 5%. Like I'll always miss that 5%. But 95% is the hard work, blood, sweat and tears that puts it all up to that glory. Taking that bow is like the cherry on the cake. But the Sunday underneath is absolutely massive and all the layers and what it's in and all that kind of stuff. I don't miss all of that. How much time goes into training? Just like spell it out. Say you were trying to break into ballet. Say, you know, you were talented. How many hours a week are you training? What does that

look like? Again, everyone's different. But for me, even when I was young, being six, That's all I did was dance. The only time I wasn't dancing, it was when I was in school. So I'd come home from school, sometimes I'd go from school to studio. When I was young, young, I was a Royal Valley Junior Associate, so I would do them classes in Cardiff every month. But yeah, my classes were like four to five times a week. It's relentless. And then on the weekends then you're doing like stretch classes or competition classes

or something that's further on, that's not your technique. And then as I got older, I went into more, like, substantial training. and so I did ISTD and then I went and found contemporary and then I was doing contemporary on top of the dance that I was already doing with ISTD and then as I went out to do a BTEC at college I honed solely on contemporary dance and then ballet. It's just constant, but I loved it.

It's not that I was like, oh God, it's so much work. I loved every single second of it. And you sacrifice so much. Like I sacrificed so much in my life with regards to like social things and sometimes I was younger even Christmases like we used to do pantomime and my parents used to live in the theatre when I was there because it's just what I love to do.

My parents were so supportive and just did it all for me. How did you find dance as a young boy in Wales in the 90s? And what was that like? Was it difficult to... Kind of, yeah. I mean, what I say is difficult. Yes, because it had a stigma back then that boys didn't do ballet. Boys didn't dance at all.

But I still to this day don't know why I chose dance. I don't know. The only thing I could put it down to is I remember seeing Michael Flatley on the telly, you know like on Saturday TV back in the day when you used to have the entertainment segment on things like Blind Date or whatever and it always used to be Riverdance or something like that and I remember seeing him and he was so energetic

and had so much charisma and so much confidence I was like, that's who I want to aspire to be and that's the only reason why. There was an old chief executive of an organisation called The Place called Kenneth Tharp who always said maybe Dance chose you and I kind of liked that because maybe it did or maybe someone in the past life did it

that I've inherited, I don't know. But yeah, coming back to your question, it was tricky because it was so alien. Boys didn't do it. And then I was a little bit older when then Billy Elliott came out. And then it was like, ah, okay. Then it's become more like pop-cultry

and a bit more like mainstream that it's like, oh, maybe they can do it. And then obviously there was a massive influx and boys wanted to do ballet. Are you guys ever seen Center Stage? No. Oh my God. Okay, homework, all the listeners.

Can you tell us what that is? Central Is it a film. It's like an iconic film from back in the day. It's based at ABC, which is American Valley Company, and it's in New York, and it's about the school. There's a series at the Mignon Prime called Etois, Etois, is that what's called Etois? Etois? Is it a documentary, is a drama? No, it's a series.

Oh, Etois is a... It's a series, right? Not a documentary. No, a series. They're all fictional. But it's about a school, that's about a school in America, a company in America, company in Paris. I haven't watched it. The centre stage is so good. It's about a school.

It's a film. It's all fictional. But yeah, watch that after this. Ballet homework. Ballet homework, watch the centre stage. Because it's become, like, iconic a bit. It's kind of like trashy and great, and it's not trashy, I love it. But there's a real famous, you know, Jamara Choirs.

Nothing else for me to do, but she does a ballet at the end with that. And they pull her skirt and it all unravels right. Yeah, you have to watch it. Spoilers. I love Tomarquire. Love. So really, I just kind of want to be in a ballet lesson now. What do you make of bar as in the gym studios doing bar

that is like ballet-inspired Pilates something or other? I've never done it or seen it-ish, so I can't really comment on it. But bar is bar. This is bar. Bar is bar. Bar is in the studio and ballet. I don't know. Pilates is Pilates is Pilates. I don't feel like you need to merge the two.

In my opinion, but I've never. seen it or done it. So I don't know much about it. Yeah, because there's so many ballet-inspired classes but often probably not being taught by ballet dancers. Yeah, I'd only worry that it's like ballet bar is so fundamentally like secure in the technique and it's so important. It's so dangerous if you do it wrong as well. You have to have good teachers and that's why worry a bit that bar becomes fashionable and then gets put into a gym or something that's a bit more like commercially viable. Is that the right word?

But then people would take it on and then there might be a teacher that's not a qualified dancer or dance teacher teaching. Yeah, I don't know. I don't know. Because when you first start, even when I did ballot, and I did do it for years, but it was very little, you spend years doing not much. You're just standing at the bar basically.

You practice like you do the same thing. Totally. That's like when I come to training. Like training is different nowadays, came to training in London, the first thing you do is you learn how to stand properly. Even if it's just standing in parallel, parallel would be your feet, hip width part. I always say when I teach, imagine there's a third foot in between your feet. So that's your natural parallel because it sits underneath your hips. So if I take this away, now you stand.

Because some people are standing parallel and they're like, you know, or they're like this. But imagine that third, invisible foot in between. But yeah, it does. It draws you back. basically all you're doing is bending your knees at the bar. And even like the top companies will still start with a pleiae like this. Or they might start with just a tondue to the front,

pointing your foot. But it's how you warm up and how you... Yeah, it's fundamental. And it's being lost. I was always confused because I feel like ballet classes at school we would be like six or seven and all I would see from the windows is just girls doing that over and over and over again.

So I was like, how do you get from there to then being tumbled in the air and being caught and like thrown around? It's like progression, I guess. It's technique. You're like performing and doing all that partner work and Pardadir and all that. That's dancing, but warm up and class is this. You can warm up so much by just doing a tondue.

Like my whole lower half of my body can be warm from a tondue exercise. And then leads into coming off the floor and then leads into a devil play, and then leaves into a grand batman and then leads into something else. So everything just grows through the class. So then you can get to the partner in and partadier. Yeah. I remember the older gut, like people. people going on point, and it'd be like, oh my God, they're on point now.

That's amazing. It's such a big thing. It's like a right of passage going to point. It's very cool. So we're currently sat in Sadless Wells East, beautiful, big building, gorgeous architecture. We all said it's very Scandinavian. That's because that's kind of the only reference point we have for architecture. But what is coming up here that you think, maybe especially for people that are new to Valley that have never gone before,

are there any highlights that you could share with our listeners that might peak their interest. So I've mentioned Matthew Bourne, who normally does a Christmas season in Sadler's Wells. So this year it's the Red Shoes, which is happening in Angel, Saddles Wells' Angel theatre. And also at Sadler's Wells' sister venue in the Peacock, they've got the Snowman, which everyone knows and loves. And then here in East, they've got Ebony Scrooge, which is happening over the Christmas period, and also Bally Black coming with Shadows, which is based on my sister's serial killer. And that's also happening here at east. A book that we love, Routher and I just gasped. Such a good book. And I'm kind of like, that's

one that's piqued to my interest. Exactly what I just said. This now makes you go, because even though you don't know Ballet Black, you know that book and you go, oh, I'm intrigued, I don't want to buy a ticket for that. I'll be there. I'm there. How expensive is ballet? Ballet can be classed as expensive, I think, from the look. Like you said earlier, you're thinking your royalty go with all borgans and stuff, but it's not. It is accessible. It can be expensive to sit in, like, the prime seat, don't get me wrong. Everyone knows that.

So, yeah, Sadler's Wales East, over 50% of their tickets in the opening season, that's 20,000 are priced at 25 pound or under, with the majority of those entry prices, 15 to 18 pounds. So it's accessible. Like, yes, this is Sadler's Wells East here, but I think that goes for a lot of theatres. You've got tier systems where you sit, like the stores, the balcony, the circle, all that. Like, it's accessible.

You can afford to go and see it. Totally. I was just about to say, it's so funny. You would think that, like, going to the ballet would be five times more than going to the cinema. But the cinema now is 15 pounds. That's like to... Yeah. And the thing is, if you know you're going as well, you can get day tickets, you can go to...

There's so many things. Like, to day ticks is something. You can do lotteries. You can do... You can get 25-pound easy tickets for any musical going. Just rock up on the day. Yeah, I think people just don't know and they expect, oh, I can't afford

£200 for a ticket in the theatre. You're not going to spend £200 unless you go when there's a family of four. Yeah. Which I don't think, oh, I'm... None of us have kids, that's fine. That's fine, that's fine, then. Thank you so much for listening this week.

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