אודות פרק זה
What does it take to create actual healthy workspaces in dance — not just the ones we talk about? In this episode, I speak with Theo Clinkard — choreographer, teacher, designer, and longtime advocate for respectful creative processes.
We explore what happens when dancers are treated as collaborators rather than vessels, how fear shows up in the studio (in both subtle and obvious ways), and what it really means to lead from a place of clarity without collapsing into people-pleasing.
Theo reflects on his journey from dancing in major UK companies to rethinking leadership and ethics in his own practice — from calling out outdated norms to sharing the mistakes and tensions of trying to do better. We also touch on the responsibility of funders and programmers, the pressure to produce “more of the same,” and what a slower, more intentional pace might make possible.
This isn’t a conversation full of soundbites — it’s a generous, layered exploration of the systems we’re in and how we might shift them together.
00:00 – Theo joins the podcast and reflects on challenging outdated practices early in his career.
02:39 – We unpack the harm in seeing dancers as “instruments” and why dancer agency matters.
06:40 – Theo shares experiences of toxic work culture and asks why we still tolerate it.
12:50 – What does a truly healthy creative space look like — and how can we make one?
25:09 – How can choreographers be better supported? What does a sustainable practice look like?
30:08 – The pressure of being “a singular vision” and how it affects collaboration.
33:24 – Who holds power in the sector? Theo shares thoughts on funders, programmers, and responsibility.
40:22 – What happens when care and feedback are built into the process from the beginning?
49:31 – The crossover between teaching and choreographing — and how they inform each other.
56:50 – Final reflections on rest, ambition, identity, and staying open as an artist.
00:00 – Theo joins the podcast and reflects on challenging outdated practices early in his career.
02:39 – We unpack the harm in seeing dancers as “instruments” and why dancer agency matters.
06:40 – Theo shares experiences of toxic work culture and asks why we still tolerate it.
12:50 – What does a truly healthy creative space look like — and how can we make one?
25:09 – How can choreographers be better supported? What does a sustainable practice look like?
30:08 – The pressure of being “a singular vision” and how it affects collaboration.
33:24 – Who holds power in the sector? Theo shares thoughts on funders, programmers, and responsibility.
40:22 – What happens when care and feedback are built into the process from the beginning?
49:31 – The crossover between teaching and choreographing — and how they inform each other.
56:50 – Final reflections on rest, ambition, identity, and staying open as an artist.
🎧 Resources Mentioned in This Episode
"As Technique" – Article by Theo Clinkard
Download here
Book: Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
View on Goodreads
Book: The Ignorant Schoolmaster: Five Lessons in Intellectual Emancipation by Jacques Rancière
Learn more on publisher site
Interested in the leadership for teachers course? Subscribe to our newsletter to know when bookings open in early September
אנגלית
הממלכה המאוחדת
בפרק זה
תעתיק 🔗
Are you the producer of this podcast?
Add a podcast transcript
Need Audio-to-Text?
Transcribe with Listen411 in Just 60 Seconds
פרקים אחרים בפודקאסט הזה
Welcome back to a brand new season of Lead & Create! We're starting with a big question: what is in your power?
As independent choreographers, it’s easy to feel powerless — caught between shrinking funding, uncertain futures, and working environments that don’t always support us. But what if t…
We know rest is important. We know we should see friends and take breaks from our screens. But even when we know what’s good for us… we often don’t do it. So what’s really going on?
In this episode, Neus Gil Cortes explores twelve reflections to support your mental health as a choreographer — thro…
In this final episode of the How to Sell a Show mini-series, Neus shares the surprising final booking numbers for Bending Reality — and how nearly 100 people booked just days before the show. She reflects on the flurry of last-minute marketing efforts, what may (or may not) have worked, and the de…
What if being fearless isn't the goal? In this episode of Lead & Create, Neus Gil Cortes explores how fear shows up in the lives of choreographers and artist-leaders — and why it’s not something we need to eliminate, but something we need to understand.
From funding uncertainty to creative vul…
הצהרה: הפודקאסט והגרפיקה המוטבעים בדף זה הם מ-Neus Gil Cortes, שהוא רכושו של בעליו ואינו קשור או מאושר על ידי Listen Notes, Inc.
