BASE Podcast

Is the Casting System in the Commercial Industry Broken?Host: @mrjgrahamGuests: @lilihidge_x, @erinjardine1 and @daxocallaghanIt's been a while but we are back! We wanted to have a discussion on the state of the dance industry and particularly the casting system within the Commercial industry so invited @lilihodge_x and @erinjardine1 of @dancersnetworkuk on to speak with us. These 2 along with the team at DN have worked and fought for better treatment and rates of pay for dancers as well as being very successful performers in their own careers too. Joining on the pod is one of the co-owners of Base Studios, @daxocallaghan. Dax has been part of the entertainment industry for many years now and has seen it from multiple viewpoints as a performer, recording artist, choreographer and creative director. It's also a nice way to mark Base's 4th birthday as we hear about what it was like founding a studio and facing the challenges of the pandemic. We originally planned a conversation off the back of the Superbowl controversy in the USA knowing that there are identical issues here with big sporting events. However it turned more into an exploration of the contrasts between the TV, Film and Theatre casting processes and the Commercial industry process and the big differences between them. We look at the structures and the potential conflicts of interest and talk about changes that could and probably should be made. We speak about the Sole Representation model and how that would most likely be more beneficial for dancers and lead to more auditions. And we talk about the need for a structural and cultural reset when it comes to the commercial industry. All this and the conversation could have continued for far longer! This is definitely a topic worth revisiting but hopefully there is some good information being shared and it sparks further conversations and eventual change for the better🤞@basedancestudios

2021 MTV EMA's Audition - Choreographers' Feedback Host: @mrjgrahamGuests: @sharon.june and @niles82Not sure a podcast of this nature has been done before within the dance community in giving feedback to dancers which many would be eager to hear after an audition of such importance.In this episode of the BASE Podcast @mrjgraham is joined by Sharon June @sharon.june and Shaun Niles @niles82 to talk through their experience teaching the choreography at the recent audition for the MTV Europe Music Awards to be held in Budapest next month. Normally one of the biggest auditions of the year, it has extra significance being the first large-scale audition since COVID impacted the industry. This year they saw over 1,000 dancers over the course of 2 days. So we thought it would be great to hear from 2 of the team on the other side of the table to get their takeaways and critiques in the hope that dancers can gain some insight into how to audition more effectively and increase their chances of getting booked. Shaun choreographed the audition routine assisted by Sharon and we hear what they thought auditionees did well and areas where they could look to improve to show they're ready to work at this level. We talk through the differences between a class scenario and an audition one and what this means for how dancers should apply and conduct themselves. Lastly we round the conversation off with some tips to help prepare for the intensity of auditions of this scale and the work environment itself too. Big thanks to Sharon and Shaun. Its rare to get feedback after an audition and we hope this is helpful in getting people closer to where they wanna be.@basedancestudios

Motherhood and Dance Host: @mrjgrahamGuests: @patiencegop, @nikkitrow and @miss.muldoonIn this episode @mrjgraham speaks with @patiencegop, @nikkitrow and @miss.muldoon about being mothers in the dance industry. We explore the idea of there being a stigma around the notion of motherhood within dance and what it means for a dancer physically, mentally as well as professionally. Our guests talk us through their experiences from the early stages of pregnancy to the post birth return to work and the challenges they faced. We hear about changes they would like to see made, particularly in people's attitudes towards mothers in the professional dance world. A big thanks to our 3 guests for sharing so much of their own experiences and as with all our topics there is always more to be said but hopefully this gets the conversation moving forwards.@basedancestudios

Class Culture with Emer Walsh, Sisco Gomez and Shaun NilesHost: @mrjgrahamGuests: @_emerwalsh, @siscogomez and @niles82@mrjgraham speaks with @_emerwalsh, @siscogomez and @niles82 as they talk us through their takes on dance class culture today. All are highly accomplished and decorated dancers having worked with artists such as Madonna, Kylie Minogue, Rihanna, Kelly Rowland, Alicia Keys and countless others. Between them they have choreographed for X Factor, The Voice, the MTV Europe Music Awards, tours, music videos and even shows on the West End. But amidst all those professional achievements they have been educators since the early 2000's and have seen wave after wave of dancers in both class and industry settings. They have taught continuously through the evolution of the past 16 years. We discuss changes that they have seen and felt in terms of technology, mindset and attitude. We hear about their experiences and what classes in the studio meant to them both as students and teachers. Now that we are back in the studio its a good time to release it (we recorded this in January as part of our original class culture series) as 3 guests with so much knowledge and experience bring a huge deal of insight and perspective to the conversation. Enjoy!@basedancestudios

Heels Class Discussion Host: @mrjgrahamGuests: @haleymonaghan, @lisaspencer_official and @sharon.juneIn this episode @mrjgraham is joined by @haleymonaghan, @lisaspencer_official and @sharon.june to talk about their take on heels classes. These three powerhouse women have been performing, teaching and choreographing at the highest levels of the industry through the last decade. They've all taught heels technique or heels performance classes at @basedancestudios so we wanted to have a chat about the growth of the heels class genre. We hear about their journeys to becoming heels class teachers. We discuss about what makes a good heels class in their opinions. We talk about their inspirations and influences within the heels realm and hear their likes & dislikes when it comes to heels classes. We also manage to tack on a throwback to our previous series and hear how they all got their breaks into the industry which was really interesting, as they didn't know each other's "origin" stories in detail and we get to see & hear their reactions in real time.@basedancestudios

Deaf Experiences in DanceHost: @mrjgrahamGuests: @deaf_dancer, @tashaghouri and @josephjfletcherThis week is Deaf Awareness Week and to mark it @mrjgraham speaks with @deaf_dancer (Melissa Brill), @tashaghouri and @josephjfletcher about their experiences within the dance industry and community. First up we get an introduction to each guest and hear a little about their background. We then talk about their dance education and the level and type of support that was there (or not there as the case was at times). We hear each guests' journey on their perspective on their deafness and how big an impact that has had on the way they think about it. The realisation that this is your superpower and how empowering that can be. We talk about what it's like at classes and auditions, the extra challenges hard of hearing people face and the feeling that you have to convince potential employers out of any additional doubts they will have about you. We hear examples of some bad experiences at auditions where the level of understanding was not there on the organiser's part despite being made aware of the situation ahead of time. This leads us to talking about suggestions of changes that could be made for the better to cater for everyone in the room both in auditions and classes. This is an area the dance industry and community has to do better in. A big thank you to our 3 guests.Please note we interchange the terms deaf, hearing impaired and hard of hearing throughout the podcast. @basedancestudios

Representation and RaceHost: @mrjgrahamGuests: @kels_sn, @leahhill_dancer and @randallwatson_ In this episode of the @base_pod, @mrjgraham is joined by @kels_sn, @leahhill_dancer and @randallwatson_  to talk about representation in dance through the lens of being Black in the dance world. From early experiences of seeing themselves represented on stage and screen (or not represented as was the case at times) to role models that could be looked up to and whose success they could hope to emulate. We talk about their experiences within dance education and initial steps into the industry, whether tokenism in casting has been prevalent during their careers, the differences between the Commercial and MT world in regards to race and even the differences between the London and LA dance scenes. We hear about the unfortunate negative experiences there have been in work situations and we talk about solutions for them. We talk about changes that have happened during the course of their careers and what they each hope will continue to change. This is just an opening conversation into a hugely important and broad-ranging topic. We will continue the conversation and want to thank our 3 guests for taking the time to discuss with us.@basedancestudios

House of Androgyny Host: John GrahamGuests: @dalekcreative @callumsterling @jordana_revIn this episode of the @base_pod @mrjgraham talks with some of the team and talent from the agency House of Androgyny, @wearehoa. We speak with agency founder and @basedancestudios teacher @dalekcreative and their partner @callumsterling as well as @jordana_rev who shares her story of being a transgender performer in the industry in Australia, Hong Kong and London. We touch on many topics from the importance of pronouns to how artists are represented by their agents and how much an agency understands and knows their artists and how to advocate for them. We discuss how LGBTQIA+ culture is represented on screen and hear personal experiences our guests have all been through in the industry and the performing arts education system. This is an opening conversation into representation within the dance community and industry as we begin to look at how people feel represented by what they see on screen and stage, in the positions of power in the industry and even how or whether they feel understood and taken care of by the agents who get paid to represent them. The conversation flew by and before we knew it we were nearly 2 hours in. There is much more left to discuss and share but we hope you enjoy and a big thank you to our 3 guests for sharing so much of their own experiences.@basedancestudios

Foot In The DoorHost: John GrahamGuest: Ryan Lee-SeagerFor our final installment of the current 'foot in the door' series @mrjgraham speaks with @ryanleeseager about his career. We hear about how Center Stage ignited his love for dance at the age of 15. We talk through his training at SLP and London Studio Centre. We hear about a detour to compete on the X Factor and its aftermath and how a chance meeting at London Pride led to him returning to complete his degree. He talks about choosing the right MT agent that would allow him to keep his commercial agents so he didn't have to limit himself. We speak about his love for choreography and how posting his material helped him get opportunities and gain recognition for it at an early stage leading to him being appointed Dance Captain on the first big show he booked. From there it was a whirlwind of success - Ryan's career went from strength to strength as he booked show after show in a variety of roles. His acting side came to the fore in Blood Brothers when he lived out a childhood dream of playing the lead. He then began working as an associate choreographer for multiple shows and we hear about how he took to the new role and the challenges it presented. From dancer to swing to undertsudying/playing lead roles to associate choreographer to associate director, Ryan's experience in the MT world is vast and varied. He shares some advice he would give his younger self and we finish up with a story about a job we both did for Justin Bieber many years ago.@basedancestudios

Foot In The DoorHost: John GrahamGuests: Michael Naylor & Collette GuitartNext up on @base_pod we have a double whammy with @colletteguitart and @michaelnaylor53 speaking to @mrjgraham about how they got their breaks into multiple aspects of the industry. From touring with Musicals to touring with the Spice Girls. From Hip Hop Theatre to Netflix movies to appearing on the West End, this episode has it all. We hear about long term absences from dance through injury. We hear about missing out on dream jobs at the last round of auditions and what it meant to Collette and Michael when they both managed to book those dream jobs. We get an insight into the challenge of being an on-stage swing. We discuss auditions and the human element of casting you just can't get via social media and much more. A really enjoyable and informative conversation with two great people.@basedancestudios

Foot In The DoorHost: John GrahamGuests: Joy DuckrellNext up in our @base_pod series on how dancers got their foot in the door @mrjgraham speaks with @joy_duckrell. As we said we're trying to show that there are many different ways people find their way in and Joy's is particularly unique as she managed to break into the top bracket of the industry before even graduating! Her fast-track to success was really interesting to hear about. From a point in her training where she felt too nervous to take class at the popular studios in central London to her first job being dancing at the MTV EMA's for the iconic Janet Jackson!  From feeling like she couldn't pick up choreography quick enough to being part of the prep team for the Netflix smash Jingle Jangle. From having to choose between her course at college or going on tour with Little Mix, Joy talks us through her journey - her early training, choosing dance over cheerleading, joining TNG and why her foundation year at Urdang was her favourite year of college. She cites certain teachers and mentors who have played a big part in her success. We chat about the human aspect of being a dancer and how having a good attitude and relationship with her college helped her find the balance between becoming an in-demand dancer while still at college and her determination to finish her studies. She also talks about the importance of learning from the veterans of the industry and soaking up the info they would share. Breaking into the top level of the industry is impressive at any point in a dancer's career but particularly at such an early stage. There is a lot to be learned from Joy's example and how she has managed to build her career so quickly.@basedancestudios

Foot In The DoorHost: John GrahamGuests: Alex SchoendorfContinuing our look at how dancers got their foot in the door of the industry @mrjgraham speaks with @alexschoendorf about her journey from Germany to London via LA. For dancers that move to a new country to establish themselves there are different kinds of challenges than for those who get to train and work where they grew up. Alex talks us through choices she made to further her training and how her time learning the ropes of the industry in London really paid off when she made her move to LA and why she recommends other dancers do the same. We speak about when she felt she went from working sporadically as a dancer to it being more secure with regular work and the important part personal relationships and recommendations from other dancers played in her success. She also talks about knowing what her strengths were while also recognising what other successful dancers were doing and learning from them to help her get where she wanted to be. Alex's vision for where she wanted to get to and hunger to succeed are a great example for all dancers to learn from.@basedancestudios

Foot In The DoorHost: John GrahamGuests: Alex Chambers & Rowan ChambersNext up telling us how they got their foot in the door of the industry are Alex and Rowan Chambers. @mrjgraham talks to @alexchambers28 and @rowan_chambers about their less "traditional" route to the industry. From deciding that formal dance college wasn't for them to their initial experiences of trying to make it in London to a couple of years spent honing their craft in China to then breaking into the industry upon their return, we hear about a journey filled with travelling, mentors and lessons learned. Going from struggling to get agencies interested in them to getting directly booked for jobs by those same agencies a couple of years later, their story demonstrates the importance of being open to listening to good advice, applying it and constantly learning along the way. We also touch on the role being twins has played in their journey as well as their own growth as individuals and the ethos behind their teaching.@basedancestudios

Foot In The DoorHost: John GrahamGuests: Kamila ZalewskaOur next series centres on the topic of how different dancers got their break into the industry. In our first episode @mrjgraham talks with @kamilkakam about her journey from a small town in Poland to London via Nottingham. From the challenge of moving to a new country to train without a good grip on the language to her multiple attempts to get to travel and train in LA that got scuppered by the visa agreement between Poland and the USA, we hear about some of the difficulties Kamila faced on her journey. Kam also talks us through why it took her a while after graduating to really get her foot in the door of the working dance world and what she had to figure out before she felt she could establish herself. As we all know, Kamila is now an incredibly popular teacher who we regularly see on stage and screen (spoiler alert she eventually made it to LA on a working visa with one of the biggest artists in the world) but through this series we're hoping to show that, just like with Kam, everyone has a different road to success and faces their own challenges. There is not one set pathway or time frame - everyone's journey will be individual. Be on the look out all week for episodes featuring teachers and dancers from the commercial and musical theatre worlds.@basedancestudios

Maintaining our Sense of SelfHost: John GrahamGuests: Zoe Aston - @yourmentalhealthworkout In this final episode on our first conversation regarding mental health and dance, Zoe Aston (@yourmentalhealthworkout) and I talk about trying to maintain a sense of self in the dance industry and how sometimes we can feel lost. We speak about the difficult position performers are in where we have to be adaptable and versatile in what we do but why that can also mean sometimes that we lose an idea of who we are in the process. We will train and work with lots of different people over the course of our careers so learning to fit in is important but also holding on to our own sense of self is vital too. Zoe talks about the importance of keeping a solid core of friends or family around you to keep you grounded and connected. On the flip side we also talk about how meeting so many people through dance allows us a chance to explore different sides to ourselves and allow other aspects of our personalities to come through. Zoe poses an excellent question in this regard that gives us a chance to look at our own behaviour in relation to different people and what sides of ourselves we show them. She also breaks down the concept of other people being mirrors for us and that the same way we use mirrors in a studio to check our form and technique, we can see what is reflected back at us from other people and use that as an opportunity for self growth. The dance community is populated by such a wide variety of personalities and people that there is every chance for us to explore multiple sides and aspects to ourselves as humans and artists. To finish up we recap some of the points we have spoken about throughout the different chapters this week as we opened our first conversation into mental health and dance.@basedancestudios

Perfectionism and Social MediaHost: John GrahamGuests: Zoe Aston - @yourmentalhealthworkout In this chapter with psychotherapist and mental health advisor Zoe Aston (@yourmentalhealthworkout) we talk about the influence social media can have on us and chasing the idea that everything has to be "perfect." We speak about how we can use social media to inspire us but also that we need to learn to recognise when our use of it starts to have negative effects on us. We talk about the illusion of other people's lives looking perfect and how that strive for perfection within our own lives ultimately leads to unhappiness as it is just that, an illusion. Zoe gives a nice example of a test for how we look at our own achievements versus how we would react if it was a friend achieving the same thing. She breaks down how even some of the words we use in relation to ourselves can have an impact on shaming us rather than creating a sense of accountability and looking for solutions. We talk about letting go of the idea of controlling other people's reactions to us. Zoe also speaks on an experience she had in a performance after doing some of her own mental health work and the difference it made in how others saw her as a dancer and what she was capable of. We finish by talking about setting our own boundaries when it comes to social media and learning to know what's good for our mental well being.@basedancestudios

The Impact of COVID-19 & Lockdowns on Mental HealthHost: John GrahamGuests: Zoe Aston - @yourmentalhealthworkout The Coronavirus pandemic has wreaked havoc with our sense of normality and has been particularly challenging for dancers in regards to our profession, our training and our mental health. In this chapter I talk with Zoe Aston (@yourmentalhealthworkout) about what has been taken away from us and the impact that may have had. We also talk about the opportunity that having more time offers us in terms of connecting with ourselves and learning more about who we are, what we need and what we want. We speak about how keeping a record of what we feel on certain days and even times of the day can help us learn more about our own natural rhythm which can help when figuring out how better to live in harmony with ourselves. And Zoe raises the good point that we often ask others "how are you?" or "how you keeping?" but that we don't always check in with ourselves in the same way.@basedancestudios

Building Strong Self EsteemHost: John GrahamGuests: Zoe Aston - @yourmentalhealthworkout In this chapter I talk with psychotherapist and mental health advisor Zoe Aston about how dancers can build up a strong sense of self esteem as well as why it is so important for authority figures in dance to realise the impact they can have on dancers' mental health. Zoe uses the metaphor of self esteem as the core stability of our mental health and the key role it plays in our well being. She talks about how strong self esteem can help us feel aligned with ourselves, worthy of what is for us and a sense of balance and equal-ness with others. She gives some actionable steps on how to work on your self esteem taken from her 'Your Mental Health Workout' book. We speak about the role teachers and the cultures they create play and she gives suggestions on how to create a healthy environment for students to receive critique in. She also talks us through how a compassion based leadership style produces a far more sustainable type of growth and change than a shame based, toxic approach.@basedancestudios

Discussing Mental HealthHost: John GrahamGuests: Zoe Aston - @yourmentalhealthworkout As dancers our sense of identity is so intertwined with what we do that it can present many challenges to our mental well-being even at the best of times let alone during a pandemic. It affects us all in different ways and at different times, from young dancers still in training to highly experienced working professionals at the top of their game - no one is exempt regardless of how it looks from the outside. This first segment is an intro to our series discussing mental health with psychotherapist, mental health advisor and author Zoe Aston. Zoe wants us to start treating our mental health with the same level of care and attention as we do our physical health. She talks us through her journey from young dancer in training at dance college to studying psychology at University and qualifying to practice. We talk about her history in dance and the impact it had on her mental health as well as the impact her mental health had on her ability to train and perform. We speak about what she has learned during the course of her study of psychology in relation to what she went through as a dancer. And we introduce some of the topics, challenges and remedies we will be discussing over the course of this series.@basedancestudios

Class Culture, Episode 2Host: John GrahamGuests: Ola Papior, Yaw Darko and Olivia Rose Shouler@basedancestudios