In this episode of Dancing Class, dance artist Sarah Blanc vibrantly explores her journey from a council estate in Waterford, Ireland, to becoming a freelance choreographer and performer in the UK.
Sarah shares candid reflections of navigating the challenges of class and access alongside themes of ambition, identity, imposter syndrome, and the freelance hustle. The discussion is wrapped in Sarah’s humour and warmth.
Recorded in binaural sound, this immersive episode invites listeners to reflect on how dance and class identity can shape careers in the UK.
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Sarah Blanc
Choreographer & Artistic Director of Moxie Brawl
Photo: Roswitha Chesher
Sarah Blanc (she/her)
Choreographer & Artistic Director of Moxie Brawl
London (UK)
Sarah Blanc is an Irish choreographer, performer and director based in London.
She is Artistic Director of Moxie Brawl- a spicy inclusive dance theatre company who make work that your mum would love. Their award winning performances have been described as ‘gloriously shambolic‘, ‘wholly absorbing’ and ‘definitely the most fun you’ll have at a dance show’. Their latest work Punk Alley has just finished an 11 venue tour across the UK and Ireland. New works Cheer Up, a show about mental health for young people and Council Estate Princess a new solo show about growing up proddy on a catholic council estate, are currently being developed.
As a choreographer/movement director/associate director, her credits include Bog Witch, I’m a Phoenix, Bitch, Opera Mums (Bryony Kimmings) Pacifists Guide To The War On Cancer (Complicite, Bryony Kimmings), The Dan Daw Show, EXXY (Dan Daw Creative Projects), Oliver Cromwell Is Really Very Sorry (Xnthony Ltd) and organisations such as Southbank Centre, Royal Opera House, Z Arts, Spark Arts, All Change, GOSH Arts, Candoco Dance Company and The Place.
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Dr Rachel Krische
Performer & Academic Researcher
Credit Lizzie Coombes
Dr Rachel Krische (she/her)
Performer & Academic Researcher
Leeds (UK)
With a performance career spanning over 33 years, Rachel has performed, made work, movement directed, conducted research and taught extensively in diverse, international contexts.
She has collaborated with over 30 different artists/companies such as Deborah Hay, La Ribot, Akram Khan, & Siobhan Davies. Within academic research, Rachel investigates embodied knowledge, embodied cognition, body as archive and social class in dance within art practice and education. She mentors artists and post-graduate students and is a member of advisory panels within the professional sector. Occasionally she still busts a few moves … in front of an audience.
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Dr Laura Griffiths
Senior Lecturer in Dance
Credit Lizzie Coombes
Dr Laura Griffiths (she/her)
Senior Lecturer in Dance
Leeds (UK)
Laura is Senior Lecturer in Dance at Leeds Beckett University. Her research interests cohere around the relationship between dance and archives including the role of oral narrative in documenting the past.
Recent research has investigated the role of dance content on social media as modes of social connection and as an archival method. Laura is active in advocacy for the best practice in dance teaching, access and inclusivity in Higher Education within her role as Vice Chair of Dance HE, the national representative body for academics and practitioners in Higher Education Dance Departments.
Part of Dancing Class
Blending personal narrative with bi-neural sound and creative documentation, Dancing Class is a thought-provoking podcast which places dance centre stage in the conversation around class, opportunity and cultural value.
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Credits +
Date of recording: 13 March 2025
- Igor Mieczkowski
Sound Recordist - Dr Laura Taylor
Editing - Dr Jess Blaise Ward
Audio Accompaniment - Michael Ward
Audio Accompaniment Mastering
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