What happens when a world-renowned ballerina steps beyond the system that made her?

In this powerful conversation, Maria Kochetkova reflects on dancing across continents, rising through ballet’s strict hierarchy, challenging tradition, and ultimately redefining herself as an independent artist.

From principal stages to creative freedom, we explore identity, power, perfection, and the courage it takes to question the very world you once dreamed of conquering.

A conversation about ballet—but also about transformation, voice, and daring to create on your own terms.

From Gibraltar to the international stage, Naia Bautista shares her journey through the rigor of elite ballet institutions, the discipline of company life, and the deeply personal process of self-discovery within traditionally rigid systems. In this episode, Naia reflects on navigating ballet as a trans queer artist, balancing classical expectations with individuality, and how embracing identity transformed both artistry and movement. Together, we explore representation, inclusion, and what it means to create safer, more expansive spaces for the next generation of dancers.

KUNST n’ Roger van der Poel: From First Steps to Nederlands Dans Theater

This week’s guest, Roger van der Poel, shares the journey of his career—from his first steps in the studio to becoming a dancer with Nederlands Dans Theater.

We dive into the intensity, the identity, and the legacy—

from working closely with Paul Lightfoot & Sol León

to staging their work around the world.

From performing at the highest level to staging work that demands both precision and soul, we unpack what it truly means to carry a choreographic legacy forward.