Dance Real Podcast

Season 3 Ep: 01 Opens with artist, advocate and thought leader Josef Brown: former Soloist with The Australian Ballet; principal performer with Sydney Dance Company; featured artist with Modern Dance Turkey in Ankara. His range spans ballet and contemporary stages, musical theatre, film, and television, including roles in Dance Academy, Spartacus, and Neighbours. He now channels that breadth into creative work and sector advocacy, and he leads The Library Aesthetic, a curated hub for credible dance health and education. Josef traces the inner terrain beneath the resume: a late start and a sense of belonging at The McDonald College; the culture shock of The Australian Ballet School; the anxious mask many performers develop in high stakes settings. He reflects on injury as a turning point, the move into contemporary work, and the different demands of screen performance. Together we consider teaching as its own craft, how to awaken intrinsic drive, the limits of a trick focus in training, and the value of evidence informed resources for studios and young dancers. Through it all the throughline is clear: curiosity, disciplined process, and connection to self, others, music, and space.

To find out more about The Library Aesthetic DANCE MEDIA visit https://thelibraryaesthetic.com 🩰

Stay Connected with Kate Follow Kate for more episodes, personal reflections, and real-talk on healing and integrity in the dance world: 🌐 Website: www.katehiston.com 📷 Instagram: @katehiston @dance_real_podcast @Master_Dancer_Mindset 🎧 Podcast: Dance Real Podcast – Available on Spotify, Apple, and all major platforms

Disclaimer: The Dance Real Podcast is a space for open, honest conversations rooted in real-life experiences within the dance world. What I share and what my guests share is based on personal perspective, not professional advice. If you’re seeking support for your mental health, legal matters, or business decisions, I encourage you to speak with a qualified professional. The views expressed by guests are their own and don’t always reflect mine. Any references to people, places, or situations are shared with respect and the intent to spark reflection, learning, and conversation not to harm or misrepresent. By engaging with this content, you acknowledge and agree that the host, guests, and Dance Real Podcast are not liable for any decisions made based on the information provided.

#KateHiston #JosefBrown #DanceRealPodcast #DanceEducation #DanceHealth #Ballet #ContemporaryDance #DanceTeacher #PerformanceAnxiety #TheLibraryAesthetic

Episode Summary

In this short solo episode, Kate reflects on the journey of Season 2 of The Dance Real Podcast—a season filled with bold conversations, personal stories, expert insights, and unapologetic truths about the dance world.

From examining competition culture and coercive power dynamics to unpacking pedagogical frameworks, parenting roles, emotional safety, and embodied creativity, Season 2 has taken us on a deeply human ride through the layers of dance training and artistic growth.

Kate shares her personal highlights, recurring themes that emerged, and the growing movement toward more conscious, holistic, and empowered dance environments.

This episode also includes a heartfelt invitation:

If you have a story that aligns with the purpose of Dance Real—whether it’s about harm, healing, leadership, or liberation—Kate would love to hear from you.

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Themes Explored in Season 2:

•Rethinking competition and performance-based identities

•Boundaries, consent, and safety in training spaces

•Teaching methods, pedagogy, and community impact

•Improvisation as a creative and personal life philosophy

•The dance parent’s role: what helps, what harms

•Nutrition, perfectionism, and the dancer’s body

•Recognizing and healing from coercive systems

•Reclaiming emotional and creative agency in dance

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Connect & Share Your Story

Have a personal or professional story that could inspire, inform, or challenge the dance community? Kate is currently curating Season 3 and welcomes diverse voices from dancers, teachers, adjudicators, parents, and beyond.

📩 Reach out via Instagram: @katehiston

🌐 Or submit via website: www.katehiston.com

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Leave a Review or Share the Podcast

If you’ve found value in these episodes, please consider leaving a rating and review on your podcast platform—it helps more people find Dance Real. And if there’s an episode that resonated with you, share it with a friend or fellow creative.

Disclaimer:

The Dance Real Podcast is a space for open, honest conversations rooted in real-life experiences within the dance world. What I share—and what my guests share—is based on personal perspective, not professional advice. If you’re seeking support for your mental health, legal matters, or business decisions, I encourage you to speak with a qualified professional.

The views expressed by guests are their own and don’t always reflect mine. Any references to people, places, or situations are shared with respect and the intent to spark reflection, learning, and conversation—not to harm or misrepresent.

By engaging with this content, you acknowledge and agree that the host, guests, and Dance Real Podcast are not liable for any decisions made based on the information provided.

Season Two  Ep:14

Dance Real Reflections: How to be a Dance Mum without Losing Yourself or Your Child

In this episode of the Dance Real Podcast, Kate pulls back the curtain on the powerful influence dance parents have—not just on their child’s dance journey, but on their emotional wellbeing. Speaking from her own lived experience growing up with a well meaning but high-pressure dance mum, and later navigating the dance world as a teacher, studio owner, and parent herself, Kate explores the fine line between support and pressure. She dives into the do’s and don’ts for dance parents, sharing insight into how to foster autonomy, emotional resilience, and a healthy passion for dance—without unknowingly tipping into control or perfectionism. Whether you’re a dance parent, teacher, or just someone curious about the unspoken dynamics behind the scenes, this episode offers a real, raw, and constructive conversation about what kids really need to thrive.

🩰 Stay Connected with Kate Follow Kate for more episodes, personal reflections, and real-talk on healing and integrity in the dance world: 🌐 Website: www.katehiston.com 📷 Instagram: @katehiston @dance_real_podcast @Master_Dancer_Mindset 🎧 Podcast: Dance Real Podcast – Available on Spotify, Apple, and all major platforms 

Disclaimer: The Dance Real Podcast is a space for open, honest conversations rooted in real-life experiences within the dance world. What I share—and what my guests share—is based on personal perspective, not professional advice. If you’re seeking support for your mental health, legal matters, or business decisions, I encourage you to speak with a qualified professional. The views expressed by guests are their own and don’t always reflect mine. Any references to people, places, or situations are shared with respect and the intent to spark reflection, learning, and conversation—not to harm or misrepresent. By engaging with this content, you acknowledge and agree that the host, guests, and Dance Real Podcast are not liable for any decisions made based on the information provided.

Season Two  Ep: 16

Starving For Success? Dance Nutrition and the Truth No one Talks About with Dr. Stephanie Potreck.

In this powerful episode of the Dance Real Podcast, host Kate Histon is joined by medical doctor and dance nutritionist Dr. Stephanie Podreck, whose career spans medicine, sports nutrition, and global health—and is deeply rooted in her own experience as a professional dancer. Together, they unpack the often-unspoken realities of dancer health, including:

* The connection between under-fuelling, delayed development, and injury—and why this is still a crisis decades after the research emerged.

* The emotional roots of disordered eating, including trauma, perfectionism, and unstable family dynamics.

* How dance schools can be both a trigger and a solution—and what red flags to watch for in students.

* Why a dancer’s performance suffers not from a lack of willpower—but a lack of food, rest, and recovery.

* What a healthy day of meals and snacks looks like for a 14-year-old dancer.

* The hard truths about some European schools, including outdated pedagogy, poor student welfare, and the emotional toll of international transitions.

* Strategies for supporting dancers moving overseas, including food prep, housing, and building resilience.

* The psychological harm of body shaming and archaic teaching—and why the dance world must evolve now. Dr. Podreck also shares how her clinic, AusDancers Overseas, supports dancers in building sustainable health practices from pre-professional training into company life.

This conversation is essential listening for:

✔️ Dance teachers

✔️ Studio owners

✔️ Parents of aspiring dancers

✔️ Students navigating elite training

Get In Touch with Stephanie Potreck 🌐 Website: www.ausdancersoverseas.com 📷 Instagram: @ausdancersoverseas

🩰 Stay Connected with Kate Follow Kate for more episodes, personal reflections, and real-talk on healing and integrity in the dance world:🌐 Website: www.katehiston.com📷 Instagram: @katehiston @Dance_Real_Podcast @Master_Dancer_Mindset🎧 Podcast: Dance Real Podcast – Available on Spotify, Apple, and all major platforms After Show Notes: The book Kate referred to is correctly called "Apollo’s Angels": A History of Ballet is authored by Jennifer Homans, a former professional ballerina turned dance scholar and critic. It offers a sweeping cultural and historical examination of ballet from its Renaissance origins to modern times.

Disclaimer: The Dance Real Podcast is a space for open, honest conversations rooted in real-life experiences within the dance world. What I share—and what my guests share—is based on personal perspective, not professional advice. If you’re seeking support for your mental health, legal matters, or business decisions, I encourage you to speak with a qualified professional. The views expressed by guests are their own and don’t always reflect mine. Any references to people, places, or situations are shared with respect and the intent to spark reflection, learning, and conversation—not to harm or misrepresent. By engaging with this content, you acknowledge and agree that the host, guests, and Dance Real Podcast are not liable for any decisions made based on the information provided.

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses panic disorder, which may be distressing for some listeners.

Season Two

I’m happy to share that I have lived panic disorder–free for over 22 years and continue to enjoy a high-performance life supported by meditation, health, and wellbeing practices in my everyday world. 

Over more than two decades of leading my own dance studio, I stepped into my strength and power as a leader; experience that now informs my work as a high-performance mindset coach for dancers and mentor in leadership to educators and parents helping strengthen confidence, emotional awareness, and sustainable success. I also work as an international dance adjudicator.

In this episode, I reflect on last week’s conversation with trauma integration specialist Kellie Rhea about coercive control in the dance industry. I respond to thoughtful questions about my own healing journey, sharing how I navigated panic disorder, the transition from stage to teaching, and the importance of resilience, self-worth, and emotional safety in dance. I also discuss perfectionism, anxiety, and how teachers and parents can create open, supportive dialogue that helps dancers thrive.

After Note: 'In sharing my story, it's important to find the right support for you. For me that meant combining professional guidance with a psychotherapist who had lived through similar experiences and my training in Human Behaviour and somatic practices'. 

🩰 Stay Connected with Kate Follow Kate for more episodes, personal reflections, and real-talk on healing and integrity in the dance world:

🌐 Website: www.katehiston.com

📷 Instagram: @katehiston @Dance_Real_Podcast @Master_Dancer_Mindset 🎧 Podcast: Dance Real Podcast – Available on Spotify, Apple, and all major platforms

Disclaimer: The Dance Real Podcast is a space for open, honest conversations rooted in real-life experiences within the dance world. What I share—and what my guests share—is based on personal perspective, not professional advice. If you’re seeking support for your mental health, legal matters, or business decisions, I encourage you to speak with a qualified professional. The views expressed by guests are their own and don’t always reflect mine. Any references to people, places, or situations are shared with respect and the intent to spark reflection, learning, and conversation—not to harm or misrepresent. By engaging with this content, you acknowledge and agree that the host, guests, and Dance Real Podcast are not liable for any decisions made based on the information provided.

Season Two · Episode 13

Bloodied Pointe Shoes and Coercive Control – Healing the Dance World with Kellie Rhea

In this transformative conversation, I’m joined by trauma specialist and cult-aware educator Kellie Rhea to explore how hidden systems of control quietly shape the dance world—and how we can heal from them.

Together, we unpack the subtle ways that “excellence” can mask unhealthy pressure, the intergenerational expectations dancers carry, and how the body stores the stress and fear that arise in performance-driven environments.

I share personal reflections from my own journey—including a pivotal moment confronting a coercive parent as a studio owner, the emotional impact of my early training, and the raw promise I made to my younger self during the hardest days of panic disorder.

Kellie offers powerful insights into how dancers, teachers, and parents can:

💛 Recognize harmful systems early

💛 Reclaim self-trust and autonomy

💛 Return to dance as a space for authentic expression and growth

This episode is a must-listen for dancers, teachers, parents—or anyone healing from toxic systems and seeking a healthier future for the next generation of performers.

After Notes

Show Note from Kate: The letter I refer to in this episode was one I wrote to the principal of my first ballet school, addressing the emotional and physical harm I experienced there.

You’ll hear me get emotional in this episode. Even healed stories can carry weight. I share this not for sympathy, but to remind anyone listening—you’re not alone.”

Topics Covered

Resources Mentioned

💡 Red Flags of Coercive Systems – Ask yourself:

📚 Recommended Reading & Tools:

Key Definitions:

Connect with Kellie Rhea

📎 Instagram: @iamkellierhea

Stay Connected with Kate

🌐 Website: www.katehiston.com

📷 Instagram: @katehiston | @Dance_Real_Podcast | @Master_Dancer_Mindset

🎧 Podcast: Dance Real Podcast – Available on Spotify, Apple, and all major platforms

Season Two Ep:15

In this episode of The Dance Real Podcast, Kate unpacks the often-hidden emotional dynamics that dancers, teachers, and leaders navigate in high-pressure environments—including covert competition, credit theft, love bombing, and silent sabotage.

Drawing from lived experience not only as a dancer, teacher, studio owner, and adjudicator (as well as her professional training in Human Behaviour)—but also as someone who grew up around emotionally complex dynamics—Kate offers a blend of personal insight, professional perspective, and trauma-informed strategies to help dancers protect their energy and trust their instincts.

With clear tools and boundary-setting practices, this episode empowers listeners to prioritise emotional well-being and rise above manipulative behaviour—on and off the dance floor.

🩰 Stay Connected with Kate Follow Kate for more episodes, personal reflections, and real-talk on healing and integrity in the dance world:

🌐 Website: www.katehiston.com 📷 Instagram: @katehiston @dance_real_podcast @Master_Dancer_Mindset

🎧 Podcast: Dance Real Podcast – Available on Spotify, Apple, and all major platforms 

Disclaimer: The Dance Real Podcast is a space for open, honest conversations rooted in real-life experiences within the dance world. What I share—and what my guests share—is based on personal perspective, not professional advice. If you’re seeking support for your mental health, legal matters, or business decisions, I encourage you to speak with a qualified professional. The views expressed by guests are their own and don’t always reflect mine. Any references to people, places, or situations are shared with respect and the intent to spark reflection, learning, and conversation—not to harm or misrepresent. By engaging with this content, you acknowledge and agree that the host, guests, and Dance Real Podcast are not liable for any decisions made based on the information provided.

Season Two Ep: 11

Finding Your Voice - Exploring Identity, Power, and Pedagogy with Dr Kathrina Farrugia-Kriel

In this episode of the Dance Real Podcast, Dr. Kathrina Farrugia-Kriel shares her extensive journey in dance scholarship, exploring the cultural influences that shaped her education and career. She discusses the transformative power of dance education, the importance of finding one's voice, and the role of empathy in teaching. Kathrina emphasizes the need for curiosity and evolution in the dance world, while also addressing the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. The conversation highlights the significance of community, the recovery of historical figures in dance, and the impact of technology on education. Ultimately, Kathrina offers valuable advice for young dancers, encouraging them to keep an open mind and embrace their unique paths in the dance world.

Get In Touch with Dr Kathrina Farrugia-Kriel 🌐 Website: www.drfarrugiakriel.com

🩰 Stay Connected with Kate Follow Kate for more episodes, personal reflections, and real-talk on healing and integrity in the dance world:

🌐 Website: www.katehiston.com

📷 Instagram: @katehiston @Dance_Real_Podcast @Master_Dancer_Mindset

🎧 Podcast: Dance Real Podcast – Available on Spotify, Apple, and all major platforms

 Disclaimer: The Dance Real Podcast is a space for open, honest conversations rooted in real-life experiences within the dance world. What I share—and what my guests share—is based on personal perspective, not professional advice. If you’re seeking support for your mental health, legal matters, or business decisions, I encourage you to speak with a qualified professional. The views expressed by guests are their own and don’t always reflect mine. Any references to people, places, or situations are shared with respect and the intent to spark reflection, learning, and conversation—not to harm or misrepresent. By engaging with this content, you acknowledge and agree that the host, guests, and Dance Real Podcast are not liable for any decisions made based on the information provided.

Season Two  Ep: 10

Improvisation in the Art of Life - Dance Real Reflection

In this episode of the Dance Real Podcast, Kate explores the concept of improvisation not just in dance but as a vital life practice. She emphasizes the importance of curiosity over judgment, the need for spaciousness in our actions, and the detrimental effects of harsh self-judgment. Kate encourages listeners to embrace improvisation as a mindset that allows for exploration, growth, and self-kindness, ultimately viewing life as a dynamic and evolving score where we are the dancers.

🩰 Stay Connected with Kate

Follow Kate for more episodes, personal reflections, and real-talk on healing and integrity in the dance world:

Disclaimer:

The Dance Real Podcast is a space for open, honest conversations rooted in real-life experiences within the dance world. What I share—and what my guests share—is based on personal perspective, not professional advice. If you’re seeking support for your mental health, legal matters, or business decisions, I encourage you to speak with a qualified professional.

The views expressed by guests are their own and don’t always reflect mine. Any references to people, places, or situations are shared with respect and the intent to spark reflection, learning, and conversation—not to harm or misrepresent.

By engaging with this content, you acknowledge and agree that the host, guests, and Dance Real Podcast are not liable for any decisions made based on the information provided.

Season Two Ep: 09

Dance is Broken? Improvisation Might be the Fix

In this rich and heartfelt conversation, Kate Histon reconnects with longtime friend and fellow dance educator Jen Murray to reflect on their shared roots in Byron Bay and the evolving landscape of dance education. Together, they explore Jen’s journey through contemporary dance, her deep belief in the power of improvisation, and the essential role it plays in unlocking creativity and confidence—especially for classical ballet dancers. Jen opens up about the art of guiding students through improvisation, the joy of collaborative choreography, and the importance of creating emotionally safe spaces. A central theme throughout is practicing responsiveness in teaching—meeting students where they are, adapting with empathy, and staying attuned to both the energy in the room and the individual dancer’s needs. The episode also delves into the interplay between motherhood and teaching, the cultural shifts reshaping how we nurture young dancers, and the responsibility educators carry in shaping not just skilled technicians, but expressive and empowered artists. This episode is a warm, wisdom-filled listen for anyone passionate about the heart behind the technique.

🩰 Stay Connected with Kate

Follow Kate for more episodes, personal reflections, and real-talk on healing and integrity in the dance world:

Disclaimer: The Dance Real Podcast is a space for open, honest conversations rooted in real-life experiences within the dance world. What I share—and what my guests share—is based on personal perspective, not professional advice. If you’re seeking support for your mental health, legal matters, or business decisions, I encourage you to speak with a qualified professional. The views expressed by guests are their own and don’t always reflect mine. Any references to people, places, or situations are shared with respect and the intent to spark reflection, learning, and conversation—not to harm or misrepresent. By engaging with this content, you acknowledge and agree that the host, guests, and Dance Real Podcast are not liable for any decisions made based on the information provided.