Talking Pointes

Today I have the immense privilege of speaking with Dr. Sue Mayes. She's the current director of the Australian Ballet's globally recognized artistic health team. Sue was born in Victoria, and like many physios who work with dancers, Sue learned classical ballet in her youth and studied full-time under the formidable Gailene stock. It was while she was completing her diploma of dance that Sue’s started to think about her future. Her love of dance combined with an interest in anatomy led her to physiotherapy, and as we say, the rest is history. In this most fascinating episode, Sue shares her journey in dance, and how she found her way to the Australian Ballet, where she began an esteemed career that has spanned 30 years developing the Australian Ballet's Injury Prevention Program.

Sue's time as the head of the Australian Ballet's Wellness Team has now come to an end, and she begins her tenure as a senior lecturer at Latrobe University in Bundoora, Melbourne. If you'd like to find any of Sue's extensive research, all you need to do is Google her name and you can also find her injury prevention exercises on the Australian Ballet's YouTube channel. To continue to follow all of Sue's adventures, you'll find her on Instagram @suemayes8839.

Today's episode was the final episode of Season four of Talking Pointes. But stay tuned. We'll be releasing lots of bonus episodes in the coming weeks.

Talking Pointes is produced on the lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation, to whom we pay our greatest respects. 

Production dream team ✨

Hosted by @byclaudialawson

Produced by @fjordreview

Additional Production @clinttopic

Sound & Editing @outputmedia

Studios @brightsidesydney

@sawtoothstudios

Today I have the immense privilege of speaking with Bangarra Dance Theatre’s James Boyd. James is a proud Aboriginal man with connections to the Kunja and Muruwari people of southwest Queensland. Born on Wiradjuri country in Orange, as a little boy, James wasn't quick to use his words, and had delayed speech. James's mum and dad then began to notice other things—James kept getting bruises. At just five years of age, James was diagnosed with Leukemia. In this most incredible episode, James shares his journey through cancer, the lows of hospital life, and also the highs when James was introduced to movement and music therapy as part of his recovery. And with that, he was introduced to dance. James then shares how he successfully auditioned for the Hunter School of the Performing Arts, and then how his world opened up at NAISDA Dance College. James then shares how, with his Leukemia is in remission, what it was like to receive a call from Frances Rings, the artistic director of Bangarra Dance Theatre. And then his decision to move to Sydney, which not only changed the course of his love life, but also defined his career.

James continues to dance with Bangarra Dance Theatre, sharing the joy of dance across Australia and the world. For Bangarra performance times and tickets, head to bangarra.com.au and to follow all of James's adventures, you can find him on Instagram @jamesrossboyd.

Talking Pointes is produced on the lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation, to whom we pay our greatest respects. 

Production dream team ✨

Hosted by @byclaudialawson

Produced by @fjordreview

Additional Production @clinttopic

Sound & Editing @outputmedia

Studios @brightsidesydney

@sawtoothstudios

Today I have the immense privilege of speaking with Lucia Field. Lucia grew up with her family in Sydney, but with her dad, Anthony, as the original Blue Wiggle. It's not the childhood you might imagine. As the Wiggles became global superstars, Lucia didn't see her dad for nearly nine months a year. Instead, Lucia grew up alongside her mom, her brother, and her sister, dancing and dreaming of becoming a ballerina. And it was not just a dream. Lucia's star was already on the rise. And by 13, she was accepted into the Australian Ballet School. In this exceptionally beautiful and humbling conversation. Lucia talks candidly about her childhood, what it's like to know your dad through the television and the challenges that come with moving away from home so young. Lucia then bravely speaks about body image issues that still exist in ballet schools today, including her own experience of being told to lose weight. And with that, her decision to ultimately walk away from ballet altogether. We talk about the grief that comes from leaving something you love, the unexpected phone call in which she was asked to join The Wiggles, how she deals with social media and managing her mental health, and the joy that comes from getting to know your dad as a young adult.

Lucia continues to work and tour with the Wiggles now wearing the Blue skivvy alongside her dad, but also the likes of Evie Ferris and Zaha Hawkins. For tour dates and tickets, head to the wiggles.com, and to continue to follow all of Lucia's incredible adventures you can find her on Insta @luciawiggle.

Talking Pointes is produced on the lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation, to whom we pay our greatest respects. 

Production dream team ✨

Hosted by @byclaudialawson

Produced by @fjordreview

Additional Production @clinttopic

Sound & Editing @outputmedia

Studios @brightsidesydney

@sawtoothstudios

Today I have the immense privilege of speaking with Riley Lapham. Riley started dancing early in her home town of Wollongong, and by age 14, she had joined the Australian Ballet School. But from here, Riley's journey takes twists and turns. In her graduation year, Riley missed her final performance due to injury. But in a Center Stage-like moment, the then artistic director David McAllister offered her a contract with the company.

In this brave and vulnerable conversation, Riley and I talk about what it's like to join a company while injured, and what it was like to deal with the worldwide shutdown that occurred in 2020 as a junior member of the company. Riley also speaks about a topic she's not yet discussed publicly—her journey with long Covid—what it was like to contract Covid just as she was nominated for Telstra Ballet Dancer of the Year, and then the unexpected journey of not getting better. We talk about the grief and the devastation that followed the acceptance of a slow recovery, her decision to move to France, and the journey back to the stage with the Australian Ballet.

Riley continues to train and work with the Australian Ballet's rehabilitation team, while gaining her strength to make a return to the stage. To continue to follow all of Riley's wonderful adventures, you can find her on Instagram at @rileylapham. Talking Pointes is produced on the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, to whom we pay our greatest respects. 

Talking Pointes is produced on the lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation, to whom we pay our greatest respects. 

Production dream team ✨

Hosted by @byclaudialawson

Produced by @fjordreview

Additional Production @clinttopic

Sound & Editing @outputmedia

Studios @brightsidesydney

@sawtoothstudios

Today we have the pleasure of speaking with former Australian Ballet dancer Brooke Cassen. On Season Three of Talking Pointes, I spoke with Brooke on what became one of our most listened-to episodes of all time. Today, Brooke returns to the podcast to speak about the success of her episode, and we chat about how she opened up about promotions, and—often a taboo topic in dance—what it means if you don't get promoted and how you deal with that, which is the reality for most dancers in the industry. Because we are focusing on health this season, Brooke and I then discuss the injuries she suffered during her career, how she recovered both physically and mentally to return to the stage. We then discussed the Australian ballet's response to the media storm earlier this year when a Sydney Morning Herald review described dancers of the Australian Ballet as looking “unusually thin.”

Brooke continues to direct and teach at her studio in Rose Bay in Sydney for class times. And to sign up, head to studio sixninesix.com au or you can find them on Instagram @studio696x. And you can follow all of Brooke's wonderful adventures on her Instagram @brookecassen.

Brooke and I recorded our conversation on the lands of the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation to whom we pay our greatest respects. Your host and producer is me, Claudia Lawson, with additional production by Penelope Ford and Clint Topic. Sound production and editing is by Martin Peralta at Output Media. And for the latest in all things dance, head to fjordreview.com.

Talking Pointes is produced on the lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation, to whom we pay our greatest respects. 

Production dream team ✨

Hosted by @byclaudialawson

Produced by @fjordreview

Additional Production @clinttopic

Sound & Editing @outputmedia

Studios @brightsidesydney

@sawtoothstudios

Today I have the privilege of speaking with the divine Juliet Doherty. Juliet was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, which is slightly more Breaking Bad than “Swan Lake,” but Juliet's grandparents owned a ballet studio which passed to Juliet's mother, and so the artistic genes ran deep. Juliet was renowned worldwide from an early age, competing in competitions around the world, winning the Youth America Grand Prix twice, and appearing in the cult movie First Position. By 16, Juliet was dancing with the San Francisco Ballet, where after training as an apprentice, she accepted a contract into the company, but company life wasn't for Juliet. In this most beautiful conversation, Juliet talks about her road to the stage, her diverse training, and her decision to branch out and carve her own artistic life away from the ballet. We discuss her reasons for leaving the San Francisco Ballet, diving into the wild of freelance work, the joys and the burdens of social media, and what continues to drive her passion as a freelance dancer and actress.

Juliet continues to perform and act around the globe, while continuing as an MDM Dance Muse. Juliet has just finished a tour with Ballet International Gala in Brisbane. To continue to follow all of Juliet's wonderful adventures, you can find her on Instagram @julietdoherty.

Follow @talkingpointespodcast and never miss an episode!

Talking Pointes is produced on the lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation, to whom we pay our greatest respects. 

Production dream team ✨

Hosted by @byclaudialawson

Produced by @fjordreview

Additional Production @clinttopic

Sound & Editing @outputmedia

Studios @brightsidesydney

@sawtoothstudios

In today's episode we speak with superstar Doctor Brandi Cole. You may have seen Dr Brandi on your screens as she worked to keep the Matilda's on the field during the Women's World Cup in 2023, and then at the Paris Olympics. Doctor Brandi is a Sports & Exercise Physician, working with athletes of all types as an expert in the field. But she is more than that, before becoming a doctor, Brandi was a Physiotherapist, and an athlete in her own right—captaining the Australian Women’s Oztag team, as well as playing touch and hockey for NSW, and was also an Australian and World gold medalist in beach sprint relay in Surf Life Saving. In this most fascinating episode, we first explore Brandi's early life, what makes her tick, and how she juggles her roles as a doctor and mum. But then we dive into her work with aesthetic athletes, dancers and gymnasts, what improves returning from injury, and the difficulties that exist with body image and refueling.

Since we spoke to Brandi, she has travelled to Paris Olympics, to continue to work with the  Matilda's, all while running her Sports & Exercise Practice Shire Sport Medicine in Cronulla Sydney. To follow her journey, you can find her @doctor_brandi n Insta, or of course book appointments via at her website shiresportsmedicine.com.au

Brandi and I recorded on the land of the Gadigal People of the Eora nation, with production on the lands of the Awabakal and Gadigal peoples, to whom we pay our greatest respects.

Talking Pointes is produced on the lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation, to whom we pay our greatest respects. 

Production dream team ✨

Hosted by @byclaudialawson

Produced by @fjordreview

Additional Production @clinttopic

Sound & Editing @outputmedia

Studios @brightsidesydney

@sawtoothstudios

For our Season Three bonus episode, we speak again with the divine Dana Stephensen. Dana and I initially spoke about 18 months ago, and in that conversation we covered Dana’s journey into the Australian Ballet, managing her hyperthyroidism and weight gain. We talked about promotions, meeting her now husband Lachie becoming a mom and returning to the stage. This time I speak to the newly retired Dana Stephensen, who after 19 years dancing with the Australian Ballet finally gave a farewell performance at the Royal Opera House in London. In this hugely inspiring episode, we reflect on the depth and the bravery of Dana speaking about postnatal depression after the birth of her twins, how she returned to the stage as a mom of three and clawed back both her confidence and sense of self. But we also talk about the struggles of juggling tour life with Lachie and her three children and how she came to the decision to retire before finally turning to her thoughts for the future.

Dana now lives in Brisbane and is settling into life with her husband Lachie and their three children. While she's newly retired from the Australian Ballet, Dana made a surprise appearance with the company in their Brisbane season of “Swan Lake.” You may catch her here and there as she continues to guest with the company. For Australian Ballet tickets and show times, head to their website, australianballet.com.au, or you can find them on Instagram at @ausballet. And to follow all of Dana’s adventures, you can find her on Instagram @danastephensen.

Talking Pointes is produced on the lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation, to whom we pay our greatest respects. 

Production dream team ✨

Hosted by @byclaudialawson

Produced by @fjordreview

Additional Production @clinttopic

Sound & Editing @outputmedia

Studios @brightsidesydney

@sawtoothstudios

This week we head to Boston, where I'm speaking with Boston Ballet's legendary principal dancer, John Lam. John has the most incredible story: His Vietnamese parents were refugees who settled in the US and John, together with his brother and sister grew up in relative poverty in California. Traditional family values meant education was key in John's family, but he accidentally found dance as a young boy when his daycare offered it as an extra activity. And from there, the love affair began. John went on to train at Canada's National Ballet School, and on graduation was offered a position at the Boston Ballet. In this wondrous and beautiful conversation, John talks about the joys of dance, about finding his sexuality and the moment he came out to his parents. But we also talk about more about navigating race and racism in ballet, about meeting his husband, becoming a dad to their two boys, and John's hopes that his parents will one day see him dance.

Trigger Warning

This episode discusses ideas around suicide. For help for depression and anxiety, turn to Beyond Blue at beyondblue.org.au

Talking Points is produced on the lands of the Gadigal and the Wanegal peoples to whom we pay our greatest respects. Talking Points is produced by Fjord Review. Remember to subscribe to get the latest episodes as soon as they're released. If you like us, please leave a five-star review. On the next episode of Talking Points, you'll hear from Dana Stephenson.

Talking Pointes is produced on the lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation, to whom we pay our greatest respects. 

Production dream team ✨

Hosted by @byclaudialawson

Produced by @fjordreview

Additional Production @clinttopic

Sound & Editing @outputmedia

Studios @brightsidesydney

@sawtoothstudios