Anna Morgan is a teacher, creative, adjudicator and researcher. She directs her own teacher training program, Anna Morgan Dance, and has taught for institutions such as the Royal Ballet School, Performers College, and Bird College. She is currently studying for her Masters at Rambert School, with gender equity in Ballet as her research specialism.

In this conversation, we dive into Anna's groundbreaking research on gender inequity in ballet leadership, highlighting systemic issues that hinder women and non-binary individuals from rising to leadership roles despite ballet being a female-dominated industry. We discuss how long-standing traditions and societal biases have shaped these imbalances, often starting with how dancers are trained.

Anna also highlights the historical and cultural shifts that have influenced ballet’s gender dynamics and challenges the assumption that tradition should limit progress. While honoring ballet’s rich history, she makes a compelling case for rethinking certain practices to create a more inclusive and equitable future for dancers and leaders alike.

This episode really got me thinking - I am confident you’ll walk away with a deeper understanding of the barriers to leadership in ballet and a thought-provoking perspective on what the future of the art form could look like.

Key Moments:

• Anna’s early dance training [1:32]
• How Anna crafted a portfolio career and her advice for dancers who want to follow a less traditional path [2:12]
• The statistics on gender inequity in the ballet industry [4:11]
• What is causing the gender inequity in ballet leadership [6:07]
• Anna’s solution to addressing gender inequity by adjusting the way we educate ballet dancers from a young age [12:44]
• The reactions Anna has received from her research [20:04]
• The glass ceiling/escalator theory and how they come into play in the ballet industry [35:57]
• The history of gender in ballet [40:33]
• Her biggest piece of advice for dancers pursuing a career [43:39]

Connect with Anna:

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/annamorgandance

WEBSITE: www.annamorgandance.com

Links and Resources:

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Let’s connect!

My WEBSITE: thebrainyballerina.com

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrainyballerina

Questions/comments? Email me at caitlin@thebrainyballerina.com