Brendan Keaney OBE: Not BBC Material (Dancing Class)
From Beckett Talks by Leeds Beckett University
May 26, 2026 · 1h 26m · Season 3 · Episode 12
About this episode
Brendan Keaney discusses his unconventional journey into dance and the importance of mentorship and educational strategies in the arts.
Inspired by David Bowie and raised in Walthamstow by Irish parents, Brendan Keaney’s journey into dance was anything but predictable. Keaney’s career took off in Wales with Jumpers (later NDCW) then led him to Ludus Dance, where he began developing educational strategies he describes as offering the kind of 'thinking time' many people associate with university. He describes how strong mentorship throughout his career within the Arts Council England, Greenwich Dance and at Dance East deepened his understanding of leadership in the sector. He praises these organisations as vital hubs for artistic growth and highlights the profound loss caused by closing schemes such as the CAT for young people who might never otherwise find their way into dance. Date Recorded: 3rd July 2025 Sound Recordist: Dr Laura Taylor Editing: Dr Laura Taylor Audio accompaniment: Dr Jess Blaise Ward Audio accompaniment mastering: Michael Ward
People in this episode
Guest: Brendan Keaney
Topics covered
- dance
- mentorship
- leadership
- artistic growth
- education
- youth programs
Keywords
- Brendan Keaney
- dance
- mentorship
- Arts Council England
- education
- youth programs
- David Bowie
- Ludus Dance
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Arts Council England, Greenwich Dance, Dance East, Ludus Dance, NDCW
Places: Walthamstow
More episodes of Beckett Talks
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- Dr Kate Marsh: Class, Care and Precarity (Dancing Class) · April 17, 2026 · 1h 33m
- Jonzi D: Breakin Class Convention (Dancing Class) · March 19, 2026 · 1h 33m
- Martin Hargreaves: North-West Side Story (Dancing Class) · March 10, 2026 · 1h 25m
- Sarah Blanc: Class Ceiling (Dancing Class) · March 4, 2026 · 1h 22m
- Gary Clarke: A Miner's Gala (Dancing Class) · February 9, 2026 · 1h 51m
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