Episode #64. Let’s Dance: Angela Rippon’s mission to get the nation moving
Angela Rippon’s message is simple but powerful: you don’t need to be a dancer to dance. You just need music, a moment, and the willingness to move.
In this heart-warming conversation, I am honoured to be joined by the legendary broadcaster and campaigner who shares how dance has shaped her life, from childhood ballet classes to Strictly Come Dancing, and why it’s become her mission to get the nation moving through her Let’s Dance campaign.
We talk about how dance lifts mood, improves health, and connects people across generations, and why joy might just be the missing ingredient in how we think about movement.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Angela Rippon's Journey
02:26 The Impact of Dance on Health
10:49 Angela's Strictly Come Dancing Experience
18:09 Launching the Let's Dance Campaign
25:26 The Power of Dance in Health
28:10 Dance as a Tool for Mental Health
29:43 Integrating Dance into Healthcare
32:28 Encouraging Participation in Dance
35:03 The Joy of Movement
39:05 Dance for Everyone
42:11 Overcoming Barriers to Dance
46:53 The Future of Dance Initiatives
About this week’s guest:
Angela Rippon CBE
Angela Rippon CBE is an English broadcaster, journalist and author whose TV career spans nearly six decades. In 1975 she became the first female journalist to be given a permanent role presenting the BBC’s national television news. She later hosted the original Come Dancing, and in 2023 made Strictly history as the show’s oldest ever contestant at 79, partnered with Kai Widdrington, reaching Blackpool week.
Angela is the founder of the UK-wide campaign Let’s Dance!, which brings dance into communities, health settings and workplaces, and she serves as Silver Swans® Ambassador for the Royal Academy of Dance, encouraging adults 55+ to try ballet and reap the physical, cognitive and social benefits of dance.
Connect Here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theangelarippon/
Website, Lets Dance: https://lets-dance.org.uk/
Website, Silver Swans: https://www.royalacademyofdance.org/teach-with-the-rad/teach-silver-swans/
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More about your host, Wendy
Wendy (51) founded Reclaim Movement after a running injury at 40 turned into 4 years of chronic pain. In her search for answers and to reclaim her own movement again she discovered natural movement. The philosophy of training real life practical movements to be able to keep using them as we age, coupled with the benefit of using strengthening and mobilising whole-body movement patterns that are underused in today’s modern world made her realise she had found a way to move for life.
Wendy’s aim is to help people embrace a movement-rich life, at any age, to improve mobility, strength and confidence to keep moving well and doing the things they love for as long as they want.
MovNat Level 1 certified & Functional Range Conditioning certified, she coaches online group classes live & by replay in the Reclaim Movement membership as well as online and in-person private coaching in Oxford.
Find out more about Reclaim Movement:
Instagram: https://instagram.com/reclaim.movement
YouTube: https://youtube.com/@reclaim.movement
Facebook: https://facebook.com/reclaim.movement
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