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Break the Routine with Jaime Dieguez | From County Dance to Ballroom Leadership
Break the Routine with Michael Shelton | From Law & Theatre to DanceSport Authority
Break the Routine with Kiera Brunton | From Disney to American Smooth
In this episode of Break the Routine, Marius sits down with Jaime Dieguez to explore a life shaped inside one dance home - from starting in children’s classes at seven years old to now helping lead County Dance nearly 70 years into its story. Jaime reflects on legacy, standards, and what it means to build dancers, protect quality, and carry ballroom forward from the inside. They talk about growing up in a true dance community, why basics and authentic choreography still matter, how favouritism and politics distort opportunity, and what leadership really costs when you are trying to leave the culture healthier than you found it. In this conversation: - growing up inside County Dance and why it feels like family - the shift from chasing titles to building dancers and community - why basics, patience, and authentic choreography still matter - how favouritism and politics damage fairness in ballroom - what legacy, stewardship, and reform look like from inside the system Follow Break the Routine for more conversations with the people shaping the world of DanceSport.
In this episode of Break the Routine, Marius Iepure sits down with Michael Shelton to explore an unusual life shaped by law, theatre, and nearly 50 years around the world of DanceSport. From an unexpected introduction through Peter Maxwell to senior roles in judging, governance, and discipline, Michael reflects on how trust, fairness, and authority are built — and challenged — inside a sport that lives between artistry, politics, and procedure. They talk about how Michael first entered the dance world, what he learned from a career as a judge and theatre producer, why DanceSport still struggles with fragmentation and control, and what fairness really means in a system where subjectivity can never fully disappear. In this conversation: - Michael’s unusual path from law and theatre into DanceSport - how judging, trust, and fairness work behind the competition floor - the tension between politics, procedure, and credibility in the sport - what DanceSport still struggles with when it comes to governance and control - why protecting fairness in an inherently subjective world is so difficult Follow Break the Routine for more conversations with the people shaping the world of DanceSport.
In this episode of Break the Routine, Marius Iepure sits down with Kiera Brunton to explore her journey from film and musical theatre into the world of American Smooth and Ballroom. From Disney sets and Strictly Come Dancing to the competition floor, Kiera shares how performance, identity, pressure, and reinvention shaped her path. In this conversation: - moving from screen and stage into DanceSport - finding her place in Ballroom as a crossover performer - why American Smooth fits her artistic identity - balancing ambition, performance, and inner work Follow Break the Routine for more conversations with the people shaping the world of DanceSport.
Welcome to Break The Routine, a podcast hosted by Marius Iepure, in collaboration with InBetween and OMDS, about DanceSport, the people behind it, and the conversations the industry often avoids. In this series, Marius sits down with dancers, coaches, judges, parents, and other voices from the dance world to talk about ambition, pressure, relationships, identity, development, and the future of DanceSport. This is not just a podcast about titles and trophies. It’s a space for honest conversations, different perspectives, and ideas that can help move the dance world forward. If you care about DanceSport and where it’s heading next, you’re in the right place. Subscribe and join us on the journey.