‘Nothing happens until something moves,’ says Akram Khan at the top of his new podcast. Which, in theory, gives him licence to focus on just about anything. As one of Britain’s most acclaimed dancers, Khan has devoted his entire life to movement and, despite having retired from the stage, still regularly gets up at 5am to train. But as a father of three young children, he’s acutely aware that it’s all too easy for us to dive into a digital device rather than a swimming pool.
And so, his new Move To Live podcast is here to remind us that our bodies were never designed for a sedentary lifestyle. Or is it? After a short introductory interview with Khan himself, the opening two episodes find him interviewing artist/designer Es Devlin and actor/director Andy Serkis. Devlin’s award-winning set designs and sculptural works alongside Serkis’ extensive acting career and expertise in motion and performance set them both out as artists of note. Which makes this podcast ideal for anyone with an interest in the creative process and its intricacies.

At just under an hour long, with no cut-aways, listening to these extensive conversations is like eavesdropping on a nearby table in a theatre café-bar. What they don’t do (currently) is encourage the rest of us to move, or give a sense of what that might do for us. Khan ends each episode with the words ‘and remember, keep moving’, which is as close to motivation as the podcast comes. But set aside the title and aims of Move To Live, and there’s much to learn and enjoy.
New episodes of Move To Live are available every Wednesday.