6 OCT 2026 · 1 H 26
Breaking The Routine And Doing The Right Thing
with PETER MAXWELL
About this episode
In this episode, Marius Iepure sits down with Peter Maxwell - former World Latin champion, theatre maker, coach, adjudicator, studio builder, and one of the few people to have seen DanceSport from every possible angle - for an honest conversation about a life fully lived inside dance.
They talk about starting at a very young age, eighteen years partnering Lynn Harman, writing the foreword to the WDSF technique books, the real story behind the Blackpool cape, walking away at his peak to chase New York and the stage, building the Ballroom Dance Theatre, and why clarity matters more than confusion.
Chapters
- 00:00Intro
- 01:52How Peter Sees The Dance World Today
- 03:21Dance Heritage And The Italy Academy
- 07:46Why Italian Judges Keep Learning
- 11:42Writing The WDSF Technique Books
- 15:35The Henry Jakes Technique Story
- 24:44Clean Frame And The Blackpool Cape
- 31:00Eighteen Years Dancing With Lynn Harman
- 33:30The Teachers Who Shaped Him
- 45:51The Truth About Training Camps
- 48:51Why He Left For New York
- 57:58Jacob's Pillow And Ballroom Dance Theatre
- 1:05:40Rapid Fire Questions With Peter
- 1:09:06World Atlas: Morocco And São ToméOn the map
- 1:16:06Building The Iconic London Studio
- 1:19:15Breaking The Routine And Doing The Right ThingThe Chain
Reels from this episode
All Reels on Instagram →They play on their own, muted. Tap one to hear it, tap again to mute.
Transcript
The full conversation, 599 passages
Welcome to break the routine, a podcast about dance sport where we have the most esteemed people in the industry. And of course, today we have the pleasure to have somebody who really shaped the dance world from all sides. Former world champion, teacher, adjudicator, uh studio builder, and one of the most important studios in London. Uh one of the few people that saw the ballroom world from all its angles. From his long partnership with uh Lynn Harmon uh to the years in New York uh building the ballroom dance theater, and then coming back to London building the Semley studio, one of the most iconic studios in the country. Uh he helped shape a lot of champions.
Uh he helped uh change the future of Latin American dancing. Uh is a story about the reinvention, about trust, and uh becoming a leader in the industry. I have with me Mr. Peter Maxwell.
Nice to be here.
Thank [clears throat] you so so much, Peter, that you're here.
I'm very pleased and delighted you invited me.
Such a such a privilege to have you here. Um how are you?
[snorts]
Absolutely fine. As I usually say, still here.
Transcribed automatically from the episode audio, so some names may be misspelled. Tap a time to play that moment.