Gypsy Fires Podcast
Storytelling, embodied history, research and theory deep dives from a Bashaldo Gypsy fortune teller. Decolonial dance history and Romani philosophy for surviving modern empire.
The Gypsy Fires podcast is a storytelling practice in embodied history, research and theory deep dives. Hosted by Dr. Russell Patrick Brown, PhD — a Bashaldo Gypsy fortune teller, dancer and scholar — it weaves together scholarly research, Romani philosophy, and the living traditions of a family whose survival has never depended on rescue.
What it is
Each episode is a story: sometimes historical, sometimes theoretical, always embodied. The podcast extends the work of the Gypsy Fires archive into audio form, exploring how movement carries memory, how dance transmits knowledge across generations, and how Romani perspectives can help us navigate contemporary crises of identity, displacement and belonging. It is Bashaldo Gypsy storytelling as a practice of resistance and remembrance.
Why it matters
Most history is written from the outside looking in. Gypsy Fires is written from the inside: by a Romani dancer, scholar and practitioner who has lived these traditions. The podcast challenges colonial narratives about Romani people, offers alternative ways of understanding time and memory, and demonstrates how storytelling itself can be a decolonial practice. Stories are not entertainment here — they are survival technologies.
What you get
The Gypsy Fires podcast is available on all major platforms, with new episodes released regularly.
- Listen on Substack — the primary feed with show notes and discussion
- Spotify
- Apple Podcasts
- YouTube
Who it is for
Gypsy Fires is for dancers, scholars, activists and anyone interested in decolonial approaches to history and storytelling. It is for Romani people seeking connection to their cultural traditions, and for non-Romani people wanting to learn from Romani philosophy without appropriating it. No prior knowledge of dance or Romani culture is required — only curiosity and openness to being changed by what you hear.
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New episodes, show notes and community discussion are shared through the Gypsy Fires newsletter.
Keep the fire burning.
Weekly letters, practices, podcasts and stories from the fireside: embodied history, Romani philosophy and timedancing, delivered through the Gypsy Fires newsletter on Substack.
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