Conversations on Dance

Today we are joined by Houston Ballet Principal Dancer, Connor Walsh. Born in Fairfax, Virginia, Connor began his training at the age of seven under the direction of his mother Constance Walsh. He has trained at The Kirov Academy of Ballet, The Harid Conservatory, and Houston Ballet’s Ben Stevenson Academy. In 2004, Walsh joined Houston Ballet’s company as a member of the corps de ballet. He was quickly promoted to soloist in 2006 and then to principal dancer in 2007. Connor talks with us about how his mother influenced his early dance training, his experience looking for the right school for him, Houston Ballet’s director transition when he was just a student, and what it is like dancing in Houston.If you are in the New York City area, catch Connor and his fellow dancers onstage later this month at City Center. From October 24 through 26, 2019, Houston Ballet will celebrate its 50th Anniversary Season at New York City Center with a program of contemporary works showcasing the Company’s diverse talents. Seldom seen on the East Coast, this performance marks the Company’s largest engagement in New York since 2013 and their first program at City Center since 1986. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased online at NYCityCenter.org, by calling 212.581.1212, or in person at the City Center Box Office.This episode is brought to you by Yumiko. Shop now at yumiko.com.The post (158) Connor Walsh, Houston Ballet Principal Dancer appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Conversations on Dance, we are joined by New York City Ballet dancer Preston Chamblee. Preston hails from North Carolina, where he began his dance training. After dancing at the School of American Ballet, Preston was accepted into the New York City Ballet and shortly after began to dance featured roles in ballets like ‘Morgen', ‘Rodeo' and ‘Year of the Rabbit'. Preston has recently branched out into the world of choreography and was selected as BalletCollective's 2019 choreographer in residence. We talk to Preston about his experiences as a NYCB dancer, what inspires him as a choreographer, and how he balances his dual roles. This episode is sponsored by Vail Dance Festival and BalletCollective.This episode is sponsored by Yumiko (yumiko.com), Vail Dance Festival, and BalletCollective.Don't miss Ballet Collective's performances at the Gelsey Kirkland Arts Center in Brooklyn, this Oct 23, 25 and 26, 2019. You can purchase tickets at www.balletcollective.com/tickets.The post (157) Preston Chamblee, Dancer with New York City Ballet appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are joined from the 2019 Vail Dance Festival by Julian MacKay, first soloist at the Mikhailovsky Theatre. Born in Montana, he quickly discovered his passion for ballet as a young boy, moving to Russia to train at just 11 years old. He went on to train at the Moscow State Ballet Academy for six years, graduating top of his class. He danced for 8 months at the Royal Ballet before returning to Russia to join the Mikhailovsky as a soloist at just 20 years old. We talk with Julian about his fascinating journey through ballet curriculums in Russia, how the schools and companies work there, about his debut in the full-length Swan Lake with two weeks to prepare, and his first time at the Vail Dance Festival.Conversations on Dance is brought to you by Yumiko (yumiko.com) and The Town of Vail.The post (156) Julian MacKay, First Soloist with Mikhailovsky Theatre appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week it's just Rebecca and Michael. We sit down to go through the responses from our listener survey. We talk about some of the statistics that came to light from our questionnaire, go through some of the guest requests, talk about the ins and outs of creating the podcast, and go through your feed back. If you have not yet taken our survey, it's not too late: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9XVM5KJ.If you wish to request a guest or put us in touch with a potential guest, email us at [email protected] episode is brought to you by Yumiko, yumiko.com.The post (155) Rebecca & Michael Respond to COD Listener Survey appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are joined by Christine Shevchenko, Principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre. Christine was born in Ukraine, where she was chosen to train in rhythmic gymnastics and ballet at an Olympic school. At eight years of age, she moved with her family to the United States where she trained for nine years at Pennsylvania Ballet’s Rock School. In 2003, Christine became the youngest recipient of the Princess Grace Award. She won a Bronze Medal in the USA International Ballet Competition in Jackson, Mississippi, and a Gold Medal at the Moscow International Ballet Competition.She joined American Ballet Theatre’s Studio Company in August 2006 and moved through the ranks, being promoted to Principal in September 2017. We talk with Christine from the Vail Dance Festival about her intense early training in Ukraine, dancing at the Rock School, her career at ABT, and her first time at the Vail Dance Festival. This episode is brought to you by Yumiko and by the Town of Vail, a sponsor helping to host the Vail Dance Festival in our community. Please take a moment to fill out our 9 question listener survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9XVM5KJThe post (154) Christine Shevchenko, Principal with American Ballet Theatre appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are joined by Yumiko Takeshima, founder of dance wear company, Yumiko. Yumiko began dancing at the age of four in Sapporo Japan. At the age of 14, she moved to San Francisco to study at San Francisco Ballet School. Yumiko went on to dance with various companies, before ultimately ending up at Dutch National Ballet where she danced for over a decade. While at Dutch National, out of neccessity, she started to design her own leotards in 2002. Soon, word of her designs spread and the orders were pouring in. She would rehearse all day, then return to her apartment and sew throught the night to fulfill orders. After retiring from the stage, in April 2014, Yumiko has continued to grow her massive dance brand by focusing on designing and developing new styles and products for the company. This episode is brought to you by Yumiko. Our listener survey can be found here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9XVM5KJThe post (153) Yumiko Takeshima, Founder of Yumiko appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's just Rebecca and Michael this week, breaking down everything that happened surrounding Lara Spencer's comments on Prince George studying ballet on Good Morning America. We are guessing that this story may have made it on your radar over the past few days, but we are here to break down the dance community's reaction, why it was important, and how Good Morning America reacted on Monday morning.This episode is brought to you by Yumiko. Please take a moment to fill out our 9 question listener survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9XVM5KJThe post (152) Boys Dance – Our Reaction to Lara Spencer and GMA appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we are bringing you a live podcast recording from the Vail Dance Festival with New York City Ballet Principal Dancer Lauren Lovette. We catch up on what she has been up to since we saw her last summer, talk about her choreography, and her position of Artist in Residence this year at the festival. Unfortunately, we again had a technology glitch during this episode and are bringing you an iphone audio recording of the event. As you know, this audio is not up to our usual quality, but Lauren’s chat with us was just too good not to bring to the masses. Thank you for your understanding. This episode was recorded live on August 4th, 2019. This episode is brought to you by Yumiko and The Town of Vail.The post (151) Lauren Lovette LIVE From Vail Dance Festival appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we are bringing you a live podcast recording from the Vail Dance Festival with Jookin superstar, Lil Buck. Charles “Lil Buck” Riley is an dancer, actor and model from Memphis, Tennessee who specializes in a style of street dance called jookin. He gained popularity after director Spike Jonze used his cell phone to record an interpretive performance of “The Dying Swan” by Lil Buck and Yo-Yo Ma. Li' Buck has been a long time favorite of the festival since 2011. Lil Buck is the founder of Movement Art Is, an organization focused on using movement artistry to inspire change in the world. This episode was recorded live on July 31st, 2019. Watch the video of this live event here: https://bit.ly/2MRqcNsThis episode is brought to you by Yumiko and The Town of Vail. This live podcast was recorded at Manor Vail Lodge.The post (150) Lil Buck LIVE From Vail Dance Festival appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we are bringing you a live podcast recording from the Vail Dance Festival with Festival Artistic Director Damian Woetzel and Janet Eilber, Martha Graham Dance Company Artistic Director. The pair talks with us about the Graham legacy, their roles as artistic directors of their respective organizations, and what audiences can expect to see from the Martha Graham Dance Company this year in Vail. This episode was recorded live on August 8th, 2019. This episode is brought to you by Yumiko and the Town of Vail. This episode was recorded at Manor Vail Lodge.The post (149) Damian Woetzel & Janet Eilber LIVE from Vail Dance Festival appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we are bringing you a live podcast recording from the Vail Dance Festival with New York City Ballet Principal Tiler Peck. In her 11th year at the Vail Dance Festival, Tiler continues to explore her work as a choreographer with a revival of last year's premiere ‘Lincoln Square' and new premiere to Caroline Shaw's ‘Thousandth Orange'. We talk to her about her choreographic inspirations, and the thought process behind her latest work. This episode was recorded on August 6, 2019.This episode is brought to you by Yumiko and the Town of Vail. This episode was recorded at Manor Vail Lodge.The post (148) Tiler Peck LIVE from Vail Dance Festival appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we sit down with choreographer Pam Tanowitz from the Vail Dance Festival. We spoke with Pam from a Live event at Washington DC’s Kennedy Center in episode 140 and today we get to chat with her about her new creation for Vail. This is a small excerpt of a longer conversation on her work that we will be publishing in the coming weeks. In this bonus episode, Pam gives us some insight into her new piece she is creating here at Vail Dance Festival that will premiere on Monday August 5, 2019 for NOW Premieres.This is book Pam references Pas de Deux: A Textbook on Partnering.This episode is brought to you by Yumiko and the Town of Vail. This episode was recorded at Manor Vail Lodge.The post BONUS: Choreographer Pam Tanowitz from Vail Dance Festival appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

New York City Ballet up-and-coming corps member, Roman Mejia, sits down with us from the Vail Dance Festival. We talk about his year of dance since we last saw him in Vail, working with Edward Villella, and on performing Alexei Ratmansky's ‘Fandango' here at Vail Dance Festival on August 2nd, 2019.This episode is brought to you by Yumiko and the Town of Vail. This episode was recorded at Manor Vail Lodge.The post BONUS: Roman Mejia of NYCB from Vail Dance Festival appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

American Ballet Theatre Principal Dancer, Herman Cornejo, sits down with us from the Vail Dance Festival. We talk about his year of dance since we last saw him in Vail, his 20th anniversary with ABT, and about what he is dancing this year at the festival. You will want to listen to the end where he shares some BIG news with us!This episode is brought to you by Yumiko and the Town of Vail.The post BONUS: Herman Cornejo of ABT From Vail Dance Festival appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we are bringing you a live podcast recording from the Vail Dance Festival on the Vail premiere of “The Little Prince.” We are joined by choreographer, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and BalletX dancer who dances the title role in the peice, Roderick Phifer. This episode was recorded on July 29th, 2019, one day before the ballet will hit the stage here in Vail on the evening of July 30th.Tune into our previous chat with Annabelle in episode 90.This episode is brought to you by Yumiko, the Town of Vail, and was recorded at the Manor Vail Lodge.The post (147) Annabelle Lopez Ochoa and Roderick Phifer, on ‘The Little Prince' appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we are brining you a live podcast recording from the Vail Dance Festival with American Ballet Theatre Principal Dancer, James Whiteside. This episode was recorded on July 27th, the morning before the premier of his newest work, “New American Dream.” Unfortunately, we did come up against some technical difficulties, so we are sharing this episode from a backup file, with a little lower quality than we are used to. We appologize for the inconvenience, but we felt that this conversation with James was too enjoyable for our audience to miss. Enjoy. The post (146) James Whiteside LIVE From Vail Dance Festival appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we have the pleasure of diving into one of the works that will be presented this year at the Lake Tahoe Dance Festival, Agnes De Mille’s ‘The Other.' We speak with dancers Stephen Hanna (formerly of NYCB) and Abi Stafford (Principal at NYCB) who will be performing this work at the festival. We are also joined by Diana Gonzalez-Duclert, who is setting the ballet on Stephen and Abi. Diana assisted Ms. De Mille in setting the ballet on American Ballet Theatre in 1992. We caught up with this trio at the end of their week long rehearsal process to prepare the work for the festival. We talk about why this work is so significant, the challenges that come along with dancing De Mille ballets, and talk through the story line. Diana tells us why it is so important that companies like New York Theatre Ballet, Ballet Arkansas, and Alabama ballet continue to present De Mille works in their repertoire.The Lake Tahoe Dance festival is July 24-26. Tickets are on sale at laketahoedancecollective.org.We would like to mention that we were unfortunately unable to deliver our usual sound quality for this episode. Because we could not geographically be together for this interview, all 5 of us skyped in to discuss this work. We appreciate your understanding that sometimes these things are out of our control, but it was important for us to bring this episode to you, as we find what Diana, Abi, and Stephen had to say about this work fascinating, and important. Thank you.This episode is sponsored by Yumiko (yumiko.com) and Lake Tahoe Dance Festival (laketahoedancecollective.org).The post (145) Agnes De Mille's ‘The Other' at Lake Tahoe Dance Festival appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's just Rebecca and Michael this week on the pod. We talk about looking forward to this year's Vail Dance Festival, our 3 year anniversary, what Michael has been up to, and we answer your questions from social media.This episode is brought to you by Yumiko (yumiko.com.)The post (144) Rebecca and Michael: Catching Up & Vail Dance Festival Preview appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are joined by Christin Hanna and Constantine Baecher of the Lake Tahoe Dance Festival. Christin and Constantine met twenty years ago as students at American Ballet Theater. Constantine's career as both choreographer and dancer has led him to the Hamburg Ballet School, Royal Danish Ballet and Compagnie de Carolyn Carlson amongst others as well as co-founding his own company Cross Connection Ballet and the Copenhagen International Choreography Competition in 2007. Christin has danced with Oakland Ballet, Cincinnati Ballet, participated in numerous independent projects and is a founding member of New Chamber Ballet NYC where she brought Constantine as guest choreographer in 2003. Six years ago they started the Lake Tahoe Dance Festival in Christin's hometown of Tahoe City, CA. For more information on the Lake Tahoe Dance Festival which is being held July 24-26, visit laketahoedancecollective.org.This episode is brought to you by Yumiko (yumiko.com) and Lake Tahoe Dance Festival (laketahoedancecollective.org.)The post (143) Christin Hanna and Constantine Baecher of the Lake Tahoe Dance Festival appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are joined by Tyler Angle, Principal Dancer with New York City Ballet and Artistic Director of the Nantucket Atheneum Dance Festival. Tyler Angle was born in Altoona, Pennsylvania, and began his dance training at the age of nine at the Allegheny Ballet Company. He entered the School of American Ballet full-time in the fall of 2001. In the fall of 2003, Mr. Angle became an apprentice with New York City Ballet. Mr. Angle joined New York City Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in June 2004 and was promoted to the rank of principal dancers in October 2009. This will be Tyler's fifth season as the Artistic Director of the Nantucket Dance Festival, which will be taking place this July 22-27 and feature world class stars from the New York City Ballet, LA Dance Project, Miami City Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet.Tickets will go on sale for the festival July 1st and can be purchased through their website, (nantucketatheneum.org), or at the box office, located in the Great Hall of the Atheneum, during library hours. Tickets are $45, $60, or $85, with discounts offered for children under 12, students, and seniors.This episode is brought to you by the Nantucket Atheneum Dance Festival and Yumiko (yumiko.com).The post (142) Tyler Angle, NYCB Principal & Nantucket Atheneum Dance Festival Artistic Director appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are joined by Monica Stephenson, Associate Head of School at The Washington School of Ballet SE Campus. Monica is originally from Fayetteville, North Carolina. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and the Professional Training Program at the Houston Ballet Academy. In 2002, she received her first professional contract with The Washington Ballet. She went on to perform with the Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble from 2003-2005 before joining the Los Angeles Ballet as an inaugural season company member. Monica was previously a member of the Education Staff at American Ballet Theatre as both a Teaching Artist and the Project Coordinator for Project Plié, an initiative to increase diversity in classical ballet. Today we talk with Monica about her career, her passion for teaching, and the amazing work being done at The Washington School of Ballet.The post (141) Monica Stephenson, Associate Head of School at The Washington School of Ballet SE Campus appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s episode was recorded live at The Kennedy Center on Saturday June 1, 2019 before the matinee performance of Miami City Ballet as a part of Ballet Across America. We were joined by Virginia Johnson, the Artistic Director of Dance Theatre of Harlem (who had been performing earlier in the week), Lourdes Lopez, Artistic Director of Miami City Ballet, and celebrated choreographer, Pam Tanowitz. This panel was put together to discuss women leading the way in ballet. Be sure to explore all the happenings at the Kennedy Center by visiting, kennedy-center.org.This episode is sponsored by The Kennedy Center (kennedy-center.org), Yumiko (yumiko.com), and Lake Tahoe Dance Festival (laketahoedancecollective.org).The post (140) LIVE from The Kennedy Center: Women Leading the Way in Ballet appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, through the magic of Skype, Rebecca talks with Michael and friend of the pod, Zoe Zien, who are in Hong Kong setting Justin Peck's “Year of the Rabbit” for Hong Kong Ballet. Michael and Rebecca danced with Zoe at Miami City Ballet for the majority of her 13 years with the company. Listen to our full episode with Zoe about her career and training in episode 58. Today, Michael and Zoe talk with Rebecca about their first international experience as repetiteurs, what their process has been like, dealing with jet lag, and they break down some of their favorite experiences they have had in Hong Kong so far.The post (139) Michael and Zoe Zien, On Staging ‘Year of the Rabbit' in Hong Kong appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are joined by Tegan Rich, a dancer with Festival Ballet Providence, who is currently recovering from a full rupture of her achilles tendon. Originally from Stuart, Florida she began her training at the Dance Academy of Stuart and as a teenager, she later moved to Miami to train with the Miami City Ballet School. When she was 19, she went on to join Festival Ballet Providence in Providence, Rhode Island. Now in her eighth year with the company, she has danced a broad corps and principal repertoire in ballets by George Balanchine, Yury Yanowsky, Viktor Plotnikov, Christopher Wheeldon, among others. Today we talk with Tegan about her journey through Miami City Ballet School, her path to Festival Ballet Providence, her struggles with an eating disorder, and how she is recovering from her recent full rupture of her achilles tendon.The post (138) Tegan Rich, Festival Ballet Providence appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we are joined by Jodie Gates, vice dean and director of the University of Southern California’s Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. Ms. Gates was a celebrated principal dancer with the Joffrey Ballet, Frankfurt Ballet, and Pennsylvania Ballet, as well as a principal guest artist with several companies around the world. She was a muse for celebrated choreographer Robert Joffrey and has worked with a host of renowned choreographers, including Merce Cunningham, Agnes de Mille, Paul Taylor, and Gerald Arpino. In addition to her work at USC, she continues her passion of choreographing around the world and works as a beloved repetiteur for William Forsythe.Founded in 2012, USC Kaufman is at the forefront of developing dancers, choreographers and dance leaders for the future. Their degree program embraces the artistic rigor of conservatory dance instruction with unparalleled academic opportunity offered by one of the world’s leading universities to shape the next generation of dance leaders who are connected to the world-at-large.This episode is brought to you by Yumiko (yumiko.com) and USC’s Glorya Kaufman School of Dance (kaufman.usc.edu)The post (137) Jodie Gates, Vice Dean and Director of USC's Glorya Kaufman School of Dance appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we have the pleasure of welcoming Actress, Golden Globe Award Winner, and bunhead, Jennifer Garner to the Conversations on Dance podcast. While she doesn’t need an introduction, what you might be fascinated to learn, like we were, is that her love for ballet runs deep and started at a young age. As a girl, she took ballet all through high school, only stopping once she got to college and turned her focus to other things. She has remained a lover of ballet, and since she has taken to Instagram with this love, she is using her platform to spread the word about ballet far and wide. We talk with Jennifer about how dance really sparked her interest in performing and acting, how ballet shaped her into who she is today, and she reveals that she truly is a bunhead in every sense of the word. This episode is sponsored by Yumiko and The Lake Tahoe Dance FestivalThe post (136) Jennifer Garner appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we sit down at the Kennedy Center to talk with American Ballet Theatre dancer, Connor Holloway. Connor was born in Louisville, Kentucky and started performing at the age of six in school musicals. At the age of thirteen, he began taking ballet classes at the Louisville Ballet School while attending a magnet performing arts high school as a vocal performance major. He went on to attend Boston Ballet’s pre-professional program and was later promoted to the trainee level. Holloway became a member of ABT’s studio company in 2013 and joined the main company in 2014. In addition to being a full time dancer, Connor is also a member of ABT’s marketing team as the social media manager for American Ballet Theatre’s official accounts. Be sure to follow his great work! We talk with Connor about his journey from Kentucky to New York City, about how he deals with anxiety at work, and how he came to manage ABT’s Instagram account.This episode is sponsored by Yumiko and The Kennedy Center.The post (134) Connor Holloway, American Ballet Theatre Dancer appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was recorded in February, when Rebecca & Michael were at the Kennedy Center to cover American Ballet Theatre's tour to Washington, D.C. We sit down to finally catch up on Michael's experience setting a ballet for the very first time. Michael spent about a month in Phoenix with the wonderful dancers of Ballet Arizona to teach them Justin Peck's ballet ‘In Creases.' He shares with us how he prepared, what the first day was like, how he modeled his work ethic, and what it felt like to see the ballet on stage for the first time.This episode is brought to you by Yumiko and The Kennedy Center.The post (133) Rebecca & Michael: Becoming a Repetiteur appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Conversations on Dance, we are joined by New York City Ballet dancer, Miriam Miller from last summer’s Vail Dance Festival. Miriam was born in Iowa City, Iowa, and began her dance training in 2001. She attended summer courses at the School of American Ballet (SAB) in 2011 and 2012, enrolling as a full-time student during the 2012 winter term. Ms. Miller became an apprentice with NYCB in January 2015. While still an apprentice with NYCB, Miller performed the role of Titania in George Balanchine’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, as well as featured roles in Balanchine’s Harlequinade and Peter Martins’ Swan Lake. She joined the Company as a member of the corps de ballet in January 2016. We talk with Miriam about her start with ballet, how her first show of Titania came about, her hopes for her career, and going to college while dancing full time. This episode is sponsored by Yumiko and The Town Of Vail.The post (132) Miriam Miller, New York City Ballet Dancer appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Conversations on Dance, we are joined from the Kennedy Center by American Ballet Theatre soloist, Catherine Hurlin. Born in New York City, Catherine began her dance training at Scarsdale Ballet Studio and Westchester Dance Academy. She was awarded the Hope Award at the 2007 Youth American Grand Prix New York City Finals, and went on to receive a full scholarship to the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre. Hurlin joined ABT as an apprentice in December 2013 and the corps de ballet in June 2014. She was promoted to Soloist in September 2018. Hurlin was the recipient of a 2018 Princess Grace Award and just this past weekend it was announced that Catherine has been awarded the Erik Bruhn Prize, one of the ballet world’s most prestigious awards. Today we talk with Catherine about moving through the ranks at ABT starting in the school, about her mother who was a former Paul Taylor dancer and her impact on her career, and about her many accolades she has accumulated over her career. This episode is brought to you by Yumiko and The Kennedy Center. The post (131) Catherine Hurlin, American Ballet Theatre Soloist appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on ‘Conversations On Dance', we are joined by in-demand choreographer and artistic director of BalletMet, Edwaard Liang. Liang danced for the New York City Ballet, where he rose to the rank of soloist. He later joined the Netherlands Dance Theatre, and performed in the broadway show ‘Fosse'. These influences have shaped his choregraphic talents, which are sought all of the globe. He has choreographed for the Bolshoi Ballet, the New York City Ballet, The Kirov Ballet, Shanghai Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet and many more. In our final episode from our time at the San Francisco Ballet's ‘Unbound' festival, we talk with Edwaard about his then upcoming premiere for the company.This episode is brought to you by Yumiko and San Francisco Ballet.yumiko.comsfballet.orgThe post (130) Edwaard Liang, Artistic Director of BalletMet appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Vail Dance Festival has announced their dates for their 2019 festival and to celebrate, we are diving into our archives from our time last year at the festival. Today we are joined by festival favorite, Herman Cornejo. Herman was born in Argentina and began his ballet studies at the age of eight. At the age of 14 he attended the School of American Ballet, and upon returning home he joined Ballet Argentino under the direction of Julio Bocca. In 1999 he joined American Ballet Theatre, was promoted to Soloist in 2000 and to Principal Dancer in 2003. Cornejo has performed as a guest artist with numerous companies around the world, La Scala Ballet, Universal Ballet of Korea, National Ballet of Japan, Kremlin Ballet, New York City Ballet, Boston Ballet, and many others. We talk to Herman about his time as a young dancer being mentored by Julio Bocca, what his early years in American Ballet Theatre were like, and what keeps bringing him back to the Vail Dance Festival.This episode is brought to you by Yumiko and the Town of Vail.The post (129) Herman Cornejo, Principal with American Ballet Theatre appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rebecca and Michael record an emergency podcast to discuss and react to the big news this week in the ballet world: the announcement of the appointment of Jonathan Stafford as artistic director and Wendy Whelan as associate artistic director of New York City Ballet. Our sound quality isn't our best, and for that we apologize, but we had to drop everything and get on the phone to chat about the news ASAP! Thanks for your understanding.Check out our social media channels on Monday March 4th, 2019 for a special giveaway from our sponsor Yumiko!The post (128) Rebecca & Michael: NYCB Directorship Announcement appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today’s episode of Conversations on Dance was recorded at a live post-performance event at the Kennedy Center. At the beginning of February, American Ballet Theatre brought Alexei Ratmansky’s “Harlequinade” to the Kennedy Center for a week of incredible performances. Following a Saturday matinee, we caught up with ABT soloist, Skylar Brandt, who had just danced the lead role of “Columbine.” In this live podcast event open to audience members, we talk with Skylar about her initial dance training, attending ABT’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, and moving through the ranks at ABT.Following this discussion, we filmed a 20 minute “Bonus Walk and Talk” with Skylar while we walked her through the beautiful halls of the Kennedy Center to her dressing room. We talk about her performance, working with Alexei Ratmansky, and even pause to sit in the empty house after the audience has filtered out to discuss what a special experience it is to perform on the Kennedy Center stage. Don’t miss this bonus video that pairs perfectly with this week’s episode. Click over to the Kennedy Center’s You Tube Channel, or find the link on our social media channels: instagram.com/conversationsondance or facebook.com/conversationsondance.This episode is brought to you by Yumiko and The Kennedy Center.The post (127) Skylar Brandt of American Ballet Theatre LIVE from the Kennedy Center appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It's just Rebecca and Michael this week. It's that time of year when company contracts are going out, which means that dancers across the country may not be getting their contracts renewed for the 2019-2020 season. We put together a handful of bullet points to help dancers navigate this tough time and discuss what to do next. We turn this challenging experience into something positive, this week on Conversations on Dance.This episode is sponsored by Yumiko and The Kennedy Center.The post (126) Rebecca & Michael: What to do if you didn’t get your contract renewed appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Conversations on Dance we are bringing you a live podcast we recorded yesterday, February 4th, 2019 at the Kennedy Center. The Kennedy Center has wonderful Ballet and Contemporary Dance Class Series that offer advanced high school students the unique opportunity to learn from dancers from the nationally and internationally recognized companies that tour to the Kennedy Center. Yesterday we watched a modern class with these students taught by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s Glenn Allen Sims. Immediately following class, we sat down with Glenn while the students looked on to talk about his career, his key to longevity in his 20 plus year career, and for advice that he would offer the local students he worked with that afternoon. For more information on The Kennedy Center’s master class program, visit education.kennedy-center.org.This episode is brought to you by Yumiko and The Kennedy Center.The post (125) Glenn Allen Sims of Alvin Ailey LIVE from the Kennedy Center appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we head back into our vault from our time at the Vail Dance Festival last summer. Today we speak with former Miami City Ballet Principal dancer, Patricia Delgado, and New York City Ballet Principal, Jared Angle. Even though they have never danced in the same company, many gigs have brought them to dance together, especially at the Vail Dance Festival. So we sat down with them to talk about what makes their special partnership work. This year they danced the central pas de deux of Justin Peck’s new work created at the festival “Rise Wait Climb Through”, with music created by Caroline Shaw. We chat about what we would like to see them dance together next year in Vail, about dancing Year of our Lord from Year of the Rabbit together, and about the process of Justin’s new work that had it's premier later that night. This episode is brought to you by Yumiko and The Vail Dance Festival.The post (124) Patricia Delgado and Jared Angle appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Conversations On Dance, we are joined by San Francisco Ballet dancer Madison Keesler. Madison began her professional career at age 17, and soon found herself learning some of the most coveted roles in the repertoire. In addition to her time in San Francisco, she has danced extensively in Europe with the English National Ballet and Hamburg Ballet. We talk to Madison about why being willing to take risks has been the driving force behind her career, and how it has shaped the dancer she is today.Episode sponsored by Yumiko and San Francisco Ballet.The post (123) Madison Keesler, dancer with San Francisco Ballet appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on ‘Conversations On Dance', we are by joined by Marika Molnar, founder and president of Westside Dance Physical Therapy. Marika is often called the godmother of dance medicine, and with good reason. After helping to rehabilitate George Balanchine after a knee surgery, she became the first full time physical therapist on staff at the New York City Ballet. Since then, she has influenced the lives of hundreds of dancers by increasing body awareness and providing daily manual care. Listen to how she got her start, what advice she has for other therapists treating dancers, and what she thinks dancers can best do to prevent injury and heal quickly.This episode is brought to you by Yumiko.The post (122) Marika Molnar, Director of Physical Therapy for New York City Ballet appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we are returning to our time at San Francisco Ballet last April for the company’s Unbound Festival. This week we talk with Frances Chung, Principal Dancer with San Francisco Ballet. Frances was born in Vancouver, Canada and received her training at Goh Ballet Academy. She joined San Francisco Ballet as a member of the corps de ballet in 2001 and was promoted to principal dancer in 2009. Frances has danced countless major roles in the company’s vast repertoire as she worked her way through the ranks. Frances received the Isadora Duncan Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Individual Performance for the 2013 Repertory Season and the silver medal at the 2000 Adeline Genée Awards. Today we talk with Frances about her training, how she became a bunhead later in life, some of the most challenging ballets she has danced, and about the company’s Unbound, a festival of new works. This episode is brought to you by Yumiko and San Francisco Ballet.The post (121) Frances Chung, Principal with San Francisco Ballet appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Conversations On Dance, we are joined by the chief dance critic of the New York Times, and one of our most frequent guests, Alastair Macaulay. Alastair, an expert on dance history, has previously guided us through histories of Balanchine's classic ballet ‘Serenade' and the work of Frederic Ashton. This week he delves into the true history of one of ballet's most revered choreographers, Marius Petipa. We take a look at what works have been falsely attributed to Petipa, how he was perceived in his lifetime, and why his work still matters.This is our last episode of 2018, and we want to personally thank every listener that tuned in this year. We hope you have a wonderful holiday season and that you join us again in the New Year.Check out the Nikolai Sergeev dance notations and music scores from the Harvard Library that Alastair references. Notations on Snow from the Nutcracker can be found on pages 39-62. More information on Alastair's upcoming presentation on Petipa at the New York Public Library on December 26th HERE.This episode is brought to you by Yumiko.The post (120) Alastair Macaulay on Marius Petipa appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was recorded live on Saturday, December 8th, 2018 at the Yumiko New York Flagship Boutique. We sit down with dancer and actress, Juliet Doherty. Juliet comes from a family of dancers, spending her entire childhood in the studio. Always active in musical theater, Juliet toured the world playing the coveted role of Clara alongside the renowned Radio City Rockettes in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and would later go on to dance alongside Tiler Peck in Susan Stroman’s “Little Dancer” musical. Most recently she has stared in the film “On Pointe” and the movie “High Strung, Free Dance.” In her professional dance career she danced with San Francisco Ballet.This episode is generously brought to you by Yumiko USA.The post (119) Juliet Doherty, LIVE from Yumiko's New York Flagship Boutique appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Conversations On Dance we are joined by one of the ballet world's most celebrated pianists, Cameron Grant. Cameron joined the New York City Ballet in 1984, where he was appointed pianist of the New York City Ballet orchestra four years later. He has played nearly every major piano ballet in the repertoire, including Balanchine masterworks like ‘Davidsbundlertanze' and ‘Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2', and Robbins ballets like ‘Dances At a Gathering' and ‘Goldberg Variations'. We spoke with Cameron about how he came to work for the ballet, what working with Robbins was like, and the unique challenges of playing for ballet dancers.This episode is sponsored by The Town of Vail, Yumiko, and The 2018 Dance Magazine Awards.The post (118) Cameron Grant, New York City Ballet Pianist appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Conversations On Dance, we are joined by Miami City Ballet dancer Eric Trope. While so much attention is understandably given to the physical health of dancers, Eric has been an outspoken advocate for supporting the mental health of dancers to the same extent. In this episode, we cover the difficulty of performing anxiety, dealing with body shaming and what can be done both individually and as a community to improve the mental health of our artists.Eric's article on Biscuit Ballerina's blog and article on the Conversations on Dance blog. Episode sponsored by Yumiko and The 2018 Dance Magazine Awards.The post (117) Eric Trope of Miami City Ballet on a dancer's mental health appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we are joined by Miami City Ballet Artistic Director, Lourdes Lopez, and our former boss. Born in Havana, Cuba and raised in Miami, Lopez began taking ballet lessons at the age of five and continued her training full time at the School of American Ballet when she was 14. George Balanchine chose her to join the New York City Ballet corps de ballet shortly after her 16th birthday. She danced many featured roles with the company and was promoted by Balanchine to soloist in 1981, one of the last dancers he promoted. She became a Principal under the direction of Peter Martins in 1984 and she retired from the stage in 1997. After retiring she joined WNBC-TV in New York as a cultural arts reporter. She later went on to become the Executive Director of The George Balanchine Foundation and then co-founded the dance company, Morphoses with Christopher Wheeldon in 2007. In 2012, she became the Artistic Director of Miami City Ballet. Lourdes has been named a Nominee at this year’s Dance Magazine Awards taking place in New York City on December 3rd. For more information on the Dance Magazine awards, visit dancemagazine.com. This episode is brought to you by Yumiko.Note: Lourdes discusses the book entitled, Bravura!: Lucia Chase and the American Ballet Theatre.The post (116) Lourdes Lopez, Artistic Director of Miami City Ballet appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Conversations On Dance, we spoke with Houston Ballet soloist Harper Watters. Though Harper's talents led to prominent roles with the Houston Ballet and two promotions, he gained attention both within the dance community and in pop culture at large, in viral videos of himself dancing in towering pink heels. We talk to Harper about how he has leveraged his social media stardom into creating a platform where he can promote inclusivity in the dance world and provide a positive role model for dancers everywhere.The post (115) Harper Watters, Houston Ballet Soloist appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Conversations On Dance, we are joined by choreographer Arthur Pita. Pita graduated with a master's degree from London Contemporary Dance School, and has choreographed internationally in many different formats, including works for opera, musical theatre, plays and film. He has garnered attention for his imaginative and personal re-interpretations of classic narratives like Kafka's ‘Metamorphosis' and Shakespeare's ‘A Midsummer Night's Dream'. This week at the Joyce Theater in New York City, his interpretation of Roland Topor's ‘The Tenant' will premiere, with American Ballet Theater principal James Whiteside as the lead.This episode was recorded back in April 2018, when we were at San Francisco Ballet for their Unbound Festival, in which Arthur was one of the 12 choreographers who created a new work.This episode is brought to you by Yumiko and The 2018 Dance Magazine Awards.The post (114) Arthur Pita, Choreographer appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are joined by San Francisco Ballet Principal Dancer, Sasha De Sola. Born in Winter Park, Florida, Sasha trained at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C. on a full merit scholarship. In 2004, Ms. De Sola received a scholarship for studies at the Paris Opera Ballet School. At the age of 17, Sasha joined San Francisco Ballet where she rose through the ranks and was promoted to the rank of Principal Dancer in 2017. Today we talk with Sasha from the Kennedy Center in Washington DC while the company was there last week on tour.This episode is brought to you by The Kennedy Center and Yumiko.The post (113) Sasha De Sola, Principal San Francisco Ballet appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s bonus episode we are continuing our coverage of San Francisco Ballet at the Kennedy Center as they showcase 6 works from the company’s Unbound: a festival of new works. Today’s episode was recorded in April when we were in San Francisco as these works all premiered. We talk with new corps member, Natasha Sheehan about training at San Francisco Ballet School, joining the company, and her blog about healthy eating and wellness. The post BONUS: Natasha Sheehan, Dancer with San Francisco Ballet appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s episode of ‘Conversations On Dance’ was recorded live at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. Our guest is former New York City Ballet principal and Artistic Director of the San Francisco Ballet, Helgi Tomasson. The San Francisco Ballet is performing at the Kennedy Center this week, from October 23 – 28, 2018. They will be performing six works that premiered earlier this year at the ‘Unbound’ festival in San Francisco. You can purchase tickets online at www.kennedy-center.org. This episode is supported by the Kennedy Center and Yumiko. Watch the full video of this event now: https://youtu.be/N6FlxJV3mZcThe post (112) LIVE from the Kennedy Center: Helgi Tomasson, Artistic Director of San Francisco Ballet appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceCOD MerchListen to COD on YouTubeJoin our email listSponsorship information Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.