Conversations on Dance

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.

This week we are joined by Sarah Van Patten, Principal with San Francisco Ballet. Sarah trained at Ballet Workshop of New England, and danced with Massachusetts Youth Ballet. In 2000 at age 15, she joined the Royal Danish Ballet as an apprentice where John Neumeier cast her as Juliet in his Romeo and Juliet. Soon after, she was promoted to the rank of corps dancer, one of the youngest corps dancer ever invited to the Royal Danish Ballet in its 200-year history. Van Patten joined San Francisco Ballet as a soloist dancer in 2002 and was promoted to the rank of principal dancer in 2007. We talk with Sarah about her training, traveling so far from home at such a young age to join Royal Danish Ballet, what brought her to San Francisco Ballet, and about returning to dancing after the birth of her son. This episode was recorded in April during our time at San Francisco Ballet’s “Unbound Festival.”This episode is supported by San Francisco Ballet, Yumiko, and The Kennedy Center. Get information about our live podcast recording with guest Helgi Tomasson, Artistic Director of San Francisco Ballet, on October 22, 2018 at 4pm.The post (111) Sarah Van Patten, San Francisco 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 from the Vail Dance Festival by Stella Abrera, Principal with American Ballet Theatre. Stella began her training in her home town of Pasadena, California. Her family moved to Sydney, Australia where she spent three years studying the Royal Academy of Dancing (or RAD). After returning to the States, Abrera joined American Ballet Theatre as a member of the corps de ballet in 1996 and was appointed a Soloist in 2001. After almost 20 years with the company and returning to the stage after dealing with a severe injusry, she was promoted to Principal Dancer in August 2015. Today we talk with Stella about her early training, how she came to join American Ballet Theatre, and some of the challenges and triumphs of her 22 years with the company.This episode is brought to you by Yumiko and The Vail Dance Festival.The post (110) Stella Abrera, Principal Dancer 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 on Conversations On Dance, we talk to Daniel Applebaum, dancer with the New York City Ballet. Daniel joined the company in 2005, and quickly became one of the most depended upon dancers, regularly dancing triple bills, morphing into varied choreographic styles, and keeping dozens of ballets ready to go in his mind and body. Noted for his intelligence, elegance, musicality, and full out movement quality, Daniel continues to be an onstage force and promises to be a mind that will shape the dance world in the years to come.This episode is sponsored by Yumiko and The Vail Dance FestivalThe post (109) Daniel Applebaum, dancer with the 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 on ‘Conversations On Dance', we are joined by the choreographic team sweeping the modern dance world, Rashaun Mitchell and Silas Riener. The duo performed together at Merce Cunningham Dance company where they discovered their choreographic compatibility and a similar willingness to explore the way abstraction and representation coincide in the body. Their works have been presented at MoMA PS1, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, NY Live Arts, the Brooklyn Academy of Music and many other prestigious venues throughout the country. They will premiere ‘Switch' for the Joyce theater this Oct 2-6. Tickets may be purchased at www.Joyce.org . This episode is sponsored by Yumiko, The Vail Dance Festival, and QuarterMarks.The post (108) Rashaun Mitchell and Silas Riener, Choreographic Duo 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 special bonus episode, with one of of most frequent guests, Alastair Macaulay. Today, Alastair has announced his decision to step down from his post as chief dance critic of the New York Times. In his years writing for the Times, Alastair's reviews became events unto themselves, illuminating the performances he saw for many avid readers. Today we talk to Alastair about the artists whose performances most inspired him, courting controversy with ‘Sugarplumgate', and what he'll miss most about the job that made him a hugely important figure in the dance world. Episode sponsored by Yumiko, The Town of Vail, and Quarter Marks.The post BONUS: Alastair Macaulay on his departure from the New York Times 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.

On this week's episode of ‘Conversations On Dance', we are joined by Boston Ballet principal Misa Kuranaga. A native of Japan, Misa first came to dance professionally in America with the San Francisco Ballet, before additional training at the School of American Ballet. In 2003, she joined Boston Ballet, where was quickly handed major soloist and principal opportunities, ultimately rising to the rank of principal dancer in 2009. We talk to her about her path to Boston Ballet, fighting through periods of uncertainty and lack of motivation, and how she continues to develop her artistry after nearly ten years as a principal.Support for this episode is brought to you by Yumiko, The Vail Dance Festival, and Quarter Marks.Enter to win a Yumiko leotard now through September 22, 2018: instagram.com/conversationsondance.The post (107) Misa Kuranaga, Boston Ballet Principal 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.

On this week's episode of Conversations On Dance, we are thrilled to be joined once again by American Ballet Theatre principal Isabella Boylston. We caught up with her at the Vail Dance Festival, where we talked about her most recent season at the Met with ABT, how her second year running the Ballet Sun Valley Festival differed from the first, and her preparations for her first performances dancing Justin Peck's ‘In Creases'. This episode is sponsored by Yumiko (yumiko.com) and Quarter Marks (quartermarksquarterly.com)The post (106) Isabella Boylston, ABT Principal, 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, Rebecca & Michael sit down to discuss this past summer, what we are up to in the coming months, and to discuss the New York City Ballet Artistic Director job description. Here is the New York Times article by Michael Cooper which we reference.We are thrilled to welcome Yumiko as our newest sponsor of Conversations on Dance. Visit their Flagship boutique in New York City featuring the all new interactive Color Bar.___________________________________________We recorded this episode before the devastating news came last week that the dance world lost two greats: Paul Taylor and Peter Frame. We did not feel it appropriate to publish this week’s episode without mentioning these two who impacted dance on a grand scale and who also impacted our careers directly.Firstly, we never met Paul Taylor, but we both had the great pleasure of dancing quite a few of his works. These works offered up some of our most memorable and challenging onstage moments. We felt as if we got to know Paul through his dances and through his repetiteurs who staged the ballets on us. We will always treasure the memories of dancing these works.As for Peter Frame, Rebecca only had a short experience with him when he came to Miami City Ballet to share his solo for ‘Episodes’ that Paul Taylor created on him. Michael had the pleasure of being his student. Whether you knew him just a short time, or came in contact with him on a regular basis, it was clear to everyone that Peter was a truly selfless, humble, beautiful human being. He truly wanted to bring joy to any person he touched. His legacy will live on through the audiences who watched him dance, and the students whom he mentored.Rest in Peace Paul Taylor and Peter Frame.The post (105) Rebecca & Michael: Summer 2018 & NYCB Artistic Director Job Posting 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.

Summer is almost over and many of our listeners are getting ready to head back to school. To help ease us into that transition, we sat down with the director of the Boston Ballet School, Margaret Tracey. Margaret had an illustrious 16 year career as a principal at the New York City Ballet, dancing a massive repertoire of works by George Balanchine, Jerome Robbins, Trey Mcintyre, William Forsythe and Peter Martins. Margaret began teaching at Boston Ballet School in 2005, and accepted her position as director in 2007. In today's episode, we talk to Margaret from the Vail Dance Festival about how her years as a dancer inform her work as a teacher, how she tailors teaching methods to each individual student, and how she plans to continue to expand and enrich the programs offered at the Boston Ballet School.The post (104) Margaret Tracey, Director of Boston Ballet School 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 dance world has a complicated relationship with food. Plagued with pervasive body dysmorphia, our culture is often riddled with myths and negativity regarding our diets. We spoke with dietitian Suzanne Fisher about the dance world’s unique problems with diet and what can be done to overcome them and maintain a healthy relationship with the food that fuels our art.Suzanne's website: fishernutritionsystems.com. Mention Conversations on Dance for a special 15% discount.Guidelines for Professional Dance Companies on Healthy Nutrition The post (103) Suzanne Fisher, Dietitian For Dancers 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.

On today's episode of Conversations On Dance, we are joined by Devon Teuscher, principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre. In 2006, after completing her training at the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School, Devon was invited to join ABT's studio company. Consistent soloist work led to her first promotion in 2014, and following a triumphant turn as Odette/Odile in the full length ‘Swan Lake', she was promoted to principal in 2017. We sat down at the Vail Dance Festival with Devon to discuss how she pushed through difficult early years in the corps de ballet, the hours of hard work and thought that went into shaping her ‘Swan Lake', and what she wants next from her career.Photo: Sarah KehoeThe post (102) Devon Teuscher, principal dancer 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.

Join us for another live Festival Forum panel discussion with Damian Woetzel and Claudia Schreier. Damian Woetzel is the Artistic Director of The Vail Dance Festival and Claudia Schreier is back creating work at the festival for a third time. We talk about Damian's beginnings at the festival and how he developed it's mission. We talk with Claudia about her roots in the Vail Dance Festival as a young intern that grew into a burgeoning career as a choreographer noticed by major companies and critics alike. (Note: This episode was recorded on August 5th, 2018.)Photo: Dandara Veiga and Chris Bloom in “Contra” at the 2018 Vail Dance Festival. Choreography by Claudia Schreier. Photo by Erin BaianoThe post Vail Festival Forum Bonus Content: Damian Woetzel and Claudia Schreier 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 talk with New York City Ballet Principal, Lauren Lovette. The last time we chatted with her was last year at the Vail Dance Festival, so this year we catch up with her, talk about her guesting gig with Royal Danish Ballet, and hear about her new work “Papillons” that premiered on August 6th, 2018 at the Vail Dance Festival. (Note: This episode was recorded on August 6th, 2018.)Photo: Unity Phelan and cast in “Papillons” at the 2018 Vail Dance Festival. Choreography by Lauren Lovette. Photo by Erin BaianoThe post BONUS: Lauren Lovette on her new work for 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.

Roman Mejia is one of the newest members of the New York City Ballet, having burst onto the scene at the Vail Dance Festival fresh out of the School of American Ballet. In just his first year at the company, he’s garnered critical acclaim for numerous solo roles, and is quickly gathering momentum as a dancer to be seen. We talk with Roman about the pressures of being thrust into the spotlight so soon into his career, how he prepares for these challenges, and how coming from a ballet family has prepared him in his career. (Note: This episode was recorded on August 4th, 2018) Photo: Roman Mejia in “Pas de Deux from William Tell” at the 2018 Vail Dance Festival. Photo by Erin Baiano The post (101) Roman Mejia 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.

Merce Cunningham is one of the greatest and most influential choreographers of the 20th century. In honor of the Merce Cunningham centennial, we were pleased to host Melissa Toogood, a dancer of his works and Abi Sebaly, a Cunningham scholar. We discuss Merce’s work methods, collaborations with artists like John Cage and Robert Rauschenberg, broad influence in the avant-garde in dance and beyond, and his “Scenario,” excerpts of which were performed at the Vail Dance Festival on August 3, 2018. (Note: This episode was recorded on August 3rd.)Photo: “Scenario (an excerpt)”, International Evenings of Dance I, Vail Dance Festival, Friday, August 3, 2018, Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater. Credit Photo: Erin BaianoThe post Vail Festival Forum Bonus Content: Merce Cunningham Centennial 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.

We sit down in Vail to catch up with The New York Times Chief Dance Critic Alastair Macaulay and discuss the Vail Dance Festival. We discuss what makes the festival so special, how it has evolved, dancers who he has watched flourish in Vail, and what makes him keep coming back for more. (Note: This episode was recorded on August 3, 2018.)Photo: Erin BaianoThe post BONUS: Alastair Macaulay from the 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.

Welcome to our first episode from the 2018 Vail Dance Festival. For our first live event we spoke with Justin Peck and Caroline Shaw. Justin Peck, one of the world’s most sought after and celebrated working ballet choreographers, and fresh off a Tony nomination for his work on the Broadway musical ‘Carousel’, will be premiering his first work at the Vail Dance Festival. Caroline Shaw, composer-in-residence at VDF, has been commissioned to create the score for this work. In conversation together with these artists, we will explore the possibilities of such a collaboration, from the first moments of mutual inspiration to bringing the premiere to the stage.This episode is brought to you by the Town of Vail, a sponsor helping to host the Vail Dance Festival in our community.The post Vail Festival Forum Bonus Content: Justin Peck and Caroline Shaw 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 to celebrate our 100th episode. We take the time to reflect on the past two years of Conversations on Dance by counting down our top 10 favorite episodes. We have had so many incredible guests that it was hard to narrow it down, so a few other favorite moments come up. Thank you to all of our listeners who have made these past two years of podcasting such a wonderful journey and thank you to each and every one of our guests who took the time to talk with us a spread the good word of ballet!We are heading to Vail on Tuesday, July 31st, so stay tuned for lots of content coming at you live from The Vail Dance Festival. Subscribe now on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts to receive notifications when a new episode has been published. For more information on what we will be up to in Vail click here: https://conversationsondancepod.com/vail-dance-festivalThe post (100) Rebecca & Michael celebrate 100 episodes! 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 we we are delighted to welcome Michael Novak, the Artistic Director Designate of the Paul Taylor Dance Foundation. Raised in Rolling Meadows, IL, Michael began studying dance at age ten. In 2001, he was offered a Presidential Scholarship to attend The University of the Arts in Philadelphia to pursue training in jazz and ballet. The following year, he undertook an apprenticeship at the Pennsylvania Academy of Ballet Society, where he remained until 2004. After moving to New York City, Michael was admitted to Columbia University’s School of General Studies where he was awarded scholarships for academic excellence. After being a freelance dancer in New York City for many years, Michael joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company in 2010. This past May, Paul Taylor chose Michael as a successor, naming him artistic director-designate of the Paul Taylor Dance Foundation. Michael is 35 and will continue on with the company as a dancer. Today we talk with Michael about what brought him to dance, finding Paul Taylor and his choreography, and what has happened since Paul called him in March with some big news.The post (99) Michael Novak, Artistic Director Designate of the Paul Taylor Dance Foundation 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, our guest is Houston Ballet Artistic Director and acclaimed choreographer Stanton Welch. Born in Australia to two prominent ballet dancers, Welch expressed an interest in choreography almost immediately after beginning his dance training. Soon after joining the Australian Ballet as a dancer he received his first choreographic commission, and five years later he was named resident choreographer. Following major commissions at companies around the globe, Welch was appointed artistic director of the Houston Ballet. We talk to Welch about coming from a family of dancers, his choreographic inspirations, and the challenges of directing a company.The post (98) Stanton Welch, Artistic Director Houston Ballet and 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 Ana Sophia Scheller, San Francisco Ballet Principal Dancer. The Argentinian-born dancer moved to New York at the age of 13 to study at the School of American Ballet, and later joined NYCB as a corps member in 2004 after a brief time with ABT’s Studio company. In her 13 years with NYCB, she worked her way up to the title of Principal dancing featured roles in all of the classics and originating roles in several new works. In the summer of 2017 she announced that she would make the move to join San Francisco Ballet as a Principal for the following season. We talk with Ana about her beginnings with ballet, how she joined the New York City Ballet, and what ultimately took her to San Francisco Ballet.The post (97) Ana Sophia Scheller, San Francisco 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.

Today on Conversations On Dance, we speak with Dwight Rhoden, founding artistic director and resident choreographer of Complexions Dance Company. Despite a late start in dance, Rhoden danced for numerous major companies, including as a principal with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Partnering with acclaimed performer Desmond Richardson, Rhoden co-founded Complexions in 1994, a company often cited as America’s original multi-cultural dance company. With its profound commitment to diversity and new contemporary work, Complexions has achieved international acclaim. Rhoden has choreographed over 80 works for Complexions, in addition to works created for the Mariinsky Ballet, the New York City Ballet, the Joffrey Ballet, and many others. Today we talk to Dwight about his beginnings as a dancer, what’s next for Complexions and the work he most recently created at San Francisco Ballet’s Unbound festival.The post (96) Dwight Rhoden, Artistic Director of Complexions Contemporary 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 by Mathilde Froustey, Principal Dancer with San Francisco Ballet. Mathilde started dancing at the age of 9 in the South of France before going on to study at the Paris Opera Ballet School in 1999. In 2002 she joined The Paris Opera Ballet where she would dance numerous Principal roles for over a decade. In January 2013 she accepted an offer from Helgi Tommasson to join the San Francisco Ballet as a Principal. News of her leaving Paris Opera made waves, as she was the first top-notch dancer to leave the company in years. Today we talk with Mathilde about her career and her time dancing with both Paris Opera and San Francisco Ballet. She offers us especially interesting insight into Paris Opera and how the company is run, which is a stark contrast to companies in the United States. The post (95) Mathilde Froustey, Principal 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 we are joined by Katita Waldo, Ballet Master with San Francisco Ballet. Katita trained at San Francisco Ballet School, prior to joining the company in 1988 and becoming a Principal dancer in 1994. She performed Principal roles in a diverse repertory of works by acclaimed choreographers including George Balanchine, William Forsythe, Lar Lubovitch, Helgi Tomasson, and Christopher Wheeldon before retiring from the stage in 2010. In 2008, SFB Artistic Director Helgi Tomasson asked Katita to serve as Ballet Master for 2 world premiers. These experiences ultimately lead to her full-time appointment to the position upon her retirement. Today we talk with Katita about her career, he first experiences in the front of the room setting ballets, adjusting to her new role as Ballet Master, her process for learning ballets before coming into the studio, and her role in the ‘Unbound' festival.This episode is sponsored by San Francisco Ballet and Body Wrappers/Angelo Luzio.The post (94) Katita Waldo, Ballet Master 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 the podcast, we are joined in San Francisco by one of the world’s most in demand choreographers, Christopher Wheeldon. Having trained at Royal Ballet, Wheeldon was taken into the company, but soon transferred to the New York City Ballet, where he rose to the rank of soloist. His choreographic talents were soon recognized and while still in his twenties, he was named resident choreographer of the New York City ballet. He was shortly after in demand at major companies all over the globe, including the Bolshoi Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, and the Royal Ballet. In 2014, he made his Broadway directorial debut with ‘An American in Paris’, a production that garnered him a Tony for his work as choreographer. We talk with him about what it was like finding his voice as a young choreographer, how he made the transition to broadway, and what continues to inspire his work.The post (93) Christopher Wheeldon, 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 bring you an episode we recorded at New York City’s Guggenheim museum in January. We wanted to catch up with New York City Ballet Principal Dancer, Sara Mearns, and Jodi Melnick, contemporary choreographer to hear about their Works and Process at the Guggenheim that they were putting together. We chatted with the pair quickly between rehearsals, so we could offer our listeners a preview of this work “One of Sixty-Five Thousand Gestures/ NEW BODIES” that will be going to the Spoleto Festival in Charelston, South Carolina June 7-10. For more information about the festival and performances running May 25-June 10th, visit Spoletousa.org. To get tickets to see Sara and Jodi, search “NEW BODIES” on the Spoleto website, or click here. The post (92) Sara Mearns and Jodi Melnick at the Guggenheim 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.

Welcome to our final bonus episode from San Francisco Ballet’s Unbound festival. Just as with last episode, today we will be talking with 3 different dancers in the company about what ultimately led them to SFB and about their experience at the Unbound festival. These episodes were recorded in the first few days of the festival around April 20th. First up today, we talk with Lauren Strongin. Next we are joined by Principal Ulrik Birkkjaer who just finished his 1st year with the company. Finally we sit down with soloist Julia Rowe. The post BONUS: San Francisco Ballet Dancers Ep. 2 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.

BONUS: San Francisco Ballet Dancers Ep. 1. Welcome to our 1st of two bonus episode wrap ups of San Francisco Ballet’s Unbound festival. In each episode we will be talking with 3 different dancers in the company about what ultimately led them to SFB and about their experience at the Unbound festival. These episodes were recorded in the first few days of the festival around April 20th. To start off this episode, we sit down and chat with Principal Dancer, Luke Ingham. Next, we welcome Benjamin Freemantle who was just promoted to soloist. And lastly, we talk with Principal Dancer Jennifer Stahl.The post BONUS: San Francisco Ballet Dancers Ep. 1 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 happy to be sharing with you a recording of our live event at SF MOMA last month. We were pleased to be able to sit down and talk with San Francisco Ballet Principal Dancer, Sofiane Sylve, as a part of a live lecture put together by the San Francisco Based organization, “Words on Dance.” We talk with Sofiane about launching her career at only 14, her time dancing with New York City Ballet, what brought her to San Francisco Ballet, and about her aspirations to be an Artistic Director. Just before we started recording, Words on Dance founder Deborah Kaufman introduced us to the audience. This episode is sponsored by Body Wrappers/Angelo Luzio, Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami, and Words on Dance. Learn more about the work Words on Dance is doing at wordsondance.org.The post (91) Sofiane Sylve, LIVE From SF MOMA 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 esteemed choreographer Trey McIntyre, whose second work for the San Francisco Ballet recently premiered in the company's Unbound Festival. Trey's rise to prominence as a choreographer began when Ben Stevenson, then director of the Houston Ballet, created the position of choreographic apprentice for him. He has gone on to choreograph works for the New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, Stutgartt Ballet and many others. In 2005, he found his own dance company, the Trey McIntyre Project, which was an immense critical success and was lauded for its innovative business model. Trey has recently added photographer to his list of considerable talents, with his work being published by the New York Times, The Washington Post and the Boston Globe. To see and support Trey's photographic work, check out patreon.com/treymcintyre.The post BONUS: Choreographer Trey McIntyre from SFB's Unbound 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.

Welcome to another live podcast from San Francisco Ballet. In this episode we are joined by festival choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa. This episode is a recording of a live “Meet the Artist” event that took place before a performance of the Unbound festival on April 22nd. For more live content like this from other San Francisco Ballet performances, please check out San Francisco Ballet’s podcast network on iTunes. Stay tuned to Conversations on Dance for regularly programmed Monday episodes, as well as continued bonus content from our time in San Francisco. Enjoy, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, LIVE from San Francisco Ballet's Unbound Festival.We are back from San Francisco where we recorded a massive 26 episodes that are waiting to be published on your feed. We chatted with world class choreographers about their careers and work including Christopher Wheeldon, Stanton Welch, and Edwaard Liang, ballet master Katita Waldo, as well as some of the remarkable dancers of San Francisco Ballet, like Sarah Van Patten, Ana Sophia Scheller, and Sofiane Sylve. Subscribe now on iTunes to recieve notifications of new episodes when they are published. Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for some behind the scenes content and new episode alertsEpisode sponsored by Body Wrappers Angelo LuzioThe post (90) Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, LIVE from San Francisco Ballet's Unbound 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 choreographer and dancer, Myles Thatcher, LIVE from San Francisco Ballet's Unbound Festival, and his collaborators for his new ballet ‘Otherness’, costume designer Sylvie Rood, and nonbinary artist, Kersh Branz. This episode was recorded from a live “Meet The Artist” event before the opening of Myles’ ballet at the Unbound festival at San Francisco Ballet. For more live content like this from these events, please check out San Francisco Ballet’s podcast network on iTunes. Stay tuned to Conversations on Dance as we continue to bring more content to you directly from the festival.The post BONUS: Myles Thatcher, LIVE from San Francisco Ballet's Unbound 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 with Justin Peck, LIVE from San Francisco Ballet's Unbound Festival in a live “Meet The Artist” event before the opening night of San Francisco Ballet's Unbound Festival. We talk about his career, his process, and about the concept behind his new ballet for SFB, “Hurry Up, We're Dreaming.” Stay tuned this week for more from the festival coming soon!The post (89) Justin Peck, LIVE from San Francisco Ballet's Unbound 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 the first of a series of podcasts recorded live in San Francisco. San Francisco Ballet is kicking off its ‘Unbound’ Festival tonight, an event that will span 17 days and feature the world premieres of 12 choreographers. Our first guest is Dores Andre, a principal dancer here with the company, who is to be featured in 4 of the premieres.The post BONUS: Dores André from SFB's Unbound 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.

Shelby Williams, Biscuit Ballerina. On this week's podcast, our guest is Shelby Williams, dancer at the Royal Ballet Of Flanders, and creator of internet sensation Biscuit Ballerina. Shelby began her career with Houston Ballet II, before shortly moving on to several major companies in Europe. In addition to the Royal Ballet Of Flanders, she has danced with Dresden Ballet, Barcelona Ballet and Ballet D'Europe.Shelby created an alternate instagram personality ‘Biscuit Ballerina', a hysterical parody starring a technically deficient, and bafflingly confident dancer butchering her way through the classical canon. While these videos are riotously funny, they are also Shelby's commentary on how perfection obsessed ballet dancers can be. Today we talk to Shelby about her own dancer career, how ‘biscuit ballerina' was born, and what she hopes followers of this persona take away from the account.If you aren't following @biscuitballerina on Instagram yet, we highly recommend it. Check out our sponsors: Body Wrappers and Sudio Sweeden (use promo code DANCE at checkout).The post (88) Shelby Williams, Creator of Instagram's ‘Biscuit Ballerina' 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.