Summary

In this episode, Shane Wuerthner shares his journey from a young ballet dancer to a professional in the dance industry, and his transition into fitness and personal training. He discusses the challenges he faced after his dance career and how they led him to create Athletistry Academy, a comprehensive dance training facility that integrates academics and professional training. Shane emphasises the importance of community engagement and collaboration in making dance accessible and enriching for future generations.

To support the future of dance and the creation of Athletistry Academy click below to read more and donate to the development.

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Summary

In this episode, Shane Wuerthner discusses the evolving landscape of dance and its perception through social media. He reflects on a recent Instagram post that sparked varied reactions, highlighting the subjectivity of art and the impact of audience feedback. Shane emphasizes the importance of communication in dance, the role of critique, and the balance between technique and emotional expression. He invites listeners to engage in a dialogue about the nature of art and its reception in today's digital age.

Takeaways

The way we communicate as artists is evolving with social media.

Audience feedback can significantly influence artistic expression.

Subjectivity in art leads to diverse interpretations and reactions.

Critique can come from anyone, regardless of their background in the art form.

The relationship between technique and emotional response is complex.

Artistic expression is a calling that must be communicated.

Communication in art is an imperfect process that requires understanding.

The fourth wall between artist and audience is breaking down.

Engaging with dissenting opinions can foster meaningful dialogue.

Finding balance between objective technique and subjective experience is essential.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to the Conversation

05:38 Subjectivity in Art and Dance

10:58 Navigating Critique and Communication in Dance

16:18 Conclusion and check out Athletistry Academy

In this episode, Shane Wuerthner reflects on his recent experiences in Malaysia and Singapore, where he observed the training and discipline of dancers. He emphasises the importance of respect for teachers and the history of the art form. Shane discusses the need to balance discipline and respect with modern approaches to training, such as proper conditioning and support for dancers' body image. He also addresses the issue of ageism in ballet and the importance of allowing dancers to mature and develop their artistry. Shane concludes by highlighting the significance of storytelling and historical context in ballet performances.

Chapters

00:00 Observing Dance Training in Malaysia and Singapore

02:57 The Importance of Respect and Discipline

07:21 Balancing Tradition and Modern Approaches to Training

09:14 Challenging Ageism in Ballet

14:40 The Significance of Storytelling in Ballet Performances

Summary

The conversation discusses the topic of partnering in ballet. The host emphasises that the focus should be on technique rather than weight. He shares his own experience with partnering, starting at a young age and the challenges he faced. He highlights the importance of teaching boys how to put girls on their leg and find balance. The host also discusses the physical strength and muscle development required for partnering, as well as the coordination and communication between partners. He emphasizes the importance of trust, relationship, and technique in creating beautiful art on stage.

Takeaways

The focus in partnering should be on technique rather than weight.

Teaching boys how to put girls on their leg and find balance is important in partnering.

Physical strength and muscle development are necessary for partnering in ballet.

Coordination and communication between partners are crucial in partnering.

Trust, relationship, and technique are key in creating beautiful art on stage.

Chapters

00:00 The Importance of Technique in Partnering

01:25 Supporting and Training Young Men in Partnering

07:57 The Role of Trust and Communication in Partnership

Summary

In this episode, Shane discusses the progression of skills and how they apply to ballet. He shares his experience transitioning from dance to personal training and the importance of coaching and imparting knowledge. Shane explains the four levels of competency in skill development: unconscious incompetence, conscious incompetence, conscious competence, and unconscious competence. He also emphasizes the need for patience, kindness, and effective communication in teaching and learning. Overall, the episode highlights the complexity of teaching movement and the importance of understanding individual learning styles.

Takeaways

Skill development involves progressing through four levels of competency: unconscious incompetence, conscious incompetence, conscious competence, and unconscious competence.

Teaching movement requires breaking down skills and understanding the fundamentals.

Effective communication in coaching involves understanding individual learning styles and adapting teaching methods accordingly.

Patience, kindness, and consistency are essential in imparting knowledge and skills.

Understanding the psychology of others and connecting with students is crucial in coaching and teaching.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:58 Progression of Skills in Ballet

06:44 Fundamental Ballet Skills

08:09 Effective Communication and Learning Styles

09:34 Patience, Kindness, and Consistency

10:29 Conclusion and Call to Action

Summary

The conversation discusses the issue of body image and dysmorphia in the dance world. It highlights the harmful effects of the industry's emphasis on a specific body shape and size. The host shares personal experiences of being criticised for being too thin and the pressure to conform to a certain standard. The conversation also explores the different body compositions and morphologies of individuals and how training in specific sports or activities can shape the body. The historical development of the ideal dancer's body is examined, and the need to shift the focus from appearance to health and technique is emphasised.

Takeaways

The dance industry's emphasis on a specific body shape and size can lead to body image issues and dysmorphia.

Individuals have different body compositions and morphologies, and training in specific sports or activities can shape the body in different ways.

The historical development of the ideal dancer's body has contributed to the pressure to conform to a certain appearance.

The focus should shift from appearance to health and technique, and dancers should be supported in developing strength and understanding of their bodies.

Chapters

00:00 The Harmful Effects of Industry Standards

02:06 Personal Experiences and Body Composition

05:59 Historical Development of Body Ideals

07:55 Unnecessary Criticism and Division

10:46 Shifting the Focus: Health and Technique

11:11 Creating a Healthier and More Inclusive Industry

Summary

In this podcast episode, Shane discusses the importance of artistic expression in dance competitions and the challenges dancers face in developing their artistry. He emphasizes the need for dancers to understand and portray emotion, narrative, and connection in their performances. Shane also explores the idea of dancers explaining their role development and character understanding to judges, sparking a debate about the role of voice in dance. He highlights the significance of punctuation in dance and the stages of development in becoming an artist. Shane concludes by advocating for the integration of master artists into dance spaces to guide and inspire the next generation of artists.

Takeaways

Artistic expression is important in dance competitions, but it can be challenging for dancers to understand and develop.

Dancers should strive to portray emotion, narrative, and connection in their performances.

Explaining role development and character understanding to judges could enhance dancers' understanding and portrayal of their roles.

The use of voice in dance is a topic of debate, with some advocating for dancers to speak about their roles and others believing that dance should be a narrative in itself.

Punctuation in dance, such as pauses and emphasis, can enhance the storytelling and artistry of a performance.

Becoming an artist in dance is a process that involves stages of development, from student to dancer to artist to master.

Integrating master artists into dance spaces can help guide and inspire the next generation of artists.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Welcome Back

02:03 Defining and Developing Artistry

03:54 The Role of Communication and Punctuation

06:48 Stages of Development: From Student to Artist to Master

10:02 The Need for Exposure to High-Level Artists

12:49 Integrating Masters into Dance Spaces

Keywords

artistic expression, dance competitions, artistry, emotion, narrative, connection, role development, character understanding, voice in dance, punctuation in dance, stages of development, master artists

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Summary

In this conversation, Shane Wuerthner shares his dream of creating a 21st century training institute for ballet in Australia. He envisions three pathways: pre-professional elite education, education for young dancers who have a love for ballet but may not want a professional career, and a space for adults to develop an understanding of dance. Shane believes that by expanding access to dance and creating a future generation of respect and love for the art form, ballet can remain relevant and valued in society. He invites others to join him in creating this space and fostering open conversations.

Takeaways

Shane's dream is to create a 21st century training institute for ballet in Australia.

He envisions three pathways: pre-professional elite education, education for young dancers who have a love for ballet but may not want a professional career, and a space for adults to develop an understanding of dance.

By expanding access to dance and creating a future generation of respect and love for the art form, ballet can remain relevant and valued in society.

Shane invites others to join him in creating this space and fostering open conversations.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Background

03:47 Three Pathways for Dance Education

06:12 Expanding Access to Dance

07:01 Understanding the History and Culture of Ballet

09:24 Creating Respect and Love for Ballet

11:49 Building a Community for Deeper Conversations

13:17 The Vision for the Future

14:39 Conclusion and Call to Action

Summary

In this episode, Shane Wuerthner discusses the confusion surrounding the concept of performing class. He shares his personal experiences and the feedback he received from teachers and choreographers. Shane emphasises the importance of precision and discipline in dance, both in the studio and on stage. He highlights the idea that performance is the culmination of the work done in the studio and that dancers need to approach their classwork with clarity and intention. Shane also explores the challenge of balancing technique and artistry, emphasizing the need for dancers to master their technical skills in order to fully express themselves artistically.

Takeaways

Performing class requires precision and discipline.

Precision in technique is essential for effective storytelling and artistry.

Classwork is the foundation for performance.

Balancing technique and artistry is a challenge that requires consistent practice and discipline.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction

00:28 The Confusion of Performing Class

01:26 The Importance of Precision and Discipline

04:14 The Challenge of Balancing Technique and Artistry

07:00 The Importance of Precision in Performance

07:59 Performing Class: Precision and Discipline

09:14 Utilising Precision to Enhance Artistry

09:44 Conclusion

Summary

In this episode, Shane explores the power of dance as a physical representation of music and its connection to the universe. He discusses the language of dance and its ability to communicate emotions and desires on a deep level. Shane emphasizes the importance of authentic expression in dance and the role it plays in connecting with the vibrations of the universe. He also highlights the communicative responsibility of dance and the need for emotional expression in performances. Ultimately, Shane encourages dancers to embrace dance as a vehicle for expressing the harmonic resonance of the universe.

Takeaways

Dance is a powerful physical representation of music and a connection to the universe.

Authentic expression in dance allows for a deeper connection with the vibrations of the universe.

Dance communicates emotions and desires on a non-verbal level, surpassing spoken language.

Dance has a communicative responsibility to fulfill the emotional desires of the audience and connect with the harmonic resonance of the universe.

Chapters

00:00 The Power of Dance and Music

06:06 The Language of Dance

09:16 Authentic Expression in Dance

12:09 Connecting with the Universe through Dance

13:09 The Communicative Responsibility of Dance

16:27 Dance as a Vehicle for Expression