Barre Talk with Robert Hill

This week’s guest is Abdur-Rahim Jackson graduate of The Juilliard School, former Principal Dancer with The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Broadway performer. He has created ballets for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Orlando Ballet. Abdur-Rahim co-choreographed Beyoncé "Halo" music video and choreographed the LED sections of Beyoncé "Crazy in Love" Super Bowl XLVII Halftime performance on CBS. He has also choreographed the Salt-N-Pepa Lane Bryant Campaign, L'Oréal/Matrix and JCPenney Salons Hair and Fashion Shows across the country.

This week’s Barre Talk guest is Kevin O’Hare, Director of The Royal Ballet. O’Hare’s ballet career began with The Royal Ballet’s sister company Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet. He became a Principal dancer during its transformation into Birmingham Royal Ballet. He performed extensively in the UK and internationally with leading figures in the ballet world, including Ninette de Valois, Peter Wright, Frederick Ashton, MacMillan and David Bintley. O’Hare is celebrating his ninth season as Director of the Royal Ballet.

This week’s Barre Talk guest is an internationally recognized stager and coach, Susan Jones. Susan is currently a Regisseur at American Ballet Theatre where she danced with the Company for eight successive seasons. She was appointed Regisseur in 1980. Next year will mark 50 years since Jones joined ABT!

Jones has staged works for Orlando Ballet including Don Quixote and Sinatra Suite. Her ABT stagings include George Balanchine’s Symphonie Concertante, Agnes de Mille’s Fall River Legend, Twyla Tharp’s Push Comes to Shove, Bach Partita, The Brahms-Haydn Variations, and many others. 

As we continue to strive to reach wider audiences, this week's Barre Talk episode is in Spanish featuring Orlando Ballet Company dancers, Luis Gonzalez and Israel Zavaleta Escobedo. Luis and Israel chat with Robert about their training, careers, and life at Orlando Ballet.

Luis Gonzalez joined Orlando Ballet in 2012 through 2015. From there, he joined Joffrey Ballet in 2015. Gonzalez returned to Orlando Ballet for the  2019/20 season.

Israel Zavaleta Escobedo joined Orlando Ballet’s second company in 2018 after attending the OBS Summer Intensive. He spent two years as a member of Orlando Ballet’s Second Company. Escobedo was promoted from Company Apprentice to Main Company member for the 20/21 season.

This week Robert Hill is joined by Orlando Ballet dancers, Kate-Lynn Robichaux and Rachele Eusebione! Kate-Lynn joined the Orlando Ballet Company in 2011 and has danced many principal roles during her career. Rachele spent two years with the Orlando Ballet Second Company and was recently promoted to the main company as an apprentice for the 20/21 season. Kate-lynn and Rachele speak with Robert about their training, careers and life at Orlando Ballet.

Internationally celebrated ballerina and current artistic director of Miami City Ballet, Lourdes Lopez joins Robert Hill on this week’s Barre Talk. Lourdes Lopez was recently named one of “The Most Influential People in Dance Today” by Dance Magazine. She became artistic director of Miami City Ballet in 2012, bringing with her a nearly 40-year career in dance, television, teaching, and arts management. As a Soloist and Principal Dancer with New York City Ballet, Lopez danced for two legends of the art form, George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins

This week’s guest is world-renowned ballet sensation, Julio Bocca! Bocca has been called one of the most popular Argentine dancers of all time and is a recipient of many prestigious awards including The New York Times Dancers of the Year. He spent twenty years as a principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre and went on to serve as artistic director of the National Ballet of Uruguay.

This week’s Barre Talk guest is Dance Theatre of Harlem Artistic Director, Virginia Johnson. Johnson was a founding member of Dance Theatre of Harlem and was one of its principal ballerinas over a career that spanned nearly 30 years. After retiring, Johnson went on to found Pointe Magazine and was editor-in-chief for 10 years

This week’s Barre Talk guest is Broadway producer, director and co-founder of Apples and Oranges Arts, Tim Kashani! Pamela and Tim Kashani sponsored Orlando Ballet’s Dance Accelerator program which is modeled after the Kashanis’ “Theater Accelerator,” An immersive musical theatre intensive development accelerator for promising storytellers. Tim Kashani serves on the Orlando Ballet Board of Directors.

World-renowned ballerina and newly appointed Artistic Director of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, Susan Jaffe joins Robert Hill on this week’s episode of Barre Talk. Susan was a principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre for 22 years, beginning in 1980. She appeared prominently in the international dance scene and frequently danced with Mikhail Baryshnikov. Susan and Robert talk about their time at American Ballet Theatre and their experience as artistic directors during a global pandemic.