Conversations on Dance | Ballet & Dance Careers

This week on Conversations on Dance, we are happy to bring you a chat with our friend, Damien Johnson. The topic of today’s conversation was suggested by one of our listeners who was looking for us to delve into male specific training and some of the issues that arise that are different from females in the field. Damien is a permanent guest faculty member at The School of American Ballet, and a sought after teacher who is certified in the American Ballet Theatre National Training Curriculum in Pre-Primary-Level 3 as well as classical Pilates through Power Pilates. It was just announced that Damien will be stepping into the role of Upper Division Head at The Washington School of Ballet after his recent time as a faculty at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet.

Damien is the perfect person to chat with about this topic as he shares advice for young male dancers navigating an aspiring career in ballet.

Special thanks to Brett Elizabeth Gardner for this topic suggestion. As a parent of a male dancer, who is now a part of a second company, Brett has founded The Ballet Help Desk, to help other parents support their dancers as they navigate the serious ballet training path. The Ballet Help Desk provides an extensive digital library, featuring a collection of articles and videos. Users can explore various topics, ranging from the path to becoming a professional dancer to how to choose a ballet residential program to how ballet competitions fit into the mix. Be sure the check them out at ballethelpdesk.com.

LINKS:

• Website: conversationsondancepod.com
• Instagram: @conversationsondance
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Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement.

Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance

Website: conversationsondancepod.com

Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b

Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance

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Today we are joined by critic, dance scholar, and former chief dance critic to the New York Times, Alastair Macaulay. We talk with Alastair about the incredible legacy of George Balanchine's 'Serenade'. Originally choreographed in 1934 for students at the School Of American Ballet, 'Serenade' has gone on to become one of the most beloved works of the 20th century. Alastair takes us through the history of the ballet, including the myths surrounding its creation, the many changes it has gone through over the years, and why we should really all be pronouncing it 'Seren-AYDE'.

THIS EPISODE'S SPONSORS:

• Energetiks specialize in creating sustainable, world class dancewear for the stars of tomorrow. Perform and feel your best at every stage of your dance journey in Energetiks’ premium, high performance fabrics. Try them out with a 20% discount site-wide using the code COD20 at the checkout [available until the end of September 2023]. Shop their extensive range online at energetiks.com and enjoy free express shipping on orders over $75.

• If you're in the southern California area this June, join Golden State Ballet as they present 'From New York, With Love', an evening featuring world premieres by Gabrielle Lamb and Norbert De La Cruz III, and the kaleidoscopic, heart-pumping work 'In Creases' by Tony-Award winner Justin Peck. You won't want to miss out on a chance to experience California's newest ballet company in three world class ballets. Performances are this June 6 at the Barclay Center in Irvine, CA and June 9 & 10 at the Poway Center For the Performing Arts. Tickets are available at goldenstateballet.org

LINKS:

• Website: conversationsondancepod.com
• Instagram: @conversationsondance
• Merch: https://bit.ly/cod-merch
• YouTube: https://bit.ly/youtube-COD
• Join our email list: https://bit.ly/mail-COD

Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement.

Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance

Website: conversationsondancepod.com

Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b

Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Conversations On Dance, we sit down with Charlotte Ballet director and international choreographer Alejandro Cerrudo. We spoke with Alejandro about his first season of programming for Charlotte Ballet, how important freedom and risk taking are to the choreographic process and his plans to make the company an integral part of the city's identity. If you are in the Charlotte area, you can catch the company's choreographic lab from June 9-17. To subscribe to the company's 2023-24 season, visit charlotteballet.org. 

THIS EPISODE'S SPONSOR:

• Energetiks specialize in creating sustainable, world class dancewear for the stars of tomorrow. Perform and feel your best at every stage of your dance journey in Energetiks’ premium, high performance fabrics. Try them out with a 20% discount site-wide using the code COD20 at the checkout [available until the end of September 2023]. Shop their extensive range online at energetiks.com and enjoy free express shipping on orders over $75.

LINKS:

• Website: conversationsondancepod.com
• Instagram: @conversationsondance
• Merch: https://bit.ly/cod-merch
• YouTube: https://bit.ly/youtube-COD
• Join our email list: https://bit.ly/mail-COD

Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement.

Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance

Website: conversationsondancepod.com

Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b

Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today we are bringing you another re-release from the early days of 'Conversations On Dance', this time with author Jennifer Homans. In this episode today, first recorded in June 2017, we spoke with Jennifer about the book she prior to 'Mr. B' titled 'Apollo's Angels' which chronicles ballet's entire history, as well as her own history as a dancer and her founding of Center for Ballet and the Arts in NYC.

Listen to episode 318 with Jennifer on her book 'Mr. B'

Get your copy of Jennifer's books:

Apollo's Angels - https://amzn.to/3WD9h2T

Mr. B - https://amzn.to/3IInO7L

LINKS:

• Website: conversationsondancepod.com
• Instagram: @conversationsondance
• Merch: https://bit.ly/cod-merch
• YouTube: https://bit.ly/youtube-COD
• Join our email list: https://bit.ly/mail-COD

Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement.

Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance

Website: conversationsondancepod.com

Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b

Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on 'Conversations On Dance', we are joined by choreographer Justin Peck to discuss his new work for Houston Ballet 'Under the Folding Sky'. Justin talks about how seeing the art work of James Turrell in Houston provided a jumping off point, how he's waited for almost a decade to use the ballet's Phillip Glass score and what it's been like to explore an epic scale of dance in this work for 24 artists. If you are in the Houston area, you can purchase tickets to see Justin's new work on houstonballet.org. 'Under the Folding Sky' runs on the 'Divergence' program alongside works by Aszure Barton and Stanton Welch from May 25th to June 4th. 

THIS EPISODE'S SPONSORS:

• Ballet Bird is a streaming site designed by former Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer Julie Tobiason. Ballet Bird offers ballet classes for anyone at any level of training that you can do from the comfort of your home or studio. Ballet Bird is a great addition to your regular in-studio training too. Take advantage of the ten day free trial and use the discount code COD25 to get 25% off through June 30th 2023 at balletbird.com.

• Energetiks are a sustainable, Australian Made brand that specialise in creating world class dancewear for the stars of tomorrow. Perform and feel your best at every stage of your dance journey in Energetiks’ premium, high performance fabrics. See their entire range online at energetiks.com and for all listeners there's a 20% discount on all Energetiks products using the code COD20 at the checkout [available until the end of September 2023].

LINKS:

• Website: conversationsondancepod.com
• Instagram: @conversationsondance
• Merch: https://bit.ly/cod-merch
• YouTube: https://bit.ly/youtube-COD
• Join our email list: https://bit.ly/mail-COD

Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement.

Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance

Website: conversationsondancepod.com

Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b

Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are going back into our archives from the first few years of the podcast and re-releasing some of our favorite episodes. Today we are restoring our 2016 interview with the legendary Balanchine ballerina, Patricia McBride to our feed, and if you missed it the first time, now is the perfect time to catch up. Patty, as she is affectionately referred to by her many fans, peers and students, tells us some truly memorable stories about a legendary time for dance in America with her signature radiance and charm.

This episode was recorded in 2016 when Patricia was in Miami working with Miami City Ballet.

THIS EPISODE'S SPONSORS:

• Ballet Bird is a streaming site designed by former Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer Julie Tobiason. Ballet Bird offers ballet classes for anyone at any level of training that you can do from the comfort of your home or studio. Ballet Bird is a great addition to your regular in-studio training too. Take advantage of the ten day free trial and use the discount code COD25 to get 25% off through June 30th 2023 at balletbird.com.

LINKS:

• Website: conversationsondancepod.com
• Instagram: @conversationsondance
• Merch: https://bit.ly/cod-merch
• YouTube: https://bit.ly/youtube-COD
• Join our email list: https://bit.ly/mail-COD

Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement.

Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance

Website: conversationsondancepod.com

Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b

Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Conversations on Dance, we are joined by author, Alice Robb, whose memoir, ‘Don’t Think, Dear’, chronicles her experiences as a young ballet student. We talk about the creative process for the book, her decision to include far reaching studies on pain tolerance, dancer psychology, and other subjects to give context to a dancer’s life and experience, and the book’s place in recent high profile conversations that have arisen about whether, or how, problematic ballet’s past and present really are. 

Alice’s book is available on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3nZkYEt

THIS EPISODE'S SPONSORS:

• Ballet Bird is a streaming site designed by former Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer Julie Tobiason. Ballet Bird offers ballet classes for anyone at any level of training that you can do from the comfort of your home or studio. Ballet Bird is a great addition to your regular in-studio training too. Take advantage of the ten day free trial and use the discount code COD25 to get 25% off through June 30th 2023 at balletbird.com.

• Energetiks are a sustainable, Australian Made brand that specialise in creating world class dancewear for the stars of tomorrow. Perform and feel your best at every stage of your dance journey in Energetiks’ premium, high performance fabrics. See their entire range online at energetiks.com and for all listeners there's a 20% discount on all Energetiks products using the code COD20 at the checkout [available until the end of September 2023].

• After a nearly-decade-long hiatus from live performance, ChrisMastersDance returns with Mausoleum, at Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Fishman Space, June 2nd to 4th. Reckoning with the dance field’s history of systematic exploitation, ChrisMastersDance is building a Mausoleum — a place to acknowledge and remember a past that has been laid to rest —making way for a tomorrow that sets aside unsustainable forms of life and work. Don’t miss Mausoleum at BAM this is June 2- 4. Tickets are available at bam.org/Mausoleum or click the link in the show notes.

LINKS:

• Website: conversationsondancepod.com
• Instagram: @conversationsondance
• Merch: https://bit.ly/cod-merch
• YouTube: https://bit.ly/youtube-COD
• Join our email list: https://bit.ly/mail-COD

Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement.

Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance

Website: conversationsondancepod.com

Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b

Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on Conversations on Dance we are happy to bring you a panel discussion on a very special project: the reimagining of La Bayadère. Joining us are Phil Chan, of Final Bow for Yellowface, Doug Fullington, dance historian and musicologist, and Sarah Wroth, Associate Professor and Chair at Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. The trio talk with us about the idea to reexamine La Bayadère for a 21st century audience, how they are transforming the ballet while preserving it's history, and Indiana University's important role in it's creation.

THIS EPISODE'S SPONSORS:

• Ballet Bird is a streaming site designed by former Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer Julie Tobiason. Ballet Bird offers ballet classes for anyone at any level of training that you can do from the comfort of your home or studio. Ballet Bird is a great addition to your regular in-studio training too. Take advantage of the ten day free trial and use the discount code COD25 to get 25% off through June 30th 2023 at balletbird.com.

• After a nearly-decade-long hiatus from live performance, ChrisMastersDance returns with Mausoleum, at Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Fishman Space, June 2nd to 4th. Reckoning with the dance field’s history of systematic exploitation, ChrisMastersDance is building a Mausoleum — a place to acknowledge and remember a past that has been laid to rest —making way for a tomorrow that sets aside unsustainable forms of life and work. Don’t miss Mausoleum at BAM this is June 2- 4. Tickets are available at bam.org/Mausoleum or click the link in the show notes.

LINKS:

• Website: conversationsondancepod.com
• Instagram: @conversationsondance
• Merch: https://bit.ly/cod-merch
• YouTube: https://bit.ly/youtube-COD
• Join our email list: https://bit.ly/mail-COD

Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement.

Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance

Website: conversationsondancepod.com

Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b

Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We are going back into our archives from the first few years of the podcast and re-releasing some of our favorite episodes. Today is part two of our June 2017 interview with Edward Villella, Balanchine dancer and founding Artistic Director of Miami City Ballet. In part two, we focus on his founding of Miami City Ballet and so much more. Listen to part one here. Subscribe to Conversations on Dance wherever you get your podcasts.

THIS EPISODE'S SPONSORS:

• Ballet Bird is a streaming site designed by former Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer Julie Tobiason. Ballet Bird offers ballet classes for anyone at any level of training that you can do from the comfort of your home or studio. Ballet Bird is a great addition to your regular in-studio training too. Take advantage of the ten day free trial and use the discount code COD25 to get 25% off through June 30th 2023 at balletbird.com.

LINKS:

• Website: conversationsondancepod.com
• Instagram: @conversationsondance
• Merch: https://bit.ly/cod-merch
• YouTube: https://bit.ly/youtube-COD
• Join our email list: https://bit.ly/mail-COD

Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement.

Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance

Website: conversationsondancepod.com

Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b

Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode of 'Conversations On Dance', we are joined by choreographer, Omar Román De Jesús. Omar takes us through his early training in Puerto Rico, the leap of faith he took in moving to New York City and how his humble early choreographic beginnings have led to a Princess Grace Award and commissions from world renowned companies. Omar's first work for Ballet Hispanico will premiere at New York City Center this summer, with performances running June 1st through the 3rd, on a program featuring additional works by Pedro Ruiz, Michelle Manzanales and William Forsythe. Tickets can be purchased at nycitycenter.org. 

THIS EPISODE'S SPONSORS:

• Ballet Bird is a streaming site designed by former Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer Julie Tobiason. Ballet Bird offers ballet classes for anyone at any level of training that you can do from the comfort of your home or studio. Ballet Bird is a great addition to your regular in-studio training too. Take advantage of the ten day free trial and use the discount code COD25 to get 25% off through June 30th 2023 at balletbird.com.

• Each year, The Clive & Valerie Barnes Foundation provides recognition, encouragement, and financial support to two talented young professionals, one in Dance and one in Theatre, thus, honoring the memory of the many years of critical work and the warm personal generosity of Clive Barnes and Valerie Taylor. This year’s finalists have been nominated by the Foundation’s 11-member Selection Committee comprised of arts journalists and accomplished professionals in each field. Finalists were selected based on live performances given in New York City between January and December of 2022. Winners in each category will be announced on May 22 at the 13th Annual Clive Barnes Awards at Florence Gould Hall in New York City. Guest presenters include Pam Tanowitz and Alex Sharp. For more information or to donate, visit cvbarnesfoundation.org/

LINKS:

• Website: conversationsondancepod.com
• Instagram: @conversationsondance
• Merch: https://bit.ly/cod-merch
• YouTube: https://bit.ly/youtube-COD
• Join our email list: https://bit.ly/mail-COD

Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement.

Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance

Website: conversationsondancepod.com

Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b

Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.