Conversations on Dance

Join Conversations on Dance hosts Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden for a special live recording with American Ballet Theatre principal ballerinas Isabella Boylston and Chloe Misseldine. Powerhouses on the international stage and here at home, Boylston and Misseldine will share their journeys to principal status, their experiences performing with ABT, and their artistic perspectives as leading women in classical ballet today. 

This episode is brought to you by Discover Vail and was recorded live from the Vail Dance Festival on July 30, 2025.

Tickets to Conversations on Dance at the 2025 Vail Dance Festival on sale now! https://vaildance.org/conversations-on-dance/

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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Join Conversations on Dance hosts Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden for a live podcast recording with one of the Vail Dance Festival’s most celebrated returning artists and this year’s Artist-in-Residence, Melissa Toogood. 

Toogood, a Bessie Award-winning dancer and former member of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, has just been named Director of The Juilliard School’s Dance Division and will share her vision for the next chapter of one of the world’s most prestigious conservatories. She also debuts a new work for the Festival’s NOW: Premieres program this year.

This episode is brought to you by Discover Vail and was recorded live from the Vail Dance Festival on July 29, 2025.

Tickets to Conversations on Dance at the 2025 Vail Dance Festival on sale now! https://vaildance.org/conversations-on-dance/

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/COD-email

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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MacArthur Fellow and tap visionary Michelle Dorrance joins Conversations on Dance for a live podcast recording with hosts Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden. A festival mainstay, Dorrance shares insight into her newest work, The Center Will Not Hold, co-created with b-girl and choreographer Ephrat Asherie. 

Following last year’s sold-out performance, this new evening-length piece blends rhythm tap with a wide range of street, club, and social dances—brought to life by an electric ensemble and live music by composer Donovan Dorrance and percussionist John Angeles. 

Gain a behind-the-scenes look into Dorrance’s creative process, her collaborative spirit, and how she continues to expand the boundaries of tap dance. 

This episode is brought to you by Discover Vail and was recorded live from the Vail Dance Festival on July 28, 2025.

Tickets to Conversations on Dance at the 2025 Vail Dance Festival on sale now! https://vaildance.org/conversations-on-dance/

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/COD-email

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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Join Conversations on Dance hosts Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden for a live podcast recording with Michael Novak, Artistic Director of the legendary Paul Taylor Dance Company. As the company returns to the Vail Dance Festival for the first time since 2018, Novak reflects on honoring the legacy of Paul Taylor—one of the most influential figures in American modern dance—on what would have been Taylor’s 95th birthday.

This special conversation offers insight into the company’s tribute performance, featuring the beloved Company B and the 50th anniversary presentation of Esplanade, a masterwork hailed for transforming everyday movement into mythic dance. 

This episode is brought to you by Discover Vail and was recorded live from the Vail Dance Festival on July 27, 2025.

Tickets to Conversations on Dance at the 2025 Vail Dance Festival on sale now! https://vaildance.org/conversations-on-dance/

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/COD-email

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.

It's that time of year again! Get ready for daily drops from Conversations on Dance all throughout the 2025 Vail Dance Festival through August 3rd. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don't miss a moment.

Today we are joined by four dancers from LINES Ballert: Adji Cissoko, Lorris Eichinger, Ilaria Guerra, and Shuaib Elhassan. In this morning’s conversation, explore the company’s return to the Vail Dance Festival with a program that includes Ode to Alice Coltrane—a tribute to the legendary spiritual jazz icon—and Mother Goose, a mesmerizing reimagining of Ravel’s beloved 1912 suite, Ma mère l’Oye. 

Hear behind-the-scenes insights into the creative process behind these visionary works and get to know the artists shaping them. The conversation will be followed by an open audience Q&A. 

This episode was recorded live from the Vail Dance Festival on July 26, 2025.

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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The Vail Dance Festival is almost here! If you are going to be at the festival, please join us for our in-person events. Ticket and more information available here: https://vaildance.org/conversations-on-dance/.

If you can't be with us, please subscribe to the Conversations on Dance podcast wherever you get your podcasts to be notified as we are publishing episodes daily from the festival. Episodes will be running from July 26 - August 3.

Tickets to Conversations on Dance at the 2025 Vail Dance Festival on sale now! https://vaildance.org/conversations-on-dance/

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/COD-email

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 award winning ballerina Yuan Yuan Tan. We cover her meteoric rise, from entering San Francisco Ballet as a soloist at 18 directly from her schooling, a nearly unheard of feat, to anchoring the company as a principal for nearly three decades, and finally becoming a leader in the arts, most recently as the artistic director for the Chinese folktale production Lady White Snake, a stirring visual blend of dance, martial arts, music and costumes. To purchase tickets to Lady White Snake, coming to the David H Koch theater at Lincoln Center this July 26 and 27th, visit davidhkochtheater.com.

Tickets to Conversations on Dance at the 2025 Vail Dance Festival on sale now! https://vaildance.org/conversations-on-dance/

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/COD-email

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 is Part Two of our episode with Bart Cook. If you missed Part One, please check back in our feed.

On today's episode of "Conversations On Dance", we are joined by legendary New York City Ballet dancer and repetiteur for the Balanchine Trust Bart Cook. Bart was a favorite of both George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, prized for his versatility and chameleon like ability to inhabit the inner worlds of the ballets he danced. Bart goes into detail with us about these experiences, both onstage as a dancer and offstage, ensuring that the care and beauty he imbued these works with as a dancer continues in the artists of today. 

Tickets to Conversations on Dance at the 2025 Vail Dance Festival on sale now! https://vaildance.org/conversations-on-dance/

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/COD-email

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 legendary New York City Ballet dancer and repetiteur for the Balanchine Trust Bart Cook. Bart was a favorite of both George Balanchine and Jerome Robbins, prized for his versatility and chameleon like ability to inhabit the inner worlds of the ballets he danced. Bart goes into detail with us about these experiences, both onstage as a dancer and offstage, ensuring that the care and beauty he imbued these works with as a dancer continues in the artists of today. 

Tickets to Conversations on Dance at the 2025 Vail Dance Festival on sale now! https://vaildance.org/conversations-on-dance/

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/COD-email

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.

Tickets to Conversations on Dance at the 2025 Vail Dance Festival on sale now! https://vaildance.org/conversations-on-dance/

Today it's just us as we catch up on the past few weeks: Miami City Ballet's recent announcement of Gonzalo Garcia as the new Artistic Director, Michael's time in Amsterdam, the Clive Barnes awards, and we go through all our events that are coming up at the 2025 Vail Dance Festival.

You can support the Clive Barnes Foundation by donating here: https://www.clivebarnesfoundation.org/.

SPONSOR:

Felice Lesser Dance Theater celebrates its 50th Anniversary with the live documentary, I AM A DANCER 2020, a real-time journey into the effects of the pandemic on the dance world. Combining live dance, projected video, and filmed interviews depicting how dance workers navigated the COVID-19 pandemic, I AM A DANCER 2020 will have four performances, June 26th to 28th at New York Live Arts in New York City. For tickets and information, please visit newyorklivearts.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/COD-email
• 
  

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.