#155: In this episode of the Dance Behind the Screen Podcast, host Martheya Nygaard Scott sits down with Jennifer Mabus, choreographer, performer, educator, and founder of Grackle Dance Collective, to explore what it means to create dance rooted in community, empathy, and human connection.

Jennifer shares how immersive and site-specific performance transformed the way she thinks about the relationship between artists and audiences. From taking over a historic home to creating work in a funeral home and skate park, she reflects on the power of moving dance beyond traditional performance spaces and inviting audiences to become part of the experience.

The conversation also explores trust, consent, and collaboration in the creative process. Jennifer offers practical advice for performers: ground yourself, know and communicate your boundaries, and trust your instincts as a creative artist.

Jennifer also takes us behind the scenes of Grackle Dance Collective, a platform created to support Texas artists, amplify local voices, and bring dance directly into communities. She discusses the importance of listening, holding space, and thinking about community care as an ongoing practice rather than simply building an audience.

Finally, Jennifer reflects on building a sustainable life in dance. There is no single path—or timeline—for success as an artist. The episode closes with an optimistic look at the North Texas dance community, where established organizations and emerging voices are increasingly connecting, collaborating, and pushing the boundaries of performance.

00:00 Meet Jennifer Mabus + Flash Four 03:00 A Human Future for Dance 04:00 Discovering Immersive Performance 08:00 Breaking the Barrier Between Artist + Audience 11:00 Creating Site-Specific Dance Experiences 15:00 Trust, Consent + Creative Ownership 17:00 Advice for Performers 19:00 Founding Grackle Dance Collective 22:00 Community Stories + Collaboration 24:00 Taking Dance to a Skate Park 29:00 What Does Community Really Mean? 32:00 Community Care + Holding Space 37:00 Building a Life as a Dance Artist 40:00 There Is No One Path to Success 43:00 Letting Go of the Artist Timeline 45:00 The Future of Dance in North Texas 49:00 Connect with Jennifer + Grackle Dance Collective

To watch the show click HERE.

Episode Show kNOwtes | Podcast Home

This season of the Dance Behind the Screen Podcast is supported in part by the Moody Fund for the Arts and our generous individual Season Sponsors, Dexter & Jenel Evans and Helen & James Gallas.

Say NO to the BOX and YES to the future of dance.

#154: In the Season 8 premiere of the Dance Behind the Screen Podcast, host Martheya Nygaard Scott is joined by former co-host and current kNOwBOX dance Manager of People & Community Reyna Mondragon for a behind-the-scenes conversation about the ideas shaping this new season.

At the center of the conversation is a simple question: How do we better value the artists doing the work?

Martheya shares how kNOwBOX dance is prioritizing artist compensation by providing honorariums to podcast guests, festival makers, performers, production teams, editors, and designers—putting resources directly back into the creative community.

Martheya and Reyna also unpack some of the recurring themes emerging from Season 8: humanity, collaboration, and artificial intelligence. What does meaningful collaboration actually look like? How can stepping back and listening create space for someone else to lead? And how can artists use AI to reduce administrative labor without allowing technology to become the center of their creative work?

Finally, the conversation comes home to North Texas, where the founding members of kNOwBOX dance first met. Season 8 celebrates the artists, organizations, and community builders shaping dance and media across the Dallas–Fort Worth area while exploring what their work can teach us about the future of the field.

00:00 Welcome to Season 8 + Reyna Returns Behind the Screen 01:00 Centering Artists + Paying Creatives 03:00 Humanity + Human-Centered Artmaking 04:00 Rethinking What Collaboration Looks Like 05:30 Artists, AI + Fear-Based Decisions 07:00 Using AI as a Creative + Administrative Tool 10:00 Creating More Space to Be an Artist 11:00 Celebrating North Texas Dance 13:00 Looking Ahead to Season 8

To watch the show click HERE.

Episode Show kNOwtes | Podcast Home

This season of the Dance Behind the Screen Podcast is supported in part by the Moody Fund for the Arts and our generous individual Season Sponsors, Dexter & Jenel Evans and Helen & James Gallas.

Say NO to the BOX and YES to the future of dance.

Welcome to Season 8 of the Dance Behind the Screen Podcast, where dance, creativity, and technology converge.

Hosted by Martheya Nygaard Scott, Executive Director and Co-Creator of kNOwBOX dance, Season 8 spotlights the North Texas artists, choreographers, filmmakers, creative leaders, and arts organizations shaping the future of dance and media.

Season 8 Features:

Jennifer Mabus | Grackle Dance Collective Niloo Jalilvand | Pegasus Media Project Corey Haynes Elisa De La Rosa Joshua King | Dallas Aurora Diana Crowder | Pegasus Contemporary Ballet Karla Hardaway | Texas Dance and Culture

Rooted in the vibrant Dallas–Fort Worth arts community, these conversations explore creative practice, leadership, technology, collaboration, community building, and the ideas shaping what comes next for dance.

At kNOwBOX dance, we operate as a dance think tank—centering dance artists, amplifying their work, and leveraging technology to connect artists with audiences and creators worldwide.

Say NO to the BOX and YES to the Future of Dance.

Subscribe to Dance Behind the Screen and join us for Season 8.

Invitada: Evelyn Méndez, Codirectora ejecutiva de Pocoapoco / Fundadora de Casa Abierta |

Host: Wilber Mendoza

1. ¿Qué es Poco a Poco? (0:00) Org. cultural en Oaxaca (2016). Residencias de 5 semanas, Sur o no Sur, Mucho a Mucho (niños) y Casa Abierta.

2. Públicos y desafíos (12:10) Modelo orgánico: escuchar necesidades. Retos: comunicación, confianza local, equipo pequeño con pagos justos. Acuerdos de convivencia y comidas como vínculo.

3. Visión a futuro (26:07) Crecer "hacia abajo": sostenible, sin depender de personas específicas. Cocreación sobre planes rígidos.

4. Consejos (31:33) 1) Convivir con la diferencia 2) Insistir 3) Paciencia.

5. Flash Four (39:00)

Recomendaciones: Solo creo en un dios que sepa danzar - Sergio Veleda

Próximos eventos: Casa Abierta 1-10 oct.

Redes sociales: @pocoapocoapoco

#153: In this special Season 7 finale, host Martheya reflects on a season shaped by the intersection of strategic planning, technology, and creative leadership in the arts. From AI and immersive performance to community collaboration and sustainable growth, this episode invites listeners to explore what it means to design a creative path guided by purpose, curiosity, and integrity. Drawing from standout conversations with visionary guests, Martheya shares practical insights from the season — from redefining "strategy" as a personal practice to embracing adaptability and reflection as vital parts of the creative process.

00:00 Welcome and Season Overview

02:09 Key Takeaways from the Season

02:56 Deep Dive into Core Principles

05:16 Strategic Planning and Creative Freedom

06:07 Reflection and Sustainable Artistry

06:57 Final Thoughts and What's Next

07:28 Thank You and Farewell

To watch the show click HERE.

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This Season of Dance Behind the Screen Podcast is powered in part by TACA and Moody Fund for the Arts.

#152: In this episode of Dance Behind the Screen, host Martheya speaks with choreographer, filmmaker, and performer Margot Gelber about the emotional depth and collaborative process behind her award-winning dance film If I Were You — an official selection of the kNOwBOX dance Film Festival. Together, they explore how vulnerability and strength coexist in the creative process, how artistic leadership emerges through trust, and what it takes to translate an inner vision into movement on screen. Margot shares her approach to cultivating authentic collaboration and crafting choreography that lingers beyond the frame. Tune in to discover how emotional nuance, artistic clarity, and embodied trust intersect both on and off the screen. (35:22)

00:00 Margot Gelber

00:45 Introduction and Guest Introduction

01:34 Margot Gelber's Film Journey

05:04 Strategic Planning for Dance Films

07:49 Crowdfunding and Budgeting Insights

13:33 Promotion and Festival Submissions

17:49 Emerging Technologies in Dance

22:35 Creative Process and Collaboration

24:52 Advice for Emerging Filmmakers

28:08 Current and Future Projects

32:54 Flash Four Segment

33:47 Conclusion and Farewell

To watch the show click HERE.

Episode Show kNOwtes | Podcast Home

This Season of Dance Behind the Screen Podcast is powered in part by TACA and Moody Fund for the Arts.

#151:In this episode of Dance Behind the Screen, host Martheya sits down with multidisciplinary artist Gabri Christa, whose work moves fluidly between choreography, filmmaking, performance, writing, and education. Born and raised in the Dutch Caribbean, Gabri brings a global and deeply personal perspective to her art, weaving stories of identity, ancestry, and memory that illuminate the intersections of culture, race, and history. Tune in to discover how Gabri Christa builds bridges between the spirit and the screen, inviting us to move through history and imagination with purpose and grace. (39:32)

Chapters

00:00 Gabri Christa

00:45 Introduction to Dance Behind the Screen

01:03 Meet Gabri: A Multidisciplinary Force

01:56 Exploring Identity, Memory, and Ancestry

02:17 Leadership and Intuition in Storytelling

03:34 The Importance of Team Dynamics

08:07 Technology in Filmmaking and Choreography

13:59 The Role of Intuition and Preparation

22:50 Advice for Emerging Dance and Film Artists

30:24 Saying No to the Box and Yes to the Future of Dance

36:22 Flash Four: Quick Insights

37:15 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

To watch the show click HERE.

Episode Show kNOwtes | Podcast Home

This Season of Dance Behind the Screen Podcast is powered in part by TACA and Moody Fund for the Arts.

#150: In this episode of Dance Behind the Screen Podcast, host Martheya chats with visionary choreographer and RUBBERBAND founder Victor Quijada. From his hip hop roots in Los Angeles to creating the groundbreaking RUBBERBAND Method—a fusion of hip hop, ballet, and contemporary dance—Victor shares his journey, creative process, and insights on breaking boundaries, staying authentic in the digital age, and transforming dreams into reality. (48:01)

Chapters

00:32 — Introduction and Welcome

01:53 — Origins of the RUBBERBAND Method

10:41 — Building RUBBERBAND

18:04 — Leadership and Team Building

25:13 — Dance Performance and Audience Experience

28:39 — Film and Choreography

36:15 — Creative Process and Innovation

40:49 — Flash Four Q&A

47:22 — Closing and Contact Information

To watch the show click HERE.

Episode Show kNOwtes | Podcast Home

This Season of Dance Behind the Screen Podcast is powered in part by TACA and Moody Fund for the Arts.

En este episodio de "Dance Behind the Screen", Wilber conversa con Axel, bibliotecólogo, artista plástico y apasionado del movimiento, sobre la historia y filosofía de la Nueva Red de Bailadores. Descubre cómo este proyecto ha revolucionado la escena de la danza en México y más allá, promoviendo el "baile libre": un espacio sin alcohol, sin acoso, sin competencia y sin costo, donde la comunidad y la inclusión son protagonistas.

Axel comparte anécdotas, retos y aprendizajes de casi una década impulsando eventos donde todos pueden bailar y aportar, sin importar edad, experiencia o recursos. Hablamos sobre la importancia de crear alternativas al modelo capitalista en el arte, el poder del intercambio y la colaboración, y cómo la música y la danza pueden transformar realidades y romper barreras sociales.

No te pierdas este episodio inspirador que demuestra que la libertad, la diversión y la comunidad pueden florecer a través del arte y la creatividad.

¡Dale play y únete al movimiento del baile libre!

00:00 Introducción al pódcast

00:51 Presentación del invitado: Axel / Nueva Red de Bailadores

02:06 El nacimiento de la nueva red de danza

06:14 Principios fundamentales: sin alcohol, sin acoso, sin competencia y sin costo

13:54 Comunidad e intercambio en la red de danza

28:39 El papel del DJ en la red de danza

37:14 Estrategia e impacto en redes sociales

43:41 Filosofía de la danza y activismo

46:52 Flash Four: preguntas rápidas

48:32 Próximos eventos y cierre

Referencias:

Textos de Isadora Duncan.

#149: In this episode of Dance Behind the Screen, Martheya talks with Amy Elizabeth (Smith) — dance maker, arts administrator, educator — about dance as a practice of connection and change. Amy shares how she navigates interdisciplinary collaborations, balances artistry with institutional demands, and builds supportive spaces for artists. From questions of identity and belonging to the impact of technology on creative opportunities, this conversation spotlights Amy's vision for reimagining what it means to be an artist today. (45:33)

00:00 Amy Elizabeth (Smith)

00:44 Introduction to Dance Behind the Screen Podcast

01:07 Meet Amy Elizabeth: Dance Leader and Educator

02:09 Defining Purpose in Dance

03:10 Strategic Shifts and Community Engagement

04:12 Challenges and Resources in Southeast Texas

07:18 Building a New Board and Starting Over

17:20 Programming and Community Impact

20:32 Funding and Sustainability

26:09 Cultivating Individual Donors

36:41 Mentorship and Radical Curiosity

41:48 Flash Four Segment and Conclusion

45:03 Outros

To watch the show click HERE.

Episode Show kNOwtes | Podcast Home

This Season of Dance Behind the Screen Podcast is powered in part by TACA and Moody Fund for the Arts.