Dance Behind The Screen

#161: In the Season 8 finale of Dance Behind the Screen, host Martheya Nygaard Scott sits down with Karla Hardaway—award-winning dance educator, choreographer, author, advocate, and founder of the Texas Association for Dance and Culture.

Karla shares how discovering ballet folklórico in public school helped her connect with her cultural identity and shaped her path as an educator. Together, Martheya and Karla explore the future of dance education, expanding access in public schools, preserving culturally rooted dance forms, and creating stronger pathways for the next generation.

Karla also shares the story behind the North Texas Ballet Folklórico Contest, her advocacy for culturally rooted dance education across Texas, and why she believes AI can never replace cultural identity.

This conversation is a reminder that building the future of dance means honoring where we come from, collaborating across communities, and creating opportunities for the next generation.

CHAPTERS

00:00 – Meet Karla Hardaway 02:00 – Dance + Cultural Identity 03:00 – Building the Texas Association for Dance and Culture 05:00 – The State of Dance Education in Texas 07:00 – Preserving Tradition + Creating the Future 09:00 – Creating Pathways for the Next Generation 11:00 – Why Dance Belongs in Public Schools 12:00 – Technology, AI + Cultural Identity 15:00 – Expanding Access Through Partnerships 20:00 – The North Texas Ballet Folklórico Contest 25:00 – The Future of Dance Education 28:00 – Collaboration Over Competition 33:00 – The Story Behind TADC 38:00 – Connect with Karla + TADC

CONNECT WITH KARLA + TADC

Texas Association for Dance and Culture www.txdanceandculture.org

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.

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

#160:

In this episode of Dance Behind the Screen, host Martheya Nygaard Scott sits down with Diana Crowder, founder and artistic director of Pegasus Contemporary Ballet, to explore the future of ballet and what it takes to build a sustainable arts organization.

Diana shares her journey from professional ballet dancer to arts leader and entrepreneur, her approach to "think globally, nurture locally," and why ballet must continue evolving with each generation. They discuss balancing tradition with innovation, cultivating Dallas's creative community, using technology with intention, and building a clear brand that connects dance with new audiences.

From rigorous technique to creative freedom, Diana offers a look at how artists can honor ballet's history while creating what comes next.

In this episode:

• Building Pegasus Contemporary Ballet from the ground up

• Balancing tradition, innovation, and creative freedom

• Thinking globally while nurturing local artists

• Technology's role in dance

• Branding and audience development

• Building a sustainable future for ballet

CHAPTERS

00:00 Welcome + Flash Four

04:00 Think Globally, Nurture Locally

08:00 Cultivating Dallas's Creative Community

13:00 Diana's Journey from Dancer to Founder

18:00 Building Pegasus Contemporary Ballet

24:00 Why Contemporary Ballet Matters

30:00 Technology + Dance

34:00 Building a Digital Presence

37:00 Branding + Audience Development

44:00 Saying NO to the BOX

46:00 Connect with Diana + Pegasus

Connect with Diana + Pegasus Contemporary Ballet: Instagram: @pegasuscontemporaryballet Facebook: Pegasus Ballet Website: pegasusballet.org

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.

#159: In this episode of the Dance Behind the Screen Podcast, host Martheya Nygaard Scott sits down with Joshua King, mixed-media artist and co-founder and Executive Director of AURORA, to explore how art, technology, and public space can create more accessible and connected cultural experiences.

Joshua shares the evolution of AURORA from a one-night light, video, and sound event into an internationally recognized public art organization. He reflects on the importance of taking art beyond traditional venues, meeting audiences where they are, and creating unexpected encounters with art in public spaces.

The conversation explores audience development, interdisciplinary collaboration, technology, and AI, including how artists and arts organizations can experiment with emerging tools while keeping artists and ideas at the center. Joshua also discusses North Texas as a launching pad for creative work and why artists should think beyond geographic and institutional boundaries.

• How AURORA reimagines public space through art and technology

• Why access and meeting audiences where they are matter

• What makes interdisciplinary collaboration successful

• How artists and organizations can experiment with technology and AI

• Why North Texas can be a launching pad for creative work beyond traditional boundaries

00:00 Welcome + Meet Joshua King

01:18 The Origins & Evolution of AURORA

05:00 Access + Expanding Public Art

07:20 Technology as a Tool for Accessibility

10:00 Rethinking Audiences + Unexpected Spaces

12:00 Experiment, Explore + Expand

14:30 Building Successful Creative Collaborations

18:00 Technology + the Future of the Arts

21:00 Our Relationship with Technology

25:00 Where Dance, Art + Technology Collide

27:00 AI Behind the Scenes in Arts Organizations

31:00 AI as an Artistic Tool

34:00 Saying NO to the BOX

35:30 Reimagining Public Space

38:00 North Texas as a Creative Launching Pad

41:30 What's Next for AURORA

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.

1. Presentación de Oaxaca Cine e Isabel Rojas

00:00

Introducción del pódcast y presentación de Oaxaca Cine, un proyecto dedicado a la programación, exhibición y formación cinematográfica en Oaxaca desde 2011. Biografía de Isabel Rojas, cofundadora y directora, con su trayectoria en festivales y proyectos culturales.

2. ¿Qué es el cine?

07:40

Isabel responde la pregunta fundamental sobre qué es el cine desde su perspectiva como exhibidora y programadora: un pretexto para el encuentro colectivo, una pausa y un lenguaje que articula imágenes en movimiento con sonido. Reflexión sobre cómo el cine se transforma en la era audiovisual actual.

3. Detrás de pantalla: programación y exhibición

12:45

Recuerdos de las proyecciones en el Teatro Alcalá: la emoción detrás de bambalinas, las pruebas de proyección y la adrenalina previa a abrir puertas. Discusión sobre la programación cinematográfica (largometrajes vs. cortometrajes), el trabajo con la Cineteca Nacional y cómo funcionan los derechos de exhibición.

4. Sostenibilidad y autogestión de proyectos culturales

19:27

Herramientas para construir un proyecto cultural sostenible a largo plazo: el deseo como motor, la visibilización de recursos más allá de lo económico, la diversificación de escalas, la autogestión y la importancia de no saturarse al ambiar demasiado.

5. Oaxaca Cine Móvil: el cine en comunidades

24:18

La experiencia de llevar el cine fuera de las salas y la ciudad a plazas, canchas y escuelas en comunidades originarias. La gira de 12 noches con la película de Ángeles Cruz por la Mixteca, el impacto del cine comunitario y cómo ver historias propias en pantalla abre posibilidades de creación.

6. Acceso, cooperación y formación de públicos

33:04

Cómo llevar cine a comunidades con marginación económica sin que el dinero sea limitante: colaboración honesta, intercambios, transparencia en costos. La función en el mercado de Santa María Tlahuitoltepec para 500 niños y la reflexión sobre la formación de públicos como pedagogía implícita.

7. El panorama del cine oaxaqueño y los límites

44:54

El cine de Oaxaca a nivel nacional: su historia de cine indígena y comunitario, la posición del estado en producción cinematográfica. Reflexión sobre los límites del proyecto: los materiales, la conciencia ambiental, el descanso personal, y la imaginación como frontera. La invitación a decir "no a la caja" saliendo de las estructuras hegemónicas.

8. Flash 4 y despedida

57:30

Sección final con cuatro preguntas rápidas: la primera película que vio (Caty la oruga), el impacto de las redes sociales en el cine, su red social favorita (Instagram) y la recomendación del canal de YouTube del Seminario Públicos y Audiencias del Futuro de la UNAM. Cierre y agradecimientos.

https://www.youtube.com/@SeminarioPúblicosyAudienciasde

00:00 Presentación de Oaxaca Cine e Isabel Rojas

07:40 ¿Qué es el cine?

12:45 Detrás de pantalla: programación y exhibición

19:27 Sostenibilidad y autogestión de proyectos culturales

24:18 Oaxaca Cine Móvil: el cine en comunidades

33:04 Acceso, cooperación y formación de públicos

44:54 El panorama del cine oaxaqueño y los límites

57:30 Flash 4 y despedida

#158: In this episode of the Dance Behind the Screen Podcast, host Martheya Nygaard Scott sits down with Elisa De La Rosa, choreographer, educator, researcher, Associate Professor of Dance at Texas Woman's University, and Artistic Director of De La Rosa Dance Company.

Elisa shares how her upbringing in the Rio Grande Valley and her Mexican American identity shape her work as an artist and educator. Together, Martheya and Elisa explore cultural memory, belonging, and the body as a living archive—and what happens when the cultures we carry with us are missing from traditional dance education.

From memories of Selena, Tejano music, and dancing with family to incorporating her grandmother's migration story into her choreography, Elisa reflects on the power of honoring where we come from through movement.

The conversation also looks toward the future of dance education: expanding beyond traditional modern and ballet-centered curricula, listening to students, creating space for culturally rooted practices, and building pathways for the next generation of artists. Elisa also shares her experience serving on the kNOwBOX dance Film Festival jury and how dance film can connect us across cultures and borders.

• Dance as a living archive of culture and memory

• Growing up in the Rio Grande Valley and finding identity through movement

• Bringing family stories and lived experience into choreography

• Representation and belonging in dance education

• Expanding dance curricula beyond modern and ballet

• Listening to students as a catalyst for institutional change

• Creating pathways through culturally rooted dance practices

• Dance film as a bridge between cultures

• Lifelong learning and saying NO to the BOX

00:00 Meet Elisa De La Rosa 02:40 Flash Four: Resources, Culture + the Borderlands 04:20 Finding Cultural Identity Through Dance 08:45 When Culture Is Missing From Dance Education 14:00 Honoring Family Stories Through Choreography 17:00 Tortillas y Lágrimas: Memory, Migration + Belonging 19:00 Dance as Embodied Research 22:00 Rethinking Culturally Rooted Dance Education 25:00 Listening to Students + Creating Change 30:00 Preparing Dancers for an Evolving Future 33:30 Measuring Impact + Building New Pathways 38:00 Inside the NBFF Jury Experience 41:00 Dance Film as a Bridge Across Cultures 44:00 How Elisa Says NO to the BOX 47:00 Staying Connected + Resources

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.

#157: In this episode of the Dance Behind the Screen Podcast, host Martheya Nygaard Scott sits down with Corey Haynes, Texas-based writer and visual artist working primarily in photography and mixed media, to explore movement, memory, authenticity, and the role photography plays in documenting creative communities.

Corey shares her journey from photographing friends and everyday life to finding her artistic home in dance photography. She reflects on how years of collaborating with artists and organizations across North Texas have shaped an approach rooted in trust, curiosity, and capturing what is actually happening rather than constructing the "perfect" image.

The conversation explores what makes movement photography feel alive, why Corey gravitates toward improvisation and unposed moments, and how dancers can work more intentionally with photographers to communicate their stories. Corey also shares practical advice for choosing a photographer, preparing for a shoot, understanding pricing, and creating images that support portfolios, performances, marketing, and grant applications.

Corey and Martheya also dig into authenticity in the age of social media, discussing the pressure artists face to create polished content, the importance of understanding your "why," and why storytelling and genuine human connection can be more powerful than perfection.

Finally, Corey reflects on curiosity, experimentation, and play as essential creative practices and introduces her ongoing project, We've Come All This Way, which celebrates dancers over 50 while exploring aging, body image, movement, and our changing relationships with ourselves.

00:00 Meet Corey Haynes + Flash Four

01:30 Libraries as a Creative Resource

02:30 Photography + the Power of Storytelling

03:30 Social Media + Building an Audience

04:00 Long-Form Visual Storytelling

06:00 Finding Storytelling Through the Camera

08:00 Finding Dance Photography

09:00 Documenting North Texas Creative Communities

11:00 From Event Photographer to Creative Collaborator

12:30 Capturing Movement in a Moment

14:00 Authenticity in Dance Photography

18:00 Authenticity + Social Media

20:00 Developing a Recognizable Photography Style

23:00 Imperfection + the Human Experience

25:00 Preparing for a Dance Photo Shoot

27:00 Communication + Creative Collaboration

29:00 How to Choose the Right Photographer

31:00 Valuing Creative Labor + Photography Rates

35:00 Behind the Scenes + Creative Process

37:30 Building an Authentic Creative Brand

40:00 Being of Service Through Art

41:00 Saying NO to the BOX Through Curiosity

44:00 Eight Years of Creative Collaboration

45:00 We've Come All This Way

47:00 Celebrating Dancers Over 50

48:00 Connect with Corey

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.

#156: In this episode of the Dance Behind the Screen Podcast, host Martheya Nygaard Scott sits down with Niloo Jalilvand, filmmaker, educator, multidisciplinary artist, and founder and executive director of Pegasus Media Project, to explore how storytelling, technology, and education can create more accessible pathways into the creative industries.

Niloo shares how more than two decades in education—and an after-school film club she started while teaching mathematics at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts—eventually grew into Pegasus Media Project. She discusses the connection between math and filmmaking, the importance of removing barriers to creative education, and Pegasus's whole-person approach to supporting emerging filmmakers.

The conversation explores collaboration, access, and creative workforce development, including how Pegasus provides tuition-free training, mentorship, hands-on production experience, and pathways into the professional film industry. Niloo reflects on why trust and care are essential to learning and why the impact of arts education can't always be captured by numbers alone.

Niloo and Martheya also dig into dance on screen, exploring the relationship between movement and filmmaking. Niloo offers practical advice for dance filmmakers—from building the right team and rehearsing with the camera to thinking of the camera itself as part of the choreography.

The conversation then turns toward AI, technology, and ethics in the arts. Niloo shares her perspective on balancing technological access with the need to protect human creativity, consent, and original thought. Through a deeply personal story about her late father's voice being recreated with AI, she raises important questions about ownership, ethics, and how far emerging technologies should go.

Finally, Niloo reflects on the growing North Texas film community, the value of collaboration over competition, and why curiosity is essential to building a more open and creative future.

00:00 Meet Niloo Jalilvand + Flash Four 02:00 From Math Teacher to Filmmaker 04:00 The Origins of Pegasus Media Project 05:00 Creating Accessible Pathways into Film 09:00 Trust + the Whole-Person Approach 12:00 Why Filmmaking Starts with Connection 14:00 Measuring Impact Beyond the Numbers 16:00 Creating Pathways into the Film Industry 18:00 Dance + Movement for the Camera 22:00 Advice for Dance Filmmakers 24:00 Building a Film Team on a Budget 26:00 AI, Technology + the Future of Creativity 33:00 Technology as a Tool for Access 36:00 AI, Voice + Consent 40:00 Making Space for Difficult Conversations 44:00 The Future of Film in North Texas 45:00 Collaboration Over Competition 50:00 Saying NO to the BOX 51:00 Curiosity as a Creative Practice 53:00 Connect with Niloo + Pegasus Media Project 54:00 Global Recognition at Cannes

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.

#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.