“Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey

Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey and special guest, Sandra Rivera: Teaching Artist/Dancer/Guest Artist with Dances for a Variable Population

 In this episode of “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey, join host Joanne Carey as she chats with Special Guest, Sandra Rivera of Dances for a Variable Population. Sandra is a dancer, choreographer, educator, and writer and together they discuss Sandra's extensive career in dance, starting from her early influences in New York City to her involvement with Ballet Hispanico as an original member and up to her current impactful work with Dances for a Variable Population and the upcoming workshops and performances of DVP. Joanne and Sandra also discuss her work with Omega Dance Company.

Their conversation highlights the importance of community engagement through dance, and the significance of creating inclusive spaces for older adults to express themselves through movement. They also discuss the role that her experience with liturgical dance held in Sandra's life. Sandra shares her insights on the transformative power of dance and its ability to foster connection and creativity across generations.

Sandra Rivera has an extensive career as a dancer, choreographer and educator.  A founding member of Ballet Hispanico, she performed as a principal dancer creating a number of roles in the company’s repertory. Since 1990 she has choreographed and performed contemporary dances with thematic content that reflects the Latino experience in the United States.  Artist-in-residence at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine with the Omega Dance Co. where she served as director.  Her solo dance portraits and choreographies have been presented at El Museo del Barrio, the Caramoor International Music Festival and the Abrons Art Center,the  Julia de Burgos Cultural Center, Aaron Davis Hall and the 92 Street Y.  She is on the faculty of Ballet Hispanico School of Dance and performs and is a teaching artist for Dancers for a Variable Population.  BA in Dance in the Latino Diaspora; CUNY’s Baccalaureate for Unique & Interdisciplinary Studies. 

Sandra Rivera 

⁠⁠https://www.sandrariveraprojects.com/biography⁠⁠

Find out more about Dances for a Variable Population and catch some of their upcoming performances and worksshops Oct 5th, 18th, Nov 16th

https://www.dvpnyc.org/

Follow “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dancetalkwithjoannecarey.com/⁠⁠⁠

Tune in. Follow. Like us. And Share. 

Please leave us review about our podcast! 

“Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey 

"Where the Dance World Connects, the Conversations Inspire, and Where We Are Keeping Them Real."

Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey and special guest, Jeremy Courney, CEO & Co-Founder, Humanite Peace Collective

In this episode of “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey, join host Joanne Carey as she chats with Special Guest, Jeremey Courtney CEO & Co-Founder, Humanite Peace Collective, an on-the-ground The National Ballet of Ukraine on its East Coast Tour.

Joanne and Jeremy discuss Jeremy's journey into humanitarian work, the formation of Humanite, and the importance of art and culture in times of conflict, particularly focusing on the National Ballet of Ukraine's upcoming tour. The conversation highlights the role of art in preserving identity and providing hope amidst war, as well as the ongoing humanitarian efforts to support children affected by the conflict in Ukraine.

Portions of the proceeds from the tour—from ticket purchases, merchandise, and individual donations—will benefit HUMANITE ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.humanite.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and Ukraine House, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.ukrainehouse.us/⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Organizations dedicated to restoring and improving the lives of Ukrainian families affected by the war.

The National Ballet of Ukraine East Coast tour kicks off Oct 8th in Washington, D.C. traveling the East Coast and culminates in Orlanda Florida, Oct 30th.

Get Tickets Here:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://nationalukraineballet.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

You won't want to miss this!

This tour promises to be an experience like no other!

Who is Jeremy Courtney?

After meeting a little girl in a local café who needed a lifesaving heart surgery, Jeremy and Jessica Courtney ventured into a life of service for which they were totally unprepared.
For over 15 years, Jeremy has worked alongside local peacemakers in some of the world's most dangerous conflict zones. His "preemptive love" theory of change has taken him and the HUMANITE founders to the frontlines of revolution and war in Fallujah, Mosul, Damascus, Aleppo, Cairo, Khartoum, and beyond to serve those in need and meet with top leaders, warlords, and terrorists about the rise and fall of peace.

Jeremy's work has been covered by CNN, the BBC, Al-Jazeerah, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.
From Pres. Jimmy Carter's Human Rights Defenders Forum, to the International Peace Conference for the Korean Peninsula, to the

World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates, Jeremy has had the honor of sharing the stage with changemakers from across the globe.
Love Anyway, Jeremy's second book, was released to popular acclaim in 2019, with NYT-bestselling authors calling it "beautifully written", "a must-read", and "deeply subversive."
Jeremy lives in Iraq with his wife Jessica and their children, Emma and Micah.

Follow “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

⁠⁠⁠https://dancetalkwithjoannecarey.com/⁠⁠

Tune in. Follow. Like us. And Share. 

Please leave us review about our podcast! 

“Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey 

"Where the Dance World Connects, the Conversations Inspire, and Where We Are Keeping Them Real."

Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey and special guest, Les Sereda, Artistic Director The Ukrainian Shumka Dancers.

In this episode of “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey, join host Joanne Carey as she chats with Special Guest, Les Sereda, Artistic Director of The Ukrainian Shumka Dancers who will bring the Canadian company to the US to dance alongside The National Ballet of Ukraine on its East Coast Tour.

Joanne and Les discuss his beginnings as a dancer and how it lead him to becoming Artistic Director. The conversation touches on the importance of preserving Ukrainian heritage through folk traditions as well as the impact of the ongoing war in Ukraine on the dance community, the role of art in times of crisis, and the upcoming collaboration with the National Ballet. Les shares insights on the challenges and beauty of storytelling through dance, emphasizing the need for cultural exchange and the evolution of artistic expression.

The tour promises to be an experience like no other!

More about The Ukranian Shumka Dancers of Canada

⁠https://www.shumka.com/⁠

Les Sereda began his dance career at the age of 12 and joined Shumka four years later. He toured Canada and the United States in Shumka’s productions of Absolutely Shumka and Cinderella and was honoured to be one of the performers in Sulyma Productions’ The Nutcracker, A Ballet Fantasy for three consecutive years.  During Shumka’s 50th Anniversary celebrations, he received a Membership with Distinction award from Shumka for his ongoing dedication to the company.

In 1993 Les trained at the Ukrainian Academy of Dance in Lviv, Ukraine, focusing on both ballet and character training along with regional choreography and music.  This immersive experience was a guiding force, influencing his future artistic journey and ongoing commitment to the art form.

Over the years, Les developed a truly collaborative spirit, forging relationships with international artists to create original choreography, music, projections and costumes that have influenced the evolving world vision of Ukrainian dance. Serving as the Artistic Director of Viter Ukrainian Dancers from 2004 to 2010, his direction forged new ground for the company guiding the creation of the song and dance style that is a hallmark of the ensemble today.

In 2018, Les directed Shumka’s newest work, Mosquito’s Wedding: All You Need is Love. An enchanting Disney-esque production with a relevant universal message for today, it successfully speaks to audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

Les is also owner, director and producer of Blue Toque Productions, an Edmonton based media company specializing in telling stories through documentary-style films. In 2019, Les completed a behind-the-scenes documentary on the journey to Shumka’s Ancestors & Elders.

Through his years of experience as a dancer, choreographer, director, visual designer and film maker, Les has developed a holistic sense of art and its creation. With a deep respect for Shumka’s 60-year history, he is ready to take the company into the future…changing its leaves while keeping intact its roots.

The National Ballet of Ukraine East Coast tour kicks off Oct 8th in Washington, D.C. traveling the East Coast and culminates in Orlanda Florida, Oct 30th.

Get Tickets Here:

⁠⁠⁠https://nationalukraineballet.com/⁠⁠

You won't want to miss this!

Portions of the proceeds from the tour—from ticket purchases, merchandise, and individual donations—will benefit HUMANITE ⁠⁠https://www.humanite.org/⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠and Ukraine House, ⁠⁠⁠https://www.ukrainehouse.us/⁠ ⁠⁠

Organizations dedicated to restoring and improving the lives of Ukrainian families affected by the war.

Follow “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

⁠⁠https://dancetalkwithjoannecarey.com/⁠

Tune in. Follow. Like us. And Share. 

Please leave us review about our podcast! 

“Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey 

"Where the Dance World Connects, the Conversations Inspire, and Where We Are Keeping Them Real."

Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey and special guest, Mykyta Sukhorukov, Principal Dance & Honored Artist of Ukraine.

In this episode of “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey, join host Joanne Carey as she chats with Special Guest, Mykyta Sukhorukov, Principal Dance & Honored Artist of Ukraine, about the much anticipated tour of the National Ballet of Ukraine.

The program is set to inspire and mesmerize audiences up and down the US East Coast by dedication and strength of the dancers admidst the ongoing war in the Ukraine and the power of dance and artistry to "lift your spirit, inspire your soul, and remind you of the power of art in the face of adversity."

Joanne and Mykyta discuss his journey as a dancer, the importance of art in providing solace during difficult times, and the cultural representation that the ballet aims to showcase. The conversation highlights the 'Nadiya' -hope -that the upcoming tour brings to both the performers and the audience, emphasizing the need for support and awareness of the situation in Ukraine.

The program will present excerpts from traditional ballets as well as a colorful and technical immersive experience for the audience in collaboration with cultural dance artistry of

The Ukranian Shumka Dancers of Canada.

https://www.shumka.com/

Mykyta Sukhorukov
Principal – Premier Soloist - Honored Artist of Ukraine

Graduated from the Donetsk State Choreographic School in 2005 and the Kyiv Choreographic College in 2008. Since 2008 – ballet soloist of the Kyiv Municipal Theater of Opera and Ballet for Children and Youth, since 2013 – soloist of the National Ballet of Ukraine. Laureate of international competitions of ballet artists: 1st prize and gold medal at the 2nd International Competition of Yuri Hryhorovich “Young Ballet of the World” in Sochi (2008), 3rd prize at the 12th International Competition of Ballet Artists and Choreographers in Moscow (2013). Mykyta Sukhorukov is one of the brightest representatives of the today’s Ukrainian choreographic school, a leading soloist who is equally subject to both parts from the world’s classical choreographic heritage and modern choreography in its various manifestations. He also takes his first steps as a choreographer.

Tours: Great Britain, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy, Romania, Japan, South Korea, Greece, Austria, Hungary, Canada, and other countries.

National Ballet of Ukraine, one of the world’s top ballet companies and the country’s official ballet company is on their premiere tour of the United States for the first time in over 30 years since the dissolution of the USSR. The ballet is coming to the USA, straight from the historic Taras Shevchenko National Opera House in Kyiv.

You won't want to miss this!

The East Coast tour kicks off Oct 8th in Washington, D.C. traveling the East Coast and culminates in Orlanda Florida, Oct 30th.

Get Tickets Here:

⁠https://nationalukraineballet.com/⁠

Portions of the proceeds from the tour—from ticket purchases, merchandise, and individual donations—will benefit HUMANITE ⁠https://www.humanite.org/⁠

⁠⁠⁠and Ukraine House, ⁠⁠https://www.ukrainehouse.us/⁠ ⁠

Organizations dedicated to restoring and improving the lives of Ukrainian families affected by the war.

Follow “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

⁠https://dancetalkwithjoannecarey.com/

Tune in. Follow. Like us. And Share. 

Please leave us review about our podcast! 

“Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey 

"Where the Dance World Connects, the Conversations Inspire, and Where We Are Keeping Them Real."

Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey and special guest, Artistic & Executive Director, Christine Cox, BalletX

In this episode of “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey, join host Joanne Carey as she chats with Special Guest, Christine Cox,  Artistic and Executive Director of BalletX. Together they discuss Christine's journey in the dance world, the founding of BalletX, and its mission. Christine also shares about her love of music and how it plays an integral role in her artistry. The conversation also touches on the outreach and education programs BalletX is known for within the community and the dance world. Together they also discuss the life skills that dance instills in individuals. Christine emphasizes the importance of supporting artists and the community and its the value of dance in society.  Check out this episode, it wont disappoint and neither will the company's upcoming season!

Christine Cox was a full-time company member with Pennsylvania Ballet from 1993 until her retirement from the stage in 2006. She trained in classical ballet at the Pennsylvania Ballet School and continued at the Performing Arts School of Philadelphia, spending summer sessions at the Joffrey and San Francisco Ballet schools. Some of her featured roles included Rum and Coca Cola in Paul Taylor’s Company B, Eve in Margo Sappington’s Rodin, Mis En Vie the Cowgirl in Agnes DeMille’s Rodeo, and principal female roles in Jerome Robbins’ Fancy Free and The Concert. During this time, Cox served for ten years as the rehearsal assistant of the children’s corp for Pennsylvania Ballet’s annual production of Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. Prior to joining the Pennsylvania Ballet, she danced with BalletMet (Columbus, OH), as a guest artist with Ballet Hispanico (New York, NY), and with the American Repertory Ballet (Princeton, NJ). Cox is the proud mother of two young boys, Warren and Wesley.

For Information on BalletX

https://www.balletx.org/about-us/staff/christine-cox/

YOUTUBE

⁠https://youtu.be/ABCFzZ83Voc

And follow “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

https://dancetalkwithjoannecarey.com/

Tune in. Follow. Like us. And Share. 

Please leave us review about our podcast! 

“Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey 

"Where the Dance World Connects, the Conversations Inspire, and Where We Are Keeping Them Real."

“Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey and special guest, Diana Byer, founding director of the New York Theater Ballet.

In this episode of Dance Talk with Joanne Carey, join host Joanne Carey as she chats with Special Guest, Diana Byer, as she shares her life in dance which began from a suggestion made by her pediatrician to exercise. That first class lead to a lifetime career in dance, an art form on which she continues to leave her imprint and is creating a profound and exemplary legacy.

Diana discusses her commitment to developing dance artists and her outreach program for homeless and at-risk children.

Diana Byer received her principal dance training from Margaret Craske and Antony Tudor. She is the founder of New York Theater Ballet that stages works that are intimate in scale and able to touch audiences in deeply personal ways. Hailed by Dance Magazine as “a miniature American treasure,” NYTB is known for its theatrical inventiveness, high production quality, excellent technique, and accessibility to its audiences. She has been a guest instructor of the Cecchetti Society of America, the Cecchetti Society of Canada (Toronto), Cornell and New York Universities, State University of New York at Purchase, Martha Graham School, and other centers of dance. Ms. Byer conducts master classes in schools and performance settings across the USA and Europe.

Ms. Byer received extensive media attention for her ongoing work with homeless and at-risk children, winning special citations from President George Bush, First Lady Hillary Clinton, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the President’s Committee on the Arts & the Humanities. The LIFT Community Service program, which provides dance classes, performance opportunities, scholarships, and services for homeless and at-risk children in New York, was initiated at NYTB through her vision and commitment.

In 1988, 1990, and 1993, Ms. Byer received the Helen Wieselberg Award of the National Arts Club in recognition for her ongoing work with LIFT. In 1992, Lincoln Center produced, at Alice Tully Hall, a one-hour presentation for children called Dreams On A Shoestring, featuring an original script based on Ms. Byer and LIFT. She received a Humanitarian Hero recognition from Good Housekeeping Magazine for her ongoing work with LIFT and was the 2023 Martha Hill Dance Fund Lifetime Achievement Awardee. The feature-length film LIFT, documenting Ms. Byer’s journey of LIFT, was featured in the 2022 Tribeca Festival and recognized with a “Children’s Resilience in Film Award” by Shine Global.

In December 1996, she was again spotlighted in two features in Dance Magazine. Ms. Byer coached the principals in the Columbia Pictures film, Center Stage. She was a member of the Antony Tudor Centennial Celebration Committee and in 2008 staged Tudor’s Judgment of Paris for the American Ballet Theatre Gala at The Metropolitan Opera House. She is a repetiteur for the Antony Tudor Trust and a member of the Board of Directors of the Dance Notation Bureau and The Clive and Valerie Barnes Foundation.

In 2010 she assisted Kevin McKenzie in ABT’s restaging of Antony Tudor’s Jardin Aux Lilas (Lilac Garden) and staged Agnes de Mille’s Three Virgins and a Devil for the Alabama Ballet.

In 2011 Ms. Byer restaged Antony Tudor’s Soiree Musicale and the dances from Agnes de Mille’s Carousel, Oklahoma, and Brigadoon for American Ballet Theatre’s Studio Company.

She continues to direct the NYTB School which she established in 1978.

Learn more about The Diana Byer Legacy Project

https://www.dancio.com/dianabyerlegacyproject

Learn more about New York Theater Ballet

⁠https://nytb.org/about⁠

Follow Joanne Carey on Instagram @westfieldschoolofdance 

Follow “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey wherever you get your podcasts. 

Tune in. Follow. Like us. And Share. 

Please leave us review! 

“Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey 

"Where the Dance World Connects, the Conversations Inspire, and Where We Are Keeping Them Real."

Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey and special guest, Artistic Director & CEO, Eduardo Vilaro, Ballet Hispánico. 

In this episode of “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey, join host Joanne Carey as she chats with Special Guest, Eduardo Vilaro, who sits at the head of Ballet Hispánico, leading the organization into its 55th year as a world-class organization with a spirit of love, grace and humility.

This engaging and beautiful conversation explores the history of Ballet Hispánico, Mr. Vilaro's story of emigrating from Cuba at 6 years old, his career, his love for his culture, life and the art form along with his continued commitment to making the life and experience of the community around him purposeful and beautiful.

Eduardo Vilaro is the Artistic Director & CEO of Ballet Hispánico (BH). He was named BH's Artistic Director in 2009, becoming only the second person to head the company since its founding in 1970, and in 2015 was also named Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Vilaro has infused Ballet Hispánico’s legacy with a bold brand of contemporary dance that reflects America’s changing cultural landscape.

Mr. Vilaro’s philosophy of dance stems from a basic belief in the power of the arts to change lives, reflect and impact culture, and strengthen community. He considers dance to be a liberating, non-verbal language through which students, dancers, and audiences of all walks of life and diverse backgrounds, can initiate ongoing conversations about the arts, expression, identity, and the meaning of community.

Born in Cuba and raised in New York from the age of six, Mr. Vilaro’s own choreography is devoted to capturing the Latin American experience in its totality and diversity, and through its intersectionality with other diasporas. A Ballet Hispánico dancer and educator from 1988 to 1996, he left New York, earned a master’s in interdisciplinary arts at Columbia College Chicago and then embarked on his own act of advocacy with a ten-year record of achievement as Founder and Artistic Director of Luna Negra Dance Theater in Chicago.

The recipient of numerous awards and accolades, Mr. Vilaro received the Ruth Page Award for choreography in 2001; was inducted into the Bronx Walk of Fame in 2016; and was awarded HOMBRE Magazine’s 2017 Arts & Culture Trailblazer of the Year. In 2019, he received the West Side Spirit’s WESTY Award, was honored by WNET for his contributions to the arts, and was the recipient of the James W. Dodge Foreign Language Advocate Award. In August 2020, City & State Magazine included Mr. Vilaro in the inaugural Power of Diversity: Latin 100 list. In January 2021, Mr. Vilaro was recognized with a Compassionate Leaders Award, given to leaders who are courageous, contemplative, collaborative, and care about the world they will leave behind. He is a well-respected speaker on such topics as diversity, equity, and inclusion in the arts, as well as on the merits of the intersectionality of cultures and the importance of nurturing and building Latinx leaders.

For Information on Ballet Hispánico

https://www.ballethispanico.org/  

Follow Joanne Carey on Instagram @westfieldschoolofdance 

WEBSITE Link

https://dancetalkwithjoannecarey.com/

YOUTUBE Link

UC4NldYaDOdGWsVd2378IyBw

And follow “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

Tune in. Follow. Like us. And Share. 

Please leave us review about our podcast! 

“Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey 

"Where the Dance World Connects, the Conversations Inspire, and Where We Are Keeping Them Real."

“Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey and special guest, conductor, Robin Fountain.

In this episode of Dance Talk with Joanne Carey, join host Joanne Carey as she chats with Special Guest, conductor, Robin Fountain about the world premiere of the Raffaella Ballet that they are working on.

Tune in as they discuss Robin's background in music and his process as a conductor, discussing the path to becoming a conductor, the role of a conductor in leading an orchestra, and the preparation process for conducting a piece of music. They also draw parallels between conducting and choreography in terms of leadership, preparation, and the importance of understanding the music or movement.

In this conversation, Joanne and Robin discuss the collaborative process of creating a ballet performance, specifically the project they have been working on for months, the Raffaella Ballet. They highlight the importance of communication and collaboration between the dancers, musicians, conductor, and composer, as well as enormous privilege and excitement of being part of a premiere and creating something new for the ballet world.

Robin Fountain is Professor Emeritus of Conducting at Vanderbuilt University’s Blair School of Music. He is in demand as guest conductor, with recent engagements including concerts with the Singapore Symphony, the Tennessee Philharmonic, the Louisiana Philharmonic, and L’Orchestre Philharmonique Sainte Trinite.

Learn more about Robin Fountain and his career

http://robinfountain.com/

Learn more about the Raffaella Ballet and to purchase tickets to the June premiere at the Morris Performing Arts Center in South Bend , Indiana

https://raffaellaballet.org/

Follow Joanne Carey on Instagram @westfieldschoolofdance 

And follow “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

Tune in. Follow. Like us. And Share. 

Please leave us review about our podcast! 

“Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey 

"Where the Dance World Connects, the Conversations Inspire, and Where We Are Keeping Them Real."

“Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey and special guest, choreographer and author, Vladimir Angelov.

In this episode of “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey, join host Joanne Carey as she chats with Special Guest, Vladimir Angelov, a renowned choreographer, and author. Together, they discuss his journey from Bulgaria to the United States and his passion for choreography. He shares his own journey as a choreographer and the satisfaction of contributing to the dance community. 

Mr. Angelov is also the founder of the International Choreography Organization and Networking Services (ICONS) that provides resources and opportunities for choreographers worldwide and emphasizes the importance of recognizing and supporting choreographers in the dance industry. His recently published book, 'You, the Choreographer: Creating and Crafting Dance' , does just that. It is a valuable guide for choreographers of all genres in their creative process. 

This engaging conversation explores the history and process of choreography, and also delves into the creative process of choreography, discussing the role of personal experiences, storytelling, and the exploration of norms and boundaries. 

Mr. Angelov is considered by many of his colleagues a key international expert in choreography, especially in philosophy and theory of choreography, as well as traditional and experimental approaches to creative practices. 

Vladimir Angelov (choreographer, author, lecturer, and executive director) graduated from the National School for Dance Arts in Sofia, Bulgaria. He studied philosophy at the University of Sofia and completed his master’s degree in dance and choreography at American University in Washington, D.C. Mr. Angelov served as a choreographer at the Washington National Opera at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., under the artistic direction of Placido Domingo. He also has choreographed for diverse musical, theater, film, and television productions. Mr. Angelov has created original contemporary ballets for companies such as Arizona Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Indianapolis Ballet, Richmond Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Washington Ballet in the United States, as well as Alberta Ballet in Canada, National Ballet of Finland, Ballet, National Ballet of Mexico, Ballet Manila in the Philippines, Tokyo City Ballet in Japan, Mariinsky Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia, among others. Mr. Angelov has been regular guest lecturer at the George Washington University and the American University in Washington DC, USA, and has taught at numerous universities and seminars at dance companies in Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, and Russia. He is the Founding and Executive Director of the International Consortium for Advancement in Choreography – Dance ICONS, Inc., the International Choreographers’ Organization and Networking Services – a global association for choreographers based in Washington, DC, USA. 

For Information on Dance ICONS visit ⁠https://www.danceicons.org/pages/index.php?p=151221143635 

You can purchase the book here

https://www.routledge.com/You-the-Choreographer-Creating-and-Crafting-Dance/Angelov/p/book/9780367444464 

Follow Joanne Carey on Instagram @westfieldschoolofdance

And follow “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

Tune in. Follow. Like us. And Share. 

Please leave us review about our podcast!

 “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey 

"Where the Dance World Connects, the Conversations Inspire, and Where We Are Keeping Them Real."

“Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey and special guest, Michelle Leagans. 

In this episode of Dance Talk with Joanne Carey, Joanne is joined by Michelle Leagans, an educator, choreographer, and author of her newly released book, "Hey Dancers, Let's Talk About it!"

Michelle shares her background in dance, starting at a young age and eventually dancing for the NBA and NFL. She discusses her experiences in the dance team industry in Texas and her passion for creating a positive and inclusive environment for dancers. Michelle also talks about her book, 'Hey Dancers, Let's Talk About It,' which aims to open up discussions about important topics in the dance industry. In this part of the conversation, Joanne and Michelle discuss the importance of effective communication in the dance world. They emphasize the need for dancers to choose their words wisely and have open lines of communication with their teachers and peers. They also discuss the quote from Michelle's book that highlights the importance of understanding the why behind dancing, rather than focusing solely on winning trophies. They go on to discuss several chapters from Michelle's book, including why dancers love to dance, the importance of supporting and cheering on teammates, and the significance of taking corrections and being open to feedback.

The conversation between Michelle Leagans and Joanne Carey focused on the importance of communication and positive energy in the dance community. They discussed the need for dancers, teachers, and parents to have open and honest conversations to improve team culture. Michelle emphasized the value of journaling as a tool for self-reflection and communication. They also touched on the impact of negative energy and the role of mental health in the dance community.

Michelle Leagans Todero began her dance journey at Oklahoma City University, where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance Performance. Following her academic pursuits, Michelle embarked on a remarkable performance career, gracing stages for esteemed organizations such as the NBA, NFL, Busch Gardens, and Six Flags. Her talent and dedication soon led her to the realm of choreography, where she found her true calling. Settling in Houston, Texas, Michelle immersed herself in drill team choreography, becoming a sought-after name in the industry. Over the years, she has crafted award-winning contest pieces for over 100 high school teams and continues to choreograph for the NFL Texans Cheerleaders. In recognition of her exceptional skills, Michelle was honored as the Texas Dance Educators Association All State Choreographer in 2018, solidifying her reputation as a leader in her field. Most notably, she lent her expertise to the world-famous Kilgore Rangerettes for their 2024 Revel performances. Driven by her passion for nurturing young talent, Michelle founded Power Intensives, a revolutionary dance program that fuses intensive training with a vibrant party atmosphere. With Power Intensives now spanning 20 locations annually and attracting over 1,500 dancers, Michelle's impact on the dance world continues to grow. She recently published her first book, Hey Dancers Let's Talk About It! Outside of her bustling career, Michelle finds joy and support in her loving family. She resides in Houston with her husband Jaymie and their two shelties.

Information on Michelle's Power Intensives visit https://powerintensives.com/

To purchase the book https://www.amazon.com/dp/1998454061?ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_dp_B2M2NJMGE6WXQKEMA1MW&language=en-US

Follow Joanne Carey on Instagram @westfieldschoolofdance 

And follow “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey wherever you listen to your podcasts. 

Tune in. Follow. Like us. And Share. 

Please leave us review about our podcast!

 “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey 

"Where the Dance World Connects, the Conversations Inspire, and Where We Are Keeping Them Real."