A new podcast takes a look at how America got such a divided media landscape from where we were 20 years ago. According to a Gallup poll, Americans believe they are more divided than ever, too. Eighty percent of Americans say the nation is “greatly divided” on “the most important values.”

One of Carolina Ballet’s founding members is wrapping her career as a principal dancer at the end of the 2025 season. Margaret Severin-Hansen began with the company in 1998 and will continue to work as an educator and director for two of its affiliate programs. We talk to her about her long and storied career and her plans for the future.

Guests

Ben Bradford, host of the mini series Engines of Outrage and the Landslide podcast by Nuance Tales and distributed by NPR

Margaret “Peggy” Severin-Hansen, principal dancer, director of the Ruth S. Shur Summer Intensive and co-chair of the School of Carolina Ballet