Bringing Season 2 of In Process to a close, Festival Director Anne Morris chats with fellow Dance Project Executive Director, Lauren Joyner, as they reflect on memories and highlights from the second half of the season. They echo ideas from the wide spectrum of guests about establishing a healthy and sustainable dance career, the need for equal access to funding and opportunities, and reexamining what a thriving career in dance can look like.

"In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed

For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf

Info about NCDF call for submissions: https://danceproject.org/ncdf-apply/

To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give

Follow us:

IG: @danceprojectinc

FB: NC Dance Festival

Guests featured in this episode:

Gerri Houlihan

Jody Cassell

Rae Cozart

MaD O’Brien

Kendall Ramirez

Faith Fidgeon

Jeff Aguiar

Princess Johnson

Milanda McGinnis

April Parker

Alexandra Joye Warren

Dr. David Popoli

Lesa Broadhead

Links to episodes mentioned:

Gerri Houlihan and Jody Cassell

https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-17-The-grace-and-dignity-of-my-years-guests-Jody-Cassell-and-Gerri-Houlihan-e1fmnnn

UNCSA 2022 grads (Faith Fidgeon, Kendall Ramirez, Rae Cozart, and maD O’Brien)

https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-22-What-is-my-learning-going-to-look-like--Guests-Faith-Fidgeon--Rae-Cozart--Kendall-Ramirez--maD-OBrien-e1j35c3

Jeff Aguiar

https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-12-Lean-into-artistry-as-disruption-guest-Jeff-Aguiar-e1dna1i

Black Creatives (Milanda McGinnis, April Parker, Princess Johnson, Alexandra Joye Warren)

Part 1: https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-15-Speaking-my-truth-part-1-guests-Princess-Howell-Johnson--Milanda-McGinnis--April-Parker--Alexandra-Joye-Warren-e1eqn2b/a-a7ffc5o

Part 2:

https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-16-Speaking-my-truth-part-2-Guests-Princess-Howell-Johnson--Milanda-McGinnis--April-Parker--Alexandra-Joye-Warren-e1f53u7/a-a7gnb4f

Dr. David Popoli

https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-21-Its-about-keeping-people-moving-e1ibu93

Lesa Broadhead

https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-18-A-culture-of-confidence-and-creativity-guest-Lesa-Broadhead-e1gfrni

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris speaks with four 2022 UNCSA contemporary dance graduates, Faith Fidgeon, Kendall Ramirez, maD O’Brien, and Rae Cozart. As these artists transition out of guided education, we discuss the ways they are trying to deal with that disorientation and take control of their own learning. We’ll talk about why it feels like they’ve been thrown by an elephant, how the pandemic changed their relationship to dance, and the kind of artistic communities they are looking to create, serve and participate in.

Links:

Come see our guests perform with Chris Yon and Taryn Griggs at ADF this June: https://americandancefestival.org/event/made-in-north-carolina/

Websites for the artists:

Rae Cozart:

https://www.rachelmcozart.com/

IG:  @raecozartt

LinkedIn: Rae Cozart

maD O’Brien:

https://obrienml4.wixsite.com/mysite

IG: @madmarshob

Faith Fidgeon:

https://faithfidgeon.squarespace.com/

IG: @faithfidgeon

LinkedIn: Faith Fidgeon

Kendall Ramirez:

https://kendallramirezartist.squarespace.com/

IG: @kendall_ramirez

This week festival director Anne Morris speaks with Dr. David Popoli, a Sports Medicine physician at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist specializing in Performing Arts Medicine. Dr. Popoli speaks about his dedication to approaching the work of getting artists safely and sustainably back to their artform by considering artist health in a holistic way, from sports medicine to physical therapy to nutrition and psychology. He shares his tactics for providing patient-driven care by learning the language of dance, music, and other arts, and striving to keep performing arts medicine clinics as safe spaces for artists.

"In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed

Links:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/atriumhealthwfb

FB: https://www.facebook.com/AtriumHealthWakeForestBaptist/

For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf

To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give

Follow us:

IG: @danceprojectinc

FB: NC Dance Festival

This week Festival director Anne Morris speaks with ShaLeigh Comerford, founder, and director of ShaLeigh Dance Works, and Jodee Nimerichter, Executive Director of the American Dance Festival (ADF) in Durham, NC. An annual festival bringing students and dance companies from across the US and internationally, the American Dance Festival plays a particular role in providing opportunities for students and audiences to experience the breadth and depth of modern dance. In this conversation, Jodee and ShaLeigh talk about how much can be learned by driving a bus, the kinds of education many artists are missing, and the importance of building and drawing on artistic networks.

Links:

Connect with ShaLeigh:

Instagram: #shaleighdanceworks

Twitter: @ShaleighDance

Facebook: @shaleighdanceworks

Connect with Jodee/American Dance Festival:

Instagram: @americandancefest

Twitter: @AmerDanceFest

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AmerDanceFest

Website: americandancefestival.org

For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf

To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give

Follow us:

IG: @danceprojectinc

FB: NC Dance Festival

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris speaks with the President of NCDEO (North Carolina Dance Education Organization) and Dance educator, Laura Stauderman. The mission of NCDEO is to support and advance dance education in NC as a component of lifelong learning while providing resources and creating a sense of community for NC dance educators. As a high school dance educator herself, Laura sees firsthand the impact of exposing the next generation to art early on and the social-emotional benefits dance provides. In this conversation, we discuss how those social-emotional benefits became essential during COVID, how art education and experiences are critical even to those not considering a career in the arts, and how connection through dance helps students and educators thrive.

"In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed

Links from this episode:

NCDEO: https://ncdeo.org/

NDEO: https://www.ndeo.org/

FB: @northcarolinadeo

IG:@ncdeo

Twitter:@ncdanceedo

For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf

To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give

Follow us:

IG: @danceprojectinc

FB: NC Dance Festival

This week Festival Director Anne Morris speaks with Lesa Broadhead, teaching artist and director of the Dance Theatre of DREAMS, at the DREAMS Center for Arts Education in Wilmington, NC. The mission of DREAMS is to create a culture of confidence for youth and teens through equitable access to arts education. Lesa talks about how she overcame the initial challenge of transitioning from leading college-level dance programs to an after-school dance program, how she collaborates with others in the community to provide pre-professional experiences to her students, and the joy of nurturing the natural creativity and curiosity of young children.

"In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed

Links from this episode:

DREAMS -- https://givetodreams.org/

For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf

To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give

Follow us:

IG: @danceprojectinc

FB: NC Dance Festival

This week’s episode, adapted from a community conversation at the February 2022 Monthly Dancer Chat, features Jody Cassell and Gerri Houlihan in conversation about aging as dancers. Jody and Gerri share their experiences about their journeys as dancers into their later life and how they maintain their bodies, minds, and spirits to continue feeding their love for dance as their relationship to the art form changes. They provide inspiration on how to nurture the artist within throughout the joys and challenges of aging.

“In Process” is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist’s Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed

Listen  to the full podcast at: https://danceproject.org/in-process/

Links:

Spring Forest Qigong

Holden Qigong

The Big Red Dance Project

Gerri's class at American Dance Festival Studio: https://americandancefestival.org/studios/dancestudios/adult-classes/

For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf

To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give

Follow us:

IG: @danceprojectinc

FB: NC Dance Festival

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris continues a conversation with four Greensboro-based artists: Princess Howell Johnson, Milanda McGinnis, April Parker, and Alexandra Joye Warren. In this 2-part conversation, these four women have an honest discussion on what is needed locally and nationally for Black artists to thrive, and the structural barriers that Black artists have faced and continue to confront and overcome. In the second part of the conversation, we discuss the impact that repeated rejection from funding or presenting structures can have on mental health, the ripple effects of being unapologetically true to your authentic self, and practical suggestions to predominantly white-led organizations for sharing resources and taking a step back so Black-led organizations can rise.

"In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed

Links:

Part 1 of this conversation.

SoulFlower Wellness/Milanda McGinnis

Podcast: Girl You Ain’t Crazy

Joyemovement Dance Company/ Alexandra Joye Warren

Royal Expressions/Princess Johnson

Elsewhere Museum/April Parker

Black Creatives Revival: May 20-22

For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf

To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give

Follow us:

IG: @danceprojectinc

FB: NC Dance Festival

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris speaks with four Greensboro-based artists: Princess Howell Johnson, Milanda McGinnis, April Parker, and Alexandra Joye Warren. In this 2-part conversation, these four women have an honest discussion on what is needed locally and nationally for Black artists to thrive, and the structural barriers that Black artists have faced and continue to confront and overcome. In this first part of the conversation, we talk about the ways these artists create spaces for and by Black artists, and how their feelings about that work have shifted over the years. We also speak on the importance of “who is in the room,” when decisions about funding, artistic opportunities, and more are on the line, and the ways that efforts like the Black Creatives Revival can support Black artists.

"In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed

Links:

SoulFlower Wellness/Milanda McGinnis

Podcast: Girl You Ain’t Crazy

Joyemovement Dance Company/ Alexandra Joye Warren

Royal Expressions/Princess Johnson

Elsewhere Museum/April Parker

Black Creatives Revival: May 20-22

For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf

To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give

Follow us:

IG: @danceprojectinc

FB: NC Dance Festival

This week Festival Director Anne Morris speaks with Tarayjah Hoey-Gordon, a dance educator, movement artist, and the founder of Dance Now Cry Later, an organization created to Educate, Elevate, and Inspire the next generation of dancers. Tarayjah shares the creative ways she’s finding to mentor young dance artists and describes her drive to create spaces and relationships that she would have benefitted from as she came up in the dance community. Tarayjah provides insight on how we can better respect Street Dance culture and break down the barriers between communities in the dance world, including studio dancers, street dancers, K-12 dance educators, and more. Hear how her position on the border of many of these communities provides a unique perspective and fuels her dedication to feed the NC dance community as a whole.

"In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed

Links from this episode:

Website: www.DanceNowCryLater.com

Connect on Social Media:

IG: @Tarayjah @DanceNowCryLater

FB: https://www.facebook.com/DanceNowCryLater

Website: www.DanceNowCryLater.com

For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf

Info about NCDF call for submissions: https://danceproject.org/ncdf-apply/

To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give

Follow us:

IG: @danceprojectinc

FB: NC Dance Festival