Stairway For Ballet

Mr. Warren is a Detroit native, and a former Professional Dancer, having started dance at the age of 14. He is also a working musician in Detroit as a percussionist and harpist. In this episode, Mr. Warren provide invaluable tips about talent and ability for dancers, and also talks about the importance of just dancing and being one with the music. Mr. Warren dives into the core values and gives insightful advice that I know will inspire a lot of dancers and musicians.

Ms. Veronique studied and danced professionally in Europe for over 20 years, including 7 years with the Dutch National Ballet in Amsterdam and she currently is offering GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® training in which incorporates principles of movement she mastered during her dance career, as well as physiology and injury prevention principals she learned with massage therapy. In the episode, Ms. Veronique is incredibly open to her experiences in her dance journey and also shares tips and insight about how to move on from the embedded image and expectation of ballet.  Ms. Veronique is such an inspiring person and I am honored to share our conversation with you all. 

In this episode, we are going to talk about how dancers can promote racial equality in the studio. We are going to explore the importance of navigating racism in the studio and what we can do if we experience and/or witness it- ultimately creating an environment where BIPOC dancers feel safe and inclusive in the studio setting.

In this episode, we are going to talk about racial stereotyping on stage in ballet. We dive into the historical background of the usage of racial stereotyping in ballet such as Blackface and Yellowface to the current controversies that surrounds them. We also discuss the meaning of traditions and if those traditions are unassailable when prioritizing diversity and inclusiveness in our world. 

In this episode, we talk about the systemic racism in ballet and the factors contributing to ballet's lack of diversity. We explore the demographics of the United States in terms of race and the hopeful outlook of progress in reaching equality and increasing diversity in ballet.