The Adult Ballet Studio

Aubrey Lynch II, dean of students and director of ABT Wellness and RISE with American Ballet Theatre in New York City, joined the studio to talk about his work to further mental health and DEI initiatives at ABT and beyond! He focuses on mentoring students at ABT and providing resources for them, as well as expanding access to mental health resources that support the whole dancer in and out of the studio. He also works to build upon ABT’s diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives to make ballet a more welcoming place on stage, in the audience and behind the scenes. Prior to joining American Ballet Theatre, Aubrey was the dance director and chief education and creative programs officer at The Harlem School of the Arts. Before transitioning to arts administration, he was one of the final dancers hand-selected by Alvin Ailey to join Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Aubrey was an original company member of Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and he was an original cast member of the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, Disney's The Lion King. Aubrey also acted as the production's associate choreographer, and later, the associate producer. We talked about the importance of self-reflection in ballet, providing visibility for BIPOC and female dancers and choreographers, and why access to mental health is so important for dancers. 

• Follow Aubrey on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@aubreylynch
• Learn more about Aubrey's work: ⁠⁠www.aubreylynch.com
• Learn about ABT's RISE program: https://www.abt.org/community/abt-rise/
• Support American Ballet Theatre: https://www.abt.org/support/individual-giving/membership/
• Follow Aubrey Lynch In Reflection: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuScqUc3gX4&list=PL4kr2tqzHCEb52fNAgZ50pGyPw1MAk2Nm

Music in this episode:

Waltz of the Flowers - Tchaikovsky

Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light - Kevin MacLeod

Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. ⁠⁠⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/⁠⁠⁠

Source: ⁠⁠⁠http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100310⁠⁠⁠

Artist: ⁠⁠⁠http://incompetech.com/⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠@eblosfield⁠⁠⁠ | [email protected]

Support this podcast on Patreon! ⁠⁠⁠https://patreon.com/TheAdultBalletStudio?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rachel Toburen is a multidisciplinary artist working with paint, photography, perfume, and dance, and she’s in the studio this month talking all about her exploration of memory, mental health, and adult ballet! Rachel uses her artwork to explore memory and the experience of memory, and she shared how those concepts show up in her dancing and choreography. We talked about how sights, sounds, and smells can trigger certain memories and how artwork can change as the mind takes in new experiences and memories evolve. Rachel returned to ballet in 2018 after a nearly 20-year absence from dance and has been training rigorously, even through the pandemic. In 2022, she began exploring the choreographic side of her interests, and this year, she’s working on developing a full short ballet as a retelling of the story of Medusa in five movements. She spoke with me about the experience of returning to ballet and performing as an adult, how she connects her painting and perfume work to dance, and how mental health is a big part of the work she does as she sees dance as a full body and mind experience. Check it out!

• Follow Rachel on Instagram: ⁠⁠@metasynchronic
• Learn more about Rachel's work: ⁠www.metasynchronic.com
• Find info about Rachel's upcoming show: https://ppld.librarymarket.com/event/mental-health-art-show-opening-399794

Music in this episode:

Waltz of the Flowers - Tchaikovsky

Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light - Kevin MacLeod

Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. ⁠⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/⁠⁠

Source: ⁠⁠http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100310⁠⁠

Artist: ⁠⁠http://incompetech.com/⁠⁠

⁠⁠@eblosfield⁠⁠ | [email protected]

Support this podcast on Patreon! ⁠⁠https://patreon.com/TheAdultBalletStudio?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jessica Wallis, founder and executive director of the non-profit organization, Ballet in the City, joined the studio for the March 19th episode! Ballet in the City presents programming and events to promote and enhance the culture of ballet in cities all over the world. It works to connect ballet enthusiasts with professional dancers, scholarships, and educational opportunities. Jessica is a dancer and a two-time honors graduate of The University of Akron. She has been honored for her work with an official proclamation from the City of Cleveland in her home state of Ohio and was presented with a Distinguished Alumni award by the Cuyahoga Falls Schools Foundation in 2018. On this episode, she discusses how she’s working to expand inclusivity and access to ballet all over the world with programs like the Ballet in the City Scholarship, which began in 2015 in collaboration with Misty Copeland to promote equality in the arts for Black dancers. Ballet in the City also has a Guys Dance Too program to make dance more accessible for men of all ages and abilities and an adult ballet program, including a pointe program for adults who want to return to pointe or begin it for the first time. 

• Follow Ballet in the City on Instagram: ⁠@balletincity
• Learn more about Ballet in the City: www.balletinthecity.org
• Donate to help Ballet in the City expand access to ballet: https://www.balletinthecity.org/donate

Music in this episode:

Waltz of the Flowers - Tchaikovsky

Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light - Kevin MacLeod

Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. ⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/⁠

Source: ⁠http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100310⁠

Artist: ⁠http://incompetech.com/⁠

⁠@eblosfield⁠ | [email protected]

Support this podcast on Patreon! ⁠https://patreon.com/TheAdultBalletStudio?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Award-winning dancer, choreographer and creative director, Dani Vitale, is in the studio for our March 5th episode! She is a Los Angeles-based artist and has not only toured the world as a backup dancer for other top artists, but choreographed and creative directed world tours, awards shows, and music videos. She has also been a voice for the dance community, advocating on the boards of SAG-AFTRA and Dancers Alliance for fair industry wages and for dancers to be respected as athletes. As an Under Armor athlete in 2017, she returned to her hometown dance studio in Cleveland, Ohio, to give it a complete renovation so that it could continue to be a safe, inspiring, and creative place for its students. She spoke on this episode about her best advice for dancers to handle the industry’s challenges, how dancers can find a place where they fit within the dance world, and how instructors can build an inclusive environment in their studios. She shared audition advice, fun backstage memories from tours, and some recent, exciting projects she’s been working on!

• Follow Dani on Instagram: @danivitale
• See Dani perform with Halsey at the 2019 American Music Awards: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=halsey+graveyard+ama
• Learn about Dani’s renovation of The Dance Stop in Cleveland, Ohio: https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2017/09/dani_vitale_and_under_armour_t.html

Music in this episode:

Waltz of the Flowers - Tchaikovsky

Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light - Kevin MacLeod

Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100310

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

@eblosfield | [email protected]

Support this podcast on Patreon! https://patreon.com/TheAdultBalletStudio?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vanessa Woods, the founder of Vitality in Motion and Vitality Ballet and a former professional dancer, joined the Adult Ballet Studio for its mid-February episode! Vanessa trained at the Conservatory of Dance at SUNY Purchase, Princeton Ballet, Miami City Ballet School and STEPS on Broadway in New York City. She has performed with ballet companies around the country, including Suzanne Farrell Ballet in Washington DC, Pennsylvania Ballet and Colorado Ballet. She danced with the Saint Louis Ballet, performing soloist and principal roles for eight seasons. She was also on faculty with the Saint Louis Ballet School and has taught at other ballet schools across the country. She’s now teaching and bringing ballet classes to adults of all ages, with a specific focus on seniors in retirement communities and nursing homes. In this episode, she discusses her two companies and the work they’re doing to bring ballet to everyone, her ballet career, and what it was like transitioning from the stage to entrepreneurship.

• Follow Vanessa on Instagram: @Vanessamw2, @vitality_ballet, @vitality_in_motion

• Learn more about Vitality in Motion: https://vitalityinmotion.com/ 
• Learn more about Vitality Ballet: https://vitalityballet.com/ 

Music in this episode:

Waltz of the Flowers - Tchaikovsky

Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light - Kevin MacLeod

Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100310

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

@eblosfield | [email protected]

Support this podcast on Patreon! https://patreon.com/TheAdultBalletStudio?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Author, librarian, archivist, and adult ballet dancer Joanna Marsh joined The Adult Ballet Studio this month to talk all about books, history, ballet and more! She’s the author of two novels — Cantique and La Follia — that focus on the adult ballet community, and her work as a librarian and archivist has led her down some fun rabbit holes into the history of ballet. She’s also a visual artist and a ballet dancer herself, rediscovering ballet in her 20s after a brief experience with it in her teens. We talked about how dance has evolved throughout its history and why Joanna sees it as a countercultural art form, why it’s important to continuously surprise yourself and your audience as an artist, and she gives her best advice for adult ballet dancers to advocate for themselves in their training. She also offers some great writing tips! 

• Follow Joanna on Instagram: @balletlibrarian @jemvisualart
• Check out her books, Cantique and La Follia: https://www.joannamarshbooks.com
• Check out her art work: www.joannamarsh.com 
• Visit her February show at The David Strawn Gallery: http://www.strawnartgallery.org/2023-2024-gallery-season/

Music in this episode:

Waltz of the Flowers - Tchaikovsky

Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light - Kevin MacLeod

Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100310

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

@eblosfield | [email protected]

Support this podcast on Patreon! https://patreon.com/TheAdultBalletStudio?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy new year! Natalie Orr, body-based intelligence coach and former professional dancer and instructor, is in the studio this month to talk about dance, embodiment, chronic illness, and more! She has more than 16 years of teaching experience both as a dance teacher and an English as a foreign language teacher. She taught in Madrid for many years and created an online dance movement for adults called Natalie Danza, where she ran classes, workshops and retreats in London, Madrid, and Málaga. For the past four years, she’s taken a step back from dancing to run a success coaching business where she helps clients become more in tune with their bodies. We spoke about her decision to take a break from dance, as well as her experience being diagnosed with endometriosis and the challenges of being a person who menstruates or has a woman’s body in ballet. She shared her advice for adult dancers to focus on nurturing their bodies as well as growth and why both are important. We also discussed why dancers need to be more careful about balancing their hard work and perfectionism with periods of rest and kindness to their bodies. 

• Follow Natalie on Instagram: ⁠⁠@bodybasedintelligence⁠
• Learn more about Natalie and her coaching business: ⁠https://www.natalieorr.com
• Check out Natalie's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BodybasedIntelligence

Music in this episode:

Waltz of the Flowers - Tchaikovsky

Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light - Kevin MacLeod

Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. ⁠⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/⁠⁠

Source: ⁠⁠http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100310⁠⁠

Artist: ⁠⁠http://incompetech.com/⁠⁠

⁠⁠@eblosfield⁠⁠ | [email protected]

Support this podcast on Patreon! ⁠https://patreon.com/TheAdultBalletStudio?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Phil Chan, co-founder of the non-profit Final Bow for Yellowface, joined the studio this month to talk about his work with the organization to improve representation of Asians in ballet and eliminate offensive stereotypes on stage. Phil co-founded the organization alongside Georgina Pazcoguin, former New York City Ballet soloist, and they are both doing great work to advocate for Asian artists within ballet and beyond. Phil is also the author of two books - Final Bow for Yellowface: Dancing between Intention and Impact and Banishing Orientalism: Dancing between Exotic and Familiar - as well as a choreographer and a stage director. He directed his first opera this summer, a reimagining of Puccini's 1904 classic Madama Butterfly, and is currently in the process of reworking the famous ballet La Bayadere to appeal to 21st century audiences. We talked about how his own experiences as a Chinese American during the COVID-19 pandemic shaped his approach to his work as a dancer and activist. We also talked about how dancers of any age can push through fear and get into the ballet studio. And, as if he’s not busy enough, Phil is also president of the Gold Standard Arts Foundation, an organization that works to elevate Asian voices in the arts. Phil does so much great work for dance and the live arts, and it was an honor to talk to him!

• Follow Final Bow on Instagram: ⁠@finalbowforyellowface
• Learn more about Final Bow for Yellowface: https://www.yellowface.org/
• Support Asian voices in the arts: https://www.goldstandardarts.org/
• Stop hate against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders: https://stopaapihate.org/donate/
• Donate to Maui's wildfire recovery efforts: https://www.hawaiicommunityfoundation.org/strengthening/maui-strong-fund

Music in this episode:

Waltz of the Flowers - Tchaikovsky

Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light - Kevin MacLeod

Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. ⁠https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/⁠

Source: ⁠http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100310⁠

Artist: ⁠http://incompetech.com/⁠

⁠@eblosfield⁠ | [email protected]

Support this podcast on Patreon! https://patreon.com/TheAdultBalletStudio?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julie Leung, founder of Broche Ballet, joined the studio this month to talk about her journey from being "a clumsy and inflexible teen" to taking her first ballet class at 17 and eventually opening her own studio for adult ballet dancers in 2017! Broche Ballet is now thriving as a fully online ballet studio offering classes and resources to help adult dancers follow their ballet dreams. She spoke about spending her early 20s in New York, where she connected with the teachers and studios that taught her hustle and perseverance, why facing fears is important to her and led her to try ballet in the first place, and her best advice for adult dancers to improve and achieve their goals at any age.

• Follow Julie on Instagram: @julietheballerina | @brocheballet | @iabf_adultballetfestival
• Visit Broche Ballet: www.brocheballetonline.com
• Check out the International Adult Ballet Festival: https://www.internationaladultballetfestival.com/
• Be the first to know about Broche Magazine: https://brochemagazine.com/password

Music in this episode:

Waltz of the Flowers - Tchaikovsky

Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light - Kevin MacLeod

Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100310

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

@eblosfield | [email protected]

Support this podcast on Patreon! ⁠https://patreon.com/TheAdultBalletStudio?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leigh Purtill Ballet Company is an LA-based non-profit adult ballet company, and artistic director Leigh Purtill joined the studio this month to talk about its mission of bringing ballet to everyone! We chatted about the need for more women in leadership roles in ballet, breaking boundaries with storytelling and reaching those who don't fit the mold of the perfect dancer, zombies and a spooky-themed ballet (it is October, after all!), and how Leigh went from feeling frustrated with ballet in college to rediscovering its joys through teaching adults. Check out her interview!

• Follow Leigh Purtill Ballet Company on Instagram: @leighpurtillballetcompany
• Support LPBC's mission of ballet for everyone: https://www.leighpurtillballetcompany.org/donate
• Buy tickets for Cracked: Nutcracker with a Twist: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cracked-nutcracker-with-a-twist-tickets-693801006487?aff=oddtdtcreator

Music in this episode:

Waltz of the Flowers - Tchaikovsky

Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light - Kevin MacLeod

Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100310

Artist: http://incompetech.com/

@eblosfield | [email protected]

Support this podcast on Patreon! ⁠https://patreon.com/TheAdultBalletStudio?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=join_link⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.