Athletes and the Arts

Yasi and Steven talk with the energetic Jesùs Florido, a one-time competitive tennis player turned professional violinist, composer, producer and entrepreneur. An innovator at heart, Jesus takes you through his athletic career, its unintended impact in his musical development, his unique musical fusion style, developing into a music virtuoso, and his work in developing music careers through the Màs y Màs Music Foundation.For more on Jesùs' career, go to https://www.jesusflorido.comInstagram: @latinfiddlerBio: With his debut, Heading North, violinist, composer, and bandleader Jesus Florido introduces compelling artistry balanced on a fine axis of musical virtuosity and pure heart. "This album came about from what is not out there from an instrumental point of view," he explains. "Jazz, rock, classical, Latin -- my album is a melting pot."The savory list of sonic influences can be traced back to Venezuela, Jesus' home, and its pastiche of Cuban, Dominican, Trinidadian, and African cultures. Jesus' family is Italian, and in the grand European tradition, opera and classical music also informed his early years.He arrived in the U.S. to further his studies in musical academia but was soon performing in cavernous arenas to enormous audiences with Yo-Yo Ma, the Moody Blues, Jimmy Page & Robert Plant, and Whitney Houston. This high-profile exposure fueled the fire to ignite his own solo career.Heading North is notable for the contributions of the musicians, producers, engineers, and programmers who join Jesus. "It was important to me that project was different from the get-go," he relates. "I wanted to communicate on a higher level." Heading North features a superlative ensemble.Jesus composes in an unconventional miracle of pure inspiration, building songs from a rhythmic and harmonic base -- chords and a drumbeat -- then improvising on top of them. "I may clean it up, but I assure you, on every track what you hear is exactly what came through my head at that moment. To write fresh music I have to recall exactly how I felt about the tune the first time I heard it," he reveals.Across this vivid spectrum of music, the unmistakable timbre of Jesus' violin remains an indelible voice connecting the songs that comprise Heading North. From the sophisticated veneer of the title track to the incendiary Latin grooves of "Mi Negra," the prog-rock influenced "Con Todo," the electro-Santeria vibe of "Gitano" to the funk-informed "Olividado," Jesus bends rhythmic and melodic structures to his will. "Every song is a story without words," he relates. "If I can tell it to the audience when they listen to my record, then I've succeeded." With his violin as a compass, Jesus Florido heads toward a limitless musical horizon with a stunning debut, Heading North."

Whisper networks develop in the theater world as an informal communication network, a source of solidarity, or even a way to fight abuse and injustice. Join Yasi and Steven as they discuss this issue with Dr. Ted Carter, professor at Ballarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky. Dr Carter wrote a dissertation about whisper networks, and we discuss the issues of professional misconduct and miscreant behaviors that often lead to whisper networks forming. We also dive into his work in human simulation technology to educate our future medical professionals.For Dr. Carter's dissertation, go to https://uknowledge.uky.edu/comm_etds/97/For more information on Athletes and the Arts, go to https://www.athletesandthearts.comDr. Carter's Linkedin profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ted-carter-53235b90/Bio: Dr Ted Carter, based in Louisville, KY, US, is currently a Simulation Educator at Bellarmine University. Ted Carter brings experience from previous roles at University of Louisville, Cork Leadership and University of Kentucky. Ted Carter holds a 2017 - 2021 Doctor of Philosophy - PhD in Health Communication @ University of Kentucky. With a robust skill set that includes Public Speaking, Management, Teaching, Medical Simulation, Social Media and more.

Yasi and Steven get into the Electronic Dance Music scene with Taylor Jordan (a.k.a. TSlayz) to learn about the life of a professional DJ. From all-night DJ sets to self-defense scrunchies to Frank Sinatra to Gamers For Giving, Taylor takes us behind the scenes.Taylor's instagram @taylorjordndj, @tslayzTik Tok: @tslayzFor Gamers For Giving, go to https://gamersforgiving.orgFor her interview with Bold Journey, go to https://boldjourney.com/meet-taylor-jordn/Bio: Taylor Jordn (aka Tslayz) Is a full time DJ, Content Creator & Streamer. She hails from Detroit, Michigan but have lived in Los Angeles CA. She has had a true passion for Techno music ever since she was a kid. She got my first set of DJ decks 15 years ago and instantly knew music was her life's pursuit. She wears a lot of hats with the within the realm of the numerous industries. She constantly finds myself with an overbooked schedule and a daily to do list. She streams full time on Twitch playing games like Apex Legends, Halo & League of Legends. She built up a like minded positive uplifting community called the Slayerz Club. It bridges the gap between her music and gaming fanbases to have a safe space to chat make friends in the gaming and Techno community. She has been vegetarian for 10 years and 3 years Vegan. Her trusty companion is her 4-year-old puppy named Lenci.

Join Yasi and Steven, along with Athletes and the Arts co-founder Randy Dick, as we talk to the quintessential Athlete and Artist, Tim Cunningham. He turned down a chance to play in the NFL to pursue a career as a professional jazz musician. Thirty years later, after recording 8 albums and touring all over the world, he is still going strong. He talks about the difficulty playing Division 1 football, maintaining his passion for music over the years, and staying healthy while playing the sax.Tim's website: www.timcunninghammusic.comInstagram: @tim.cunninghamsaxophonistFacebook: @TimCunninghamMusicPageBio: When Tim Cunningham was faced with the choice between the football field or the musical stage, fortunately he chose the latter. Having played the saxophone for over half his life, Tim spent his college years at Michigan State splitting his time between playing defense and playing music. And although a football scholarship saw him through school, his passion for the sax has carried him well beyond, as he passed up an NFL contract and eventually pursued a career in music.For decades the words "smooth , sultry, cool & funky" have been used to describe Tim's high energy and emotional stage show as his sexy blend of smooth jazz and soulful R&B connects with people of all ages, races and genres of music. This unique and versatile style has earned Tim the pleasure of opening for jazz greats Dave Koz, Norman Brown, Brian Culbertson and George Benson. On the flip side, his bumpin' R&B flavor has on occasion paired him with Earth Wind & Fire, Cameo, Boyz II Men, Patti Labelle, Frankie Beverly, Jeffrey Osborne, and the late Luther Vandross.Signed to Atlantic Records in 1994 Tim's first major label release, "Right Turn Only," featuring the efforts of Will Downing, Brian Culbertson, Kevin Whalum, and Bobby Lyle was released in 1996. It's featured single, "This is the Life," hit #19 on the Smooth Jazz Chart and received much international airplay. Tim's additional CD credits include "Sax Change Operation", "A Change in Altotude", "Waiting For Love", "Inner Peace", and "Manchester Road" which was picked up by Nite Breeze Music/Universal in 2008. His 2011 release entitled "Reflection", features a cool collection of original tracks packed with smooth grooves and emotional ballads. In 2012 Tim recorded and released "Tim Cunningham Live" where he covered a collection of some of his favorite songs.In 2019 Tim hosted and performed in the 1st Annual Smooth Jazz Cruise on Land in St. Louis. This inaugural festival featured Brian Culbertson, Eric Darius, Grace Kelly and Erin Bode and was produced by Entertainment Cruises Productions and producers of the Smooth Jazz Cruise.Tim's experiences bridge beyond the live stage to TV as he co-wrote and performed the theme song to 20th Century Fox's "Bertice Berry Show". He also appeared in the movie, "The Ghost Who Walks" as Officer Taylor, three episodes of "The Untouchables" TV series as The Saxophonist, BET's "Jazz Central and a commercial spot for Budweiser. In 2021 "Smile" co-written with Al Caldwell from Tim's "Waiting for Love" CD was featured in the movie, "The Job" written, directed and produced by Randy J. Goodwin.In October 2022, after nearly a 10 year recording hiatus "Freedom" was released, with his new single, "Enough Said" (remix) climbing the Smooth Jazz Network , Radio Wave and Smoothjazz.com charts.

Yasi and Steve join Athletes and the Arts Founder Randy Dick in welcoming opera singer Leslie Bickle onto the show. Leslie discusses her journey from Canada to the UK, performing for the late Queen Elizabeth II, working with performers to overcome performance anxiety, and becoming a yogi and yoga's value in singing and performing.Leslie's website: http://www.lesliebickle.comAthletes and the Arts website: http://www.athletesandthearts.comBio: Leslie Bickle is an opera singer and Yoga Alliance certified yoga teacher specialising in vinyasa, mandala, yin and restorative yoga. She has an eclectic background as a music teacher, a ballet dancer, and she has played many different instruments including violin, cello and flute.Originally from Canada, Leslie's performing career has taken her across the globe. Recent role highlights include Donna Anna (Don Giovanni), Rosalinde (Die Fledermaus), Micaëla (La Tragédie de Carmen) and Ilia (Idomeneo). She was a National finalist with the Canadian Music Competition and National semi-finalist/Regional finalist with the New York Lyric Opera Theatre. She received the Catherine Osbourne Opera Award, and was a recipient of the Philip Hattey Scholarship and the Dame Eva Turner Scholarship. She also had the immense pleasure of meeting and singing for the late Queen Elizabeth II.To date, Leslie has had the privilege of working with various companies in her native country of Canada and in Europe. This has included Opera Atelier, Muskoka Opera Festival, Amersham Festival of Music, Tapestry Opera, the Berlin Opera Academy, Canadian Stage Company, Toronto Opera Collaborative, Oakville Chamber Orchestra and the Toronto New Music Festival. In additional to her extensive singing background, Leslie is the founder of Yoga with the Breath, a health and wellness yoga start up company that provides education, classes and resources for performers, organisations and institutions. Leslie works with her clients to provide customised support to meet individual needs. She has a particular interest in optimising breathing and helping people manage performance anxiety. Leslie recently gave private and group yoga sessions and customised support for athletes at the Vitality 10km race with Our Parks UK.Leslie is also a speaker and supporter of health and wellness for elite performers. She was invited to speak at the MHPC22 conference in Oslo Norway in the autumn of 2022. The MHPC22 international conference was for physicians, athletic trainers, therapists, and music and performing arts students and professions, who seek to improve the performance, health and well-being of musicians and performing artists within all genres. Most recently, Leslie was invited to speak at the international conference PAMA, where she gave a talk on performance anxiety and conscious breathwork.Leslie is a graduate from the University of Toronto Faculty of Music, and the prestigious Royal Academy Opera programme at the Royal Academy of Music, and she currently resides in London, England.

Our topic today is resilience in performance, overcoming obstacles to make it in the performing arts. Tasi and Steven talk with up-and-coming star Anna Dreslinski, a singer/dancer who is currently performing in the opera Ainadamar at the Met in New York. She straddles the worlds of opera and musical theater, performing in shows such as West Side Story, Amadeus, and others, but she's had to overcome many different issues along the way. This includes hip surgery, injuries keeping her out of rhythmic gymnastics, and abuse at the hands of Dr. Larry Nassar, the imprisoned US Gymnastics physician. Her life lessons are inspirational, and you won't want to miss this episode.WARNING: This episode discusses sexual abuse, and although no graphic detail is described, the topic may be sensitive for some of our audience, so we want to issue this warning in advance.For Anna's page with the Met Opera, go to: https://www.metopera.org/discover/artists/soprano/anna-dreslinski/Instagram @adreslinskiFor more on Athletes and the Arts, go to http://www.athletesandthearts.com

Yasi and Steven talk with actress Carolyn Ann Miller about life on and off the stage. She shares about her ups and downs as a NYC actress, her performances in South Pacific and Titanic, and her creation of Safe Space for actors.Instagram: @carolynannemilleractorFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/carolyn.a.miller.54/Bio: Carolyn Anne Miller is a born and raised Chicago native. She moved from Chicago to New York City immediately after graduating college in 2015 and would dare to say that after almost 10 years she is now a proud New Yorker.However, Chicago hotdogs will always be better than NYC's attempt. Sorry!Offstage, she's constantly creating, whether it's workshopping her cabaret, interior design, writing in her free time, planning her new musical, free drawing or illustrating her mom's new children's book, or crying and laughing so hard at her favorite place on earth, **SAFE SPACE (IG: @safespacemanhattan). She is also a massive lover of the earth and spends as much time as she can outside!Carolyn has worked in and out of NYC since moving here. She performed in the 10-person ensemble supporting TITUSS BURGESS in his Carnegie Hall production of Take Me to the World: A Stephen Sondheim Tribute. She's created a home regionally with the Fulton Theatre and Maine State Music Theatre starring in many of their shows including; South Pacific, Nellie Forbush; 9TO5, Doralee Rhodes; Something Rotten, Portia; Spelling Bee, Olive Ostrovsky; Titanic, Kate McGowan, and several more.**Carolyn and her friend Jenn Smith created Safe Space, a judgement-free, supportive, and encouraging performance event during the pandemic. Their goal was to provide space to those who lost their space, had no space, or wanted to try out space just for fun. We welcome folks from all across the spectrum of artists, ranging from Broadway artists to artists who are singing in front of folks for their very first time! We occasionally offer professional video and we ALWAYS offer a supportive community, fabulous vibes, and an unforgettable night! We exist purely to raise up and encourage all artists!​​​

Join Yasi and Steven as they welcome strength & conditioning coach Ash Wang onto the show. They discuss Ash's career journey through classical violin training, studying neuroscience, making Soulcycle playlists, building a strength and nutrition coaching business, writing her recipe book, and following her intuition all along the way.For Ash's book "Alimentary: A Nutrition and Recipe Companion For the Athlete", go to https://www.ashwang.fit/shopFor Ash's website, go to https://www.ashwang.fitInstagram: @ash_lucy_wangBio: Ash Wang comes with 7 years of professional experience in the health industry, alongside an educational background in Neuroscience and classical violin.She started her professional journey with in-person training and group fitness in the high-octane NYC market and has since transitioned her business to being solely-based online, removing geographical barriers. Ash coaches individuals from all walks of life, improving nutritional habits and training performance.Ash's fitness journey began in dingy college gyms, not knowing the difference between a barbell and a dumbbell, experimenting with different styles of strength-training and dabbling in “powerbuilding” for years. At 25, she landed on the sport of Olympic Weightlifting and has fallen in love with the obsessive, technically complex, and thrilling nature of the sport — She has not looked back since.Outside of the gym, Ash is an avid consumer of scientific research literature, spending too much time (and money) at her local coffee shop delving into various topics of interest including, but not limited to, gerontology, food politics, and food history. In her spare time, she loves writing and creating art.She published her first Nutritional Coaching Guide & Recipe Book, and the hardbound edition comes out January 2025.

Sparty, the mascot for Michigan State University, is perhaps the most well-know mascot in sports today. To be that famous, you need a whole team to support you. And Michigan State has the first mascot sports medicine program in the country. On our show today is Sue Petrisin, director of the Sparty Mascot Program and Ashley Tripplett, Spartry's research coordinator. Why does Sparty have a research coordinator? Because Sparty has a sports medicine team around him doing ground-breaking research on the physical demands of the job. Sue and Ashley talk all things Sparty, the good, bad, and just plain funny. But they also share their research they presented at the American College of Sports Medicine, gained from internal and external monitoring of Sparty's health and wellness. They also share their hopes to spur more colleges to follow their lead into developing mascot sports medicine programs.For scheduling Sparty for an event, go to https://alumni.msu.edu/sparty/appearance-request.cfmFor more about the history of Sparty, go to https://alumni.msu.edu/sparty/history.cfmInstagram: @therealspartyBios:Sue Petrisin is the Director of the Sparty Mascot Program at Michigan State University, a program under the MSU Alumni Office. Sue holds a master's degree in labor relations and human resources, along with bachelor's degrees in food science and dietetics, all from Michigan State University. An MSU employee for 39 years, she spent 29 years in the Division of Residence Education and Housing Services (formerly Housing and Food Services).Sue joined the MSU Alumni Office, overseeing university programs such as Homecoming, Alumni Travel, Alumni Grand Awards, and Grandparents University before being assigned responsibility for the Sparty Mascot Program in 2014. As the demands of managing the Sparty Mascot Program grew, her other program responsibilities were reassigned to other staff members.After spending time watching Sparty in action and evaluating the program's operations, she identified several areas that needed improvement. These included the condition of the suit, the selection and training processes, Sparty's presence at events – both on- and off-campus, whether university or private - and his public perception among public, alumni and university faculty, staff and students.Recognizing there was health impact on the student performing as Sparty, Sue sought assistance to help others understand what these students experienced and the need for additional support and focus for the program. This led to a research project with the Michigan State University Department of Kinesiology.The health and safety of our students is always priority one. We have established policies and procedures that guide our program.Sue is joined by Assistant Director Jill Wesley in managing the Sparty Mascot Program, one of the most recognized mascots in the world.Ashley Triplett is the Research Coordinator for the Sparty Mascot Program at Michigan State University. She has been working with the program since 2019 to better understand physiological responses of individuals serving as mascots and improve the health and safety of students participating in the Sparty Mascot Program. Ashley completed her PhD in Kinesiology at Michigan State University in 2021. She also earned her M.S. in Kinesiology and B.S. degrees in Kinesiology and Human Biology at Michigan State University.

How does one take music, rapping, writing, performing and turn that into a career? On our show today is recording artist Derek Demkowicz, aka Demko, and Michael Reiber, head of marketing for Headlights Hip Hop and Derek's buddy from high school. We discuss how they started in music, the value of comedy improv training, and the benefits of controlling your own destiny. Derek and Michael also talk about their hip hop concert they are putting on in Detroit on May 18, 2024.For Demko's Spotify page, go to: https://open.spotify.com/artist/36bOXFMGTOcg3fNGsqVZhi?si=4_X9uuIAShijrEfyKpFHgQFor Demko's Apple Music page, go to https://music.apple.com/us/artist/demko/1557597311Demko's IG: @demkomusicFor more resources on performing arts medicine, go to www.athletesandthearts.comBios:Derek Brian Demkowicz, AKA Demko, is an LA-based rapper, producer, and sound engineer with Detroit and Chicago roots. As an independent artist he has gained over 250k streams worldwide, released songs with Grammy-nominated artists, and connected with fans in 150+ countries. Notable collaborations include: Royce Da 5'9”, Mick Jenkins, GAWNE, and Futuristic. Stream Demko wherever you listen to music.Michael Reiber has years of music industry experience out of New Orleans, Detroit, New York, and currently Nashville. His passion for human connection through music and creative brand storytelling has been the focus of his work since the beginnings of his career at Loyola University New Orleans, where he started his first marketing company in 2016. Today, Michael is the Head of Marketing for Headlights Hip-Hop, a rap start-up headquartered in Detroit, and manages Demko, his lifelong friend that he met through music in high school at U of D Jesuit.

Classical music is pervasive and ubiquitous and yet for many people, it is difficult to connect with. We met one classical pianist who makes it her mission to connect with audiences and bring her joy of classical music to the masses. She is the extraordinary Jeeyoon Kim. a multi-hyphenate musician-author-blogger-podcaster-educator-and-performer. Our Athletes and the Arts founder Randy Dick caught up with Jeeyoon recently and he's here with her on our show today.For more on Jeeyoon, go to https://www.jeeyoonkim.comInstagram @jeeyoonkimpianistX: @jeeyoon_pianistFor Athletes and the Arts, go to www.athletesandthearts.comBio: Award-winning classical pianist Jeeyoon Kim has delighted audiences across the United States and the world with her combination of sensitive artistry, ‘consummate musicianship, impeccable technique, and engaging and innovative concert experiences.' (New York Classical Review)​From the start of her career, beginning with her celebrated 2016 debut album, 10 More Minutes, Jeeyoon has thrilled classical music fans with her artful performances. Through her unique performance presentations, Jeeyoon has connected with concert attendees decidedly younger than the average by engaging in musical conversations from the stage. Her second album and concert project, Over. Above. Beyond., further stretched the mold for classical piano performances by collaborating with New York-based artist Moonsub Shin. Jeeyoon's collaboration with the artist delivered a multimedia experience that was also captured in an award-winning music video. Kim's following project titled, 시음/si-úm/, began during her 2020 residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity for their 'Concert in the 21st Century' program. This concert project incorporates poetry and black and white photography. Jeeyoon's dedication to pushing the boundaries of traditional classical music to connect with a new audience has inspired a dedicated and passionate fanbase that defies conventional wisdom.Jeeyoon began studying the piano when she was just four years old, and her love of music propelled her through her undergraduate studies in piano performance in her native Korea. After moving to the United States, she received her Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance with Distinction from Indiana University's renowned Jacobs School of Music.In pursuit of a deeper understanding of music education, she earned a second master's degree in piano pedagogy from Butler University, where she concurrently served as a faculty member. As a testament to Jeeyoon's abilities as an educator, she was recognized with the 'Top Music Teacher Award' from Steinway & Sons for three consecutive years, from 2016 to 2018.Jeeyoon is an author, educator, public speaker, podcaster, and award-winning performer. In 2021, she published her first book, Whenever You're Ready, offering readers a personal glimpse into her life. This self-help book in a concert-style structure shares wisdom and insights gained from Jeeyoon's musical experiences. After a successful reception throughout North America and Europe, the book was published in South Korea in 2022. The book, translated into Korean by the author herself, has made it to the top 3 best sellers in South Korea in the self-help category. Jeeyoon Kim currently resides in San Diego. Between a busy concert touring schedule, she happily practices her piano daily, maintains a studio full of dedicated piano students, and surfs each morning at sunrise.

Yasi and Steven welcome prolific researcher and NEAMA Vice-President Dr. Tomi-Ann Roberts PhD to discuss her work on objectification and sexualization in dance. We also examine the negative effects of social media on one's mental health and how a simple three-day cleanse off of social media had surprising and powerful results. Our conversation delves into college NIL (name, image, and license) money and how this all connects with male athletes as well. For more about "ways of Seeing" by John Berger, go to https://www.ways-of-seeing.comFor more on Dr. Roberts and her work, go to https://www.tomi-annroberts.comFor more info on Athletes and the Arts, go to https://www.athletesandthearts.comBio: Dr. Roberts has been covered in many media sources including the New York Times about how her experience of being sexually harassed by Harvey Weinstein while a college student motivated her work on sexual objectification, contributing her scholarly voice to the #MeToo movement. In addition to her scholarly publications and teaching, she served on the American Psychological Association's Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls, the Task Force on Educating Through Feminist Research, and as President of the Society for Menstrual Cycle Research from 2017-2019. She leverages feminist psychological science as a consultant for reproductive health related product brands, and as an expert witness in legal cases involving objectification and sexualization as forms of gender discrimination.

Our esteemed guest is Jack Noseworthy, long-time veteran on Broadway, TV, and film, to talk about his career and his process as an actor. He also is a Individual Giving Officer for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Since 1988 they have led the fight against AIDS, becoming the nation's leading industry-based nonprofit AIDS fundraising and grant-making organizations. They have raised over $300 million dollars to fight AIDS, as well as COVID-19 and other illnesses.Noseworthy also formed Truworthy Productions with his husband, Tony-award winning choreographer Sergio Trujillo, and they are producing a stage production of the 2002 hit film "Real Women Have Curves". The show opened December 2023 at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge Massachusetts, and they aim to open on Broadway within the near future.For more about Broadway Cares and how to donate, go to https://broadwaycares.orgFor more about Jack's production company and their shows, go to http://www.truworthy.comInstagram @jack_noseworthyFor more info on Athletes and the Arts, go to https://athletesandthearts.comBio: Jack Noseworthy is the co-founder of Truworthy Productions along with Tony and Olivier Award-winning Director/Choreographer Sergio Trujillo. In their Truworthy venture, Jack is passionate about bringing authentic, diverse, and socially conscious works of theater, film, and television to life. He is an acclaimed producer and dynamic, experienced fundraiser on the Major Gifts team at Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, where he successfully collaborates with colleagues, helping to grow and steward relationships for their annual giving society, the Angels, and Visionary Circle, responsible for raising $4M of the foundation's annual budget. In addition, Jack manages the Broadway Cares NextGen Network—creating giving opportunities for young professionals with a passion for giving back to the community. In partnership with seven-time Tony winning legendary producers Fran & Barry Weissler, Jack is the lead producer on Lisa Loomer's new musical Real Women Have Curves, with music and lyrics by seven-time Grammy award winning artist Joy Huerta (Jesse & Joy) and her partner Fred Ebb/ Jonathan Larson recipient Benjamin Velez. Real Women Have Curves – The Musical will premiere at The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) in December 2023. For A.R.T., Jack also produced Arrabal (Elliot Norton Award for Best Production and Gala Production at the Ibero- American Theater Festival in Bogotá, Colombia). Jack produced Playbill's ¡Viva Broadway! Hear Our Voices concert for The Broadway League, Voices for Change at Ars Nova, as well as NextGen Spotlight and Home for the Holidays for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, raising over $350k for artists struggling during the Covid-19 pandemic. His producing career has been bolstered by 33 years as a stage and screen actor. Jack made his Broadway debut in Jerome Robbins' Broadway, which was followed by Cats, A Chorus Line, Sweet Smell of Success, and the original Toronto company of the international hit, Come From Away. Some of his favorite screen credits include his debut in Encino Man, as well as ALIVE, Event Horizon, The Brady Bunch Movie, Undercover Brother, Cecil B. Demented, Killing Kennedy, and several Jonathan Mostow films including Surrogates, Breakdown, and U-571. His television credits include Elvis, Mrs. Cage, Shades of Blue, CSI, Judging Amy, Crossing Jordan, Law & Order, Law & Order SVU, and Dead at 21. Jack received his Master's Degree in Performing Arts Administration from New York University and is a proud graduate of The Boston Conservatory at Berklee as well as the Commercial Theatre Institute.

Figure skating is similar to gymnastics and even dance, where there is an aesthetic and athletic component to competition. This is a sport where we see incredible displays of athleticism, as well as beauty and grace. So Yasi and Steven wanted to learn more about the life and training of a competitive figure skater by talking to one of the best in U.S. figure skating history, Todd Eldredge. We are also joined by Athletes and the Arts founding member--and Todd's skating prodigy--Julie Kirchen.For more about Todd, go to https://toddeldredge.coFor more on U.S. Figure Skating, go to https://www.usfigureskating.orgFor resources and info on Athletes and the Arts, go to http://athletesandthearts.comBio:Todd Eldredge: His World Championship title, six U.S. National Championship titles, six World Championship medals and having achieved three Olympic teams, are testament to his incredible technical skill, consistency, and intense work ethic.Eldredge, began skating at age of 5, winning his first U.S. Championship title (1990) at age 18. He defended his title in 1991 and made his first appearance on the World podium that same year. For the next three seasons he struggled with injury. His return to the top of the U.S. podium in 1995 marked the first time a skater in U.S. history reclaimed the title of U.S. Champion after a 3-year absence from the podium.On March 21, 1996, Todd Eldredge became the first American in 8 years to win the gold medal (since Brian Boitano) at the World Championships.After his third Olympics in 2002, Eldredge joined the renowned Stars on Ice tour where he entertained audiences across the U.S., Japan, and Canada for 11 years. In 2008, he was inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame.

We shine our spotlight on the New Orleans Musician's Clinic, the only low or no-cost medical clinic in the United State dedicated to caring for performing artists. They have been a founding member of Athletes and the Arts since our launch 10 years ago, and their outreach includes preventing noise-induced hearing loss. Joining Yasi and Steven on the show are Taylor Cohen, Public Health Director, Kalie Falls, Community Outreach, Ngoma Numu Jordan, New Orleans musician, and Dr. Marshall Chasin, director of research and chief audiologist of the Musicians' Clinics of Canada. For more information on the clinic, go to https://neworleansmusiciansclinic.orgFor Dr Chasin's clinic, go to https://marshallchasinassociates.ca/index.htmFor Athletes and the Arts, go to https://www.athletesandthearts.comTo listen to Ngoma's 2021 album, "Ngoma Numu", go to https://music.apple.com/us/album/ngoma-numu/1578706106

Sponsored by School Health: https://www.schoolhealth.comYasi and Steven talk with Ryan Dusick, the founding drummer of Maroon 5 and now licensed therapist and life coach in Los Angeles. He went from being a Little League baseball phenom to drummer for the world's hottest rock band before injuries and mental illness forced him out of music. He spent a decade suffering from substance abuse and crippling anxiety. How he recovered, found redemption, and discovered a new calling is detailed in his book "Harder To Breathe: A Memoir of Making Maroon 5, Losing It All, and Finding Recovery."Ryan's website is www.ryandusick.comRyan's instagram is @ryan_michael_dusickFind Ryan's book here: www.amazon.com/Harder-Breathe-Memoir-Finding-Recovery/dp/1637742339Bio: Ryan Dusick is a registered associate marriage & family therapist and life coach with a BA from UCLA and an MA in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University. Ryan brings his unique journey as a successful creative person in recovery, as well as his many years of education and professional experience, to clients seeking help with their personal challenges. Ryan prefers to think of his work as a collaboration, in which he and his client work together to discover creative ways of addressing their issues, tailoring therapy to the distinctive needs of each individual.As a life coach, Ryan brings his background of success in the fields of music, literature, and mental health advocacy. His work both as an individual and in creative collaboration lends itself well to fostering the talents and ambitions of other creative people looking for help and advice in finding their way.Ryan brings compassion to those suffering through their mental health challenges, and believes his very purpose in life is to offer support, insight, and helpful guidance to each of his clients on their journey from struggling to thriving. He looks forward to working with you as you begin your passage to a life of fulfillment and purpose.

Yasi and Steven talk with the incomparable Galit Friedlander, professional dancer, choreographer for the LA Sparks Dance Team, fitness coach, and host of the DanceSpeak podcast. She is also part of Doctors for Dancers, founded by CEO Jennifer DePaola, who work to bring dance medicine specialists together to care for dancers of all ages and levels. They join us today to discuss their journeys to advocating health and wellness nationwide. Galit also discusses her personal battles, facing self-doubt, depression and rejection at a young age to choreographing for Prince, dancing with Pharrell Williams and MC Lyte, and now working as a certified trainer and conditioning coach. Above all, Galit shows us the power of telling yourself "Yes I Can". For Galit's website, go to https://www.gogalit.comGalit's instagram is @gogalitThe DanceSpeak podcast instagram is @dancespeakFor Doctors for Dancers website, go to https://www.doctorsfordancers.comDFD's instagram is @doctorsfordancersFor Athletes and the Arts website, go to https://www.athletesandthearts.comOur instagram is @athletesandtheartspodcastBios:GALIT FRIEDLANDER is a professional dancer, choreographer, coach, and host of the popular podcast DanceSpeak, now entering its 7th year.Although Galit's training began in New York with Jazz, Ballet, Modern, and West African, she soon fell in love with the world of street dance, where she learned from the best of NYC's underground dancers. At the age of 14, she was accepted to LaGuardia High School, also known as the 'Fame' school, where she studied Theatre and each day and then train in dance in the afternoons and evenings. Her unique ability to bring these two worlds together has contributed to her style of choreography and dance.In 2011, Galit defied all odds when she worked as the Assistant Choreographer for PRINCE's Welcome 2 America Tour, choreographed the film A Reason To Sing, and began teaching workshops and classes throughout Los Angeles. Credits include Pharrell's record-breaking Happy video, choreographing and dancing in tours across the U.S. and China, MC Lyte (Cravin), and traveling to Guatemala as a ‘Pepsi' dancer.Recently, Galit has been brought on as Director for the LA SparKids (Dance Team for the National WNBA Champions, the LA Sparks) and continues to travel between Los Angeles, New York, and other cities sharing her love for dance in classes and workshops.Galit is also a recurring host for the Doctors 4 Dancers online talk series. Galit's mission is to expand the knowledge and untapped gifts of others through dance, exercise, and intentional choreography.JENNIFER DEPAOLA: Jennifer is the founder of Doctors For Dancers. She started dancing at the tender age of 2, starting with ballet and tap. As she grew, Jennifer developed a deep appreciation for various dance styles, particularly jazz and hip-hop. Her training encompassed prestigious establishments such as Plumb Dance Studio, under the guidance of Sheila and Lisa Plumb, and The Dance Source in Scottsdale, Arizona, where she had the privilege of learning from renowned instructors Judi and Brian Friedman. However, Jennifer's dance career faced setbacks due to persistent back pain. This personal struggle ignited her to establish Doctors For Dancers in 2019, dedicated to connecting dancers with specialized healthcare professionals when they require expert care. Her mission is to serve as a vital resource for dancers worldwide, bridging the gap between Dance Specialists and the dance community. Through educational initiatives, comprehensive resources, and community outreach programs, Jennifer strives to ensure that dancers receive the proper care and support they deserve.

The U.S. fitness industry is valued at almost $90 billion, ranging from health clubs to boutique studios, online platforms to digital home machines. Yoga to HIIT, Pilates to barre, Tonal to Peloton...the fitness world is vast and diverse. So how does it all work behind the scenes? If you're a performing artist, how do you break into the fitness industry? How do you stand out? Become a fitness celebrity? Develop your very own fitness brand?Yasi and Steven sit down with someone who has LITERALLY done everything we just described in the fitness industry, Frances Flores. A former professional dancer, she used her training and experience on cruise ships to move into the fitness industry, eventually becoming a nationally renowned yoga instructor, personal trainer & wellness coach. She is a former coach and manager at various Equinox clubs in Los Angeles CA, a former coach on Tonal, and numerous online platforms like Sweat Factor. She is now focused on her own fitness brand, ShapedbyFrances. Her journey is inspiring and instructive for understanding how performance and fitness are intertwined.For Frances' website, go to www.ShapedByFrances.comFrances can be also found on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/francesflores/For read some of Frances' prior interviews, go to: http://voyagela.com/interview/meet-frances-flores-shaped-frances-los-angeles-online-workouts-accessible-anywhere-private-person-sessions-public-events-mostly-west-side-not-restricted/https://www.oxygenmag.com/training-tips-for-women/sports-medicine-for-women/flexibility-and-mobility/10-tips-for-more-effective-stretching/https://shoutoutla.com/meet-frances-flores/https://www.marthastewart.com/8073988/is-yoga-really-exerciseFor more from Athletes and the Arts, go to www.athletesandthearts.com or follow our Instagram @athletesandthearts.Bio: Frances Flores: A Former Professional Dancer, Frances Has Quickly Made A Name For Herself As One Of The Most Sought-After Yoga, Fitness & Health Professionals In Los Angeles And Around The World. Bilingual Celebrity Trainer, Wellness Expert, Former Coach On Tonal, And Guest Coach On Multiple Platforms, Frances Combines Her Training In Dance, Yoga, Strength Training, Overall Fitness And Nutrition, In A Balanced Approach To Well-Being.Born And Raised In The Beautiful Island Of Enchantment: Puerto Rico. This Fiery Latina Is Known To Bring Her Positive Energy, Humor, Creativity, And Her Infectious & Bubbly Personality To Everything She Does. After Witnessing The Transformative Effect That Her Coaching And Training Has In Many Of Her Clients, She Felt Inspired To Create The #SHAPEDBYFRANCES Movement.

Yasi and Steven explore college dance education at one of the largest performing arts programs in the country, the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance. Specifically, we talk about adapting to a rapidly evolving post-COVID educational environment, the effects of the Michigan State University shooting on students and faculty, integrating Black activism into one's artistic journey, the effects of competition dance on college dance education, and mental health.Our guests on this exploration are Jillian Hopper, assistant professor of dance at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, and Brooke Taylor, senior dance major at SMTD and founder of Black Scholars in Dance. For more about University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance, go to https://smtd.umich.edu/For Brooke Taylor's dance reel, go to youtu.be/wUAZJUmmHBQFor more information on Jillian's Dance Legacy Project at the University of Michigan, go to https://smtd.umich.edu/the-dance-legacy-project/Brooke's Instagram is @brooke.alexandria.taylor Jillian's instagram is @hopperjillianFor more about Athletes and the Arts or to find resources, go to http://athletesandthearts.com/Bios:Jillian Hopper: Jillian Hopper is an assistant professor of dance at the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance and is the Artistic Director of The Dance Legacy Project at Michigan alongside creative partner Prof. Christian Matijas-Mecca. She specializes in the dance technique of Doris Humphrey with the aim of preserving the technique for future generations as a Trustee of the Doris Humphrey Foundation, UK (England). Hopper also focuses her physical practice on methods of embodiment for the purpose of increasing empathy and sensitivity in practice and performance. These skills have assisted Hopper as a director of the DLP and within her own choreography. Her latest project Mirror Ritual: a chamber ballet in three tableaus premiered on Feb 2, 2023, at the Power Center for Performing Arts in Ann Arbor, MI, and is a collaboration with composer Griffin Candey. She has taught professionally for Hillsdale College, Eastern Michigan University, Middlesex University (London, UK) The Place (London, UK), and Northern School of Contemporary Dance (Leeds, UK). As rehearsal director for U-M, Hopper has had the pleasure of rehearsing guest works by Ohad Naharin, Richard Alston, Lucinda Childs, Urban Bush Women, Alessio Silvestrin, and Shannon Gillen (Vim Vigor) among others. Hopper received her BA (Hons) choreography from Middlesex University London, UK (2007) and her MFA Dance Performance from the University of Michigan (2012). She is on the board of directors for ConteXture Dance Detroit. In her own work, Hopper explores ritualistic movement concepts with an emphasis on nature's powerful spirituality. She has performed in works by Doris Humphrey, Peter Sparling, Monica Bill Barnes, Sidra Bell, Danny T. Reid, Tracy Halloran, and many of her own compositions throughout the Midwest and Europe.Brooke Taylor: Brooke Taylor is a senior at the University of Michigan pursuing Dance and a minor in Education for Empowerment. As a 17 year trained dancer in ballet, modern, tap, and jazz, her passion is the intersection of art and activism. This new found passion has led Taylor in creating work that

Never before have so many excellent films, docuseries, and TV shows been produced about many important topics…historical events, political upheaval, stories of courage and personal triumph, true crime, and of course…athletes and artists. To learn more about this golden age of documentary filmmaking, Yasi and Steven talk to award-winning filmmaker Marius Markevicius. His new film that just debuted at the Austin Film Festival is “Thug Rose”, about famed UFC straw-weight champion Rose Namajunas. Her career is legendary, and Marius goes behind the scenes to capture her training, fighting, and performing…classical music on piano. Marius also talks about his 2012 Sundance award-winning documentary “The Other Dream Team”, focusing on the Lithuanian Olympic Bronze-medal winning basketball team in 1992, whose story of perseverance and success amid political strife in a war-torn country fighting for its own independence would have been the main story that year, had the NBA not sent their own Dream Team to Barcelona. To see the trailer for "Thug Rose", go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEKwzbxDb80For information on Marius' film career, go to https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2101256/Biography:Marius Markevicius is an award-winning filmmaker and founder of Sorrento Productions based in Santa Monica, CA.In 2022, Marius completed “THUG ROSE”, the feature length documentary about Rose Namajunas, a two-time mixed martial arts world champion fighter who is an advocate for mental wellness and also a classical pianist. "THUG ROSE" will be premiering at the Austin Film Festival October 30, 2022 and will be released on UFC's Fight Pass network on November 9th, 2022He is currently producing a documentary film “THE WIFE OF”, about the Women of the Belarus independence movement featuring opposition leader Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya.In 2018, Marius directed and produced "ASHES IN THE SNOW”, the film adaptation of the New York Times best-selling novel “Between Shades of Gray”. The film stars Gotham Award winning actress Bel Powley (Diary of a Teenage Girl) and Martin Wallstrom (Golden Globe winning TV series Mr. Robot).Marius also directed, produced & wrote the documentary feature film “THE OTHER DREAM TEAM,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. The film was distributed internationally by Lionsgate and Disney and was nominated for Best Documentary of the Year by the Producers Guild of America (PGA).He was a producer and raised financing for the 2016 feature film “1 Night” starring Kyle Allen (Westside Story) which premiered at the Austin Film Festival and was distributed by Level Films.Marius was a co-producer on "LIKE CRAZY," the 2011 Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize-winning film starring Felicity Jones (Academy Award Nominee) and Jennifer Lawrence (Academy Award Winner). The film was purchased and distributed by Paramount Pictures.In 2010, Marius served as Associate Producer on "THE WAY BACK," a feature film from Academy Award-nominated director Peter Weir starring Ed Harris, and Colin Farrell.Marius attended the University of California Los Angeles for graduate studies, where he received a Master's Degree in fine arts (MFA) from the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television.

When COVID-19 caused schools to keep students of all grades at home, those arguably most disadvantaged by this were musicians. Many barriers stood in the way of getting students back in the music room: aerosolization from instruments and voice, close proximity between students, secretions from brass instruments, and antiquated ventilation systems in thousands of school buildings. Early projections indicated that musicians would not get back in the room for 2 YEARS! Well, that didn't happen, and our guests are a huge reason why. Steven and Yasi talk to Dr. Mark Spede, Director of Bands and Conductor of the Symphonic Band at Clemson University, and Dr. James Weaver, Director of Performing Arts and Sports for the National Federation of State High School Associations. These two gentlemen collaborated on expedient and collaborative research that helped crack the code on how to play music in a post-pandemic school environment. To read more on their groundbreaking research, go to https://www.nfhs.org/articles/unprecedented-international-coalition-led-by-performing-arts-organizations-to-commission-covid-19-study/For more on National Federation of State High Schools' online education platform, go to https://nfhslearn.com/For more resources, go to https://athletesandthearts.com/Bios: Dr. James Weaver is the Director of Performing Arts and Sports for the National Federation of State High School Associations. He has been a teacher and administrator at the district, state, and national level. As the Director of Performing Arts and Sports, Dr. Weaver oversees student participation, professional development, and awareness of performing arts activities throughout the nation's 19,500+ high schools. Dr. Weaver has been a part of several national projects for performing arts educators including serving as the co-chair of the International Performing Arts Aerosol Study, creating copyright compliance resources, and developing national trainings for performing arts adjudicators. He most recently became the President of the National Music Council (NMC) in the Fall of 2021. Dr. Weaver specializes in educational administration and leadership focusing on professional development and teacher job satisfaction and retention. Dr. Weaver has degrees from Concordia College - Moorhead, Northern State University, and the University of South Dakota.Dr. Mark J. Spede is Professor of Music, Director of Bands, Director of Tiger Band, and Conductor of the Symphonic Band at Clemson University. He is the recipient of the Clemson University 2009 Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching (College of Architecture, Arts, and Humanities), and three Clemson University Board of Trustees Awards for Faculty Excellence (2008, 2009, and 2012). He has served the College Band Directors National Association (CBDNA) in a number of capacities; he is currently national president. Dr. Spede previously served on the faculties at the University of Texas and the University of Florida and has degrees from the University of Michigan, Ball State University, and the University of Texas.

Your voice...perhaps the most underrated and misunderstood human ability. For an ankle sprain, you go see a trainer, a physical therapist, a sports doc, you wear a brace, get taped, do some exercises. For vocal injuries, for vocal dysfunctions, what do you do? How do you make your voice better? How do you improve your performance? Well, just like athletes, vocalists have vocal coaches, speech therapists, and voice doctors whose life's work is dedicated to keep vocalists performing. So to learn more about caring for the professional voice, Yasi and Steven talk to Robert Sataloff, MD, world renowned otolaryngologist and the leader of The Voice Foundation, the world's oldest and leading organization dedicated to voice research, medicine, science, and education. He is joined by Deanna McBroom, AATA liaison to The Voice Foundation, Singing Teacher and Singing Voice Specialist through the Voice Institute at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC.For the Voice Foundation, go to https://voicefoundation.org/For Athletes and the Arts, go to https://www.athletesandthearts.com/For more on Dr Sataloff, go to https://drexel.edu/medicine/faculty/profiles/robert-sataloff/Bios:Deanna McBroom, MM is a Singing Teacher and works as a Singing Voice Specialist through the Voice Institute at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC. She has worked closely with MUSC laryngologist Dr. Lucinda Halstead to treat injured singers since they both attended The Voice Foundation's annual symposium in 1986. She recently retired from college-level teaching at The College of Charleston, where she led the voice program in providing conservatory-level training in a Liberal Arts & Sciences environment. She's also maintained a singing career for 40+ years, performing in recitals, orchestral concerts, and operas throughout the US and in Europe. Ms. McBroom is the Steering Committee representative to Athletes and the Arts from both The Voice Foundation (TVF) and from the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) and currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Performing Arts Medicine Association (PAMA). Her passion for healthy singing led her to assist both NATS and PAMA with their 2019-2021 guidelines and research tools for singers and teachers to deal with Covid-19. She frequently presents research papers and workshops at international meetings; journals with articles published include Journal of Voice and College Music Symposium. Robert T. Sataloff, MD, DMA, FACS is Professor and Chairman, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Academic Specialties, Drexel University College of Medicine. Dr. Sataloff is Director of Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences Research at the Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, and Director of Otolaryngology Education at Lankenau Medical Center. He also holds Adjunct Professorships in the Departments of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at Thomas Jefferson University, Temple University and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine; and he is on the faculty of the Academy of Vocal Arts. He serves as Conductor of the Thomas Jefferson University Choir. Dr. Sataloff is also a professional singer and singing teacher.Dr. Sataloff is Chairman of the Boards of Directors of the Voice Foundation and of the American Institute for Voice and Ear Research. He is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Voice; Editor Emeritus of Ear, Nose and Throat Journal;...

Perhaps no field in medicine is fraught with as much misinformation and confusion as nutrition. This directly impacts the dance world, as many restrict the very food elements that fuels a dancer to perform. So Yasi and Steven get into it with two of Yasi's colleagues and mentors from the Sports and Human Performance Nutrition practice group, Michelle Macedonio MS, RDN, LD and Roberta Anding MS, RD/LD, CSSD, CDE. Joining the conversation is former professional dancer and current dietitian-in-training, Astrid Zuluaga-Lopez. For more information about SHPN, go to https://www.shpndpg.org To attend the next Food and Nutrition Conference & Expo on October 8-11, 2022, go to https://www.shpndpg.org/shpn-fnce For more about Athletes and the Arts, go to https://athletesandthearts.com For more about Astrid, go to https://astridzlg.wixsite.com/mysite Follow Astrid on Instagram at @undesastrid Bios: Michele Macedonio, MS, RD, CSSD, LD: a registered, licensed dietitian and Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, she is the owner of Nutrition Strategies®, LLC a nutrition consulting business providing nutrition communications, education, and counseling specializing in sports and human performance, cardiovascular health, and wellness. Michele works with physically active people including youth, high school, collegiate, and professional athletes. Her clients have included two professional soccer teams, Xavier University Men's Basketball team, and the University of Dayton Men's Basketball team. She served as the Cincinnati Bengals' team dietitian for eight years and 11 years as team dietitian with the Cincinnati Reds MLB baseball team. Michele has served as a consultant and spokesperson for members of food and beverage industry, has authored nutrition articles and education materials, book chapters including the 3 rd , 4 th , 5 th and 6 th editions of SCAN Sports Nutrition: A Practice Manual for Professionals, and is co-author of The Athlete's Guide to Making Weight. Her professional volunteer and leadership positions have included Editor-in-chief of SCAN'S PULSE, SCAN Chair, Director of Sports-Dietetics USA, SHPN Keynote Sessions Committee, and CDR's Board Certification Specialty Panel. Roberta Anding MS, RD/LD, CSSD, CDE: Director of Performance Nutrition at Rice University, Assistant Professor in the Baylor College of Medicine Department of Orthopedic Surgery. She is the former sports dietitian for the 2017 World Champion Houston Astros, Houston Texans NFL franchise, Director of Sports Nutrition at Texas Children's Hospital, and the Houston Ballet. Astrid Zuluaga Lopez: Former professional ballet dancer with 20 years of experience in ballet training as a performer and instructor. Trained pre-professionally at Allegro Estudio de Ballet and Miami City Ballet School, and danced professionally in Ballet Nacional de Panama and Arts Ballet Theater of Florida. She is currently a ballet and Pilates instructor at Ballet and Pilates by Victoria and Ellie Paige Dance Company in Houston, Texas. She is also an MS student in Exercise and Sports Nutrition and an RDN-to-be aspiring toward a dietetics career in the fields of dance and athletics.

Perhaps nothing embodies the idea of "Athletes and the Arts" than professional wrestling. For 52 weeks a year, AEW (All Elite Wrestling) tours the world, putting on shows that combine athleticism, power, theatricality, performance, and toughness that thrills audiences everywhere. So how in the world can they do it week after week? How do they perform gravity-defying stunts and falls without fracturing their spines? How does one become a champion wrestler and stay sane doing it? Steven and Yasi go backstage with AEW Medical Director Dr. Michael Sampson to find out. He brings with him two of AEW's biggest stars, AEW TNT Champion Wardlow and TNT Women's World Champion Thunder Rosa. Get ready for an exciting show that will thrill and inspire you! Opening music for Wardlow and Thunder Rosa owned and supplied by All Elite Wrestling. For more information on AEW Wrestling, go to https://www.allelitewrestling.com and https://aewlinks.com. Check out exclusive AEW action on YouTube.com/AEW. For more info on Athletes and the Arts, go to https://athletesandthearts.com Follow Thunder Rosa on Twitter at @thunderrosa22, instagram at @thunderrosa22 and her website at https://t.co/p999DzzUZz (thunderrosaofficial.com) Follow Wardlow on Twitter at @RealWardlow and Instagram at @realwardlow. Follow Dr. Michael Sampson on Twitter at @DocSampson13.

Raymond Meade has been in the UK music industry for over two decades, first as a singer/songwriter for the Ronelles, a solo artist and session musician, and current bassist for Ocean Colour Scene. He also made a BBC documentary about the music of Auschwitz. His life is literally in his hands. So what happens when those hands start tingling during a concert...and it doesn't stop? When you suddenly can't play music? When your doctors tell you that you have Multiple Sclerosis? Listen to Yasi and Steven's interview with Raymond as they talk about him facing his own mortality, the strength of friendship and family to survive, and the perils of a music career on the edge. Also, meet Dr. Mark Janicki, an neurologist and MS specialist from Indiana, whose "always leave a patient with a smile" approach and early intervention from across the pond helped Raymond tackle the biggest challenge of his life. Follow Raymond on Twitter at @raymeade82 Follow Raymond on Instagram at @ray_meade82 For more information on Multiple Sclerosis (MS), go to https://www.nationalmssociety.org For more about Raymond's music career, go to https://www.powerpopaholic.com/artist-interviews/raymond-meade To listen to Ocean Colour Scene, go to https://www.oceancolourscene.com For a link to Raymond's documentary, "The Railway People", go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht0BuOhU_RQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ht0BuOhU_RQ) For information about Mark Janicki, MD, go to https://www.witham.org/provider/mark-j-janicki-md-neurology For information about Athletes and the Arts, go to https://www.athletesandthearts.com Bios: Raymond Meade: Raymond Meade is a session musician from Glasgow, best known for his work with Ocean Colour Scene and Gerry Cinnamon.  He has played on gold selling #1 albums and toured internationally for over 20 years, performing with some of the biggest names in music. Raymond also wrote and produced the New York Festivals Award winning documentary "The Railway People" which told the story of Holocaust Survivor Eva Kor and Raymond returning to Auschwitz together in 2016. The film was shown across the world. Eva and Raymond remained close friends until her death in 2019.  During the pandemic years, Raymond produced a series of true crime podcasts which revisited The West Murders of 1994. Titled "Where No Shadow Falls", these podcasts featured key players in the case and were very well received. He is currently studying a degree course and learning the Polish language with a view to realising his ambition of becoming an Auschwitz tour guide in the future. He writes the occasional article for the men's lifestyle magazine GQ. In 2021, Raymond was diagnosed with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis. He is married and lives in Glasgow with his wife Leanne. Mark Janicki, MD: He is a board certified neurologist, a fellow of the American Academy of neurology. He has been involved in over 15 clinical trials regarding disease modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis. He trained at Indiana University medical school and residency in neurology at Indiana University Medical Center. He has lived in Practice in the metropolitan Indianapolis area for the past 35 years. He is a diehard Indianapolis Colts fan. Married to Maribeth, he has five children and five grandchildren. He loves golf...it doesn't love him back.

On this episode, Steven and Yasi talk with the artistic and wellness pros behind Diablo Ballet, a professional dance company and ballet school in Walnut Creek, California. As they celebrate the end of their 28th season, we find out how they manage to keep health and wellness a priority, while maintaining artistic excellence. We also delve into the working relationships among the artistic director, principal dancers, and music composer in creating original ballets, while reflecting on staying afloat during a pandemic and handling the pressures of social media. Our guests are Dr Selina Shah MD, company physician for Diablo Ballet; Lauren Jonas, artistic director and co-founder, Diablo Ballet, Raymond Tilton, company dancer and School Principal and teacher of the Diablo Ballet School, and and Justin Levitt, award-winning music composer for the Ballet.    To learn about Diablo Ballet, go to https://diabloballet.org. Follow their Twitter at @diabloballet. For more about International Association of Dance Medicine and Science, go to https://iadms.org. For more about Athletes and the Arts, go to http://athletesandthearts.com Guest bios: Selina Shah, MD, FACP, FAMSSM is a board certified sports medicine and internal medicine physician in private practice in Walnut Creek, CA. She is the company physician for several dance companies and dance studios in the San Francisco Bay Area including Diablo Ballet, AXIS Dance Company, Contra Costa Ballet, San Francisco Ballet School, and Tiffany's Dance Academy. She is a team physician for USA Artistic Swimming, USA Weightlifting, and USA Figure Skating. She also cares for Broadway shows and Cirque du Soleil when they come to the San Francisco Bay Area. She is past Treasurer and Board Member for the IADMS and is now on the board for The Bridge Dance Project and serves on the Executive Committee for the Taskforce on Dancer Health for Dance/USA. She has lectured nationally and internationally on various dance medicine topics, has published papers in medical journals and books, including criteria on determining readiness for pointe and her original research on demographics and dance injuries in modern dance and other injury case reports. Lauren Jonas trained at the Marin Ballet. She performed with the Milwaukee Ballet, the Oakland Ballet, the Southwest Ballet, and toured the United States with the Moscow Ballet. Since Diablo Ballet's premiere in 1994, Ms. Jonas has recruited dancers from around the world to present the finest in contemporary and classical ballets. A firm believer in the need to stimulate the cultural development of future generations, she co-created the Ballet's PEEK Outreach Program in 1995. Ms. Jonas' awards include the 2005 National Philanthropy Day honor, the 2000 Arts and Culture Commission Award of Contra Costa County, and the1998 Contra Costa County Woman of Achievement Award for the Arts. She is the 2014 recipient of the Contra Costa Commission for Women Contributing to the Arts, Hall of Fame award and was an honoree at the State Assembly's Women's History Month. In 2016, Ms. Jonas was honored at the Djerassi's Women's Residency Program for empowering women as leaders in the field of ballet. She is also the Co-Founder and Director of Diablo Ballet School.  Raymond Tilton received his ballet training at San Elijo Dance Academy and San Francisco Ballet School. In 2010, he danced as an apprentice with the San Francisco Ballet and was promoted to the Company in 2011 dancing in ballets by some of today's most sought-after choreographers. Since joining Diablo Ballet in 2015, Mr. Tilton has performed the lead in numerous ballets including Christopher Wheeldon's Carousal (A Dance) and George Balanchine's Apollo. Mr. Tilton is the School Principal and teacher of Diablo Ballet School. Justin Levitt was first inspired to learn and compose for the piano at the age of 15. Since that day, he has been on an...

The power of music and sound to heal the mind and body is being unlocked through new neuroscience research and education. Exciting developments are showing how music and sound can tap into important brain functions and even treat such conditions as Autism, concussion, Alzheimer's, and even aging. Yasi and Steven talk to two people at the forefront of this exploding field. Acclaimed soprano Renèe Fleming is not only one of the most famous performers in our history, she also spearheads multiple health initiatives involving Arts and Health, such as the Healing Breath Initiative, the NeuroArts Blueprint, the Sound Health Network, and the Music and Mind Live web series. She is joined today by Professor Nina Kraus of Northwestern University, founder of the BrainVolts Auditory Neuroscience Laboratory, and leader of an NIH-funded investigation at Northwestern to look at treating concussions with sound and rhythm. She also wrote "Of Sound Mind - How Our Brain Constructs a Meaningful Sonic World." For more about Renèe Fleming, go to https://reneefleming.com For more about Nina Kraus and her BrainVolts lab, go to https://www.brainvolts.northwestern.edu. For Nina's book, "Of Sound Mind", go to https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/675902/of-sound-mind-by-nina-kraus/ For more about Athletes and the Arts, go to https://www.athletesandthearts.com

Marching band, drum corps, bugle corps...it's part of sports worldwide, but it's also its own entertainment industry, and competition is fierce and deep. Drum Corps International is Marching Music's Major League, celebrating their 50th year of performance. They hold over 100 events and competitions, including Drumline Battles. One of the top competitors is the Colts Drum & Bugle Corps from Dubuque, Iowa, and today, Yasi and Steven talk with members of the Colts to find out just what it takes to make it into drum corps and marching bands...and stay healthy doing it! Our guests are Vicki McFarland, director of the Colts Drum & Bugle Corps in Dubuque Iowa and Board member of Drum Corps International, Jennifer Pohlman, athletic trainer for the Colts Drum & Bugle Corps and DCI, and Steven Rock, MD, physician for the Colts Drum & Bugle Corps and Member of Drum Corps International's Marching Arts Safety and Health Advisory Board. For more information on Athletes and the Arts, go to https://www.athletesandthearts.com. For more about Drum Corps International, go to https://www.dci.org For more on the Colts Drum & Bugle Corp, go to https://colts.org YouTube video heard in the episode of the Colts 2021 performance at the DCI Championships in Indianapolis, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2woDCVxcR5g&t=87s

Breaking, or Break Dancing, exploded in popularity in the 80s but thanks to TV and social media, it's more popular than ever, so much that it will become an Olympic sport at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Yasi and Steven talk to one of the U.S. Olympic hopefuls, Bboy Morris, and the medical team that helps him get there, Aaron Ngor and TeeJay Lee, founders of Offset Med. We get in deep about the Breaking community, its growth from the 80s to today, and how much physical stamina and training it takes to be one of the best in the world. For Athletes and the Arts, go to https://www.athletesandthearts.com For Offset Med, go to https://www.offsetmed.com For video of Bboy Morris on World of Dance on NBC, https://youtu.be/RIARfQuc2HY To see Bboy Morris win the 2021 Red Bull BC One Cypher championship, https://youtu.be/ULKfAk9BqzA Follow Bboy Morris on Instagram at @bboymorris_ Follow Aaron Ngor on Instagram at @aaronngor or his Doctors for Dancers page at https://doctorsfordancers.com/546/doctorsfordancers-aaron-ngor/ Follow Teejay Lee on Instagram at @teejaylee or his Doctors for Dancers page at https://doctorsfordancers.com/directory/tj-lee-atacp-cota-l-fmt/ Morris “Bboy Morris” Isby, III began breaking as a high school student in Sacramento, CA., after watching Battle of the Year: 1998 on VHS. The artistry and athleticism he saw in the battles inspired him to begin practicing daily in his parent's garage. Whether competing solo or alongside crew members, b-boy Morris has maintained his status as a champion competitor, boasting over 120 competitive wins under his belt to date. When he's not competing or performing, Morris is dedicated to ushering in the next generation of breakers through volunteering and mentorship. He is currently training to compete in the 2024 Paris summer games. Aaron Ngor, ATC is the co-founder and CEO of Offset Med, a company that aims to co-create the future of health and performance for artist-athletes worldwide. His early experiences as a dancer highlighted the inequities and lack of qualified healthcare professionals that are commonly seen serving traditional sports. Aaron  is a sherpa for the overlooked athlete, an investor for the undervalued artist, and a diplomat for the movement arts. His previous work experience includes the Clinic for Science and Health in Artistic Performance (SHAPe Clinic) at Ohio University, Disneyland Resort (Anaheim, CA), AMDA College of the Performing Arts (Los Angeles, CA), and University of Southern California (Los Angeles, CA). Aaron's personal guiding mission is to create opportunities that facilitate the intersection of art, movement, and community development. Taejun “TeeJay” Lee has a background in Occupational Therapy and strives to help people be the best they can be in their daily lives. Teejay has his Bachelor of Science in health education and earned his Occupational Therapy Assistant License in 2015. His personal experience with a disability and knowledge of pain through certifications in different techniques and modalities has led him to work on clients of all backgrounds. Notable clients include Emmy Awarded Dance Crew Quest Crew and World of Dance Season 2 Winners: The Lab.

Our biggest episode yet brings together the medical professionals in New York and Philadelphia who care for some of the biggest companies in the dance world. They give us insight on how they keep those performers on stage. We talk about what it's like to work in small, medium, and large-sized programs, how their dancers access care, and the challenges of pushing the boundaries of choreography without pushing physical boundaries. Brought to you by the American Medical Society of Sports Medicine. Our guests: From Philadelphia: Christine Cox, founder and artistic director of Ballet X (Instagram: @christineccox) Marc Harwood, MD: Rothman Orthopedic Institute and consultant Ballet X and Pennsylvania Ballet From New York: Melody Hrubes, MD: Rothman Orthopedic Institute and medical director Radio City Rockettes (Instagram: @melodyhrubes) Sheyi OjoFeitimi, PT, DPT: Director of Therapy Services, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. #drsheyipt #dancereadyproject For more information on Athletes and the Arts, go to https://www.athletesandthearts.com For American Medical Society of Sports Medicine, go to https://www.amssm.org For Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, go to https://www.alvinailey.org For Ballet X, go to https://www.balletx.org Bios: Christine Cox: Christine Cox co-founded BalletX, America's premier contemporary ballet company, with Matthew Neenan in 2005. The BalletX team has produced over 100 world premiere ballets by nearly 60 renowned and emerging choreographers to date, reaching more than 150,000 dance patrons. Under her leadership as Artistic & Executive Director, the company has performed at prestigious national stages including The Kennedy Center, Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival, Vail International Dance Festival, and The Joyce Theater. In 2013, she and her team launched The X-Process, an engagement program that invites audience members to participate in pre-show conversations with choreographers, an interactive lecture series about contemporary ballet, and open rehearsals. Through the Dance eXchange education program, she has partnered with elementary schools from the Philadelphia School District to emphasize dance as a means to promote self-confidence and acquire valuable life skills, reaching more than 2,000 local students in its first six years. Cox also led a TEDx talk at the George School about innovation in the field of contemporary ballet, from the art form's historical traditions to today's world of evolving definitions and globalization. As an arts leader, she has served on review panels for the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and New Jersey State Council on the Arts, and currently sits on the Advisory Board of the Philadelphia Arts & Business Council. Christine has been recognized with two Rocky Awards for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts, as well as fellowships from the Independence Foundation and Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. Cox was a full-time company member with the Pennsylvania Ballet from 1993 until her retirement from the stage in 2006. Some of her featured roles included Rum and Coca Cola in Paul Taylor's Company B, Vortex in Alvin Ailey's The River; Choleric in George Balanchine's The Four Temperaments, 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 corps 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. Marc Harwood, MD: Dr. Harwood is a board certified non-operative sports medicine physician and serves as the Service Chief of the Non-Operative

How do you improve mental performance in sports and the performing arts? Is mental performance and mental illness along the same spectrum? How do you stay healthy in the face of failure and rejection? We talk to a doctor and a performer to find out how. Listen to Yasi and Steven talk with Dr. Stephen Gonzales of the Association of Applied Sports Psychology (AASP) and Brooke DeRosa, film composer and singer with the L.A. Opera. Learn more at the AASP conference October 6-9, 2021 at https://www.appliedsportpsych.org For more information about the Athletes and the Arts coalition, go to https://www.athletesandthearts.com About our guests: Stephen Gonzales, PhD, CMPC: Dr Gonzales is the scientific program division head at AASP and CMPC is the Assistant Athletic Director for Leadership and Mental Performance at Dartmouth College, where he works with 35 NCAA Division I athletic programs competing in the Ivy League. Dr. Gonzalez has extensive experience working with elite athletes, military populations, and with performers, including concert symphony musicians. Dr. Gonzalez received his PhD at the University of Utah, and was an NCAA Division I runner at the University of Pittsburgh. He plays piano and is a huge fan of his dad's hometown band, Flood City Brass in Johnstown, PA. https://www.stephen-gonzalez.com Brooke DeRosa: Originally from New York, Brooke deRosa has performed opera and musical theater nationally and internationally.  She currently resides in Los Angeles, having performed locally with LA Opera, Long Beach Opera, Pacific Opera Project, The Pacific Symphony, Redlands Symphony and the San Bernardino Symphony Orchestra. Most recently she originated the role of "Nicely" in a new musical entitled "Witch's Night Out" which was workshopped for Stephen Schwartz as part of the ASCAP/Dreamworks Musical Theater Workshop at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.   Brooke has been a featured vocal soloist on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, on the Jimmy Kimmel stage, albums with Ghostface Killah and Snoop Dogg, and the scores of Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Luke Cage and A Series of Unfortunate Events on Netflix.  In addition to performing she is also a composer. Her first opera “The Monkey's Paw” premiered with Pacific Opera Project in 2017.  Her musical "Gunfight at the Not-So-OK Saloon" premiered in 2019 as part of the Hollywood Fringe Festival and won "The Pick of the Fringe", "The Encore Producer's Award" and "The John Raitt Award for Best Music and Lyrics." She has composed film scores for over twenty feature films. Instagram: @brookederosa https://l.instagram.com/?u=https%3A%2F%2Flinktr.ee%2Fbrookederosa&e=ATMhbcpUIwO9ALNSdcEp7jXJR7VQVDQqrv94pzU7erCDKT0i6UJLtKsZ0wq4xFvm7xka36Ii7c-E1IwWNdWcmnmQnYcpO5oJZOf3mg&s=1 (linktr.ee/brookederosa) http://www.brookederosa.com/ (www.brookederosa.com)

What does it take to become a professional dancer? A combination of physical gifts, proper training, and a lot of hard work for starters. But when the time comes to exit stage left, what does it take to then become a professional health care provider? We find out by talking to two extraordinary women who reached the top of two different fields. Listen as Yasi and Steven talk with Doctors Becca Rodriguez Regner, DO, FAOASM, and Kirsten Roberts, PT, DPT, CPT-PMA about the difficulties of a professional dance career, newer theories in dance training, the importance of nutritional support, developing resiliency, and so much more. For more about the AOASM, go to http://www.aoasm.org For Athletes and the Arts: http://athletesandthearts.com For the American Physical Therapy Association: http//apta.org For the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science: http://www.iadms.org Instagram: Kirsten Roberts: @drkroberts  Becca Rodriguez Regner: @sdolympicdoc Yasi Ansari: @yasiansarinutrition Steven Karageanes: @stevenkarageanes Dr. Becca Rodriguez Regner, DO, FAOASM: A former professional commercial dancer, Dr. Rodriguez is the current president of the American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine. Dr. Becca Rodriguez Regner graduated from KCOM and is board certified in Family Medicine and Sports Medicine.  Dr. Rodriguez serves the USOPC as a Team USA physician and was on the medical staff at the Olympic Training Site in Chula Vista, CA as team physician for 10 years.   She served on the USOPC Physician Advisory Board and USA President's Council Science Board, as well as the Medical Director for the high performance center for Team USA at the 2016 Olympics in Rio. She was Team USA physician at the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru, and team physician for both USA Women's Waterpolo and USA Rugby.  She is the head team physician for the major league rugby team, the San Diego Legion and company physician for the San Diego Ballet.   She is passionate about improving quality healthcare and helps make policy for many national organizations. She continues to work with ACOFP and AOASM and will be Assistant Program Director for the new Sports Medicine Fellowship at Temecula Regional Hospital in 2022.  Dr. Kirsten Roberts, PT, DPT, CPT-PMA: Kirsten received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from the University of St. Augustine in 2010.  While completing undergrad and grad school, she danced professionally with San Diego Ballet for 8 seasons as well as performing in the Urban Nutcracker in Boston for a season.  She has also guested with Southern California Ballet and many others over the years. As a dancer, Kirsten had much exposure to Pilates growing up, but only really started pursuing it after PT school when she found APPI (the Australian Physiotherapy and Pilates Institute).  Kirsten is now a certified Pilates Instructor and Master Trainer for APPI and an avid presenter.  She is passionate about education and teaches courses all over the States and abroad.  She has presented at the AOASM (American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine) for Performing Arts conference, at IADMS (International Association for Dance Medicine and Science) conference, and at APPI's One Goal One Community conference in London.   She has always specialized in treating dancers from the beginner to the professional levels and is currently one of the Physical Therapists for Texas Ballet Theatre in Fort Worth, TX.  She is the Chair of the Dance Department for the California State Summer School for the Arts, where she teaches ballet, pointe, variations, injury prevention, anatomy, Pilates and nutrition.   She has her Associate Teaching Certificate in the Cecchetti Method of Ballet and has passed her Final Cecchetti Diploma Examination.  Kirsten is passionate about Pilates, Physical Therapy, Injury Prevention and seeing people lead healthier, happier lives. She...

Dr. Laura Solomon shares her journey as a professional ballroom dancer, overcoming reconstructive ankle surgery and a career-threatening Jones fracture in her foot to compete at the highest levels in the world of ballroom dancing. She is joined by her team; her teacher and partner, Oscar Pedrinelli, and her podiatrist, Dr. Howard Osterman. They talk about the power of positive thinking, treatment for a Jones fracture, prevention foot and ankle injuries, and what it takes to excel in dance. Links Athletes and the Arts: http://www.athletesandthearts.com American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine: http://www.aapsm.org Blackpool Dance Festival: https://www.blackpooldancefestival.com Our guests: Dr. Laura Solomon is a special education consultant in Washington, DC, who is an avid ballroom dancer and who competes in national and international pro-am competitions (i.e. was a silver medalist in ballroom dancing in the Sydney, Australia Gay Games Olympics). She and Oscar have won and have been finalists in many other competitions in the United States and overseas. In 2019, she placed second in her age division at the prestigious Blackpool competition in Blackpool, England, dancing with Oscar on a severe ankle injury. Dr. Howard Osterman practices in Washington DC and Silver Spring, Maryland and is a former President of the AAPSM. He has represented AAPSM at the Joint Commission on Sports Medicine and Science and is the team podiatrist for the Washington Wizards and a consultant to Georgetown University athletics while being a partner in the Foot and Ankle Specialists of the Mid-Atlantic, LLC. Oscar Pedrinelli is from Milan, Italy, and began his dance training as a young child. He lives in New York with his wife and professional partner and spends his time between NY and DC. When he is not dancing, he is pursuing a degree in business.

Our guest this episode is renowned otolaryngologist and President of the Performing Arts Medical Association, Lucinda Halstead, MD. She is a pioneer in performing arts medicine, starting one of the first vocal treatment centers in the United States in 1987 and becoming the Medical Director of the MUSC Evelyn Trammell Institute for Voice and Swallowing. We discuss various medical issues related to vocalists, specifically vocal dystonia, a commonly misunderstood problem that can suddenly render a performer unable to sing. We also cover the work of the Performing Arts Medical Association, including work on a COVID aerosol that is helping to get performers back on stage. To attend PAMA's 39th annual virtual conference on June 24-27, go to http://www.artsmed.org/symposium/registration-and-fees. For more information on Athletes and the Arts, go to http//:www.athletesandthearts.com About Dr. Halstead: Lucinda A. Halstead, M.D. received her degree from George Washington University and completed her residency in Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery in the Combined Tufts University – Boston University Residency Program. Currently, she serves as the vice-chairman for Resident Education in the Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery and the Medical Director of the MUSC Evelyn Trammell Institute for Voice and Swallowing. Dr. Halstead founded the MUSC Voice Center in 1987 to support research and advanced care in laryngology, swallowing, voice, pediatric otolaryngology and performing arts medicine. After the Voice Center expanded in 2000, she became the Medical Director of the MUSC Evelyn Trammell Institute for Voice and Swallowing. Dr. Halstead is the laryngologist for the internationally renowned Spoleto Festival USA and President Elect of the Performing Arts Medicine Association. She lectures nationally and internationally on the topics of adult and pediatric voice and swallowing disorders, treatment of professional voice users and vocal performers, performing arts medicine, and laryngopharyngeal reflux disorders. She is a member of the American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology, the Voice Foundation, the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the Colligium Medicorum Theatri, and the Performing Arts Medicine Association.

Amanda Donahue, ATC, MS and Kristina Berger are faculty at the esteemed Joan Phelps Palladino School of Dance at Dean College in Franklin, Massachusetts. These two accomplished professionals join us today to talk about how they merge medicine, education, and training to best prepare their dancers for the dance world. Their unique collaboration is a model for training and caring for dancers. We talk about how athletic trainers are uniquely suited to be the key health care professional in a college dance program, and we dive into dance topics such as the Horton Technique, dancer nutrition, and how dance helps you discover your inner passion to keep you going in your career. Dean College: https://www.dean.edu/academics/schools/palladino-school-of-dance/ Horton Technique for Dance: https://www.dean.edu/academics/schools/palladino-school-of-dance/ Performing Arts in the National Athletic Trainers Association: https://www.nata.org/professional-interests/emerging-settings/performing-arts Doctors for Dancers: https://doctorsfordancers.com Kristina Berger is a world-class dancer, choreographer, and teacher of the Horton and Hawkins techniques, both of which she teaches as Assistant Professor at Dean College. Kristina has performed throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia in positions ranging from current status as principal dancer with The Erick Hawkins Dance Company to first female and Westerner to perform virtuoso solo "Hanuman The Monkey King" in Bali, exclusive soloist of original Lester Horton works, and dancer for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. Kristina has danced with Molissa Fenley & Dancers, Joyce Trisler Danscompany, Washington Opera Ballet and SWATT. She has been on dance faculty at Marymount Manhattan College, Steps, Peridance, The Joffrey School of Ballet, and continues to teach, create, and perform globally. Amanda Donahue has served as the Athletic Trainer for the Palladino School of Dance & School of Arts at Dean College located in Franklin, Massachusetts since 2013. She received her Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training from Northeastern University and her Master of Science in Kinesiology from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Amanda currently serves as the Performing Arts Committee Chair for the NATA Council of Practice Advancement and is the NATA Liaison for the Performing Arts Athletic Trainer's Society. In addition to her work at Dean, Amanda worked as one of the athletic trainers with Boston location of Blue Man Group, as well as the Boston Ballet Summer Dance Program . Her passion of dance began at a young age with ballet and is currently a competitive ballroom dancer.

We talk with Dr. Timothy Lightfoot and Randy Dick, both fellows of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) about exercise physiology concepts in performing arts medicine. Dr. Lightfoot, an exercise physiologist, talks about his innovative research at Texas A & M on physical exertion during performance, as well as the "Exercise is Medicine" campaign started by the ACSM and how it applies to performers. We also look at the barriers that prevent performing artists from achieving health and wellness. More about the ACSM at http://www.acsm.org. For more information about Athletes and the Arts, go to http://www.athletesandthearts.com Dr. Lightfoot is the Debbie and Mike Hilliard Endowed Professor of Kinesiology and the Director of the Sydney and JL Huffines Institute for Sports Medicine and Human Performance at Texas A&M University. He is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine and an ACSM Certified Exercise Physiologist. Randy Dick is a Fellow in the American College of Sports Medicine. He worked for twenty years with the NCAA managing its sports medicine and injury prevention programs, including the development and application of two generations of the NCAA Injury Surveillance System and has authored more than 40 peer-reviewed publications and multiple book chapters on a variety of sports medicine and performing arts issues. Randy leads Athletes and the Arts, an initiative that works to integrate sports medicine principles and wellness into the performing arts, as a current project. 

Find out more about Athletes and the Arts and how you can get involved. Check out our webpage at http://www.athletesandthearts.com

Our guests are Randy Dick and John Snyder, the two co-founders of the Athletes and the Arts initiative. We talk about why this movement is needed, and how they worked to bring sports medicine and performing arts medicine organizations together to better meet the needs of musicians, dancers, vocalists and all performing artists everywhere.