Pod De Deux » Pod de Deux podcast episodes

In this  installment of PDD’s fall/spring series covering the Dance Now 25th anniversary season, Paul Hamilton speaks with the intrepid Jasmine Hearn, one of the commissioned artists in the March lineup! The March lineup also includes Megan Williams, Ruben Graciani, TSIAMBWOM M. AKUCHU, and Brendan Drake. During this interview, Jasmine shared: “As an artist, I […]

*PDD listeners receive a $5 discount on tickets to the Dance Now virtual celebration of Claire Porter on Feb 25th at 7pm EST! Use code PDDCEL421 ! In this  installment of PDD’s fall/spring series covering the Dance Now 25th anniversary season, Paul Hamilton speaks with Choreographer, Writer and Performer Claire Porter, who is being honored […]

In our previous episode, we explored the stories and experiences of two Black dance leaders, their leadership styles, how they navigate their Blackness in their workplaces, as well as ways that they advocate for their Black dancers. Today, we’re peeling back another layer, getting to know two dance leaders in dance advocacy and dance management. […]

*PDD listeners receive a discount on tickets to the Dance Now February chapter with code PDDCH421 – see below for details! In this  installment of PDD’s spring series covering the Dance Now 25th anniversary season, Paul Hamilton speaks with the extraordinarily talented dancer, choreographer and teacher Maleek Washington.  Maleek is one of four commissioned artists […]

Photo Credits: Tiffany Rea-Fisher by Ayodele Casel / Jonathan Alsberry by Steven Truman-Gray In our last episode, we had a great conversation with two dancers about their experiences navigating the professional commercial dance field while Black. In today’s episode, we’re continuing this dialogue, talking to people whom we often call the “front of the room.” […]

In this  installment of PDD’s fall/spring series covering the Dance Now 25th anniversary season, Paul Hamilton speaks with Choreographer, Writer, Director, and two-time Bessie winner Jane Comfort, who is being honored on Thursday, December 3rd at 7:00pm during the festival’s evening celebration. This interview is a wide-ranging conversation in which Jane shares thoughts about her […]

In our previous episode of the LLAB, we spoke with three Black dancers about their experiences and challenges navigating concert dance. This week, we talked to dancers on the other end of the field, in commercial dance. Our guests Tash Crudup and Keenan Cooks share stories and lessons about the challenges, triumphs and what it […]

In the 4th episode of PDD’s coverage of the Dance Now festival’s 25th anniversary season, new host Paul Hamilton talks with the talented tap dancer Orlando Hernandez, who has a new digital commission premiering online on Thursday, November 12th as part of the Dance Now November Chapter. (Tickets and additional information are available here!) In […]

In our previous series on the LLAB, we spoke with Black dancers about their experience as dance students in undergraduate and graduate programs and the challenges they faced being minorities in those spaces. This week, we started a new two-episode topic, re-centering the conversation on what it’s like to be a professional dancer while Black. […]

In the 3rd episode of PDD’s coverage of the Dance Now festival’s 25th anniversary season, new hosts Paul Hamilton and Sabrina Karlin interview Jamal Jackson and Nicole Wolcott! Digital commissions from both artists premiere as part of Chapter 2 on Thursday, October 8th. Tickets and additional information are available here. Check out the full season’s […]

Photo credit for Sydnie: Jamie McClean @jmxcleanPhoto credit for Michelle : Jonah Pester In our previous episode of the LLAB, we spoke with three Black dancers about their experiences and challenges with navigating undergraduate dance programs. This week, we wanted to take it a step further. We expanded our dialogue to the often overlooked subject of being […]

In the 2nd installment of PDD’s fall/spring series covering the Dance Now 25th anniversary season, new hosts Paul Hamilton and Sabrina Karlin interview the iconic Gus Solomons jr! Gus will be honored in Dance Now’s Chapter 1 virtual celebration on Thursday, October 1st at 7:00pm EDT. You can find more information and purchase a $20 […]

In the first episode of this fall PDD series, The LLAB, new Host Antuan Byers talks to a recent grad, Morgan Burns, and college seniors, Runako Campbell and Ricardo Hartley, about their experiences navigating the world of dance education as Black students at predominantly white institutions. Although all three of these guests attended different colleges […]

Personal & Business Coach Devon Bandison joins new PDD Host Antuan Byers, as well as Jessica and Clara, to help the PDD team prepare to integrate racial justice conversations into our work. This work will begin with Antuan’s upcoming series called The LLAB (Listening, Learning and Building), which will create a space to share marginalized […]

Robin Staff, Founding Executive Artistic Director of Dance Now, sat down with Clara and new PDD host Paul Hamilton to discuss Dance Now’s 25th anniversary season that kicks off on September 10th! Dance Now, which traditionally opens the NYC performance season with a week of shows at Joe’s Pub, is charting new territory by hosting […]

The Pod De Deux Podcast team is back with a not-to-be-missed season finale episode in the “Women Of Broadway” summer series. This week, Emmy nominee Sonya Tayeh joins Michael, Ellyn, and Kevin to discuss what it was like to choreograph, not one, but two musicals slated for Broadway this past season. Tayeh not only choreographed […]

The Pod De Deux Podcast team is back with another episode in the “Women Of Broadway” summer series, this week featuring Lizzi Gee, the choreographer behind this past season’s production of A Christmas Carol. In this episode, the remarkable Lizzi Gee discusses what it meant to her to travel across the pond to bring A […]

The Pod De Deux Podcast team is back with another episode in the “Women Of Broadway” summer series, this week featuring Six The Musical choreographer, Carrie-Anne Ingrouille. In the episode, Carrie-Anne discusses the growth, inspiration, and magic behind the female-driven musical Six. She also offers listeners a glimpse into the evening of March 12th: the […]

The Pod De Deux Podcast team is back with another episode in the “Women Of Broadway” summer series, this week featuring Girl From The North Country choreographer, Lucy Hind. In the episode, Lucy discusses the development of the Broadway musical ‘Girl From The North Country’ and the effects of halting performances due to COVID-19. She […]

The Pod De Deux Podcast team is back with the second episode of the “Women Of Broadway” summer series! This week we’re featuring Kelly Devine, Choreographer of Broadway’s Diana: A True Musical Story. In addition to discussing her work on Broadway’s Diana, Kelly delves into everything from her start as a child dancer in Los […]

Episode 1 of the “Women Of Broadway” Series hosted by Michael Mahany, Ellyn Marie Marsh, & Kevin Michael Raponey In this first episode of Pod De Deux’s “Women Of Broadway” series, Broadway choreographer Lorin Latarro sits down with Michael, Ellyn, and Kevin to discuss her current Broadway show, ‘Mrs. Doubtfire,’ and much more! Lorin lets […]

In this episode, recorded during the first week of NYC’s COVID quarantine, we spoke to Kyla Barkin and Aaron Selissen about their journey of building a dance company together, their latest project, Accidental Suite (which was scheduled to be presented on March 20th but postponed due to the virus), and the complex topics they explore […]

In this episode of Pod De Deux, Michael Mahany speaks with Lady Gaga’s Visual Director and Choreographer, Richy Jackson! (Scroll down for extended video cut!) Jackson, who grew up in the California Bay Area, tells us all about how he came to find dance, the fateful day when he left Tuskegee University as a pre-law […]

In this second week of COVID quarantine in New York City, Michael and Clara had the privilege of connecting with multi-disciplinary art maker Gabri Christa over Zoom. Gabri is a dancer, choreographer, filmmaker, scholar and all-around artist with a rich history and intriguing body of work. She told us about the cross-roads culture she experienced […]

Jessica and Clara had the privilege of connecting with dance artist Megan Williams about her multi-layered career and many years of adventure in dance. Megan told us about getting started at Juilliard in the 80s and touring with Mark Morris Dance Group for 10 years, a relationship that evolved into an opportunity to stage his […]

Jessica and Michael had a fun, energized and important conversation with Sean Dorsey, the U.S.’ first acclaimed transgender modern dance choreographer. Sean’s newest work, BOYS IN TROUBLE, unpacks masculinity with unflinching honesty from unapologetically trans and queer perspectives – and Sean likewise spoke openly about how his work incorporates and expresses unique perspectives on gender, […]

After a particularly busy fall performance season, Jessica and Clara decided to bring a new co-host onto the Pod de Deux team – and could not have been more thrilled when Michael Mahany jumped on board!! Despite a demanding schedule performing with the recently extended Rock of Ages and serving as New York City Correspondent […]

  Clara sat down with award-winning documentary filmmaker Catherine Tambini just days after Catherine’s new film, Perfectly Normal for Me, had its nationwide television premiere on the WORLD Channel. (The film can be streamed on worldchannel.org until November 29th!) Perfectly Normal for Me follows children and teens in a NYC after-school program called Dancing Dreams […]

In this episode, our new co-host Michael joined the mic with Clara to interview choreographer, Tiffany Mills ahead of the world premiere of her new work, Not then, not yet. Tiffany shared how she drew inspiration for this evening-length work from Mary Shelley’s life and writings.  The motif of liminality became a powerful, generative force […]

Jessica and Clara had the great pleasure of interviewing five 2019 Bessie Award nominees this year – in order of interview: Caleb Teicher, Molly Poerstel, Shamar Watt, Ni’Ja Whitson and Leslie Cuyjet! (See below for nominations!) The Bessies – which celebrate their 35 anniversary this year –  are New York City’s premier annual dance awards honoring outstanding […]

Pod de Deux interviewed Leslie Cuyjet as part of a series of interviews with five 2019 NYC Bessie Award nominees. Leslie was nominated for a Bessie for Sustained Achievement with Jane Comfort, Niall Jones, Juliana F. May, Cynthia Oliver, and Will Rawls. We hope to do a full-length interview with her in the future! Leslie […]

Pod de Deux interviewed Ni’Ja Whitson as part of a series of interviews with five 2019 NYC Bessie Award nominees. Ni’Ja was nominated for a Bessie for outstanding production and Visual Design of Oba Qween Baba King Baba, which was Co-commissioned by Danspace Project and Abrons Arts Center. We hope to do a full-length interview […]

Pod de Deux interviewed Shamar Watt as part of a series of interviews with five 2019 NYC Bessie Award nominees. Shamar was nominated for a Bessie for Sustained Achievement in the work of Nora Chipaumire. We hope to do a full-length interview with him in the future! Shamar Watt is an artist born in Kingston, […]

Pod de Deux interviewed Molly Poerstel as part of a series of interviews with five 2019 NYC Bessie Award nominees. Molly was nominated for a Bessie for Sustained Achievement with Hilary Clark, David Dorfman, Jeanine Durning, Alex Escalante, Juliana F. May, Susan Rethorst, Roseanne Spradlin, and Larissa Velez-Jackson. Molly talked about her experience dancing for […]

Pod de Deux interviewed Caleb Teicher as part of a series of interviews with five 2019 NYC Bessie Award nominees. Caleb was nominated for a Bessie for outstanding production in More Forever Guggenheim Works & Process. We hope to do a full-length interview with him in the future! Caleb Teicher began his dance career as […]

Jessica and Clara interviewed choreographer, dancer, actor, and director, John Kelly, in between rehearsals for his work “Underneath the Skin,” premiering at NYU Skirball this weekend, October 11th & 12th! John took us through his constellation of muses, influences, and inspiration through the years, from his first sighting of baby ballerina on the Ed Sullivan […]

Jessica and Clara talked to Jenn Freeman, a choreographer, artistic director of Freemove Dance, and prolific teacher of contemporary dance. Jenn shared how she developed her theatrical and highly physical style of dance while traversing multiple dance worlds from modern dance in academia to contemporary style in the dance convention circuit. She talked about how […]

Jessica sat down with Argentinian dance and dance-theater artist Anabella Lenzu to discuss her impressive body of work and philosophies on life and art. Not only a dancer and choreographer, but also an author and dedicated teacher, Anabella had in-depth perspectives to share on a wide range of topics, including the inseparability of life and […]

In this episode of Pod de Deux podcast, Clara and Jessica sat down with dancer, curator and Bollywood choreographer, Pooja Uberoi. Pooja shared how Bollywood has changed over recent years to incorporate a range of styles including Indian classical dance, jazz, and hip-hop. She is organizing this year’s New York City Dance Week, a 10-day […]

Early in 2019, Clara sat down with Troy Ogilvie – Choreographer, performer and improv teacher – for a wide-ranging conversation that revealed Troy’s deep-seated “JOD (joy of dance)” and many insights into the process of creating movement from a place of purpose. Troy introduced us to the terms kinesphere and proprioception and described her own […]

  In honor of CDI’s upcoming 5th anniversary performances, Jessica and Clara interviewed the Director of CUNY Dance Initiative (CDI), Alyssa Alpine, and Choreographer, Gabrielle Lamb of Pigeonwing Dance. Alyssa talked about how CDI started as a pilot initiative and grew to become a successful private/public partnership model of support for artists in NYC. She […]

For PDD’s first interview of 2019, Clara connected with Conductor Ming Luke over Skype. Despite being an incredibly versatile artist who conducts for a wider variety of productions than is typical in the US (as discussed in the interview!), Luke has developed expertise in conducting for dance and has served as the Principal Guest Conductor […]

We hope you’ll derive inspiration for the new year from our interview with the awe-inspiring Amy Jordan – author, inspirational speaker, consultant, choreographer and classically trained dancer! Amy spoke with us about overcoming the many challenges life has brought her, with dance as a backdrop of strength and renewal.  She talked us through her D.A.N.C.E. […]

We were so happy to have the privilege of squeezing in an interview with Paul Lightfoot, Artistic Director of Nederlands Dans Theater, while he was briefly in town for New York City Center’s 2018 Fall for Dance Festival. Paul’s lively enthusiasm made for a conversation that was both informative and entertaining! He shared insight into […]

Returning to our recording studio, we had a great chat with Jenna Lavin, the newly appointed Principal of the Pre-Professional Division at Ballet Academy East (BAE). Jenna gave us a clear sense of how the BAE teaching strategy and philosophy uniquely prepares students to excel in a range of styles and techniques while cultivating a […]

Jessica interviewed choreographer Tere O’Connor leading up to his NYC premiere of Long Run at NYU Skirball (10/12 & 10/13).  They talked about how Tere’s fascination with structure led to the multi-layered aesthetic he has become known for. Tere revealed some of the processes he uses to convolute movement phrases, focusing on rhythm, the mixing […]

After a brief summer hiatus, we got back into the studio and conducted a Skype interview with Houston Ballet’s Harper Watters. Harper has made a name for himself on social media with comedic videos and brand partnerships, as well as a web series of his own creation. We spoke to him about the importance (personal […]

Jessica and Clara interviewed Tiler Peck leading up to the premier of her new documentary, BalletNow, which will be available for streaming on Hulu on Friday, July 20th.  The film, directed by Steven Cantor (who directed Sergei Polunin’s DANCER) and produced by Elisabeth Moss, shows Tiler assume many roles as curator, artistic director, rehearsal director and dancer in preparation […]

In this episode, Clara sits down with Rina Saltzman, Company Manager on Broadway and former Company Manager for American Ballet Theater. We learn about what a Company Manager does, how the inner workings and funding structures of the ballet world contrast with Broadway, and how we might see more in-depth mixing of the two going […]

In this episode, Clara connects with fellow Minnesotan dancer Christopher LaPlante. We learn about Chris’ experience independently navigating the dance world, guided by his innate passion for dance. He talks about growing up in competition school, discovering break dance in his early 20s, and the magical way in which he achieved his dream of dancing […]

In this episode, Jessica and Clara interviewed dancer Paul Hamilton about his experience collaborating with a diverse range of choreographers including Alonzo King, Elizabeth Streb, Reggie Wilson, Ralph Lemon and Keely Garfield.  He shared a bit about each choreographer’s style and process and talked about his own journey of discovering and re-discovering dance as his […]