Podcast appearances and mentions of Houston Ballet

Today's guest, Kati Hanlon Mayo, Academy Associate Director for Charlotte Ballet's Upper School, trained at The Boston School of Ballet under the direction of E. Virginia Williams & Violette Verdy. At the age of 15, she became a member of Boston Ballet 2 before joining North Carolina Dance Theatre (now Charlotte Ballet) as a principal dancer. She also performed with Chautauqua Ballet Company under the direction of Jean Pierre Bonnefoux.Her students have gone on to professional careers with companies throughout the world, including: New York City Ballet, Nederland Dans Theater, San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet and Houston Ballet. Kati has been a guest teacher for The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, The Chautauqua Institution, Regional Dance America and she is a repetiteur for the Salvatore Aiello Trust. She is a certified instructor of Dance for Parkinson's Disease through The Mark Morris Dance Group and she also completed her instructor certification with Progressing Ballet Technique.In our conversation, Kati shares about the value of mentors, allowing yourself to grow, and staying focused on your training despite the distractions of competing for roles, navigating the unknowns, and all the things that can pull your focus from your technique.Thanks for listening to our conversation, thanks for sharing this episode with a friend and for leaving a review. Takeaways from our conversation:-mentors help you understand what you don't know-a life in dance starts at a young age; requiring both physical and emotional strength and maturity-stay connected to the joyful adventure of danceLearn more about Kati and Charlotte Ballet - including their summer program at Charlotteballet.org.You can learn more about dance education and career planning for dancers at theballerinatist.com#dance #danceeducation #professionaldancer #dancecompany #ballet #ballerina #summerdanceprogram

On today's episode of "Conversations On Dance", we are joined by Stanton Welch, Artistic Director of Houston Ballet and choreographer of the company's upcoming premiere of the full length classic "Raymonda". Stanton talks about his deep love of the glorious Glazunov score, his approach to creating full length narrative works, and how he sculpts these ballets in a years long process. Houston Ballet's "Raymonda" runs May 29th through June 8th. Tickets can be purchased at houstonballet.org. Also available on their website, subscriptions for Houston Ballet's recently announced 25-26 season, a journey across centuries of composers, choreographers and ballet's greatest stories.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceMerch: https://bit.ly/cod-merchYouTube: https://bit.ly/youtube-CODJoin our email list: https://bit.ly/COD-email Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Silas Farley, former New York City Ballet dancer and current Dean of the Colburn School's Trudl Zipper Dance Institute, explores the profound connections between classical ballet, Christian worship, and embodied spirituality. From his early exposure to liturgical dance in a charismatic Lutheran church to his career as a professional dancer and choreographer, Farley illuminates how the physicality of ballet can express deep spiritual truths and serve as an act of worship.Episode Highlights from Silas Farley“The physicality of ballet is cruciform. The dancer stands in a turned-out position... the body becomes the intersection of the vertical and the horizontal plane.”“Sin makes the soul curve in on itself, whereas holiness or wholeness in God opens us up.”“We are Christian humanists. We don't need to be intimidated by beauty.”“There's knowledge and insight in all the different parts of our bodies, not just in our brain.”“The mystery of the incarnation is that when the creator of all things wanted to make himself known to his creation, he didn't come as a vapor or as a mountain or as a bird. But he came as a man.”Resources for Ballet EngagementLocal community ballet companies/schools“B is for Ballet” (ABT children's book)“My Daddy Can Fly” (ABT)Celestial Bodies, by Laura JacobsApollo's Angels, by Jennifer HomansSilas Farley's Podcast: Hear the Dance (NYC Ballet)The Nutcracker (NYC Ballet/Balanchine)Jewels (1967, Balanchine)Agon (Balanchine/Stravinsky)About Silas FarleySilas Farley is a professional ballet dancer and choreographer. Dean of the Trudl Zipper Dance Institute at the Colburn School in Los Angeles, Silas is a former New York City Ballet dancer, choreographer, and educator. He also currently serves as Armstrong Artist in Residence in Ballet in the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University.His work includes choreography for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Houston Ballet, and the New York City Ballet. He hosts the Hear the Dance podcast and creates works that integrate classical ballet with spiritual themes.Silas also serves on the board of The George Balanchine Foundation.Show NotesSilas Farley's Early Dance Background & FormationSilas Farley: Originally from Charlotte, North Carolina; youngest of 7 children (4 brothers, 2 sisters); multiracial family (white father, Black mother)First exposure through charismatic Lutheran church's liturgical dance ministrySaw formal ballet at age 6 when Christian ballet company Ballet Magnifica performedDance initially experienced as form of worship before performanceLiturgical vs Classical BalletLiturgical dance:Amplifies worshipFunctions as embodied prayerNot primarily performativeHistorical examples: David with Ark of Covenant, Miriam after Red Sea crossingClassical ballet:Performed on proscenium stageRequires specific trainingFocuses on virtuosic movementsExplicitly performativeBoth forms serve as offerings/vessels for transmitting energy to audienceTechnical Elements of Ballet: Turnout, Spiritual Turnout, and Opening UpFoundational concept of “turnout”—rotation of feet/hips outward“That idea of turnout makes the body more expressive in a way. Because if our toes are straightforward, like the way we're designed, you only see a certain amount of the leg. Whereas if the body stands turned out, you see the whole inside of the musculature of the leg. It's a more complete revelation of the body.”Creates more complete revelation of body's musculaturePhysicality conveys “spiritual turnout” - openness/receptiveness“Spiritual turnout: that you are open   and receptive and generous. And that's embodied in the physicality of ballet.”“So much of what developed as ballet as we know, it happened at the court of Louis the XIV in the  1660-1670s.”“It's not artificial, it's actually supernatural.”Physical & Spiritual Connections in Ballet“Our walk  with God is that he's  defining us so that we are becoming open. We're open to him. We're open to receive his love. We're open to be vessels of his love. We're open to receiving and exchanging love with  other people.”Freedom within the constraints movements and positionsSwan Lake: “They're so free. They're almost like birds. But that's come through a lifestyle of discipline.”“You get a hyper awareness of your own body.”Develops hyper-awareness of bodyLinks to incarnational theology—Christ as God-manFreedom through discipline and submissionMovement vocabulary builds from simple elements (plié, tendu)Plie: Mama and Dada“As a dancer grows up in ballet, the dancer then develops  this enormous vocabulary of movement  that are all reducible back to the microcosm of the plié and the tendu.”Creates infinite lines suggesting eternityCombines circular power with eternal linesTheological Dimensions of BalletSilas's choreographed interpretation of C.S. Lewis's The Four Loves, as a balletBallet and the Art of Choreography“The music and choreography were like brothers.”“Songs from the Spirit”“The music becomes my map.”Choreographing in silenceThe Role of the Audience and Their ExperienceIdeas to dialogue withA set of ideas to gather together and embodyArvo Part, The Genealogy of Jesus in Luke 3Uniting my heart with JesusI'm never didactic about it.An embodied musical experience“If I  say ‘family, friendship, romance, divine love,' you all instantly have associations, beauty, pain, trauma, consolation that are associated with those four loves.”“ I'm not writing a sermon about any of these ideas. I'm choreographing a ballet. I'm assembling these classical steps with this music to create a visceral, embodied musical experience.”The audience: “They come to it with their experiences, their own eyes and ears and their own bodies. And that's enough.”Arvo Part: “Music is white light, and the prism is the soul of the listener.”“The musical ideas are refracted through the hearer.”“The audience is always in my heart and mind.”“I always think of the artwork as an act of hospitality.  … I'm just setting the table.”What's Unique about Ballet as a Physical ArtformBeautiful interconnectednessAsking the body to reach to its limits“The Infinite Line” in BalletRadiating out into multiple eternal lines at the same timeConstant reaching in many directions at onceCruciform positioning: intersection of vertical and horizontal planes“The body becomes radiant”Use of “épaulement”—spiraling of body around spine's axisReveals pulse points (neck, wrists) creating vulnerable energy exchange with audienceOpening up the life force of the dancerNo separation between dancer and instrument (“I am the work of art”)Cruciform physicalityContemporary Cultural ContextModern culture increasingly disembodied due to screens/digital media“We live in an increasingly disembodied culture, we are absorbed with screens two dimensional, uh, highly edited and curated,  mediated self presentation   as opposed to like visceral nitty gritty blood, sweat, tears, good, bad, and ugly of life itself. So we get insulated from the step that makes life what it is.”Education often treats people as “brains on sticks”“The Christian life is a lifestyle of in embodied discipleship to the God man, Jesus  Christ. And he's not a brain on a stick. He's the God man. He has a jawbone and he went through puberty and he has wounds like the beautiful hymn. It says, rich wounds, yet visible and beauty glorified. The mystery of the incarnation is that when the creator of all things wanted to make  himself known to his creation, he didn't come as a  vapor or as a mountain or as a bird, but he came as a man. And so he sublimates and affirms the glory of his creation, the materiality of his creation and the body as the crown of his creation by coming as a man.”Church needs more embodied practicesBallet offers counterpoint to disembodied tendenciesImportance of physical discipline in spiritual formationRomans 12:1 and making our bodies as living sacrificesHow to Experience Ballet“There's nothing you need to know before going to experience ballet.  You have a body, you have eyes, you have ears. That's all you need. Just let it wash over you.Let it work on you in its own kind of visceral way, and let that be an entry point  to not be intimidated by the, the music,  or the wordlessness or the tutu's or the point shoes or whatever.There's so many different stylistic manifestations of ballet. But just go experience it.And if you can, I would really encourage people almost as much or more than  watching it go see if like your local YMCA or  something has an adult ballet class, or if you're a kid, maybe ask your parents to sign you up to go try a class and just feel what that turned-out physicality feels like in your own body.It's so beautiful. It's very empowering.”Production NotesThis podcast featured Silas Farley and Macie BridgeEdited and Produced by Evan RosaHosted by Evan RosaProduction Assistance by Macie Bridge, Alexa Rollow, Zoë Halaban, Kacie Barrett & Emily BrookfieldA Production of the Yale Center for Faith & Culture at Yale Divinity School https://faith.yale.edu/aboutSupport For the Life of the World podcast by giving to the Yale Center for Faith & Culture: https://faith.yale.edu/give

This month we talked to some of our regular programming partners who are presenting a variety of programs for families and kids. Didn't catch a program over Spring Break? No worries, all three of these presenters will be back in our libraries this summer! For older kids and adults dreaming of getting a Spring Break as a college student, take a listen to our interview with our very own FutureU Advisor, Daniel Sullivan to hear about the free workshops and support you can receive from HCPL's FutureU program.   0:23 Jen Sommers with the Houston Ballet  See upcoming events on our calendar here  20:46 Troy Scheid with Brave Little Company Summer camp info is on this page 32:56 Daniel Sullivan with FutureU Find out more at https://hcpl.net/futureu/ 41:01 Mike Blackwell with CodeKnights Find out more at https://www.minecraftevents.com/  Created by the Podcast Team at the Harris County Public Library.www.hcpl.netPodcast Team Members include: Beth Krippel, John Harbaugh, Mary Mink, Dylan Smith, Sadina Shawver, Gisela Parker, Kara Ludwig, John Schaffer, Jennifer Finch, Katelyn Helberg, Darcy Casavant, Darla Pruitt and Nancy Hu

On today's episode of "Conversations On Dance" we are joined by Elizabeth Yntema the president and founder of Dance Data Project, an organization that promotes gender equity through its research and analysis. Dance Data Project has just released its Artistic and Executive Director compensation report and Elizabeth helps us comb through the data to explore things like the remaining gender pay gap and pay increases for executives in spite of deficits. Visit dancedataproject.com to view the full report. https://www.dancedataproject.com/ddp-research/artistic-and-executive-compensation-report-2024/* ADDITIONAL NOTE regarding dancer compensation * Follow up from DDP: "In FY22, 1 company within the Largest 10 reported dancer salaries - San Francisco Ballet. In FY23, 4 companies within the Largest 10 reported dancer salaries - San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Houston Ballet, and Pacific Northwest Ballet. Notably, all of the dancers with reported salaries were principal dancers."According to the IRS, here are the guidelines for which persons must be listed on Form 990s: "The organization must also list up to 20 current employees who satisfy the definition of key employee (persons with certain responsibilities and reportable compensation greater than $150,000 from the organization and related organizations), and its five current highest compensated employees with reportable compensation of at least $100,000 from the organization and related organizations who are not officers, directors, trustees, or key employees of the organization."Be in touch with Dance Data Project: https://www.dancedataproject.com/contact-us/.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceMerch: https://bit.ly/cod-merchYouTube: https://bit.ly/youtube-CODJoin our email list: https://bit.ly/COD-email Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Send us a textTrailblazing Prima ballerina, Lauren Anderson, shares her journey as Houston's first Black principal dancer with the Houston Ballet. In this inspiring episode, she reflects on her groundbreaking career, career highlights, enduring love for dance, and her meaningful contributions to the Fade to Black Arts Festival.Catch the video premiere of the episode on Wednesday at 7PM here:https://youtube.com/@thefadepod25?si=IvP-YIHpEcvEKDKt Visit fadetoblackfest.com for more information of the 2025 Fade To Black Arts Fest.

The end of the year is a busy time for arts administrators, packed with holiday campaigns and fundraising deadlines. With so much happening, it's easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. So today we're taking a moment to pause, reflect, and reconnect with our “why.”  In this episode, we revisit a popular Boot Camp 2024 conversation with CI President Priya Iyer Doshi and Terri Freeman, President of The Lewis Museum, about purpose-driven leadership and the resilience of our industry. Then, we ask arts administrators to reflect on their year and what's fueling their passion in 2025. It will leave you feeling grounded, inspired, and ready to tackle what's ahead. CI to Eye with Terri Freeman (1:30) - Live from Boot Camp 2024, CI President Priya Iyer Doshi sits down with Terri Freeman, President of The Lewis Museum. Together they discuss purpose-driven leadership, resilience, and navigating uncertainty with clarity. It's a timely conversation and a powerful reminder of the importance of our work. Ask The Industry (59:30) - Dan takes his microphone to the Boot Camp floor to ask arts administrators about their year in review. They share their excitements, challenges, and what's keeping them inspired as we roll into 2025. Listen for familiar voices from Acadiana Center for the Arts, ArtOps, ArtsWave, Ballet BC, Carnegie Hall, Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, Charleston Gaillard Center, Cincinnati Arts Association, Hopkins Center for the Arts, Houston Ballet, Huntington Theatre Company, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Madison Symphony Orchestra, New York Theatre Workshop, Paper Mill Playhouse, Proctors Collaborative, Signature Theatre, Trinity Rep, University Musical Society, YoungArts, and ZACH Theatre.

The new year is right around the corner, and one of your New Year's resolutions may be to get out of your comfort zone. So, today, host Raheel Ramzanali is helping you get a jump start on your goals. He's bringing on producer Carlignon Jones, Hey Houston newsletter editor Brooke Lewis, and executive producer Laura Isensee to get their top tips to leave your comfort zone and explore more what Houston has to offer!  This episode originally aired on June 20th, 2024.  LINKS: Well Done cooking classes  Camping spots around the Houston area  Improv classes at Station Theater or Houston School of Improv Houston Area Urban League Young Professionals  Dance classes at Houston Metropolitan Dance Center and the Houston Ballet adult classes  Float the river in New Braunfels or Schlitterbahn  Water park adventures at Splashtown in Spring or Schlitterbahn in Galveston Critical Mass Houston  Register to vote  Researching candidates via League of Women Voters of Houston  James Driver Inclusive Park  Learn more about the sponsors of this December 19th episode here: Classic Christmas Downtown Houston+ Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston  Follow us on Instagram  @CityCastHouston Don't have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Have feedback or a show idea? Let us know!  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Let's Talk! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey and special guest, Jarod Lewis, manager of the costume shop, New York City Ballet. In this episode of Dance Talk, Joanne Carey continues her conversation with Jarod Lewis, the manager of the New York City Ballet Costume Shop. They delve into the intricate world of costume design, particularly focusing on the beloved Nutcracker ballet. Jarod shares insights into the preparation for the Nutcracker season, the longevity and craftsmanship of costumes, and the historical significance of certain pieces. The discussion highlights the importance of documenting the work of costume makers and the collaborative effort behind each performance. Jarod also showcases various costumes, emphasizing the attention to detail and the artistry involved in their creation. In this engaging conversation, Joanne Carey and Jarod delve into the intricate world of costume design and reconstruction. They explore the meticulous process of maintaining and rebuilding costumes, the importance of communication between dancers and costume makers, and the essential tools and techniques used in the costume shop. The discussion highlights the blend of artistry and engineering that goes into creating costumes that not only look beautiful but also function effectively on stage. Jarod shares insights into the science behind fabric manipulation and the significance of understanding the dancer's needs during fittings, emphasizing the collaborative nature of costume design. Jarod Lewis, has been the Costume Shop Manager of the NYC Ballet since 2021 where he works alongside the Director of Costumes, Marc Happel, to lead the Costume Shop towards creating the costumes for new ballets and the refurbishments and rebuilds of existing works. During his time at NYCB Jarod and his team of 16 artisans have created 18 world premiere ballets and are preparing for 3 more for this coming Fall and Winter seasons. Before working at NYC Ballet Jarod was the Assistant Designer and Shop Manager at Halsey Onstage, a costume production company in Chicago, IL. There Jarod worked alongside the late Travis Halsey to create over 250 custom costumes that have been worn on stages such as Sea World San Antonio, Papermill Playhouse, Houston Ballet, Vero Beach Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet, and for YAGP. They also created costumes that have been worn in various ballets, musicals, tv shows, and operas across Canada, Australia, and France.   Before beginning his career in costuming, Jarod grew up in the Appalachian Mountains of Eastern Kentucky where he began his journey working in the performing arts by receiving his BA in Music at Morehead State University and continued education of Music Production and Technical Theatre at Troy University. Jarod has performed with various music groups on stages such as Universal Studios in Orlando, FL, the Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra in Pensacola, FL, and on an international orchestra and percussion ensemble tour in Beijing and Tianjin, China. Alongside Jarod's music career he also worked as a freelance recording engineer and the audio engineer in the marching arts with two Drum and Bugle Corps; The Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets from San Jose, California and The Cavaliers from Chicago, IL “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey wherever you listen to your podcasts.  ⁠⁠⁠https://dancetalkwithjoannecarey.com/⁠⁠⁠ Tune in. Follow. Like us. And Share.  Please leave us review about our podcast!  “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey  "Where the Dance World Connects, the Conversations Inspire, and Where We Are Keeping Them Real."

Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey and special guest, Jarod Lewis, manager of the costume shop, New York City Ballet. In this first episode of two with Jarod Lewis, the manager of the New York City Ballet costume shop, join host Joanne Carey as she dives into the intricacies of costume making for the New York City Ballet and some behind the scenes and stay tuned for Part II of our converstaion where we talk all things NUTCRACKER! Jarod shares his unique journey from a small farming community in Eastern Kentucky to managing the costume shop at one of the most prestigious ballet companies in the world. He discusses the intricate art and science of costume making, the importance of communication in a diverse workplace, and the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jarod emphasizes the attention to detail required in costume design, including dyeing fabrics to match dancers' skin tones, and the collaborative effort involved in bringing a ballet to life. The conversation highlights the passion and dedication of those working behind the scenes in the dance world. Jarod's passion for his work shines through as he reflects on the lessons learned throughout his career and the exciting projects ahead. Jarod Lewis, has been the Costume Shop Manager of the NYC Ballet since 2021 where he works alongside the Director of Costumes, Marc Happel, to lead the Costume Shop towards creating the costumes for new ballets and the refurbishments and rebuilds of existing works. During his time at NYCB Jarod and his team of 16 artisans have created 18 world premiere ballets and are preparing for 3 more for this coming Fall and Winter seasons. Before working at NYC Ballet Jarod was the Assistant Designer and Shop Manager at Halsey Onstage, a costume production company in Chicago, IL. There Jarod worked alongside the late Travis Halsey to create over 250 custom costumes that have been worn on stages such as Sea World San Antonio, Papermill Playhouse, Houston Ballet, Vero Beach Ballet, The Joffrey Ballet, and for YAGP. They also created costumes that have been worn in various ballets, musicals, tv shows, and operas across Canada, Australia, and France.   Before beginning his career in costuming, Jarod grew up in the Appalachian Mountains of Eastern Kentucky where he began his journey working in the performing arts by receiving his BA in Music at Morehead State University and continued education of Music Production and Technical Theatre at Troy University. Jarod has performed with various music groups on stages such as Universal Studios in Orlando, FL, the Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra in Pensacola, FL, and on an international orchestra and percussion ensemble tour in Beijing and Tianjin, China. Alongside Jarod's music career he also worked as a freelance recording engineer and the audio engineer in the marching arts with two Drum and Bugle Corps; The Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets from San Jose, California and The Cavaliers from Chicago, IL.    “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey wherever you listen to your podcasts.  ⁠⁠https://dancetalkwithjoannecarey.com/⁠⁠ Tune in. Follow. Like us. And Share.  Please leave us review about our podcast!  “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey  "Where the Dance World Connects, the Conversations Inspire, and Where We Are Keeping Them Real."

We had a ballerina come to the studio and teach us some moves. Website

In this episode, we're joined by Lauren Anderson, the first Black principal dancer with Houston Ballet, and Dr. Jessica Klanderud, a professor of African American history and ballet parent. Lauren reflects on her groundbreaking career, shares her thoughts on ballet competitions, and discusses the industry's ongoing diversity challenges. Dr. Klanderud discusses the roots of traditionalism and why “Ballet is pink” just won't work anymore. She also introduces Our Pointe, her YouTube channel where she shares an innovative technique she developed to help dancers dye pointe shoes to match skin tones. By offering this simple, affordable solution, she's contributing to greater inclusivity in ballet, ensuring all dancers can feel beautiful. Learn more about Lauren Anderson on her website:  Links: Ballet Help Desk Holiday Gift Guide Buy Corrections Journals Support Ballet Help Desk Instagram: @BalletHelpDesk Facebook: BalletHelpDesk Music from #Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/ian-aisling/new-future License code: MGAW5PAHYEYDQZCI

We spoke with some of your favorite vendors  from the market. Website

Special K is back at the market NOT tailgating. Website

Special K is checking in with lovely ladies at the Nutcracker Market. Website

Today we're speaking with the divine Danielle Rowe. Dani grew up in South Australia, and by 14 she had moved interstate to train [in ballet] under Marie Walton Mann. Within a year of that, she'd been accepted into the Australian Ballet School, and on graduation, she was offered a position with the company, but the accolades didn't stop. Dani rose to principal artist, won the Telstra Ballet Dancer award twice, and represented the Australian Ballet company around the world from London to China. But in a move that defines the superstars trajectory, she wanted more. She left Australia and moved to the US, joining Houston Ballet as a principal artist. Less than a year later, she was offered a contract with a prestigious Netherlands Dance Theater. In this wondrous conversation, Dani and I talk about her career across three continents, how she found choreography, about managing long distance relationships, her want for a family, and ultimately how she became the first female artistic director of Oregon Ballet Theater.  Production dream team ✨Hosted by @byclaudialawsonProduced by @fjordreviewAdditional Production @clinttopicSound & Editing @outputmediaStudios @brightsidesydney@sawtoothstudios

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Working with narcissistic leaders in dance and experiencing dehumanization as a dancer are sad realities that many dancers face, especially in the professional ballet world. In today's episode, we are talking about how dancers can reclaim a sense of agency over themselves and their journeys even in the midst of this broken system. Melody Mennite Principal ballerina formerly with Houston Ballet and currently dancing with Vitacca Ballet. She has toured internationally to perform the classics as well as contemporary work in dance. Some of her classical Principal roles include Odette/Odile, Aurora, Kitri, Sugar Plum Fairy and Clara in The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Manon, Juliet, The Sylph in Bournanville's La Sylphide, Nikya in La Bayadere, Ciao Ciao San in Madame Butterfly, Marie in the ballet Marie, Tatiana and Olga in Onegin, Stephanie and Mary Vetsera in Meyerling, Swanhilda in Coppelia, Valencienne in The Merry Widow, and Lise in La Fille mal Gardee. Melody's most recent international appearance was in the role of Juliet for the Houston Ballet's Romeo and Juliet tour to Melbourne, Australia. During Melody's professional career she has also originated roles in new classical and contemporary productions by choreographers Christopher Wheeldon, Justin Peck, Stanton Welch, Ben Stevenson, Christopher Bruce, Jorma Elo, Cathy Marston, Paul Taylor, Aszure Barton, Nicole Fonte, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Olivier Wevers, Oliver Halkowich, Jane Weiner, and Garret Smith as well as in her dual role as dancer/choreographer for several films. Melody enjoys all forms of dance and has extensive training and experience with styles rooted in classical ballet, contemporary, jazz, and hip hop. She is passionate about both learning and teaching what she has learned with others. Ms. Mennite has graced the cover of both Dance Magazine and Dance Europe and is celebrated as the Audrey Hepburn of ballet due to her dynamic acting and a predisposition for comedic roles. As an actor Melody has achieved two award winning performances in film and continues to build this part of her resume. To read the rest of Melody's impressive resume, visit the description of our other recent episode together. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/Xa0Mno0uWlk To learn more about my mindset coaching and speaking services, visit kirstenkemp.com To stay up to date on the latest announcements and blog posts at The Confident Dancer, sign up to be a part of my email newsletter community here: http://eepurl.com/gDmjtz To follow along for daily tips and behind-the-scenes looks at what I'm up to, follow me on Instagram at @kirsten_theconfidentdancer _______________________________________________ WORK WITH ME 1:1! THE CONFIDENT DANCER COACHING PROGRAM: A 1:1 Coaching Program to master the mental side of dance so you can confidently perform to your fullest potential. Perfect for pre-professional, professional, or recreational dancers wanting overcome mental blocks like self-doubt, performance anxiety, perfectionism, comparison, insecurities, etc., and build a truly confident mindset that allows you to perform your personal best with joy. Learn more and apply here: https://kirstenkemp.com/confident-dancer-coaching-program#confident-dancer _________________________________________________ SPEAKING & WORKSHOPS: I offer mindset seminars to equip dancers with the inspiration and practical tools to thrive in their well-being and ability to perform their personal best. These 60-90 minute seminars can be a valuable addition to the holistic support and education of your dancers at your next intensive, year-round program, or professional development opportunity for your company dancers. Learn more and inquire here: https://kirstenkemp.com/speaking-and-workshops#speaking-and-workshops

The internationally acclaimed Houston Ballet is returning to the Crescent City for the first time in 15 years. This rare performance in the Big Easy is a one-night-only event showcasing classical and contemporary masterpieces by celebrated choreographers.Co-artistic director Julie Kent tells us more about what to expect at this weekend's performance. Over the weekend, LSU celebrated 100 years of Tiger Stadium in a game against Ole Miss. And throughout the next few weeks, we'll be marking the centennial with a series of stories on the history of Death Valley.Today we hear from Renée Boutte Myer, the first Black student to be crowned homecoming queen at LSU. She speaks with our intern, LSU student Martin Sullivan, about what she remembers from the night she made history. Then, we hear from three LSU alumni who share their most memorable experiences at Tiger Stadium. They talk about living in the stadium dorms, a fan having a heart attack in the stands, and children drinking sodas from flasks – just to scare other game-goers. ___Today's episode of Louisiana Considered was hosted by Diane Mack. Our managing producer is Alana Schreiber. We receive production and technical support from Garrett Pittman, Adam Vos and our assistant producer, Aubry Procell.You can listen to Louisiana Considered Monday through Friday at noon and 7 p.m. It's available on Spotify, Google Play and wherever you get your podcasts. Louisiana Considered wants to hear from you! Please fill out our pitch line to let us know what kinds of story ideas you have for our show. And while you're at it, fill out our listener survey! We want to keep bringing you the kinds of conversations you'd like to listen to.Louisiana Considered is made possible with support from our listeners. Thank you!

Houston Matters begins at 9 a.m. CT on 88.7FM or listen online. Join the discussion at 713-440-8870, talk@houstonmatters.org or @HoustonMatters.On Tuesday's show: As Tropical Storm Francine continues to travel up the Gulf Coast, we share the latest information on the storm, and what impact -- if any -- it might have on the Houston area.And, as we keep an eye on the storm, cleanup still continues from the last one. We get an update on the second round of Beryl debris removal.Also this hour: According to analysis of Census Bureau data, 21 percent of Houston's population that's age 65 and older still works. That's 192,000 Houstonians. Some choose to work longer, but others have no choice. We discuss how some seniors come to the conclusion about whether to retire and when.Then we check in with Houston First CEO Michael Heckman about efforts to promote Houston's tourism and convention business. And we seek out any developments surrounding the operation of the George R. Brown Convention Center, Jones Hall, and the Wortham Theater Center.And we talk with acclaimed choreographer John Neumeier about his adaptation of The Little Mermaid. No, not the Disney story -- an adaptation of the original 1837 fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. It's on stage at the Houston Ballet through Sept. 15.Audio from today's show will be available after 11 a.m. CT. We also offer a free podcast here, on iTunes, Stitcher and other apps.

Today on 'Conversations On Dance', we are joined by Silas Farley, teacher and choreographer formerly of the New York City Ballet, to talk about his upcoming premiere for Houston Ballet on their fall program 'Velocity'. Silas talks about his early and singular devotion to the art form, how he found his way to teaching and choreography after his career with NYCB and gives a full deep dive into the process, concept and collaborative nature of his latest work. If you are in the Houston, visit houstonballet.org to buy tickets for Silas' premiere, running from September 19th through the 29th. LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceMerch: https://bit.ly/cod-merchYouTube: https://bit.ly/youtube-CODJoin our email list: https://bit.ly/mail-COD Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Melody Mennite - Principal ballerina formerly with Houston Ballet and currently dancing with Vitacca Ballet. She has toured internationally to perform the classics as well as contemporary work in dance. Some of her classical Principal roles include Odette/Odile, Aurora, Kitri, Sugar Plum Fairy and Clara in The Nutcracker, Cinderella, Manon, Juliet, The Sylph in Bournanville's La Sylphide, Nikya in La Bayadere, Ciao Ciao San in Madame Butterfly, Marie in the ballet Marie, Tatiana and Olga in Onegin, Stephanie and Mary Vetsera in Meyerling, Swanhilda in Coppelia, Valencienne in The Merry Widow, and Lise in La Fille mal Gardee.Melody's most recent international appearance was in the role of Juliet for the Houston Ballet's Romeo and Juliet tour to Melbourne, Australia. During Melody's professional career she has also originated roles in new classical and contemporary productions by choreographers Christopher Wheeldon, Justin Peck, Stanton Welch, Ben Stevenson, Christopher Bruce, Jorma Elo, Cathy Marston, Paul Taylor, Aszure Barton, Nicole Fonte, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Olivier Wevers, Oliver Halkowich, Jane Weiner, and Garret Smith as well as in her dual role as dancer/choreographer for several films. Melody enjoys all forms of dance and has extensive training and experience with styles rooted in classical ballet, contemporary, jazz, and hip hop. She is passionate about both learning and teaching what she has learned with others. Ms. Mennite has graced the cover of both Dance Magazine and Dance Europe and is celebrated as the Audrey Hepburn of ballet due to her dynamic acting and a predisposition for comedic roles. As an actor Melody has achieved two award winning performances in film and continues to build this part of her resume. Also from a musical family Ms. Mennite was singing onstage before she ever started training in dance. She has been professionally recorded and released and has performed leading singing roles in regional productions of both West Side Story and Oklahoma. Melody's choreography has been featured on film, in music videos, and on ballet stages throughout the United States. In the last ten years she has been commissioned to create thirteen separate works nationally. Her hobbies include spending time in the outdoors, spending time with her son and two dogs, singing/making music, reading, writing, and practicing new ways to make art. Watch this episode on Youtube! https://youtu.be/9F17DkF13L0 To follow along for daily tips and behind-the-scenes looks at what I'm up to, follow me on Instagram at @kirsten_theconfidentdancer ________________________________________________ THE CONFIDENT DANCER COACHING PROGRAM: A 1:1 Coaching Program to master the mental side of dance so you can confidently perform to your fullest potential. Perfect for pre-professional, professional, or recreational dancers wanting overcome mental blocks like self-doubt, performance anxiety, perfectionism, comparison, insecurities, etc., and build a truly confident mindset that allows you to perform your personal best with joy. Learn more and apply here: https://kirstenkemp.com/confident-dancer-coaching-program#confident-dancer ______________________________________________ ONLINE COURSES: My online course offerings are a wonderful way to learn the practical steps to retraining your mind so you can thrive and excel in your dancing, all at your own pace and for a more affordable price than individual coaching. Whether your goal is to break through fear and nervousness so you can show up confidently in your auditions or you want to release the self-criticism or self-doubt that's been draining all the joy out of dancing lately, The Confident Dancer Course and rotating mini-courses available are designed to help you do just that. Learn more and enroll here: https://kirstenkemp.com/online-course-offerings

Leaving your comfort zone and breaking routine can be challenging. That's why host Raheel Ramzanali, executive producer Laura Isensee, Hey Houston newsletter editor Brooke Lewis, and producer Carlignon Jones are laying out new ways to leave your comfort zone around H-Town with adventures, activities, and more! Try out these recommendations! Well Done cooking classes  Camping spots around the Houston area  Improv classes at Station Theater or Houston School of Improv Houston Area Urban League Young Professionals  Dance classes at Houston Metropolitan Dance Center and the Houston Ballet adult classes  Float the river in New Braunfels or Schlitterbahn  Water park adventures at Splashtown in Spring or Schlitterbahn in Galveston Critical Mass Houston  Register to vote  Researching candidates via League of Women Voters of Houston  James Driver Inclusive Park  Looking for more Houston news? Then sign up for our morning newsletter Hey Houston  Follow us on Instagram  @CityCastHouston Don't have social media? Then leave us a voicemail or text us at +1 713-489-6972 with your thoughts! Have feedback or a show idea? Let us know!  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Let's Talk! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we are joined by Dwight Rhoden, Choreographer & Artistic Director of Complexions Contemporary Ballet. Since it has been over six years since we last had him on the podcast, we go back to the beginning and hear about his start in dance and choreography. We dig into his process and what he looks for in dancers, both for Complexions and when he is choreographing on other companies. Dwight tells us about his new work for Houston Ballet that is running from June 6-16 as a part of a mixed bill program called, "Four Seasons." This is Dwight's first work on the company so he tells us what it has been like working with the dancers, how the work evolved from his initial vision, and what he hopes audience's take away from his work. For more information and to get tickets, visit houstonballet.org.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceMerch: https://bit.ly/cod-merchYouTube: https://bit.ly/youtube-CODJoin our email list: https://bit.ly/mail-COD Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ballet traces its origins to the 15th century and the Italian Renaissance. But the art form has continued to evolve, with choreographers and dancers creatively incorporating new interpretations reflective of contemporary culture. Despite its evolution, today's ballet still lacks dancers of color, especially in principal roles.Trailblazer Lauren Anderson was one of the first Black dancers to climb the ranks to become the principal dancer at a major ballet company. Though it's been 34 years since she made history in that role, Anderson tells I SEE U that while progress has been made, more needs to be done so that young people of color can feel like they belong in this industry. She admits that more ballerinas of color are, indeed, taking lead roles – but too often, preference is given to light-skinned dancers. Anderson, who is dark skinned and has a muscular physique, was told as a teen that she didn't fit the right look of a ballerina – despite being recognized as a huge talent at a young age.Stay tuned as host Eddie Robinson chats unguarded with the first African American Principal Dancer with the Houston Ballet, Lauren Anderson. Born and raised in Houston's Third Ward, the iconic dancer reveals how she dealt with discrimination, which led her to unhealthy coping mechanisms due to the pressures of perfection. While she almost lost her way because of addiction, Anderson is now celebrating 14 years of sobriety as she continues to educate and mentor students on their quest to achieve their own hopes and dreams.

On Tuesday's show: Ever since the Whitmire administration struck a deal with the Houston Professional Fire Fighters Association, questions have swirled around how the City of Houston, already facing upcoming budget deficits, could pay for a $650 million settlement. On Monday, Houston Controller Chris Hollins, the elected chief financial officer for the city, expressed his view that, while it's not up to him to decide how to pay it off, it would likely require tax hikes and budget cuts. Hollins joins us to explain why.Also this hour: University of Houston political scientist Brandon Rottinghaus talks about his new book, Rick Perry: A Political Life.Then, local artist Abuela M'api Rainflowa explains how learning the truth about her ancestry led her on new journey of creative expression and activism for indigenous people. Her story is told in the latest episode of the PBS series The Express Way with Dulé Hill, which airs tonight at 8 on Houston Public Media, TV 8.And dancer and artist Li Cunxin talks about his life and career. He left his native China to dance with the Houston Ballet and eventually became a principal dancer with the company. When he decided to stay in the United States, he was detained in the Chinese consulate, setting off an international incident. His story is told in the 2009 film, Mao's Last Dancer, which was based on his autobiography. He was recently in Houston for a screening and conversation.

Today we are talking with Jennifer Sommers, the Director of the Houston Ballet Academy. Tune in to hear how students can audition to get into the academy, how scholarships work and what traits students need to possess in order to be successful in a residential ballet program. This episode also covers what life is like once dancers arrive for their time at the school.

This week on Conversations on Dance, we are joined by Australian Choreographer, Tim Harbour. Tim tells us about his ballet career with The Australian Ballet, how he became interested in creating dance, and about his process. We talk in depth about his work, 'Filigree and Shadow,' which will be performed by Houston Ballet this month. Tim tell us about what inspired the work, what sets it apart form some of his other ballets, and working with Houston Ballet dancers. If you are in the Houston area, see 'Filigree and Shadow' as a part of Houston Ballet's "Bespoke" program, running March 7 - 17. For tickets and more information, visit houstonballet.org.THIS EPISODE'S SPONSOR: artÉmotion's popular adult summer intensive program returns this May 27 - June 1. This program includes Advanced, Intermediate Advanced, Intermediate, and Beginner classes, with no prior dance experience needed for the beginner level. Let artÉmotion be the bridge between audience and the studio. Come dance this summer. For more information visit https://artemotionballetschool.com/.LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceMerch: https://bit.ly/cod-merchYouTube: https://bit.ly/youtube-CODJoin our email list: https://bit.ly/mail-COD Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I'm speaking with Mary Li, ballet mistress and principal répétiteur at the Queensland Ballet. Mary's story to the stage is an unlikely one—one of eight children, Mary grew up in a small town in Central Queensland called Rockhampton. She was the first person in her family to try ballet, but by the age of 16—the day after completing her Solo Seal exam—she flew to London after being accepted into Royal Ballet School. Her star continued to rise, on graduation Mary was accepted into London Festival Ballet, now the English National Ballet—and was made principal within four years. But it was a chance move to Houston Ballet in the United States that saw the course of her life change again—when she crossed paths with another principal dancer, Li Cunxin—they would go on to marry, and dance together all over the globe. In this wonderfully brave conversation, Mary opens up about her career, meeting her husband and learning of his life, and their decision to have children. But Mary also talks about the devastating decision to leave her career after her eldest child was found to be hearing impaired, the grief she suffered knowing her child would never hear music, reuniting with the stage at the Queensland Ballet, and now choosing to learn AUSLAN with her eldest daughter Sophie.Mary continues to train and teach the principal artists of Queensland Ballet, all the while juggling life with Li and their three grown up children, Sophie, Tom and Bridie. Mary continues to learn AUSLAN, and her book Mary's Last Dance is available on Audible and in all good bookshops. If you'd like to listen to Li's conversation with me, please scroll down to Episode 5 of Talking Pointes, and we'll also pop the link in the show notes—and finally, to continue to follow all of Mary's adventures, you'll find her on Instagram.Mary and I recorded remotely, with Mary dialling in from Brisbane. This episode was produced in Sydney on the land of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation to whom we pay our greatest respects.

Join us as we chat with Kelly Myernick, Rehearsal Director and Principal Teacher for Houston Ballet Academy. Our conversation covered a broad range of topics related to ballet summer intensive auditions, including what she loves to see, what dancers shouldn't do, the pros and cons of submitting video auditions and even what the admission rate to the Houston Ballet Academy Summer Intensive is! Tune in for a great conversation!

On Tuesday's show: The weather in Greater Houston heading into Thanksgiving is going to be cooler. We look at the forecast with Houston Chronicle meteorologist Justin Ballard. Also this hour: As we prepare for Thanksgiving this week and the holidays ahead, we get some advice on avoiding arguments with family members at holiday get-togethers from psychologist Dr. Michael Winters. Then, every year Houston Ballet performs The Nutcracker and The Alley Theatre performs A Christmas Carol. So, how do they keep those productions fresh and interesting for audiences while also staying true to the beloved source materials audiences hold dear?  And actor Graham McTavish talks about his work in shows like Outlander, The Witcher, The Hobbit, and House of the Dragon. He was recently in Houston to promote a new book.

We are live from the Houston Ballet Nutcracker Market! We get to talk to so many vendors and even our Drunk Show sponsor. Website

On today's episode of 'Conversations On Dance', we are joined by Houston Ballet's Artistic Directors, Stanton Welch and Julie Kent. Stanton looks back on 20 years leading the Houston Ballet, while the two of them give us an inside look at what their shared leadership roles mean to both them and the organization at large, while also offering a glimpse into what audiences can expect from the company this season and into the future. If you are in the Houston area and would like to purchase tickets to Houston Ballet's 2023-24 season, visit houstonballet.org. Try Audible Plus free for 30 daysGive the gift of Audible PlusLINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceMerch: https://bit.ly/cod-merchYouTube: https://bit.ly/youtube-CODJoin our email list: https://bit.ly/mail-COD Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Beth Muecke has been a Houston Ballet board member for 23 years, she took her passion as a dancer and translated into fundraising as Chair of the Ballet Ball and an active Capital Campaign Committee member. Beth shares her journey from being a ballerina to raising children to becoming an empty nester and creating a whole new career as a fashion blogger. Through her BethieLife blog, she shares insights on fashion, beauty, personal style, and the best things the city of Houston has to offer. Her light hearted candor and unique perspective gives you a glimpse into her journey to live a life that makes her come alive!

In this episode, Dr. Jenna Kantor, PT, DPT is joined by Veatrice Cook, PT, MA, to discuss her long career in physical therapy and the incredible legacy she will leave for generations to come. Veatrice is a leader in physical therapy and one of the founders of the American Academy of Physical Therapy. Beatrice shares her journey into physical therapy, which was sparked by watching a physical therapist on a soap opera. She discusses her passion for healthcare and how she found her calling in physical therapy. Tune in to be inspired by Beatrice's story and learn about the impact physical therapists can have on the profession.   Show notes:  [00:01:12] Soap opera inspires career choice. [00:06:33] Mental health and leadership. [00:09:42] Lack of representation in leadership. [00:17:30] The logo design. [00:19:25] Impact on students. [00:25:47] Working with the organization. [00:28:13] Fighting for equal job opportunities.   More About Veatrice: Veatrice A. Cook is a native East Texan, born in Livingston, Texas, where she grew up and graduated from Livingston High School in Polk County.   In her junior year of high school she realized that she wanted to be a physical therapist, and researched more about the profession, only to discover the challenges facing admission into a college program, as an African American student.  The number of African Americans that made up the physical therapy profession in 1968 was less than 2%. Ms. Cook received a BS degree in Physical Therapy from Texas Woman's University, Denton, Texas in1976, and a MA degree in Special Education, from the University of Texas, Austin, Texas in 1981.  As a clinician, she has been trained in the John F. Barnes' Myofascial Release Approach, and continues to use it in her practice setting.  Currently she is the Director of Rehabilitation for TeamCareRehab, Inc in San Antonio, Texas. After practicing for over 47 years she is often asked about retiring, and her reply is always, “ I love the work that I do, and it's really not work when it's something that you enjoy”. The limited number of African Americans in the profession of physical therapy, and the lack of mentors was the inspiration that gave Ms. Cook the zeal to help found and organize two professional Physical Therapy organizations:  The Texas Network of Minority Physical Therapists (TNMPT) in 1987 and The American Academy of Physical Therapy, Inc (AAPT) in 1989.  Ms. Cook, along with Dr. Lynda Woodruff were the organizers, and two of the Founders of the AAPT.  82 African American physical therapists and physical therapist assistants met in Chicago, Illinois on September 16, 1989 to form this great organization, along with 13 others that sent funds to help in the efforts.  Ms. Cook, the meeting facilitator was elected as the Charter Treasurer, and served as Annual Conference Chair for 10 years.  She was also an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and the Texas Physical Therapy Association, and serviced as Chairperson of the Advisory Committee on Minority Affairs for the APTA.  As a community activist, Ms. Cook has served on numerous boards and nonprofit organizations, and has been awarded many honors for her service.  In her profession she received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Texas Woman's University and the Leadership Award from the AAPT. Ms. Cook often says that here greatest honor is being the mother of three wonderful children, Marcus Lorioun, Vernetha Dionne, and Lawrence Ray Williams, Jr., who are all college graduates and have successful careers.  She is also a grandmother of two outstanding grandsons who are carrying on the family tradition of leadership in their high school.   More About Jenna: Jenna Kantor, PT, DPT, is a bubbly and energetic woman who was born and raised in Petaluma, California. She trained intensively at Petaluma City Ballet, Houston Ballet, BalletMet, Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, Regional Dance America Choreography Conference, and Regional Dance America. Over time, the injuries added up and she knew she would not have a lasting career in ballet. This lead her to the University of California, Irvine, where she discovered a passion for musical theatre.    Upon graduating, Jenna Kantor worked professionally in musical theatre for 15+ years then found herself ready to move onto a new chapter in her life. Jenna was teaching ballet to kids ages 4 through 17 and group fitness classes to adults. Through teaching, she discovered she had a deep interest in the human body and a desire to help others on a higher level. She was fortunate to get accepted into the DPT program at Columbia.   Dr. Kantor co-founded and runs Fairytale Physical Therapy which brings musical theatre shows to children in hospitals. She hosts the Dance PT Podcast and guest hosts on the podcast Healthy, Wealthy, and Smart. She has served as the NYPTA SSIG Advocacy Chair, the NYC Conclave 2017 committee, NYPTA Social media committee, was the NYPTA Public Policy Student Liaison, and co-founded the NYPTA SSIG. Dr. Kantor won the APTA PPS Business Concept Contest and made the top 40 List for an Up and Coming Physical Therapy with UpDoc Media before graduating PT school. ​ Jenna Kantor currently volunteers with the PPS Marketing & PR Committee and is the website builder for the American Academy of Physical Therapy. She provides complimentary, regular online content that advocates for the physical therapy profession.    Dr. Kantor runs her own private practice, Jenna Kantor Physical Therapy, PLLC, and an online wellness program for performing artists called Powerful Performer. She is licensed to treat in New York and Pennsylvania. ​ Jenna continues to perform in musical theatre and lives in Pittsburgh, PA with her husband, doggy, and two cats.    Follow Dr. Karen Litzy on Social Media: Karen's Twitter Karen's Instagram Karen's LinkedIn   Subscribe to Healthy, Wealthy & Smart: YouTube Website Apple Podcast Spotify SoundCloud Stitcher iHeart Radio      

Today we're speaking with the divine Danielle Rowe. Dani grew up in South Australia, and by 14 she had moved interstate to train [in ballet] under Marie Walton Mann. Within a year of that, she'd been accepted into the Australian Ballet School, and on graduation, she was offered a position with the company, but the accolades didn't stop. Dani rose to principal artist, won the Telstra Ballet Dancer award twice, and represented the Australian Ballet company around the world from London to China. But in a move that defines the superstars trajectory, she wanted more. She left Australia and moved to the US, joining Houston Ballet as a principal artist. Less than a year later, she was offered a contract with a prestigious Netherlands Dance Theater. In this wondrous conversation, Dani and I talk about her career across three continents, how she found choreography, about managing long distance relationships, her want for a family, and ultimately how she became the first female artistic director of Oregon Ballet Theater. We are thrilled to be sponsored by Energetiks. Energetiks specialise in creating sustainable, world class dancewear for the stars of tomorrow. Perform and feel your best at every stage of your dance journey in Energetiks' premium, high performance fabrics. Try them out with a 20% discount site-wide using the code DANIELLE20 at the checkout [available until the end of March 2024]. Shop their extensive range online at energetiks.com.au or energetiks.com if you're listening from the US. T&Cs APPLY.TeamClaudia Lawson, host @byclaudialawsonMartin Peralta, sound designer @outputmediaPenelope Ford, producer @fjordreviewClint Topic, additional sound production @sawtoothstudiosTalking Pointes was recorded on traditional lands of the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation, Awabakal and Worimi. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of Country and recognise the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We recognise that sovereignty was never ceded.

Join us as we sit down with Deirdre Miles-Burger, a distinguished ballet competition judge with years of experience in the dance world. Ms. Miles-Burger helps pull back the curtain on what judges really think. What do judges love to see from competitors on stage? What are some no-nos? Why do some students not place yet still make it to finals? What's the role of costumes? How much does potential play a role vs. flawless performances? And, who is really making all the decisions? Ms. Miles Burger answers all these questions and more! About Ms. Miles-Burger Born in Burlington, Massachusetts, Dierdre Miles Burger began her formative dance training with Margaret Prishwalko Fallon and subsequently the Boston Ballet School on a Ford Foundation Scholarship. Ms. Miles Burger became an apprentice with Boston Ballet at age fourteen and joined the Corps de Ballet in 1974. From 1978 until 1982 Miles Burger danced in New York City and with Houston Ballet before returning to Boston Ballet in 1983. During her career she danced countless principal roles in the classical and contemporary ballet repertory but was most known for her portrayal of Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, and the Principal Stomper in Twyla Tharp's Brief Fling. In June of 1993 Miles Burger retired from performing and joined Boston Ballet's Artistic Staff. In September 2002 Miles Burger was appointed Principal of Boston Ballet School. In the summer of 2006 she left Boston Ballet to move to Florida with her husband, where she continued to teach and coach on a freelance basis. In addition she has served on the jury for a number of ballet conventions and competitions including Youth America Grand Prix regional semi-finals and New York City Finals. In July 2010 she was appointed Director of Orlando Ballet School, serving there for eight years until August 2018. Under her leadership Orlando Ballet School grew and developed programming, most notably the Orlando Ballet School Academy, which develops young dancers for professional careers. Reaching out to the community she instituted several programs for children with special needs including Adaptive Dance for students with Down Syndrome, Come Dance With Us for children with physical challenges and Kids Beating Cancer for children recovering from cancer. In 2019 Miles Burger assumed the position of Assistant Education Director for the Sarasota Ballet and continues as an examiner for the ABT National Training Curriculum.  

Cross-training. What does it mean, should my dancer be doing it and how soon should they start? Tune in to hear advice from Aki Kawasaki, Head Strength Coach at Houston Ballet and Houston Ballet Academy. Aki provides advice not only on how to build physical strength but also on how to develop the right mindset around training. Instagram: akihirothegreatofficial TikTok: akihirothegreat

About today's guests: Nashville Ballet's Artistic Director and CEO, Nick Mullikin oversees all administrative staff, artistic productions, and School of Nashville Ballet programs, serving over 40,000 Middle Tennesseans and 1800 students. He has commissioned over 20 new works for the organization, choreographed several works for Nashville Ballet and NB2, and is highly sought after for teaching and judging international dance competitions. Prior to joining Nashville Ballet, Mullikin has worked with Houston Ballet, Ballet West, and The Washington Ballet. Travis Bradley: Currently, Rehearsal Director for NB2, He has danced for Ballet Memphis, Houston Ballet, Richmond Ballet, and Julia Adam Dance. Travis has created numerous classical and contemporary ballets throughout the years, and has also co-directed and co-choreographed over 20 musicals. His new work will be part of the Nashville Dance Festival program. Mackenzie Kenyon: A member of NB2, she was previously a trainee at the Joffrey Academy of Dance and was able to choreograph as a part of the Joffrey Academy “Young Moves” program. Kenyon moved to Nashville in 2021 to join NB2 as a trainee and was promoted to NB2 Dancer in November 2022. Mackenzie has also choreographed for School of Nashville Ballet during the Academy Winter Workshop. Nashville Dance Festival takes place Friday, July 21st at Belmont University's state-of-the-art Fisher Center for the Performing Arts at 7 p.m. and showcases classical and contemporary pieces performed by renowned guest artists from Dance Theatre of Harlem - including former NB2 dancer Alexandra Hutchinson, Collage Dance Collective, Nashville Ballet company dancers, NB2, Nashville Ballet's official second company, and Nashville Ballet's Summer Intensive students. Learn more: NashvilleBallet.com. You can learn more about dance education and career planning for dancers at emceemovement.com.

Sandra Fox is Head of Costumes for Houston Ballet. She started her career at the Lyric Opera of Chicago as a Wardrobe Assistant while finishing her degree in theater from Northern Illinois University. She worked off-season at the Goodman Theater in Chicago as a First Hand. After several seasons, Sandra moved to Hubbard Street Dance Chicago as Wardrobe Supervisor, establishing a costume shop and touring with the company. In 2002, Sandra “ran away with the circus” and joined Cirque du Soleil on tour as Head of Wardrobe with Alegria. She then moved to Las Vegas where she had the opportunity to open the show KA as Assistant Head of Wardrobe. After opening the show, she moved to LOVE as Head of Wardrobe where she stayed from creation until the summer of 2018. Sandra is happy to be in such a creative city and enjoys taking in arts performances as well as visiting museums in the area with her husband and son.   @theatreartlife Thank you to our sponsor @clear-com The TheatreArtLife Podcast is a branch of our larger TheatreArtLife Community. Come visit us at www.theatreartlife.com

Sandra Fox is Head of Costumes for Houston Ballet. She started her career at the Lyric Opera of Chicago as a Wardrobe Assistant while finishing her degree in theater from Northern Illinois University. She worked off-season at the Goodman Theater in Chicago as a First Hand. After several seasons, Sandra moved to Hubbard Street Dance Chicago as Wardrobe Supervisor, establishing a costume shop and touring with the company. In 2002, Sandra “ran away with the circus” and joined Cirque du Soleil on tour as Head of Wardrobe with Alegria. She then moved to Las Vegas where she had the opportunity to open the show KA as Assistant Head of Wardrobe. After opening the show, she moved to LOVE as Head of Wardrobe where she stayed from creation until the summer of 2018. Sandra is happy to be in such a creative city and enjoys taking in arts performances as well as visiting museums in the area with her husband and son.    “ATTENTION SPOTIFY LISTENERS: IF you want to WATCH this with VIDEO, you can also subscribe to our video version: https://open.spotify.com/show/5e9KnBRZdjUTXTvCe6Nrqm?si=6639537c61044396”   @theatreartlife Thank you to our sponsor @clear-com The TheatreArtLife Podcast is a branch of our larger TheatreArtLife Community. Come visit us at www.theatreartlife.com

This week the queens are doing a deep dive into the deep end of Succession. Other topics include: Master Gardener, You Hurt My Feelings, ill fated cakes and Ordinary People. Patreon⁠⁠ for Jessica Collado & Russell and Mr. B Divergence. Houston Ballet. May 25 - June 4, 2023 Master Gardner. Directed by Paul Schrader You Hurt My Feelings. Directed by Nicole Holofcener Nowhere Apparent.⁠  ← Watch it at ALLARTS.org ◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠ ⁠➩ WEBSITE⁠ ◦ ⁠YOUTUBE ⁠◦⁠ ⁠⁠INSTAGRAM⁠⁠ ⁠ ⁠➩ SUPPORT W/$.99⁠ ◦ ⁠PATREON⁠ ◦ ⁠THE MERCH⁠ ⁠➩ REID⁠ ◦ ⁠JEREMY⁠ ◦ ⁠JACK⁠ ◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠ ⁠➩ withdanceandstuff@gmail.com⁠ ◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠

This week Jeremy and Reid work their way through the hell of “Beau is Afraid”. Other topics include major television disappointments and free Bundt pans. Divergence. Houston Ballet. May 25 - June 4, 2023. Beau is Afraid. Directed by Ari Aster. Nowhere Apparent.⁠  ← Watch it at ALLARTS.org ◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠ ⁠➩ WEBSITE⁠ ◦ ⁠YOUTUBE ⁠◦⁠ ⁠⁠INSTAGRAM⁠⁠ ⁠ ⁠➩ SUPPORT W/$.99⁠ ◦ ⁠PATREON⁠ ◦ ⁠THE MERCH⁠ ⁠➩ REID⁠ ◦ ⁠JEREMY⁠ ◦ ⁠JACK⁠ ◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠ ⁠➩ withdanceandstuff@gmail.com⁠ ◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠◠

On Wednesday's show: Drama dominates the final days of the regular Texas Legislative session. Why a House committee is investigating Attorney General Ken Paxton, and why he's calling for House Speaker Dade Phelan to resign. Plus, a late night move by the Texas Senate would make voting illegally a felony. We discuss those stories and other developments in politics in our weekly roundup. Also this hour: Houston has had a reputation for tearing things down to build something new. However, that's changing. We learn how developers are using state and federal tax credits to save and repurpose buildings with character and history. And choreographer Justin Peck of the New York City Ballet explains how the Twilight Epiphany Skyspace sculpture at Rice University inspired a new work called Under the Folding Sky that's making its world premiere as a part of a Houston Ballet performance the next two weeks. Peck also discusses his work choreographing the dance scenes in Steven Spielberg's 2021 remake of West Side Story.

Today on 'Conversations On Dance', we are joined by choreographer Justin Peck to discuss his new work for Houston Ballet 'Under the Folding Sky'. Justin talks about how seeing the art work of James Turrell in Houston provided a jumping off point, how he's waited for almost a decade to use the ballet's Phillip Glass score and what it's been like to explore an epic scale of dance in this work for 24 artists. If you are in the Houston area, you can purchase tickets to see Justin's new work on houstonballet.org. 'Under the Folding Sky' runs on the 'Divergence' program alongside works by Aszure Barton and Stanton Welch from May 25th to June 4th. THIS EPISODE'S SPONSORS:Ballet Bird is a streaming site designed by former Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer Julie Tobiason. Ballet Bird offers ballet classes for anyone at any level of training that you can do from the comfort of your home or studio. Ballet Bird is a great addition to your regular in-studio training too. Take advantage of the ten day free trial and use the discount code COD25 to get 25% off through June 30th 2023 at balletbird.com.Energetiks are a sustainable, Australian Made brand that specialise in creating world class dancewear for the stars of tomorrow. Perform and feel your best at every stage of your dance journey in Energetiks' premium, high performance fabrics. See their entire range online at energetiks.com and for all listeners there's a 20% discount on all Energetiks products using the code COD20 at the checkout [available until the end of September 2023].LINKS:Website: conversationsondancepod.comInstagram: @conversationsondanceMerch: https://bit.ly/cod-merchYouTube: https://bit.ly/youtube-CODJoin our email list: https://bit.ly/mail-COD Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today's episode of ‘Conversations On Dance', we have celebrated choreographer Cathy Marston on to discuss her upcoming premiere for Houston Ballet, ‘Summer and Smoke'. Cathy tells us what drew her to Tennesse Williams' play as source material for a new ballet, her casting process and creating to composer Michael Daugherty's original score for the […] The post (331) Cathy Marston on ‘Summer and Smoke' at Houston Ballet appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.

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On today's episode of ‘Conversations On Dance' we are joined by choreographer Arthur Pita. Arthur's choreography has been featured across a broad spectrum of art forms including opera, ballet, film, and musical theatre, never shying away from artistic risks like tackling Kafka's ‘Metamorphosis' or creating to the music of Bjork. Today we talk to Arthur […] The post (307) Choreographer, Arthur Pita, on his new World Premiere for Houston Ballet, ‘Good Vibrations' appeared first on tendusunderapalmtree.com.

I loved the opportunity to sit down with Harper earlier this month. As a gay, African-American ballet dancer, he's really making waves. He says in today's episode that he's really hoping to open doors for the next generation and inspire them to try whatever makes them excited. We talk about his upbringing, coming out to his parents at 14, and working hard to become a star within the world of ballet (and paving his way in the social media space). He also shares his journey, opens up about the fears and hurdles he's faced along the way, and how that fear is good and helpful at times. In his opinion if you're scared to face something head on — it's not something to run from. Instead, remember that fear can be your teacher. SOCIAL @harperwatters @emilyabbate @hurdlepodcast MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE Harper Strutting on the Treadmill In Heels OFFERS Goodr | Head to Goodr.com/Hurdle and use "HURDLE15" for 15% off LMNT | Head to drinkLMNT.com/hurdle to get a free sample pack of eight flavors with your purchase InsideTracker | Head to InsideTracker.com/Hurdle for 20% off JOIN: THE *Secret* FACEBOOK GROUP SIGN UP: Weekly Hurdle Newsletter ASK ME A QUESTION: Leave me a voice message, ask me a question, and it could be featured in an upcoming episode! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/hurdle/message