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In this episode, Broadway performer Chantelle Good discusses the pressing issues within the performing arts industry, emphasizing that representation alone is insufficient and highlights the importance of valuing the hard work of performers. She shares insights into the daily life of a Broadway performer, the challenges of being a swing, and the necessity of fostering empathy and compassion.Chantelle also shares a funny “swing” story and shares one of her wildest dreams. This episode is for you if you're ready to question the status quo, embrace the messiness of growth, and reimagine what leadership and success can look like in the performing arts.Timestamps & Topics00:00 Representation in the Arts03:03 Valuing the Work of Performers06:14 The Life of a Broadway Performer08:56 Challenging Toxic Norms 11:48 Embracing Mistakes 17:13 The Journey of a Swing20:07 Dreams Beyond Broadway24:05 Empathy and Compassion About ChantelleChantelle Good is a performer, choreographer, and teaching artist who is currently performing in MJ The Musical on Broadway. Based in Brooklyn, New York, her performance credits include Punchdrunk's Sleep No More and Freddie Falls in Love at the Joyce Theater. She has also danced for artists including JLo, Snoop Dogg, and H.E.R., as well as companies including Still Motion, Loni Landon Dance Project, and The Forest of Arden. Chantelle also works in the non-profit sector as the Co-Artistic Director of TOES FOR DANCE and the Programs Director of Share The Movement. She also enjoys sharing her knowledge and passion for dance as a teaching artist and guest choreographer for institutions and programs across North America. She continues to deepen her learning around decolonizing teaching practices, in order to foster inclusive environments for her students and cultivate community whenever possible.
In today's episode, Chantelle shares about her journey to becoming a swing on Broadway, the importance of setting boundaries in performance spaces, and learning to use your voice. Chantelle and Jess discuss the unfortunate prevalence of body image issues in the performing arts community and practice navigating conversations about the topic. This episode is for you if you're questioning how to advocate for yourself in professional settings or looking to reclaim your individuality in an industry that hasn't always felt like it was for you.*This episode includes a conversation about body image that may be triggering for some. If this is a sensitive topic for you, feel free to pause around 26 minutes in and come back for part two.* Timestamps & Topics00:00 Chantelle's Human Bio 02:00 Chantelle's Journey to Broadway04:10 Life as a Swing on Broadway05:58 Unexpected Career Paths09:24 Audition Experiences and Sleep No More11:23 Setting Boundaries in Performance12:35 Evolving as an Artist14:53 Navigating Body Image and Self-Expression18:23 Mission Statement as an Artist19:47 Balancing Commercial Work and Artistic Integrity22:28 Unlearning and Embracing Individuality26:11 Experiences with Nudity in Performance32:12 The Importance of Community34:46 Challenging Body Talk in the ArtsCome back from Part 2!About Chantelle: Chantelle Good is a performer, choreographer, and teaching artist who is currently performing in MJ The Musical on Broadway. Based in Brooklyn, New York, her performance credits include Punchdrunk's Sleep No More and Freddie Falls in Love at the Joyce Theater. She has also danced for artists including JLo, Snoop Dogg, and H.E.R., as well as companies including Still Motion, Loni Landon Dance Project, and The Forest of Arden. Chantelle also works in the non-profit sector as the Co-Artistic Director of TOES FOR DANCE and the Programs Director of Share The Movement. She also enjoys sharing her knowledge and passion for dance as a teaching artist and guest choreographer for institutions and programs across North America. She continues to deepen her learning around decolonizing teaching practices, in order to foster inclusive environments for her students and cultivate community whenever possible.
Join "Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey and special guests Stevn Melendez and Wendy Perron.In this episode of "Dance Talk” ® , host Joanne Carey engages with Steven Melendez, the artistic director of New York Theatre Ballet, and Wendy Perron, a dance historian and former editor of Dance Magazine. They discuss the significance of Judson Dance Theater, its impact on modern dance, and how its philosophies resonate with contemporary dance practices.The conversation explores the challenges of restaging historical works, the importance of audience engagement, and the political context of dance as a form of protest and expression.The episode culminates in a preview of an upcoming performance that aims to bridge the past and present of dance April 23-26.The Judson Dance Theater was a pioneering experimental dance collective that operated in New York City from 1962 to 1964. They performed at Judson Memorial Church in Greenwich Village, known for its social and artistic activism. Judson Dance Theater is widely recognized as a key force in the development of postmodern dance and its avant-garde approach influenced subsequent generations of choreographers. Steven Melendez was born in New York City in 1986 and started his ballet training with the LIFT Program at Ballet School New York at the age of 7. He has danced as a Soloist dancer with Ballet Concierto in Buenos Aires, Argentina, a Principal dancer with The Vanemuine Theater Ballet Company in Tartu, Estonia, and for over 15 years with New York Theatre Ballet. He was a national and international guest artist and teacher and has worked across Europe, Asia, and Central and South America. Steven co-choreographed his first large-scale work, Song Before Spring, for New York Theatre Ballet which was named a Dance Europe critic's choice “Best Premiere” of 2016. Steven is currently a member of the alumni advisory committee on diversity and inclusion for School of American Ballet and served as the Hiland Artistic Director for National Dance Institute New Mexico. Steven was named as the Artistic Director of New York Theatre Ballet in April of 2022Wendy Perron is a dancer/choreographer turned writer/editor/scholar. She trained in modern dance and ballet and earned a BA from Bennington College and an MA from SUNY Empire State College. She danced with the Trisha Brown Company in the 1970s and choreographed more than 40 works for her own group, which received commissions from Lincoln Center Festival, the Joyce Theater, Jacob's Pillow, and the Danspace Project. Perron has taught at Bennington, Princeton, NYU Tisch School of the Arts, and the Conservatory at SUNY Purchase. In the early 1990s she served as associate director of Jacob's Pillow. She was the editor in chief of Dance Magazine from 2004 to 2013, and has also written for the New York Times, the Village Voice, vanityfair.com, and journals in Europe and China. An authority on Judson Dance Theater and postmodern dance, Perron has lectured across the country and in Russia and China. In 2011 she was the first dance artist to be inducted into the New York Foundation for the Arts' Hall of Fame. Her second book, The Grand Union: Accidental Anarchists of Downtown Dance, 1970-1975, met with acclaim when it was published in 2020. She has recently performed with Yoshiko Chuma and the School of Hard Knocks in downtown venues. Her new online series, “Unsung Heroes of Dance History,” presents research on dance artists outside the “canon.” She has been on the Juilliard faculty since 2019.To see this performancehttps://nytb.org/tickets“Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey wherever you listen to your podcasts. https://dancetalkwithjoannecarey.com/Follow Joanne on Instagram @westfieldschoolofdance Tune in. Follow. Like us. And Share. Please leave a review! “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey "Where the Dance World Connects, the Conversations Inspire, and Where We Are Keeping Them Real."
On the latest Whisper in the Wings from Stage Whisper, we welcomed on the artistic director Tina Finkelman Berkett, to talk about her company, Bodytraffic's, upcoming performance in New York City. This is a very exciting company we got to know, and the works they are bringing to The Joyce Theater will have you so excited to see some incredible dance. So make sure you tune in and get your tickets for this amazing show!BodytrafficApril 15th-20th@ The Joyce TheaterTickets and more information area available at joyce.orgAnd be sure to follow Tina to stay up to date on all her upcoming projects and productions:bodytraffic.com@bodytraffic
"Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey with special guest, Robert Battle, choreographer, artistic director and newly appointed resident choreographer for the Paul Taylor Dance Company.In this episode of "Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey, host Joanne Carey interviews Robert Battle. Together they discuss Robert's journey from his early beginnings in dance in Miami, his experiences at Juilliard, and his time as artistic director of the iconic Alvin Ailey Dance Theater. Robert shares insights on the importance of mentorship, the creative process in choreography, and the significance of celebrating humanity through art. The conversation highlights the challenges and triumphs of a career in dance, emphasizing the value of connection and community in the arts.Robert Battle's journey to the top of the modern dance world began in the Liberty City neighborhood of Miami, Florida where he showed artistic talent early and studied dance at a high school arts magnet program. From there he attended Miami's New World School of the Arts and then the dance program at The Juilliard School where he met his mentor Carolyn Adams. He danced with Parsons Dance from 1994 to 2001, and set his choreography on that company starting in 1998. Mr. Battle founded his own Battleworks Dance Company in 2002 which performed extensively at venues including The Joyce Theater, American Dance Festival, and Jacob's Pillow. A frequent choreographer and artist in residence at Ailey Ailey American Dance Theater since 1999, he set many of his works on the Ailey Company and Ailey II. In July 2011 he was personally selected by Judith Jamison to become Artistic Director of Ailey, making him only the third person to head the Company since it was founded in 1958. During his 12 years as Artistic Director he expanded the Ailey repertory with works by artists as diverse as Kyle Abraham, Mauro Bigonzetti, Ronald K. Brown, Rennie Harris, and Paul Taylor. He also instituted the New Directions Choreography Lab to help develop the next generation of choreographers. He stepped down from the position in 2023.For more information about Robert Battle and the Paul Taylor Dance Companyhttps://paultaylordance.org/“Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey wherever you listen to your podcasts. https://dancetalkwithjoannecarey.com/Follow Joanne on Instagram @westfieldschoolofdanceTune in. Follow. Like us. And Share.Please leave a review!“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 with special guests Mark Howard and Chelsea Hoy of Trinity Irish Dance Company.In this episode of Dance Talk, host Joanne Carey chats with Mark Howard and Chelsea Hoy from the Trinity Irish Dance Company discussing their personal journeys into Irish dance, the company, and the cultural significance of Irish dance. The conversation highlights the innovative choreography that sets Trinity apart, the importance of imagination in the creative process, and the upcoming 35th anniversary season. The episode emphasizes the power of dance to connect with audiences and the mission of inclusivity and kindness within the art form.TRINITY IRISH DANCE COMPANY (TIDC) was founded in 1990 to celebrate the pioneering work of its Founding Artistic Director Mark Howard. This uniquely Irish-American company “ushered in a new era for Irish step dance” (Chicago Tribune), opening new avenues of artistic freedom that led directly to commercial productions such as “Riverdance.”Considered an American treasure TIDC has performed sold-out tours in Europe, Asia, and North America, appearing in distinguished venues, such as New York's The Joyce Theater, Washington D.C.'s Kennedy Center, Princeton's McCarter Theater, Ottawa's National Arts Center of Canada, Tokyo's Orchard Hall, and Chicago's Auditorium Theatre, among many others. The Company has entertained dignitaries as varied as Monaco's royal family, Irish and American presidents, Japanese royalty, and Indian meditation masters. TIDC offers both a highly skilled presentation of traditional Irish step dance and a brilliantly engaging interpretation of contemporary world vision.Mark Howard: Founding Artistic Director / Choreographer and Emmy Award-winning choreographer was born in Yorkshire, England, and raised in Chicago. He began dancing at 8 at the Dennehy School of Irish Dance and began teaching at 17. By 20 he had launched the Trinity Academy of Irish Dance, subsequently leading them to unprecedented World Championship team titles for the United States—the first when he was only 25. He redefined what was possible for American teams becoming the first to win gold in all categories.His pioneering work led to his unique transition from the competitive stage to the performing arts stage to coach then artistic director. Howard himself was a regular guest on The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson. He has been named three times as one of Irish American Magazine's “Top 100 Irish-Americans,” and he was honored by iBAM! in 2011 and in 2015 by Chicago's Lawyers For the Creative Arts for his outstanding contribution to the performing arts.Chelsea Hoy: Associate Artistic Director / Choreographer / Dancer. Born in Denver, Hoy's choreographic influence has significantly shaped TIDC's newest works. Hoy recently co-choreographed Taking the Mick alongside Howard, a versatile work following their first collaboration An Sorcas (The Circus), which previewed in Japan and had its world premiere at Chicago's historic Auditorium Theatre in 2019.Chelsea grew up dancing competitively for the Wick School of Irish Dance in Denver, Colorado. She joined TIDC in 2014 after she began her studies at Loyola University Chicago. She graduated in 2017 with Bachelors' degrees in Psychology and Photography. In addition to helping guide the company's future, she is a professional photographer, dance instructor, and visual artist. Hoy's love of empowering children through the arts continues to shape TIDC's outreach programming. Information for TIDC and to see their upcoming performances visithttps://trinityirishdancecompany.com/“Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey wherever you listen to your podcasts. https://dancetalkwithjoannecarey.com/... Follow Joanne on Instagram @westfieldschoolofdance Tune in. Follow. Like us. And Share. Please leave a review! “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 Lar Lubovitch.In this episode of "Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey, host Joanne Carey interviews renowned choreographer Lar Lubovitch, who shares his journey into the world of dance, his artistic influences, and his experiences at Juilliard. Lubovitch discusses the importance of intuition in dance, the correlation between painting and choreography, and the defining moments that shaped his career. He reflects on his first choreographic experience and the evolution of the Juilliard Dance Department, highlighting the significance of mentorship and the transformative power of dance. In this conversation, Lar Lubovitch shares his journey in the world of dance, discussing the importance of movement poetry, the essence of dance as a higher value, and the significance of improvisation in choreography. He reflects on his recent Lifetime Achievement Award and the sense of community within the dance world. Lubovitch emphasizes the ongoing process of learning and evolving as a dancer and choreographer, encouraging others to embrace the journey of creation and expression in dance.Lar Lubovitch is one of America's most versatile, popular and widely seen choreographers. Based in New York City, Lubovitch's company has performed throughout the world, and his dances have also been performed by many other major companies, including American Ballet Theater, Joffrey Ballet, New York City Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet, Royal Danish Ballet, San Francisco Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and many others. His dances are renowned for their musicality, rhapsodic style and sophisticated formal structures. His radiant, highly technical choreography and deeply humanistic voice have been acclaimed worldwide.THE COMPANY. The Lar Lubovitch Dance Company is internationally renowned as one of the world's best dance companies. Founded in 1968, the company is now celebrating its 56th anniversary. The 50th season kicked off with a preview performance on Nov 13 (2017) at Lincoln Center's Clark Studio Theater, and culminated with performances from April 17-22 (2018) at the Joyce Theater. Celebrated for both its choreographic excellence and its unsurpassed dancing, the company has created more than 120 new dances and performed before millions throughout the United States and in more than 40 foreign countries. During 2023, the company created two new dances. The first, Conversing With Brahms, premiered in Dallas in April, and the second, Desire, premiered at the Guggenheim Museum in NYC on December 5, 2023. During 2024, the company is creating Many Angels, together with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.https://lubovitch.org/Company/Lar_Lubovitch/lar_lubovitch.html“Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey wherever you listen to your podcasts. https://dancetalkwithjoannecarey.com/ Follow Joanne on Instagram @westfieldschoolofdance Tune in. Follow. Like us. And Share. Please leave a review! “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey"Where the Dance World Connects, the Conversations Inspire, and Where We Are Keeping Them Real."
Scott Killian has composed scores for Zvi Gotheiner (over 30 works), Shapiro & Smith Dance, Cherylyn Lavagnino, David Dorfman, Susan Marshall, Ralph Lemon, Bebe Miller, Alwin Nikolais and Murray Louis. His works have been performed with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, Limon Dance Company, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, PACT Dance (South Africa), et al. Venues include The Joyce Theater, Lincoln Center, New York City Center, New York Live Arts, Jacob's Pillow, The Annenberg Center and many regional venues. As a dance musician, he is a regular accompanist at NYC's Gibney 890 Studios and NYU Tisch School of the Arts. As a composer and sound designer for theater, Scott has created works for over 120 professional productions in NYC and at many regional theaters. NYC theatrical venues include Manhattan Theatre Club, The Public Theater, New York Theater Workshop, MCC, Red Bull Theatre, Primary Stages and Rattlestick Theatre. Regional theatres include George Street Playhouse (over 25 productions); Berkshire Theatre Group (Resident Composer--over 50 productions), Alley Theatre (Houston), Shakespeare Theatre (DC), Seattle Repertory Theatre, A.C.T. (San Francisco). Cleveland Playhouse, Shakespeare and Company, Cincinnati Playhouse, Huntington Theatre, Williamstown Theatre Festival.
Davalois Fearon is a critically acclaimed choreographer, dancer, and educator, who is currently a Core Faculty Lecturer at Princeton University. Davalois was a 2017 Bessie awardee and a 2021-22 Jerome Hill Artist Fellow finalist. Her 12 years with the Stephen Petronio Company is now reflected in her work as founder and director of Davalois Fearon Dance (DFD). DFD pushes artistic and social boundaries to highlight injustice and inequality and spark vital conversations about change. Fearon's work has been presented nationally and internationally, including at the Joyce Theater and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Among many others, she has completed commissions for the Bronx Museum of the Arts and Barnard College. Her abundant honors and awards include DanceNYC's Dance Advancement Fund Award and grants from the MAP Fund and the Howard Gilman Foundation. In today's episode, Davalois Fearon discusses the culture shock she experienced when moving from the Bronx to the SUNY Purchase campus in White Plains, her college experience, professional auditions, and joining of the Stephen Petronio Company. She also discusses the creation of her dance company, DFD, some of her brilliant works including Time to Talk and For C.J., the profound gifts she has received as both a mentee and mentor, and her biggest piece of advice for college students. Learn more about Davalois Fearon & The Story Project. *Note from the episode: In the episode, Davalois says,”What is an unexpected title you would give yourself that disrupts the hierarchies? AKA, what is your degree from the Making Shit UP University?" This was learned from Ruha Benjamin, a Princeton Professor, who learned it from Michelle King, Educator Extraordinare. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/storyproject/support
Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey and special guest, Kayla Farrish In this episode of Dance Talk, host Joanne Carey chats with Kayla Farrish, a multifaceted artist known for her work as a dancer, choreographer, and photographer. Kayla was recentlly commissioned to re-imagine a work for the Limon Dance Company with its World Premiere at the Joyce Theater, NYC. Kayla shares her journey into the world of dance, her creative process, and her recent collaboration with the Limon Dance Company to reimagine lost works. The conversation delves into the importance of community, the role of music in dance, and the significance of experimentation in choreography. Kayla emphasizes the need for artistic expression that honors the full range of human experience, including whim, magic, and melancholy. She encourages young dancers to embrace their creativity and find their unique voice in the dance world. Kayla Farrish is NY based dancer, choreographer, director, and photographer. She is a North Carolina native born into a dance-loving family. In 2013, she graduated from the University of Arizona summa cum laude, and was awarded the Gertrude Shurr Award for excellence in modern dance and passionate dancing. Since moving to New York, she has freelanced with various artists and companies including Punchdrunk Sleep No More NYC, Kyle Abraham/Abraham. In. Motion, Kate Weare Company, Helen Simoneau Danse, Rashuan Mitchell/Silas Reiner, Aszure Barton and Artists, Madboots Dance, Nicole Von Arx, Danielle Russo Performance Project, Chris Masters Dance Company, Elena Vazintaris/Dance Projects and others. Both independently and through companies, she has worked as a rehearsal assistant and teaching artist, instructing at various programs including University of NC School of the Arts, University of the Arts, The Juilliard School, NYU Tisch Dance Program, and local dance organizations and studios, and beyond. Kayla Farrish https://www.kaylafarrish.com/artist-statement Limon Dance Company https://www.limon.nyc/ Follow “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 are so excited to be welcoming back Limòn Dance Company onto our latest Whisper in the Wings from Stage Whisper. We were joined once again by the artistic director Dante Puleio and the commissioned choreographer Kayla Farrish, to talk about their latest work being presented at The Joyce Theater. This was such a fantastic conversation as always, and just like this interview, you won't want to miss this production. So be sure you tune in and get your tickets now!Limòn Dance Company November 5th-10th@ The Joyce TheaterTickets and more information are available at joyce.orgAnd be sure to follow our guests to stay up to date on all their upcoming projects and productions:Dante: limon.nyc and @limondanceKayla kaylafarrish.com and @fulloutfarrish
On this episode of Conversations on Dance we are thrilled to welcome back Artistic Director of the Limón Dance Company, Dante Puleio. Dante dives into the specifics of his role, including how he curates programming, casts the works, and protects the company's legacy. The Limón Dance Company will have it's New York City season at the Joyce Theater this November 5 - 10. Tickets are available at joyce.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.
The Limón Dance Company celebrates it's 78th season appearing at the Joyce Theater, November 5-10. Our guest is Artistic Director Adante Puleio, for a chat about the historic programs Limón Dance Company will bring to the Joyce, and making modern dance relevant. Tickets are now on sale for performances at joyce.org. For more about the Limon Dance Company, visit Limon.nyc.
Christine Cox, Artistic and Executive Director of BalletX, has led the company to the forefront of contemporary ballet since its founding in 2005. This season, the company brings three New York premieres to The Joyce Theater, featuring bold works by Takehiro Ueyama, Jodie Gates, and Loughlan Prior.Through Cox's innovation in the contemporary ballet space, BalletX has become a leader in pushing the boundaries of what the art form and dancers are capable of by producing 130 ballets by over 70 choreographers in under 20 years. That is an average of six per year, a feat few companies can match. Looking back at it now, that stat seems unthinkable when the modest company was established in 2005. But over the years BalletX has grown sustainably as an institution growing the ensemble of dancers from 10 to 16, providing annual salaries to dancers and becoming a fundraising powerhouse, having received a $7.4 million transformational gift this year which will allow the company to grow into a global force.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Katie checks in with co-founder and Artistic and Executive Director of BalletX, Christine Cox, about the company's upcoming shows at the Joyce Theater.
Learn more at TheCityLife.org --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/citylifeorg/support
In this episode of SLANT podcast, join host Dana Tai Soon Burgess as he delves into the captivating world of dance with renowned choreographer Michael Mao. With over 60 works showcased across the globe, including iconic venues like The Joyce Theater and BAM, Mao's creative vision has mesmerized audiences from New York to Beijing. Join the conversation as Mao shares insights into his diverse influences, spanning from his training under Martha Graham to his experiences performing internationally. Discover the intricate tapestry of movement, culture, and creativity that defines Michael Mao's extraordinary career.
Tune in to our three-part podcast series exploring The Joyce's 2024 American Dance Platform! Listen in as dramaturg, scholar, and ADP guest curator Melanie George sits down with the artists who will take the stage during our annual festival. In this episode, hear from the artists of Soles of Duende, a multicultural, all-female percussive trio based in the rhythms of Tap, Flamenco, and Kathak dance. Amanda Castro (Tap), Arielle Rosales (Flamenco), and Brinda Guha (Kathak) make their Joyce debut with Can We Dance Here?, a riveting performance of rhythmic exchange. Check out the remaining episodes in our series for a behind-the-scenes look with Dallas Black Dance Theatre and the specially curated program, "Jazz at The Joyce!" See Soles of Duende at The Joyce on January 11 & 14, 2024! Visit www.joyce.org/performances/soles-duende for more information.
Tune in to our three-part podcast series exploring The Joyce's 2024 American Dance Platform! Listen in as dramaturg, scholar, and ADP guest curator Melanie George sits down with the artists who will take the stage during our annual festival. In this episode, hear from educator, choreographer, and performer of African American Vernacular Jazz Dance, Josette Wiggan, and the consummate storyteller of lived experiences through diasporic dance traditions, Michelle N. Gibson. The two artists will also be joined by the Dormeshia Tap Collective during their ADP showcase, "Jazz at The Joyce." Check out the remaining episodes in our series for a behind-the-scenes look with Dallas Black Dance Theatre and Soles of Duende! See "Jazz at The Joyce" on January 9-10, 2024! Visit www.joyce.org/performances/jazz-joyce for more information.
Tune in to our three-part podcast series exploring The Joyce's 2024 American Dance Platform! Listen in as dramaturg, scholar, and ADP guest curator Melanie George sits down with the artists who will take the stage during our annual festival. In this episode, hear from Melissa M. Young, Artistic Director of Dallas Black Dance Theatre, the oldest professional dance company in Dallas. Young discusses her decades-long history with the company and the newly curated program to be performed at The Joyce. Check out the remaining episodes in our series for a behind-the-scenes look with Soles of Duende and the specially curated program, "Jazz at The Joyce!" See Dallas Black Dance Theatre at The Joyce on January 12-13, 2024! Visit www.joyce.org/performances/dallas-black-dance-theatre for more information.
One of the things we have gotten wrong for too long has been our understanding of and, consequently, treatment of people with disabilities. Although it is not happening broadly enough or quickly enough, efforts to correct our understanding and our behavior are taking place. One of those efforts is The Penguin Project which is a nation-wide organization and effort to involve people with disabilities in musical theater. My guest for this episode is here to discuss her work with the project. Lisa Heath Jinkins (Choreographer for Golden Isles Penguin Project in Brunswick, GA) began her career as a professional modern dancer in New York City in 1985. She had the opportunity to perform with many top choreographers and companies, including The Martha Graham Dance Company, and at some of the larger theatres in Manhattan: New York City Center and The Joyce Theater, to name two. Lisa met and married Jim Jinkins in NY, and they have two children, Rose and Heath. During this time, Lisa had the opportunity to write 5 children's books for The Disney Company, based on the animated series “PB&J Otter” created by Jim Jinkins. That led to co-creating “JoJo's Circus” for The Disney Channel, and writing scripts for “Pinky Dinky Doo”, an animated television series created by Jim. In 2010, the family moved to Brunswick, GA, where they continued to be involved in the arts, performing in various local productions on stage, and working behind the scenes, as well. In 2016 Lisa was asked to be the Choreographer for a new venture: Golden Isles Penguin Project. The Penguin Project® is a musical theater production that casts children and young adults with disabilities in all roles. All sing, dance and act in the show. Those individuals (Artists) will get assistance from on-stage peers (Mentors). And after a one year break in 2023, Lisa has been asked to return to help with Meredith Wilson's “The Music Man, Jr.!" She can't wait! To learn more about The Penguin Project and efforts like these go to the following links: Golden Isles Penguin Project: https://goldenislesarts.org/programs/penguin-project/ The Penguin Project: https://penguinproject.org/ The intro and outro music for this episode is from a clip of a song called 'Father Let Your Kingdom Come' which is found on The Porter's Gate Worship Project Work Songs album and is used by permission by The Porter's Gate Worship Project.
Pam Tanowitz is now an in-demand choreographer – but her career has followed a unique trajectory. For years, she and her company had an under-the-radar following in New York, but only recently did she win wider attention. A work set to TS Eliot's 4 Quartets led to international tours and commissions for the Royal Ballet and New York City Ballet. Before that happened she worked and worked: at dance, but also unglamorous admin jobs. When we met at the Barbican for the London premiere of her Song of Songs, she talked about giving hope to all the late bloomers. Pam Tanowitz has delineated her own dance language through decades of research and creation. Now, the world's most respected companies – Martha Graham Dance Company, Royal Ballet, New York City Ballet and more – are integrating her poetic universe into their repertories. In 2000 she founded Pam Tanowitz Dance to explore dance-making with a consistent community of dancers. She has been commissioned by Fisher Center at Bard, Joyce Theater, Jacob's Pillow and others. Four Quartets (2018) was called ‘the greatest creation of dance theater so far this century' by the New York Times. Find out more about the work of the RADFollow the RAD on social media and join the conversation with host David Jays:Instagram @royalacademyofdanceFacebook @RoyalAcademyofDanceTwitter @RADheadquartersYouTube / royalacademydanceDavid Jays @mrdavidjaysSign up to our mailing list to keep in touch!RAD is an independent educational charity and does not receive regular government funding. Every penny we make goes back into the work we do. You can support us by either naming a seat as part of our Name A Seat Campaign or making a donation.Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Xianix Barrera is a Bessie award nominated flamenco dancer, teacher, and choreographer based in New York City. Female empowerment, sexual identity and social justice color her choreographic work and create the focal point for the company she founded in 2012; Xianix Barrera Flamenco Company. With a background in dance and percussive studies, Xianix has dedicated herself to the lifelong study of flamenco with the masters of the art form in both New York and Spain. Throughout her career she has worked with revered artists such as Isabel Bayón, Raquel Heredia, Rosario Toledo, Soledad Barrio and Juan Ogalla on some of the most important stages in the world including The Joyce Theater, Lincoln Center, The Red Theater in Abu Dhabi and Cafe Silverio in Sevilla. Xianix is a dedicated teacher with a thriving flamenco school in NYC for people of all ages, levels and abilities while conducting workshops for the Joyce Theater and New York City Center during their annual flamenco festival. For more information visit www.xianix.com
On today's episode of 'Conversations On Dance', we are joined by choreographer Hope Boykin. We catch up with Hope about her retirement and transition to full time choreographer, as well as her process and preparation for her new work 'States Of Hope' that will premiere at the Joyce Theater this October 17th and run through October 22nd. If you are in the New York area and would like to purchase tickets, visit joyce.org/performances. Listen to our first episode with Hope from the 2019 Vail Dance Festival: https://www.conversationsondancepod.com/episodes-transcripts/hope-boykin-2019-vail-dance-festival.THIS EPISODE'S SPONSOR:The BFA Dance program at the Peabody Conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University prepares students to be at the forefront of dance innovation through performance, choreographic and critical historical and theoretical exploration. Studying dance at Johns Hopkins, one of the world's premier research institutions, gives students the opportunity to make connections between dance, science, technology, and the humanities. Submit your application by December 1st. Learn more at Peabody.jhu.edu/dancebfaLINKS: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.
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Monica and Ethan King continue their conversation with Tommy Bettin and Maggie Small of Fred Astaire Dance Studios in Richmond, Virginia. Discussing adding children to the mix, determining roles and responsibilities and the internal secrets that make it all work successfully, this episode shares the second part to their conversation. Episode Quote: Our relationships whether business or personal are nourished and shaped by the commitment we express through our actions. Dr. Steve Maraboli Fred Astaire Dance Studio Richmond https://www.facebook.com/fredastaireRVA Tommy Bio Tommy Bettin, a classical trained ballet dancer and ballroom and latin professional dancer, trained and performed throughout the United States and Mexico. Mr. Bettin started his own independent ballroom school, Maity Dance, in Richmond, Virginia which transitioned to become a part of the Fred Astaire Franchised Studios. Over the last 5 years, Mr. Bettin has launched the FADS Richmond location into one of the foremost performing in the franchise and has been awarded individually as “Top 40 Under 40” by Richmond-based publication, Style Weekly, for making a notable impact on the growth of the city by excelling in his genre. Maggie Bio Maggie Small, a native of Richmond, Virginia, danced as a professional ballerina with Richmond Ballet for 16 years and has earned a B.A. in Performing Arts from St. Mary's College of California. She has performed internationally in the United Kingdom and China as well as domestically in notable performance spaces such as The Joyce Theater, Jacob's Pillow and alongside Carmen Devallade at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Honors include a Dance Magazine cover story feature as Richmond Ballet's “Homegrown Ballerina”, a “Hometown Hero” Award from the Links, Inc., Style Weekly's Top 40 Under 40, Class of 2020 and the inaugural “Dancer of the Year” RVA Dance Award. Maggie retired from Richmond Ballet in 2019 where she remains as member of the Advisory Council. She also serves as a member of Richmond City's Public Art Commission and works with her husband and business partner, Tommy Bettin, operating and growing Ballroom, Latin and Social Dance studio, Fred Astaire Dance Studio Richmond. Episode Sponsor - Zeus' Closet Helpful Entrepreneurial Resources from Become Your Own Boss Helpful Entrepreneurial Resources from Become Your Own Boss Join the Become Your Own Boss Community Monica FREE ebook Get your Become Your Own Boss Planner Ways to reach Monica: Instagram: @becomeyourownbosspodcast Email: monica@monicaallen.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/becomeyourownboss/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/becomeyourownboss/support
Have you thought about working with your spouse? Are you considering starting a business with your significant other? Are you already in business together? On this week's episode, Monica hands over the mic to her husband and business partner, Ethan King as they talk with Tommy Bettin and Maggie Small about startup challenges, one of the biggest myths of owning your own business, working together and so much more. Episode Quote: There is only one thing you must remember in order to have a successful marriage. Always put your spouse first. ~Unknown Fred Astaire Dance Studio Richmong https://www.facebook.com/fredastaireRVA Tommy Bio Tommy Bettin, a classical trained ballet dancer and ballroom and latin professional dancer, trained and performed throughout the United States and Mexico. Mr. Bettin started his own independent ballroom school, Maity Dance, in Richmond, Virginia which transitioned to become a part of the Fred Astaire Franchised Studios. Over the last 5 years, Mr. Bettin has launched the FADS Richmond location into one of the foremost performing in the franchise and has been awarded individually as “Top 40 Under 40” by Richmond-based publication, Style Weekly, for making a notable impact on the growth of the city by excelling in his genre. Maggie Bio Maggie Small, a native of Richmond, Virginia, danced as a professional ballerina with Richmond Ballet for 16 years and has earned a B.A. in Performing Arts from St. Mary's College of California. She has performed internationally in the United Kingdom and China as well as domestically in notable performance spaces such as The Joyce Theater, Jacob's Pillow and alongside Carmen Devallade at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Honors include a Dance Magazine cover story feature as Richmond Ballet's “Homegrown Ballerina”, a “Hometown Hero” Award from the Links, Inc., Style Weekly's Top 40 Under 40, Class of 2020 and the inaugural “Dancer of the Year” RVA Dance Award. Maggie retired from Richmond Ballet in 2019 where she remains as member of the Advisory Council. She also serves as a member of Richmond City's Public Art Commission and works with her husband and business partner, Tommy Bettin, operating and growing Ballroom, Latin and Social Dance studio, Fred Astaire Dance Studio Richmond. Episode Sponsor - Zeus' Closet Helpful Entrepreneurial Resources from Become Your Own Boss Helpful Entrepreneurial Resources from Become Your Own Boss Join the Become Your Own Boss Community Monica FREE ebook Get your Become Your Own Boss Planner Ways to reach Monica: Instagram: @becomeyourownbosspodcast Email: monica@monicaallen.com --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/becomeyourownboss/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/becomeyourownboss/support
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This episode is also available as a blog post: https://thecitylife.org/2023/05/01/the-joyce-theater-foundation-presents-dada-masilo-the-sacrifice/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/citylifeorg/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/citylifeorg/support
Mariusz Olszewski, ballroom artist, coach and choreographer whose work has been presented at the biggest ballroom venues, dance festivals, theaters and television around the world. He choreographed for the World, American, Polish and Ohio Star Ball Champions and other top ranking ballroom couples including Blackpool Dance Festival American Smooth finalist.Mariusz, moved to Minneapolis in 1996 to join Jazzdance! by Danny Buraczeski and danced with the company for 5 years performing at the most prominent stages and dance festivals such as Kennedy Center, The Joyce Theater, Ordway Center for Performing Arts and The Guthrie Theater as well as Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival and Bates Dance Festival as well as American Dance Festival among others.Prior to Jazzdance, Mr.Olszewski was a lead dancer and assistant to artistic director of The Silesian Dance Theater, the first professional modern dance company in his native country Poland.During his 5 seasons with The Silesian Dance Theater he had performed and worked with such renown choreographers and dance legends as Anna Sokolow, Gerri Houlihan, Teresa Freedman, Melissa Monteros, Avi Kaiser, Mark Haim, David Dorfman, Wendell Beavers, Stephanie Skura, Risa Jarolow , Sam Costa and company's artistic director Jacek Luminski among others.For his roles created in that company he received Silesia's President's Award for Outstanding Artist in 1995.He is a founding member of Beyond Ballroom Dance Company and served as its Artistic Co-director and Rehearsal Director.Mariusz's work is driven from his modern, jazz ,ballroom dancing and theater experience.He choreographed and collaborated with Minneapolis prime dancers and companies such as Zenon Dance Comapny, Minnesota Dance Theater and James Sewell Ballet's Sally Rousse , Cathy Young Dances, Robin Stiehm's Dancing People Company.Mariusz graduated from The Institute of Culture Theater Department in Opole, Poland.He was a guest choreographer on popular television show "Dancing With the Stars" and featured choreographer for 8 seasons on "So You Think You Can Dance”/ Poland creating a record number of over 35 routines in contemporary, modern jazz and ballroom dance styles.In 2016 he was invited to choreograph two ballroom shows “ Rhythm Divine” and “Grace” for Hong Kong's biggest Dream Cruise Line. Mariusz is a recipient of 2005 McKnight Artists Fellowship for Dancers.
Stepping Out into the World with Davalois Fearon Today we bring you a beautiful and inspiring conversation with Davalois Fearon, whose work as a dancer, teacher, and choreographer brings together her family history, early years in Jamaica, and a dedication to moving the art form and community forward. Expect to come away with some fascinating insight into her process of connecting the different parts of her life and experience into a unified artistic voice. Make sure to join us for this great episode, with the one and only Davalois Fearon! “From birth, I was surrounded by movement and music.” – Davalois Fearon, MSP 148 Key Points From This Episode: Davalois' early years in Jamaica and initial attraction to dance and performance. Moving to the Bronx and the playground training that started Davalois' learning. Joining the Stephen Petronio Dance Company, touring, parties, and the excitement of the early years. Davalois' internship at Pentacle and the entrepreneurial lessons she learned. The period of research that enabled Davalois to truly realize her artistic identity. Why the grassroots approach that Davalois employed served her so well in the long run. Davalois Fearon is a critically acclaimed choreographer, dancer, and educator. The recipient of numerous awards and grants, her work has been presented nationally and internationally, including at prestigious New York City venues such as the Joyce Theater. In addition, she has been commissioned by renowned institutions and is visiting lecturer at Princeton University. Connect with Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast on Instagram and Facebook More info links from this episode: Davalois Fearon on Movers & Shapers Make your tax-deductable donation to Movers & Shapers! Donate HERE today!
This episode is also available as a blog post: https://thecitylife.org/2022/11/11/complexions-contemporary-ballet-opens-28th-season-at-the-joyce-theater/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/citylifeorg/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/citylifeorg/support
Paul Selig is a writer, teacher, and intuitive living in New York City. He is the director of the MFA in Creative Writing Program at Goddard College and serves on the playwriting faculty of the NYU Tisch School of the Arts. His work for the theater has been performed internationally at venues including the Sundance Film Festival, the Joyce Theater, En Garde Arts, The Long Wharf Theater, Teatro Plastico and the Ensemble Studio Theater. His plays include the one woman show Mystery School (performed by Tyne Daly), the stage adaptation of War Letters (with Treat Williams and Mario van Peebles), additional material for the national tour of Tallulah (with Kathleen Turner), Terminal Bar, the Pompeii Traveling Show (NY Drama League Award), Moon City and Body Parts. His operas include the trilogy 3 Visitations. He collaborated with Shapiro and Smith Dance Company on Notes From a Séance and Never Enough. He recently completed a credited rewrite of Truth in Translation, commissioned by South Africa's Market Theater and the Colonnades Theater Lab. His work is published in numerous anthologies, including The Best American Short Plays of 1996-97; Gay Plays 3 and The Best Short Plays of 1988. He received his MFA from the Yale School of Drama. Paul had a spiritual experience in 1987 that left him clairvoyant. As a way to gain a context for what he was beginning to experience, he studied a form of energy healing, working at Marianne Williamson's Manhattan Center for Living and in private practice. He began to "hear" for his clients, and much of Paul's work now is as a clairaudient, clairvoyant, channel, and empath. Paul has led channeled energy groups for 15 years. Paul was invited to channel at the Esalen institute's 2009 invitational Superpowers and the Supernormal symposium and is featured in the upcoming documentary film Authors of the Impossible. - www.TacherBooks.com******************************************************************To listen to all our XZBN shows, with our compliments go to: https://www.spreaker.com/user/xzoneradiotv*** AND NOW ***The ‘X' Zone TV Channel on SimulTV - www.simultv.comThe ‘X' Chronicles Newspaper - www.xchroniclesnewspaper.com ******************************************************************
If These Walls Could Talk with Wendy Stuart & Tym MossHosts: WENDY STUART & TYM MOSSSpecial guest: JAY MICHAELSWednesday, February 16th2 pm EST LIVE from PANGEA Restaurant, NYCWatch LIVE on YouTube at Wendy Stuart TVJay Michaels is a producer/executive with a specialty in communications and promotion. He has been part of the independent theater and film movement since 1977 and was part of Lincoln Center's tribute to Caffe Cino and the original off-off-Broadway movement in 1985. Before becoming an entrepreneur, he worked as an actor (stage and film) and director (off-Broadway) for many years, garnering accolades for helming new plays and musicals and a wildly successful series of Shakespeare plays sporting unique production schemes.He began as a member of the production staff for Hard Times, 1984, and Romulus Linney's Holy Ghosts at the Joyce Theater's American Theater series, which won a 1986 Drama Desk Award. He also served on the production staff of events featuring Eliot Feld, Meredith Monk, Pilobolus, and the Nicholas Brothers. He went on to serve as a national tour manager for Les Miserables, Cats, Oliver, and Edwin Drood and a production associate at PBS for the special series, Increase the Peace.His career as a promotional executive began on Broadway with Guys & Dolls (1992) and continued with Damn Yankees (1994), The Vagina Monologues (2005), and recently with Beginnings (2017). He served on the promotional staff for The Daily News, producing events at Lincoln Center, Madison Square Garden, and Atlantic City. He served as a copywriter for Bob Hope at Carnegie Hall featuring Skitch Henderson and his orchestra.Read more at jaymichaelsarts.comWho else but hosts Wendy Stuart and Tym Moss could “spill the tea” on their weekly show “If These Walls Could Talk” live from Pangea Restaurant on the Lower Eastside of NYC, with their unique style, of honest, and emotional interviews, sharing the fascinating backstories of celebrities, entertainers, recording artists, writers and artists and bringing their audience along for a fantastic ride.Wendy Stuart is an author, celebrity interviewer, model, filmmaker and hosts “Pandemic Cooking With Wendy,” a popular Youtube comedic cooking show born in the era of Covid-19, and TriVersity Talk, a weekly web series with featured guests discussing their lives, activism and pressing issues in the LGBTQ Community.Tym Moss is a popular NYC singer, actor, and radio/tv host who recently starred in the hit indie film “JUNK” to critical acclaim.
This week, with the help of Ming Chen of A Shared Universe PodcaStudio, we talk to Michael Trusnovec, one of the co-founders of the sold out Asbury Park Dance Festival, which will be celebrating its third successful year on October 1. We talk to Michael about about his life in dance, and his journey from Long Island to the Paul Taylor Dance Company, with additional stops at the New York City Ballet, the Joyce Theater, the Metropolitan Opera and now Asbury Park.
Robert Burns is known as the national poet of Scotland, a trailblazer for his decision to write in Scots and a Scots dialect of English. But his journey to become a famous poet was not always easy. Actor and fellow Scotsman Alan Cumming brings the story of Burns to life in a new show of theater and dance called "Burn." Co-created by Steven Hoggett, "Burn" is running from September 20-25 at The Joyce Theater. Cumming joins us to discuss.
A transcript of this episode is available here: https://thedanceedit.com/transcript-episode-124Subscribe to The Dance Edit Extra: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dance-edit-extra/id1579075769Visit/add to the Dance Media Events Calendar: https://dancemediacalendar.com/Get the latest dance news direct by subscribing to our free newsletters. Find the ones that match your interests: http://www.dancemagazine.com/subscribeLinks referenced in/relevant to episode 124:-Guardian story on Aaron Watkin's appointment at English National Ballet: https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2022/aug/24/english-national-ballet-announces-aaron-watkin-as-new-artistic-director-Los Angeles Times story on Melissa Barak's appointment at Los Angeles Ballet: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2022-08-24/los-angeles-ballet-appoints-melissa-barak-artistic-director-Classic FM report on dancer, teacher, and grandmother killed in Donetsk shelling: https://www.classicfm.com/discover-music/periods-genres/ballet/ballerina-missile-ukraine-russia/-Newsweek piece on Kyiv City Ballet dancers who returned home to fight: https://www.newsweek.com/kyiv-city-ballet-dancer-us-tour-1734213-Broadway World article on National Dance Day plans: https://www.broadwayworld.com/washington-dc/article/Kennedy-Center-to-Present-Three-Day-National-Dance-Day-Celebration-in-September-20220817-New York Times story on Danni Gee's appointment at The Joyce Theater: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/17/arts/dance/joyce-theater-danni-gee.html-Sacramento Bee obituary for Barbara Crockett: https://www.sacbee.com/news/local/obituaries/article264685004.html-New York Times feature on the drop in audience attendance: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/21/arts/performing-arts-pandemic-attendance.html
This episode is also available as a blog post: https://thecitylife.org/2022/08/07/the-apollo-the-joyce-theater-celebrate-camille-a-brown-dancers-the-trilogy/ --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/citylifeorg/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/citylifeorg/support
In this episode, NCCAkron's Executive/Artistic Director, Christy Bolingbroke enters the 'studio' with Minneapolis-St. Paul-based performer and choreographer Ashwini Ramaswamy, who trained and performs in the lineage of Bharatanatyam. As a founding member of Ragamala Dance Company, she has toured extensively, throughout the U.S. and in Russia, Taiwan, Indonesia, Japan, the U.K, and India, as well, she's performed in well-know US venues like Lincoln Center Out of Doors, and the Kennedy Center. Her own choreographic work has been presented by venues including The Joyce Theater and The Yard, and has found support through the National Dance Project and US Artists International. The New York Times describes Ashwini as “weaving together, both fearfully and joyfully, the human and the divine…”
In this episode, NCCAkron's Executive/Artistic Director, Christy Bolingbroke enters the 'studio' with Seattle-based choreographer, director and educator Kate Wallich. Named one of Dance Magazine's “25 to Watch,” her work has been presented nationally and internationally by venues including On the Boards, Seattle Art Museum, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Walker Art Center, MASS MoCa, and The Joyce Theater. In 2010 she founded an all-abilities, community-focused class called Dance Church® which, during the pandemic, gained traction as an online streaming platform and received attention from Wired, Vanity Fair, and The LA Times.
In the fifth episode of Off Season Chats, Ameya & Kiran chat with Colombo-based Kandyan dance teacher, performer, & principal dancer at the world-renowned Chitrasena School of Dance Thaji Dias. She reflects on her artistic journey, upholding a multigenerational family legacy, and how the pandemic and Sri Lanka's economic struggles are impacting artists. Off Season Chats is a new series in which we have intimate conversations with dancers who are forging new paths in their artistic, personal, and professional lives. Our special guests are accomplished artists whose works span across many genres of South Asian dance including: Kathak, Kandyan, Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam, Manipuri, Odissi, and much more. About Thaji Dias: Thaji Dias is the youngest granddaughter of Chitrasena and Vajira, the illustrious dance duo of Sri Lanka, and the Principal Dancer of Chitrasena Dance Company, which is Sri Lanka's oldest and most prestigious dance company. The company was established in the 1940s by Guru Chitrasena, who was instrumental in bringing Sri Lanka's traditional dances from village rituals to the modern stage. Thaji has been a full-time professional dancer and teacher at the Company since May 2012. Introduced to Kandyan dance under her grandmother nearly 25 years ago, she began touring with the dance company at age 12 alongside her aunt and Guru Upeka Chitrasena in an international festival in Paris at the Theatre Du Soleil as a guest of Ariane Mnouchkine. Since then, Thaji has toured Taipei (2004), Montpellier, France (2005), New York, USA (2011), Singapore (2012), and India on several occasions. She also represented the company in their first international collaboration Samhara, with the Nrityagram Dance Ensemble of India. The performance toured the US, including the prestigious Joyce Theater and Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and many parts of India including Music Academy (Chennai) and Konark Festival (Odisha) in 2012, 2013, and 2018. Instagram: @dancethaji Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thaji.dias Dive Deeper: https://youtu.be/eL3PHxbjNTI (Resistance in Dance: Thaji Dias. Why I Dance: The Chitrasena Legacy) https://www.sundaytimes.lk/120429/Plus/plus_09.html (Nrityagram and Chitrasena) https://www.sundaytimes.lk/120429/Plus/plus_09.html (The Chitrasena legacy: Inspiring story at the Design Festival) https://www.sundayobserver.lk/2019/05/19/news-features/pandal-making-sri-lanka (Pandal-making) Today's episode of Off Season Chats would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of our amazing listeners and the following people: We Edit Podcasts for audio engineering Sangeetha Kowsik for graphic design of our logo Wesley Beeks & Bertel King, Jr. Liked what you heard? Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and other streaming services, subscribe to the podcast, and tell your friends about us so that more people can find this show! You can also join our conversation by following us on social media at @offthebeatdance on IG, FB, Twitter, and Tik Tok or by visiting us at http://www.offthebeat.dance/ (www.offthebeat.dance). We'd love to hear from you. Off the Beat is a passion project, and we really need your help to make this podcast a long-term and sustainable venture. Please consider supporting us on Patreon at http://www.patreon.com/offthebeatdance (patreon.com/offthebeatdance) so that we can continue to bring you more content. And together, we can create a new dance future...one beat at a time! Off Season Chats is an Off The Beat production.
In episode six of the 12-part podcast series, "https://www.workshouldntsuck.co/white-men-journey (White Men & the Journey Towards Anti-Racism)," Tim interviews Sydney Skybetter choreographer and founder of the Center for Research on Choreographic Interfaces that convenes experts in dance, performance, computer science, kinesiology, anthropology, social justice, and design to explore the relationship between bodies, movement, and emerging technologies. This series was created to be a resource for white men who might be wrestling with questions like, “What's my role in anti-racism, equity, inclusion, and justice work as a white man with power and privilege?” and “How might my personal commitment to do this work manifest itself in the organization I help lead?” Are you new to the series? Check out https://www.workshouldntsuck.co/podcast2/ep54 (episode 54) where podcast co-hosts Lauren Ruffin and Tim Cynova introduce and frame the conversations. Explore https://www.workshouldntsuck.co/white-men-journey (the other episodes in this series) with guests: Raphael Bemporad (Founding Partner) & Bryan Miller (Chief Financial Officer), BBMG Ted Castle (Founder & President) & Rooney Castle (Vice President), Rhino Foods Ron Carucci, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Navalent David Devan, General Director & President, Opera Philadelphia Jared Fishman, Founding Executive Director, Justice Innovation Lab Jay Coen Gilbert, Co-Founder, B Lab; CEO, Imperative21 Kit Hughes, Co-Founder & CEO, Look Listen Marc Mannella, Independent Consultant, Former CEO KIPP Philadelphia Public Schools John Orr, Executive Director, Art-Reach David Reuter, Partner, LLR Want to explore related resources primarily *not* by white guys? Check out https://www.workshouldntsuck.co/white-men-journey (our compilation of 30 books, podcasts, and films). Read "https://humanparts.medium.com/reflections-from-a-token-black-friend-2f1ea522d42d (Reflections From a Token Black Friend,)" mentioned in this episode. Bios SYDNEY SKYBETTER is a choreographer. Hailed by the Financial Times as “One of the world's foremost thinkers on the intersection of dance and emerging technologies,” Sydney's choreography has been performed at such venues as The Kennedy Center, Jacob's Pillow and The Joyce Theater. A sought-after speaker, he has lectured at SXSW, Yale, Mozilla, and Stanford, and consulted for The National Ballet of Canada, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Hasbro, New York University and The University of Southern California, among others. He is a https://vivo.brown.edu/display/sskybett (Public Humanities Fellow, Senior Lecturer and the Associate Chair of Theatre Arts & Performance Studies at Brown University), and an affiliate of https://metalabharvard.github.io/ (metaLAB at Harvard University) and https://www.darklaboratory.com/ (Dark Laboratory at Cornell University). He is a https://www.wired.com/search/?page=1&q=skybetter&sort=score (regular contributor to WIRED) and https://www.dancemagazine.com/search/?q=skybetter (Dance Magazine), has served as a Grant Panelist for the National Endowment of the Arts, is a founding member of the https://futurearchitects.com/ (Guild of Future Architects), and is the Founder of the https://choreographicinterfaces.org/ (Conference for Research on Choreographic Interfaces). TIM CYNOVA (he/him) is the Principal of https://www.workshouldntsuck.co/ (Work. Shouldn't. Suck.), an HR and org design consultancy helping to reimagine workplaces where everyone can thrive. He is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and a trained mediator, and has served on the faculty of Minneapolis College of Art & Design, the Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity (Banff, Canada) and The New School (New York City) teaching courses in People-Centric Organizational Design, and Strategic HR. In 2021, he concluded a 12-year tenure leading Fractured Atlas, a $30M, entirely virtual non-profit technology...
Vince Ferguson: Dr. Ashley Lucas is the Founder of PHD Weight Loss. She holds a PhD in sports nutrition and chronic disease, and she's also a registered dietician. She comes to the field of nutrition and weight management with a unique background as a professional ballet dancer. That's right, a professional ballet dancer, and joining me today on my podcast to discuss long-term weight loss success, which is so important and why she believes that weight gain isn't your fault. Let's welcome Dr. Ashley Lucas. Dr. Ashley, how are you? Ashley Lucas: I'm great. Thanks so much for having me. Vince Ferguson: Well, thank you for coming on this show, but before we get started, I want to know, I want you to share with my listeners and viewers where did you grow up and what was your childhood like? Ashley Lucas: Sure. Yeah, I grew up in Washington State and it was a great childhood. I trained as a classical ballet dancer when I was young and worked real hard and just didn't have any natural talent to speak of. And so I was always pushing my body to do things that it naturally didn't want to do. I was injured all the time and I really just had a constant fight to fit the really lean body that we are or were at that time required to fit, you know, as being a ballet dancer. So I had struggles with that. I was told I was fat countless times despite restricting calories like crazy and not eating any fat because I thought that if we ate fat, we'd get fat. Vince Ferguson: Right. Ashley Lucas: And so I had that constant struggle, but throughout that childhood, I learned perseverance and persistence and wouldn't have changed any aspect of it, but it pushed me into what I'm doing now today. Vince Ferguson: Really? So how long were you a professional ballet dancer? Ashley Lucas: Yeah, I started training when I was 4 years old and I went to a boarding school for it during high school. I completed my undergraduate degree in ballet performance and then went on and danced with companies across the country. And so, yeah, I had a fairly successful career because I'm just a little bit obsessive and I was so passionate and just loved everything about it. And actually the end of my dancing career, it was when I landed in New York, I was actually chosen to perform at The Joyce Theater. Vince Ferguson: Nice. Ashley Lucas: And I was flown up there, but instead of finding myself in the spotlight there, participating in these once in a lifetime performances, I found myself in the ER. Vince Ferguson: Really? Ashley Lucas: Yeah, I had no idea what was going on with my health. I thought that maybe I was having a heart attack, a panic attack. Yeah and basically that's what it was. It was a panic attack and the doctors after a whole bunch of different tests said I was just underfed and overexercised and I just couldn't keep going. So I had to step away from my dancing career at that time in my mid 20s. Vince Ferguson: Really? And so what brought you to PHD Weight Loss? Ashley Lucas: Well, from that point, I knew my body couldn't continue doing what it was. And I was really frustrated that I was injured all the time and my body was never at the body composition it needed to be despite working really, really hard. So I decided, you know, I understood how significantly nutrition impacted my own sport performance. So that pushed me into just learning more about nutrition and I went on and earned my PhD in sports nutrition and chronic disease. And I studied exactly that. I wanted to understand what happens to our metabolism when we chronically under eat, you know, when we're always dieting, what happens there and how do we achieve optimal body composition? How do we drop weight? How do we reduce body fat without causing harm metabolically? So I studied that. And then I think most importantly what I looked at is mentally and emotionally from the habits and behaviors that we have, how do we create sustainable change? So we don't just drop weight quickly. Vince Ferguson: Yes. Ashley Lucas: And doing our metabolism and then have it all come back. Vince Ferguson: Yes. Ashley Lucas: So, that's really what I focused on, and after that, I taught at the Ohio State University, but there realized..... Vince Ferguson: The Ohio State? Ashley Lucas: Ohio State, that's right. I realized that I just am very impatient and I need to see dramatic change in people, probably like you, or probably pretty similar in that respect. And so I went back to school again to become a registered dietician. I wanted to be this true expert in the field of weight management and I felt that, that was what it needed to take. But there I was filled with all of this same information. I was told, well, people just need to eat less. They need to move more. It's all a calories in, calories out kind of equation and people just need to have more discipline and eat everything in moderation and avoid fat and eat 6 to 11 servings of grain a day. And it didn't make sense to me. And so I took what I learned there and flipped it all upside down, pretty much everything that I was taught I questioned. Ashley Lucas: And from the answers that I found from more research and the research in my doctoral work, I created PHD Weight Loss. So we have five brick and mortar locations, but we also have an amazing nationwide at-home program where we are serving thousands of people all across the country no matter where they live in a really unique approach that challenges the standard ways of thinking when it comes to nutrition and weight loss. So that is my story of kind of how I've come to this point in helping people just reverse obesity and obesity related health conditions and I'm more passionate about this than I was when I was dancing. So I'm so glad that I've found purpose and passion within myself. Vince Ferguson: Oh yeah. I'm sure. And I'm sure quite a few other people are happy that you found purpose. Ashley Lucas: Yeah. Maybe. I hope so. Vince Ferguson: Exactly. How long have you been doing this now? Ashley Lucas: Oh, probably about 12 years. Vince Ferguson: About 12 years. Ashley Lucas: Yes. Vince Ferguson: Wow. because I've been to your website and I've seen hundreds. I'm not sure if it's hundreds, but I've seen quite a few testimonials. Ashley Lucas: Yes. Ashley Lucas: We have hundreds of testimonials. Vince Ferguson: You do have hundreds? Ashley Lucas: Yeah. Vince Ferguson: That is amazing. That's amazing. Okay. Because we are overwhelmed right now with information about diet and exercise, right, and so much thought, so much is given, so much information is out there, it's like information overload. So what makes your company different from other companies that's out there with this information? Ashley Lucas: Yeah. I mean, we just streamline it all. We don't listen to the conventional wisdom. We create mostly a metabolic shift in the body. So we teach the body how to burn fat for fuel. And it doesn't require you to be Keto or very low carb or Atkins or Paleo or vegan. But what we do is we really take this unique approach where we can guide you on what your unique body needs, on how much to eat, when, what, and just create a really clear customized meal plan to support that aspect and create a metabolic shift from within. So it feels good and you don't have hunger or cravings and we can break that sugar addiction without any withdrawal symptoms. Vince Ferguson: Hmm. So there's no cookie cutter approach here. Ashley Lucas: No, it's going to be customized to each person. Vince Ferguson: But you believe in a low carb diet basically. Ashley Lucas: Yeah. I mean, I believe that we all have a unique tolerance level of how many carbohydrates we can consume. Everybody's different. What I can tolerate is probably much different than what you can tolerate. My husband and I were on a different paradigm as well from what we can tolerate. He comes from a family of morbid obesity, and in order for him to maintain his optimal level of health, he's pretty low carb. For me, I can tolerate a little bit more, I've got to be aware, but I now exercise much less. Probably I need to do more. You could help me with that, but...I took in much less and I weigh, my body fat is leaner than it ever was when I was dancing because of the shift in how I eat now. Vince Ferguson: Really amazing. And you've seen, with what you've seen through your research, you've been able to reduce chronic obesity, chronic illnesses. Basically, you've seen a lot of that happen. Ashley Lucas: So much. And, it's not from the weight loss necessarily. It's from how we're eating and creating this shift in the body. I mean, we have a client who comes to mind, John, and he started with us, had about 50 pounds to drop, but was on 90 units of insulin a day type two diabetic, like that's pretty intense. Vince Ferguson: Yes. Ashley Lucas: Within a week, he had to drop his insulin needs in half. Within three weeks, he was on about six units of insulin a day and now he's dropped to the 50 pounds and he's no longer diabetic. So, you know, a lot of these conditions were told they're chronic, you know, you're just going to have to medicate to continue dealing with diabetes. And that's not true. It doesn't have to be progressive. You can put it into remission. And I like to use the word remission. Vince Ferguson: Okay. Ashley Lucas: If you go back to the old habits and behaviors that got you there in the first place, you know, it's going to come back. It's not that we've cured it, but we've put it into remission. And if we can maintain the weight loss and these habits and this lifestyle, then it never needs to come back. Vince Ferguson: Hmm. Because I know you believe that weight gain is not all full necessarily. Ashley Lucas: Yes. Right. Vince Ferguson: So what do you base that on? Ashley Lucas: A few things. So the first thing is, so the belly fat, we know. Yeah that's right. We all like to let go of. Vince Ferguson: Yeah. Ashley Lucas: These active, these fat cells in the belly. They're different than the fat throughout the rest of the body. They get in there, they pack in tight into your organs and around the organs, it squeezes the organs and in time, this belly fat mass becomes almost like a tumor. It grows its own blood vessels and it secretes its own hormones and I want you to think that this fat mass in your belly is hungry. It has demands and urges and cravings and addiction. Like it has a mind of its own. And all it wants to do is get fatter as fast as possible. Vince Ferguson: Yes. Ashley Lucas: So the more belly fat you have, the more hunger and more cravings and more addiction to food you have. The slower the metabolism you have. So you really don't have to eat that much, and you'll witness continued weight gain. I talk to women all the time who say, gosh, I just really don't eat that much or I eat really healthy, but no matter what, I'm still putting on the pounds. Maybe I exercise a lot, but I'm still, you know, 30, 50 pounds more than I want to be or need to be. And so that's not your fault. It's all driven by this fat mass that's in there that just wants to grow. It makes you hungry. It makes you lazy because the last thing it wants you to do is go expend a ton of energy. So, yeah, it has nothing to do with willpower or your personality. Ashley Lucas: It's all just driven by this thing that just wants to grow. In men, it secretes this hormone called aromatase, which takes your testosterone and converts it into estrogen. Vince Ferguson: Wow. Ashley Lucas: So if you're carrying belly fat and you're a guy you're going to have much lower T and higher estrogen and you're going to find that your fat deposits are primarily in the chest, the throat and the face area. Vince Ferguson: Yes. Ashley Lucas: And you're going to be at real high risk of high blood pressure and sleep apnea. So, it secretes this hormone called Interleukin 6, which is a really inflammatory hormone. Vince Ferguson: Okay. Ashley Lucas: And what's really interesting is that has come to light with all of this COVID-19 situation. And so we know that individuals who are overweight and specifically obese are at a real high risk of suffering from severe COVID-19. And the reason why is because of interleukin 6. Vince Ferguson: Hmm. Ashley Lucas: What happens when we have COVID-19 and some of us have the cytokine storm that we've heard of on the news. Vince Ferguson: Yes. Ashley Lucas: And what's happening is these cytokines are releasing interleukin 6. So if you already have this belly fat mass in there that's producing interleukin 6, you're at a baseline high level. Now, you have the cytokines flowing through and it's just a load of interleukin 6 that your body cannot handle and it mounts this severe response. So that's why if we're overweight or obese, we have such a higher risk of having a severe condition. It doesn't have to do with the actual, necessarily the fat, but it's what the fat is doing in the body that creates the havoc we're experiencing. Vince Ferguson: Hmm. Wow. That's very good. Why is belly fat so dangerous? Ashley Lucas: Because of that. Because it secretes these hormones, because you know in women it secretes also this hormone called aromatase that increases our risk of estrogen dependent breast cancer. So, yeah, it's just an active tumor that we do not want in the body. It acts like that. Vince Ferguson: Now, in addition, I know you said, so it's not our fault, not totally. Would you also blame the food industry because some of the food is addictive, the chemicals that's in the food. Ashley Lucas: Yeah. I know. I had said there are a few reasons and that is one of the reasons for sure. They create these foods that smell and taste and look just perfectly. So we really cannot eat just one. Vince Ferguson: Yeah exactly. Ashley Lucas: A huge component of it. Vince Ferguson: Yes. Yes. So how do we stop cravings? because you know, all of us have these cravings that we got to grab another donut, we got to eat more ice cream. How do we control those cravings? Ashley Lucas: Yeah. I mean, there are a few different ways. So one is to create a shift in the body metabolically. So if we can teach it how to burn fat for fuel, then the body is not going to have the cravings for the fast food and the sugar. We can dull the signals. So right now most of us are carbohydrate, sugar burners. And we need to eat every three to four hours. If not, we get hangry, we crave these certain foods and usually they're kind of carby or salty foods that we're just craving and our hunger cues, we can't trust our body when we're hungry, when we're tired, it's all out of whack. So when we can create this shift in the body and feed our body in a different way, then you will find that we can actually trust what it's telling us and we won't be hungry. Ashley Lucas: We won't have cravings. So that's one of the aspects. Also recognizing what are our trigger foods, they're different for each person. And that's why the eating in moderation, everything in moderation I think was coined by someone who's naturally lean. Because I think I've met three people in my lifetime and working with a lot, thousands of people, who can actually eat everything in moderation. Vince Ferguson: So you don't believe in that. Ashley Lucas: I don't. I think it's caused a lot of issues actually. Vince Ferguson: Yes. Now, but you do believe in eating three or four hours each day. Ashley Lucas: It's different for each person. Generally when we start with our clients, we have our clients eating every three to four hours a day just to make sure that we're managing blood glucose and we're moderating it. So there's no highs or lows, but once someone becomes fat adapted, they don't have to eat every three to four hours. Their body, when their metabolism is fat adapted, they can actually tap into the fat we have stored on our body and burn that for fuel when needed. So a lot of our clients maybe, you know, breakfast if they're hungry, but breakfast really isn't the most important meal of the day. Vince Ferguson: Really? Explain that. It is not? What really? Ashley Lucas: So, you know, Kellogg actually coined that phrase to sell more breakfast cereals. Vince Ferguson: Really? Ashley Lucas: Yeah. There's not research to support the fact that breakfast is actually the most important meal of the day. It is when you're trying to sell more frosted flakes though. Vince Ferguson: Yes. Yes. Most definitely, a lot of research, a lot of companies that sponsor research is using to push their product. Correct? Ashley Lucas: That's right. Vince Ferguson: That's funny. But that's quite interesting too though. Now tell my listeners about, my viewers, how important is supplements, supplementation. Ashley Lucas: Yeah. You know, I think that there is a time and a place for supplements. I mean, I take some of them to help me with different aspects. Like, let's see, vitamin D I think that the majority of us are deficient in vitamin D, especially during the winter. So that could be an important one to take. Vince Ferguson: Yes. Ashley Lucas: A lot of us these days because of our environment and stress levels, we have gut issues. And so taking support for the gut for some people can be helpful, but there's not going to be supplements that are just going to allow you to drop the weight. And if there are, it's usually a quick fix and you haven't changed any habit, behavior, or really learned what your body needs and it's not going to have the lasting impact that you're really looking for. So yeah, I think there's a time and a place, but just being aware of what your body needs is going to be important with that. Vince Ferguson: And you talked about behavior, and I know you focus on behavior and emotional support. How important is that in your client's weight loss journey and sustainability. Ashley Lucas: It's the most important part. Vince Ferguson: The most important part. Ashley Lucas: It is. Vince Ferguson: Really? Ashley Lucas: The nutrition aspect is actually one of the most simplest part. Once we can get it all dialed in, but 80% of any big change comes from the mind and dropping weight and maintaining it is definitely categorized as such. So yeah, the majority of this journey comes from the mind, the mental, emotional, habits, behaviors. So with our clients they're coming in or we are helping them over the phone or by video every week with one on one coaching, support, and accountability, where we talk about those things, what habits and behaviors do we need to shift? What are those sabotaging thoughts that keep coming up and how do we respond to them in a different way? How do we change our stories? Ashley Lucas: You know, oftentimes I'll sit with clients and they'll say, I'm never going to get to 160 or I'm stuck here at 160. Well, that's just a story. And if they talk to themselves with those words, then that's going to become their reality. So we're constantly shifting and moving that and creating new neural pathways in the brain. So we can actually sustain a new body and a new mind. Vince Ferguson: Hmm. Wow. That's awesome. Sounds like a lot of psychology going on in here too. Ashley Lucas: Yeah. It is. Vince Ferguson: Wow. That's amazing. Now what about inflammation? Because you touched on that as well. What foods cause inflammation in the body? Ashley Lucas: So in general, when we eat above our carbohydrate tolerance level and it really doesn't matter where that comes from, it could be a sweet potato, it could be rice, it could be pasta, it could be gummy bears. It doesn't matter where the carbohydrate really comes from. If we're eating too much of it for our unique body, then we're going to secrete a hormone called insulin. And I'm sure you guys have heard about insulin, but insulin is a really inflammatory hormone. And I think we can all agree that we don't want to have high levels of insulin in the body. So we just need to eat to support keeping that insulin as low as possible. And with that, we'll see that our inflammation continues to reduce. Vince Ferguson: Huh. Now as a trainer, I often discuss the importance of exercise when it comes to losing weight and nutrition. But I understand you don't put as much emphasis on exercise when it comes to sustainable weight loss. Correct? Ashley Lucas: Yeah. You know, so I view exercise as not being a huge weight loss tool, but a really big wellness tool. So it's very important leading an active lifestyle, moving, oh, I read this interesting research study today actually and I hope I say this right, but basically they said that even if you move 180 minutes a week of cardio, which is about what, 30 minutes a day of zone two cardio, which means that like you're having a hard time talking to the next person, and if you sit over five hours a day, it erases the benefits of all that cardio. Vince Ferguson: Really? Ashley Lucas: Yes. Vince Ferguson: What? Ashley Lucas: Yeah. So movement for heart health is important, but if you think you're going to get on the elliptical or workout and drop 50 pounds, it's likely not going to happen. So, I look at exercise as huge important to maintain muscle and mood and stress and sleep and to maintain a weight loss. It's going to be important. I think resistance training, lifting weights is like the number one thing. Vince Ferguson: Build muscle. Ashley Lucas: Yeah, muscle. And it's hard to do. I'm trying to build muscle right now and man, it's a challenge. Vince Ferguson: Why is it hard though? Because I know you're on a great diet. Why is it hard for you? Ashley Lucas: I mean, I think genetics have a lot to do with it. You know, some people are going to build muscle easier. I think hormones also have a lot to do with it. And it just takes overload and someone knowing what their doing to help you. So same thing, you know, I think that weight loss, it just takes accountability and support and outside knowledge and same thing with building muscle. You know, it's helpful to have someone by your side to tell you what to do and how to time collapse. You're not wasting so much time in the gym or trying all these different diets on your own and it just not working and you could just get help and make it happen. And it happens quickly. Our men drop three to five pounds a week, our women two to three pounds. So it doesn't have to take forever. Vince Ferguson: Well, what about people who believe they need to drop 10, 15 pounds right away? And they think like the crash weight diet is the way to go. Ashley Lucas: Yeah. Vince Ferguson: What's wrong with that? Ashley Lucas: We know that doesn't work. Lots of water weight there and also to create any kind of habit change, it takes at least six weeks. And that's quick. So yeah, if you drop it in three weeks through a juice cleanse, it's not going to work. Vince Ferguson: Hmm. So you are familiar with juice cleanses because a lot of people use them, do them. Ashley Lucas: Yeah. A lot of people do them. Vince Ferguson: Yeah. But I think in addition to a sustainable weight loss program, I mean, I think juicing is fine as part of your regular dietary program, but not something that you're looking to do just to lose weight and think you're going to keep it off that way, you know. Ashley Lucas: Yeah. I mean it depends. Juicing, you know, I actually prefer a smoothie if you're going to do that. Because if you think, let's say you juice apple and how much apple are you going to have to squeeze down in there? And all that's left is the sugar. It took out all the fiber, a lot of the nutrients with it. So you're left with a cup of sugar really. Vince Ferguson: Hmm. Ashley Lucas: So you're much better off just eating the apple whole if you want it because that fiber is going to slow the insulin response or if you juice a whole bunch of green stuff, it's still just the sugar that's left with some vitamins and minerals in there, but you're much better off eating the salad so you can actually feel full. Vince Ferguson: Right. Ashley Lucas: And delay the response of insulin and glucose, so. Yeah, juicing is kind of tricky. Vince Ferguson: Yeah. Yeah. Because I know some people believe that you juice, you get the vitamins, minerals right to the blood system right away, you know, so that's one school of thought. Ashley Lucas: Right. Vince Ferguson: But I agree with you as well. I believe in the best of both worlds. I juice and I do smoothies. Right. So that's my school of thought. Anyway, yeah, that's good. Now, how long are your sessions with your clients? Are they hourly sessions? Ashley Lucas: No. We have availability for our clients to connect with us as often as they need throughout the week. So it's really whatever they need, but most often, I don't find that long sessions talking about things and circling back and forth is really effective. We're very effective and efficient and to the point, so we give our clients, you know, three things that they can focus on each week to actually take and implement, come back and then we add three more on top of that. So, really all about us is baby steps, bite size pieces so that it's not overwhelming. We respect our clients' time so that, you know everyone is so busy that I wouldn't want them to have to hang out with us for an hour every time, but we're always available. We see our clients each week for as long as they need to get their questions answered, but since we have such good communication with them, people are usually in and out in about 15 minutes. Vince Ferguson: Is that right? Really? Ashley Lucas: Yep. Vince Ferguson: What about virtually, when they call you for consultations? Ashley Lucas: Same thing, about 15, maybe 20 minutes max, but you know, if they want to have three of those a week, they can, but we're so on top of it and they're just getting it and we make it easy. We provide about 85% of the food at the beginning as well. So no cost associated with the food and for our nationwide clients, we ship it for free. Everything's covered and it covers breakfast, most of lunch and snacks. Yeah. And dinner is always or at least one meal, usually it's dinner is going to be the client's responsibility so that they learn one meal at a time. Clients can do their own food if they want to, but I'd say 97% of our clients choose to use our foods because they're just a tool. So we help them with this dinner meal and what it looks like, recipes, dining out, takeout. Ashley Lucas: And then they have the foods to help support them earlier in the day and then they feel like they're this expert. They become very self-sufficient for dinner. And we work on, we practice lunch. So now they've got their dinner and they've got lunch. Then we move on and we practice breakfast. So by the time we get the body where it needs to be, which in our eyes is fully collapsing that belly fat mass, we've got to fully collapse the fat mass or else the weight is going to come back. Vince Ferguson: Right. Ashley Lucas: Right. It's like shaving the top of the weed. If you lose 30 pounds of the 60-pound fat mass. So for a lot of people who dropped weight only to regain it, they've not gotten their body where it needs to be. So, anyway, once we get the body where it needs to be, all of our clients understand their eating style for the future. Ashley Lucas: They're not dependent on any of our food items, but we've allowed habits and behaviors and new ways of thinking to start to be ingrained in the brain and then we practice that in maintenance, and maintenance with us is free, it's for life. We never leave our clients' side. So most of our clients like to meet at least once monthly and they do that forever. You know, we have clients from you know, six, seven years ago when I opened our first PHD brick and mortar space who come in and, Susie, I just got a note that she was back in, checking in and she started with me six years ago and she's up five pounds over that course of time. And she's about 70 years old. Vince Ferguson: Really? Ashley Lucas: So yeah, she just checks in and five pounds makes her feel uncomfortable. Her pants are a little tight. Vince Ferguson: Yeah. Ashley Lucas: And so we just air correct early on and get her back down where she feels her best. And there's no cost associated, you know, as we can air correct that early on. Vince Ferguson: Maintenance. Amazing. Awesome. Awesome. I also went to your website. You seem to have a large team of professionals working with you. Ashley Lucas: Yeah, we are almost 40 of us now, which is so fun. Vince Ferguson: 40? Ashley Lucas: Yeah. Vince Ferguson: How do you manage all those people? Ashley Lucas: Yeah. That's a whole another podcast. Vince Ferguson: That's a whole another podcast. Ashley Lucas: No, it's so fun. We love it. And we just have systems and accountability charts in place and it's clear responsibilities and roles. But as we expand, our nationwide program is amazing. We've actually doubled the number of clients who got started just in a month, last month. Yes. So our schedule is just filling up for nationwide clients, which I just love. Vince Ferguson: Yes. Amazing. But it's only one of you, so it's not easy, you know, what I'm saying? So you have to have systems in place. Ashley Lucas: Yes. Definitely. Vince Ferguson: Has the pandemic affected your business in a positive note, beyond the fact that it was rough on people, but business wise, has it been a blessing for you? Ashley Lucas: You know, I know that we are so busy now, but we have always been very busy. Vince Ferguson: Always been? Ashley Lucas: Yeah. So I do know and believe in my heart that we are, and what you do, we are on the forefront of all of this. Vince Ferguson: Yes. Ashley Lucas: The only thing that we can slightly control right now I feel like is our health. Vince Ferguson: Yes. Ashley Lucas: The only thing we can do to make sure that we are strong enough to overcome whatever comes our way is to get healthy. Vince Ferguson: Yes. Ashley Lucas: So I think that people are understanding that and maybe taking more responsibility for their own health because the only person who can change it is you. Vince Ferguson: Yes. Ashley Lucas: And I think people will have maybe a negative outcome to COVID and then be like, oh my gosh, my health does matter. Vince Ferguson: Most definitely. Ashley Lucas: You know, and then decide to make a change or the best way would be, if they realize that, if we can it before something happens. Vince Ferguson: Yes, yes. Ashley Lucas: Be proactive rather than reactive. That is definitely ideal. Vince Ferguson: Definitely. Wow. I just think that you guys are doing an amazing job, but before I let you go, I know you have a book and talk about that. And I know it's accessible to people. I really want to talk about the book. Ashley Lucas: Yes. It's called the Ultimate Weight Loss Secrets and I talk a lot about the visceral fat, the belly fat, what it does, how it works, you know, why weight gain isn't your fault. And then I provide a lot of simple evidence based strategies that folks can implement into their own life right away to see big change. So a lot of folks have said that it's really helpful. And then I share a lot of stories in there. So it's fun. And it's free right now to download at our website. Vince Ferguson: And, yeah. Okay. And speaking of your website, please tell my listeners and viewers where they can download it. Ashley Lucas: Sure. Yes. It's available at myphdweightloss.com. So that's myphdweightloss.com. And then sometimes I'll put it up on our social media and I try to provide a lot of tips there. And my handle for social media is Dr_AshleyLucas. So that's another place to be able to access it. Vince Ferguson: Perfect. Perfect. Any last words from my viewers and listeners before I let you go. Ashley Lucas: Gosh, I would just say that there is hope to making change. So even if you've dropped weight in the past only to regain it, it really isn't your fault. You don't have to live there. You can make a change for the rest of your life and simply because you want to. So just that there's hope and you can do it if you have this strong desire within you to do, to make a change. Vince Ferguson: So you've actually put the responsibility, the onus back on the person on the client, right? Ashley Lucas: Yeah. Yeah. If we have the right tools in the toolbox, then it's doable. Vince Ferguson: Yes. Oh. And you make it sound so doable and I know why you're doing so well because you have, and you have the research behind you, you have the testimonials and your clients who absolutely love you and your work. It's amazing. And the timing couldn't be better. Ashley Lucas: Yeah. Well, thank you. Thank you for all the work you do, and keeping people fit and strong. Vince Ferguson: Oh, it's my pleasure. That's something I'm committed to doing. And hey, we're in this together and you know, I actually watched the video with you and Pedro. Ashley Lucas: Pedro. Yeah. Vince Ferguson: Yes. Actually, he is a great guy as a matter of fact. Ashley Lucas: Yes. Vince Ferguson: I have seen his videos and I had his current CEO, Bryce Henson on my show. Ashley Lucas: Yeah. Bryce is great. I chatted with him a few weeks ago. Vince Ferguson: Great dude. Great dude. Has on our podcast a few weeks ago. Great guy. A lot of good energy going on around here. Ashley Lucas: Right. Vince Ferguson: So with that being said, Dr. Ashley Lucas on behalf of Body Sculpt of New York, it's my nonprofit and Six Weeks To Fitness, I want to really thank you for coming on my show today. Ashley Lucas: Thanks for inviting me. Vince Ferguson: Ah, it was truly a pleasure and to my listeners and viewers, I hope this program was encouraging and inspiring that you will continue tuning in to my Six Weeks To Fitness Podcast. And if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for the show, please leave them below or email me at vince@sixweeks.com and don't forget to subscribe. So you don't miss any future episodes. And remember, we don't stop exercising because we grow old. We grow old because we stop exercising.
The act of creating is both a testament to and a full embodiment of its creator. An actor gives so much of themselves to the role that they're playing. A dancer utilizes every muscle to express an emotion. A writer pulls from their own life and experiences to create other worlds and powerful stories. And so it is only natural that we often tie our own self-worth and meaning to the success or failure of that creation. Today, I'm talking with Emmy-winning director/choreographer Al Blackstone, who I had the pleasure of working with a few years back. He brings us three stories of doubt and uncertainty and aloneness, when his own talent as a dancer was questioned and his value as a director was dismissed. This is an honest conversation on who we really are beyond the labels of actor or artist and how the idea of “making it” comes more from ourselves than from the acceptance or validation of others. Podcast hosted by Patrick Oliver Jones (Off-Broadway actor and singer) Listen to This Week's Audition Story In addition to the three main stories, there are bonus episodes where guests like Al share memorable audition stories as well. Al talks about when he was at a dancer call years ago for the revival national tour of Sweet Charity. It's a story that any non-dancer (like myself) can definitely relate to. And these bonus episodes are only available to monthly supporters of Why I'll Never Make It. Producing this podcast isn't cheap, and with your help I can reach a wider audience with things like more video and transcription options, which would greatly benefit deaf and hard of hearing artists, for example. So please consider a one-time donation (via PayPal) or a monthly subscription to bonus episodes (via Supercast), which will help offset podcast production costs. Whichever way you choose to contribute, your help is so very much appreciated! Freddie Falls in Love Al also shares a fourth story about a show he actually created called Freddie Falls in Love. In 2019, this dance production was presented at the famous Joyce Theater in New York City, marking and personal and professional highlight in Al's career. However, the NY Times had a very different opinion about his show, calling it a "frothy" and "meandering production" among other things. Al admits that he hasn't really spoken publicly about this review and how much it devastated him. But in a special conversation he opens up what this review did to him, offering heartfelt candor and insight into how he handled with such public rejection. To access this bonus episode (and more) go to support.winmipodcast.com. This Week's Artist Spotlight: MOMEN NYC Born out the pandemic to meet the needs of dancers, who just needed the time and space to move again. Al co-founded MOMEN NYC as a way to bring adult dancers together so they could focus on their craft and make lasting connections with other dancers. He truly believes deeply in the power of dance, community, and kindness to express what is more true about ourselves and help bring us all closer together. Follow MOMEN on Instagram for the latest updates. The Final Five For the past few seasons, the Final Five has been a bonus episode to this podcast, but for Season 6 it's in the form of a blog post where guests answer the five final questions. You can find Al's Final Five on the WINMI Blog. Follow Al - YouTube / Instagram / Website Follow WINMI - Instagram / Twitter ---------- Why I'll Never Make It is a Top 25 Theater Podcast hosted by Patrick Oliver Jones and is a production of WINMI Media, LLC. It is also a part of Helium Radio Network and a member of the Broadway Makers Alliance. Background music in the episode is by Blue Dot Sessions and used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Today's guest is Loni Landon. Loni is a Dancer, Choreographer, and Movement Consultant based in New York City. In addition to creating dances for her own collective Loni Landon Dance Project, her work is commissioned by dance companies and film directors across the country. Born and raised in New York City, Loni performed with Aszure Barton and Artists, Ballet Theater Munich, Tanz Munich Theater, and The Metropolitan Opera, and is a Princess Grace Choreography Fellowship Winner. As a sought after choreographer, her work has been commissioned by such institutions as The Joyce Theater, Keigwin and Company, BODYTRAFFIC, The Juilliard School, American Dance Institute, Northwest Dance Project, and Groundworks Dance Company. Her company has performed at The Joyce Theater, Pulse Art Fair, Jacob's Pillow, Insitu Dance Festival, Bryant Park, Beach Sessions in Rockaway Beach and Guggenheim Works and Process Series. Loni has won numerous choreography awards, with residencies at New Movement Residency at USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation New Directions Choreography Lab, ITE, NYU, CUNY Dance Initiative, Kaatsbaan, and Stephen Petronio's new residency center. She has been adjunct faculty at NYU, Barnard, SUNY Purchase, and Princeton University. Loni is passionate about Entrepreneurship in the Arts and has co-founded THE PLAYGROUND, an initiative designed to give emerging choreographers a place to experiment, while allowing professional dancers to participate affordably. The Playground was recognized by Dance Magazine as a 25 To Watch. As well as four/four presents, a platform that commissions and presents collaborations betweens dancers and musicians. For more on this episode: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
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
In this episode, NCCAkron's Executive/Artistic Director, Christy Bolingbroke enters the 'studio' with Brooklyn New York based choreographer, Brian Brooks. Brian's work has toured internationally since 2002 with presentations by BAM, the Joyce Theater, Jacob's Pillow, the American Dance Festival, and Works and Process at the Guggenheim Museum, among others. He has developed and toured work with former New York City Ballet prima ballerina, Wendy Whelan, titled Restless Creature and appears in the film by the same name, with Whelan. https://www.bbrooks.org
Stephen Petronio is a choreographer, dancer, and the artistic director of the Stephen Petronio Company. Stephen has created over 35 works for his company and has been commissioned by some of the world's most prestigious modern and ballet companies, including William Forsythe's Ballet Frankfurt (1987), Deutsche Opera Berlin (1992), Lyon Opera Ballet (1994), Maggio Danza Florence (1996), Sydney Dance Company (2003, full evening), Norrdans (2006), the Washington Ballet (2007), The Scottish Ballet (2007), and two works for National Dance Company Wales (2010 and 2013). Over his career, Petronio has collaborated with a wide range of artists in many disciplines. Collaborators include some of the most talented and provocative artists in the world: composers Valgeir Sigurðsson, Nico Muhly, Rufus Wainwright, Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, and Peter Gordon; visual artists Robert Longo, Cindy Sherman, Anish Kapoor, Donald Baechler, and Janine Antoni; fashion designers Narciso Rodriguez, John Bartlett, Benjamin Cho, and Leigh Bowery.Stephen Petronio's training originated with leading figures of the Judson era, performed Man Walking Down the Side of a Building in 2010 for Trisha Brown Company at the Whitney Museum, and performed his 2012 rendition of Steve Paxton's Intravenous Lecture (1970) in New York, Portland, and at the TEDMED-2012 conference at the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington, DC. Petronio received the distinction of being named the first Artist-in-Residence at The Joyce Theater from 2012 to 2014. He has been entangled with visual artist Janine Antoni in a number of discipline-blurring projects, including the video installation Honey Baby (2013), created in collaboration with composer Tom Laurie and filmmaker Kirsten Johnson, and most recently Ally, in collaboration with Anna Halprin and Adrian Heathfield, which premiered at The Fabric Workshop and Museum in Philadelphia in summer of 2016. Petronio and Antoni were the 2017 McCormack Artists in Residence at Skidmore college, where they showed their series of installations, Entangle. Most recently, he was commissioned by The Juilliard School to set a work, #PrayerForNow, on their fourth year students for the New Dances Edition 2019. Petronio's memoir, Confessions of a Motion Addict, is available at Amazon.com. Movement Without Borders Festival - October 2, 2021 - Ernesto Breton performing Rudy Perez's Coverage Revisited. Fall For Dance - October 15 & 16, 2021 - New York City Center - SPC performing American Landscapes (2019). Petronio Punk Picks and Other Delights - November 18-21 - La MaMa - SPC revives a series of solos and duets from Stephen's formative days coming up in the East Village and invites Bloodlines(future) artist Johnnie Cruise Mercer to the stage. Alex Waters:Alex Waters is a media producer and editor for the Short Fuse Podcast, a music producer, and Berklee College of Music student. He has written and produced music for podcasts such as The Faith and Chai Podcast and Con Confianza. He produces his own music, as well as writing and recording for dependent artists such as The Living. Alex lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two cats and enjoys creating and writing music. You can reach him with inquiries by emailing alexwatersmusic12@gmail.com.
Check out www.DanceConnectSeries.com for more information on each guest! Instagram: @danceconnectseries -------- Mary Grace McNally (she/her) is a dance performer, choreographer and teacher, originally from Massachusetts. In June 2018, she self-produced, directed and choreographed her first evening-length work, Not For Picking, which premiered at Theaterlab NYC. Mary Grace is honored to be the winner of the 2018 Capezio A.C.E. Award. She was also announced as ADA's National Choreographer of the Year in 2016. Mary Grace's work has been presented at The Joyce Theater, The Dance Gallery Festival, Dixon Place, Young Choreographer's Festival, Centre National de la Danse in France, and deSingel in Belgium. She has studied with artists such as Medhi Walerski, Jesse Zaritt, Adi Salant, Jermaine Spivey, Spenser Theberge, Tilman O'Donnell, and has performed the works of Doug Varone, Tommie-Waheed Evans, Katie Swords-Thurman, Emma Portner, Erica Sobol and Ryan Spencer. Most recently, Mary Grace was a featured dancer at Madison Square Garden for Phish's 2020 NYE concert, choreographed by Jon Rua. She also created new works for Divinity Dance Company (UT) and East Carolina University (NC). Mary Grace is the Artistic Director of MG + Artists, a project-based dance collective. In January 2020, she premiered her newest work, WHEN IT FALLS, at The Montalbán in Los Angeles, produced by Break The Floor. Mary Grace is a guest instructor and choreographer at competitive dance studios, workshops and universities across the country, as well as Guest Faculty at Peridance Capezio Center and Broadway Dance Center. She received her BFA in Dance from the University of the Arts in 2015. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Check out DanceConnectSeries.com for more information on each guest! Instagram: @danceconnectseries -------- Antuan Byers (Dallas, TX) is a graduate of the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program in Dance. He holds a certificate from the Parsons School of Design and is an alumnus of Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. He was a scholarship student at Dallas Black Dance Theatre and Dallas Ballet Center, and has attended summer programs including Abraham.In.Motion, Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, Jacob's Pillow, Northwest Dance Project, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and Ronald K. Brown/EVIDENCE Dance Company, all with partial or full scholarship. Antuan has been featured in OUT Magazine, Dance Magazine, Dance Spirit Magazine, and has global campaigns with ASICS and Capezio. He has also danced for recording artists Erykah Badu, Jennifer Holliday, The Skins, and D.R.A.M. Antuan has toured internationally with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's second company, Ailey II, and has performed with The Washington National Opera Ballet, Keigwin + Co., Mark Morris Dance Company, as well as solo work by Kyle Abraham. Antuan has been an ambassador for the Joyce Theater, Company Management Assistant for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, and is currently on the Steering Committee of Dance Artists' National Collective (DANC) and a founding member of the Black Caucus at the American Guild of Musical Artists (AGMA). Antuan is currently dancer The Metropolitan Opera Ballet, performing a diverse repertory including Christopher Wheeldon, Mark Morris, Lorin Latarro, Susan Stroman, Kim Brandstrup, Alexei Ratmansky, Sue Lefton, and Philippe Giraudeau. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
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