The Background Dancer

Welcome to a whole new wave of specials, featuring a roundtable version of the show alongside two new co-hosts in Jacob Caldwell   and Joshua Sailo . Throughout this 10 episode series, we present extracts from our Clubhouse sessions on the Why Dance? by J-Cast clubroom.  In this debut entry, we discussed how different schemas, mindsets and social upbringings have influenced the way we approach dan...

What was the worst dance injury you've ever experienced? How did you eventually overcome it? As a dancer, injuries are almost a given. Some are little niggles, others are massive and potentially career-ending. Since everyone is bound to suffer at the fate of the injury bug at some point, shouldn't there be more support systems in place to prepare a dancer for such circumstances? In this...

How does intercultural exchange influence dance? And are people as interdisciplinary as art is? Upon receiving a plea to help out a friend's graduate thesis, a study which investigates how the reality of intercultural exchange, interdisciplinary collaboration and working in Slovakia as a foreign artist all intertwine in the year 2022, we duly complied in providing the best possible account. A...

What would it take to finally gain cultural and political independence from Russia? How is the cultural landscape changing amidst this relentless conflict? After many false promises of a no invasion stance from President Putin, Russia crossed the border into Ukraine under the guise of a special military operation on February 24, 2022. Almost three months on, that so-called operation continues to w...

So, we have come full circle and successfully completed a full season of content and creation! While it has not been easy, it was through your truest support and consistency to the show that we have made it. 10 categories, 12 months' worth of content! What do you think about personal anecdotes, stats, tokens of gratitude and so on? As they all obviously provide a very different outlook, it&ap...

After a year long run, it's time to recollect our thoughts and engage in a little one on one with a very special AMA episode. Here, we listen to 13 unique questions about Jason as a dance artist, podcaster and person in general. Although some were not the most suitable to tackle first hand, this was a wonderful thought experiment and window into the host, producer and founder of the Backgroun...

What does it mean to be a nomadic artist? What exactly is a contemporary nomad? With the increasingly globalized world we live in today, it's only natural that dance artists travel to where opportunity presents itself. However, constant migration often leads to fragmented individualities and scattered homes, which results in a recurring  process of arriving and departing in search for what ho...

How can we best navigate power dynamics within a dance workplace? What about through active agency and heterarchy? Organizational structures have historically been a challenge for corporates and performing arts groups alike, mostly presenting itself as a tough nut to crack. However, therein lie a multitude of ways to better grasp and understand the psychology and modus operandi of our environment,...

What is the difference between education and learning? And for who exactly is dance education for? Although most of us would have to teach at some point, education accounts for much of what the present and even upcoming generation promises to offer. In other words, it's not easy and should never be taken for granted! Instead of relying on standardized education, why not adapt your way of abso...

Why engage in academic research as a dancer? How does intellectual rigour contribute to the development of a dance artist? While we are often instructed to dance first and think later, careers in the performing arts can resemble a slippery slope to many. So, why not combine the visceral with the exegetical to stand out amongst the 'moving' crowd? Mohd Anis Md Nor is an educator, author,...

How could we identify and solidify personal style as a creator in such an overwhelmingly saturated world? Ever wondered why Urban/LA Choreography has grown into the cultural (TikTok) phenomenon it is today? While choreography works differently according to specific genres, creative capacity runs parallel across all choreographers. Obviously, the only way to find out is by diving deep into the mind...

How does a piece of choreography extend its lifespan and visibility beyond the point of creation? Why have both music and the visual arts speared ahead with copyright and licensing frameworks while dance lags far behind? Choreography Online is the world's first online choreography marketplace, paving the way for creators to not only license and sell their works to a global audience, but also...

Love to both dance and act? Maybe you don't need to choose one over the other after all. But what exactly is the connection between dance and theatre in contemporary times? From the heydays of DV8 Physical Theatre, Pina Bausch , Ultima Vez and currently the likes of Punchdrunk or Gecko Theatre , dance and theatre are forever inextricable both as art forms as well as physical entities. Ho Ying...

How does dance and philosophy intertwine as an art form? Is dance a philosophy itself? Much of dance has evolved from a performative act into the universal thought process and stream of consciousness that has shaped the world around us. Behind every text spoken is movement as a communicative language. Behind the aesthetics of dance is also humans' basic need to share and connect beyond the ri...

A much postponed episode and one a long time coming. This week, I write a little poem for you as a means of a sharing some very new and exciting updates about the podcast and my life! After successfully acquiring funding to expand the team, we will be launching a few new features to the platform including blog posts, a Clubhouse room and even a YouTube channel! All this is coming soon and arriving...

How does modelling help dancers perform better? And does one necessarily have to be 'beautiful' to pursue such a career? The fashion industry has progressed massively from the days of archetypal body types and facial features, where the one size fits all model loomed by and large. Nowadays, it is about compatibility and authenticity. Find the right agency or project, and a model is poten...

How much does fashion influence dance and vice versa? Does dance photography differ from commercial fashion photography? The truth is, the dancer and the dancing body offers a model unlike any other, as the physical architecture and visual awareness potentially render a photographical experience something beyond just the image.  Szabina Biro is a UK based freelance photographer whose portfolio ran...

What is the hardest question to ask in dance or as a dancer? Regardless of one being a dancer, or wanting to become a dancer, there are questions that are always incredibly difficult to communicate such as salary, goals, aesthetics etc. Join All House Dance Collective director Jacob Caldwell and artists Elsea Mayes Brown as well as Megan Schneider to talk all things dance.  Concluding the month of...

Are you happy with your career? A certain Chris Rock once joked: "there are people who have jobs, and there are those who have careers." We spend so much time in the workplace and often neglect the all important question - Is this the right profession for me? J onathan Collaton is a student affairs coordinator at the University of Toronto Scarborough, and creator of the Career Crossroads...

How often have you engaged with technology and shirked? Is it something that annoys or even intrudes you? Love it or hate it, technology is the FUTURE. Maybe consider how it could enhance your livelihood instead, and suddenly it is more friend than foe.  Concluding the month of Dance Technology, this episode introduces the FIVE must have apps as an artist or creative in today's age. Knowing t...

Wish to dance differently? Within an augmented reality, the limits are endless both with technology and dance! Gilles Jobin is the founder and Artistic Director of Cie Gilles Jobin , a Geneva based dance company specializing in VR and technological integration.  Continuing in the month of Dance Technology, this episode introduces the importance and potential of technology not just to dance, but li...

Ever noticed what you've been dancing on all this while? Research has proven the effectiveness of quality dance floors in preventing serious injuries as well as extending the life span of professional dancers. Guy Dagger is the Managing Director at British Harlequin / Harlequin Floors, one of the world's leading manufacturers of dance and performance flooring. Kickstarting the month of D...

How do you brand a ballet? Every Artistic Director needs a business brain as support in marketing a company forward. Heidi Lee is the incumbent Executive Director of the Hong Kong Ballet, one of the three flagship dance companies in the city and among the leading ballet institutions in Asia.   Concluding the month of Dance Entrepreneurship, this episode introduces the job scope of an Executive Dir...

What do ballerinas and entrepreneurs have in common? Yes, there is always failure before success, a fall before the RISE. Susanne Puerschel was a former member of the Berlin State Opera and founder of Pointe To Rise , an empowerment society and online business platform for ballerinas and dancers alike.  Continuing in the month of Dance Entrepreneurship, this episode delves deep into the psyche of...

Do dance and business ever go hand in hand? How could dance artists maximize financial opportunity by gaining financial literacy? Erin Pride is an educator, performer and founder of The DancePreneur Academy , an online business coaching programme dedicated to helping dancers thrive as self-made entrepreneurs.  Kicking off the month of Dance Entrepreneurship, this episode introduces the do's a...