Conversations on Dance

On today's episode of "Conversations On Dance", we are joined by the co-founders of Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson. They take us through the history of their artistic connection, the inauspicious beginnings of the company, and how they've built on the mission of Complexions over the course of its 30 year history. Complexions will be performing at Performing A...

Today it's just Michael & Rebecca. We go through the listener survey submissions and start building our 2025 guest wish list! Thank you to everyone who took the time to take our listener survey! LINKS: Website:  conversationsondancepod.com Instagram:  @conversationsondance Merch:  https://bit.ly/cod-merch YouTube:  https://bit.ly/youtube-COD Join our email list:  https...

Today, we sit down for our annual "Best of" episode! We saw great dance this year and talked with amazing guests. Cheers to another year with all of you. Thank you for coming on this ride with us! Please take 5 mins to take our  listener survey . We want to hear from you. Episodes referenced: Maria Calegari - Part 1 Part 2 Jennifer Lin - (382) The story of George Lee, the original Tea in Bala...

Today it's just Michael and Rebecca checking in. Please take 5 mins to take our listener survey . We want to hear from you! LINKS related to this episode: Take our listener survey: https://forms.gle/UU6eFZD2WH6JCmjG7 Episode with Silas Farley: https://www.conversationsondancepod.com/episodes-transcripts/416-silas-farley-teacher-and-choreographer . If you donate dance books to a local dance school,...

On today's episode of "Conversations On Dance", we bring to you the second installment of our conversation with Balanchine ballerina Maria Calegari. Maria tells about her own process and experience as a teacher and repetiteur, having staged dozens of ballets for companies all over the world. If you enjoyed hearing the stories of Maria's illustrious career as much as we did, be sure to subscribe to...

On today's episode of "Conversations On Dance", we are thrilled to be joined by legendary New York City Ballet ballerina Maria Calegari. In the first installment of our interview, Maria details her early training, initial interactions with Balanchine and how therapy became a driving force in the success of her career. Maria offers a view into one of the most storied eras of American ball...

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 jo...

This week on the podcast we are joined by choreographer John Heginbotham. John tells us about his journey from early training in Alaska to a Juilliard education and a career with Mark Morris, before beginning to more fully explore choreography on his own in mediums as varied as opera, television and musical theater. This week his choreography will be presented at Baryshnikov Arts in sold out...

On today's episode of 'Conversations On Dance' we are joined by Kristoffer Dahl Sakurai, former principal dancer with the Royal Danish Ballet and Artistic Director of the Tivoli Ballet School in Copenhagen. Kristoffer takes us on his personal journey, from being a child at the Royal Danish Ballet School, through the years dancing as a principal under four different directors, from stepping away to...

On today's episode of "Conversations On Dance", we are joined by renowned choreographer Kyle Abraham. Kyle sits down with us to talk about his upcoming first work for American Ballet Theatre, "Mercurial Son", including the casting process, the creative environment and how working on several projects concurrently fuels his creativity. To catch "Mercurial Son", premiering on October 16th and running...

On today's episode of 'Conversations On Dance' we are joined by Artistic Director of Ballet West, Adam Sklute and choreographer Val Caniparoli. At the outset of Ballet West's 2024-2025 season, Adam lays out his vision for the company, including the season opener of Val's "Jekyll and Hyde". Val and Adam talk about their long artistic relationship, how new story ballets are the lifeblood of classica...

On today's episode of 'Conversations on Dance', we are joined by Jared Harbour and Aidan Gibney, the minds behind the upcoming dance documentary 'No Dancing Allowed'. The film explores the intersectionality of Street Dance Culture and governmental policies through the 20th century in New York City, weaving a story of ingenuity, culture, erasure and resilience. Aidan and Jared will be joined b...

Today on 'Conversations On Dance', we are joined by Silas Farley, teacher and choreographer formerly of the New York City Ballet, to talk about his upcoming premiere for Houston Ballet on their fall program 'Velocity'. Silas talks about his early and singular devotion to the art form, how he found his way to teaching and choreography after his career with NYCB and gives a full deep dive into the p...

Today on 'Conversations On Dance', we are joined by dancing extraordinaire Caleb Teicher. Caleb takes us on the journey of their artistic self discovery, from tap to lindy hop and most recently jazz piano. Caleb is pairing up with their friend and frequent collaborator pianist and composer Conrad Tao for 'Counterpoint', an evening length work musically exploring and reimagining everything from Bac...

On today's episode of 'Conversations On Dance' we are joined by Adam Weinert, Artistic Associate of the Kaatsbaan Cultural Park's Annual Festival held in Tivoli, NY. The festival runs four consecutive weekends beginning Friday, September 13th. Adam takes us through his personal history with dance education and performing, how expanding his personal interests to include dance history and even garde...

This episode was recorded live from the Vail Dance Festival on August 3, 2024. In this final live recording of the Conversations on Dance podcast, hosts Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden, chat with internationally renowned ballroom dancers: Denys Drozdyuk and Antonina Skobina. A staple of the Vail Dance Festival for a few years now, the duo delights audiences with their dazzling d...

Today we are happy to share a bonus episode from the 2024 Vail Dance Festival. In this episode we are joined by Kyle Ikuma, last year's Scholar-In-Residence at the Vail Dance Festival. Kyle is a Mechanical and Aerospace Engineer living in California's Bay Area and a graduate of Princeton. He is also a freelance ballet dancer. Kyle's story is fascinating, so we hope you enjoy! https://kyleikuma.wor...

While artistic gifts can often run in the family, they are seldom able to cross forms in collaboration as searingly as Adji Cissoko and Youba Cissokho did at last year’s Vail Dance Festival. Adji is a ballerina with the LINES ballet (and last year’s VDF Artist-In-Residence) and Youba is a 72nd generation kora player. The two will join Conversations On Dance hosts Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael S...

Welcome to a special bonus episode from the 2024 Vail Dance Festival. Today we welcome back our friend, Calvin Royal III, Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theatre. We chat about his met season at ABT, his experience this year at the Vail Dance Festival, and about the ballet festival he is producing at the Joyce this month. UNITE: Joyce Ballet Festival, directed and co-produced by Calvin Royal...

This episode was recorded live on August 1, 2024 from the Vail Dance Festival. Today we are joined by: India Bradley (New York City Ballet), Mayfield Myers (Philadelphia Ballet), Olivia Bell (New York City Ballet), Philip Duclos (Royal Danish Ballet), and Spencer Lenain (freelance artist). Every year at the Vail Dance Festival, new budding talents from companies all over get the first opportunitie...

Every year audiences at the Vail Dance Festival watch the Artist-In-Residence delve deeply into their craft, pushing outside their comfort zone to create rapidly in the ten days the festival spans. This year audiences will be treated to two such artists, the beloved New York City Ballet ballerina Sara Mearns, and highly acclaimed and sought after choreographer Jamar Roberts. Sara and Jamar sit dow...

This episode was recorded live on July 30, 2024 at the Vail Dance Festival. In part two of this episode, we are joined by American Ballet Theatre Principal Dancer, Catherine Hurlin. Look for part one of this episode, now in the feed. Conversations on Dance at the Vail Dance Festival is generously supported by the Town of Vail. Upcoming Conversations on Dance events at the 2024 Vail Dance Festival:...

This episode was recorded live on July 30, 2024 at the Vail Dance Festival. In this episode, Michael and Rebecca sit down with our Vail Dance Festival audience for a Q & A before our guest, Catherine Hurlin joins us. Our episode with Catherine is now in the feed in episode 407. Conversations on Dance at the Vail Dance Festival is generously supported by the Town of Vail. Upcoming Conversations...

This episode was recorded live on Monday, July 29th, 2024 at the Vail Dance Festival. At the vanguard of American modern dance since its inception, Limón Dance Company returns to the Vail Dance Festival after making their debut in 2022. The company’s first performance at the festival earned rave reviews and now they return to celebrate the incredible dance legacy of this beloved and historic compa...

This episode was recorded live at the Vail Dance Festival on Sunday, July 28, 2024. Larry Keigwin has the kind of versatility in his choreographic portfolio that makes him an instant fit for the Vail Dance Festival: commissions from iconic organizations like the Paul Taylor Dance Company and Martha Graham Dance Company, acclaimed work on broadway, and the founding of his own ensemble, Keigwin + Co...