The American Spectacle: Dance, Art & Culture Podcast

Marcus Smith joins Thomas King Flagg to discuss how arts programming can strengthen communities, support young people, and create real local momentum. The conversation focuses on Brevard and Melbourne but offers a broader framework: culture grows through consistent platforms, safe spaces, committed leadership, and sustainable models. Smith is a retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel, financial...

Choreographer and director Peter Chu joins Thomas King Flagg for a conversation on craft, identity, and the belief that movement education should be accessible to every child. From the Bronx to Cocoa Beach, and from a late pivot in training to Juilliard School , Chu’s journey is anything but linear. His path reflects a mix of discipline, adaptability, and creative range shaped by breaking, martial...

Michelle Audet joins Thomas King Flagg for a conversation about what actually builds the future of dance: education, producing, and intentional audience development. Episode 2 moves beyond headlines and into systems. Through decades of work at the highest levels of the arts, including founding leadership in education at New York City Ballet , Audet has focused on one central question: how do you d...

Jamal Story joins Thomas King Flagg for a conversation on dance, identity, and why arts education matters far beyond the stage. Episode 3 connects personal story with practical leadership: how artists grow, how communities benefit, and how institutions build lasting cultural impact. For dancers, educators, and arts leaders, the focus is clear: rigorous training, public engagement, and long-term in...

Elka Samuels Smith joins Thomas King Flagg for a conversation about dance as family legacy, cultural language, and public responsibility. The episode explores tap history, dance management, arts funding, and what it takes to rebuild dance ecosystems in local communities. For artists, educators, and presenters, it offers a practical view of how dance sustains itself: intergenerational mentorship, c...

Rafael Xavier joins Thomas King Flagg for a conversation on breaking, creativity, and what it takes to build a durable artistic life. The episode traces Xavier’s path from early hip hop influence to choreography, theater, filmmaking, and youth mentorship. For artists and educators, it offers practical lessons on discipline, curiosity, and meeting young people where they are. Xavier is a breaker, c...

Ruthie Rosenfeld joins Thomas King Flagg to discuss American dance legacy, archival responsibility, and the importance of preserving artistic history before it disappears. The episode centers on the life and influence of Zachary Solov and the broader ecosystems that shaped American dance. For artists, scholars, and institutions, it reinforces a clear idea: preservation is active work, not passive...

Bill Shipley joins Thomas King Flagg for a conversation about the practical side of building arts culture: funding, infrastructure, and sustained local support. The episode examines how dance and creative programs can be integrated into everyday civic life. For organizers and advocates, the message is clear: if communities want arts to grow, they need spaces, systems, and long-term commitment. Shi...

Carol Cusack joins Thomas King Flagg to discuss Irish dance, community traditions, and the social role of performance culture. The conversation explores how dance lives both on formal stages and in everyday spaces. For artists and organizers, the takeaway is clear: dance remains strongest where participation is active and intergenerational. Cusack brings lived experience from Irish cultural contex...

Anna Morgan joins Thomas King Flagg to discuss dance education through the lens of research, pedagogy, and studio practice. The episode centers on a key question: what kind of dancer are we training for today’s landscape? Morgan’s answer is clear: technical capacity matters, but so do agency, creativity, and critical thinking. Morgan is a dance researcher and educator working across studio trainin...

Shaun Taylor-Corbett joins Thomas King Flagg for a conversation on performance, cultural storytelling, and what it takes to sustain excellence on major stages. For performers and producers, the episode offers a practical model for combining commercial excellence with cultural integrity. Taylor-Corbett is a stage and screen performer with Broadway credits and a background shaped by dance, theater,...

Alexandra Wells joins Thomas King Flagg for a conversation about ballet legacy, artistic resilience, and leadership across performance and direction. The episode traces a career shaped by family influence, elite companies, and repeated reinvention. For dancers and arts leaders, it offers a practical perspective on longevity: train deeply, adapt quickly, and continue evolving your role. Wells is a...