The Ballerinatist

Melissa previews the upcoming season focus - BOOKS. From technique to anatomy to creativity, Melissa shares from her personal dance library the resources that meaningfully influenced her training and education. Whether it is nurturing curiosity for a young dancer or learning how to design a syllabus for dance, Melissa scoured through every bookstore to educate herself as a young dancer in a small...

To conclude the Faith-Based Dance Season, Melissa shares about her first faith-based dance work. She produced a performance for young dancers during her freshman year of college based on Luke 12:27. Melissa reflects on all the ways God provided to make the performance possible and the meaningful lessons she learned that propelled her into a career in dance.

Melissa speaks with Amanda Standard, K-12 Dance Educator and Founding Director of Divine Dance Institute and Sound Xpressed Dance Company. Fun Fact: her son Xavier Mack dances with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre! Amanda shares about staying anchored in ministry by remaining accountable, finding fulfillment in moving for God’s pleasure, and being willing to bend (so you don’t break!).Thanks for...

Melissa interviewed a range of directors and educators about their own personal summer dance training experiences and how they’re choosing to shape their programs now - from universities to ballet companies to pre-professional studios! This season included seasoned professional artists and newly tenured directors offering the highs, lows, and things to focus on for successful, productive summer da...

Melody Mendoza, Founder and Artistic Director of Glorify Performing Arts in West Chester, PA, shares about the vision for the company which launched in 2018, what it took to get started, and how they’re building the foundation for growth. Bio: She studied ballet under Edmund & Irene Novak, later adding jazz and modern, at studios including The Rock School West, The Dance Center, and Koresh Sch...

Jenna Jones, Founder and program director at Belamour Dance Leadership Academy in Lebanon, TN, has an extended back ground in the performing arts and classical ballet. She created her academy in 2022 and shares about the choices she has made in terms of leadership, management, and dance training to shape a unique program. We talk about difficult decisions, the dynamic pathways a career in dance an...

Victoria Schneider is celebrating thirty years on the ballet faculty at Harid Conservatory. She began her ballet training with Fred Danieli at the School of the Garden State Ballet in New Jersey, performing with the Company while still in her teens and danced soloist roles in a number of Balanchine ballets. At Pennsylvania Ballet, she took on various jobs: dancer, teacher, administrator, and assis...

Julianna Rubio Slager is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Ballet 5:8—a nationally recognized company based in Chicago. She trained with renowned mentors from the Ann Arbor Ballet Theater, New York City Ballet, the Vaganova Academy, and the Puerto Rican National Ballet. Julianna also danced at Greater Lansing Ballet and Ballet Magnificat. In 2012, Julianna co-founded Ballet 5:8 with Amy Sand...

I speak with Dance educator and author Mary Bawden, founder of Dance Awareness: No Child Exploited (DA:NCE). Mary received a BA in modern dance from the University of California Riverside, a MA in worship (emphasis in dance) from Hope International University in Fullerton CA, and a California secondary teaching credential. In 2003, she founded Soul to Sole Choreography and released a book, Dance i...

Today, I speak with Jenn Blessing, owner and founder of Makers Ekklesia Dance Company in Knoxville, TN. Jenn has been teaching for over 20 years. She danced while attending Texas A & M, and directed Company AbunDance, danced in Chara Dance Company, Talitha Dance Company and served as the Artistic Director for the Knoxville Dance Project after moving to TN in 2012. In our conversation she share...

I speak with Sharyn Mahoney, Executive Director of Rejoice School of Ballet in Nashville, TN. A former professional dancer, Sharyn worked in various roles at Nashville Ballet for over thirty years where she developed a relationship with Rejoice School Ballet before assuming leadership as its founder retired. She shares about maintaining a people-first orientation, keeping big-picture focus, and th...

As part of the faith-based dance series, I speak with Christina Clark, a passionate minister of dance with 15 years experience as a worship leader, teacher and creator of worship garments and tools. She is a wife to Antoine for 17 years and mama to three amazing sons – Mason, Leo and Ethan. She founded Arise Dance Ministry which exists to share God through Dance, Outreach, and Teaching and is focu...

Today’s guest is Katherine Lawrence, Principal Faculty with Ballet West’s pre-professional training program. A native of Fairfield, Connecticut, she trained atConnecticut Dance School and The Harid Conservatory, where she graduated as Valedictorian in 1998. She performed with The Hartford Ballet for a year before joining Ballet Internationale in 1999. In 2004, she joined Ballet West, retiring as a...

Today’s guest, Kati Hanlon Mayo, Academy Associate Director for Charlotte Ballet’s Upper School, trained at The Boston School of Ballet under the direction of E. Virginia Williams & Violette Verdy. At the age of 15, she became a member of Boston Ballet 2 before joining North Carolina Dance Theatre (now Charlotte Ballet) as a principal dancer. She also performed with Chautauqua Ballet Company u...

Melissa recaps conversations on summer dance programs from universities to conservatories and how the diversity of training helps you make decisions from an informed perspective while building your community of peers, colleagues, and mentors. Learn more about dance training and careers in dance: www.theballerinatist.com .

Today’s guest, Grae Robinson, recruiter in the dance program at Texas A & M University shares about their summer dance intensive, planning for academics and artistic growth so you can know your options to reduce pressure or stress in making decisions. Texas A&M dance programs educate students in the art and science of dance by offering a personalized approach to dance training through hand...

Today’s guest, Madeline Jazz Harvey, is an Associate Professor at Colorado State University, is a dance educator, choreographer, and performer specializing in classical and contemporary ballet. Her twenty-year performance career includes dancing with Charlotte Ballet , Carolina Ballet Theatre , and Impact Dance Company . She attended summer intensive programs on full scholarship at Chautauqua Inst...

Emily Kent, Education Director for Pilobolus, shares about the company’s summer offerings. She holds a BSEd in Dance Education from the University of Georgia and began working with Pilobolus in 1999, first as a dancer and collaborator and then Teaching Artist. She has created original works for high school and university dance companies for Pilobolus and as an individual artist. She has set classi...

Anamarie McGinn is the School Director for Central Florida Ballet. She has received training from prestigious schools all over the U.S. such as; American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, Miami City Ballet, and Joffrey Ballet School. She danced professionally  with Orlando Ballet for 19 seasons, dancing under Fernando Bujones, Bruce Marks, Robert Hill, and Jorden Morris. In 2006, at the American Danc...

Today we’re looking at shaping a personal statement as a dancer. As you progress through your artistic development, you’ll be asked to share for artistic philosophy, or perspective. Having a foundational awareness of one’s artistic identity offers a filter through which to make work, choose work, and represent yourself. That identity will continue to add layers, but it also gives you a self-accoun...

Melissa shares about Nutcracker traditions and how it can be such a defining experience for young dancers en pointe. Learn about the importance creating a strong foundation for pointe work so you (or your dancer) are prepared for pointe work. Understand: alignment, neuromuscular control, and the anatomy of a pointe shoe for an optimal experience. Check out the Prepared for Pointe Work course and m...

For young dancers in rigorous dance training programs, balancing dance with academics can be challenging. There is a range of options to find equilibrium. Learn about the timing of educational shifts and the differences between pre-professional training, a trainee or apprentice program, conservatories and universities so you and your dancer can make informed decisions every step (and jete) of the...

What do you do with feedback? Maybe you (or your dancer) is getting feedback that is unclear. The Feedback Filter in the Parenting for Dancers ebook is a great tool to get the most out of feedback to help your dancer grow with confidence. Get the book: https://www.theballerinatist.com/thingsdancersneed/p/parenting-for-dancers-how-dance-training-works-and-how-you-can-help-your-dancer-be-successful...

Michal Harvey is our final episode in our season engaging with artists based in Middle TN. Michal is a comprehensively trained Pilates instructor through Balanced Body, a ballet teacher, and a former professional ballet dancer. A Nashville native, Michal trained with The Centennial Youth Ballet. In 2010 she earned a B.A in Dance from Belhaven University. Michal pursued a number of dance performanc...

Dancers all around the world are wrapping up their summer dance programs - which is kind of like the Olympics of dance. Celebrate but don’t forget to debrief your SDP experience - because it will help you confidently make decisions moving forward. Melissa shares things to cover; and the how and why of interpreting the highs and lows of an SDP. Learn more: www.emceemovement.com.