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Conversations on Dance
(468) Maria Calegari and Bart Cook, legendary dancers and coaches of Balanchine & Robbins rep
Today on the Conversations on Dance podcast we are thrilled to have two fabulous guests: Maria Calegari and Bart Cook. We have have both Maria and Bart on the podcast before, but this married couple danced together and now sets ballets together, so we knew we had to get them on the podcast together to hear more about their careers and their work as repetiteurs for the Balanchine Trust and for the Robbins Trust. We talk through their experiences dancing together, then some of the specific ballets that they have set together: basically it’s just an hour and a half of bunhead time.
Maria & Bart are currently offering virtual and in-person private lessons for pre-professional and professional ballet dancers ages 15 and up. Lessons are structured to focus on your specific artistic goals to identify the stylistic and technical nuances that you can use to improve your movement quality, advice that goes beyond the typical class format. For more information visit: https://calegariteacher.com/.
Announcement:
We are thrilled to announce that we will be returning to Miami City Ballet October 17th-19th to host live pre-performance talks for the opening weekend of the company’s 40th anniversary season. For each talk, we will be joined by Gonzalo Garcia as he ushers the company into its first season under his direction. Full details below.
This program is truly not to be missed: the all Peck program includes ‘Year of the Rabbit’, ‘Chutes and Ladders’, and ‘Heatscape.’ If you are in the Miami area come join us. And if you aren’t, time to look for flights!
DETAILS:
FRI October 17 with Gonzalo Garcia at 6:30pm
SAT October 18 with Gonzalo and Justin Peck at 6:30pm
SUN October 19 with Gonzalo and Patricia Delgado at 1pm
Admission to pre-performance talks at the Arsht Center is complimentary with ticket purchase. Tickets available here: https://www.miamicityballet.org/tickets-and-events/202526-season/peck/. If you are unable to join us in person, subscribe to the Conversations on Dance podcast feed through your favorite podcast app, where we will be publishing recordings of the events.
SPONSOR:
Friday through Sunday, November 7th through 9th, join Amanda Treiber and Company for their debut performances at the Mark O’Donnell Theater in Brooklyn! Featuring a cast of international artists, including dancers and musicians from New York City Ballet, and a world premiere to music by Philip Glass, these performances showcase NYC-based choreographer and dancer Amanda Treiber's ability to create worlds through unique movement vocabularies and her deep collaborations with dancers, musicians, and visual artists. You won't want to miss it! Reserve your tickets today at amandatreiber.com.
LINKS:
Website: conversationsondancepod.com
Instagram: @conversationsondance
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(481) Robert Battle, resident choreographer at Paul Taylor Dance Company
53:35|On today's episode of "Conversations On Dance" we are joined by choreographer Robert Battle. Robert tells us about how he started a company to push his own choreographic work, what it was like to become the third director in the history of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and how he's just begun to explore his recent post as resident choreographer of Paul Taylor Dance Company. To see Robert's latest work for Paul Taylor on tour visit paultaylordance.org/performances.Listen to Conversations on Dance ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance(480) LIVE with Alexei Ratmansky & Gonzalo Garcia, Works & Process at the Guggenheim with Miami City Ballet
40:18|WATCH the program on YouTube here.On February 7, 2026, Miami City Ballet presented a first look of world-renowned choreographer Alexei Ratmansky’s new commission celebrating MCB founder Toby Lerner Ansin’s 85th birthday, before its February premiere in Florida. This work blends history, tradition, and forward-thinking creativity, with a score by Johann Strauss. Ratmansky and Miami City Ballet’s new artistic director Gonzalo Garcia will participate in the discussion, and MCB dancers perform excerpts.Miami City Ballet's 'Into The Magic City' program runs February 20th - March 1 in Miami and West Palm Beach. The program includes the World Premiere of 'Roses from the South, Three Waltzes for Toby' as discussed here, as well as George Balanchine's 'Serenade' and 'Tarantella'. Tickets available here.Works & Process at the Guggenheim is a non-profit organization dedicated to championing the creative process from studio to stage, with programs just like this one. Find more information and ways to support on their website: https://www.worksandprocess.org/.Listen to Conversations on Dance ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance(479) Aesha Ash and Jenifer Ringer, Educational Directors at The School of American Ballet
59:54|On today's episode of "Conversations On Dance" we are joined by two leaders of the School Of American Ballet, Jenifer Ringer, Director Of Intermediate/Advanced Divisions and Artistic Programming, and Aesha Ash, Head Of Artistic Health and Wellness. They tell us about their own experiences as students at the school before heading onto illustrious careers at the New York City Ballet, what goes into planning the curriculum and various programs the school offers, and most excitingly, how the recently opened wellness center is impacting the day to training and student experience at SAB. For more information on all things SAB, visit sab.org. Listen to Conversations on Dance ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance(478) The new documentary film "About Face: Disrupting Ballet" with Jennifer Lin and Cory Stieg
42:52|Today on "Conversations On Dance", our episode centers on the new documentary film "About Face: Disrupting Ballet", which follows two asian dancers, Phil Chan and Georgina Pazcougin, in their effort to eliminate racial stereotypes pervasive in ballet performances across the world. Director/Producer Jennifer Lin and Producer Cory Stieg join us to talk about their personal experiences with racial caricatures in dance, how their initial introduction to Phil and Gina led to the idea for the film, and the work they do and the film itself will be a catalyst for change in the dance world. "About Face" will be the spotlight feature of the closing night of the Dance On Camera Festival, this February 8th at Symphony Space in New York City. Follow updates on the film on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aboutface_film/Listen to Conversations on Dance ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondanceSPONSOR:Get audition ready with The Royal Ballet School’s new bundle of online audition classes. Whether you are auditioning for entry into The Royal Ballet School or seeking insights into general audition preparation to conquer those nerves, this brand-new series of online classes is the perfect tool for you. From artistic expression and musicality to improving your strength and flexibility, these classes will help you feel confident for whenever and wherever you audition. To get started go to ondemand.royalballetschool.org.uk(479) Zimmi Coker, American Ballet Theatre ballerina
46:15|On today's episode of "Conversations On Dance" we are joined by American Ballet Theatre ballerina Zimmi Coker. Zimmi recounts how, as a former dance herself, her mother gently guided her through her initial training, how she fell in love with ABT and began to receive plum roles in major full length works, and, most harrowingly, how she overcame a devastating injury that had her pulling out of performances and in searing pain for more than a year and a half. Zimmi will be performing featured roles in ABT's upcoming seasons at the Koch Theater and the MET in New York City; follow her on instagram at @zimmi9 for further updates on her casting. Listen to Conversations on Dance ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance(478) Professional dancers turned therapists and coaches: The founders of ILUMN Collective
50:32|Listen to Conversations on Dance ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondanceOn today's episode of "Conversations On Dance", we are joined by Kari Brunson Wright, Josh Spell and Rachel Coats, founders of the ILUMN Collective and former professional dancers turned therapists and coaches. We talk the various mental health challenges they faced as dancers, how they came together to create a program to offer people of all stripes in the dance world a way to overcome those hurdles and the specifics of some of the methods they are now offering at ILUMN. The sessions offered at ILUMN are customized towards all kinds of people in the dancer world: not only students and professional dancers, but former dancers, teachers, directors and rehearsal directors. To set up your first ILUMN session, visit www.theilumncollective.com or download the app for short, powerful audio sessions you can access at any time. Download the app: https://apps.apple.com/ph/app/ilumn/id6751722723(477) The Best of 2025 with Michael and Rebecca
44:27|Today it's just Michael and Rebecca for our annual look back over the year. Enjoy! Happy Holidays and Happy New Year everyone! We will be back with a new episode on January 7th, 2026.Listen to Conversations on Dance ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondanceMiami City Ballet Nutcracker running through 12/28: https://www.miamicityballet.org/tickets-and-events/202526-season/nutcracker/#e214Miami City Ballet world premiere by Alexei Ratmansky: https://www.miamicityballet.org/tickets-and-events/202526-season/winter/(476) "The Nutcracker At Wethersfield" with Troy Schumacher & Ashley Laracey, soloists with The New York City Ballet
39:51|On today's episode of "Conversations On Dance", we dive into the new documentary "The Nutcracker At Wethersfield", a film that explores the chaotic, thrilling experience of a huge team of dancers, artists and volunteers coming together to ensure that the "Nutcracker" holiday tradition could continue during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are joined by the choreographer Troy Schumacher and ballerina Ashley Laracey, the Sugar Plum Fairy in this production, both veteran NYCB soloists who had not had a year without Nutcracker in their lives for more than two decades. They take us through the numerous complications to consider while mounting the production, from legal constraints, health concerns and the logistics of building a massive production in just five weeks, and how this experience ultimately came to be a documentary that perfectly encapsulates a moment unlike any of us shall ever experience again in our lives. "The Nutcracker At Wethersfield" will be available to stream on demand from December 21st through January 5th through the website nutcrackerfilm.com. Listen to Conversations on Dance ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance(475) Author, Elizabeth Kendall, on her new book "Balanchine Finds His America: A Tale Of Love Lost And Ballet Reborn"
48:54|On today's episode of Conversations On Dance, we are joined by author Elizabeth Kendall. Elizabeth has written numerous books on dance, her most recent, "Balanchine Finds His America: A Tale Of Love Lost And Ballet Reborn" is on shelves now. Elizabeth takes us through her journey to writing on dance, why Balanchine has become such an important figure to her as a writer, and the varied processes through which she researches, writes and edits her work. To purchase "Balanchine Finds His America", perhaps as a holiday gift or some excellent solo travel reading material, grab your copy on Amazon: https://amzn.to/49QmfDa.Listen to Conversations on Dance ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondanceSPONSOR:Did you know you can train with The Royal Ballet School anywhere, anytime with their online library of pre-recorded classes? And this Cyber Monday, they’re offering two classes for the price of one! Explore a collection of over 50 unique classes, including ballet, contemporary, character, pilates and adult classes with this limited-time offer. Learn from the School’s expert artistic faculty and guest teachers from the comfort of your home and receive lifetime access to your purchased classes.Go to ondemand.royalballetschool.org.uk, add two or more classes to your cart and enter code CODOFFER to receive a £12 discount, equivalent to the price of one class.* But be quick, offer ends this Sunday 7 December 2025. *Excludes all bundles and new Junior Associate insight classes.