Conversations on Dance

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 Lucas Labrador and Louis DeFelice, co-founders of Barre Trash, the dancewear line everyone from professionals to students to parents is sporting. They tell us how they first met, what inspired them to become business partners, and how they keep Barre Trash humming along through the competition and many distractions of the dance world today. Shop Barre Trash here: https://barretrash.com/.

Listen to Conversations on Dance ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondanceWelcome to a special episode of Conversations on Dance recorded live at Works & Process at the Guggenheim. In the conversation, we sit down with Philadelphia Ballet resident choreographer Juliano Nunes to discuss his brand new 'Romeo and Juliet' that is having it's world premiere at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia on April 30th. Throughout the event, we take moments to pause and watch the artists of Philadelphia Ballet dance and be coached by Juliano. You can watch the event in it's entirety on YouTube here.Romeo and Juliet runs for 11 performances at the Academy of Music this season, from April 30 through May 10. For tickets and more information, visit philadelphiaballet.org.Watch the full event on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpE3tF7eOpk

On today's episode of "Conversations On Dance", we are joined by Eduardo Vilaro, Artistic Director & CEO of Ballet Hispánico New York. Eduardo makes his fourth appearance on the show, running through a broad range of topics, from how the political climate is directly impacting his arts organization to viral celebrity comments on the arts. He dives into the programming for the company's upcoming City Center season, titled "Mujeres: Women in Motion" featuring varied, dynamic choreographic works from four latina women. Ballet Hispánico New York's City Center season runs from April 23rd through the 26th, and tickets can be purchased at nycitycenter.org. Come see us this weekend in NYC! On Sunday April 19th, join us as we host Works & Process at the Guggenheim in NYC, featuring the talents of the Philadelphia Ballet and choreographer Juliano Nunes. We will be talking to Juliano about the process of creating a brand new full length "Romeo & Juliet" for the company, set to premiere in Philadelphia on April 30th. Tickets for Works & Process are nearly sold out, but you can catch the last few available on worksandprocess.org. 

On today's episode of "Conversations On Dance", we are joined by acclaimed choreographer Akram Khan, weeks before his brand new full length production "Lady Macbeth" premieres at the Royal Danish Ballet. He tells us how the dancers of the company have immersed themselves through months of singular focus, how the work's plot has evolved since its inception, and how much his own dance language has fused with classical ballet vernacular to create the world of this ballet. "Lady Macbeth" runs April 24th through June 4th at the opera house mainstage in Copenhagen.  

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 Royal Danish Ballet soloist Tobias Praetorius. He takes us on his journey as a young student falling in love with the theater, ultimately rising to the rank of soloist in the company, while coming to embrace and explore the company's rich Bournonville history. Tobi's own choreographic talents and love of Bournonville will converge when he will choreograph the lost second act of Bournonville's "Napoli" in an upcoming Royal Danish Ballet staging. Until then, you can catch him in regular performances with the company.

Listen to Conversations on Dance ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondanceOn Conversations on Dance, we welcome Maria Calegari and Bart Cook to revisit a March Madness-style bracket of George Balanchine ballets created by Indiana University students during COVID, using head-versus-heart choices to spark memories and discussion about dancing and staging the repertory. As we debate matchups, Maria and Bart reflect on musicality, design collaborations, costuming, performance traditions, coaching details, and more. The bracket ultimately yields different winners among the four of us.Follow along with a bracket of your own. Click here to view and download.

Listen to Conversations on Dance ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondanceToday, on "Conversations on Dance", we talk with Ken Browar and Deborah Ory, the minds (and cameras) behind NYC Dance Project. We talk with Ken and Deborah about their book, Martha Graham Dance Company, 100 years, and how their backgrounds in dance and editorial fashion shaped their approach. They explain how early dancer sessions evolved into a slow, highly collaborative process focused on a few images that suggest continuing movement rather than freezing it. For the Graham centennial, they installed a studio setup at the company for three years, photographed 25 works from largely current repertory, combined studio and location shoots, used historical research and images as references. The resulting book, Martha Graham Dance Company, 100 Years" is available for purchase here.00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro01:24 Deborah Dance to Camera02:28 Ken Fashion Roots03:55 First Dancers and Launch05:50 Instagram and Early Growth06:18 Fashion Meets Dance Craft08:48 Shooting Movement Not Freeze10:41 Slow Shoots and Safe Space14:04 Dancer Perfection and Control15:21 Graham Company Shift17:17 Why the Centennial Book18:31 Building the Studio Setup19:30 Building the Book Archive19:46 Choosing 25 Iconic Works21:15 Studio Shoots and Coaching22:05 Editing and Page Sequencing23:07 Outdoor Locations Strategy24:15 Researching Graham Repertory25:52 No Reshoots and Costume Logistics26:26 Group Shots and Precision28:45 Costumes and Fabric Movement31:47 Where to Buy and Signed Copies33:10 Future Projects and Farewell

Listen to Conversations on Dance ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondanceToday on the Conversations on Dance podcast, we talk with former New York City Ballet dancer and Balanchine répétiteur Deborah Wingert about her early training at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, where rigorous daily classes, musical and artistic context, and early teaching responsibilities shaped her discipline and curiosity. Wingert recounts being accepted to the School of American Ballet, performing key workshop roles, and joining NYCB at 16, including formative experiences and personal coaching from George Balanchine before his death in 1983. She describes thriving as a detail-oriented “sponge,” navigating later casting and body-image pressures, and building a wide repertory across Balanchine and Robbins works. After leaving NYCB, she began teaching privately and at multiple New York schools, then expanded into staging Balanchine works around the world.00:00 Meet The Hosts00:11 Debra Wingert Overview01:35 First Ballet Spark04:16 CPYB Magic And Context06:31 Rigor And Early Teaching14:24 SAB Audition And Move16:50 Workshop Breakthrough Roles18:57 Joining NYCB At Sixteen25:10 Balanchine Coaching Moments27:21 Life After Balanchine28:19 Other SAB Teachers33:22 Body Image And Confidence35:09 Backstage Ballet Devotion35:34 Staying in the Company36:39 Outside Projects and Robbins38:07 Leaving NYCB and Starting to Teach40:55 Outreach and Repertory Staging43:10 Learning to Stage New Works45:33 Musicality and Version Options51:18 Keeping Patterns and Details Alive55:56 Dream Ballets and Future Stagings01:04:06 Closing Thanks and Signoff