Pod De Deux: Recent Episodes
Clara Peterson
Pod De Deux explores current issues and trends in the dance community through frank and relaxed conversations with dance-makers! Guests include dancers, choreographers, administrators, and anyone else with a firm connection to the dance world in any genre or style.
We seek to understand our guests’ experiences through honest, though-provoking and spirited conversations. We hope you'll join us!
In this episode, recorded during the first week of NYC’s COVID quarantine, we spoke to Kyla Barkin and Aaron Selissen about their journey of building a dance company together, their latest project, Accidental Suite (which was scheduled to be presented on March 20th but postponed due to the virus), and the complex topics they explore […]
In this episode of Pod De Deux, Michael Mahany speaks with Lady Gaga’s Visual Director and Choreographer, Richy Jackson! (Scroll down for extended video cut!) Jackson, who grew up in the California Bay Area, tells us all about how he came to find dance, the fateful day when he left Tuskegee University as a pre-law […]
In this second week of COVID quarantine in New York City, Michael and Clara had the privilege of connecting with multi-disciplinary art maker Gabri Christa over Zoom. Gabri is a dancer, choreographer, filmmaker, scholar and all-around artist with a rich history and intriguing body of work. She told us about the cross-roads culture she experienced […]
Jessica and Clara had the privilege of connecting with dance artist Megan Williams about her multi-layered career and many years of adventure in dance. Megan told us about getting started at Juilliard in the 80s and touring with Mark Morris Dance Group for 10 years, a relationship that evolved into an opportunity to stage his […]
Jessica and Michael had a fun, energized and important conversation with Sean Dorsey, the U.S.’ first acclaimed transgender modern dance choreographer. Sean’s newest work, BOYS IN TROUBLE, unpacks masculinity with unflinching honesty from unapologetically trans and queer perspectives – and Sean likewise spoke openly about how his work incorporates and expresses unique perspectives on gender, […]
After a particularly busy fall performance season, Jessica and Clara decided to bring a new co-host onto the Pod de Deux team – and could not have been more thrilled when Michael Mahany jumped on board!! Despite a demanding schedule performing with the recently extended Rock of Ages and serving as New York City Correspondent […]
Clara sat down with award-winning documentary filmmaker Catherine Tambini just days after Catherine’s new film, Perfectly Normal for Me, had its nationwide television premiere on the WORLD Channel. (The film can be streamed on worldchannel.org until November 29th!) Perfectly Normal for Me follows children and teens in a NYC after-school program called Dancing Dreams […]
In this episode, our new co-host Michael joined the mic with Clara to interview choreographer, Tiffany Mills ahead of the world premiere of her new work, Not then, not yet. Tiffany shared how she drew inspiration for this evening-length work from Mary Shelley’s life and writings. The motif of liminality became a powerful, generative force […]
Jessica and Clara had the great pleasure of interviewing five 2019 Bessie Award nominees this year – in order of interview: Caleb Teicher, Molly Poerstel, Shamar Watt, Ni’Ja Whitson and Leslie Cuyjet! (See below for nominations!) The Bessies – which celebrate their 35 anniversary this year – are New York City’s premier annual dance awards honoring outstanding […]
Pod de Deux interviewed Leslie Cuyjet as part of a series of interviews with five 2019 NYC Bessie Award nominees. Leslie was nominated for a Bessie for Sustained Achievement with Jane Comfort, Niall Jones, Juliana F. May, Cynthia Oliver, and Will Rawls. We hope to do a full-length interview with her in the future! Leslie […]
Pod de Deux interviewed Ni’Ja Whitson as part of a series of interviews with five 2019 NYC Bessie Award nominees. Ni’Ja was nominated for a Bessie for outstanding production and Visual Design of Oba Qween Baba King Baba, which was Co-commissioned by Danspace Project and Abrons Arts Center. We hope to do a full-length interview […]
Pod de Deux interviewed Shamar Watt as part of a series of interviews with five 2019 NYC Bessie Award nominees. Shamar was nominated for a Bessie for Sustained Achievement in the work of Nora Chipaumire. We hope to do a full-length interview with him in the future! Shamar Watt is an artist born in Kingston, […]
Pod de Deux interviewed Molly Poerstel as part of a series of interviews with five 2019 NYC Bessie Award nominees. Molly was nominated for a Bessie for Sustained Achievement with Hilary Clark, David Dorfman, Jeanine Durning, Alex Escalante, Juliana F. May, Susan Rethorst, Roseanne Spradlin, and Larissa Velez-Jackson. Molly talked about her experience dancing for […]
Pod de Deux interviewed Caleb Teicher as part of a series of interviews with five 2019 NYC Bessie Award nominees. Caleb was nominated for a Bessie for outstanding production in More Forever Guggenheim Works & Process. We hope to do a full-length interview with him in the future! Caleb Teicher began his dance career as […]
Jessica and Clara interviewed choreographer, dancer, actor, and director, John Kelly, in between rehearsals for his work “Underneath the Skin,” premiering at NYU Skirball this weekend, October 11th & 12th! John took us through his constellation of muses, influences, and inspiration through the years, from his first sighting of baby ballerina on the Ed Sullivan […]
Jessica and Clara talked to Jenn Freeman, a choreographer, artistic director of Freemove Dance, and prolific teacher of contemporary dance. Jenn shared how she developed her theatrical and highly physical style of dance while traversing multiple dance worlds from modern dance in academia to contemporary style in the dance convention circuit. She talked about how […]
Jessica sat down with Argentinian dance and dance-theater artist Anabella Lenzu to discuss her impressive body of work and philosophies on life and art. Not only a dancer and choreographer, but also an author and dedicated teacher, Anabella had in-depth perspectives to share on a wide range of topics, including the inseparability of life and […]
In this episode of Pod de Deux podcast, Clara and Jessica sat down with dancer, curator and Bollywood choreographer, Pooja Uberoi. Pooja shared how Bollywood has changed over recent years to incorporate a range of styles including Indian classical dance, jazz, and hip-hop. She is organizing this year’s New York City Dance Week, a 10-day […]
Early in 2019, Clara sat down with Troy Ogilvie – Choreographer, performer and improv teacher – for a wide-ranging conversation that revealed Troy’s deep-seated “JOD (joy of dance)” and many insights into the process of creating movement from a place of purpose. Troy introduced us to the terms kinesphere and proprioception and described her own […]
In honor of CDI’s upcoming 5th anniversary performances, Jessica and Clara interviewed the Director of CUNY Dance Initiative (CDI), Alyssa Alpine, and Choreographer, Gabrielle Lamb of Pigeonwing Dance. Alyssa talked about how CDI started as a pilot initiative and grew to become a successful private/public partnership model of support for artists in NYC. She […]
For PDD’s first interview of 2019, Clara connected with Conductor Ming Luke over Skype. Despite being an incredibly versatile artist who conducts for a wider variety of productions than is typical in the US (as discussed in the interview!), Luke has developed expertise in conducting for dance and has served as the Principal Guest Conductor […]
We hope you’ll derive inspiration for the new year from our interview with the awe-inspiring Amy Jordan – author, inspirational speaker, consultant, choreographer and classically trained dancer! Amy spoke with us about overcoming the many challenges life has brought her, with dance as a backdrop of strength and renewal. She talked us through her D.A.N.C.E. […]
We were so happy to have the privilege of squeezing in an interview with Paul Lightfoot, Artistic Director of Nederlands Dans Theater, while he was briefly in town for New York City Center’s 2018 Fall for Dance Festival. Paul’s lively enthusiasm made for a conversation that was both informative and entertaining! He shared insight into […]
Returning to our recording studio, we had a great chat with Jenna Lavin, the newly appointed Principal of the Pre-Professional Division at Ballet Academy East (BAE). Jenna gave us a clear sense of how the BAE teaching strategy and philosophy uniquely prepares students to excel in a range of styles and techniques while cultivating a […]
Jessica interviewed choreographer Tere O’Connor leading up to his NYC premiere of Long Run at NYU Skirball (10/12 & 10/13). They talked about how Tere’s fascination with structure led to the multi-layered aesthetic he has become known for. Tere revealed some of the processes he uses to convolute movement phrases, focusing on rhythm, the mixing […]
After a brief summer hiatus, we got back into the studio and conducted a Skype interview with Houston Ballet’s Harper Watters. Harper has made a name for himself on social media with comedic videos and brand partnerships, as well as a web series of his own creation. We spoke to him about the importance (personal […]
Jessica and Clara interviewed Tiler Peck leading up to the premier of her new documentary, BalletNow, which will be available for streaming on Hulu on Friday, July 20th. The film, directed by Steven Cantor (who directed Sergei Polunin’s DANCER) and produced by Elisabeth Moss, shows Tiler assume many roles as curator, artistic director, rehearsal director and dancer in preparation […]
In this episode, Clara sits down with Rina Saltzman, Company Manager on Broadway and former Company Manager for American Ballet Theater. We learn about what a Company Manager does, how the inner workings and funding structures of the ballet world contrast with Broadway, and how we might see more in-depth mixing of the two going […]
In this episode, Clara connects with fellow Minnesotan dancer Christopher LaPlante. We learn about Chris’ experience independently navigating the dance world, guided by his innate passion for dance. He talks about growing up in competition school, discovering break dance in his early 20s, and the magical way in which he achieved his dream of dancing […]
In this episode, Jessica and Clara interviewed dancer Paul Hamilton about his experience collaborating with a diverse range of choreographers including Alonzo King, Elizabeth Streb, Reggie Wilson, Ralph Lemon and Keely Garfield. He shared a bit about each choreographer’s style and process and talked about his own journey of discovering and re-discovering dance as his […]
In this interview with Andrea Miller, recorded at the Brooklyn home of GALLIM Dance, we dig deep into Andrea’s unique choreographic process and discuss her current residency at the Met Breuer. Andrea describes the way in which she and her dancers develop a distinct movement language for each new piece, and she shares a fascinating […]
In this episode we talk to Caitlin Trainor, the Founder and Creator of Dancio. Dancio is a platform that provides online dance classes with some of the best teachers in the world. Starting from the need for a simple warm-up tool, Caitlin created a platform with the potential to bring top-notch training to dancers in […]
In this episode, Jessica was in Havana, Cuba interviewing Marta Ortega, a dancer with Acosta Danza. Acosta Danza was formed in 2016 when international ballet star, Carlos Acosta retired from a highly regarded 30-year ballet career with the Royal Ballet and moved back to Cuba. The company commissions international choreographers such as Mats Ek and […]
In this episode of Pod de Deux podcast, Clara and Jessica interviewed Stephan Quinci while traveling in Berlin. Originally hailing from Italy and Ohio, Stephan now calls Berlin his home where he collaborates with artists and investigates his own performance work. Stephan shared how his current training in release technique influences his performance work and free expression on […]
In this episode we connected with our first dance-maker specializing in Indian Kathak dance! Barkha Patel gave us a fascinating, in-depth look at the intricacies and history of Kathak technique while describing her own experience learning and presenting Kathak. Along the way, we talked about how dance can reflect, imbibe and transform a dancer’s personality, […]
In this episode of Pod de Deux, Clara and Jessica interviewed performance curator, Ali Rosa-Salas, who serves as the Director of Performance Programs at Abrons Arts Center. We spoke about the many roles of a performance curator and how Ali approaches her work at Abrons as she strives to create a place for inquiry and […]
In this episode we spoke to Ben Oddo, Content Manager of Dance Network as well as Michael Mahany, NYC Dance Network Correspondent. We learned how co-founders, Julie Stadler and David Medeiros, formed Dance Network. Michael shared his favorite moments as a correspondent and journalist of dance in New York City, as well as his passion […]
[If you’re listening with headphones, be sure to use both left & right for this episode!] This month, we had the good fortune to catch Marc Bamuthi Joseph for a quick interview while he was in NYC! Marc is widely recognized as one of the most vital voices in performance, arts education, and artistic curation. […]
In this episode, we interview Fran Kirmser, co-author of the new book, A Life in Dance: A Practical Guide. Fran revealed how a class assignment turned into a quest with Rebecca Stenn to create a resource book for dancers. Fran read from the book and shared some stories from contributing artists. Throughout our conversation, we […]
Jessica and Clara finally reunited in the studio for this interview with Miki Orihara, Choreographer and former Graham dancer. We speculated on the differences between modern dance and ballet, and Miki shared her thoughts on how Graham’s technique sticks with the dancer as well as her own efforts to both honor and diverge from that […]
Jessica and Sarah Benvenuti, founder of Benvenuti Arts, met up for a friendly chat and drink on a rooftop bar in New York City. Sarah shared her seasoned approach to fundraising for small arts organizations and artists while sharing helpful tips for artists interested in increasing their fundraising impact. They talked about practical fundraising strategies, […]
Jessica had the pleasure of interviewing lighting designer Jennifer Tipton, who was recently nominated for a Tony award for her work on A Doll’s House Part 2 (on Broadway through July 23rd). Jessica and Jennifer chatted over coffee about many aspects of her process starting with her approach to collaboration with directors and choregraphers, to how […]
We had the incredible fortune of connecting with Vincent Paterson, Director and Choreographer who has created some of the most iconic moments in pop culture. Joining us remotely via Skype, Vincent spoke candidly and humorously of his work with Michael Jackson and Madonna, among other legends, and shared a few of the fun stories from […]
Clara recently sat down with Eric Gauthier at the Joyce Theater when his company, Gauthier Dance, presented the New York premiere of NIJINSKI. We got through many topics in a short time in this interview, covering Eric’s early inspiration to pursue dance (thanks to the musical Cats!), the process that allowed him to establish Gauthier Dance […]
Jessica and Clara returned to Dance Symposium this year on Sunday, March 5th, interviewing panelists and audience members on concepts and issues of interest to the dance community. Here’s a quick breakdown of the topics you’ll hear covered in this episode, as well as an extended version with information about each segment: Minute 0:0 0- […]
In this episode we connected with our first-ever tap dancer – and one of the very best in the field – Jason Samuels Smith. (See also Divine Rhythm Productions!) As a special bonus, we were also joined by filmmaker Simone Maurice whose documentary about Jason, “Lost In The Shuffle,” just premiered at the Dance on […]
Jessica and Clara returned to the Dance on Camera Festival this year. We were on-site on Saturday, February 4th, interviewing interns, filmmakers, dancers and audience members about a range of films including documentary, narrative and choreography. Here’s a quick breakdown of the topics you’ll hear covered in this episode, as well as an extended version […]
Jessica caught Tomer and Barak Heymann (the Producer and Film Director duo of Heymann Brothers Films) after a Q&A at Film Society of Lincoln Center while promoting the release of Mr. Gaga, their acclaimed documentary film about Ohad Naharin. Naharin is is the long-standing Artistic Director of Batsheva Dance Company and subject of the film […]
We had the privilege of speaking with our first – and THE first – dance photographer, the charismatic Jordan Matter. Jordan shared fascinating and hilarious stories about his illicit international photo shoots for Dancers After Dark, his latest book featuring dancers in the nude, shot at night. We learned about the origins of Jordan’s photography […]
Jessica and Clara had a lively chat with Joshua Thake, ballet dancer of Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo (better known on stage as Eugenia Repelskii and Jacques d’Aniels). Josh revealed what it is like to prepare for roles and travel all over the world with the Trocks. We discussed why their brand of humor […]
In a rare solo interview, Clara of Pod de Deux talked to Clara Cantor, thirteen year-old student at the School of American Ballet (SAB) and PDD’s youngest interviewee yet! (The interview took place at the New York apartment where Clara lives with her family, so you’ll hear some city background noise.) At a crossroads in […]
We recently joined Oscar nominated filmmaker Steven Cantor in the West Village office of Stick Figure Productions to talk about his new epic documentary, “DANCER.” Centered around the once-notorious “bad boy of ballet,” Sergei Polunin, this character-driven documentary instead reveals a charming and multi-dimensional dancer of prodigious talent who has a complicated relationship with his […]
In this episode we had a fascinating interview with b-girl, house dancer, choreographer and recent Bessie award winner Ephrat Asherie of Ephrat Asherie Dance. Ephrat revealed how she discovered and became drawn to the “immediacy” of breaking and house dancing. In the process, we learned about the history, music and context behind these dance traditions […]
Helene Davis loves her job. We sat down with Dance Publicist, Helene, and learned how she created her dream job and started her own business. We were inspired to hear how much joy she derived working with luminaries in the performing arts world and the people who made her job interesting over the years. Veteran […]
We were lucky to catch Prince Credell of Nederlands Dans Theater (NDT) at City Center during a busy day of rehearsal for the compay’s appearance at Fall for Dance. (NDT will be back for a full engagement in November! Get tickets!) Prince talked to us about his experience working with the exciting range of contemporary […]
Jessica and Clara visited choreographer and founder of BalletCollective, Troy Schumacher (and his cute dog Shallot), at his sunny apartment in NYC. We learned about Troy’s collaborative approach to creating ballets by integrating artists who work in different mediums, such as music and photography, into the process and presentation of work. We also discussed his […]
We brought costume designer Reid Bartelme back to the studio, nearly a year after our first interview with him, to delve further into his design process and his vast knowledge of the dance landscape at large. In the meantime to our 2015 interview, the New York Times published an article about Reid highlighting his ability to […]
We had an engaging conversation about a recent dance film collaboration between filmmaker Ron Honsa, choreographer Robin Becker, and producer Nan Penman. Watch the trailer here. We learned how Robin and eventually Ron became inspired by the historical events and subject matter based on the book They Marched Into Sunlight, written by Pulitzer Prize winning […]
(Ori Flomin, right, watches his dancers perform in his workshop.) We spent a fantastic day at the ImPulsTanz Dance Festival in Vienna, Austria on July 22nd, during the first week of the festival, and we’re absolutely thrilled to share our interviews from the day! In between taking movement workshops in the morning, observing a workshop dedicated […]
In our first Skype interview, we connected with Kimberly Falker, founder of Balancing Pointe podcast and Premier Dance Network. Kimberly shared how she became inspired to start the first dance podcast and eventually the first dance podcast network. She also revealed tips and advice on dance podcasting and opened up about lessons learned and her greatest assets […]
We were delighted to sit down again with Nel Shelby, dance videographer and entrepreneur, to follow up on our brief conversation from earlier this year at the Dance on Camera Festival. In this episode we delve deeper into Nel’s filmmaking process for PS DANCE!, her highly successful new documentary about dance education in public schools […]
We sat down with Jessica and learned about her approach to choreography and her latest work Thousand Yard Stare, which will be presented at the Joyce June 14th through the 19th. She revealed how her education at Juilliard eventually put her on the path of choreography and how she came to realize that a performance […]
In this episode we speak with Greg Miller, founder of Dance Parade New York. We were fascinated to learn that Dance Parade was started in response to New York City’s Cabaret Laws, restrictive laws that require business owners to obtain an expensive Cabaret License in order to allow dancing in their establishments. Upholding the […]
Pod de Deux attended this Dance/NYC 2016 Symposium discussion and workshop and learned how the CUNY Dance Initiative (CDI) is developing new dance audiences while offering NYC dance companies free space to rehearse and perform. After the session, we interviewed PDD alum Jamie Benson, who presented helpful tips on how to build a following with […]
Audience members were enthusiastic to share what they learned from this Dance/NYC 2016 Symposium session, which spotlighted select funding initiatives underway to address racial justice and equity in dance and the larger cultural sector. This post is part of a series of interviews conducted at the Dance/NYC 2016 Symposium.
At the Dance/NYC 2016 Symposium we gathered thought-provoking feedback on an array of discussions presented throughout the day, including: New York City Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) Diversity Initiative, Dance with Technology: Silicon Alley Meets Silicon Valley, National Voices: Embodying Equity and Inclusion at Dance/USA, and A Journey through Juba and Other Social Dances. This […]
In June 2015, the Center for Urban Future published its second Creative New York report, which tracks trends in New York’s creative sector over a ten-year period and offers recommendations for real estate affordability, government funding and support, economic and community development, and diversity and inclusivity. This session, moderated by the researcher Adam Forman, puts […]
Organizations were onsite at the Dance/NYC 2016 Symposium, offering information to dancers and dance-makers. We learned more about valuable resources provided by The Actor’s Fund (which recently acquired Career Transitions for Dancers), Brooklyn Arts Exchange, Jean-Louis Law, and Pentacle. Listen to learn more! This post is part of a series of interviews conducted at the […]
We sat down with Miro Magloire, choreographer of New Chamber Ballet, to learn how his musical background influences his expressive style of contemporary ballet choreography, what it was like being a piano accompanist for ballet class, and how he selects fascinating contemporary composers for his work, like Karlheinz Stockhausen. We also had an interesting chat […]
We talked to a few audience members about highlights from a strong roster of creative short films presented in the Shorts Program I at Dance On Camera Festival. We heard a lot about Indigo Grey and enthusiastic commentary about the rest of the roster as well. It was a great way to end our day […]
We spoke to Marta Renzi, choreographer and director of Honeymoon, a hot short film with a surprising twist featuring dancers Carlos Gonzalez and Tina Vasquez. She gave us a sneak peek into her inspiration and process behind the film before we saw it on the big screen.
Each year, the Dance on Camera Festival at Lincoln Center screens one Work-in-Progress. through the Dance Film Association‘s Production Grant, Alexandra Shilling’s latest video project The Other Side of Stillness | Installation was selected and screened as a special event on February 13. Alex talked to Pod de Deux about the process of making the project and what […]
Flamenco is one of the world’s few art forms that is believed to be passed down exclusively through bloodlines. For Barcelona’s Gypsy community, it can’t be learned at a school or on paper. It is lived within the home, created at the bar and perfected on the street corner. Bajari, directed by Eva Vila, goes […]
Audience members of all ages shared their love for Natalia Makarova after a screening of her self-directed Ballerina Program 1: Body and Soul–the first section of a four part BBC Documentary series. They gushed over her career, partnerships, free spirit, charm, and her lasting influence on ballet.
Horizontes is a documentary featuring dancers from three generations in Cuba, including the famous Alicia Alonso. It screened with the whimsical short film Cubano Bas, made by Kathy Rose with the original composition of Greg Boyer. We spoke to an audience member about Horizontes and to Kathy and Greg about Cubano Bas.
One thing we learned about Galen Bremer, Associate Director of Dance Films Association, is that he likes to pontificate about dance (his words)! Enjoy a few fun minutes of pontification that we managed to squeeze out of his busy day in between screenings.
Did you know that Dance Films Association gives high school students the opportunity to screen their work to the festival via Capturing Motion NYC? Neither did we – until we encountered a bunch of students on site! Here are our interviews with student filmmakers and their film teacher from Frank Sinatra School of the Arts. […]
Patricia Dye is one of the awe-inspiring educators featured in the film PS Dance!. As we learned in this interview, she teaches a wide range of techniques to high school students at Science Skills High School for Science, Technology and the Creative Arts in Brooklyn. You can learn more about Patricia and the other educators […]
PS Dance! is a New York Emmy nominated documentary about dance education in New York City public schools that has now spawned a movement to expand dance education. We found that audience members felt very strongly about this film, and it was a thrill to get such a rush of enthusiastic feedback – about the […]
We kicked off our day at the Dance on Camera Festival with Nel Shelby, Director and Producer of PS Dance!, a documentary about dance education in New York City public schools that has now spawned a movement to expand dance education. Nel runs a thriving dance video production company, which she founded based on her […]
We were thrilled to speak with Pod de Deux’s first Broadway dancer in this episode with Dancer/Choreographer Bennyroyce Royon. Currently a cast member in the Broadway revival of The King and I, as well as Artistic Director of BENNYROYCE DANCE, Bennyroyce had plenty of insight to share about how the concert dance world compares to […]
In this episode with Ron Honsa, Filmmaker and Executive Director of Moving Pictures, we continue coverage of the Dance on Camera Festival (DOCF), leading up to PDD’s “takeover” on Saturday, February 13th! Ron Honsa’s documentary about Ted Shawn and His Men Dancers, The Men Who Danced, will be honored this year at DOCF, 30 years […]
This episode with Brighid Greene, Programs Director of Dance Films Association (DFA), kicks off PDD’s 2016 partnership with DFA’s annual Dance on Camera Festival (DOCF)! This year, the festival runs February 12th-16th. Get tickets here! In conversation with Brighid, we learned how DFA selects films for this longstanding festival in partnership with the Film Society […]
In this episode we found ourselves traversing a wide range of dance territory with the accomplished Costume Designer and Dancer, Reid Bartelme. We spent the majority of the hour exploring Reid’s process of finding his footing as a latecomer in the ballet world, where he nonetheless achieved early success dancing with some of North America’s […]
In this episode we speak with dancer and choreographer Loni Landon about her process of creating lush, captivating movement and the influence of her early career in Germany on her collaborative choreographic process. Importantly, Loni illuminated the difficulty of cultivating an artistic life that pays the rent, even as a dance artist who is widely […]
Heidi Latsky joined us for Episode 13 and brought along a special guest in the form of her dancer, assistant and all-around “muse,” Jerron Herman! We were fascinated to learn about Heidi’s company, HLD, and her work with dancers who have disabilities and non-traditional dance bodies. We discussed how both Heidi and Jerron discovered dance […]
“Dancing is fun!” Sometimes we all need the reminder, and this episode couldn’t have been a better one. Finally back in Btoven Studio, with dancer, choreographer and marketing professional Jamie Benson, we had some of the most fun yet as we dug deep into topics that ranged from the social purpose of laughter and the […]
In Episode 11, Clara catches up with Uri Sands, Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Minnesota-based TU Dance, while he is in New York for a TU performance in Central Park. They discuss Uri’s time at Alvin Ailey (and many other prestigious companies), his choreographic process, and the mission of community empowerment engendered in TU Dance […]
We made it to episode 10 and what a year it has been! In this episode, we talk to dancer/choreographer/sound designer/DJ Jeremy Nedd about dancing in New York City for dance luminary Kyle Abraham and his experience in Europe as a dancer, choreographer and sound designer. We chatted and wondered about dance snobbery, audience engagement, […]
Brock Labrenz of An Films is a New York-based director who harnesses his extensive background in performance to create deliberate and sensual audio-visual experiences. His creative endeavors find him somewhere between the exactitude of modern cinema and the ephemeral transition of the body through space. In this episode, Brock shared his experiences training as a […]
In our eighth episode, we discuss dance and technology with Dr. Kate Sicchio—a choreographer, media artist and performer whose pioneering work explores the interface between choreography and technology. Kate talks about how she initially became interested in investigating real-time video systems and the use of space in choreography, and her experience devising inventive ways for […]
In this episode we chat with triple threat Writer/Director/Choreographer Wendy Seyb about her experience bringing comedy to movement in dance, theater and film. Wendy tells us about finding her niche in comedy, choreographing The Pee Wee Herman Show for Broadway and watching the dance world evolve over time. As usual we uncover some fun tidbits […]
Ask La Cour Rasmussen is a principal dancer at the New York City Ballet, a native of Denmark and a creative explorer in his own right. We were thrilled to have the chance to speak with Ask about his time with the Royal Danish Ballet, the Bournonville technique for which Denmark is known and his lifestyle as a professional ballet […]
Diana Pettersen is a New York City-based choreographer and the Artistic Director of a company she founded, Sans Limites Dance. Diana also works as a Teaching Artist for the non-profit Dancing Classrooms New York City. In this episode we discuss Diana’s exploratory choreography, her experience starting a dance company, and her endeavors to build community […]
In our fourth episode of Pod de Deux podcast, we have a friendly chat with William Cannon, a professional contemporary dancer. He talks about his recent transition to freelance work in NYC, emerging trends in contemporary ballet, recent projects with The Metropolitan Opera and Twyla Tharp, and fond experiences working with contemporary choreographers like Christian […]
We speak to Ben Richards in our third episode of Pod de Deux Podcast. Ben is a freelance video artist, dancer and choreographer who lives in New York City and spent three years in Montreal. We initially met Ben at Jacob’s Pillow dance festival, where he has worked on the video team for the last […]
In our second episode of Pod de Deux podcast, we talk to Naomi Luppescu–a dance costume designer and founder of NaLu Designs. She talks about her career in NYC, her approach to meeting the functional and aesthetic needs of the choreography, where she draws inspiration, and current trends. Her costumes can be seen in Ailey […]
In our first episode of Pod de Deux podcast, we talk to Traci Finch–a classically trained freelance dancer in New York City. She talks about her career, whether college prepares young dancers for the realities of dancing professionally, sewing pointe shoes on the subway, and the Nutcracker. Read more about her on our Guests page. We are […]