Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast

Today's guest is Duke Dang. Since 2006 Duke has served as the General Manager of Works & Process, the performing arts series at the Guggenheim (NYC), where he oversees nonprofit administration and manages the logistics of the artistic programming. He and Producer Caroline Cronson collectively curate the organization’s programs and commissions that traditionally take place in the theater of the Guggenheim, but in recent years have expanded to include works commissioned and made in and for the Guggenheim rotunda. In response to the pandemic, since April 2020 Works & Process has virtually commissioned 85 new works and supported over 300 artists. Under Duke’s leadership Works & Process has led the way in producing bubble residencies as a means for artists to safely gather, create, perform and work. For more on Duke and show notes: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast

Today's guest is Kathryn Alter. Kathryn a choreographer, teacher, and dancer living in New York City. She danced with the Limón Dance Company for 15 years and is currently the Associate Program Director of the Limón Professional Studies Program. She teaches the Limón Company and students of the Limón Institute, has reconstructed the works of José Limón for the Ballet Nacional de México in México City in 2018 and Ballet am Rhein en Düsseldorf in 2020, and leads Limón workshops nationally and internationally. Her choreographic work has been shown across the United States and abroad. Kathryn is a part of the N.A.D.I.N.E. Project and helps to organize the Choreographers’ Collective concerts in New York City. For more info on Kathryn and show notes:  Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast

We are taking a podcast pause...listen in to hear why. Podcasts: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast Due May 21: Call for Submissions: From the Field  And catch the company behind the podcast! LONELAND, an evening of dance cinema, on June 3 @ 7.30pm ET.  Ticket info at The Moving Architects.    

Today's guest is Stefanie Batten Bland. Jerome Robbins awardee, Stefanie is an interdisciplinary global artist who interrogates contemporary and historical culture. She situates her work at the intersection of dance-theatre and installation. She is a 2021 commissioned artist by Baryshnikov Arts Center, Duke Performances, 2021 Toulmin Creator fellow Center for Ballet Arts at NYU, and 2019-2020 choreographer for American Ballet Theatre's inaugural Women's Movement Initiative. She created Company SBB in Paris in 2008 and established it in New York City in 2011, when she was in residency at Baryshnikov Arts Center and began her current residence at University Settlement. Regularly produced by LaMama Experimental Theater, she premiered her latest work "Look Who's Coming To Dinner" at LaMama in fall 2019 for FIAF's Crossing the Line Festival.  COVID commissions include the digital performance of EU Day for the European Union at the United Nations, a distanced films for Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, Works & Process

Today's guest is Megan Williams.  Megan is an independent dance artist, choreographer, teacher and repetiteur. She performed and toured internationally in the 1980’s with the companies of Laura Glenn, Ohad Naharin, and Mark Haim, among many others. In 1988, she joined the Mark Morris Dance Group, dancing for 10 years, touring worldwide, teaching, and appearing in several films. She is in demand as a master class teacher and guest lecturer, and founded Megan Williams Dance Projects in the summer of 2016. Her choreography has been produced by DanceNOW NYC at Joe’s Pub, Dance Theater Workshop, Rivertown Artist’s Workshop, Barnspace, MIXT Co., Purchase College, Marymount Manhattan College, Connecticut College and Interlochen Arts Academy.  For more on Megan Williams and this episode: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast

Today's guest is Kimberly Bartosik. Choreographer, performer, educator, and essayist, Kimberly creates viscerally provocative, ferociously intimate choreographic projects that are built upon the development of a virtuosic movement language, rigorous conceptual explorations, and the creation of highly theatricalized environments.  A member of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company for 9 years, Kimberly is a 2020 Bessie Honoree for Outstanding Performance & Outstanding Performer (Burr Johnson) for her recent work, through the mirror of their eyes. She is a 2019 Guggenheim Fellow in Choreography and a 2020 Virginia B. Toulmin Women Leaders in Dance Fellow at Center for Ballet and the Arts (CBA) at NYU. She has an extensive history of touring, commissions, and creative residencies, including as a a 2017-20 New York Live Arts Live Feed Residency Artist; a 2019-20 Harkness Dance Center Artist-in-Residence @ the 92nd St Y; and a 2019 Exploring the Metropolis (EtM) recipient with Composer Sivan Jacobovitz. She curren

Today's guest is Deborah Damast. Deborah is Associate Professor and Program Director of Dance Education at NYU Steinhardt where in addition to teaching, she is Artistic Director of concerts, Kaleidoscope Dancers, and the Uganda study abroad program. She is also a Doctoral student at Columbia Teachers College and on faculty at Little Red Schoolhouse, the Dance Education Laboratory in Manhattan, and the Yard in Martha's Vineyard. Deborah has recently received the 2020 Dance Teacher Magazine Award for Higher Education and the 2021 National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) Executive Director Award.   For more in this podcast with episode show notes: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast

Today's guest is Dr. Carla Stalling Walter. Carla teaches and writes about dance, spirituality, and wellbeing. A former professor with a PhD in Dance History and Theory, she is also a Certified Somatic Psychotherapist, and a Certified Spiritual Counselor. Her company, Dance in the Spirit, LLC provides personal and corporate retreats, classes, and workshops on sacred dance meditation, and diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. She is a member of The Sacred Dance Guild, the Dance Studies Association, and a board member with the San Francisco Zen Center. For more on this podcast with episode show notes: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast

Megan Slayter is a dance educator, administrator, historian, and lighting designer at Western Michigan University where she is the Acting Associate Director of the School of Theatre and Dance with a research focus on the reconstructions of works by modern dance pioneer, Loïe Fuller. Her ongoing collaborative research with dance historian Jessica Lindberg Coxe has resulted in the reconstruction of Fuller's “Fire Dance”, “Night”, “Lily of the Nile”, and “La Mer” that have been reconstructed and commissioned for performance by universities, dance companies, and art museums across the country. For more on this podcast with episode show notes: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast.

Today's guest is Alana Marie Urda. Alana is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Amalgamate, where she pursues using dance for a purpose through her choreographic works, documentaries and company events. Alana has envisioned and produced a range of distinguished dance events, charity projects, and educational workshops with Amalgamate. Her repertoire has been celebrated in renowned NYC venues and tours both nationally and internationally. Commissioned for numerous projects, she has set choreography on dancers across the states and presented work at Jacob's Pillow Inside/Out Series, Boston University, BBKings, Sant'Angelo in Vado, Italy, Brunei, Asia, The Times Center, Ailey Citigroup, and Merce Cunningham Studio. She is Assistant Director of The Trinity School After School Program, and a Teaching Artist at New York City Center and The Events in Orlando, FL. For more on this podcast with episode show notes: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast.

Today's guest is Diane Coburn Bruning. Diane is an award-winning choreographer who has worked with ballet, dance, opera and theatre companies throughout the US and abroad.  She is the recipient of a Guggenheim fellowship and multi-year National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship and grants among many others.  She is the Founder and Artistic Director of Chamber Dance Project, dancers and musicians. For more on this podcast with episode show notes: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast

On this special episode of "Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast" you will hear from an array of artists working in the dance field, each uniquely navigating what COVID-19 means to them and the work they do.  On this episode, hear from Melissa Riker with Dance Rising (NYC), Crystal Michelle Perkins with The Landingplace Project (Ohio), Shana Simmons with Shana Simmons Dance (Pittsburgh), and Erin Carlisle Norton with The Moving Architects (NJ/NYC) who launched new programs or initiatives during this era, despite of and in response to the challenges of our time. For more on Movers & Shapers and these artists: themovingarchitects.org/podcasts

Today's guest is Denise Saunders Thompson. Denise is the President & CEO of the International Association of Blacks in Dance (IABD). She has extensive experience in non-profit and for-profit, established or start-up organizations. She has advised organizations on administrative, programmatic and fundraising issues including strategic plans, policy and procedures, communications programs, budgeting and contracts. In April 2015, Denise completed 17 years of service at Howard University in the capacities of Professor, Theatre Manager/ Producing Artistic Director for the Department of Theatre Arts and Manager of Cramton Auditorium. For more on this podcast with episode show notes: themovingarchitects.org/podcasts

Today's guest is Staycee Pearl. Staycee is the co-artistic director of PearlArts Studios and STAYCEE PEARL dance project & Soy Sos (SPdp&SS), where she creates artful experiences through dance-centered multimedia works. Debuting in 2010 at Kelly Strayhorn Theater (Pittsburgh) and serving as the theater's resident company for 3 years, the Pearls opened their dance/art/sound space, PearlArts Studios in 2012, initiating project-generating programs including the Charrette Series, the In The Studio Series, and the PearlDiving Movement Residency. SPdp&SS recently toured Italy and New York with their work-in-progress showing of CIRCLES: Black-Grrlness. For more info on this podcast: themovingarchitects.org/podcasts

Today's guest is Robin Staff. Robin is the Founder, Executive Director, and Producer of DANCE NOW.  DANCE NOW offers an interdependent network of performance, creative development, and educational opportunities, serving a diverse roster of multi-generational artists. DANCE NOW provides dance makers with paid performance, commissioning, teaching and residency opportunities through five programs - DN Joe's Pub (NY), DN Raw (NY), DN SteelStacks (PA), DN Silo (PA), and DN Boston (MA). 2020 Celebrates 25 years of DANCE NOW, an anniversary season that can be experienced through THE DANCE NOW STORY, a virtual tour through their past, present and future. For more on this podcast: themovingarchitects.org/podcasts

Today's guest is Erin Pride. Erin is an online business coach for dance educators and host of the Dance Boss Podcast. Erin helps dance educators niche down, build an online business, and bring in additional revenue for them and their families. Erin began her coaching journey as a dance education coach, providing resources and training to help dance educators run more successful classrooms. Now Erin helps her fellow dance educators pursue their dreams and start an online business that impacts the masses.  For more on this podcast: themovingarchitects.org/podcasts

Today's guest is Preeti Vasudevan. Preeti is an exponent of classical Indian dance (Bharatanatyam) creating new provocative contemporary works from the Indian tradition questioning the role of identity in contemporary lives. She is the first artist of Indian descent to receive recognitions from top institutions in the US for her outstanding contribution to dance. Some highlights include: 2019 Dance Lab New York / Joyce Theater Foundation Creation Grant; 2019 Virginia B. Toulmin Fellowship for Women Leaders in Dance; 2018 Lincoln Center Award for Emerging Artists; 2018 Selected Artist, DanceMotion USA Follow-On Program with the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM); and 2018 Jerome Robbins Dance Division’s Dance Research Fellowship, NY. Preeti partners her educational and creative leadership with world-impacting organizations as Silkroad founded by legendary musician Yo-Yo Ma and the National Dance Institute. Her ground-breaking educational website, Dancing for the Gods (in collaboration with the Dept of Education,

Today's guest is Alejandra Duque Cifuentes. Alejandra is an immigrant activist, artist, producer, educator, and Executive Director of Dance/NYC.  With more than 10 years of production and stage management experience in theatre and dance, she has toured nationally and internationally with Zaccho Dance Theatre, Bandaloop, Dancing in The Streets, and The Foundry Theatre, among others. As a teaching artist, she has taught children and adults in over 100 New York City public schools and through community theatre programs. In 2011 she founded Theatre That Transcends, which taught local, underserved communities how to express themselves and address community issues through the art of theatre. As an activist, she plays an integral part in advancing a more equitable arts and cultural ecology by working on measures to increase access, justice, equity, and inclusion within dance for disabled artists, immigrant artists, and artists of color in the five boroughs of New York City.   For more info on this podcast and Movers

Today's guest (episode 100!) is Jody Sperling. Jody is a dancer-choreographer from NYC and the Founder/Artistic Director of Time Lapse Dance. She has created 45+ works including many furthering the legacy of modern dance pioneer Loie Fuller (1862-1928). Considered the preeminent Fuller stylist, Sperling has expanded the genre into the 21st century, deploying it in the context of contemporary and environmental performance forms.  Current projects focus on creating visual-kinetic narratives merging choreography and climate science.  Time Lapse Dance is currently celebrating their 20th Anniversary Season. For more info on this podcast and Movers & Shapers: themovingarchitects.org/podcasts

On this special episode of "Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast" we continue our "From the Field" series with an episode that features a wide array of artists in the dance field.  Each are trying to navigate what the coronavirus crisis means to them and the work they do.  Inspiring, honest, hopeful, hear from Jessica Chen, Zoee Marsh, Miles Norton, Aria Roach, Mark DeGarmo, and Isabel Bowser. For more on Movers & Shapers: www.themovingarchitects.org/podcasts