This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Emily Hsu, Owner and Founder at Emily Hsu Design . Prior to being an entrepreneur, Emily was a Broadway, TV and film star, having appeared in over a dozen Broadway musicals. Hsu now runs a full activewear line — the Emily Hsu Designs collection — which is a favorite amongst the Rockettes, Broadway dancers, and top NYC fitness instructors. Her signature high-waist legging creates a sleek, smooth line and stays in place so that you can spend your tim...
Oct 01, 2019•30 min•Ep. 26
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra chats with Mariaelena Ruiz, a dance prodigy, dance coach and, now, Co-Owner and Director of the Professional Training Program at Cary Ballet Conservatory. Ruiz has danced professionally since the young age of 14 with several esteemed ballet companies. Since an injury forced her to step away from dance, Mariaelena has since fallen in love with teaching, having taught 14 years at the Rock School for Dance Education and, now, teaching at her own conservatory. On...
Sep 24, 2019•36 min•Ep. 25
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Emily Harrison, a registered dietitian nutritionist, public speaker, and experienced writer, who has worked alongside hundreds of dancers to encourage healthy eating and positive body image. Emily, who is an elite-level ballet dancer, has garnered both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in nutrition from Georgia State University. She now resides in Atlanta, Georgia and spearheads her own private practice — Nutrition for Great Performances — where s...
Sep 17, 2019•30 min•Ep. 24
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra sits down with Kathryn Morgan, an accomplished ballerina who, in spite of an autoimmune illness, has become a multimedia dance superstar — running a YouTube channel nearing 160,000 subscribers, recording her own podcast, and writing a regular column for Dance Spirit Magazine . Kathryn studied at the School of American Ballet, danced for the New York City Ballet, and is currently a soloist at the Miami City Ballet. Morgan also serves as a judge for the Youth A...
Sep 10, 2019•45 min•Ep. 23
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Alexei Moskalenko, Assistant Artistic Director at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP). Alexei, a graduate of the Moscow Bolshoi Ballet Academy and the Moscow State Academy of Choreography, came to the United States with a touring ballet company and eventually opened his own ballet school, before transitioning into his work with Youth America Grand Prix. During his incredible 20-year run with the YAGP, Alexei has served as a judge, Tour Director, Ma...
Sep 03, 2019•32 min•Ep. 22
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Julian MacKay — a ballet dancer whose award-winning ballet skills and striking physical features have gained him worldwide notoriety in both dance and fashion circles. Julian, who is the first American to graduate from the Bolshoi Ballet Academy with a full Russian diploma, has amassed gold medals from some of the world’s top ballet competitions and is now, at age 19, a First Soloist at The Mikhailovsky Theater. Julian has also bridged the gap bet...
Aug 27, 2019•31 min•Ep. 21
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Cory-Jeanne Houck-Cox, a choreographer, teacher, regional and national dance adjudicator, and retired prima ballerina. During her run as a ballerina, Cory-Jeanne gained recognition nationally and internationally, having performed for American presidents and having co-created and performed award-winning pieces for the Kennedy Center. Houck-Cox’s true passion is in educating others to love the art of dance, having served as a teaching artist or adjun...
Aug 20, 2019•33 min•Ep. 20
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra chats with Skylar Campbell, Principal Dancer at The National Ballet of Canada. While Campbell has spent the majority of his career at The National Ballet of Canada, his quick rise to stardom has been recognized internationally, including gaining a mention in Dance Magazine ’s “Top 25 to Watch in 2015” list. Skylar has also been awarded a Bronze Medal in the Pas de Deux category at the 2009 Youth American Grand Prix and was a finalist in the 2009 prix de Lausa...
Aug 13, 2019•28 min•Ep. 19
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Christopher Fairbank, motivational speaker and business leadership strategist. Christopher is truly a Renaissance man. Prior to his current motivational speaking and coaching work, he was an 18-year professional ballet dancer, with experience dancing for some of the nation’s top ballet companies. Fairbank also held a career as a Sheriff’s Deputy, and his incredibly unique (and successful) transition from “ballet to bullets” in many ways inspired hi...
Aug 06, 2019•43 min•Ep. 18
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra chats with Harriet Ross and Mark Gomez, who both play vital roles in running Chicago Dance United’s Dance for Life event. Dance for Life is a fundraiser performance featuring a united front of dance companies from across Chicago, raising money for “The Dancers’ Fund.” This fund, which was founded in 1994 by Ross, makes direct grants to individuals in the dance world suffering from debilitating injuries or illnesses. Since Dance for Life launched in 1994, over...
Jul 30, 2019•35 min•Ep. 17
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra chats with Maria Shclover, President and Producer at Maestro Artist Management (MAM) — a full-service production, touring, and promotion company that focuses on presenting international artists in various genres. Maria is also the Founder of the Russian Film Week in New York City and is the Co-Founder and CEO of the Cherry Orchard Festival Foundation, which runs a multi-day, multi-cultural, multidisciplinary celebration of international arts in New York City....
Jul 23, 2019•31 min•Ep. 16
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Josephine Lee, Founder at The Pointe Shop . The evolution of Lee’s company is remarkable. What started in 2011 as a simple brick-and-mortar retail store now has gained notoriety for its “mobile store” component, which takes pointe shoe fitting on the road to customers and, selfishly, allows Josephine to fulfill one of her favorite pastimes — road tripping. Josephine is also well-known for placing third in the 2016 Toastmasters World Championship of...
Jul 17, 2019•32 min•Ep. 15
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra chats with Meredith Harrill, professional dancer at Visceral Dance Chicago. Meredith received dance training at the Central Florida Ballet Academy, before studying on scholarship at the Kirov Academy of Ballet in Washington, D.C. Harrill was a trainee with Joffrey Ballet Chicago and BalletMet Columbus, where she also performed in several productions, and performed as a soloist for State Street Ballet of Santa Barbara, CA. Meredith has received numerous accola...
Jul 10, 2019•32 min•Ep. 14
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra chats with Rachel Hamrick, Founder and CEO at Flexistretcher LLC . Hamrick’s company is built around her namesake product, the Flexistretcher — an elastic resistance band that simulates dance-specific or sport-specific movement patterns, focused on building flexibility and strength. Hamrick has also developed a training method and certification program, whereby she educates other teachers and coaches on effective use of her proven device. Prior to entrepreneu...
Jul 03, 2019•31 min•Ep. 13
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Misha Tchoupakov, Assistant Professor in the School of Dance at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA). Tchoupakov’s resume is impressive, having been classically trained at the Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow and having toured professionally for a number of ballet companies, including the Bolshoi Ballet (Russia), the Vienna State Opera Ballet (Austria), the Los Angeles Classical Ballet, and several others. Misha also has been...
Jun 26, 2019•29 min•Ep. 12
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra sits down with Lisa Schoene, Dance and Sports Medicine Podiatric Physician at Gurnee Podiatry and Sports Medicine Associates . Lisa, who founded Gurnee nearly 30 years ago, is also a certified athletic trainer and published author. Lisa has worked with dancers and athletes of all sports from all levels — from amateur to Olympic — and is also a traveling lecturer and a consulting podiatrist for several renown dance companies in the Chicago area. On the podcast...
Jun 19, 2019•32 min•Ep. 11
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra chats with Katie Pilone, Co-Founder of Pop Up Pilates — a Pilates business whose mission is to positively impact communities, starting in Oklahoma City and moving across the United States. Additionally, Katie is a dancer at the Oklahoma City Ballet, an RP Pro Brand Ambassador, and a graduate of Butler University, where she studied Dance and Arts Administration with a minor in Marketing. Katie is an extremely strong and driven woman, who is always looking for ...
Jun 12, 2019•32 min•Ep. 10
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra chats with Mikko Nissinen, Artistic Director of the Boston Ballet and Boston Ballet School — the largest ballet school in North America. Mikko was born in Finland and has danced for numerous ballet companies, including the Finnish National Ballet, the Dutch National Ballet, Basel Ballet, and the San Fransisco Ballet, where he spent a full decade as principal dancer. Prior to his current role, Mikko served as Executive Director of the Boston Ballet, where he c...
Jun 05, 2019•29 min•Ep. 9
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Genevieve Weeks, Founder and CEO of Tutu School — a collection of boutique-style ballet schools for young children. Since its founding in 2008, Tutu School has adopted a franchise model and has grown to over 33 different locations across the United States. Prior to becoming a business owner, Genevieve was a professional ballet dancer, having received training from the School of Ballet Chicago, the American Ballet Theater, and from Suzanne Farrell a...
May 29, 2019•32 min•Ep. 8
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra sits down with “The Shoemaker of the Stars,” Phil LaDuca. This shoemaker lives up to his name, as dancers and actors have worn his famous shoes in well over 200 Broadway productions. His shoes are well-known for providing the support and stability that dancers need and the flexibility to perform many different styles of dance, without changing footwear. Prior to shoes, Phil was a Broadway song and dance man for over 20 years and has worked with esteemed chore...
May 22, 2019•33 min•Ep. 7
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra chats with Sonica Shah, a renown Indian wedding dance choreographer and teacher based out of Mumbai, India. Though Sonica received a degree in Accounting and Finance, she decided to set aside the comfortable “9 to 6 job” to pursue a career that more aligned with her passions. Sonica now spends her days planning Indian wedding dance routines, which average a minimum of 20 dances spread across an entire week. Sonica is also the house dance faculty at Hillspring...
May 15, 2019•29 min•Ep. 6
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Lizzie MacKenzie, co-founder of Extensions Dance Company , which is currently in its 14th year, and its associated Extensions Dance Center, which is now in its 8th year. This Chicago-based nonprofit serves the community by offering both competitive and non-competitive dance lessons to dancers of all ages. Lizzie herself has been dancing, teaching, coaching, and offering award-winning choreography to the Chicago area for over 21 years and also spea...
Apr 30, 2019•31 min•Ep. 5
This week on 5.6.7. EIGHT, Aleksandra chats with Tania Moskalenko, Executive Director of Miami City Ballet . Tania’s resume is extensive in the world of dance, including over 20 years in performing arts and executive management expertise and having most previously been CEO of Chicago’s renown Auditorium Theater. Her accomplishments have gained praise by many, both inside and outside of the performing arts. In 2017, Chicago Tribune named Tania the “Chicagoan of the Year,” and the Chicago Latino N...
Apr 30, 2019•30 min•Ep. 4
This week on 5.6.7. EIGHT, Aleksandra sits down with nationally-recognized financial planner Katerina Simonetti, Private Wealth Advisor and Senior Vice President – Wealth Management at UBS Bank. Katerina is one of the most successful private wealth advisors in the United States, having been recognized as a “Best-in-State Advisor” on multiple occasions by Forbes and as “Top Wealth Advisor Mom” on multiple occasions by Working Mother Magazine . On the podcast, Katerina relives some of her earliest...
Apr 30, 2019•31 min•Ep. 3
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Katherine Barkman, an award-winning American ballerina who is currently a dancer at The Washington Ballet and has performed as an international guest principal across the world. She began her career as a principal dancer at the prestigious Ballet Manila in Southeast Asia and, at 18, was the youngest artist to claim this role. Katherine has won numerous dance accolades, including consecutive Silver Medals from two of the most prestigious ballet comp...
Apr 30, 2019•38 min•Ep. 2
This week on 5.6.7. EIGHT, Aleksandra chats with esteemed podiatrist Brad Schaeffer, whose smarts extend well beyond the doctor’s office. While he’s not busy helping young athletes perform at their maximum potential, Brad is curating his social media following — including an Instagram account beyond 76,000 followers — and is competing on nationally-televised reality show competitions. In Spring 2019, Brad competed on NBC’s The Titan Games , hosted by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. On the podcast, Br...
Apr 30, 2019•27 min•Ep. 1
Welcome to the 5.6.7. EIGHT Podcast
Apr 24, 2019•2 min
