This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Charlotte Landreau, Lead Dancer at the Martha Graham Dance Company . Originally from France, Charlotte trained as a rhythmic gymnast for a full decade before transitioning into dance. She is a graduate of the Béjart School in Switzerland and the Martha Graham School. Charlotte is currently with the Martha Graham Dance Company in New York, where she has been dancing for seven years. Now, as dance is on hiatus due to COVID-19, Charlotte is spending h...
Dec 22, 2020•32 min•Ep. 88
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Mandy Yip, CEO and Founder of Acrobatic Arts, Inc. Yip’s company runs training and certification courses for dance teachers in the art of AcroDance — a program that promotes flexibility, strength, balancing, limbering, and tumbling. Acrobatic Arts produces the most comprehensive, researched program available for AcroDance, which explains why the syllabus is followed in over 6,500 dance studios in over 30 different countries. As a lifelong learner,...
Dec 15, 2020•36 min•Ep. 87
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Dr. Tina J. Wang, President at Tupelo Pointe Healing Arts . Dr. Wang spends her days as an Osteopathic physician but is not focused solely on simply treating ailments; she is focused on delivering the best care possible by meeting the functional, nutritional, and individual needs of the person seeking better health. Dr. Wang is also heavily involved in the American Medical Women’s Association and the Performing Arts Medicine Association, where she...
Dec 08, 2020•37 min•Ep. 86
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Jessica Chen, Artistic Director of the J CHEN PROJECT , a 501c3 nonprofit modern dance company based out of New York City that uses movement as a vehicle to heal wounds, share stories, and better understand our human existence. Chen is a seasoned dancer with a wide variety of dance and choreography credits. She has choreographed works for some of the biggest stages, including the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, ...
Dec 01, 2020•33 min•Ep. 85
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Kathleen Breen Combes, Executive Director of the Festival Ballet Providence. Prior to her current role, Kathleen was Principal Dancer at the Boston Ballet and was once hailed by the New York Times as a “ballerina of colossal scale and boldness.” During her run as a dancer, Kathleen garnered several awards and accolades, including being featured on the cover of Dance Magazine. Kathleen also currently spends her time guest lecturing for Ted-Ed semina...
Nov 24, 2020•29 min•Ep. 84
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Alicia Albright — a New York-based Broadway performing artist, choreographer, creator, educator, avid traveler, and meditation advocate. Albright’s dance resume is extensive, having appeared on Broadway with productions of Disney’s Frozen the Musical , Wicked , Jesus Chris Superstar , and various other notable titles. Albright loves the arts but is equally as passionate about yoga, meditation, and empowerment. She is currently the driving force be...
Nov 17, 2020•51 min•Ep. 83
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Mollie Sansone, an award-winning veteran dancer, teacher, and choreographer who is currently embarking on her seventeenth season dancing with the Nashville Ballet. Over these 17 seasons, Mollie has performed primarily under the direction of Paul Vasterling and has been featured in several notable roles such as Lizzie Borden, Lady Macbeth, and Juliet of Romeo and Juliet . While she’s not on the stage, Mollie enjoys teaching and choreographing for v...
Nov 03, 2020•31 min•Ep. 81
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Larissa Saveliev — Founder and Artistic Director at the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP) — and Sergey Gordeev, who is the Founding Director of Communications and External Affairs at the Youth America Grand Prix. Larissa, who was trained at the Bolshoi Ballet, has received a mountain of accolades, including being named one of Dance Magazine ’s top 25 most influential people in dance. Sergey is an Emmy Award-winning broadcaster, actor, writer, jazz pi...
Oct 27, 2020•41 min•Ep. 80
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Miriam Barbosa, President and Artistic Director at Miriam Barbosa Dance . Miriam received Classical Ballet Training at the University of Fine Arts in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Barbosa is also an alumnus of the Martha Graham Dance Company and is a former Dance Professor with the University of South Carolina’s Dance Program. In 2007, she founded Miriam Barbosa Dance, where she continues to practice her craft. Barbosa is also a Gyrokinesis and Gyrotonic Met...
Oct 20, 2020•38 min•Ep. 79
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Paul Vasterling — Artistic Director at Nashville Ballet . As a choreographer with a deep affinity for music, Paul has created over 40 works, ranging from classical, full-length story ballets to contemporary one-acts. Since becoming Nashville Ballet’s Artistic Director in 1998, the company has commissioned 22 original scores for brand-new ballets under Vasterling’s direction. Vasterling has also grown the Nashville Ballet from 12 to 25 professional ...
Oct 13, 2020•44 min•Ep. 78
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Dr. Merritt Moore — an absolutely remarkable woman who is both a professional ballet dancer and a quantum physicist. Dr. Moore holds a degree in Physics from Harvard University and a PhD in Quantum Optics from the University of Oxford and combines her expertise as a quantum physicist and professional ballet dancer throughout her creative practice. Dr. Moore has also been featured on the Forbes 30 under 30 in Arts and Culture and has spoken at the ...
Oct 06, 2020•34 min•Ep. 77
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews LaMar Baylor, an award-winning dancer and Broadway performer who is also a Board Member and Cultural Ambassador for MindLeaps . LaMar holds a BFA from The University of the Arts and recently completed his Master of Science in Arts Administration from Drexel University. As mentioned, he is a performer with Disney’s The Lion King on Broadway and is an alumnus of Philadanco, the Eleone Dance Theater, and the Rebecca Davis Dance Company. Baylor, who hi...
Sep 29, 2020•44 min•Ep. 76
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Jim Cooney, a New Yorker who has collaborated with multiple Tony, Grammy, and Emmy Award winners in his career as an award-winning director, choreographer, and educator. Jim’s work spans both national and international audiences, and he has been praised by The New York Times for training performers with “audition must haves: character, motivation, and endurance.” Most recently, Cooney has developed a curriculum to help artists integrate their artis...
Sep 22, 2020•49 min•Ep. 75
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra welcomes Alex Svoboda, Founder at freedomDANCE and all-around renaissance man. Alex, who currently hails from London, has lived in three different countries, studied at five different universities, and holds a Ph.D. in history and sociology. Over the course of his career, he has worked as an analyst and manager at some of the world’s leading consulting firms and is a former university instructor. He currently sits at the helm of freedomDANCE, where he teaches...
Sep 15, 2020•38 min•Ep. 74
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Erica Hornthal, a therapist that makes lasting changes in clients by harnessing the power of the body for improved mental health. Erica — otherwise known as “the therapist who moves you” — is the Founder and CEO of Chicago Dance Therapy . Her methods, which can be labeled as dance or movement therapy, are for those that are struggling with mental health, have exhausted talk therapy options, or are seeking a holistic approach to emotional well-bein...
Sep 08, 2020•43 min•Ep. 73
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Kelly Maryanski, who is currently primarily working as a freelance aerialist. Historically, Kelly has been a dancer, aerialist, choreographer, actor, singer, musician, and even sometimes dabbles in freelance illustration. Prior to the COVID outbreak, Kelly was preparing to perform as an aerialist and actor in the Lyric Opera’s RING Cycle. Kelly also works as a Circus Coach with Circeseem, which teaches circus skills to underprivileged youth to prom...
Sep 01, 2020•36 min•Ep. 72
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Sherry Zunker — Artistic Director, Choreographer, Creative Director, Theater Director and Founder of BeMoved® Dance based out of Chicago, Illinois. Sherry has a stunning resume, boasting a 35-year-long run as a dance teacher and working as a creator, director, and choreographer on over 35 productions for Royal Caribbean International. Sherry also has had an extensive career as a dancer and, now, runs BeMoved Dance, which is founded on the belief t...
Aug 25, 2020•37 min•Ep. 71
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Kate Jablonski, owner and artistic director of Beyond Words Dance Company, The Kate Jablonski Statement, and Camp Kate. Jablonski — a graduate of the University of Illinois at Chicago — has danced for some of the greatest teachers and choreographers on the East Coast and has garnered several accolades such as a Gold Leo’s Award and a Capezio A.C.E. Award. Kate’s entrepreneurial endeavors have even expanded internationally, opening Camp Kate locatio...
Aug 18, 2020•39 min•Ep. 70
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Rebecca Davis and Bashir Karenzi of MindLeaps — a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the education of vulnerable children around the world through creative arts. Davis, who is the Founder and Executive Director of MindLeaps, holds several degrees and had an extensive dance career prior to taking over the nonprofit. Karenzi, who is Technical Director at MindLeaps, hails from Rwanda, holds a degree, boasts an accomplished dance resume, an...
Aug 11, 2020•44 min•Ep. 69
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Reesie Davis, CEO and Founder of Praize Productions . Davis, who holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in education from Indiana University, taught for five years in public education prior to establishing her company. In her current role, Davis uses her platform to create award-winning productions infused with socially conscious messaging and to harness the arts to enrich underserved communities. As a trained educator, Reesie believes that art s...
Aug 04, 2020•42 min•Ep. 68
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Kathleen McGuire Gaines, founder at Minding the Gap , fundraising consultant, and contributing writer at Dance Magazine . As a dancer, Kathleen trained at various dance academies, before circumstances forced her to pivot her career towards writing. As a writer, she has published countless articles for prominent dance publications, mostly revolving around mental health issues. Her most recent and foremost effort — Minding the Gap — is a social good...
Jul 28, 2020•45 min•Ep. 67
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Christopher Stuart, Resident Choreographer for the Nashville Ballet . Stuart, a graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts, spent an astounding 16 seasons at the Nashville Ballet, ultimately rising to the ranks of principal dancer. Christopher describes his choreography as “free and limitless,” and his work has been featured in many companies across the American Southeast, while being praised by various dance publications. As a choreographer...
Jul 21, 2020•32 min•Ep. 66
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Alicia Graf Mack — a veteran dancer, the director at the world-renowned Juilliard School, and the co-founder of the D(n)A Arts Collective , which seeks to enrich the lives of young dancers through master classes and intensives. Graf Mack’s accolades include being named American Innovator of the Arts and Sciences by Smithsonian Magazine , receiving the Columbia University Medal of Excellence, and delivering the keynote address at the Columbia Unive...
Jul 14, 2020•32 min•Ep. 65
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Jessica Deahr, who is currently in her eighth season as Artistic Director at Chicago Dance Crash . Her work includes lengthy story ballets such as the award-winning The Bricklayers of Oz , which was named Chicago Tribune ’s Best Dance in 2017 and Dance Magazine ’s Most Inventive New Work. Towards the beginning of her career, Jessica also did commercial work for the World Wildlife Fund, Vital Proteins, and Royal Caribbean Productions, to name a few....
Jul 07, 2020•33 min•Ep. 64
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Elena Vostrotina, principal dancer at the Zurich Ballet. Since 2003, Elena has been internationally performing for some of the world’s most esteemed dance companies and choreographers. Having been formally trained at the famous Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet, Elena went on to achieve her dream of dancing at the Mariinsky Ballet, as well as the Semperoper Ballett Dresden and, currently, the Zurich Ballet. Elena knows that flexibility is key for ...
Jun 30, 2020•37 min•Ep. 63
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Paige and Kunal Moudgil, a husband-and-wife duo who have combined their business acumen and dance expertise to create PointePeople — a company that is building products and a community to enrich the lives of dancers, globally. Paige is a seasoned dancer who holds a BFA in Dance from the prestigious Tisch School of the Arts at NYU. Kunal spent over eight years in the financial services industry, prior to pursuing his MBA at the University of Pennsyl...
Jun 23, 2020•47 min•Ep. 62
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Jennifer Stahl, Editor-in-Chief of Dance Magazine . Jennifer holds a bachelor’s degree of fine arts in dance and journalism from New York University. As a dancer, Stahl has danced for a number of well-known choreographers such as Karole Armitage and Gali Hod. As a journalist, she has written for a number of well-known publications such as The Atlantic and Runner’s World , prior to her current role. As editor-in-chief of a 100-year-old dance magazi...
Jun 16, 2020•43 min•Ep. 61
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Caitlin Trainor, Founder of Dancio and Artistic Director at Trainor Dance, Inc. Trainor, a Rhode Island native, received a Masters of Fine Arts in dance before moving to New York City to work with various companies and choreographers. In 2011, Caitlin founded her own company — Trainor Dance — where she currently serves as Artistic Director. Caitlin also founded Dancio, which provides online dance classes with some of the best teachers around the wo...
Jun 09, 2020•38 min•Ep. 60
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Margaret Fuhrer, Editor in Chief of Dance Spirit magazine. Margaret holds a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and a master’s degree in journalism from New York University. Margaret went on to be a dance writer and editor for various publications, including The Huffington Post. She is now the Editor in Chief of Dance Spirit magazine, Content Director for The Dance Edit podcast, and Digital Content Director for Dance Media Publications. Sh...
Jun 02, 2020•39 min•Ep. 59
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Terry Hyde, a psychotherapist at Counselling for Dancers , where he offers support specifically for dancers dealing with emotional and mental health issues. Terry’s journey into psychotherapy has been extremely unique. Upon retiring from a seasoned dance career, Terry successfully sold two businesses that were linked to the performance industry. Terry went on to pursue an education in psychotherapy and now hosts workshops, Skype sessions, phone, an...
May 26, 2020•43 min•Ep. 58
