In our first episode of Dancer Stories, Jenny and her daughter Abbey share how Abbey got her first ballet contract. Tune in to hear how a meeting about dorm policy violations at a summer intensive turned into an apprenticeship offer with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. After a last-minute decision to attend the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Company Experience, Abbey's unexpected journey underscores the importance of seizing opportunities—you never know where they might lead! Learn more about Pittsburgh B...
Jun 19, 2024•16 min•Season 1Ep. 62
We're talking with Robert Fulton and Camille Kellems, both professional dancers and also RAs at ballet summer intensives. Get ready for a mix of insider info that's helpful for parents as well as hilarious anecdotes as Robert and Camille let us in on what really goes on behind the scenes. From dorm antics to practice mishaps, they’ve seen it all—and they're here to spill the tea. Whether your dancer is gearing up for their first intensive or they've been around the block a few times, you won't w...
Jun 12, 2024•50 min•Season 1Ep. 61
Tune in as we chat with Adam McKinney who has just finished his first year as artistic director of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. Hear about McKinney's own background to learn how it impacted his career as a male ballet dancer and how it informs his leadership at PBT. We also got a sneak peek at McKinney's plans for the coming years, both in terms of programming as well as policies he's putting in place to help improve the lives of company dancers. You can learn more about Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre ...
Jun 05, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 60
Join us as we talk with Alicia Graf Mack, the first person of color and the youngest ever to head the Dance Department at Juilliard. Our conversation covered not only how the program is structured, but also the current state of the job market, what Juilliard dancers do once they graduate as well as the school's cross-over academic program that allows students to take some academic classes at Columbia University. Ms Graf Mack also talked about one of their newer programs tailored for dancers ages...
May 29, 2024•59 min•Season 1Ep. 59
We're joined by Melonie Buchanan Murray, the Director of the School of Dance at the University of Utah. Our conversation covered a variety of areas, including the repertoire the dancers typically perform, admissions standards, the emphasis Ms. Murray puts on mental health awareness, how injuries affect grading and how students can get a BFA in Ballet that includes a teaching emphasis. She also let us in on the joint training program that the University of Utah has with Ballet West! Learn more ab...
May 22, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 1Ep. 58
We're joined by Susan Stowe, Chair of the Department of Dance at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA. Ms. Stowe discusses the various tracks students can follow in the dance department, including degrees in ballet, jazz or modern dance and gives us a sneak peek at their latest initiative. Beginning Fall 2024, Point Park University's dance program in partnership with the School of Education will offer a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Education Certification Pre-K through 12 program. She also discu...
May 15, 2024•55 min•Season 1Ep. 57
Join us as we explore Butler University's Department of Dance, with Larry Attaway, who serves as Chair and Executive Artistic Director. Consistently ranked as one of the top five collegiate ballet programs in the U.S., Mr. Attaway fills us in on its diverse study options—including a dedicated teaching track—as well as the exciting performance opportunities that shape aspiring dancers into professionals. We also discussed the audition process, reviewing what prospective students need to do for co...
May 08, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Season 1Ep. 56
Tune in to our latest episode featuring Phil Chan, co-founder of Final Bow for Yellowface, as we discuss the issue of Orientalism in ballet. Phil talks us through how his organization is actively combating stereotypes and Orientalist tropes within the art form. We also hear how major ballet companies are joining the movement, signing the Final Bow For Yellowface pledge to promote diversity and inclusion on stage. Final Bow For Yellowface Gold Standard Arts Foundation Ballet Help Desk Submit Year...
May 01, 2024•51 min•Season 1Ep. 55
In this episode, we sit down with Tim O'Keefe, Artistic Director of Texas Ballet Theater, for an insightful discussion on the company's repertoire and his approach to artistic direction. We also explore the Texas Ballet Theater Studio Training Company, which offers aspiring dancers a platform to hone their skills. Join us for a candid conversation on the artistry and dedication shaping the Texas Ballet Theater's next generation of dancers. LINKS: Texas Ballet Theater Ballet Help Desk Submit Year...
Apr 24, 2024•48 min•Season 1Ep. 54
Mavis Staines has been described as a visionary dance educator who has revolutionized the way dance is taught, performed, witnessed and shared across Canada and around the world. Over her 30-year tenure as Artistic Director of Canada’s National Ballet School, she has cemented the School’s reputation as the leading champion of programming excellence, access, and inclusion in dance. Join us as we chat with her along with NBS faculty member, Keith Morino, about the school's post-graduate training k...
Apr 17, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 53
Christopher Hird, Director of Education for Sarasota Ballet joins us to discuss post-graduate training programs. Hird brings a wealth of experience and insight to the conversation, having dedicated his career to shaping the next generation of ballet artists. From fostering technical proficiency to encouraging artistic expression, Hird shares the secrets behind cultivating well-rounded dancers who can comfortably move from the studio to the stage. LINKS: Sarasota Ballet School Ballet Help Desk Su...
Apr 10, 2024•57 min•Season 1Ep. 52
Ballet Help Desk sat down with Christopher Ruud, Second Company Manager and Rehearsal Director at Kansas City Ballet. This wide-ranging conversation covered everything from how the post-graduate levels are structured to performance opportunities to how students typically move through the ranks of the school. Chris also touched on the channels through when they recruit students as well as how they help students make that jump to the professional stage. LINKS: Kansas City Ballet School Ballet Help...
Apr 03, 2024•50 min•Season 1Ep. 51
We sat down with Sarah Wroth, Chair of the Department of Ballet at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music, to hear all about IU's ballet program. University ballet programs are becoming an ever more viable means to a professional ballet career and IU is a leader is turning out well-trained and mature, employable dancers. Tune in to hear about the myriad opportunities that exist for IU ballet students including a huge performance schedule, the chance to choreograph on other students and the ...
Mar 27, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 50
Jean-Yves Esquerre, Founder and Director of European School of Ballet , joins us to talk about his classical and contemporary trainee programs, the current state of the job market in Europe and why he thinks some schools need to rethink their post-graduate programs. Be sure to also listen for information on ESB's inaugural summer intensive taking place in Las Vegas July 8-27, 2024. Applications for ESB's summer school are still being accepted. Learn more here: https://schoolofballet.eu/summer-sc...
Mar 20, 2024•1 hr 23 min•Season 1Ep. 49
Join us for a wide ranging chat with Racheal Nye, Director of the Yvonne Chouteau School and Studio Company at Oklahoma City Ballet. Ms. Nye covers everything you wanted to know about their trainee program and second company, including how they recruit, what they look for and what the path into the main company looks like. Ms. Nye also talks about the importance of not only high achievement, but also "high empathy," recognizing that the latter is sometimes in short supply at rigorous training pr...
Mar 13, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 48
Today we are talking with Jennifer Sommers, the Director of the Houston Ballet Academy. Tune in to hear how students can audition to get into the academy, how scholarships work and what traits students need to possess in order to be successful in a residential ballet program. This episode also covers what life is like once dancers arrive for their time at the school. Houston Ballet Academy Ballet Help Desk Submit Year-Round Reviews Support Ballet Help Desk Instagram: @BalletHelpDesk...
Mar 06, 2024•48 min•Season 1Ep. 47
Ballet Help Desk sat down with Lauren Richter, School Principal for the Tulsa Ballet Center For Dance Education to learn more about the school, its trainee program as well as the second company, known as TBII. She talked about how the programs recruit, the performance opportunities available, the best ways to audition and how students can progress through the school and into the main company. Links: Tulsa Ballet Center For Dance Education Ballet Help Desk Submit Year-Round Reviews Support Ballet...
Feb 28, 2024•58 min•Season 1Ep. 46
Ballet Help Desk sat down with Vanessa Léonard, Director of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet's Anna McCowan-Johnson Aspirant Program. She covered not only how the program is structured, but how dancers work with the main company, where dancers get jobs and also how students can audition to join the program. Ms. Léonard also covers the unique challenges that dancers face when trying to dance in a country that isn't their own, especially when it comes to visa issues. Tune in to hear more about this uniqu...
Feb 21, 2024•50 min•Season 1Ep. 45
Peter Stark, President and Director of The Rock School For Dance Education, talks with us about the current state of the job market and what he thinks about the growth of post-graduate ballet programs. He also provides valuable advice for any students who are hitting the audition circuit, including what to look for in a post-graduate program, how to approach auditions and how to stand out from the crowd. Links: The Rock School Ballet Help Desk Submit Year-Round Reviews Support Ballet Help Desk I...
Feb 14, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Season 1Ep. 44
We talked with TaKiyah Wallace-McMillian, founder of Brown Girls Do Ballet, to learn about its evolution from a personal photography project to a major philanthropic force. She discussed the organization's impact on diversity in the arts, highlighting their advocacy work, scholarship and grant programs as well as their and their global mentoring program. Tune to hear more on how Brown Girls Do Ballet is driving the conversation around diversity and getting results. Links: Brown Girls Do Ballet T...
Feb 07, 2024•1 hr 33 min•Season 1Ep. 43
Ballet Help Desk sat down with Maria Torija, Director of the Academy at BalletMet. Tune in to hear all about how the trainee program is structured, how the school recruits and how they work with BalletMet2. Dr. Torija also discusses how the school provides career support for its students as well where trainees and second company dancers ultimately end up. Links: BalletMet Trainees BalletMet2 Ballet Help Desk Submit Year-Round Reviews Support Ballet Help Desk Instagram: @BalletHelpDesk...
Jan 31, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 42
Maria Konrad sat down with Ballet Help Desk to share her experiences working with Nashville Ballet Two's trainees and dancers, preparing them for future ballet careers. Gain insights into the unique blend of training and performance opportunities that shape the dancers' journeys and get the inside scoop on this crucial stage of professional development. Links: Nashville Ballet : https://www.nashvilleballet.com Nashville Ballet 2 : https://www.nashvilleballet.com/nb2 Ballet Help Desk: www.balleth...
Jan 24, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Season 1Ep. 41
We sat down with Alan Hineline, Director of the Pre-Professional Division & Resident Choreographer at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet to get his take on the growing world of post-graduate ballet programs. We asked him why so many programs seem to be popping up, how he helps his students figure out the best fits and the role he sees post-graduate ballet programs playing in the future. For anyone trying to make sense of this new world, this episode is a must-listen! Note that CPYB is current...
Jan 17, 2024•43 min•Season 1Ep. 40
Join us as we chat with former San Francisco Ballet Soloist, Julianne Spratlin. Julianne now runs Dance Training Center, San Francisco a pre-professional ballet program. We discussed the current state of ballet training and how she sees the role post-graduate or "bridge-level" training plays in a dancer's journey. Dance Training Center SF: https://www.dtc-sf.com/
Jan 10, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 39
"Becoming a professional ballet dancer in the United States requires years of training, dedication, and luck. With only a few thousand full-time jobs available, navigating a ballet career can be challenging and filled with uncertainty." These are the words that open the seminal report, the DataPointes Guide, developed by former dancer, Jason Yeung. We sat down with him to discuss how he crunched publicly available data to develop an insightful guide that illustrates which ballet training program...
Jan 03, 2024•42 min•Season 1Ep. 38
We're rereleasing a podcast we aired back in the late spring. Tune in to hear everything you need to know on how your older teens can maximize success at their summer intensive.
Dec 27, 2023•18 min•Season 1Ep. 37
As a close-out to our Summer Intensive Boot Camp, we're releasing an episode that talks about getting ready to send your young dancer off to a ballet summer intensive. Tune in for tips for making the most of your dancer's time away! Summer Intensive Boot Camp: https://ballethelpdesk.com/summer-intensive-bootcamp/
Dec 20, 2023•24 min•Season 1Ep. 36
Tune in for our conversation with Deidre Byrne, Artistic Director of Maryland Youth Ballet. Deidre takes us through how they counsel students on how to choose which summer intensives to audition for and ultimately attend. She looks at it from the perspective of a student at a local school and discusses what they see as the most important things a student should try to get out of a summer intensive. https://www.marylandyouthballet.org/...
Dec 13, 2023•46 min•Season 1Ep. 35
We sat down with Lauren Fadeley-Veyette to discuss how Kansas City Ballet School handles ballet summer intensive auditions. KC Ballet School is part of the National Summer Intensive Audition (NSIA) Tour and part of our conversation covered the pros and cons of the NSIA. We also covered a lot of ground on both in-person and video auditions. Tune in to hear the whole interview! Links: Ballet Help Desk Buy Corrections Journals Support Ballet Help Desk Instagram: @ BalletHelpDesk Facebook: BalletHel...
Dec 06, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 34
Join us as we chat with Kelly Myernick, Rehearsal Director and Principal Teacher for Houston Ballet Academy. Our conversation covered a broad range of topics related to ballet summer intensive auditions, including what she loves to see, what dancers shouldn't do, the pros and cons of submitting video auditions and even what the admission rate to the Houston Ballet Academy Summer Intensive is! Tune in for a great conversation!
Nov 29, 2023•42 min•Season 1Ep. 33
