Conversations on Dance

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Today, on "Conversations on Dance", we talk with Ken Browar and Deborah Ory, the minds (and cameras) behind NYC Dance Project. We talk with Ken and Deborah about their book, Martha Graham Dance Company, 100 years, and how their backgrounds in dance and editorial fashion shaped their approach. They explain how early dancer sessions evolved into a slow, highly collaborative process focused on a few images that suggest continuing movement rather than freezing it. For the Graham centennial, they installed a studio setup at the company for three years, photographed 25 works from largely current repertory, combined studio and location shoots, used historical research and images as references. The resulting book, Martha Graham Dance Company, 100 Years" is available for purchase here.

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro
01:24 Deborah Dance to Camera
02:28 Ken Fashion Roots
03:55 First Dancers and Launch
05:50 Instagram and Early Growth
06:18 Fashion Meets Dance Craft
08:48 Shooting Movement Not Freeze
10:41 Slow Shoots and Safe Space
14:04 Dancer Perfection and Control
15:21 Graham Company Shift
17:17 Why the Centennial Book
18:31 Building the Studio Setup
19:30 Building the Book Archive
19:46 Choosing 25 Iconic Works
21:15 Studio Shoots and Coaching
22:05 Editing and Page Sequencing
23:07 Outdoor Locations Strategy
24:15 Researching Graham Repertory
25:52 No Reshoots and Costume Logistics
26:26 Group Shots and Precision
28:45 Costumes and Fabric Movement
31:47 Where to Buy and Signed Copies
33:10 Future Projects and Farewell
LINKS:

Website: conversationsondancepod.com

Instagram: @conversationsondance

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Today on the Conversations on Dance podcast, we talk with former New York City Ballet dancer and Balanchine répétiteur Deborah Wingert about her early training at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet, where rigorous daily classes, musical and artistic context, and early teaching responsibilities shaped her discipline and curiosity. Wingert recounts being accepted to the School of American Ballet, performing key workshop roles, and joining NYCB at 16, including formative experiences and personal coaching from George Balanchine before his death in 1983. She describes thriving as a detail-oriented “sponge,” navigating later casting and body-image pressures, and building a wide repertory across Balanchine and Robbins works. After leaving NYCB, she began teaching privately and at multiple New York schools, then expanded into staging Balanchine works around the world.

00:00 Meet The Hosts
00:11 Debra Wingert Overview
01:35 First Ballet Spark
04:16 CPYB Magic And Context
06:31 Rigor And Early Teaching
14:24 SAB Audition And Move
16:50 Workshop Breakthrough Roles
18:57 Joining NYCB At Sixteen
25:10 Balanchine Coaching Moments
27:21 Life After Balanchine
28:19 Other SAB Teachers
33:22 Body Image And Confidence
35:09 Backstage Ballet Devotion
35:34 Staying in the Company
36:39 Outside Projects and Robbins
38:07 Leaving NYCB and Starting to Teach
40:55 Outreach and Repertory Staging
43:10 Learning to Stage New Works
45:33 Musicality and Version Options
51:18 Keeping Patterns and Details Alive
55:56 Dream Ballets and Future Stagings
01:04:06 Closing Thanks and Signoff

LINKS:

Website: conversationsondancepod.com

Instagram: @conversationsondance

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Stanton Welch and Julie Kent join the Conversations on Dance podcast this week and reflect on nearly three years leading Houston Ballet, praising the dancers’ versatility, focus, and the engaged Houston community, and describing the value of sharing leadership. They discuss how the company’s identity is shaped by having a prolific choreographer as artistic director in Stanton and what they look for in dancers. Looking ahead, they highlight a variety of works still to come this season including Welch’s new 12-minute piece to Mason Bates featuring electronics and live percussion, and they outline how Welch’s Giselle differs musically and dramatically, with expanded characters and staging, while Kent coaches intention and relationships.

For more information on performances still to come this season, visit houstonballet.org.

Houston Ballet 25/27 Season announced here: https://www.houstonballet.org/seasontickets/2026-2027-season-announced/

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TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 Welcome Back Catch Up
02:14 Partnership Leading Together
03:01 Studio Time And Support
04:21 Choreographic Hub Culture
07:54 Auditions Finding Versatility
13:35 Season Variety Story Ballets
18:44 Programming And Identity
21:39 New Work Alice Topp
25:43 Staging Hazards and Effects
25:57 Avatar as Ballet Pitch
26:22 More Dancers on Stage
27:17 New Work Mason Bates
29:08 Reimagining Giselle
31:32 Coaching Story Over Steps
34:39 Technique vs Artistry Debate
38:12 Season Highlights Dances
39:50 Rehearsal Timing and Stamina
41:21 Next Season Tease and Farewell
LINKS:

Website: conversationsondancepod.com

Instagram: @conversationsondance

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On today's episode of "Conversations On Dance" we are joined by dance writer Marina Harss. Marina tells us about her recent excursions to Vienna and Copenhagen, where she traveled to document some of the most exciting new dynamics in European dance companies, including a renewed focus on Copenhagen's genius choreographer Bournonville, new directors in the Royal Danish Ballet and the Vienna State Ballet, and buzzy new Ratmansky productions in both companies. Marina wrote on these experiences in the New York Times and the New York Review Of Books. Both articles are available online today.

Alexei Ratmansky’s Leap of Faith - By Marina Harss for The New York Review

For Royal Danish Ballet, It’s Back to Bournonville - By Marina Harss for the New York Times
At City Ballet, Alexei Ratmansky’s Morality Tale Is Wrapped in Farce - By Marina Harss for the New York Times
Get Marina's book on Ratmansky: The Boy from Kyiv: Alexei Ratmansky's Life in Ballet

Sneak Peek of Ratmansky's newest work for Miami City Ballet, mentioned in this episode.

Listen to Conversations on Dance ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance

LINKS:

Website: conversationsondancepod.com

Instagram: @conversationsondance

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On today's episode of "Conversations On Dance" we are joined by choreographer Robert Battle. Robert tells us about how he started a company to push his own choreographic work, what it was like to become the third director in the history of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and how he's just begun to explore his recent post as resident choreographer of Paul Taylor Dance Company. To see Robert's latest work for Paul Taylor on tour visit paultaylordance.org/performances.

Listen to Conversations on Dance ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance
LINKS:

Website: conversationsondancepod.com

Instagram: @conversationsondance

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Sponsorship information
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.