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Welcome to our bonus episode with Merrill Ashley, which is available now on our Patreon page. If you are a member of our Supporter, Ruby or Emerald tier on Patreon, you can listen to this entire episode, as part of your membership. Here on our main feed, we are sharing an excerpt of our interview with Balanchine Ballerina and Repetiteur, Merrill Ashley. If you're not a Patreon member yet, join us over there, for a free month, and enjoy this bonus episode. Click here: https://www.patreon.com/conversationsondance/redeem/2D104 Also as a Patreon member, you get early and ad-free access to other episodes, and we will be having other bonus episodes that you surely won't want to miss over there. So give it a try! Hosts Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden interview former New York City Ballet star principal and Balanchine coach Merrill Ashley about her path from early training, to the School of American Ballet on a Ford Foundation scholarship and joining NYCB at 16. Ashley describes weak early technique, learning step names late, using Pilates to build strength, and being shaped by Balanchine’s precision, Monday classes, and belief that dancers can exceed what they think possible. She recounts first roles and challenges and Balanchine choreographing for her, especially Ballo della Regina, her later guesting in Sleeping Beauty, and her focus on coaching, archiving, and preserving Balanchine tradition through projects like Balanchine Essays and current work. Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement. Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance Website: conversationsondancepod.com Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

ccess upcoming BONUS episodes plus listen ad-free when you join our Patreon page. Membership starts as low as $3 a month and every dollar helps support the future of the podcast. Thank you for your support. https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance Conversations on Dance hosts Michael Sean Breeden and Rebecca King Ferraro interview choreographer Houston Thomas. Houston recounts starting dance in Chicago inspired by Savion Glover, shifting from tap to ballet through Joffrey community classes, then training at the School of American Ballet and joining Dresden Semperoper Ballet, where he danced for 10 years. He describes growing choreographic ambitions through SAB’s workshop and Dresden’s young choreographers program. After winning the Emergence Choreographers Contest, he pursued commissions by widely sharing work, ultimately leaving Dresden as choreography opportunities grew in the U.S. In Winnipeg, he premieres a new, corporate-America reimagining of Firebird aimed at drawing audiences from streaming to live theater. Royal Winnipeg's 'Stravinsky Stories' program runs in Winnipeg October 8 - 11th, 2026. Tickets and more information available here. Listen to Ballet Help Desk wherever you get your podcasts. Click here for more information. Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement. Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance Website: conversationsondancepod.com Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Access upcoming BONUS episodes plus listen ad-free when you join our Patreon page. Membership starts as low as $3 a month and every dollar helps support the future of the podcast. Thank you for your support. https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance Conversations on Dance hosts Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden welcome back Ashley Wheater, Artistic Director of The Joffrey Ballet, to discuss the company’s upcoming tour to Houston (Performing Arts Houston, Oct. 23–24) with Alexander Ekman’s Midsummer Night’s Dream and preparations for the season. He explains Joffrey’s marketing approach, long-range planning and budgeting through 2029, and balancing risk with audience draws like Christopher Wheeldon’s streamlined Sleeping Beauty. Wheater details Ekman’s Swedish Midsummer concept, hay-covered stage, surreal dinner party structure, and commissioned music featuring singer Anna von Hausswolff, and reflects on 20 years building Joffrey’s artistic identity, finances, community ties, and dancer wellness support. If you are in the Houston area, don't miss the Joffrey Ballet at Performing Arts Houston. Tickets available here. Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement. Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance Website: conversationsondancepod.com Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to our first Bonus episode of Conversations on Dance, which is available now on our Patreon page. If you are a member of our Ruby or Emerald tier on Patreon, you can listen to this entire episode, as part of your membership. Here on our main feed, we are sharing an excerpt of our interview with choreographer William Forsythe. If you're not a Patreon member yet, join us over there, for a free month, and enjoy this bonus episode. Click here: https://www.patreon.com/conversationsondance/redeem/2D104 Also as a Patreon member, you get early and ad-free access to other episodes, and we will be having other bonus episodes that you surely won't want to miss over there. So give it a try! Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement. Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance Website: conversationsondancepod.com Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Access upcoming BONUS episodes plus listen ad-free when you join our Patreon page. Membership starts as low as $3 a month and every dollar helps support the future of the podcast. Thank you for your support. https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance Today on Conversations on Dance, hosts Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden welcome choreographer Alysa Pires, who's new work for New York City Ballet will be premiering October 1 as a part of NYCB's fashion gala. Alysa who shares how she gravitated to dance as a child, discovered contemporary dance in high school, and began choreographing early. She discusses mentorship at Toronto Metropolitan University and explains her creative process: coming into ballet settings highly prepared with music charts and organizational planning while developing steps collaboratively in the studio. Byers describes managing imposter syndrome, the people-focused side of choreographing, and a career turning point when the National Ballet of Canada opened its choreographic workshop to outside artists, leading to bigger opportunities. She previews her second NYCB commission, inspired by motherhood, protection, and sacrifice. Tickets and more information: https://www.nycballet.com/season-and-tickets/fall-2026/fall-fashion-gala 00:00 Support on Patreon 00:40 Meet the Hosts 01:29 Early Dance Roots 03:14 Finding Contemporary Path 06:34 Choreography Takes Hold 09:28 Mentors and Ballet Return 11:46 Prepping a New Work 14:25 Music Charts and Logistics 18:57 Discovery in the Studio 20:55 Leading the Room 24:37 Breakthrough Commissions 28:53 City Ballet Nerves 30:10 Family Sacrifice Balance 31:48 Who Gets Choreography 36:06 Second Commission Process 37:49 Casting For Collaboration 43:59 NYCB commission Inspiration 48:19 Fashion And Motherhood 53:51 Title And Bird Imagery 55:49 Premiere Dates And Runs 56:57 Thanks And Credits Interested in signing up? Enjoy one month access to our Patreon for free: CLICK HERE. Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement. Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance Website: conversationsondancepod.com Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Access upcoming BONUS episodes plus listen ad-free when you join our Patreon page. Membership starts as low as $3 a month and every dollar helps support the future of the podcast. Thank you for your support. https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance Hosts Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden welcome American Ballet Theatre principal dancer James Whiteside, who announces he will retire from the ABT stage on June 30, 2027, dancing Giselle with Isabella Boylston at the Metropolitan Opera House. Whiteside explains the decision felt simple after 25 professional years, post-COVID recovery and a knee injury, and seeing peers retire, while emphasizing he values new colleagues and feels his body is ready. He reflects on industry changes, his growth as a dancer, and his early social media trailblazing that supported queerness in ballet and created income beyond the company, though he’s largely stepping away from being an influencer. He discusses future plans in choreography and writing, including a new Indiana University work inspired by George Platt Lynes and Debussy titled Stone Blossom, upcoming premieres, a restaging of City of Women, and his ABT fall performances including Ballet Imperial, Petal, and Petite Mort, plus final California Nutcracker shows. Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement. Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance Website: conversationsondancepod.com Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Access upcoming BONUS episodes plus listen ad-free when you join our Patreon page. Membership starts as low as $3 a month and every dollar helps support the future of the podcast. Thank you for your support. https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance Interested in signing up? Enjoy one month access to our Patreon for free: CLICK HERE. Conversations on Dance: Patreon Updates, Vail Highlights, and Michael’s First Balanchine Staging Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden discuss a format shift for Conversations on Dance, encouraging listeners to support the podcast via Patreon to help sustain production while keeping three free episodes per month and the full back catalog free. They outline tiers—Emerald ($3, ad-free episodes), Ruby ($8, ad-free plus one monthly bonus episode), and Diamond ($15, same as Ruby)—and offer a free one-month trial link in the show notes. They recap their 10th year at the Vail Dance Festival, highlighting guests including Alexei Ratmansky, Caroline Shaw, Hermán Cornejo, and an episode with four pianists. Michael shares staging his first Balanchine ballet, Allegro Brillante, at Nashville Ballet, and previews upcoming work at Indiana University, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and Hamburg Ballet. They also share details on Miami City Ballet’s Young Patron Society (ages 26–45) and its upcoming events. 00:00 Iconic Guests Teaser 01:01 Patreon Format Change 02:00 Tiers and Bonus Episodes 04:06 Why Support Matters 05:34 Social Media and New Listeners 08:05 Vail Festival Highlights 11:21 Interviewing Without Cards 13:31 Staging Balanchine Debut 17:39 Working With Familiar Dancers 25:18 Upcoming Projects Tour 27:12 Jeanette Delgado Appreciation 31:03 Miami City Ballet Young Patrons 34:12 Final Patreon Reminder 35:05 Show Credits and Outro Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement. Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance Website: conversationsondancepod.com Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode was recorded live from the Vail Dance Festival on August 9th, 2026. Enjoy one month of Conversations on Dance on Patreon for free! Redeem here. In the final episode of our Vail Dance Festival series, Michael Sean Breeden is joined by guest co-host Kate Penner for a rare conversation with the festival's pianists: Michael Scales, Derek Wang, Tony Yun, Joel Wenhardt. Together they pull back the curtain on what most audiences never see: the musicians who make dance possible. They talk about how each of them found music in the first place, what it's actually like to collaborate with choreographers and dancers in the room, the tiny details that can make or break a piece, and some of their favorite moments from years of playing at Vail. Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement. Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance Website: conversationsondancepod.com Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Enjoy one month of Conversations on Dance on Patreon for free! Redeem here. This episode was recorded live from the Vail Dance Festival on August 9th, 2026. In this early-morning session from the final day of the festival, Michael Sean Breeden is joined by guest co-host Kate Penner (Rebecca had already headed home for her son's first day of school) for a conversation with four dancers who represent very different paths into the profession: Savannah Green (BalletX), Kayla Mak (ABT), Brooks Landegger (ABT), and Philip Duclos (Royal Danish Ballet). They talk about how differently each of their careers began, the moment each of them was "thrown in the deep end" at Vail, how they mentally and physically prepare for a performance, and what it's like bringing what they learn at the festival back to their home companies. Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement. Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance Website: conversationsondancepod.com Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Watch NOW: PREMIERES from the 2026 Vail Dance Festival here: https://www.youtube.com/live/IWR7IJTIUjM?si=Hew1Dst2yyijlh9k. Enjoy one month of Conversations on Dance on Patreon for free! Redeem here. Join Conversations on Dance hosts Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden for a live podcast recording exploring the special and unique process of preparing today’s generation of dancers for the world stages. In this special conversation, four of today’s passionate leading dance educators gather to discuss how they cultivate tomorrow’s stars and what it means to pass artistry from one generation to the next. The panel includes Nikolaj Hubbe, former Artistic Director of the Royal Danish Ballet and former New York City Ballet principal; Margaret Tracey, Artistic Director of Canada’s National Ballet School and former New York City Ballet principal; Carla Korbes, former Pacific Northwest Ballet principal and now ballet chair at Juilliard; and Melissa Toogood, Bessie Award-winning dancer and Dean of Juilliard’s Dance Division. Together, they bring decades of combined artistic and teaching experience to a conversation about craft, education, and a love of dance. Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement. Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance Website: conversationsondancepod.com Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Enjoy one month of free access to Conversations on Dance on Patreon and listen ad-free. Click here to redeem. Join Conversations on Dance hosts Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden for a live podcast recording with this summer’s Artist-in-Residence, Alexei Ratmansky. Ratmansky is widely regarded as one of the most important ballet choreographers of his generation, creating celebrated works for companies around the world and currently serves as Artist-in-Residence at New York City Ballet. This summer he brings that singular creative force to Vail, where he will create new work as part of the 2026 festival. Hear Ratmansky reflect on his creative process, his vision for new work, and what it means to bring his artistry to the mountains of Colorado during Artistic Director Damian Woetzel’s landmark 20th year at the helm. Stay tuned for more episodes coming from the Vail Dance Festival 2026. Conversations on Dance at the Vail Dance Festival is generously underwritten by The Town of Vail. Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement. Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance Website: conversationsondancepod.com Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Enjoy one month of free access to Conversations on Dance on Patreon and listen ad-free. Click here to redeem. Join Conversations on Dance hosts Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden for a live podcast recording with one of ballet’s most exciting rising stars: Ryan Tomash, newly promoted Principal Dancer at New York City Ballet. Born in Toronto and trained at Canada’s National Ballet School, Tomash spent eight formative years with the Royal Danish Ballet before joining NYCB for the 2025-26 season. Tomash made his American debut right here at the Vail Dance Festival in 2025. Hear him reflect on that journey, from Copenhagen to New York, and back to Vail, and what’s ahead. Stay tuned for more episodes coming from the Vail Dance Festival 2026. Conversations on Dance at the Vail Dance Festival is generously underwritten by The Town of Vail. Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement. Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance Website: conversationsondancepod.com Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Enjoy one month of free access to Conversations on Dance on Patreon and listen ad-free. Click here to redeem. Join Conversations on Dance hosts Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden for a special live podcast recording celebrating a remarkable milestone: the 10th year of Pulitzer Prize and Grammy Award-winning composer and performer Caroline Shaw as the festival’s Leonard Bernstein Composer-in-Residence. Shaw, the youngest-ever winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Music, has been a defining creative voice at Vail for a decade: composing and collaborating across genres, disciplines, and artists in ways that have transformed what’s possible on a summer stage. In this conversation, she reflects on ten years of pushing music and dance into new territory, what keeps drawing her back to the mountains of Colorado, and what is next for her. Stay tuned for more episodes coming from the Vail Dance Festival 2026. Conversations on Dance at the Vail Dance Festival is generously underwritten by The Town of Vail. Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement. Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance Website: conversationsondancepod.com Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Enjoy one month of free access to Conversations on Dance on Patreon and listen ad-free. Click here to redeem. Join Conversations on Dance hosts Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden for a live podcast recording with Three of Vail’s most beloved returning artists: Lauren Lovette, Unity Phelan and Robbie Fairchild. Fairchild, a former NYCB Principal Dancer, became a Tony-nominated Broadway star originating the role of Jerry Mulligan in An American in Paris before going on to film, acting, and an ever-evolving performance life. Lovette, also a former NYCB principal, continues to grace the stage and is currently serving as Resident Choreographer of the Paul Taylor Dance Company and earning commissions from ABT, Vail, and beyond. Unity Phelan continues her extraordinary career as a principal dancer with New York City Ballet and international guest artist! Stay tuned for more episodes coming from the Vail Dance Festival 2026. Conversations on Dance at the Vail Dance Festival is generously underwritten by The Town of Vail. Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement. Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance Website: conversationsondancepod.com Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Enjoy one month of free access to Conversations on Dance on Patreon and listen ad-free. Click here to redeem. Join Conversations on Dance hosts Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden for a live podcast recording with tap visionary and MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient Michelle Dorrance and artists from Trinity Irish Dance Company, the Chicago-based ensemble that has spent 35 years pioneering a genre-defying fusion of Irish step dance, tap, and contemporary movement. Dorrance and Trinity share a deep creative history, with Dorrance having choreographed multiple works for the company that push the boundaries of what percussive dance can be. Hear how this extraordinary collaboration was born, what it’s like to work across two distinct movement traditions, and what Dorrance is creating this summer at Vail. Stay tuned for more episodes coming from the Vail Dance Festival 2026. Conversations on Dance at the Vail Dance Festival is generously underwritten by The Town of Vail. Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement. Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance Website: conversationsondancepod.com Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.