Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
Dance for a Violence-Free Future with Giada Matteini Today's guest, Giada Matteini, embodies the belief that artists have the extraordinary ability to shape a world free from violence. As a performer, educator, choreographer, and cultural producer, Giada founded WADE (Wandering Avian Dance Experience), a women-led performing arts company that brings awareness to gender-based violence and offers healing through the transformative power of dance. In this episode of Movers & Shapers, Giada shares a panoramic view of her international dance career, brimming with hope and inspiration for those...
info_outline MSP 172: Mimi GarrardMovers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
The Journey of Creating Dance for Video with Mimi Garrard Video dance work has become increasingly popular as technology has advanced, but not many dancers and choreographers have made it their primary medium of work. Today’s guest, Mimi Garrard, is the exception, having spent most of her extensive career focusing on video dance. In this episode of Movers & Shapers, we hear all about Mimi’s life, what led her to dance, her training under Alwin Nikolais, why she chose video dance, and what she loves about it. We delve into how she combines video and live dancing before Mimi expands on...
info_outline MSP 171: Stefanie NelsonMovers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
Finding Your Artistry Beyond Words with Stefanie Nelson One of the beautiful things about dance is the ability to express yourself without words. You can just dance. Joining Erin on the podcast today is Stefanie Nelson, Founder and Director of Stefanie Nelson Dancegroup (SND), a contemporary dance company based in NYC. Stefanie also established Dance Italia, an international summer dance program in Lucca, Italy. Today, she shares what kickstarted her lifelong love of dance and the influence that Alice Teirstein had on her journey. She also offers insight into her college journey and what it...
info_outline MSP 170: Kathy Dunn HamrickMovers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
Creating a Modern Dance Culture and Community with Kathy Dunn Hamrick Establishing a modern dance company is no easy feat, but today’s guest managed to create a successful organization and build a wonderful modern dance community in Austin, Texas. Today on Movers & Shapers, we welcome Kathy Dunn Hamrick, the Artistic Director of Kathy Dunn Hamrick Dance, to discuss her work and how she helps dance grow in Austin. Kathy found a love for dance at a young age and quickly decided that she needed to dedicate her life to it. In this episode, you’ll hear all about Kathy’s life and career,...
info_outline MSP 169: Julie LembergerMovers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
Enjoying the Art, Expression, and Freedom of Dance with Julie Lemberger Welcome to the latest episode of the Movers and Shapers podcast, where today we're delighted to welcome our guest, Julie Lemberger. Julie is a multifaceted individual — she's had a life as a dancer, dance photographer, and educator. She has dedicated over 15 years to capturing the ephemeral beauty of concert dance. Her lens has encapsulated the essence of New York City's dance scene at the turn of the 21st century. Julie's stunning dance photography has graced the pages of prestigious publications like The New York...
info_outline MSP 168: Betsy MillerMovers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
Being part of the global dance community can be deeply rewarding but it also has the potential to be exceptionally challenging and toxic. Not only are you competing for highly limited resources, but you also need to contend with how your self-worth can become contingent on the opinion of others. Today’s guest, Betsy Miller, has experienced many of the highs and lows familiar to almost any dancer but ultimately counts herself blessed and deeply fortunate to have found genuine places of community within the dance world. Join us as we talk with Betsy about her early love of dance (and...
info_outline MSP: Special Announcement from Erin Carlisle NortonMovers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
Happy Holidays from Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast! Listen to a special announcement from Host and Artistic Director of The Moving Architects, Erin Carlisle Norton. Support this podcast with a tax-deductible donation! Find Show Notes & More: Folow on and
info_outline MSP 167: Jeanne RuddyMovers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
While dance is often underfunded and under-recognized, leaders in the field acknowledge the incredible talent that lives within every dancer, reminding them that they are, in fact, ‘Acrobats of God’. Today’s guest embodies the purpose of the Movers and Shapers: A Dance Podcast; to share insights from those who shape the dance field, and create an archive that preserves rich, personal experiences across generations. During this episode, Jeanne Ruddy shares what it was like to be a member of the Martha Graham Dance Company, and to work with Martha herself. You’ll also hear how she forged...
info_outline MSP 166: Rukhmani MehtaMovers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
Creating a Vision for Kathak with Rukhmani Mehta Today on Movers & Shapers, we are joined by Rukhmani Mehta (previously Rina Mehta). Rukhmani is a choreographer, dancer, educator, Artistic Director of Leela Youth Dance Company, and the Co-Artistic Director of Leela Dance Collective, which brings together leading artists from around the world to advance a collective vision for kathak, a classical North Indian dance. In this episode, Rukhmani speaks about her love for creating community through dance and her deep interest in and curiosity for collaborative projects and processes. What stands...
info_outline MSP 165: Samantha GérachtMovers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
Continuing a Modern Dance Legacy with Samantha Géracht There are many legends in modern dance that are responsible for making the art form what it is today. But how do we continue their legacy? Today we hear from one of the people responsible for continuing the legacy of Anna Sokolow, Samantha Géracht. Samantha is the artistic director at the Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble and in this episode, she tells us all about her incredible career, the multitude of amazing dance practitioners she has learned from and worked with, the difference between a Sokolow dancer and a Sokolow director, the...
info_outlineFierce, Fragile, Empathetic, Political, and Poetic Art with Miguel Gutierrez
Our guest today, Miguel Gutierrez, is irrevocably passionate about making works of art and creates empathetic and irreverent spaces outside of traditional discourse. Our conversation starts with Miguel sharing more about his upbringing as the child of two immigrants, how he came to love the arts and dancing, and what he wanted to be when he grew up. He tells us about his time at Brown, Queer Activism, working with Paula Hunter, and later going full circle back to Brown. He also talks about his epic time in California in the 90s, what it was like to work with Joe Goode and John Jasperse, and what sparked his shift back to New York. This is a jam-packed episode so stay tuned for this candid, introspective, and inspiring interview.
Key Points From This Episode:
· Miguel gives us a short introduction of who he is and where he is from.
· How Miguel came to love dancing.
· What he wanted to be when he grew up.
· What happened when he showed up for school at Brown.
· He shares about his time doing Queer activism.
· He tells us about his time dancing with Paula Hunter.
· What compelled him to go back to Brown and finish his degree.
· He shares his Californian experience in the 90s.
· What sparked the shift back to New York (and why Europe didn’t work out).
· What it was like working with John Jasperse.
· Miguel tells us about his own choreography journey.
· The kinds of day jobs Miguel has had to support himself over the years.
· His experience of when things started to take off, his work, and what life looked like.
· Why he hates when propriety supplants honesty and when professionalism is used to maintain the status quo.
· Projects he is working on now and what life looks like.
“When you are younger, as a dancer, you think that if you aren’t dancing professionally by the age of nothing, you’re never going to make it. It’s like this BS idea of what dance is, and it’s fed to you from when you are little.” — Miguel Gutierrez
Miguel Gutierrez is a choreographer, music artist, writer, visual artist, educator, podcaster, and Feldenkrais Method practitioner based in Lenapehoking/Brooklyn, NY and Tovaangar/Los Angeles. His work creates empathetic and irreverent spaces outside of traditional discourse.
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