148: When Dance and Fine Jewelry Intersect — Serge Laurent
5.6.7.EIGHT
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Serge Laurent, Director of Dance and Cultural Programs at Van Cleef & Arpels. Serge is in charge of implementing Dance Reflections, an international program supporting the art of choreography. Laurent's journey began with a classical education at the École de Louvre, specializing in Art History and Archeology. His career took him from being an Associate Curator at the Fondation Cartier to heading Live Performance Programming at the Centre Pompidou in Paris. In this episode, Serge discusses his role at Van Cleef & Arpels, the historical...
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147: Art as Social Justice — Steven Melendez
5.6.7.EIGHT
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Steven Melendez, Artistic Director at the . Steven’s journey with dance began through his current company’s LIFT Program, which teaches dance to homeless or home insecure youth. Steven has since danced as a Soloist and Principal dancer at a collection of ballet companies across three continents. Steven’s story is also explored in the award-winning film LIFT, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2022. Steven’s life was changed because New York Theatre Ballet made the arts more accessible to New York City youth. Now, Steven...
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146: Passion Over Money — Kevin Jenkins
5.6.7.EIGHT
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Kevin Jenkins, Founder and Artistic Director at . Kevin’s choreography, which Dance Magazine has praised as “riveting,” has been featured at dozens of dance companies, including State Street Ballet, SUNY Purchase, and San Diego Dance Theater. He has also served on faculty at Boston Ballet School, Joffrey Ballet School, and several other esteemed institutions. Early in his dance journey, Kevin knew he had a passion for choreography. So he decided to take the plunge — to follow his passion, even if it didn’t “pan out” in the...
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145: Lessons from an Executive Coach — Matz Skoog
5.6.7.EIGHT
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Matz Skoog, executive coach at . Skoog, a Stockholm native, had an accomplished career in dance at several international companies. Following his career in dance, he became a sought-after tutor, which led to a variety of professional appointments, including Artistic Director of the English National Ballet and Royal New Zealand Ballet. Upon his exit from the stage, Matz founded Matz Skoog Coaching, where he helps others achieve their true professional potential. As a dancer and Artistic Director, Matz had a passion for helping others fulfill...
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144: New Experiences Build Character — Jeffrey Cirio
5.6.7.EIGHT
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Jeffrey Cirio, an internationally recognized ballet dancer who is currently dancing as Principal at . Jeffrey also is co-founder and Artistic Director of his own company, Cirio Collective. Jeffrey has danced for American Ballet Theatre and the English National Ballet as Principal and Lead Principal, respectively. Jeffrey holds medals from competitions held across three different continents. His list of accolades is truly remarkable. Jeffrey’s run as a professional dancer began at Boston Ballet. By his own account, he was living a dream and...
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143: On Rejection, Perseverance, and Chasing your Dreams — Kristin Draucker
5.6.7.EIGHT
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Kristin Draucker, a veteran dancer and choreographer who is currently performing with the . As a long-time New York City resident, she has danced with a variety of well-known companies in the area. Draucker began creating original works in 2014 and has shown her choreography both nationally and internationally at various companies and festivals. In 2017, she joined Paul Taylor Dance Company, where she currently performs. Kristin’s story is a compelling tale of obstacles and perseverance. From the start, Kristin’s road into the dance world was...
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142: Find Your “Zone of Genius” — Julianna Rubio Slager
5.6.7.EIGHT
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Julianna Rubio Slager, Artistic Director at . Slager, who is originally from Michigan, studied under many renown global dance experts and teachers. Upon moving to Chicago, Slager had the opportunity to work as a freelance artist, teacher, and choreographer in the Greater Chicago area. Eventually, she co-founded Ballet 5:8 in 2012. Ballet 5:8 just had its 10th anniversary and has grown immensely. It now has a professional company of 20 dancers and a school of over 400 dancers of all ages. Ballet 5:8 also has a touring company that tours 32 weeks...
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141: It’s a Privilege to Lead — Joseph Morrissey
5.6.7.EIGHT
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Joseph Morrissey, Director of Dance at . Prior to this role, he served in a similar role with the Hong Kong Ballet. As a professional dancer, he danced with the Bavarian State Ballet in Munich and the Boston Ballet II. He’s a seasoned choreographer and also has instructed for various dance companies, including the American Ballet Theatre Studio Company. He also currently serves on the juries for the Youth America Grand Prix, the International Baltic Ballet Competition, and the Japan Grand Prix. Joseph’s resume is impressive, but above...
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140: A Balanced Life for Better Dancing — Jess Spinner
5.6.7.EIGHT
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Jess Spinner, entrepreneur and holistic health coach at . Jess holds a bachelor’s degree from Butler University in Dance and Arts Administration. Upon graduation, she danced with the Louisville Ballet and did some professional work as a freelancer in Boston. Now, Jess’s life mission is to support dancers in finding a personal balance in their approach to food and their bodies. As a former professional dancer that struggled with body image issues, Jess knows the physical, mental, and emotional grind of dance. And, now looking back, Jess...
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139: Enjoy Dance More through Self Care — Liz Bayley
5.6.7.EIGHT
This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Liz Bayley, a seasoned professional dancer whose interest in sports injuries birthed a career as a physiotherapist for some of the world’s top shows. Liz was a professional dancer for 15 years, performing all over the world. Liz went on to work as a physiotherapist in the West End on shows such as Hamilton, Wicked, The Wizard of Oz, Singing in the Rain, Shrek, Matilda, and Jersey Boys. Liz holds a master’s degree in physiotherapy from King’s College and, now, serves as the physio for The Lion King. She also owns her own private practice....
info_outlineThis week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Sonja McCord, Chief Executive Officer at The Sonja McCord X. Sonja — who is based in New York City — has had opportunities to perform with a myriad of top dance companies and boasts 15+ years of agency and in-house marketing experience. Now, Sonja combines both careers at her company, where she coaches dancers to amplify their brand, monetize their art, increase visibility, and put their best foot forward from a marketing perspective.
Sonja, whose path to her current destination has been far from linear, is a firm believer in having the right mindset when pursuing goals. And, to Sonja, a key component of pursuing dreams is a willingness to say “yes” to whatever the universe throws at you, all to reach the perfect finish line. On the podcast, Sonja talks about the importance of saying “yes,” while sprinkling in some extremely valuable tips on marketing yourself well, choosing the right field of study, and so much more.
Moving Quotes:
"Saying 'yes' to yourself allows you to really focus 100 percent without guilt and shame. And that mindset shift alone can make or break a dancer."
"I empower my students to go 100 percent. I always ask my students, 'What if you said "yes" to your career and to giving 100 percent to your goals? Where do you think you'd be a year from now?' It's really a lightbulb moment for dancers. It's exciting to see them transform over six weeks, once they allow themselves to say 'yes.'"
"If a casting director or artistic director or choreographer landed on your Instagram page, what information would they need to know about you in order to book you as a dancer?"
"Your Instagram bio is really important. You'd be surprised how many dancers don't put 'dancer' or 'artist' in their bio. When someone comes to your page, they need to know right away what you do and what you're trying to do."
"The thing that I loved the most about dancing was that feeling of being on stage and being free and not having a single bit of fear in my heart. Just being able to go out there and give it my best and shine. I hope I'm able to carry that through for the rest of my life."
"When it comes to dancers, whether you're in class, in auditions, or in rehearsals, the only person you're competing with is yourself. That's getting better and better at your craft. That's being focused. That's being the best version of yourself."
"Visualization comes back to identifying moments in your life that changed the trajectory of your life and seeing how you responded to it."
"When you expand your horizons and start learning other fields, it actually makes you appreciate dance all the more."
Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:
3:31: Sonja describes The Sonja McCord X and its work empowering dancers and building brands.
6:25: Sonja explains the power of saying “yes” — to embracing every opportunity and being willing to truly pursue one’s dreams.
8:01: McCord discusses the role that visualization plays in achieving one’s goals and gives her own definition of visualization.
10:58: McCord describes an upcoming workshop that revolves around building an online brand.
14:02: Sonja, a seasoned marketer, gives a couple of tips for dancers on building a solid online presence and marketing yourself well.
20:29: Sonja, who received a major in finance, explains how she came to choose a degree so seemingly unrelated to her current calling.
22:21: Sonja shares some tips on how dancers should be investing in themselves, both in terms of money and time.
25:17: McCord, who has danced at a variety of high profile dance companies, discusses how each of these companies taught her important career skills.
27:56: McCord shares some valuable lessons that she learned while participating in pageants.
30:19: Sonja gives some advice for any students who are weighing the pros and cons of foregoing university to pursue dance versus studying dance at university.
Bullet List of Resources –
Sonja McCord
The Sonja McCord X