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 interviews Erin Pride, Founder and CEO at Dancepreneur Academy and host of The Dance Boss Podcast. Erin holds a BFA in dance from Montclair State University and a master’s in dance education from New York University. Her company helps dance professionals launch and scale online dance businesses. Erin is also the host of the Dance Boss Podcast, where she gives tips and strategies on building online businesses on a weekly basis.
Erin spends her days coaching others on the ins and outs of business building; however, Erin would be the first to tell you that knowledge minus action equals nothing. Only those entrepreneurs who are willing to act on their learning will flourish. On the podcast, Erin impresses upon listeners the extreme importance of having coaches and mentors but admits that advice can only go so far. Change is reserved for those who take action.
Moving Quotes:
"Just start. If you don't implement, it doesn't matter. We have an expiration date... I don't want to wait for anything because we never know when our time is going to end here on this earth."
"Dancers need an entrepreneurial mindset. And if you don't want to pursue dance, I don't want anyone to feel like they can't stay in the dance community. There are tons of opportunities that can also bring you money."
"The first step in my process is helping my clients understand the value of focusing on one thing. And the second step is helping them identify those old stories and mindset blocks that make them thing they have to do everything at once."
"When it comes to hiring a coach, I truly believe that paying people to support you is important. Money is circular. Once you start giving it out, you'll start receiving it."
"When the pandemic hit, I found that there were two types of people. One, the type of person that had to move online. And two, the type of person that was stuck in the house and realized that there was more that they wanted to do with the gifts that they’d been granted."
"So many times, we get stuck wondering if we're making the 'right choice.' But I have learned, as I reflect on my journey, that every single choice has been a part of the puzzle to get me here. Whether on a small scale or a big scale... So take some pressure off of your shoulders about making the 'right choice.'"
"I was so apprehensive about getting a coach before I got a coach. But once I got a coach, it's something that I'm always going to have in my life. Not only for business strategy, but also for the mindset support."
Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:
2:57: Erin shares information on her business, which coaches dance professionals on establishing their own online businesses.
9:11: Erin shares an important tip on managing money that she learned from personal experience.
11:57: Erin walks through her process in helping others discover the businesses that they want to build and setting up the framework to build those businesses.
15:07: Pride shares some tips on building a unique brand and standing out on social media.
20:30: Pride shares a couple of inspirational success stories of her own clients.
23:43: Erin, who is also a podcast host, describes her podcast and what she finds most challenging and rewarding.
27:23: Erin encourages listeners to not worry about making the “right choice” and to trust that every decision is just setting you up for your ultimate destination.
30:50: Pride describes a dream that she hopes to eventually accomplish in her life.
34:18: Pride discusses what she believes is the entrepreneur’s greatest challenge.
38:20: Erin shares some final advice for anyone looking to achieve a goal.
Bullet List of Resources –
Erin Pride
Dancepreneur Academy
The Dance Boss Podcast