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 Elisabeth Motley, an award-winning, Brooklyn-based choreographer, scholar, and teacher, who is using her platform to make dance accessible to all. Motley — who holds a BFA from the Juilliard School and an MFA from Goddard College — has focused her work on neurodivergence, crip theory, and disability as choreographic sites. Elisabeth also currently teaches choreography at a New York City-based university, while pursuing her Ph.D. at a UK-based university.
Elisabeth’s work has garnered vast amounts of praise — her work has won several awards and been featured in numerous dance and arts festivals. Elisabeth has focused her life on harnessing the inherent creativity in disability and bringing it to the stage. And her own story is just as inspiring as her world-changing work. On the podcast, Motley walks through her entire journey of peaks and valleys and helps audiences gain a new way of thinking about disability and the arts.
Moving Quotes:
"The world has been ready to embrace difference for a long time. People are thinking about the beauty of difference, and it's becoming more a part of our cultural discussion."
"First thought, best thought... Trust your instincts. Follow your intuition. Follow your passion and your desire."
"What is the inherent creativity that is a part of adversity? That is a part of challenge? Because it's there. And it's definitely there in the disabled community."
"Being told 'no' is not an invitation to stop.”
"I'm hoping to impart new knowledge into the field of disability studies. I'm hoping to offer new models and procedures for creativity. But I'm not attempting to measure anything, specifically because measurement systems within the medical community can be really damaging for disabled people." "The dance field is not a straight upward trajectory. There are so many ups and downs. It's been helpful to think about how I'm charting my own unique path — my own unique journey."
"I've always believed that there's a meaning behind my experiences... There's been a sense of 'I need to make meaning of this situation' ... There's always been this mantra for me that I need to make my own meaning — to figure out how this is going to help me survive this disability. And integrating challenges and adversity into my life became important as well. How is this a part of who I am, rather than pushing it away."
"I don't like to think about Plan B. But, rather, multiplicity. I asked myself, 'How can I know a lot? How can I get lots of options?'"
"I think internships are really wonderful. Because you build community with people you wouldn't anticipate building community with. Which broadens your career potential, really."
"The dance field is not a straight upward trajectory. There are so many ups and downs. It's been helpful to think about how I'm charting my own unique path — my own unique journey."
Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:
3:21: Elisabeth discusses the PhD that she is pursuing and her research on disability and neurodivergence in dance.
4:55: Elisabeth explains how disability is an enabler of creativity and how her research is offering a new way of thinking about disability in the arts.
9:37: Motley shares her optimism at the broader acceptance of disability and difference in today’s culture and society.
11:38: Motley walks through her dance career and educational choices and shares some advice on finding your own way.
15:51: Elisabeth, whose story is one of resilience, shares her thought process through all her journey’s ups and downs.
21:41: Elisabeth discusses her decisions to pursue different types of degrees and internships and describes the value of diversifying skills.
25:53: Motley explains what she is most proud of.
27:32: Motley gives a sneak peak of some upcoming projects and what’s next in her journey.
28:56: Elisabeth shares some sage advice that she constantly tells her students.
Bullet List of Resources –
Elisabeth Motley