134: Breaking Down the Fourth Wall — Tony Bordonaro & Ingrid Kapteyn
Release Date: 03/09/2022
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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...
info_outline
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 Tony Bordonaro and Ingrid Kapteyn, Co-Artistic Directors at Welcome to Campfire — an experiential dance platform that merges dance and theater to immerse performers and audiences into incredible dystopian settings. Tony and Ingrid first met while performing in Sleep No More NYC in 2013. After a run of the show in Shanghai, the two went on to develop four evening-length immersive dance experiences that have spanned New York City and Shanghai. The company’s name is derived from its first danceplay, titled CAMPFIRE.
Tony and Ingrid are addicted to the thrill of acting on an idea — of feeling an instinct, getting into a room, and putting skin on the bones. After all, their entire dance company started as an idea inspired by the raw reality of Shanghai — a novel idea that took an artform traditionally defined by a stage and dropped it into a nontraditional setting, effectively shattering the mythological “fourth wall.” On the podcast, Tony and Ingrid retell the Welcome to Campfire origin story and hope it inspires others to act on ideas and push the boundaries of traditional storytelling.
Moving Quotes:
"Dancers can wear so many hats. And, as a dancer, when you have an idea, the idea tells you what to do. They key is to show up, go into the room, and do the work of making and dancing and doing. And everything else follows."
"[With Welcome to Campfire], people can expect to have an experience that's up close. An experience that definitely feels like they're an active participant... We invite audience members to be in the world with us. To experience that intimacy, one-on-one."
"With our most recent piece, we've asked, 'Have we bitten off more than we can chew?' And we've just had to trust in the work we were doing. I like to call it 'following charm.' To think, 'This is what feels right. This is what feels good. Let's go in this direction.' And, since COVID, we've learned to constantly redirect if things aren't working."
"When you don't know, you can listen to your body. It will tell you."
"When you're performing is the time in life that you can be the most present. Because you can't think about anything else. You can only do what you're doing."
"Something that happens so often when I see auditions that are successful is that it's the people who are the best at being themselves that travel far… Mindfulness is a tool to use in uncovering what it is that you do that no one else can do.”
"Young dancers especially need to figure out a way to connect and take care of their spirits and their minds, as well as their physical bodies. So that they can deal with all of this craziness that comes with life as an artist."
“Dance has been a ticket to the world.”
Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:
3:16: Tony and Ingrid describe their dance company — Welcome to Campfire — and how their name came to be.
5:32: The two explain how Shanghai served as an inspiration for their first piece that was choreographed inside of a post-apocalyptic, abandoned office building.
7:10: Welcome to Campfire, which started in Shanghai, has since moved back to Manhattan. Tony and Ingrid tell audiences what they can expect from its shows.
10:06: Tony and Ingrid discuss their newest project, Subject.
12:41: The duo each discuss their own individual journeys in dance.
18:19: Tony and Ingrid share some advice on how to stand out during auditions, and Tony gives a peak at his audition-day routine.
22:07: Ingrid explains how her choreography has historically come to life and how acting on ideas is key to making art.
25:38: The two discuss how COVID taught them some valuable lessons about flexibility and creativity.
31:07: Ingrid and Tony elaborate on their definitions of “success” and what a success for Welcome to Campfire would look like in five years.
34:40: Tony and Ingrid give some parting advice for any aspiring dancers who are listening to the podcast.
Bullet List of Resources –
Tony Bordonaro
Ingrid Kapteyn
Welcome to Campfire