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_outlineLiz Bayley loves dance and dancers. In fact, on the podcast, she expresses love for both the artists and the artform multiple times. However, in her own career, her love for dance was inhibited by her experience with lingering injuries. Now, Liz is in the business of elevating others’ love for the craft by teaching them to take care of their bodies. On the podcast, Liz discusses her current endeavors and shares some extremely practical advice on how to prime your body to do the hard work of dance.
Moving Quotes:
”What I liked about physical therapy was that it was still helping people. But rather than the mental health, it was the physical health. And as it turns out, there’s lots of psychology in physiotherapy. So my [psychology degree] does really complement my final career choice really beautifully.”
”Dancers are known for being fit and healthy. And, in general, they are compared to the average office worker. But for what they do, they’re probably not as fit as they should be.”
”Dancers must supplement their dance training with cardiovascular work — high intensity training … Try to think more like a sports person. What do they do for their training? They tend to do agility work. High intensity cardiovascular work. Strength training in the gym.”
”There’s a lack of education, generally, around what it takes to really be strong enough to be a performer.”
”One of the best things about working with dancers? I adore the people. They’ve got lovely energy. They’re very empathic and emotional. They tend to be very kind and very funny, which I love.”
”I’m not at all afraid of change. I’ve never worried about making a decision and it potentially being the wrong one. Because I always feel like you can change it.”
Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:
3:19: Liz discusses why she pivoted from a 15 year career in dance into physiotherapy.
5:22: Liz explains what her current career as a physiotherapist looks like, including her run as a physiotherapist on multiple Broadway productions in London.
7:21: Bayley explains why some dancers get injured more often than others.
11:40: Liz shares some advice for dancers on how to better avoid injuries, including some pre-show exercises and practices.
15:40: Bayley explains how dancers can avoid getting bulky through weightlifting.
18:50: Liz discusses how her professional career would be different if she were to do it again, knowing what she knows now.
22:35: Liz describes the importance of mental health in athletes but, specifically, for dancers and performers.
24:45: Bayley explains her rationale behind some key decisions she made as a dancer.
29:16: Bayley looks ahead in her career and discusses her excitement as she moves into more of a teaching role.
31:22: Liz encourages dancers to love what they do even more by taking care of their bodies.
Bullet List of Resources –
Liz Bayley
Liz Bayley Physiotherapy