Encore: #NoThirds Mailbag with Fran Veyette (Extended Episode)
Ballet Help Desk
Listeners asked, and Fran Veyette answers! We're bringing back this fan-favorite #NoThirds "Fran's Mailbag" episode, now combined into one extended conversation. Fran breaks down how casting really works, whether principals dance less, what happens when dancers date (and break up), the truth about dogs in the studio, how respect and awareness shape auditions, why community matters, and what young dancers should know about contracts and career readiness. We've combined Parts 1 and 2 into one LONG episode, so settle in for the full Fran experience. Interested in working with Fran at Veyette...
info_outline
CiCi Houston Sudholt on Saint Louis Ballet's Career Pipeline
Ballet Help Desk
CiCi Houston-Sudholt, Rehearsal Director at Saint Louis Ballet, discusses the organization's unique approach to dance education that puts students at the center. From integrating all levels of training to tailoring performance opportunities based on individual goals, Saint Louis Ballet adapts to each dancer's needs and aspirations. In this conversation, CiCi explains the structure of the trainee program and how it prepares dancers for professional careers. We discuss what makes Saint Louis Ballet's second company unique: dancers are part of AGMA and receive full union protections, which sets...
info_outline
We Asked, You Answered: Survey Results and What's Changing
Ballet Help Desk
We asked you to tell us what you love about the Ballet Help Desk Podcast, what needs to improve, and what topics you want us to cover. And you delivered honest, thoughtful, sometimes tough feedback. In this episode, we share what you told us: what's working (our honest questioning, insider information, and ballet parent perspective), what we're fixing immediately (audio quality, ad transitions, and tighter editing), and what topics you want more of (younger dancers, international training, and financial transparency). We're also introducing new formats like Q&A episodes and expanding...
info_outline
Dancer Story: Jayda Hazelett on the College Route to Pro Dancer
Ballet Help Desk
Jayda Hazelett didn't follow the traditional pre-professional boarding school path to a ballet company. The grew up in Fort Wayne, Indiana, trained locally at Project Ballet, attended summer intensives, and chose to pursue college at I before entering the professional world. In this Dancer Story, Jayda shares why she chose to stay home for training, how summer intensives supplemented her education, and what the college ballet experience gave her. We also discuss the challenges of pursuing a professional career, the importance of mentorship, pivotal moments that shaped her path, mental...
info_outline
Paulo Arrais on Ballet Training That Honors the Whole Dancer
Ballet Help Desk
What does it mean to train dancers without "training them out of being natural"? For , founder of in Boston, that question shaped his entire approach to teaching. A former principal dancer with Boston Ballet, Paulo saw gaps in traditional ballet training: rigidity over artistry, pressure over presence. He decided to build a school that addressed them. In this episode, he walks us through his journey from student to performer to educator, the core values that define his school, and how he helps students navigate everything from technical growth to postgraduate ballet training decisions. We...
info_outline
Joshua Beamish & Crystal Costa: Ballet Vancouver
Ballet Help Desk
Joshua Beamish and Crystal Costa are building something new in the ballet world. is launching as a fresh company with a unique vision, and in this episode, they share the story of how it all came together. Joshua talks about starting his first company at just 17 years old and the 20-year journey that led him here. Crystal shares how she got involved and her work helping dancers understand the realities of a professional career through her workshop, . We cover their personal dance journeys, the hardest parts of their training, and the fork-in-the-road moments that shaped their paths. They...
info_outline
Peter Stark on the State of the Ballet Job Market: A Rerelease
Ballet Help Desk
We're rereleasing one of Ballet Help Desk's most popular episodes! Peter Stark from The Rock School discusses the ballet job market, choosing post-graduate ballet programs, and audition strategies for pre-professional dancers. Learn how to approach ballet auditions, what trainee programs look for, and how to stand out as you transition from ballet student to professional dancer. Links: Instagram: @ Facebook: TikTok: Music from #Uppbeat: License code: MGAW5PAHYEYDQZCI
info_outline
Jenny's Favorite Episode - Abbey's 1st Contract
Ballet Help Desk
A rerelease: In our first episode of Dancer Stories, Jenny and her daughter Abbey share how Abbey got her first ballet contract. Tune in to hear how a meeting about dorm policy violations at a summer intensive turned into an apprenticeship offer with Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. After a last-minute decision to attend the Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre Company Experience, Abbey's unexpected journey underscores the importance of seizing opportunities—you never know where they might lead! Learn more about Pittsburgh Ballet Theater on their . Interested in following Abbey's career? You can find...
info_outline
Raymond Rodriguez on Pittsburgh Ballet's Company Experience
Ballet Help Desk
Raymond Rodriguez, Dean of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre School, breaks down their Company Experience program and why they created it. Unlike traditional summer intensives, the Company Experience simulates professional dancer life through repertoire-heavy training and direct interaction with Pittsburgh Ballet's artistic staff. Raymond explains what a typical day looks like, the types of choreography students work on, and who mentors participants throughout the program. The conversation covers how the program helps dancers understand company realities, what discussions happen around professional...
info_outline
How Philadelphia Ballet Does Summer: Three Unique Programs
Ballet Help Desk
Davit Karapetyan and Laura Bowman Goldstein from Philadelphia Ballet break down three focused summer programs designed for dancers considering specialized training: the Pas de Deux Intensive, Variations Intensive, and Company Experience. They start with partnering, an essential skill that many students cannot get in their local schools. Davit and Laura talk about how much partnering really matters in today’s job market, what experience dancers need going in, and how this intensive tackles the challenges students struggle with most. Next, they dive into the Variations Intensive, where dancers...
info_outlineJoshua Beamish and Crystal Costa are building something new in the ballet world. Ballet Vancouver is launching as a fresh company with a unique vision, and in this episode, they share the story of how it all came together.
Joshua talks about starting his first company at just 17 years old and the 20-year journey that led him here. Crystal shares how she got involved and her work helping dancers understand the realities of a professional career through her workshop, Dance as a Profession.
We cover their personal dance journeys, the hardest parts of their training, and the fork-in-the-road moments that shaped their paths. They also open up about what they'd change about ballet training if they could, and things they wish all ballet students knew about pursuing this career.
Looking ahead, Joshua and Crystal reveal what will make Ballet Vancouver different from other companies, their plans for a summer intensive in 2026 and what they're looking for when hiring dancers. They also discuss their innovative structure combining guest artists, guest companies, and local performers and explain how they're funding this ambitious new venture.
If you're curious about what it takes to start a ballet company from scratch, or you're a dancer wondering what artistic directors look for, this conversation offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at building the future of ballet.
- Read Our Ballet School Summer & Year-Round Reviews
- Buy Corrections Journals
- Support Ballet Help Desk
- Instagram: @BalletHelpDesk
- Facebook: BalletHelpDesk
- TikTok: @BalletHelpDesk
Music from #Uppbeat:
https://uppbeat.io/t/ian-
License code: MGAW5PAHYEYDQZCI