MSP 180: Tristan Ching Hartmann
Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
Crafting a Fulfilling Life In Dance with Tristan Ching Hartmann What does it take to craft a fulfilling life in dance? For Tristan Ching Hartmann, it’s a blend of resilience, curiosity, community, and an unshakable love for movement. From her shy beginnings in Ventura, California, to performing with the Margaret Jenkins Dance Company in San Francisco, Tristan’s journey has been anything but conventional. She reflects on transformative moments, including commuting long hours for ballet classes, finding her artistic home with Robert Moses’ Kin, and reinventing herself as a jazz dancer...
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MSP 179: Durham
Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
The Durham Dance & Arts Community with Anna Barker, Jessi Knight, Kristin Taylor Duncan, and Stacy Wolfson Durham, North Carolina, is a mid-sized city known for its vibrant mix of innovation, collaboration, and creativity. Frequently ranked as one of the best places to live in the US, it boasts a thriving arts, culture, and culinary scene. With a strong sense of community, Durham takes pride in its commitment to inclusivity and diversity. In this episode, we shine a spotlight on four inspiring Durham-based dance artists: Anna Barker, Jessi Knight, Kristin Taylor Duncan, and Stacy Wolfson....
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MSP 178: Alice Gosti
Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
This season we focus on interviews and discussions with vibrant artists from cities across the United States. Today - Alice Gosti in Seattle, WA. Beyond the Stage: Alice Gosti on Time, Space, and Identity What does it mean to create art that exists both within and beyond time and place? In this episode, we step into the world of Alice Gosti, an Italian-born, Seattle-based dance artist known for pushing the boundaries of performance. She is also a key collaborator of MALACARNE, an experimental dance and performance ensemble dedicated to co-creating transformative rituals that challenge limiting...
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MSP 177: Pittsburgh
Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
Welcome to another episode of Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast! You’re in for a very exciting treat as we venture into interviewing dance professionals from across the USA. Today we are talking with four dance figures from Pittsburgh, PA about their careers and the dance culture in their city. Tuning in, you’ll hear all about our incredible guests, Shana Simmons, Peter Kope, Alan Obuzor, and Brittany Nettles’ careers, how they have navigated the dance scene in Pittsburgh, what resources have helped them, and so much more! We delve into how dance fits into Pittsburgh’s culture...
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MSP 176: Clare Cook
Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
We are back! This season we will focus on interviews and discussions with vibrant artists from cities across the United States. Up first - Clare Cook in Lafayette, Louisiana. Clare is the Founder and Creative Director of Basin Arts, a non-profit arts incubator dedicated to helping Louisiana artists develop sustainable creative practices. Basin Arts aims to expand access to professional contemporary arts experiences while fostering genuine connections between artists and the broader community. In our interview, we explore how dance was positively cultivated in different spaces throughout her...
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MSP: Special June Announcement from Erin Carlisle Norton
Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
A special announcement from host and Artistic Director of , Erin Carlisle Norton. Support this one-of-a-kind inspiring podcast with a tax-deductible donation! Movers & Shapers has been podcasting interviews with those who shape the dance field since 2015. Connect with our archive of 175 interviews: Follow on and for the latest!
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MSP 175: Rachel Damon
Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
When Decisions are Commitments with Rachel Damon Joining us today is Rachel Damon, a choreographer, theatrical designer, performer, and co-founder and artistic director of Synapse Arts, a Chicago-based dance theater company. Rachel's self-made career is a testament to her multidisciplinary talents, blending onstage and backstage roles to create dynamic performance works through collaboration, improvisation, and teamwork. In this episode, Rachel shares her remarkable journey from lovable weirdo at musical theatre summer camp to internationally-renowned production stage manager and performer who...
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MSP 174: Sydney Skybetter
Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
The Deeper Meaning of Dance, Dance and Emerging Technology, and Navigating an Economy that Exploits Dancers with Sydney Skybetter Creating a successful career as a dancer in a world where there are few opportunities to thrive is particularly challenging. However, today’s guest has created a fascinating career for himself in the world of academia, research, and even dancing robots! Sydney Skybetter joins us today to discuss his life as a dancer, dance educator, and entrepreneur. In this conversation, you’ll hear all about how Sydney was introduced to dance, the beauty in the chosen family...
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MSP 173: Giada Matteini
Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
Dance for a Violence-Free Future with Giada Matteini Today's guest, Giada Matteini, embodies the belief that artists have the extraordinary ability to shape a world free from violence. As a performer, educator, choreographer, and cultural producer, Giada founded WADE (Wandering Avian Dance Experience), a women-led performing arts company that brings awareness to gender-based violence and offers healing through the transformative power of dance. In this episode of Movers & Shapers, Giada shares a panoramic view of her international dance career, brimming with hope and inspiration for those...
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MSP 172: Mimi Garrard
Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
The Journey of Creating Dance for Video with Mimi Garrard Video dance work has become increasingly popular as technology has advanced, but not many dancers and choreographers have made it their primary medium of work. Today’s guest, Mimi Garrard, is the exception, having spent most of her extensive career focusing on video dance. In this episode of Movers & Shapers, we hear all about Mimi’s life, what led her to dance, her training under Alwin Nikolais, why she chose video dance, and what she loves about it. We delve into how she combines video and live dancing before Mimi expands on...
info_outlineThe Durham Dance & Arts Community with Anna Barker, Jessi Knight, Kristin Taylor Duncan, and Stacy Wolfson
Durham, North Carolina, is a mid-sized city known for its vibrant mix of innovation, collaboration, and creativity. Frequently ranked as one of the best places to live in the US, it boasts a thriving arts, culture, and culinary scene. With a strong sense of community, Durham takes pride in its commitment to inclusivity and diversity. In this episode, we shine a spotlight on four inspiring Durham-based dance artists: Anna Barker, Jessi Knight, Kristin Taylor Duncan, and Stacy Wolfson. Resourceful and deeply passionate, these dancers not only support one another but also fully embrace the creative freedom they've found in Durham, along with its unique joys and challenges. Our conversation explores the journeys that brought each artist to Durham and how the city has influenced their work. They share insights into its geography and connections to the Triangle and Triad regions, discussing how these factors shape their artistic processes. The discussion also tackles the challenges of building a dance community and reflects on its role within the local arts landscape. Looking ahead, the artists articulate their visions for the future of their community, the changes they hope to see, and what makes their dance lives in this city so deeply meaningful. Don’t miss this heartfelt and inspiring exploration of creativity, connection, and community. Tune in today!
Key Points From This Episode:
· An introduction to today’s topic and each of our special guests.
· What drew these artists to Durham and how it has influenced their artistic journeys.
· Insight into the geography of Durham; the Triangle and Triad.
· How dance artists navigate the various challenges of making work in Durham.
· Where in the community artists can come together in Durham or its surroundings.
· Reflections on where dance fits into Durham's art landscape and why.
· A breakdown of the different changes or developments they’d like to see in the dance community and how they envision their contributions to it.
· What is special to Kristin, Jessi, Anna, and Stacy about their dance life in Durham.
Podcast Guests:
Anna Barker is a choreographer, mover and Pilates instructor based in Durham NC.
Jessi Knight is a dancer, teacher, and choreographer from NC who has evolved and reinvented herself many times over the years through grace and art making and with her tribe.
Kristin Taylor Duncan is a dancer, choreographer and dance educator from Durham, North Carolina, producing dance works for film, stage and alternative space.
Stacy Wolfson (Artistic Director of The Bipeds Dance Theatre) is a choreographer, dancer, singer, mama of teenagers, wife, and Pilates studio owner (Bull City Pilates and Massage).
For more on this episode and artists: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast