MSP 200: Connecting with the World Through Dance with Kitty McNamee
Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
So much of what validates the human experience is the ability to collaborate and connect with other people in the world, and today’s guest has managed to do that through dance! Kitty McNamee joins us today to talk about her impressive career and how she found success despite limitations. Kitty was first drawn to the escapism element of musical movies and the wordless expression of dance, and although she started dancing late, she was accepted to Houston’s performing arts high school. In this conversation, you’ll hear all about how starting dance at the age of 16 made her even more...
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MSP 199: Balancing Dance and Academia with Bhumi B Patel
Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
Dance is a beautiful medium to honor the past while building community in the present. Today, we are joined by Bhumi B Patel of Patel Dance Works to discuss her distinguished career. In this episode, you’ll hear all about Bhumi’s life, her creative interests, her college education at a women’s liberal arts institution, her love for constant learning and education, and so much more! We delve into her MFA experience and working through injury before discussing her dissertation on how queer of color performance is informed by improvisational practice and the ‘ghosts’ of the past. She...
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MSP 198: Starting with the Heart with Winifred Haun
Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
If you want long-term success in the dance industry, you need to be very clear on why you’re doing it and who it’s for above anything else! In this conversation, you’ll hear all about Winifred Haun’s introduction to dance, how her craft has evolved over the years, some of the incredible dance practitioners she has learned from, how she decided she wanted to dance for her career, and what it was like to start her company, Winifred Haun and Dancers. We delve into the importance of balancing unique ideas with appealing entertainment for audiences before discussing how her company has...
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MSP 197: Making Dance Performance ‘Fun’ with David Parker
Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
In this episode of Movers & Shapers, we welcome the founder of the Bang Group, David Parker, to talk about his incredible career and how his life and dancing are entwined. Tuning in, you’ll hear all about David’s life, how a film about the Golden Age of entertainment sparked his love for dance, the training he received, and so much more! David tells us all about his time in New York, his love for tap dancing, and what it was like to experience ‘the Dance Boom’. We delve into his decision to start choreographing later in life and how his sexual awakening informed his work before...
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MSP 196: Shaping a Life in Dance with Jessica Gaynor
Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
A lifelong devotion to movement can shape not just an artist’s career, but an entire community. Today, choreographer, educator, and Artistic Director Jessica Gaynor shares how her path began in gymnastics before finding her true calling in modern dance. From her early days studying with the legendary Alice Teirstein to becoming a mentor and leader in her own right, Jessica’s story is one of passion, resilience, and creativity. In our conversation, Jessica reflects on the freedom and self-expression she discovered through improvisation, her formative years studying dance at Brown and...
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MSP 195: Remembering Kathy Dunn Hamrick
Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
With a heavy heart, KDH Dance Company announced the passing of their fierce founder and dearest friend, Kathy Dunn Hamrick. Kathy has had an enormous impact, with ripples throughout Austin and beyond, as she is loved by so many. The organization is heartbroken, but committed to honoring Kathy and her legacy for years to come. Read more in the . Today's podcast is a re-airing of an interview with Kathy from 2024. Kathy Dunn Hamrick was the Artistic Director of Kathy Dunn Hamrick Dance Company, an award-winning modern dance company based in Austin, Texas. Kathy happily committed her...
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MSP 194: Reaching Beyond Borders, Rooted in Movement with Bobbi Jene Smith
Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
From Iowa to Juilliard, from Israel to screens, Bobbi Jene Smith’s Journey through dance is anything but ordinary and defies borders and expectations! In this episode, we are joined by internationally acclaimed dancer, choreographer, and filmmaker Bobbi Jene Smith. Known for her deeply personal and raw approach to movement, Bobbi shares the milestones that shaped her path; from leaving home at the age of 11, to ultimately moving to Israel to join Batsheva Dance Company. Bobbi opens up about the challenges of living abroad and the profound ways in which her relationship with dance evolved...
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MSP 193: Beyond the Product with Morgan Teel
Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
Morgan Teel is the mind behind Dance Waterloo, an organization making dance more accessible through site specific and site responsive shows in Austin, Texas. During this episode, she joins us to share the story of how she first fell in love with dance, what deepened her knowledge of choreography, and the motivation behind launching Dance Waterloo. Morgan also shares what first drew her to site-specific work and how Austin audiences have embraced it, from intimate community performances to larger shows like Quixotic States at the Zilker Hillside Theatre Stage. We discuss her inventive projects,...
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MSP 192: Bare Feet with Mickela Mallozzi
Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
Joining Erin on Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast today is Mickela Mallozzi. Mickela is a four-time Emmy® Award–winning host and executive producer of Bare Feet with Mickela Mallozzi, a PBS and Amazon Prime travel series celebrating global dance traditions. A professional dancer and trained musician, she travels the world exploring how everyday people express their cultures through movement. In today’s conversation, Erin and Mickela delve into the origins of her dance journey, how a middle-of-the-night dream blossomed into her life project, Bare Feet, and she recounts the impact...
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MSP 191: Mocean Dance with Sara Coffin and Susanne Chui
Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
Some creative partnerships do more than grow over time; they help shape an entire artistic landscape. In this episode of The Movers and Shapers Podcast, we meet Sara Coffin and Susanne Chui, co-artistic directors of Mocean Dance, whose long shared history and collaborative vision have transformed contemporary dance in Nova Scotia. Sara begins by tracing her path from early choreography to training across Canada and the United States, and how returning home eventually led her into a leadership role with Mocean Dance. Susanne shares her parallel journey, from a childhood in community dance to...
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