MSP 185: Morgiana Celeste Varricchio & Samara Adell
Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
Release Date: 03/31/2025
MSP 203: Among Company - Becoming a Dancer with Wendy Rogers
Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
What if dance isn’t just about movement but also about the people who move with you through life? In this reflective episode, dancer, choreographer, and teacher Wendy Rogers joins the show to tell us all about her career and how collaboration guided her creative voice. Wendy’s story is deeply rooted in experimentation, resilience, and the profound kinship shared between dancers. Tuning in, you’ll hear about Wendy’s early life and the struggles that shaped her, her dance education and how those formative years defined her career, the different projects and collectives she was a part of,...
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MSP 202: Authenticity in Motion - Jill Sifah Sigman on Dance, Props, and Purpose
Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
From her early experiences of finding freedom in ballet classes, to becoming a devoted bunhead, to her modern dance studies at Princeton, and her current work in choreography and movement artistry, Jill Sifah Sigman has a storied creative legacy. During this episode, we dive deep into the origins of the themes that continue to inform her work today. We also unpack the layered meaning of working with waste and donated objects to build structures she uses in her performances, how this differs from props and sets, and how this deeply meaningful practice shapes her work. Next, we explore the...
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MSP 201: From the Stage to the Page with Rym Kechacha
Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
Sometimes you can get everything you want as a dancer, only to discover the reality is quite different from what you imagined it would be. In this episode, author and former dancer, Rym Kechacha, shares how that realization shaped her own journey, from early ballet training in London to dancing professionally with Northern Ballet, where touring life was both joyful and intensely demanding. She reflects on what it felt like to end her career as a dancer earlier than expected, and how that ending opened the door to a new creative identity. Rym traces her path into teaching, studying creative...
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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...
info_outlineBuilding the Mosaic Dance Theatre Company with Morgiana Celeste Varricchio & Samara Adell
Every dance company has its own unique journey and characteristics, from how it was founded to the style of dance it specializes in. Today, we’re joined by the Producing Artistic Director and Founder of the Mosaic Dance Theatre Company (MDTC), Morgiana Celeste Varricchio, and the Artistic Director for Dance and Choreographer, Samara Adell. MDTC showcases the vibrant dance and folkloric heritage of the Mediterranean, spanning North Africa, the Middle East, and Southern Europe. Through captivating performances and educational initiatives, MDTC brings to life the region’s music, myths, and traditions, preserving and sharing its cultural tapestry. In this conversation, Morgiana and Samara share how they discovered their affinity for Middle Eastern dance, why they felt it wasn’t adequately represented in the US, and how they formed the Mosaic Dance Theatre Company. We discuss the many shows they’ve produced, including their special upcoming 20th-anniversary show, Visions of the Near East, how they manage their creative partnership, and the challenges of running a nonprofit. Tune in to hear the full scope of Morgiana and Samara’s beautiful journey, from becoming friends to running a thriving company together!
Key Points From This Episode:
- An introduction to Morgiana Celeste Varricchio and her dance journey.
- How she became involved with Middle Eastern dance and met Samara Adell.
- The success of Morgiana’s production of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.
- How Morgiana and Samara founded the Mosaic Dance Theatre Company in 2005.
- Their mission to ensure Middle Eastern Dance was properly represented in the US.
- An overview of their productions, including their original show, Caravan to Cairo.
- Their upcoming production, Visions of the Near East
- Some background on Samara and how she became interested in dance.
- Her time working in New York and the extensive global touring she did as a dancer.
- The inner workings of Samara and Morgiana’s creative partnership.
- How they prepare for, plan, rehearse, and arrange all the different elements of their shows.
- Standout experiences during their two decades with Mosaic.
“We both agreed that Middle Eastern Dance was not represented properly in the professional world of dance. It is a very legitimate dance form, but not looked upon that [way] here in the US. It was our mission, then, to bring this dance to the public.” — Morgiana Celeste Varricchio
Morgiana Celeste Varricchio is the Producing Artistic Director and Founder of Mosaic Dance Theater Company.
Samara Adell is Artistic Director for Dance & Choreographer of Mosaic Dance Theater Company.
For more on this episode, Morgiana, and Samara: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast
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