A special announcement from host and Artistic Director of The Moving Architects, Erin Carlisle Norton. Support this one-of-a-kind inspiring podcast with a tax-deductible donation! themovingarchitects.org/support Movers & Shapers has been podcasting interviews with those who shape the dance field since 2015. Connect with our archive of 175 interview…

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 dyn…

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, r…

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 bring…

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…

Finding Your Artistry Beyond Words with Stefanie Nelson One of the beautiful things about dance is the ability to express yourself without words. You can just dance. Joining Erin on the podcast today is Stefanie Nelson, Founder and Director of Stefanie Nelson Dancegroup (SND), a contemporary dance company based in NYC. Stefanie also established Dan…

Creating a Modern Dance Culture and Community with Kathy Dunn Hamrick Establishing a modern dance company is no easy feat, but today’s guest managed to create a successful organization and build a wonderful modern dance community in Austin, Texas. Today on Movers & Shapers, we welcome Kathy Dunn Hamrick, the Artistic Director of Kathy Dunn Hamrick …

Enjoying the Art, Expression, and Freedom of Dance with Julie Lemberger Welcome to the latest episode of the Movers and Shapers podcast, where today we're delighted to welcome our guest, Julie Lemberger. Julie is a multifaceted individual — she's had a life as a dancer, dance photographer, and educator. She has dedicated over 15 years to capturing …

Being part of the global dance community can be deeply rewarding but it also has the potential to be exceptionally challenging and toxic. Not only are you competing for highly limited resources, but you also need to contend with how your self-worth can become contingent on the opinion of others. Today’s guest, Betsy Miller, has experienced many of …

Happy Holidays from Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast! Listen to a special announcement from Host and Artistic Director of The Moving Architects, Erin Carlisle Norton. Support this podcast with a tax-deductible donation! themovingarchitects.org/support Find Show Notes & More: themovingarchitects.org/podcasts Folow on Instagram and Facebook…

While dance is often underfunded and under-recognized, leaders in the field acknowledge the incredible talent that lives within every dancer, reminding them that they are, in fact, ‘Acrobats of God’. Today’s guest embodies the purpose of the Movers and Shapers: A Dance Podcast; to share insights from those who shape the dance field, and create an a…

Creating a Vision for Kathak with Rukhmani Mehta Today on Movers & Shapers, we are joined by Rukhmani Mehta (previously Rina Mehta). Rukhmani is a choreographer, dancer, educator, Artistic Director of Leela Youth Dance Company, and the Co-Artistic Director of Leela Dance Collective, which brings together leading artists from around the world to adv…

Continuing a Modern Dance Legacy with Samantha Géracht There are many legends in modern dance that are responsible for making the art form what it is today. But how do we continue their legacy? Today we hear from one of the people responsible for continuing the legacy of Anna Sokolow, Samantha Géracht. Samantha is the artistic director at the Sokol…

Translating Vision into Action with Alyssa Alpine Whether it’s for communication, marketing, budgeting, scheduling, or meetings (and more!), we can attest to the level of detail, creativity, and make-it-happen-attitude required in the support to make dance happen! The role of the Arts Administration is dedicated to translating vision into action, a…

The Independent Thinker, Liz Lerman Liz is a choreographer, performer, writer, teacher, and speaker. For the past forty years, she has infused her artistic exploration with a personal touch, humor, intellectual vibrancy, and a contemporary edge. Her choreography has delved into a wide spectrum of topics, ranging from her experiences as a go-go danc…

Building Community through Arts Education with Anna Pasternak and Blair Brown of Movement Exchange Our guests today are passionate about dance, dance education, and serving communities. Join us today as we share a podcast with you featuring an interview with Anna Pasternak, the Founder of Movement Exchange, and Blair Brown, the organization's curre…

Around the World with Mark Morris From the age of seven, Mark Morris was enamored with dance. Immersing himself in everything from flamenco to Israeli folk to ballet to modern, Mark has lived, trained, and worked in many different parts of the world. In this episode, Mark takes us on a journey from the audition that signaled the start of his career…

Take Up Your Space with Confidence with Artistic Director Melissa M. Young Often, as dancers, we have a choice to take up space with confidence or feel defeated and hold back. Our guest on today’s episode is one that continuously chose to take up space and inspired others to follow their intuitions, pursue what they love, and embrace their curiosit…

Creating a Technique that Honors the Individual with Susan Klein Today’s guest Susan Klein is a true luminary, having shaped the modern dance landscape with her groundbreaking theories as creator of the renowned Klein Technique. In this episode, we explore her transformative journey as a movement pioneer, uncovering her dance background, the hurdle…

Activism, Dance, and Co-Leadership with Hope Mohr Dance, movement, performance, and art-making can play many roles in one’s life. And how they are expressed can change shape over the course of a career. Our guest today, Hope Mohr, has woven together a life of art and activism as a choreographer, curator, and advocate. She has had a fascinating care…

Building a Dancer with Rosalynde LeBlanc Rosalynde LeBlanc built her career dancing for some of the biggest names in dance. Today, she is Professor and Chair of Dance at Loyola Marymount University. Social justice awareness has always underpinned her work as a choreographer, which is why she creates pieces that are related to the world and not the …

Remembering Agnes De Mille with Elizabeth Ferrell and Jenna Rae Herrera Today’s episode is a special one, where we look back and remember world-renowned dancer, choreographer, writer, lecturer, and director, Agnes De Mille. Agnes had a successful, yet tempestuous, career that spanned almost 70 years through the world of 20th-century American theate…

Remembering Jennifer Muller (1944-2023) Today’s podcast is a re-airing of an interview with Jennifer Muller on Movers & Shapers from September 2019. Jennifer was the Artistic Director/Founder of Jennifer Muller/The Works, and was an influence in the dance world for over 50 years. Jennifer passed away March 29 peacefully in her home. A maverick in t…

Fierce, Fragile, Empathetic, Political, and Poetic Art with Miguel Gutierrez Our guest today, Miguel Gutierrez, is irrevocably passionate about making works of art and creates empathetic and irreverent spaces outside of traditional discourse. Our conversation starts with Miguel sharing more about his upbringing as the child of two immigrants, how h…

The Art of Improvisation with Margaret Beals For today’s guest, dancing without inhibitions is what has fed her soul for more than 8 decades. Joining us on Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast is the incredible dance improvisation innovator Margaret Beals to tell us all about her years of dancing and her new documentary, Dancing Without Steps. Tuning …