Join us for a candid conversation with Shane Wuerthner, former professional ballet dancer and current master trainer and teacher to hear him talk about how wellness programs in ballet schools have evolved since he was in training. Shane also weighs in on what he thinks of coded language, the power imbalance that exists in ballet as well as how impr…

Intimacy direction in dance. What the heck is it, why is it important and how can these practices be brought into ballet training? Our guests, Nicole Perry and Sarah Lozoff, respected intimacy coordinators who have consulted with RudduR Dance as well as American Ballet Theater, share their expertise on how effective communication between dancers ca…

In this episode, we revisit one of our earliest topics: "What would you have done differently as dance parents?" Join us as we reflect on our journey, sharing the mistakes we made and the invaluable lessons we learned along the way. Tune in for honest insights and practical advice for every ballet parent. We'll also tackle other listener questions …

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 Experien…

We're talking with Robert Fulton and Camille Kellems, both professional dancers and also RAs at ballet summer intensives. Get ready for a mix of insider info that's helpful for parents as well as hilarious anecdotes as Robert and Camille let us in on what really goes on behind the scenes. From dorm antics to practice mishaps, they’ve seen it all—an…

Tune in as we chat with Adam McKinney who has just finished his first year as artistic director of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. Hear about McKinney's own background to learn how it impacted his career as a male ballet dancer and how it informs his leadership at PBT. We also got a sneak peek at McKinney's plans for the coming years, both in terms of p…

Join us as we talk with Alicia Graf Mack, the first person of color and the youngest ever to head the Dance Department at Juilliard. Our conversation covered not only how the program is structured, but also the current state of the job market, what Juilliard dancers do once they graduate as well as the school's cross-over academic program that allo…

We're joined by Melonie Buchanan Murray, the Director of the School of Dance at the University of Utah. Our conversation covered a variety of areas, including the repertoire the dancers typically perform, admissions standards, the emphasis Ms. Murray puts on mental health awareness, how injuries affect grading and how students can get a BFA in Ball…

We're joined by Susan Stowe, Chair of the Department of Dance at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA. Ms. Stowe discusses the various tracks students can follow in the dance department, including degrees in ballet, jazz or modern dance and gives us a sneak peek at their latest initiative. Beginning Fall 2024, Point Park University's dance progr…

Join us as we explore Butler University's Department of Dance, with Larry Attaway, who serves as Chair and Executive Artistic Director. Consistently ranked as one of the top five collegiate ballet programs in the U.S., Mr. Attaway fills us in on its diverse study options—including a dedicated teaching track—as well as the exciting performance oppor…

Tune in to our latest episode featuring Phil Chan, co-founder of Final Bow for Yellowface, as we discuss the issue of Orientalism in ballet. Phil talks us through how his organization is actively combating stereotypes and Orientalist tropes within the art form. We also hear how major ballet companies are joining the movement, signing the Final Bow …

In this episode, we sit down with Tim O'Keefe, Artistic Director of Texas Ballet Theater, for an insightful discussion on the company's repertoire and his approach to artistic direction. We also explore the Texas Ballet Theater Studio Training Company, which offers aspiring dancers a platform to hone their skills. Join us for a candid conversation …

Mavis Staines has been described as a visionary dance educator who has revolutionized the way dance is taught, performed, witnessed and shared across Canada and around the world. Over her 30-year tenure as Artistic Director of Canada’s National Ballet School, she has cemented the School’s reputation as the leading champion of programming excellence…

Christopher Hird, Director of Education for Sarasota Ballet joins us to discuss post-graduate training programs. Hird brings a wealth of experience and insight to the conversation, having dedicated his career to shaping the next generation of ballet artists. From fostering technical proficiency to encouraging artistic expression, Hird shares the se…

Ballet Help Desk sat down with Christopher Ruud, Second Company Manager and Rehearsal Director at Kansas City Ballet. This wide-ranging conversation covered everything from how the post-graduate levels are structured to performance opportunities to how students typically move through the ranks of the school. Chris also touched on the channels throu…

We sat down with Sarah Wroth, Chair of the Department of Ballet at Indiana University's Jacobs School of Music, to hear all about IU's ballet program. University ballet programs are becoming an ever more viable means to a professional ballet career and IU is a leader is turning out well-trained and mature, employable dancers. Tune in to hear about …

Jean-Yves Esquerre, Founder and Director of European School of Ballet, joins us to talk about his classical and contemporary trainee programs, the current state of the job market in Europe and why he thinks some schools need to rethink their post-graduate programs. Be sure to also listen for information on ESB's inaugural summer intensive taking pl…

Join us for a wide ranging chat with Racheal Nye, Director of the Yvonne Chouteau School and Studio Company at Oklahoma City Ballet. Ms. Nye covers everything you wanted to know about their trainee program and second company, including how they recruit, what they look for and what the path into the main company looks like. Ms. Nye also talks about …

Ballet Help Desk sat down with Lauren Richter, School Principal for the Tulsa Ballet Center For Dance Education to learn more about the school, its trainee program as well as the second company, known as TBII. She talked about how the programs recruit, the performance opportunities available, the best ways to audition and how students can progress …

Ballet Help Desk sat down with Vanessa Léonard, Director of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet's Anna McCowan-Johnson Aspirant Program. She covered not only how the program is structured, but how dancers work with the main company, where dancers get jobs and also how students can audition to join the program. Ms. Léonard also covers the unique challenges th…

Peter Stark, President and Director of The Rock School For Dance Education, talks with us about the current state of the job market and what he thinks about the growth of post-graduate ballet programs. He also provides valuable advice for any students who are hitting the audition circuit, including what to look for in a post-graduate program, how t…

We talked with TaKiyah Wallace-McMillian, founder of Brown Girls Do Ballet, to learn about its evolution from a personal photography project to a major philanthropic force. She discussed the organization's impact on diversity in the arts, highlighting their advocacy work, scholarship and grant programs as well as their and their global mentoring pr…

Ballet Help Desk sat down with Maria Torija, Director of the Academy at BalletMet. Tune in to hear all about how the trainee program is structured, how the school recruits and how they work with BalletMet2. Dr. Torija also discusses how the school provides career support for its students as well where trainees and second company dancers ultimately …

Maria Konrad sat down with Ballet Help Desk to share her experiences working with Nashville Ballet Two's trainees and dancers, preparing them for future ballet careers. Gain insights into the unique blend of training and performance opportunities that shape the dancers' journeys and get the inside scoop on this crucial stage of professional develop…

We sat down with Alan Hineline, Director of the Pre-Professional Division & Resident Choreographer at Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet to get his take on the growing world of post-graduate ballet programs. We asked him why so many programs seem to be popping up, how he helps his students figure out the best fits and the role he sees post-graduate …

Join us as we chat with former San Francisco Ballet Soloist, Julianne Spratlin. Julianne now runs Dance Training Center, San Francisco a pre-professional ballet program. We discussed the current state of ballet training and how she sees the role post-graduate or "bridge-level" training plays in a dancer's journey. Dance Training Center SF: https://…

"Becoming a professional ballet dancer in the United States requires years of training, dedication, and luck. With only a few thousand full-time jobs available, navigating a ballet career can be challenging and filled with uncertainty." These are the words that open the seminal report, the DataPointes Guide, developed by former dancer, Jason Yeung.…

We're rereleasing a podcast we aired back in the late spring. Tune in to hear everything you need to know on how your older teens can maximize success at their summer intensive.By Jenny Huang and Brett Gardner

As a close-out to our Summer Intensive Boot Camp, we're releasing an episode that talks about getting ready to send your young dancer off to a ballet summer intensive. Tune in for tips for making the most of your dancer's time away! Summer Intensive Boot Camp: https://ballethelpdesk.com/summer-intensive-bootcamp/…

Tune in for our conversation with Deidre Byrne, Artistic Director of Maryland Youth Ballet. Deidre takes us through how they counsel students on how to choose which summer intensives to audition for and ultimately attend. She looks at it from the perspective of a student at a local school and discusses what they see as the most important things a s…

We sat down with Lauren Fadeley-Veyette to discuss how Kansas City Ballet School handles ballet summer intensive auditions. KC Ballet School is part of the National Summer Intensive Audition (NSIA) Tour and part of our conversation covered the pros and cons of the NSIA. We also covered a lot of ground on both in-person and video auditions. Tune in …

Join us as we chat with Kelly Myernick, Rehearsal Director and Principal Teacher for Houston Ballet Academy. Our conversation covered a broad range of topics related to ballet summer intensive auditions, including what she loves to see, what dancers shouldn't do, the pros and cons of submitting video auditions and even what the admission rate to th…

Tune in for our chat with Emily Brunner, a professional dance photographer based in the Philadelphia metro area. Emily shares invaluable insights on camera positioning, perfect lighting techniques, and the secrets to capturing stunning audition photos and videos. Emily Brunner Photography: https://www.emilybrunnerphotography.com/…

Boys face unique challenges in ballet and summer intensives are no different. Join us as we sit down with some seasoned parents of male ballet dancers to discuss hurdles they've all had to overcome as well as how each family took a unique approach to attending summer ballet intensivesBy Jenny Huang and Brett Gardner

Join us as Ballet Help Desk sits down with Robert Fulton, a dancer with Nevada Ballet Theatre and the Co-Founder of Ballet Scout. Robert takes us through not only how Ballet Scout can help with sourcing auditions, but he also talks, in detail, about what dancers should consider when conducting their searches, thing to consider about programs and wh…

Can you believe it's already time for ballet summer intensive planning? You're thinking, "we just finished this summer! Well, buckle up! It's time for researching and developing that summer intensive audition list. Jenny and Brett give you a detailed overview of how to get it all done! Check out everything else you need to nail summer intensive sea…

As the kickoff to the Ballet Help Desk Summer Intensive Boot Camp, Brett and Jenny discuss what matters in a summer intensive and how dancers should think strategically about them. Ballet Help Desk also covers what dancers should consider in evaluating all of the programs out there.By Jenny Huang and Brett Gardner

Ballet Help Desk sits down with Francis Veyette, a former principal dancer with Pennsylvania (now Philadelphia) Ballet and the Co-Founder of the Veyette Virtual Ballet School. In this episode, we tackle all of those loaded terms like potential, facility, and body type. Fran helps demystify what they all mean and also talks about what traits a dance…

Join us for an insightful conversation with Hailey Kolker and Sergey Gordeev, two senior members of Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP), the world's largest student ballet competition. In this episode, we delve into the impact of YAGP on the world of dance, exploring its influence on young dancers and the broader dance community. Hailey and Sergey offe…

In this episode, we chat with Peter Merz, the Regional Tour Director of the ADC IBC ballet competition. Peter's extensive experience and knowledge in the field provides a no-nonsense look at the inner workings of ADC IBC, its role in shaping the ballet landscape, and the impact it has on aspiring dancers worldwide. If you're seeking straightforward…

Join us as we sit down with Vasile Petrutiu, the founder of the World Ballet Competition, to hear him explain why he founded the event as well as why it’s different from the other ballet competitions in terms of scoring and transparency. And, be sure to listen as Mr. Petritiu lets us in on some pretty wacky things that happened over the years!…

Join us as we chat with Jennifer Ringer and James Fayette, former dancers of the iconic New York City Ballet, who now offer their expertise as respected judges in the ballet competition world. Hear their thoughts on how ballet competitions fit into the overall training regime, what they love to see from competitors and more!…

In this episode, we are joined by Patrick Frenette, a dancer with the American Ballet Theater and one of the co-founders of the Boys Ballet Summer Intensive. Mr. Frenette shares his insights into the challenges and triumphs of boys who dare to dance through a candid conversation, heartfelt anecdotes, and valuable advice, shedding light on the trans…

Peter Stark, President and Director of The Rock School For Dance Education, has long been known as the Pied Piper of boys ballet training. Join us as we get his expert insights on how he effectively recruits, trains and sends male ballet students off into the professional world.By Jenny Huang and Brett Gardner

Join us as we sit down with Deirdre Miles-Burger, a distinguished ballet competition judge with years of experience in the dance world. Ms. Miles-Burger helps pull back the curtain on what judges really think. What do judges love to see from competitors on stage? What are some no-nos? Why do some students not place yet still make it to finals? What…

Join us for an exclusive episode where we dive into the world of ballet competitions with none other than the esteemed Peter Stark, President and Director of The Rock School For Dance Education. As a renowned figure in the dance community, Peter brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our discussion. In our conversation, we explore the intri…

In this episode, we sit down with, Ilya Kozadayev, Associate Professor of Ballet at University of North Carolina School of the Arts, to explore the myriad benefits of participating in ballet competitions. Ballet competitions have long been a stage where aspiring dancers showcase their artistry, technique, and dedication. Mr. Kozadayev brings his ex…

Join us as Mark Carlson and Sandra Kerr, both former professional dancers and the co-owners of International Ballet School in Denver, CO, share their combined decades of experience in guiding young dancers toward success in both ballet competitions and professional careers. We discuss their unique approaches to teaching, performance, and mental pre…

Step behind the curtain and into the world of ballet competitions with Katya and Arkadiy Orohovsky, two esteemed ballet coaches and mentors. In "From Studio To Stage," the first in our series on ballet competitions, we delve into the meticulous art of preparing ballet dancers to compete. We also learn how parents can best support their dancers and …

Welcome to the Ballet Help Desk Cross Training Series Recap! In this series, we've delved deep into the world of ballet cross training, uncovering the secrets to building resilience and bouncing back stronger than ever before. Hosted by Jenny Huang and Brett Gardner, two parents of advanced level ballet dancers, this podcast recaps the invaluable i…