Today’s podcast is a re-airing of an interview with Nai-Ni Chen on Movers & Shapers from February 2018.  Nai-Ni passed away unexpectedly on December 12, 2021 in a swimming accident in Hawaii.

Since starting her dance company Nai-Ni Chen Dance in 1998, her choreography has brought the dynamic freedom of American modern dance together with the elegant splendor of Asian art.  Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company has been one of the most visible Asian American dance companies in America, touring nationally and internationally over the last 30+ years.  Her signature technique, Kinetic Spiral, is a fusion the dynamism of contemporary dance with the essence of Chinese traditional art.  As a beloved member of the New Jersey and NYC dance communities, she will be deeply missed and her work and spirit will continue to resonate with everyone she touched.

For more on this episode: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast

Today's guest is Loni Landon.  Loni is a Dancer, Choreographer, and Movement Consultant based in New York City. In addition to creating dances for her own collective Loni Landon Dance Project, her work is commissioned by dance companies and film directors across the country. Born and raised in New York City, Loni performed with Aszure Barton and Artists, Ballet Theater Munich, Tanz Munich Theater, and The Metropolitan Opera, and is a Princess Grace Choreography Fellowship Winner. 

As a sought after choreographer, her work has been commissioned by such institutions as The Joyce Theater, Keigwin and Company, BODYTRAFFIC, The Juilliard School, American Dance Institute, Northwest Dance Project, and Groundworks Dance Company.  Her company has performed at The Joyce Theater, Pulse Art Fair, Jacob’s Pillow, Insitu Dance Festival, Bryant Park, Beach Sessions in Rockaway Beach and Guggenheim Works and Process Series.

Loni has won numerous choreography awards, with residencies at New Movement Residency at USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance, Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation New Directions Choreography Lab, ITE, NYU, CUNY Dance Initiative, Kaatsbaan, and Stephen Petronio’s new residency center. She has been adjunct faculty at NYU, Barnard, SUNY Purchase, and Princeton University. 

Loni is passionate about Entrepreneurship in the Arts and has co-founded THE PLAYGROUND, an initiative designed to give emerging choreographers a place to experiment, while allowing professional dancers to participate affordably. The Playground was recognized by Dance Magazine as a 25 To Watch. As well as four/four presents, a platform that commissions and presents collaborations betweens dancers and musicians.

For more on this episode: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast

Today's guest is Margaret Jenkins. Margaret Jenkins, founder and artistic director of the Margaret Jenkins Dance Company, celebrating the 50th anniversary of her Company in 2022, is a choreographer and mentor to many artists as well as a designer of unique community-based dance projects.

In the 1960's, Margaret moved to New York to study at Juilliard, continued her training at UCLA and returned to New York to dance in the companies of Jack Moore, Viola Farber, Judy Dunn, James Cunningham, Gus Solomons, Jr. and Twyla Tharp’s original company with Sara Rudner. In addition, Jenkins was a member of the faculty of the Merce Cunningham Studio and restaged his works for companies in Europe and the United States for over 12 years.

In 1970, Jenkins returned to San Francisco, and in 1973, formed the MJDC. She opened one of the West Coast's first studio-performing spaces and a school for the training of professional modern dancers. In the last five decades, she has created an impressive body of work, with over 85 works created on her Company, as well as resident companies in the United States, Asia and Europe.

For her unique artistic vision, Margaret has received numerous awards, including a Guggenheim Fellowship, an Irvine Fellowship in Dance, the San Francisco Arts Commission Award of Honor, three Isadora Duncan Awards (Izzies), and the Bernard Osher Cultural Award for her outstanding contributions to the arts community in San Francisco and the Bay Area.  

Fore more on this episode: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast and The Moving Architects

Today’s guest is Rosie Herrera. Rosie is a Cuban-American dancer and choreographer working within the fields of modern dance, opera, cabaret, theater and film. She is the artistic director of Rosie Herrera Dance Theater in Miami. Rosie has been commissioned by such groups as The Miami Light Project, The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, Ballet Hispanico, Jose Limon Dance Company, and the American Dance Festival (ADF) in 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016 and 2018.  Her company, Rosie Herrera Dance Theatre, has been presented by the Northrop Dance Series, New World Symphony, Baryshnicov Arts Center, Texas A & M University, Maui Arts and Cultural Center, Dance Place, Contemporary Arts Center New Orleans, The Yard at Marthas Vineyard, Gotham Dance at Skirball and Focus Dance at The Joyce as well as by The American Dance Festival at the Joyce NYC in 2016 and 2018, among others. 

Rosie is a 2016 USArtist Sarah Arison Choreographic Fellow, a 2010 and 2018 MANCC choreographic fellow, a 2014 Bates Dance Festival Artist in residence, a 2016 Bessie Schoenberg Fellow and a 2011 and 2016 Miami Dance Fellow. She was awarded a Princess Grace Choreographic Fellowship for her work with Ballet Hispanico in 2013.

For more on Rosie and the podcast: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast

Today's guest is Ali Kenner Brodsky. Ali makes gesturally rich and emotionally driven dance-theater works that ask the viewer to indulge in a world of reflection, remembering, and connection. Her dance company, ali kenner brodsky & co., produces, presents, and tours original works of choreography and dance films. Ali was recently accepted into NEFA’S New England Regional Dance Development Initiative, was a 2019 artist-in-residence at the Croft: Ground for Art, a 2018-19 Catalysts artist at the Dance Complex, 2016 Emerging Choreographer in Residence at Bates Dance Festival, and 2014 recipient of the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts Choreography Fellowship. Alongside David Henry, Lila Hurwitz and Andy Russ, Ali co-founded Motion State Arts which presents innovative dance-films and live performances from local, national and international artists.

For more on this podcast episode: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast

Today's guest is Colleen Thomas. Colleen is a New York-based choreographer, scholar, teacher, and performing artist. She is the director of Colleen Thomas Dance, co-director of Bill Young/Colleen Thomas Co., and co-curator for LIT (loft into theater). She began her professional career with the Miami Ballet and went on to work with renowned contemporary choreographers such as The Kevin Wynn Collection, Nina Wiener Dance Company, Donald Byrd/The Group, Bebe Miller Dance Company, and Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, among others. Her work has been seen throughout the United States as well as in Europe, Asia, and South America and has been presented in NYC at Danspace Project, Movement Research at Judson Memorial Church, Dance Theatre Workshop/New York Live Arts, and La MaMa MOVES! Dance Festival, to name just a few. She is currently a Professor of Professional Practice at Barnard College of Columbia University.

For more on this podcast: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast

Today's guest is Daniel Gwirtzman.  A Rochester, NY native, Daniel is a producer, choreographer, educator, filmmaker, and dancer, and directs the New York City-based Daniel Gwirtzman Dance Company, celebrating its 23rd Anniversary and operating with the belief that everyone can join the dance. Gwirtzman was a member of Garth Fagan Dance, toured internationally as a guest artist for multiple years with the Mark Morris Dance Group, and co-founded Artichoke Dance Company, for which he choreographed and danced.

Today's guest is Tina Fehlandt. Tina Fehlandt was a founding member and integral part of the Mark Morris Dance Group for twenty years, performing in over 50 works choreographed by Mark Morris. With the Group she toured the world and appeared in several television specials, most notably as “Louise” in Mr. Morris’ production of The Hard Nut. In Ballet Review, she was hailed as “one of the most beautiful dancers anywhere.” Tina has staged Mark Morris’ work at San Francisco Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Royal New Zealand Ballet, English National Ballet, Royal Ballet Covent Garden, Boston Ballet, Miami City Ballet, Houston Ballet, Dutch National Ballet, and many others.

Tina is a full time Lecturer in Dance at Princeton University’s Lewis Center for the Arts where she teaches all levels of Ballet and Modern Dance.  She continues her association with MMDG as an instructor in the Summer Intensives and as Faculty at The School teaching Professional/Advanced Ballet.

For more on this podcast episode: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast

Today's guest is Melanie George. Melanie is a dance educator, choreographer, scholar, and dramaturg. She is the founder and director of Jazz Is… Dance Project and an Associate Curator and Scholar-In-Residence at Jacob’s Pillow. As a dramaturg, she has contributed to projects by David Neumann & Marcella Murray, Raja Feather Kelly, Ephrat Asherie, Susan Marshall & Company, Machine Dazzle, Kimberly Bartosik/daela, and Urban Bush Women among others. A highly sought after teacher and choreographer of the neo-jazz aesthetic, Melanie is featured in the documentary UpRooted: The Journey of Jazz, Dance. 

For more on this episode: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast

Today's guest is Duke Dang. Since 2006 Duke has served as the General Manager of Works & Process, the performing arts series at the Guggenheim (NYC), where he oversees nonprofit administration and manages the logistics of the artistic programming. He and Producer Caroline Cronson collectively curate the organization’s programs and commissions that traditionally take place in the theater of the Guggenheim, but in recent years have expanded to include works commissioned and made in and for the Guggenheim rotunda. In response to the pandemic, since April 2020 Works & Process has virtually commissioned 85 new works and supported over 300 artists. Under Duke’s leadership Works & Process has led the way in producing bubble residencies as a means for artists to safely gather, create, perform and work.

For more on Duke and show notes: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast

Today's guest is Kathryn Alter. Kathryn a choreographer, teacher, and dancer living in New York City. She danced with the Limón Dance Company for 15 years and is currently the Associate Program Director of the Limón Professional Studies Program. She teaches the Limón Company and students of the Limón Institute, has reconstructed the works of José Limón for the Ballet Nacional de México in México City in 2018 and Ballet am Rhein en Düsseldorf in 2020, and leads Limón workshops nationally and internationally. Her choreographic work has been shown across the United States and abroad. Kathryn is a part of the N.A.D.I.N.E. Project and helps to organize the Choreographers’ Collective concerts in New York City.

For more info on Kathryn and show notes:  Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast

We are taking a podcast pause...listen in to hear why.

Podcasts: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast

Due May 21: Call for Submissions: From the Field 

And catch the company behind the podcast! LONELAND, an evening of dance cinema, on June 3 @ 7.30pm ET.  Ticket info at The Moving Architects.

Today's guest is Megan Williams.  Megan is an independent dance artist, choreographer, teacher and repetiteur. She performed and toured internationally in the 1980’s with the companies of Laura Glenn, Ohad Naharin, and Mark Haim, among many others. In 1988, she joined the Mark Morris Dance Group, dancing for 10 years, touring worldwide, teaching, and appearing in several films. She is in demand as a master class teacher and guest lecturer, and founded Megan Williams Dance Projects in the summer of 2016. Her choreography has been produced by DanceNOW NYC at Joe’s Pub, Dance Theater Workshop, Rivertown Artist’s Workshop, Barnspace, MIXT Co., Purchase College, Marymount Manhattan College, Connecticut College and Interlochen Arts Academy. 

For more on Megan Williams and this episode: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast

Today's guest is Kimberly Bartosik. Choreographer, performer, educator, and essayist, Kimberly creates viscerally provocative, ferociously intimate choreographic projects that are built upon the development of a virtuosic movement language, rigorous conceptual explorations, and the creation of highly theatricalized environments. 

A member of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company for 9 years, Kimberly is a 2020 Bessie Honoree for Outstanding Performance & Outstanding Performer (Burr Johnson) for her recent work, through the mirror of their eyes. She is a 2019 Guggenheim Fellow in Choreography and a 2020 Virginia B. Toulmin Women Leaders in Dance Fellow at Center for Ballet and the Arts (CBA) at NYU. She has an extensive history of touring, commissions, and creative residencies, including as a a 2017-20 New York Live Arts Live Feed Residency Artist; a 2019-20 Harkness Dance Center Artist-in-Residence @ the 92nd St Y; and a 2019 Exploring the Metropolis (EtM) recipient with Composer Sivan Jacobovitz. She currently teaches at SUNY/Purchase Conservatory of Dance and the Merce Cunningham Trust.

For more on this podcast with episode show notes: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast

Today's guest is Deborah Damast. Deborah is Associate Professor and Program Director of Dance Education at NYU Steinhardt where in addition to teaching, she is Artistic Director of concerts, Kaleidoscope Dancers, and the Uganda study abroad program. She is also a Doctoral student at Columbia Teachers College and on faculty at Little Red Schoolhouse, the Dance Education Laboratory in Manhattan, and the Yard in Martha's Vineyard. Deborah has recently received the 2020 Dance Teacher Magazine Award for Higher Education and the 2021 National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) Executive Director Award.

For more in this podcast with episode show notes: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast

Today's guest is Dr. Carla Stalling Walter. Carla teaches and writes about dance, spirituality, and wellbeing. A former professor with a PhD in Dance History and Theory, she is also a Certified Somatic Psychotherapist, and a Certified Spiritual Counselor. Her company, Dance in the Spirit, LLC provides personal and corporate retreats, classes, and workshops on sacred dance meditation, and diversity, equity, and inclusion practices. She is a member of The Sacred Dance Guild, the Dance Studies Association, and a board member with the San Francisco Zen Center.

For more on this podcast with episode show notes: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast

Megan Slayter is a dance educator, administrator, historian, and lighting designer at Western Michigan University where she is the Acting Associate Director of the School of Theatre and Dance with a research focus on the reconstructions of works by modern dance pioneer, Loïe Fuller. Her ongoing collaborative research with dance historian Jessica Lindberg Coxe has resulted in the reconstruction of Fuller's “Fire Dance”, “Night”, “Lily of the Nile”, and “La Mer” that have been reconstructed and commissioned for performance by universities, dance companies, and art museums across the country.

For more on this podcast with episode show notes: Movers & Shapers: A Dance Podcast.