The Ballerinatist

Melissa interviewed a range of directors and educators about their own personal summer dance training experiences and how they’re choosing to shape their programs now - from universities to ballet companies to pre-professional studios! This season included seasoned professional artists and newly tenured directors offering the highs, lows, and things to focus on for successful, productive summer dance programs. Enjoy the recap!

Melody Mendoza, Founder and Artistic Director of Glorify Performing Arts in West Chester, PA, shares about the vision for the company which launched in 2018, what it took to get started, and how they’re building the foundation for growth. Bio:She studied ballet under Edmund & Irene Novak, later adding jazz and modern, at studios including The Rock School West, The Dance Center, and Koresh School of Dance. Beginning liturgical dance at age 9, she also participated in The Good Samaritan Dance Ministry under Valerie Henry and Gwen Prestwood.After she completed undergraduate dance studies at Palm Beach Atlantic University in 2012, Melody formed a small dance company with Donna FitzPatrick where they choreographed two contemporary, faith based, ballets utilizing ballet, tap and jazz to share stories of Christ’s grace and truth. She received her Pre-Primary – Level 5 certification of American Ballet Theatre’s National Training Curriculum.Melody has worked locally as a musical theatre dance teacher and choreographer at SALT Performing Arts, West Chester Studios for the Performing Arts, and Delaware County Christian School.Melody shares about cultivating a unified company from a diverse pool of artists; establishing a safe, healthy culture through core values - not just feelings; and, intentionally building a strong foundation for company growth.She mentioned the book Art & Faith: A Theology of Making: https://a.co/d/0oPzUYJLearn more about Melody and Glorify Performing Arts: https://glorifyperformingarts.org/ You can learn more about dance education and career planning for dancers at theballerinatist.com

Jenna Jones, Founder and program director at Belamour Dance Leadership Academy in Lebanon, TN, has an extended back ground in the performing arts and classical ballet. She created her academy in 2022 and shares about the choices she has made in terms of leadership, management, and dance training to shape a unique program. We talk about difficult decisions, the dynamic pathways a career in dance and ministry can take, and committing to integrity at every step in the process without compromise. Learn more about Jenna and Belamour Dance Leadership Academy.You can learn more about dance education and career planning for dancers at theballerinatist.com.

Julianna Rubio Slager is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Ballet 5:8—a nationally recognized company based in Chicago. She trained with renowned mentors from the Ann Arbor Ballet Theater, New York City Ballet, the Vaganova Academy, and the Puerto Rican National Ballet. Julianna also danced at Greater Lansing Ballet and Ballet Magnificat. In 2012, Julianna co-founded Ballet 5:8 with Amy Sanderson, aiming to elevate ballet as a medium for discussion of life and faith. With over two decades of teaching experience, she oversees programming for over 400 students at Ballet 5:8 annually, guiding them to pursue both technical excellence and personal authenticity. Her approach honors each dancer’s unique story, encouraging the integration of culture, faith, and self-reflection into their artistic voice. She was named a National Visiting Fellow at the School of American Ballet in 2023. She is a recipient of multiple Illinois Arts Council grants and was awarded a DCASE Individual Artist Grant in 2015. Her work has been featured by NBC, PBS, Fox, Chicago Magazine, Newcity Stage, and See Chicago Dance.In our conversation, Julianna shares about sculpting a unique identity for Ballet 5:8, leaning into uncertainty, and finding beauty in every stage of life as an artist.Learn more about Julianna and Ballet 5:8 at https://www.ballet58.org/You can learn more about dance education and career planning for dancers at theballerinatist.com

I speak with Dance educator and author Mary Bawden, founder of Dance Awareness: No Child Exploited (DA:NCE). Mary received a BA in modern dance from the University of California Riverside, a MA in worship (emphasis in dance) from Hope International University in Fullerton CA, and a California secondary teaching credential. In 2003, she founded Soul to Sole Choreography and released a book, Dance is Prayer in Motion, in 2016. Mary began to notice the culture around children’s dance moving toward an unhealthy trend: sexualizing children in adult-style costumes, sexually provocative choreography, and music with sexual content and/or themes. She began to advocate for healthy, age-appropriate guidelines to protect children and the art of dance. In 2016, she founded DA:NCE (Dance Awareness: No Child Exploited), a non-partisan organization, to create awareness through the collaboration of credible experts with excellent research to provide free evidence-based educational materials for dance educators, parents, and concerned adults, inside and outside the dance studio. She has spoken at numerous conferences from NDEO (National Dance Educator’s Organization) to CESE(Coalition to End Sexual Exploitation).In our conversation, she shares about the impact unhealthy dance can have developmentally on young children, the negative impact it creates beyond their time in the studio, and is a fierce advocate for protecting children and the art form. She speaks with hope and purpose, offering tools and ways to take action today. At the time this interview took place, Melissa had no affiliation with DA:NCE but she has now joined their team as an employee.Learn more about Mary, her work, and ways to engage:https://www.danceawareness.com/https://www.danceawareness.com/takeaction/You can learn more about dance education and career planning for dancers at theballerinatist.com

Today, I speak with Jenn Blessing, owner and founder of Makers Ekklesia Dance Company in Knoxville, TN. Jenn has been teaching for over 20 years. She danced while attending Texas A & M, and directed Company AbunDance, danced in Chara Dance Company, Talitha Dance Company and served as the Artistic Director for the Knoxville Dance Project after moving to TN in 2012. In our conversation she shares about saying yes to leadership, communicating with intention, and shaping a culture that is recognizable and relatable. Learn more about Makers Ekklesia Dance Company: https://makersdance.com/.Learn more about studio management resources Jenn shared about: https://morethanjustgreatdancing.com/ and https://www.ypad4change.org/.Learn more about dance education and career planning for dancers: https://www.theballerinatist.com/.

I speak with Sharyn Mahoney, Executive Director of Rejoice School of Ballet in Nashville, TN. A former professional dancer, Sharyn worked in various roles at Nashville Ballet for over thirty years where she developed a relationship with Rejoice School Ballet before assuming leadership as its founder retired. She shares about maintaining a people-first orientation, keeping big-picture focus, and the continual learning process of leadership. Learn more about Sharyn and Rejoice School of Ballet: https://www.rejoiceballet.com/. You can learn more about dance education and career planning for dancers at ⁠theballerinatist.com

As part of the faith-based dance series, I speak with Christina Clark, a passionate minister of dance with 15 years experience as a worship leader, teacher and creator of worship garments and tools. She is a wife to Antoine for 17 years and mama to three amazing sons – Mason, Leo and Ethan. She founded Arise Dance Ministry which exists to share God through Dance, Outreach, and Teaching and is focused on helping people grow deeper in their relationship with God through movement. Based  in the Raleigh-Durham area of North Carolina, the ministry offers pop-up worship dance classes called Worship Dance Sundays as well as facilitating Biblically based teaching of dance, choreography and flags through workshops and conferences for all ages and skill levels. In our conversation, Christina shares about building confidence in your relationship with God, not just your talent; understanding that you might be setting a precedent for dance ministry which is a responsibility and an honor; and that stress can indicate something is out of balance which is a signal to reconnect with God.Thanks for listening to our conversation, thanks for sharing this episode with a friend and for leaving a review!Learn more about Christina and Arise Dance Ministry at ariseworshipdance.com.You can learn more about dance education and career planning for dancers at theballerinatist.com

Victoria Schneider is celebrating thirty years on the ballet faculty at Harid Conservatory. She began her ballet training with Fred Danieli at the School of the Garden State Ballet in New Jersey, performing with the Company while still in her teens and danced soloist roles in a number of Balanchine ballets.At Pennsylvania Ballet, she took on various jobs: dancer, teacher, administrator, and assistant to both company founder Barbara Weisberger and artistic director Benjamin Harkarvy.  She moved to Italy to become principal teacher at La Scuola di Danza Classica in Florence.She later opened the school at Tampa Ballet while studying with Jurgen Schneider—who later became her husband—and helped him organize Russian-ballet teaching seminars across the United States and in Australia and Asia. She was accepted into the international teachers’ course at the Vaganova Academy in St. Petersburg, Russia - one of only three Americans to be certified through the two-year program. In our conversation, Vicki shares about the process of becoming an educator, navigating the professional landscape of dance, and the humility it takes to be willing to grow.Learn more about Vicki and Harid Conservatory: https://harid.edu/ballet-faculty/victoria-schneider/You can learn more about dance education and career planning for dancers at theballerinatist.com

Today’s guest is Katherine Lawrence, Principal Faculty with Ballet West’s pre-professional training program. A native of Fairfield, Connecticut, she trained atConnecticut Dance School and The Harid Conservatory, where she graduated as Valedictorian in 1998. She performed with The Hartford Ballet for a year before joining Ballet Internationale in 1999. In 2004, she joined Ballet West, retiring as a Principal Artist in May 2021. She holds a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Ballet with a Teaching Emphasis from the University of Utah.In our conversation, Katherine shares about cultivating a positive environment, embracing what makes you uncomfortable, and making decisions to support being a well-rounded dancer.Learn more about Katherine and Ballet West - including their summer program: https://www.academy.balletwest.org/summer.You can learn more about dance education and career planning for dancers at theballerinatist.com.

Today’s guest, Kati Hanlon Mayo, Academy Associate Director for Charlotte Ballet’s Upper School, trained at The Boston School of Ballet under the direction of E. Virginia Williams & Violette Verdy. At the age of 15, she became a member of Boston Ballet 2 before joining North Carolina Dance Theatre (now Charlotte Ballet) as a principal dancer. She also performed with Chautauqua Ballet Company under the direction of Jean Pierre Bonnefoux.Her students have gone on to professional careers with companies throughout the world, including: New York City Ballet, Nederland Dans Theater, San Francisco Ballet, Boston Ballet and Houston Ballet. Kati has been a guest teacher for The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, The Chautauqua Institution, Regional Dance America and she is a repetiteur for the Salvatore Aiello Trust. She is a certified instructor of Dance for Parkinson’s Disease through The Mark Morris Dance Group and she also completed her instructor certification with Progressing Ballet Technique.In our conversation, Kati shares about the value of mentors, allowing yourself to grow, and staying focused on your training despite the distractions of competing for roles, navigating the unknowns, and all the things that can pull your focus from your technique.Thanks for listening to our conversation, thanks for sharing this episode with a friend and for leaving a review. Takeaways from our conversation:-mentors help you understand what you don’t know-a life in dance starts at a young age; requiring both physical and emotional strength and maturity-stay connected to the joyful adventure of danceLearn more about Kati and Charlotte Ballet - including their summer program at Charlotteballet.org.You can learn more about dance education and career planning for dancers at theballerinatist.com#dance #danceeducation #professionaldancer #dancecompany #ballet #ballerina #summerdanceprogram

Melissa recaps conversations on summer dance programs from universities to conservatories and how the diversity of training helps you make decisions from an informed perspective while building your community of peers, colleagues, and mentors.Learn more about dance training and careers in dance: www.theballerinatist.com.

Today’s guest, Grae Robinson, recruiter in the dance program at Texas A & M University shares about their summer dance intensive, planning for academics and artistic growth so you can know your options to reduce pressure or stress in making decisions.Texas A&M dance programs educate students in the art and science of dance by offering a personalized approach to dance training through hands-on, field-based experiences including technical production, dance science research and Pilates. The Dance Science undergraduate program is designed to educate the full dancer through courses focused on dancer wellness and technique courses focused on proper biomechanics. The technical focus includes ballet, modern, jazz, hip-hop and improvisation. The program also offers students research opportunities and minors in choreography and dance performance. Takeaways from our conversation:-ask for help asking the right question-take time to understand all the opportunities a program offers that may extend beyond the actual course-don’t get distracted by all the shiny things; continually assess how a program aligns with what serves your purpose, interest, and abilities.Learn more about Texas A & M’s program or their Summer Dance Intensive.You can learn more about dance education and career planning for dancers at theballerinatist.com

Today’s guest, Madeline Jazz Harvey, is an Associate Professor at Colorado State University, is a dance educator, choreographer, and performer specializing in classical and contemporary ballet. Her twenty-year performance career includes dancing with Charlotte Ballet, Carolina Ballet Theatre, and Impact Dance Company. She attended summer intensive programs on full scholarship at Chautauqua Institution, Complexions Contemporary Ballet, and The Juilliard School.Madeline holds a BA and Professional Training Certificate in Dance from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and an MFA in Choreography from Jacksonville University. Human connection and vulnerability drive her practice. Her creative research investigates play as a paradigm for choreographic process. In 2007, she was the youngest recipient of the New York Choreographic Institute Fellowship Award. She has premiered over 50 original works. She is credited with the development of ShapeX, a wellness program for children with Type II Diabetes. Currently, she is the Principal Investigator for an ongoing research study, Movement Through Parenthood, examining the efficacy of an original EA based dance intervention for improving emotional availability and wellbeing from pregnancy through postpartum. In our conversation Madeline - despite still recovering from the flu - shares the value of collegiate summer dance programs, building creative research, and collaboration as a gateway to learn and opportunity.Takeaways from our conversation:-look for dance experiences that help you take creative risk-collaboration on all levels will strengthen your practice-bring your artistic self into all areas of your lifeLearn more about Madeline at https://madelinejazzharvey.weebly.com/and CSU’s dance program at: https://dance.colostate.edu/Check out Dance Lab: https://dance.colostate.edu/dance-lab/Learn more about dance training and career planning: https://www.theballerinatist.com/

Emily Kent, Education Director for Pilobolus, shares about the company’s summer offerings. She holds a BSEd in Dance Education from the University of Georgia and began working with Pilobolus in 1999, first as a dancer and collaborator and then Teaching Artist. She has created original works for high school and university dance companies for Pilobolus and as an individual artist. She has set classic Pilobolus repertoire on high school and university students. She has created new programs to share the Pilobolus Method to people of all ages and abilities to people around the country: Pilobolus @ Play, the flagship touring education residency, Connecting with Balance, a progressive program for the aging population, The Pilobolus Teaching Manual, to share their techniques with teachers. Pilobolus is an internationally renowned dance company. For over 50 years, they have tested the limits of human physicality, exploring the power of connected bodies. You’ve seen them at the Oscars, the VMAs, and the Olympics. They’ve collaborated with OK Go, the NFL, Hyundai, RadioLab, Penn & Teller, and more. Honors include a TED Fellowship, a Grammy® Nomination, a Primetime Emmy® Award, and several Cannes Lion Awards.  Learn more about Emily and Pilobolus: https://pilobolus.org/company You can learn more about dance education and career planning for dancers at theballerinatist.com

Anamarie McGinn is the School Director for Central Florida Ballet. She has received training from prestigious schools all over the U.S. such as; American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, Miami City Ballet, and Joffrey Ballet School. She danced professionally  with Orlando Ballet for 19 seasons, dancing under Fernando Bujones, Bruce Marks, Robert Hill, and Jorden Morris. In 2006, at the American Dance Competition, Anamarie was awarded the Gold Medal in the Senior Classical division as well as The Fernando Bujones “Excellence Award.”  Anamarie received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Central Florida.  During her tenure with Orlando Ballet, Anamarie also held the title of Company Rehearsal Assistant, where she worked closely with the company and Artistic Staff to stage choreography and run rehearsals.  Anamarie received her ABT Teaching Certification, and was on the teaching faculty for Orlando Ballet School for over 15 years. Takeaways from our conversation:-always give it your all whether in rehearsal, class, or performance-explore how you can move in different techniques and styles-advocate for yourself inside and outside of the studio - a dancer’s life is uniqueThanks for listening to our conversation, thanks for sharing this episode with a friend and for leaving a review. Learn more about Anamarie and Central Florida Ballet.You can learn more about dance education and career planning for dancers at theballerinatist.com

Today we’re looking at shaping a personal statement as a dancer. As you progress through your artistic development, you’ll be asked to share for artistic philosophy, or perspective. Having a foundational awareness of one’s artistic identity offers a filter through which to make work, choose work, and represent yourself. That identity will continue to add layers, but it also gives you a self-accountability tool so you can center yourself, bring yourself into alignment, and move with confident purpose through life. As artists, sometimes the personal identity becomes one with the artistic identity. But, having a personal identity separate and distinct from your creative life can help anchor you in the world outside of the studio. In The Dancer Career Planner, we start by crafting a personal statement. Before we even look at creative goals and dreams - who is it that you are trying to be? This is important because the big shiny lights can sometimes bring things out of focus. It is easy to find yourself grinding away at a project or choreographic work and suddenly wonder, “why I am doing this?” So, a personal statement helps you forge and maintain an identity outside of dance. Takeaways from our conversation: -values matter, they shape your character -your character impacts your reputation -knowing how you want to live supports decision making -understanding what motivates you empowers you to hone your strengths Get The Dancer Career Planner: https://www.theballerinatist.com/ Thanks for listening to our conversation, thanks for sharing this episode with a friend and for leaving a review. 

Melissa shares about Nutcracker traditions and how it can be such a defining experience for young dancers en pointe. Learn about the importance creating a strong foundation for pointe work so you (or your dancer) are prepared for pointe work. Understand: alignment, neuromuscular control, and the anatomy of a pointe shoe for an optimal experience. Check out the Prepared for Pointe Work course and more resources for pre-professional dancers and their parents: https://www.theballerinatist.com/

For young dancers in rigorous dance training programs, balancing dance with academics can be challenging. There is a range of options to find equilibrium. Learn about the timing of educational shifts and the differences between pre-professional training, a trainee or apprentice program, conservatories and universities so you and your dancer can make informed decisions every step (and jete) of the way. This episode covers the chapter on Academics in the Parenting for Dancers ebook: https://www.theballerinatist.com/thingsdancersneed/p/parenting-for-dancers-how-dance-training-works-and-how-you-can-help-your-dancer-be-successful Learn more about dance education and career planning resources: https://www.theballerinatist.com/

What do you do with feedback? Maybe you (or your dancer) is getting feedback that is unclear. The Feedback Filter in the Parenting for Dancers ebook is a great tool to get the most out of feedback to help your dancer grow with confidence. Get the book: https://www.theballerinatist.com/thingsdancersneed/p/parenting-for-dancers-how-dance-training-works-and-how-you-can-help-your-dancer-be-successful Schedule a coaching call: https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule/31df4fbb/appointment/29534329/calendar/6361592?appointmentTypeIds%5B%5D=29534329 Check out courses at Dance Education Laboratory: https://www.danceedlab.com/courses/calendar/