In Process: the NC Dance Festival podcast

Bringing Season 2 of In Process to a close, Festival Director Anne Morris chats with fellow Dance Project Executive Director, Lauren Joyner, as they reflect on memories and highlights from the second half of the season. They echo ideas from the wide spectrum of guests about establishing a healthy and sustainable dance career, the need for equal access to funding and opportunities, and reexamining what a thriving career in dance can look like. "In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf Info about NCDF call for submissions: https://danceproject.org/ncdf-apply/ To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival Guests featured in this episode: Gerri Houlihan Jody Cassell Rae Cozart MaD O’Brien Kendall Ramirez Faith Fidgeon Jeff Aguiar Princess Johnson Milanda McGinnis April Parker Alexandra Joye Warren Dr. David Popoli Lesa Broadhead Links to episodes mentioned: Gerri Houlihan and Jody Cassell https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-17-The-grace-and-dignity-of-my-years-guests-Jody-Cassell-and-Gerri-Houlihan-e1fmnnn UNCSA 2022 grads (Faith Fidgeon, Kendall Ramirez, Rae Cozart, and maD O’Brien) https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-22-What-is-my-learning-going-to-look-like--Guests-Faith-Fidgeon--Rae-Cozart--Kendall-Ramirez--maD-OBrien-e1j35c3 Jeff Aguiar https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-12-Lean-into-artistry-as-disruption-guest-Jeff-Aguiar-e1dna1i Black Creatives (Milanda McGinnis, April Parker, Princess Johnson, Alexandra Joye Warren) Part 1: https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-15-Speaking-my-truth-part-1-guests-Princess-Howell-Johnson--Milanda-McGinnis--April-Parker--Alexandra-Joye-Warren-e1eqn2b/a-a7ffc5o Part 2: https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-16-Speaking-my-truth-part-2-Guests-Princess-Howell-Johnson--Milanda-McGinnis--April-Parker--Alexandra-Joye-Warren-e1f53u7/a-a7gnb4f Dr. David Popoli https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-21-Its-about-keeping-people-moving-e1ibu93 Lesa Broadhead https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-18-A-culture-of-confidence-and-creativity-guest-Lesa-Broadhead-e1gfrni

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris speaks with four 2022 UNCSA contemporary dance graduates, Faith Fidgeon, Kendall Ramirez, maD O’Brien, and Rae Cozart. As these artists transition out of guided education, we discuss the ways they are trying to deal with that disorientation and take control of their own learning. We’ll talk about why it feels like they’ve been thrown by an elephant, how the pandemic changed their relationship to dance, and the kind of artistic communities they are looking to create, serve and participate in. Links: Come see our guests perform with Chris Yon and Taryn Griggs at ADF this June: https://americandancefestival.org/event/made-in-north-carolina/ Websites for the artists: Rae Cozart: https://www.rachelmcozart.com/ IG:  @raecozartt LinkedIn: Rae Cozart maD O’Brien: https://obrienml4.wixsite.com/mysite IG: @madmarshob Faith Fidgeon: https://faithfidgeon.squarespace.com/ IG: @faithfidgeon LinkedIn: Faith Fidgeon Kendall Ramirez: https://kendallramirezartist.squarespace.com/ IG: @kendall_ramirez

This week festival director Anne Morris speaks with Dr. David Popoli, a Sports Medicine physician at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist specializing in Performing Arts Medicine. Dr. Popoli speaks about his dedication to approaching the work of getting artists safely and sustainably back to their artform by considering artist health in a holistic way, from sports medicine to physical therapy to nutrition and psychology. He shares his tactics for providing patient-driven care by learning the language of dance, music, and other arts, and striving to keep performing arts medicine clinics as safe spaces for artists. "In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed Links: IG: https://www.instagram.com/atriumhealthwfb FB: https://www.facebook.com/AtriumHealthWakeForestBaptist/ For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week Festival director Anne Morris speaks with ShaLeigh Comerford, founder, and director of ShaLeigh Dance Works, and Jodee Nimerichter, Executive Director of the American Dance Festival (ADF) in Durham, NC. An annual festival bringing students and dance companies from across the US and internationally, the American Dance Festival plays a particular role in providing opportunities for students and audiences to experience the breadth and depth of modern dance. In this conversation, Jodee and ShaLeigh talk about how much can be learned by driving a bus, the kinds of education many artists are missing, and the importance of building and drawing on artistic networks. Links: Connect with ShaLeigh: Instagram: #shaleighdanceworks Twitter: @ShaleighDance Facebook: @shaleighdanceworks Connect with Jodee/American Dance Festival: Instagram: @americandancefest Twitter: @AmerDanceFest Facebook: www.facebook.com/AmerDanceFest Website: americandancefestival.org For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week Festival Director Anne Morris speaks with Lesa Broadhead, teaching artist and director of the Dance Theatre of DREAMS, at the DREAMS Center for Arts Education in Wilmington, NC. The mission of DREAMS is to create a culture of confidence for youth and teens through equitable access to arts education. Lesa talks about how she overcame the initial challenge of transitioning from leading college-level dance programs to an after-school dance program, how she collaborates with others in the community to provide pre-professional experiences to her students, and the joy of nurturing the natural creativity and curiosity of young children. "In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed Links from this episode: DREAMS -- https://givetodreams.org/ For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week’s episode, adapted from a community conversation at the February 2022 Monthly Dancer Chat, features Jody Cassell and Gerri Houlihan in conversation about aging as dancers. Jody and Gerri share their experiences about their journeys as dancers into their later life and how they maintain their bodies, minds, and spirits to continue feeding their love for dance as their relationship to the art form changes. They provide inspiration on how to nurture the artist within throughout the joys and challenges of aging. “In Process” is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist’s Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed Listen  to the full podcast at: https://danceproject.org/in-process/ Links: Spring Forest Qigong Holden Qigong The Big Red Dance Project Gerri's class at American Dance Festival Studio: https://americandancefestival.org/studios/dancestudios/adult-classes/ For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris continues a conversation with four Greensboro-based artists: Princess Howell Johnson, Milanda McGinnis, April Parker, and Alexandra Joye Warren. In this 2-part conversation, these four women have an honest discussion on what is needed locally and nationally for Black artists to thrive, and the structural barriers that Black artists have faced and continue to confront and overcome. In the second part of the conversation, we discuss the impact that repeated rejection from funding or presenting structures can have on mental health, the ripple effects of being unapologetically true to your authentic self, and practical suggestions to predominantly white-led organizations for sharing resources and taking a step back so Black-led organizations can rise. "In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed Links: Part 1 of this conversation. SoulFlower Wellness/Milanda McGinnis Podcast: Girl You Ain’t Crazy Joyemovement Dance Company/ Alexandra Joye Warren Royal Expressions/Princess Johnson Elsewhere Museum/April Parker Black Creatives Revival: May 20-22 For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris speaks with four Greensboro-based artists: Princess Howell Johnson, Milanda McGinnis, April Parker, and Alexandra Joye Warren. In this 2-part conversation, these four women have an honest discussion on what is needed locally and nationally for Black artists to thrive, and the structural barriers that Black artists have faced and continue to confront and overcome. In this first part of the conversation, we talk about the ways these artists create spaces for and by Black artists, and how their feelings about that work have shifted over the years. We also speak on the importance of “who is in the room,” when decisions about funding, artistic opportunities, and more are on the line, and the ways that efforts like the Black Creatives Revival can support Black artists. "In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed Links: SoulFlower Wellness/Milanda McGinnis Podcast: Girl You Ain’t Crazy Joyemovement Dance Company/ Alexandra Joye Warren Royal Expressions/Princess Johnson Elsewhere Museum/April Parker Black Creatives Revival: May 20-22 For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week Festival Director Anne Morris speaks with Tarayjah Hoey-Gordon, a dance educator, movement artist, and the founder of Dance Now Cry Later, an organization created to Educate, Elevate, and Inspire the next generation of dancers. Tarayjah shares the creative ways she’s finding to mentor young dance artists and describes her drive to create spaces and relationships that she would have benefitted from as she came up in the dance community. Tarayjah provides insight on how we can better respect Street Dance culture and break down the barriers between communities in the dance world, including studio dancers, street dancers, K-12 dance educators, and more. Hear how her position on the border of many of these communities provides a unique perspective and fuels her dedication to feed the NC dance community as a whole. "In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed Links from this episode: Website: www.DanceNowCryLater.com Connect on Social Media: IG: @Tarayjah @DanceNowCryLater FB: https://www.facebook.com/DanceNowCryLater Website: www.DanceNowCryLater.com For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf Info about NCDF call for submissions: https://danceproject.org/ncdf-apply/ To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

Last year on the podcast, Vania Claiborne, Dance Project staff member, choreographer, and educator, hosted a special conversation focused on the experience of some of the Black dance artists connected to Dance Project and the NC Dance Festival. It is such a rich conversation that we wanted to revisit it this year. Vania speaks with Amelia Renee Byrd and Jordan Booker-Medley about the experiences and mentors that have influenced who they are as artists, what it was like to see themselves reflected on the stage for the first time, how they navigate expectations our culture puts on the artistic work of Black choreographers, and what they are looking forward to exploring creatively. Since this episode was originally released, Jordan has started a new job as Company Manager fellow for Wicked on Broadway. Amelia completed her Artist Residency with Dance Project in December 2021, and you can see and discuss the work she created for the residency in the NC Dance Festival’s next Virtual Dance Discovery Club on March 10. Links: Upcoming Virtual Dance Discovery Club: March 10, 6:30-8pm, FREE. Info and register: danceproject.org/ncdf Connect with these artists on IG: Vania Claiborne Amelia Byrd Jordan Booker-Medley Info about NCDF call for submissions: https://danceproject.org/ncdf-apply/ To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week, I’m talking with Jeff Aguiar, Theater and Literature Director for the North Carolina Arts Council. Jeff is a performing artist himself, as well as a PhD candidate in Conflict Analysis and Resolution Studies, studying the ways in which art is socially and politically engaged. We discuss the ways that the NC Arts Council is making shifts to be more responsive to artist and community needs and more equitable in their funding practices, the role of art and dance in pushing shifts like these forward, and Jeff’s call to artists to be fully present wherever they are in their journey. In the last part of the episode, Jeff describes the grant programs the NC Arts Council is anticipating for 2022-23. "In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed Links from this episode: NC Arts Council: https://www.ncarts.org/ NC Arts Council grants: https://www.ncarts.org/opportunities/grants/grants-organizations Connect on Social Media: IG: @ncartscouncil FB: North Carolina Arts Council For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf Info about NCDF call for submissions: https://danceproject.org/ncdf-apply/ To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris talks with Heather Hartley and Phil Reynolds, the founders of Trillium Arts, a residency center outside of Asheville, NC, that supports artists through a variety of residency and creative exchange programs. They moved to North Carolina a few years ago, from Chicago, where both had extensive experience working in the performing arts sector. Most recently Heather was the executive director of See Chicago Dance, a service and advocacy organization, and Phil was executive director of Chicago Dancers United from 2016 to 2019 and executive director of the Dance Center of Columbia College Chicago for 17 years. We’ll talk about their hopes for Trillium to be a greenhouse for artists, the need for statewide advocacy for dance, and the richness of the dance landscape in North Carolina. "In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine Clinic: WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed Links from this episode: Connect with Trillium Arts: https://www.trilliumartsnc.org/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/TrilliumArts IG: @Trilliumartsnc For more information about Artist Residencies and to apply at the February 15 deadline: https://www.trilliumartsnc.org/artist-residencies For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week, we are taking some time at the beginning of a new year to reflect back on the past months and look ahead to the future. Since August, this podcast has featured a variety of people across the NC dance community, and in nearly each conversation, we’ve asked our guests, “what do you think the NC dance community needs to thrive?” Today, we’re listening back to excerpts of some of these conversations, drawing connections between the overlapping and intersecting ideas. In a way, we’re bringing these guests into conversation with each other, as each of them approaches the question of thriving from a slightly different point of view. We’re featuring excerpts from our interviews with Duane Cyrus, Robin Gee, Camerin Watson, Doug Singleton, Helen Simoneau, Zoe Litaker, and Caitlin Dutton-Reaver. We’d also like to ask for your input. First, if you have ideas about what you think the NC dance community needs to thrive, we’d love to hear them! Share them with us as a voice memo, and we may include your message on a future podcast episode. Send your voice memo as an attachment to an email to festival@danceproject.org, with the subject: Podcast message-Thrive. Next, we want to know who else you think we should talk to this season! We already have plans to talk to folks involved in granting organizations, dance education, and presenting, but who else do you think would have a great perspective on the question of thriving as a dance community? You can let us know on our website: danceproject.org/in-process/ Links: Full episodes for these guests: Duane Cyrus: https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-6-You-should-start-with-the-big-toe-Guest-Duane-Cyrus-e19m4nm Robin Gee: https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-5-Reinvent-the-notion-of-community-Guest-Robin-Gee-e1914dv Camerin Watson: https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-2-We-are-our-bodies-Guest-Camerin-Watson-e173ll5 Doug Singleton: https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-9-Its-always-an-evolution-guest-Doug-Singleton-e1bp0ob Helen Simoneau: https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2--Episode-3-Take-space--claim-space--and-relate-to-each-other-Guest-Helen-Simoneau-e17m4va Zoe Litaker: https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-7-A-spontaneous-reaction-to-the-space-we-find-ourselves-in-Guest-Zoe-Litaker-e1achl2 Caitlin Dutton-Reaver: https://anchor.fm/inprocessncdf/episodes/S2-Episode-8-There-for-the-joy-of-moving-guest-Caitlin-Dutton-Reaver-e1b39ua For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris talks with Doug Singleton, the Executive Director for the Charlotte Ballet. Doug has been with the Charlotte Ballet since 1996, and the Executive Director since 2005. Doug has a long history in NC, and brings the perspective of a producer and presenter to the question of how to ensure a thriving future for the dance community. We’ll talk about how the Alvin Ailey Dance Company changed the course of his life, how Charlotte Ballet works to become a company of creatives, and what he thinks the key is to getting a dance audience to come back again and again.  Links from this episode: Connect with the Charlotte Ballet: charlotteballet.org FB: https://www.facebook.com/CLTballet IG: @ cltballet For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival "In Process" is sponsored by Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist's Performing Arts Medicine clinic: Whether you are a dancer, musician, vocalist or artist, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist’s new Performing Arts Medicine Clinic is designed to meet your needs. We understand your unique demands and want to help get you back to dancing, playing, singing or painting. Our Performing Arts Medicine Program includes physicians, physical therapists, and certified athletic trainers with specialized knowledge and training. Our program is one of very few in the country. Many of our program providers also are dancers and artists. To schedule an appointment with Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, call 336-716-3286 or visit WakeHealth.edu/PerformingArtsMed.

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris talks with Caitlin Dutton-Reaver, a choreographer, teacher, and administrator who has been one of Dance Project’s Artists in Residence this year, and also a teacher for our studio this fall. Caitlin moved to NC from NYC a few months before the pandemic hit. We’ll talk about her background in immersive theater, how that informs her perspective on the purpose of performance, what she’s been working on during her residency, and the power that connecting dancers can have in helping the community thrive. Caitlin will share her work on December 17 in an informal showing with the other Artist in Residence, at our Greensboro studio. More information and free reservations to attend can be found here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/artist-in-residence-informal-showing-tickets-219988520587 Links from this episode: Connect with Caitlin Dutton-Reaver: www.strayperformanceprojects.com FB: https://www.facebook.com/caitlintothecool To learn more about the December 17 informal showing for our Artists in Residence, visit: danceproject.org/artistres For information on upcoming NC Dance Festival events, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris welcomes photographer Zoe Litaker back to the show. Zoe and Anne talked last fall on the podcast, at the beginning of our work on the 30 Portraits for 30 Years series, in which Zoe photographed 30 dance artists who have been influential in the development and evolution of the Dance Festival over the years. Each of these artists is a collection of the moments they’ve lived, their personal history intertwining with the story of the NC Dance Festival in a variety of ways. Zoe’s photos capture them in one moment of time, a glimpse of a whole life in one instant. When we talked last year, Zoe was just beginning this project, which she finished in July of 2021. Now, we are reflecting a bit on the series, on how Zoe grew as an artist in this process, and what makes dance and photography such a rich partnership. Links: Connect with Zoe Litaker: https://zoelitakerphotography.com/ @ zoelitakerphotography To see the 30 Portraits for 30 Years photos or purchase the photo book, click here: https://danceproject.org/30-portraits/ For information and tickets for the NC Dance Festival virtual performance, which will be available for through Nov 29, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf For more information about upcoming Festival events, click here: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/give Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris talks with Duane Cyrus, founder and director of Theatre of Movement, and faculty in the UNC Greensboro Dance Department. He has curated an upcoming exhibit at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA) in Winston-Salem – Black @ Intersection: Contemporary Black Voices in Art, which opens November 19. Listen to find out more about Duane’s interest in the interplay between different art forms, what a “big toe initiative” is, and how he tries to question ideas about race and gender in his creative work. This episode of “In Process” is sponsored by the UNC Greensboro Dance Department. Links: For more information about the Black @ Intersection exhibit at SECCA, visit: https://secca.org/exhibition-detail.php?LinkId=404980572 Connect with Duane Cyrus: https://www.theatreofmovement.org/ IG: @themove For information and tickets for the NC Dance Festival virtual performance, which will be available for streaming October 23-November 30, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf For more information about upcoming Festival events, click here: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/givencdf Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival Thanks to our sponsor, UNCG Dance! Check out all their upcoming performances at go.uncg.edu/dancetix.

This week, Festival Director Anne Morris talks with Robin Gee, director of the Greensboro Dance Film Festival and faculty in the UNC Greensboro dance department. The Greensboro Dance Film Festival runs October 29-November 6 in a variety of venues in Greensboro, and features dance films by local, regional, and international artists. As the Dance Film Festival approaches, we discuss Robin’s entry into filmmaking, how art reflects culture, and how she strives to really engage the community through her work. This episode of “In Process” is sponsored by the UNC Greensboro Dance Department. Links: For more information about the Greensboro Dance Film Festival or to reserve tickets to the screening of “Uprooted” on October 29, visit: greensborodancefilms.org For information and tickets for the virtual performance, which will be available for streaming October 23-November 30, visit our website: danceproject.org/ncdf Watch the Artist Talk-back on Oct 23rd, 8pm on our website or our Facebook page To register for the November 4th Virtual Dance Discussion Club, click here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEuc-GtqT8uHdJjm-dWjU6AtVQGd4zXmkEI For more information about upcoming Festival events, click here: danceproject.org/ncdf To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/givencdf Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival Thanks to our sponsor, UNCG Dance! Check out all their upcoming performances at go.uncg.edu/dancetix.

This week, Festival director Anne Morris talks with dancer Aparna Keshaviah and musician Atiba Rorie about their creative collaboration as part of the NC Dance Festival performance this past weekend. In bringing Aparna and Atiba together for this project, we explored the contrasts between Aparna’s classical Indian dance and Atiba’s West African rhythms, and the process of finding common ground. Prior to the October 2 performance, Atiba and Aparna had a few conversations and exchanged a few ideas about rhythms and structure. Everything else came together during the afternoon of the performance, when they rehearsed in the studio together for the first time. This conversation captures the fresh feeling and energy generated by this collaboration, and highlights the connections formed between these two artists. To connect with Aparna, visit her website. Atiba’s band, Africa Unplugged is here. For information and tickets for the virtual performance, which will be available for streaming October 23-November 30, visit our website. For more information about upcoming Festival events, click here. To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/givencdf Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival

This week, I’m talking to choreographer Helen Simoneau, artistic director of Helen Simoneau Danse, about her dance, Flight Distance I, that she will be setting on a cast of 5 NC professionals for our NC Dance Festival performance on October 2nd. The group will be in residence in Dance Project’s studios the week of September 27 as they prepare for performance. This will be Helen’s first live performance of her choreography since March of 2020. We’ll discuss how Flight Distance turns out to be the perfect choice for the current moment, the new project she’s working on, and the importance of momentum in ensuring dancers’ careers can thrive. For more information about Helen Simoneau Danse, click here. For tickets to the October 2 performance, click here. For season information, click here. To make a gift to the Festival Fund, please visit danceproject.org/givencdf Follow us: IG: @danceprojectinc FB: NC Dance Festival Thanks to our podcast sponsor, UNCG Dance! Check out all their upcoming performances at go.uncg.edu/dancetix.