Two Two Guys

This week we are joined by intrepid choreographer Jera Wolfe to talk about his most recent creation — a dance film called "Soul" for the National Ballet of Canada — and get a behind-the-scenes look at the genesis of this profound piece. We talk about his rise to success, the unique blend of experiences that add to his choreographic vocabulary, and get some stories from his time as a finalist on So You Think You Can Dance Canada. Finally, we close with a conversation on the state of Indigenous representation in the arts in Canada, and hear what it has been like for Jera to re-discover his Métis heritage. Check out "Soul" on NBoC's youtube here: https://youtu.be/So9_pPS1rzo Host: Kealan McLaughlin Guest: Jera Wolfe @JeraWolfe https://www.jerawolfe.com/ Two Two Guys can be reached at: Instagram and Facebook: @twotwoguys Email: twotwoguyspod@gmail.com Leave a review! Send us a message! Let us know what topics are important to you! And if you can, and if you're lucky enough to have older generations of your family in your life, take a few moments over the next few days to ask them a story about where you come from. It's so easy to lose contact with our heritage, so go learn about your tribe!

Have we got a real bumper of an episode for YOU! This week the man—the myth—the legend, Joseph Gatti stopped by the pod, and oh did he bring it!! Topics include (but are not limited to) that time he invented a new pirouette combination at the NY IBC, stories of working with the great Fernando Bujones, the key to making your feet look better (that I guarantee you've never heard before), what it takes to run a company and why he chose to start his company United Ballet Theatre in 2018! Plus we go deep into the Gatti Method and talk about the ways he and United Ballet Theatre are changing the ballet world forever. Joseph Gatti is the founder and director of United Ballet Theatre (UBT) and United Ballet Theatre Academy (UBTA) in Orlando, FL. He has been a soloist with Boston Ballet, a principal with Cincinnati Ballet and Corella Ballet, guest principal with Orlando Ballet, and has danced in galas across the world and won numerous ballet competitions. In 2018 he founded UBT, with UBTA following in 2021. We talk about what lead him to starting his own company, and how he is doing things very differently than the norm. Listen along and let Joseph's magnetic spirit lift your day. Host: Kealan McLaughlin Guest: Joseph Gatti @BalletGatti @UnitedBalletTheatre @UBT.academy https://www.athletesofart.org/ Two Two Guys can be reached at: Instagram and Facebook: @twotwoguys Email: twotwoguyspod@gmail.com Leave a review! Send us a message! Let us know what topics are important to you! And if you can, take a few moments over the next few days to train your body in a different way than you're used to. They say variety is the spice of life ;)

This week we are joined by star of the stage for three decades - Greta Hodgkinson! Greta retired from the National Ballet of Canada as a principal ballerina in 2020 at the age of 46, having danced in the company for 30 years. During this episode we go into the "how" of it all, and try to determine the magic recipe which enabled Greta to dance so fabulously and with such longevity. We talk about how a dancer's mindset changes over time, the importance of good coaching and mentoring, and hear stories from her illustrious career. Also, Greta is launching a mentorship program called Dance Mentoring by Greta. You can stay up to date by checking it out online and on social media! Host: Kealan McLaughlin Guest: Greta Hodgkinson @GretaHodgkinson @DanceMentoringbyGreta https://www.dancementoringbygreta.com/ Two Two Guys can be reached at: Instagram and Facebook: @twotwoguys Email: twotwoguyspod@gmail.com Leave a review! Send us a message! Let us know what topics are important to you! And if you can, take a few moments over the next few days to imagine yourself in your future. Ask yourself what might be necessary for that future to be a happy one, then begin moving towards those things now.

This week on the podcast we present part 2 of our interview with Cuban ballet-phenom Osiel Gouneo. In part 2 Osiel speaks on some of his most serious struggles and the lessons he learned in overcoming them. He talks about the unique challenge in guesting with Paris Opera Ballet, and what makes it one of his most cherished professional memories. Finally, he tells a story about his special relationship with Cuban ballet-juggernaut Alicia Alonso, asking for a leave of absence on only his 2nd day at work, and a remarkable story of being recognized by a fan. Plus much more! Make sure to listen to part 1 as well, and check out our Instagram for easy access to all the solos referenced in the episode. And if you're looking for instructional videos, Osiel has a dance masterclass available online. Check out the link below. Host: Kealan McLaughlin Guest: Osiel Gouneo @gouneoosiel https://osielgouneo.com/ https://www.dance-masterclass.com/osiel Two Two Guys can be reached at: Instagram and Facebook: @twotwoguys Email: twotwoguyspod@gmail.com Leave a review! Send us a message! Let us know what topics are important to you! And if you can, take a few moments over the next few days to check in with your body. Are you sleeping enough, do you need more water? We only get one body, so let's try to take care of the one we got.

This week on the pod we are joined by Cuban ballet-phenom Osiel Gouneo for part 1 of a 2-part interview. Having danced as a leading principal at Ballet Nacional de Cuba (Havana), Norweigan National Ballet (Oslo), and Bayerisches Staatsballett (Munich), as well as guesting and performing in galas all over the world, Osiel is in equal measure tremendously talented, completely charismatic, and utterly unpretentious. In part 1 we talk about the relationship between greatness & modesty, the ways people are, and the ways we could be pushing the art form further in the 21st century, take a look under the hood at what he is feeling and thinking about when he performs his remarkable feats on stage, and much more. Make sure to come back for part 2 next week and check out our Instagram for easy access to all the solos referenced in the episode. Host: Kealan McLaughlin Guest: Osiel Gouneo @gouneoosiel Two Two Guys can be reached at: Instagram and Facebook: @twotwoguys Email: twotwoguyspod@gmail.com Leave a review! Send us a message! Let us know what topics are important to you! And if you can, take a few moments over the next few days to put the work into something you love. You never know, one day you might become famous for it.

We present to you Part 2 of our conversations with ballerina-turned-conductor Maria Seletskaja. On the previous episode we talked about the unique career transition that took her from performing lead roles on stage to leading the orchestra in front of the stage and discussed her upcoming debut conducting Swan Lake for the Estonian National Ballet. On this episode we hear about the performance mere hours after the curtain has closed, share feedback directly from the dancers in the performance, and probe further into the psyche of a conductor in these high-pressure moments. Maria has made the remarkable journey from dancing as a soloist ballerina with some of the leading ballet theatres in Europe to conducting across the globe with companies like the National Ballet of Canada, Royal Danish Ballet, and now her home theatre of the Estonian National Ballet. Join us for 2 conversations, both rich with insight, and learn about the intersection between the dancers and the orchestra from an artist unparalleled in her qualification. And make sure to listen to Part 1 if you haven't already! Host: Kealan McLaughlin Guest: Maria Seletskaja @mariaseletskaja Two Two Guys can be reached at: Instagram and Facebook: @twotwoguys Email: twotwoguyspod@gmail.com Leave a review! Send us a message! Let us know what topics are important to you! And if you can, take a few moments over the next few days to celebrate a win, big or small. The greatest results can come from the smallest beginnings.

SPECIAL MID-WEEK BONUS POD! This week on the show we are joined by ballerina-turned-conductor Maria Seletskaja. Currently Conductor-in-Residence at the National Ballet of Canada, and simultaneously preparing for debuts with Royal Danish Ballet and Estonian National Ballet, she actually began as a ballet dancer. During her 15-year ballet career she danced for companies like Staatsoper Berlin, Estonian National Ballet, and Royal Ballet of Flanders; yet it wasn't until she lifted the baton in her first production as a conductor that she felt she was where she belonged. Maria joins us on the eve of an auspicious premiere, as she returns home to Estonian National to conduct Swan Lake for the first time, in the same theatre where she premiered the roles of Odette/Odile 11 years ago. In this episode we discuss the difference between performing on stage as a dancer and standing in front of the stage as a conductor. Further, Maria explains how she was able to make this difficult transition, dishes on the challenges of leading an orchestra, and tells us how preparations are coming for her upcoming Swan Lake premiere. Make sure to come back on the weekend for Part 2 when we check in post-premiere and see how it all went! Host: Kealan McLaughlin Guest: Maria Seletskaja @mariaseletskaja Two Two Guys can be reached at: Instagram and Facebook: @twotwoguys Email: twotwoguyspod@gmail.com Leave a review! Send us a message! Let us know what topics are important to you! And if you can, take a few moments over the next few days to try something new. You never know how you'll feel about something until you try it.

This week we are joined by soloist of the Estonian National Ballet, Ketlin Oja. Having performed together for years, Ketlin and Kealan are able to draw from their lived experience on stage to share stories – raw and honest – and give the listener real access into the quiet intensity that exists in every dancer in the moments surrounding a debut. It is a very different thing to premiere a role than it is to partner somebody through their premiere. This is amplified if the role is the first foray into soloist or principal dancing, as was the case in 2018 when Ketlin premiered the role of Odette/Odile at only 20 years old, with Kealan as her Prince Siegfried, in front of the entire Estonian ballet community. In this episode we tell stories from the pivotal premiere, discuss the differences – from seemingly small to positively profound – that a dancer may feel as they make this transition from "new" to "veteran," and contrast the impacts that an inexperienced partner can have on a male and female dancer. Host: Kealan McLaughlin Guest: Ketlin Oja @ketlino Two Two Guys can be reached at: Instagram and Facebook: @twotwoguys Email: twotwoguyspod@gmail.com Leave a review! Send us a message! Let us know what topics are important to you! And if you can, take a few moments this week to give yourself a present. It can be big or small, planned or spontaneous, but let it bring you joy.

After a year and a half at home, a lot of us are beginning to go back to work/school. As life begins to return to "normal" we may notice there are pros but also some cons. Maybe we miss being able to wear the same onesie every day for a week, and now when we wear it to the office we get HR telling us we can't dress up as our favourite Lion King character?!? YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT I'VE BEEN THROUGH, SUSAN!! This week on the pod, ballet dancer and friend of the show Julian Botnarenko joins to play a game of "Would You Rather: Lockdown vs Working Edition." Play along with us as you listen, learn about yourself as you go, and ultimately discover which lifestyle you prefer and why. Host: Kealan McLaughlin Guest: Julian Botnarenko @julianbotnarenko Two Two Guys can be reached at: Instagram and Facebook: @twotwoguys Email: twotwoguyspod@gmail.com Leave a review! Send us a message! Let us know what topics are important to you! And if you can, take a few moments this week to reflect on the positive changes you've undergone in the last year and a half, and consider how you can incorporate them into your life moving forward.

How do we find our groove? Each of us has natural rhythms, tendencies, gifts; how do we tap into them so they can be enjoyed and shared fully? On this episode, movement coach/choreographer/former Royal Swedish Ballet soloist and genuinely groovy guy Joakim Stephenson visits from all the way in Stockholm Sweden to offer his expertise on the subject. Finding your natural way of moving and being is beneficial in dancing, choreographing, and anything non-dance related. It's about finding what works for YOU as an authentic expression of who and what you are, as opposed to just doing what has been programmed. This episode includes: easy to remember tips and tricks to finding one's personal groove a discussion of the obstacles one will commonly face how to supplement a choreographer's vision while staying true to yourself real-life experience AND theoretical musings Host: Kealan McLaughlin Guest: Joakim Stephenson http://joakimstephenson.com/ @joakimstephenson Two Two Guys can be reached at: Instagram and Facebook: @twotwoguys Email: twotwoguyspod@gmail.com Leave a review! Send us a message! Let us know what topics are important to you! And if you can, take a few moments this week to play some groovy tunes and see how your body feels like moving.

Two Two Guys resident sports reporter Dash Grundy is back on the pod and this time he's really bringing the heat. With the addition of Skateboarding, Surfing, and Climbing to the Tokyo Olympics, and the announcement that Breakdancing will make its Olympic debut at the Paris 2024 Summer Games, we discuss the possibility of ballet ever becoming an Olympic event. We look at the process any discipline must go through to become part of the Olympics, address the hurdles specific to ballet, and walk through scenarios of how the event could be structured by comparing it to similar Olympic sports. It's a loose, fun time. Hop in our sidecar and go for a ride with us. PS: Dash drops multiple seriously pitch-worthy ideas and Kealan experiments with creating a richer soundscape for the listener. Host: Kealan McLaughlin Guest: Dash Grundy (IG: @DashGrundy) Two Two Guys can be reached at: Instagram and Facebook: @twotwoguys Email: twotwoguyspod@gmail.com Leave a review! Send us a message! Let us know what topics are important to you! And if you can, take a few moments this week and do something that makes you laugh so hard you need to catch your breath.

After a small hiatus, Two Two Guys is back with the heat. This week on the pawdcast we have an extra special treat. Our first quadrupedal guest stops by to help answer mailbag questions. If you have any cats in the room with you please consider listening with headphones. Host: Kealan McLaughlin Guest: Arlo Two Two Guys can be reached at: Instagram and Facebook: @twotwoguys Email: twotwoguyspod@gmail.com Leave a review! Send us a message! Let us know what topics are important to you! And don't forget to take a few moments to yourself this week to do something that makes you happy.

Take a deep breath everyone, it's going to be ok. We know there's a lot going on and we have something to soothe those aches. This week we have on contemporary dancer, yoga instructor, and certified Breathwork coach Damian Norman. The conversation that follows touches on the importance of conscious breathing in dance and in life, the ability we all have to use the breath to choose between accessing our sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, and the information needed to understand and then begin making that choice. Damian's work in somatic healing, trauma research, movement flow, yoga, and as a contemporary dancer in Canada and Germany all inform his philosophy and have taught him repeatedly: Breathing is at the centre of everything, and breathing properly will change your life! The episode finishes with a special treat; Damian leads us through a simple guided breathwork practice. We invite you to follow along at home. This section begins at 29:58 in the episode. Damian can be reached at: Instagram: @soulfulsomatic Website: https://manifestintegrativehealth.wordpress.com/ Book a session: https://manifestintegrativehealth.janeapp.com/#staff_member/1 Two Two Guys can be reached at: Instagram and Facebook: @twotwoguys Email: twotwoguyspod@gmail.com Leave a review! Send us a message! Let us know what topics are important to you! And don't forget to take a few moments to yourself this week to slow down and just breathe.

This week we're joined by legend of the screen, radio, and camera lens Tarzan Dan. Equally at ease interviewing Beyonce and photographing ballet's leading stars, Tarzan brings his effortless charm, wacky sense of humour, and stories galore to Two Two Guys. How many other people can say they've been a guest of the Royal Ballet AND pulled a prank on Jennifer Lopez? Tarzan first gained notoriety as host of YTV's The Hit List in the 1990s. He has worked in radio for decades and has a flourishing career as a photographer, collaborating regularly with ballet dancers. In this episode, Tarzan talks about what it is that makes his photography so striking, why he stands out from the rest, and how anyone can find and hone their own unique style. Additionally, we talk about his other careers, how he was able to find so much success as a TV personality and what it's like when it's your job to interview the biggest celebrities in the world. Find Tarzan on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @TarzanDan His website is: http://www.tdfoto.ca/ You can listen to Tarzan on Q107 in Calgary, 2-6pm M-F https://q107fm.ca/player/ Reach the show at twotwoguyspod@gmail.com or on Instagram @twotwoguys

This week our guest is Joan Jeffri, Director and Creator of the Research Center for Arts and Culture at The Actors Fund in New York City, and former director of the Graduate Program in Arts Administration at Columbia University. Having spent decades teaching arts management, spearheading institutions, and conducting research into the later stage of artists' careers, she brings an unparalleled level of expertise, illustrated in her co-authorship of the 2004 research project "Life After Dance: Career Transition of Professional Dancers." (linked below) Over the course of the episode, Joan and Kealan dive deep into the challenges - both internal and external - a dancer may face as they contemplate and embark on a career change. The reality of this inevitable transition is something most dancers don't consider until late in their careers, and often only when their careers have come to an abrupt end. With Covid-19 increasing the level of job insecurity across the dance world, finding the courage and developing the tools to prepare for one's next steps has never been more important. There are dancer transition centres around the world that are there to help. Canada - Dancer Transition Resource Centre www.dtrc.ca United States - The Actor's Fund-Career Transition for Dancers https://actorsfund.org/services-and-programs/career-transition-dancers Australia - AusDance https://ausdance.org.au/ UK - Dancer's Career Development https://thedcd.org.uk/ France - Centre National de la Danse https://www.cnd.fr/fr/ Germany - Stiftung Tanz https://stiftung-tanz.com/ Czech Republic - Dance Career Endowment Fund http://tanecnikariera.cz/ Poland - The Institute of Music and Dance https://www.imit.org.pl/ Netherlands - Omscholing Dansers Nederland https://www.omscholingdansers.nl/ Korea - Dancers' Career Development Centre http://www.dcdcenter.or.kr/ Switzerland - Danse Transition (fr, en) https://www.danse-transition.ch/ The Transition Centre SSUDK (de, it, en) https://ssudk.ch/en/home-en/ Multinational - International Organization for the Transition of Professional Dancers http://www.iotpd.org/ 2004 Research Project (mobile only): https://neumann.hec.ca/aimac2005/PDF_Text/JeffriJ_ThrosbyD.pdf Reach the show at twotwoguyspod@gmail.com or on Instagram @twotwoguys

This week Kealan is joined by the charming and insightful Mark Biocca to discuss which qualities make for the best colleague. The pair discuss the mental and emotional pressures a young dancer may face at the beginning of their career, and the significance of having someone with whom they feel supported and understood. They also share behind-the-scenes stories from their time working together in Alberta Ballet, where Kealan was an apprentice and Mark was a soloist. Mark is a graduate of Royal Ballet School in London and in addition to AB has danced for Northern Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Macedonian National Ballet, National Ballet of Portugal, and Hungarian National Ballet. He currently freelances in Italy and the UK and has founded his own company InternationBallet. Find Mark on Instagram @MarkBiocca and @InternationBallet Reach the show at twotwoguyspod@gmail.com or on Instagram @twotwoguys

On this very special Mother's Day episode, Kealan is joined by his mother, the esteemed Dr. Erin McLaughlin-Jenkins to talk about what it's like being the parent of an aspiring dancer. In addition to her Ph.D., she comes with decades of experience raising a dancer as a single mom. They speak about the joys, worries, long commutes, and the often tumultuous relationship with even the art form itself that a parent may feel while their child pursues a career in dance. Reach the show at twotwoguyspod@gmail.com or on Instagram @twotwoguys Reach the show at twotwoguyspod@gmail.com or on Instagram @twotwoguys

This week on the show Kealan is joined by award-winning choreographer and dancer, 30 Under 30 recipient, and community leader Thomas Charles Fonua aka Kween Kong. The pair have a chat about dance as a platform for self-expression, what it feels like when that need to express is supported vs when it's stifled, and how to create the space for oneself and others to self-actualize. Additionally, we hear about Tom's journey from growing up in a working-class Pacific Islander family to dancing for all the major contemporary theatres in Australia, choreographing his own works to international acclaim, founding the Haus of Kong, and winning Drag Nation Australia. Plus at the end, Thomas tells us what it was like working for the only dance company to include CrossFit as a part of its weekly training regimen. Reach the show at twotwoguyspod@gmail.com or on Instagram @twotwoguys Find Thomas at @thomascharlesfonua and Kween Kong at @kweenkongofficial Find Tom's podcast Da Safe House at https://www.facebook.com/dasafehouse and listen to it here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/904999

Kealan is joined this week by Evgeni Dokoukine and Jonatan Davidsson, both former soloists with the Estonian National Ballet. They compare the experiences of dancing for a company in North America and a theatre in Europe, talk about the often nomadic life of a ballet dancer, and lay out the pros and cons for anyone deciding between dancing in multiple companies vs staying in one place. Also, Kealan pitches them on an idea for a wedding. Reach the show at twotwoguyspod@gmail.com or on Instagram @twotwoguys Find Jonatan at @jonatandavidsson and Evgeni at @evgeni.dokoukine

In this episode, Kealan sits down with award-winning choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa to discuss her process, the highs and lows of being an in-demand freelance choreographer, the significance of accolades and reviews, and much more. Check it out if you want real insight into what it is like to choreograph for many of the world's top companies. The whole episode is brought to you by wine. Not a specific brand or company. Just wine.