The Background Dancer
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© 2024 The Background Dancer
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The Background Dancer sheds light on critical aspects underpinning the dance and performing arts industry through topics ranging from management, entrepreneurship, education, technology, fashion, choreography, politics, interdisciplinarity, media and wellness. Host Jason Yap details fascinating and useful information to help deepen your knowledge of all things offstage, while exploring and preparing together for a post-performance career. Listen in for a bi-weekly conversation with dance lovers from across Asia, Europe and the US, sharing experiences and practices that are both intimate and insightful. Jason is a dance artist, multidisciplinary producer and psychology graduate himself. Despite not pursuing it vocationally, he has still adopted many of psychology's approaches throughout his professional life - the concept of multiplicity and the performing arts as a 'whole that is bigger than the sum of its parts' ecosystem. Ready to talk all things dance? Join us as we begin to foreground Dance in the Background!
69 Episodes
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Shifting from performer to entrepreneur requires not just passion but also a high tolerance for risk and uncertainty. Without a strong appetite for the unpredictable journey ahead, many dancers shy away from the entrepreneurial path. Yet, those who do take the leap often become the industry's trailblazers, using their vision and tenacity to spark meaningful change.One such trailblazer is Danny Hindmarsh, an Australian dancer turned business innovator who is already making a global impact. As ...
Dance education is often likened to a Chinese proverb: 'A minute of work seen on stage takes 10 years of work off stage.' And while talent plays a role, education stands as the primary pillar shaping a dancer's journey. In our exploration of dance education during our first season, we delved into academia and the art of learning. Now, we take a closer look at the business of education, focusing on the creation of teaching resources essential for dance educators in the form of Dance Ed Tips.En...
A personal story told many times over on this podcast is my journey into dance which commenced gradually through the popular reality TV series, So You Think You Can Dance. While the show's drama took center stage for many, what captivated me was the dancers' adaptability across various styles and techniques. It revealed that each dance style was rooted in fundamental technique, a pivotal aspect for any dancer unlocking their physicality.One recent development in the vast history of dance tech...
When Boston Dynamics, an engineering and robotics design company went viral for successfully creating the now famous Atlas dancing robots video, it caught more than a few people in the world of dance by storm. Would our jobs be threatened by robots too now? Enter the fascinating world of Choreorobotics, a field that explores the convergence of dance choreography and robotics technology. At the forefront of this interdisciplinary domain is Dr. Kate Sicchio, a choreographer, media artist, perfo...
SaaS, also known as software as a a service or web-based software, operates on a subscription basis, providing users with centrally hosted solutions accessible anytime, anywhere. This model has transformed countless industries, including entertainment, communication, and, most notably, education. As dance studios and activity centers worldwide sought efficient management solutions, Jackrabbit Technologies emerged as a pioneer in cloud-based class management software.Under CEO and co-founder M...
Long before the formulation of the world’s first MA in Screendance by the LCDS, the genre had already dated as far back to the early days of cinema. Gene Kelly emerged as a prominent figure during the 1940s and 50s after he starred in and co-directed the classic film "Singin' in the Rain" (1952). In contemporary cinema, dance continues to play a significant role through films such as "Black Swan" (2010), "La La Land" (2016), which have all brought dance back into the spotlight for the next ge...
While most of us aspiring contemporary dancers will decide to undergo formal training under the foundations of Graham, Cunningham, Limon and various others, a small subset has diverted into the wondrous world of puppet theatre. One such performer, choreographer and now puppeteer is Duda Paiva. After a few more years thriving as an independent theatrical artist, he initiated the Duda Paiva Company in Amsterdam, Holland, in 2004.Duda was educated as an actor, ballet and Butoh dancer in both Bra...
Costumes, costumes, costumes... they are everywhere, aren't they? From festive occasions to theatrical performances and even on the silver screen in movies. Whilst studying dance, I was always captivated by the costume design at the School of Theatre and Arts Entertainment. They were the ones I interacted with most, as they were responsible for crafting costumes and set designs for various other departments including Music, Drama and Chinese Opera.Rike Zöllner hails originally from Germany an...
As a dancer, have you ever wondered about the significance of the clothes on your back? For most, the selection of brands and gear is a deliberate choice, a conscious decision shaping their dance journey. A notable name in this arena is SMK Dancewear, a label bearing the imprint of its founder and designer, Sandra Meynier Kang. The brand's ethos revolves around eco-friendly textiles, zero waste production, and a vegan, locally made product range.Sandra Meynier Kang, is a French native w...
Have you ever suffered a catastrophic injury? How does one recover and regain peak condition following damage to the anatomy? Amidst the many inherent challenges within the dance sphere — a beacon of hope shines at the NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital through the presence of the Harkness Center for Dance Injuries. Beyond their exceptional array of services encompassing physical therapy and injury prevention programs, they also provide comprehensive educational offerings, both online and in per...
What exactly is Dance Science? What are the main foundations that constitute its rich and detailed history? Given dance's unique position at the intersection of arts and sports, it was inevitable that this field would eventually enter the mainstream. One pioneering institution that played a crucial role in this transformation was the Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, with one individual standing out as a driving force behind this revolution – Professor Emma Redding.Professor Emm...
What does it take to stand out as a podcaster anyways? Is the craze for this new medium truly justified for the world of dance? Like in every other sector, the field of dance-related podcasts is now beyond saturated. Yet, that didn’t discourage me from starting a show, completing a full season and then embarking on a whole new one right after! It starts with your message and the value it brings to listeners who are looking to learn something from you which they cannot do elsewhere - which I d...
Is journalism dead? What is the most trusted form of media today? While there isn’t a definitive answer, one company comes admirably close. Dance Media Publications is a multi-varied media platform that covers dance like no other and has been consistently delivering engaging content to the most dancers, dance professionals and dance lovers globally. Among its many satellite publications, the Dance Edit podcast stands out as a prominent voice for daily news and updates revolving around the wor...
What does it mean to be a leader in the arts? Have you ever dreamt of heading an international platform which boasts both historical and current prestige? As far as dance goes dance, very few are like The Jacob's Pillow. Established on a treasured 220-acre national landmark, it is one of the oldest running dance festivals and home to the USA's most influential dance icons, including the man who started it all, Ted Shawn.In 2016, Pamela Tatge was announced as the new Director of The Pillow aft...
What does it take to stage a dance festival? Have you ever wanted to initiate an international platform with long-term sustainability? Despite the overwhelming number of contemporary dance festivals around today, very few have peaked at the level of a Deltebre Dansa, ImPulsTanz or Jacob's Pillow. However, B12 has managed to achieve such status in an even shorter time, which makes their story doubly more remarkable. And the secret to all of this? A stellar management team of course! Johannes W...
Are you compromising your art for more exposure, followers and following on social media? What do artists really need? Simply, we need to be discovered by people who are interested in what we have to share. Just think about it. Instagram is not a search engine like Google or YouTube where you can easily type, for example – ‘dancers’ – choose style of dancing, and you get a list of 100 000 dancers around the world with which you can filter out and identify exactly what you want. In the end, yo...
Is the overall environment on social media just absurd? Is it appropriate to place art next to irrelevant content such as pets, pranks and political correctness? But that herein lies the problem we face when squaring up to mass content on platforms that treat us not as the content itself, but the product in which to profit off from. The reality is, we cannot expect social media to change. We need to assume accountability and build a new one that is designed for art and artists with conditions...
Does social media actually downgrade your creativity? What are the obvious disadvantages of constantly churning out content for such platforms? A lot has changed from their humble beginnings and who knows how much more is changing as we speak. Even photographers who once upon a time came flocking over to Instagram, are now finding themselves leaving along with their dreams. Still think this doesn't concern you? Think again. Welcome to a brand new mini series covering our proposed launch of an...
Is social media suitable for artists? What are some of the challenges posed by Facebook or Instagram for artists and creators looking to build sustainable careers? While it might have been a great avenue to promote and network with fellow peers initially, much of social media has regressed over the years. Nowadays, we are seeing an increased aversion towards its application especially upon the creative industries. But all of this isn't new, is it? And where are the solutions, if any at all?We...
Welcome to a whole new wave of specials, featuring a roundtable version of the show alongside two new co-hosts in Jacob Caldwell and Joshua Sailo. Throughout this 10 episode series, we present extracts from our Clubhouse sessions on the Why Dance? by J-Cast clubroom. In our final entry of this special series, we go back to basics. As conventional wisdom goes: Failure is the first step to success, the cliché prevails. The question is, is it that much of a cliché at all? Sometimes, on...
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I am very impressed by the way Jason curates the podcast. He posits dance in context to give audience a bigger picture of how performing arts relates with the real world. Despite this web of relationships is such a vast and complicated one, I am able to follow along under Jason's well organized topics and his clear articulation of thoughts. Highly recommended!
What I enjoy most about The Background Dancer Podcast is that it is incredibly unique. I have yet to find any podcast that fully encompasses the world of performance art—and more exclusively, dance! Jason also has a bona fide talent for podcasting. His voice is clear, distinct, and intuitive. The Background Dancer brings the topic and discussion of dance into the foreground!