Ballet Help Desk – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, we sit down with Kristin Deiss and Michelle Loucadoux, Founders of Danscend, to explore the good, the bad and the in-between of social media in the ballet world. While platforms like Instagram and TikTok offer dancers unprecedented opportunities to showcase their artistry, build communities, and gain visibility, they also bring challenges like unrealistic beauty standards, comparison culture, and mental health pressures. Join us as we discuss the positive and negative impacts of social media on ballet, including insights on how to navigate these digital landscapes while maintaining a healthy relationship with the art form.

Learn more about Danscend on their website: https://danscend.com/

Links:

• Ballet Help Desk
• Buy Corrections Journals
• Discounts On Your Favorite Ballet Brands!
• Support Ballet Help Desk
• Instagram: @BalletHelpDesk
• Facebook: BalletHelpDesk

This week's special guest is Lauren Richter, a former professional dancer and current Principal of the Tulsa Ballet Center for Dance Education. Lauren reached out to us because she thought it was important to let dancers hear her story. Join us as she recounts her journey through a years-long eating disorder, now in long-term recovery, as both a warning and a message of hope for aspiring dancers.

Links:

• Ballet Help Desk
• Discounts On Your Favorite Ballet Brands!
• Support Ballet Help Desk
• Instagram: @BalletHelpDesk
• Facebook: BalletHelpDesk

Additional Resources for Eating Disorder Support

Music from #Uppbeat:

https://uppbeat.io/t/ian-aisling/new-future

License code: MGAW5PAHYEYDQZCI

We're talking with Robert Fulton and Camille Kellems, both professional dancers and also RAs at ballet summer intensives. Get ready for a mix of insider info that's helpful for parents as well as hilarious anecdotes as Robert and Camille let us in on what really goes on behind the scenes. From dorm antics to practice mishaps, they’ve seen it all—and they're here to spill the tea. Whether your dancer is gearing up for their first intensive or they've been around the block a few times, you won't want to miss this candid and entertaining chat!

Robert and Camille are also the founders of Ballet Scout. You can learn more about what they do on their website.

Links:

• Ballet Help Desk
• Ballet Help Desk Summer Intensive Essentials Guide
• Support Ballet Help Desk
• Instagram: @BalletHelpDesk

Music: #Uppbeat:

https://uppbeat.io/t/ian-aisling/new-future

License code: MGAW5PAHYEYDQZCI

Tune in as we chat with Adam McKinney who has just finished his first year as artistic director of Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre. Hear about McKinney's own background to learn how it impacted his career as a male ballet dancer and how it informs his leadership at PBT. We also got a sneak peek at McKinney's plans for the coming years, both in terms of programming as well as policies he's putting in place to help improve the lives of company dancers.

You can learn more about Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre on their website.

Links:

• Ballet Help Desk
• Support Ballet Help Desk
• Instagram: @BalletHelpDesk

Join us as we talk with Alicia Graf Mack, the first person of color and the youngest ever to head the Dance Department at Juilliard. Our conversation covered not only how the program is structured, but also the current state of the job market, what Juilliard dancers do once they graduate as well as the school's cross-over academic program that allows students to take some academic classes at Columbia University. Ms Graf Mack also talked about one of their newer programs tailored for dancers ages 10-18 called the Juilliard Dance Experience. This program will take place in late fall 2025 in New York and on tour in a yet to be announced location. 

Learn more on Juilliard's website.

Links:

• Ballet Help Desk
• Support Ballet Help Desk
• Instagram: @BalletHelpDesk

We're joined by Melonie Buchanan Murray, the Director of the School of Dance at the University of Utah. Our conversation covered a variety of areas, including the repertoire the dancers typically perform, admissions standards, the emphasis Ms. Murray puts on mental health awareness, how injuries affect grading and how students can get a BFA in Ballet that includes a teaching emphasis. She also let us in on the joint training program that the University of Utah has with Ballet West! Learn more about the dance program at https://www.dance.utah.edu/

Links:

• Ballet Help Desk
• Support Ballet Help Desk
• Instagram: @BalletHelpDesk

We're joined by Susan Stowe, Chair of the Department of Dance at Point Park University in Pittsburgh, PA. Ms. Stowe discusses the various tracks students can follow in the dance department, including degrees in ballet, jazz or modern dance and gives us a sneak peek at their latest initiative. Beginning Fall 2024, Point Park University's dance program in partnership with the School of Education will offer a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Education Certification Pre-K through 12 program. She also discusses where the school recruits students as well as what careers the school's graduates pursue. For more information visit: Point Park University School of Dance

Links:

• Ballet Help Desk
• Support Ballet Help Desk
• Instagram: @BalletHelpDesk

Join us as we explore Butler University's Department of Dance, with Larry Attaway, who serves as Chair and Executive Artistic Director.

Consistently ranked as one of the top five collegiate ballet programs in the U.S., Mr. Attaway fills us in on its diverse study options—including a dedicated teaching track—as well as the exciting performance opportunities that shape aspiring dancers into professionals. We also discussed the audition process, reviewing what prospective students need to do for consideration for the program, as well as the diverse career paths pursued by Butler's graduates, offering a comprehensive look at potential opportunities awaiting aspiring dancers. 

Links:

• Butler University School of Dance
• Ballet Help Desk
• Submit Year-Round Reviews
• Support Ballet Help Desk
• Instagram: @BalletHelpDesk

Tune in to our latest episode featuring Phil Chan, co-founder of Final Bow for Yellowface, as we discuss the issue of Orientalism in ballet. Phil talks us through how his organization is actively combating stereotypes and Orientalist tropes within the art form. We also hear how major ballet companies are joining the movement, signing the Final Bow For Yellowface pledge to promote diversity and inclusion on stage.

• Final Bow For Yellowface
• Gold Standard Arts Foundation
• Ballet Help Desk
• Submit Year-Round Reviews
• Support Ballet Help Desk
• Instagram: @BalletHelpDesk

In this episode, we sit down with Tim O'Keefe, Artistic Director of Texas Ballet Theater, for an insightful discussion on the company's repertoire and his approach to artistic direction. We also explore the Texas Ballet Theater Studio Training Company, which offers aspiring dancers a platform to hone their skills. Join us for a candid conversation on the artistry and dedication shaping the Texas Ballet Theater's next generation of dancers.

LINKS:

• Texas Ballet Theater
• Ballet Help Desk
• Submit Year-Round Reviews
• Support Ballet Help Desk
• Instagram: @BalletHelpDesk