choreography

WOMEN OF BROADWAY: Sonya Tayeh

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The Pod De Deux Podcast team is back with a not-to-be-missed season finale episode in the “Women Of Broadway” summer series. This week, Emmy nominee Sonya Tayeh joins Michael, Ellyn, and Kevin to discuss what it was like to choreograph, not one, but two musicals slated for Broadway this past season. Tayeh not only choreographed Moulin Rouge!, which opened late in the summer of 2019, but was also set to choreograph the New York Theatre Workshop’s production of Sing Street when the musical made its transfer to Broadway this spring. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown, Sing Street had to halt production before it had a chance to be seen by Broadway audiences.

In this episode, Tayeh talks about how her choreographic vision for both shows was born from the heart and soul of the stories themselves and how that process created a rigorous work for the dancers of Moulin Rouge!. She also lets us in on her early days dancing in Detroit’s underground rave scene, her incredible self-made trajectory into a choreography career, and the way her world changed when she booked a choreographic job on Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance. We are even treated to an emotionally vulnerable look behind the scenes into the days leading up to Fox’s early 2019 production of Rent Live!

Sonya Tayeh is a New York City based choreographer and director. Her work has been characterized as a blend of powerful versatility and theatrical range. Tayeh made her Broadway choreographic debut last summer when Moulin Rouge! opened at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. Tayeh has also choreographed pieces for the Fall For Dance Festival at City Center, The Lucky Ones at Ars Nova, Kung Fu at the Signature, and many other projects for companies and venues like The Music Center in LA, New York Live Arts, Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival, Martha Graham Dance Company, and The Joyce Theatre. She has directed and choreographed for world renowned music artists including Miley Cyrus, Florence and the Machine, and Kyle Minogue. Tayeh choreographed Fox’s Rent Live! in 2019 and has gleaned many accolades for her versatile work, including two Emmy nominations for her work on Fox’s So You Think You Can Dance, an Obie Award, an Outer Critics Circle Award, two Lucille Lortel Awards for “Outstanding Choreography”, a Drama Desk nomination and a 2020 Drama Desk Award win for Moulin Rouge!

In this series, veteran Pod De Deux host Michael Mahany (Rock Of Ages, Wicked) was joined by fellow performers Ellyn Marie Marsh (The Rose Tattoo, Kinky Boots) and Kevin Michael Raponey (Rock Of Ages, Radio City). The trio sought to speak with all nine of the female choreographers who were slated to bring musicals to Broadway in this unprecedented season. Read more about the unprecedented year for female choreographers in Michael Mahany’s blog post, “Broadway’s Remarkable Year For Women On Broadway.”

WOMEN OF BROADWAY: Lizzi Gee

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The Pod De Deux Podcast team is back with another episode in the “Women Of Broadway” summer series, this week featuring Lizzi Gee, the choreographer behind this past season’s production of A Christmas Carol.

In this episode, the remarkable Lizzi Gee discusses what it meant to her to travel across the pond to bring A Christmas Carol to Broadway. She also gives us a peek into how she balances running her Gee-Force School Of Dance, working closely with the incredible Nkosi’s Haven in Johannesburg South Africa, serving as an associate of the Old Vic, and being a mother to two boys.

On top of creating the choreography for the 2019-2020 Broadway production of ‘A Christmas Carol,’ Lizzi Gee is also a Movement Director, dance practitioner, and teacher whose work spans across all aspects of theatre, opera, film and television.

Gee was nominated for a 2019 “What’s On Stage Award” for her work choreographing ‘Little Shop Of Horrors’ in London’s Regents Park Open Air Theatre. Her other credits include The National Theatre, the Old Vic, the Young Vic, English National Opera, The Royal Shakespeare Company, Chichester Festival Theatre, Sheffield Crucible, Nottingham Playhouse, and many West End and touring theaters.

Gee was recently made an Associate at the Old Vic Theatre. In addition, she owns her own dance school just outside of London called the Gee-Force School Of Dance where she trains children and adults from the age of 3 on up. She is often a guest lecturer and dance coach for many theatre schools across the UK, and when she manages to find the time, she also volunteers at Nkosi’s Haven in Johannesburg South Africa, a home for children and mothers affected by HIV.

WOMEN OF BROADWAY: CARRIE-ANNE INGROUILLE

The Pod De Deux Podcast team is back with another episode in the “Women Of Broadway” summer series, this week featuring Six The Musical choreographer, Carrie-Anne Ingrouille. In the episode, Carrie-Anne discusses the growth, inspiration, and magic behind the female-driven musical Six. She also offers listeners a glimpse into the evening of March 12th: the day that not only marked the beginning of the theatre world’s industry-wide shut-down, but also the evening that was set to be the opening night celebration of Six on Broadway

Originally from Guernsey — an island in the English Channel — Carrie-Anne Ingrouille was nominated for an Olivier Award for her choreography for Six The Musical. She is also the choreographer of the Broadway transfer production of Six that’s made its way to the US, via stops at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, ART in Cambridge, MA, and the Ordway Center in St. Paul, MN.

Also serving as the resident choreographer of Hamilton in London’s West End, Carrie-Anne began her early dance career at the Avril Earl Dance and Theatre Arts Centre. At 19, she moved to London to continue her training at The Centre Performing Arts College. Since 2005, she has been a core member of ZooNation Dance Company, where she wears many hats — including Associate Director, Resident Director, Choreographer and Teacher. Her performance credits with ZooNation include – Into the Hoods, Some Like it Hip Hop, ZooNation 10th Anniversary, ZooNation: Unplugged, The Show of Life, The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party, and the handover ceremonies for the Beijing Olympics, 2008.

Carrie-Anne’s other performing and choreography credit’s include Blaze, The Street Dance Sensation, Groove on Down the Road, Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense, The Suicide ( at The National), “I Can’t Sing” The X Factor Musical (at The London Palladium), The 2012 International Olympic Committee Heads of State Performance, and Breakin’ Convention’s “Back to the Lab” at Sadler’s Wells.

In this new series, veteran Pod De Deux host Michael Mahany (Rock Of Ages, Wicked) is joined by fellow performers Ellyn Marie Marsh (The Rose Tattoo, Kinky Boots) and Kevin Michael Raponey (Rock Of Ages, Radio City). The trio seeks to speak with all nine of the female choreographers who were slated to bring musicals to Broadway in this unprecedented season. Read more reporting about the unprecedented year for female choreographers in Michael Mahany’s blog post, “Broadway’s Remarkable Year For Women On Broadway.”

PLEASE LOVE WHAT YOU DO: Richy Jackson

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In this episode of Pod De Deux, Michael Mahany speaks with Lady Gaga’s Visual Director and Choreographer, Richy Jackson! (Scroll down for extended video cut!)

Jackson, who grew up in the California Bay Area, tells us all about how he came to find dance, the fateful day when he left Tuskegee University as a pre-law student to move to LA and become a full-time dancer, and dishes on creating, casting, and shooting his most recent collaboration with Gaga — her latest music video, “Stupid Love“! Find Richy on Insta and Twitter @richysquirrel !

Richy Jackson is a world-class Visual Director and Choreographer who has spent the breadth of his 16-year career working in counts of eight alongside the most influential recording artists in the music industry. He is responsible for the widely acclaimed Lady Gaga Super Bowl Halftime Show and a master at inventing her signature dance style. He has served as Lady Gaga’s Visual Director/Choreographer for most of her career, creating the majority of her music videos, live performances, and television appearances. Jackson has also worked with Katy Perry, Keri Hilson, Nicki Minaj, Sean “Diddy” Combs, and Brandy, to name a few.

In addition to being one of the most sought-after choreographers in the business, Jackson displays superlative talent in stage direction, camera-blocking, and direction in narrative/character development. He has put his directional creativity into performances for some of the most recognized shows on television both domestically and abroad, including American Idol, Dancing With The Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, Saturday Night Live, The Today Show, Good Morning America, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, The Late Show With David Letterman, The Academy Awards, The Grammy Awards, the MTV Music Awards, the American Music Awards, the Billboard Awards, the BET Awards, and countless others.

While Jackson has spent thousands of hours developing and perfecting his craft in the rehearsal room, he is also an established television personality – appearing on-camera during multiple seasons of the wildly popular MTV franchise “Making The Band”. In 2011, Jackson was featured as a series regular on two hit shows: “The Dance Scene” (E! Entertainment) and “Born to Dance” (Black Entertainment Television).

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I WANT TO ERASE BOUNDARIES: Anabella Lenzu

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Jessica sat down with Argentinian dance and dance-theater artist Anabella Lenzu to discuss her impressive body of work and philosophies on life and art. Not only a dancer and choreographer, but also an author and dedicated teacher, Anabella had in-depth perspectives to share on a wide range of topics, including the inseparability of life and creative work; the impacts of technology and social media; how the US and South America differ in their approaches to dance and dance pedagogy; and the process of helping her students find focus and make life choices in an ever-present sea of distractions. Anabella emphasized the importance of maintaining curiosity as an artist and dissolving the often restrictive boundaries between disciplines, communities, individuals and more. Her own enthusiasm for her work was a pleasure to experience! Keep your eyes peeled for Annabella’s second book, “Teaching Dance through Meaningful Gestures,” in 2020. (more…)

I MAKE AN EFFORT TO GUIDE AN EXPERIENCE: Andrea Miller

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In this interview with Andrea Miller, recorded at the Brooklyn home of GALLIM Dance, we dig deep into Andrea’s unique choreographic process and discuss her current residency at the Met Breuer. Andrea describes the way in which she and her dancers develop a distinct movement language for each new piece, and she shares a fascinating example of a piece for which they drew inspiration from prehistoric, non-human movement. We also touch on the historical-cultural significance of Andrea’s 2017-18 residency at the Met as a sign of dance being recognized as an art form in its own right. Finally, Andrea speaks to the experience and personal importance of building a family without interrupting her dance career. Andrea will premiere a new durational work at the Met Breuer this month, May 22–27, 2018. If you’re in New York, don’t miss it! (more…)

I TRY TO MORPH MYSELF INTO THAT PERSONALITY: Vincent Paterson

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We had the incredible fortune of connecting with Vincent Paterson, Director and Choreographer who has created some of the most iconic moments in pop culture. Joining us remotely via Skype, Vincent spoke candidly and humorously of his work with Michael Jackson and Madonna, among other legends, and shared a few of the fun stories from his upcoming book. We delved into the process and nature of choreographing for celebrities who come to the table with their own style, as well as the range of responsibilities ascribed to a choreographer and to a director for large-scale commercial or creative projects. Over the course of the conversation, we definitely got a sense of why so many people from all across the arts world love to work with Vincent. We’re honored and excited to share the interview with you, our listeners! (more…)

Jessica Lang

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We sat down with Jessica and learned about her approach to choreography and her latest work Thousand Yard Stare, which will be presented at the Joyce June 14th through the 19th. She revealed how her education at Juilliard eventually put her on the path of choreography and how she came to realize that a performance career was not for her. We also talked about her experience forming her own company and opening a dance studio in Long Island City. For more information about her show at the Joyce, visit Joyce.org or visit Jessica Lang’s website.

EVERY DANCER IS MUSICAL: Miro Magloire

Magloire_reh_Gardner_1 We sat down with Miro Magloire, choreographer of New Chamber Ballet, to learn how his musical background influences his expressive style of contemporary ballet choreography, what it was like being a piano accompanist for ballet class, and how he selects fascinating contemporary composers for his work, like Karlheinz Stockhausen. We also had an interesting chat about the definition of musicality and how he uses his dancers to express his unique vision.

You can see his work on April 15th and 16th at City Center Studios (130 W. 56th Street) and also on May 19th at Florence Gould Hall (55 East 59th Street). Learn more about New Chamber Ballet and upcoming shows at www.newchamberballet.com

DOCF: SHORT FILMS PROGRAM I

Indigo-Grey-Esteban-Robles_3 We talked to a few audience members about highlights from a strong roster of creative short films presented in the Shorts Program I at Dance On Camera Festival. We heard a lot about Indigo Grey and enthusiastic commentary about the rest of the roster as well. It was a great way to end our day at Dance on Camera Festival!

The following short films were presented:

A Portrait of Marc Brew, A Tap Dance in a Circle, Abismo, Approaching the Puddle, Honeymoon, Indigo Grey: The Passage, SajakThor, Still Light, Targeted Advertising, Tebe Tasi,

DOCF: THE OTHER SIDE OF STILLNESS

alexx_dev_sun2 Each year, the Dance on Camera Festival at Lincoln Center screens one Work-in-Progress. through the Dance Film Association‘s Production Grant, Alexandra Shilling’s latest video project The Other Side of Stillness | Installation was selected and screened as a special event on February 13. Alex talked to Pod de Deux about the process of making the project and what it was like working with DFA to present her work.

THIS IS HOW WE GET A NEW AUDIENCE: Loni Landon

LoniLandon-Credit-MalloryLynn-e1439912552140 In this episode we speak with dancer and choreographer Loni Landon about her process of creating lush, captivating movement and the influence of her early career in Germany on her collaborative choreographic process. Importantly, Loni illuminated the difficulty of cultivating an artistic life that pays the rent, even as a dance artist who is widely regarded as enjoying early success and potential. We felt inspired by her proactive approach to changing the dance world for the better as we learned about her enthusiasm for pursuing collaborative projects and dance-based experiences with other artists, as well as her founding of The Playground, a financially accommodating space for dancers and choreographers to come together and explore (www.theplaygroundnyc.org). Don’t miss Loni’s choreography with Keigwin & Co at the Joyce, Dec. 8th, 10th and 12th: http://www.keigwinandcompany.com/event/kc-returns-to-the-joyce-theater/

BALLET IS A FEELING: Jeremy Nedd

We made it to episode 10 and what a year it has been! In this episode, we talk to dancer/choreographer/sound designer/DJ Jeremy Nedd about dancing in New York City for dance luminary Kyle Abraham and his experience in Europe as a dancer, choreographer and sound designer. We chatted and wondered about dance snobbery, audience engagement, and intellectual and conceptual dance traditions. Our favorite quote from Jeremy: “Ballet is a feeling.” We could not agree more. Jeremy Nedd studied at SUNY Purchase and danced in New York City before relocating to Europe to dance with the Dresden SemperOper and the Basel Ballett. He has had the opportunity to perform works by Forsythe, Kylian, Thoss, Ekman and others.

Episode 9: Brock Labrenz

Brock Labrenz of An Films is a New York-based director who harnesses his extensive background in performance to create deliberate and sensual audio-visual experiences. His creative endeavors find him somewhere between the exactitude of modern cinema and the ephemeral transition of the body through space.

In this episode, Brock shared his experiences training as a dancer at Juilliard and dancing for William Forsythe–in particular, Forsythe’s creative process. We learned what it was like investigating Forsythe’s concept of choreographic objects in Nowhere and Everywhere at the Same Time and how audiences engaged with this work. Brock also revealed how his interests in dance and film developed over time and how both mediums support his current work.

We had an intriguing discussion about the role of the choreographer in developing audience values and the importance in creating a conversation with the audience around a concept or process. We also discussed how work conditions in the US and Europe have varying effects on the creative process and performance experience.

I’M THE CARTOON GIRL: Wendy Seyb

In this episode we chat with triple threat Writer/Director/Choreographer Wendy Seyb about her experience bringing comedy to movement in dance, theater and film. Wendy tells us about finding her niche in comedy, choreographing The Pee Wee Herman Show for Broadway and watching the dance world evolve over time. As usual we uncover some fun tidbits along the way – like Wendy’s role as Sebastian the Crab on the Disney stage!

Episode 4: William Cannon

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In our fourth episode of Pod de Deux podcast, we have a friendly chat with William Cannon, a professional contemporary dancer. He talks about his recent transition to freelance work in NYC, emerging trends in contemporary ballet, recent projects with The Metropolitan Opera and Twyla Tharp, and fond experiences working with contemporary choreographers like Christian Spuck, Cayetano Soto, and Nicolo Fonte. We also shared views on dance reviewers, dance on television, and interesting work being presented in NYC.

This episode was recorded at Btoven Music Studio in Manhattan. http://btovenmusic.com/