Welcome to our bonus episode with Merrill Ashley, which is available now on our Patreon page. If you are a member of our Supporter, Ruby or Emerald tier on Patreon, you can listen to this entire episode, as part of your membership. Here on our main feed, we are sharing an excerpt of our interview with Balanchine Ballerina and Repetiteur, Merrill Ashley.

If you're not a Patreon member yet, join us over there, for a free month, and enjoy this bonus episode. Click here: https://www.patreon.com/conversationsondance/redeem/2D104

Also as a Patreon member, you get early and ad-free access to other episodes, and we will be having other bonus episodes that you surely won't want to miss over there. So give it a try!

Hosts Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden interview former New York City Ballet star principal and Balanchine coach Merrill Ashley about her path from early training, to the School of American Ballet on a Ford Foundation scholarship and joining NYCB at 16.

Ashley describes weak early technique, learning step names late, using Pilates to build strength, and being shaped by Balanchine’s precision, Monday classes, and belief that dancers can exceed what they think possible. She recounts first roles and challenges and Balanchine choreographing for her, especially Ballo della Regina, her later guesting in Sleeping Beauty, and her focus on coaching, archiving, and preserving Balanchine tradition through projects like Balanchine Essays and current work.

Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement.

Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance

Website: conversationsondancepod.com

Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b

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ccess upcoming BONUS episodes plus listen ad-free when you join our Patreon page. Membership starts as low as $3 a month and every dollar helps support the future of the podcast. Thank you for your support. https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance

Conversations on Dance hosts Michael Sean Breeden and Rebecca King Ferraro interview choreographer Houston Thomas. Houston recounts starting dance in Chicago inspired by Savion Glover, shifting from tap to ballet through Joffrey community classes, then training at the School of American Ballet and joining Dresden Semperoper Ballet, where he danced for 10 years. He describes growing choreographic ambitions through SAB’s workshop and Dresden’s young choreographers program. After winning the Emergence Choreographers Contest, he pursued commissions by widely sharing work, ultimately leaving Dresden as choreography opportunities grew in the U.S. In Winnipeg, he premieres a new, corporate-America reimagining of Firebird aimed at drawing audiences from streaming to live theater.

Royal Winnipeg's 'Stravinsky Stories' program runs in Winnipeg October 8 - 11th, 2026. Tickets and more information available here.

Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement.

Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance

Website: conversationsondancepod.com

Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b

Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Access upcoming BONUS episodes plus listen ad-free when you join our Patreon page. Membership starts as low as $3 a month and every dollar helps support the future of the podcast. Thank you for your support. https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance

Conversations on Dance hosts Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden welcome back Ashley Wheater, Artistic Director of The Joffrey Ballet, to discuss the company’s upcoming tour to Houston (Performing Arts Houston, Oct. 23–24) with Alexander Ekman’s Midsummer Night’s Dream and preparations for the season.

He explains Joffrey’s marketing approach, long-range planning and budgeting through 2029, and balancing risk with audience draws like Christopher Wheeldon’s streamlined Sleeping Beauty. Wheater details Ekman’s Swedish Midsummer concept, hay-covered stage, surreal dinner party structure, and commissioned music featuring singer Anna von Hausswolff, and reflects on 20 years building Joffrey’s artistic identity, finances, community ties, and dancer wellness support.

If you are in the Houston area, don't miss the Joffrey Ballet at Performing Arts Houston. Tickets available here.

Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement.

Access bonus episodes on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance

Website: conversationsondancepod.com

Join our email list: https://conversations-on-dance.kit.com/7f73880f5b

Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.