August 25, 2025 • 17 mins
Alison Manning, Co-Executive Director of Harkness Dance Center and Director of Harkness School of Dance, returns for a preview of Harkness Mainstage Series at 92NY, “Women’s Move The World”, featuring ten different offerings from women choreographers from September 13 through May 2026.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Welcome to Get Connected with Nina Del Rio, a weekly
conversation about fitness, health and happenings in our community on
one oh six point seven light FM.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Thanks for listening to Get Connected. From its home base
on the Upper east Side, Harkness Dance Center has been
moving dance forward for over ninety years. I'm pleased to
welcome Alison Manning back to the show. Alison Manning is
co executive director of Harkness Dance Center and director of
Hartner's School of Dance. To preview Women Move the World
(00:32):
this season's Harkness main Stage series at ninety second Street
y with ten different offerings from women choreographers starting September
thirteenth and through next May. Alison Manning, thank you for
being on the show.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Thanks so much for having me. I'm so happy to
be back talking about this exciting season.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
You can find out more about everything we discuss at
nine two ny dot org slash Dance. I thought we'd
start with a little bit on just Harkness Dance, what
it is, what you do, and it's connection to the
found nations of modern dance.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Happy to so as you shared, I'm both running our
center and performance season curation but also running the School
of Dance, and so that question is always a nice
way to tie those two stories together, because Harkness is
ninety one years old this year and is a center
that was founded both on the principles of sharing performances
(01:25):
and artistic process of professional artists, but also primarily as
an educational base for students from zero all the way
up to one hundred, and so for all of its history,
the organization has really supported both the professional end of
artists from all different sectors and as you mentioned specifically
the modern dance world, which was really not being supported
(01:48):
by any major institutions ninety years ago, and so the
ninety second Street Wide kind of stepped in and became
this initial home for the modern dance movement, which is
something we take a lot of pride in here and
we've really aim to continue that trajectory going forward. And
as I've talked to you about before, it's really my
mission to really pay attention to kind of both the
(02:09):
educational and sort of cultivation roots of that movement in
my programming and in the school as we move forward,
but also to kind of look towards what's next.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
And this season is something brand new it is women
move the world? What is significant about it? What is
the meaning behind the title?
Speaker 3 (02:27):
As you can probably imagine, this is a very personal
season for me, the title is both from my perspective,
literal and symbolic. You know, dance is movement and for centuries.
I mean, this is my opinion, but I'm sure many
also feel it. You know, women have been moving this
art firm forward and have been the primary vehicle for
(02:50):
that in a lot of ways, but often without equal
visibility to men who are in the field, really in
leadership positions. Mostly. I would also say that move in
the sense of the word also really in this context
means to me to inspire, to create change, to claim
space for these women and these leaders, and all of
the works on this season really embody this idea of
(03:12):
power combined with vulnerability, connection, and this word that I
keep using in this day and age right now, resistance.
And you know, for me, the title really acknowledges kind
of women's es central role in shaping our culture and
points to what I'm hoping is this sort of transformative
impact that I want them to continue to have on
(03:33):
you know, the dance world, in the dance field.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
In addition, to dance. I mean, this is clearly, I
think a response to what's going on in the world.
There's something that has to do with that as well.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Yeah, I mean, you know, for me, I feel, which
I keep speaking from the eye, that we're in a
cultural moment where women's rights, bodies, voices are constantly under
renewed threat, and dance for me, has always been a
space where storytelling and truth telling and space claiming and
(04:07):
really talking about who telling the story is, because that
is really what matters. It matters who tells the story.
And so for me, by centering women and female identifying artists,
I'm aiming to amplify voices that have historically been sidelined
and really creating a season that has as much a
(04:27):
statement about their artistic offerings as about what's going on
in the world.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Right now, I want to get back to what you
just said, but before we do that, let's talk about
the first performance of the season. Let's talk about the schedule.
So you open with Latasha Barnes. That is an all
female swing band. Yeah, it's kind of a dance party.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
It is a dance party. It is a dance party,
and it's you know, it's contrary to what most of
my seasons have opened with, which is usually a true
kind of click and repeat performance venue moment for an
our artist on our stage. And despite the fact, or
in conjunction with the fact that this season is about
(05:07):
power and resistance and all of these really strong commentaries,
to me, it's also about celebration. It's also about joy.
It's also about coming together as a community and really
celebrating these women and these voices. And so I wanted
to kind of open this very important and serious season
with this idea of joy and with this idea of community.
(05:30):
And so that's really where the motivation came from for this.
And I've worked with Latasha before, and she's talk about
somebody who brings joy everywhere she goes she does, and
so she was really the perfect person in my mind
to find a way to combine both some really fun
what will be surprise performance moments in this swing dance
(05:51):
evening with really just a community dance that will be
led by these incredible band leaders who are all going
to be women and the musical community all over the city.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
I think it's a great way to start, too, with
something that's uplifting in a bit cathartic perhaps rather than
something that's you know, you've got to sit down and
be serious and all those things. This season begins September thirteenth.
You can find out more at nine two ny dot
org slash Dance. We're speaking with Alison Manning about the
upcoming season of Women Move the World at the Harkness
(06:22):
Mainstage series at ninety second Street Why beginning again September thirteenth,
It runs through next May. This is get connected on
one oh six point seven light FM Amina del Rio
and let's just jump to the end, because that's a
big one too. Azure Barton is a big deal. What's
going to happen at the end of it? It's in May.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
It's in May, so Azure Barton will be with us
for a one night only. What I'm calling really the
landmark engagement of this season. What we're doing with her
has not yet been done with her work anywhere. For
those who don't know Azure Barton, she arguably is one
of the most important choreographic voice in the contemporary dance
(07:01):
landscape today. She has been commissioned literally by every major
dance company in the world at this point, and really,
in my mind is up there with the likes of
Ohad Naharan from Bat Sheva Dance Company, but in typical fashion,
is not to a lot of people as well known
necessarily as Ohad might be. And a lot of that
(07:23):
has to do with this sort of male versus female
conundrum that we're talking about, and so I'm really ecstatic
to be celebrating her in her work in this way.
She premiered this past May with Us a world premiere
of a co commissioned piece that she had been working
on for two years with the Lamone Dance Company and
it was unbelievable, and so out of that project, she
(07:46):
and I had been talking and I was like, you know, Azure,
I really want to do this crazy thing, and she
was like, what do you want to do? Like, I
really want to put together a couple of dance companies
from literally all over the world who have your work
and put them on our stage for one night and
fly them all in and like have it all be
(08:09):
about you, but like with a collection of artists and
dancers that have never shared the stage really under that
auspice before. And she was like, well, let's see. So
we got to dreaming, and I think it's going to
be amazing. And so not only are we bringing in dancers,
like I said, from some of these major companies, both
(08:30):
in our own country but also from abroad, but she's
also going to be creating another world premiere on a
number of artists that she's pulling from many many, many
dance companies and putting in the same room for one
week and then putting it on the stage here at
the Y. So it's going to be pretty exciting.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
What did you ask of So that's what you asked
of Azure Barton? What did you ask of some of
the other choreographers to bring to this season since it's
so specific.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
Yeah, I mean it. It was every conversation which different,
which was part of what made it so much fun
to do actually, because it was all about the unique
relationships that I have with each of these choreographers, directors, curators,
leaders who are in this season. And so, for instance,
like with Innua Dance Company yy DC as she is called,
(09:20):
She's an artist I've been working with for years in
different contexts, and she has this three part triptych that
she's been building for the better part of a decade,
and the third piece is going to have its world
premiere here at the Y, and that to me felt
like a really important moment because she teaches here, she
runs summer intensives here, she's been an artist in residence here,
(09:41):
and so being able to present kind of the culminating
efforts of this very long project of hers felt like
it belonged on this season, so that conversation was really
targeted towards that particular individual. My conversation with Jodi Melnick
and Sarah Merns, which is going to be another historic
set of evenings in March ar was very different, and
(10:01):
that stemmed out of me getting to know Sarah, who
participated in another program we had here last year, and
really saying to her, I want to work with you again,
and I'm really interested in figuring out a way, as
I mentioned to you before, to kind of bring some
more contemporary ballet and ballet voices into the Wise dance programming,
(10:23):
because that's not really something we've done a lot of here.
I was like, but I really wanted to feel like
it belongs with the history of this organization and our
connection to kind of the contemporary modern dance landscape, and she,
of course was like, well, I've been partnering with Jodi
Melnick for a number of years now on smaller projects,
and we've really been looking for an opportunity to do
(10:44):
something else, like why don't we all talk? And so
I got Jody in the room and I was like, Jody,
I want you to dream a little bit, and she
was like okay. And so they are putting together this
spectacular program that's going to include work that Jody and
Sarah have been working on together for a while that
hasn't really had a full presentation, but also Jodie's going
(11:07):
to be pulling from our archives of material from solos
that were set by Anna Sakalo and Doris Humphrey and
all of these historic figures that were part of the
Why and creating her own version that's sort of an
homage to these women on something for Sarah. And so
that was an entirely separate conversation. So you know, that's
(11:29):
just two of them, but there's many that looked very
different and looked all unique in their own way.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
And will be unique when they come to the stage. Yeah,
I want to get back to something you said earlier.
You know, dance it's not unusual among performing arts or
visual arts, and that the contributions of men over time
seem to have held more weight, certainly in classical dance.
There are some exceptions, the majority of choreographers are men. Yeah,
when you're talking about dance in general, your thoughts on
(11:57):
that and where is it going?
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Well, I think, you know, I was shocked to discover
when I got this idea in my head, which won't
surprise you that this was around October November of last year,
and you know, I really thought to myself, you know,
there's not enough space for women, there's not enough support
for women in leadership positions in the dance field, and
(12:23):
I am in a position to do more for that,
So why don't I think about that? And so then
I got inspired to start talking to all these artists
and the season built itself from there. But as it
solidified and really became clear to me that I was
going to be making a full season that was entirely
led by women, from artists and residence to curatorial panelists
(12:46):
to everyone, I then started doing my research online and
I was like, well, I'm sure that this has been
done before, it's just not really been talked about. And unsurprisingly,
or surprisingly as the case may be, I was I
did so much deep diving, and the Internet came back
with it's been done before in weekend long festivals in
(13:10):
weeks where they bring in choreographers that are all women
as like panelists to talk about a project. And I
kept being like, but give me an organization that's done
a full season that's entirely dedicated, and nobody's done it
unless it's not written about and it, you know, the
Internet spits out an answer when you ask them which
you can do, which I'll go for it, which says,
(13:33):
you know, like, oh, this has been done, and then
you go, oh, great, tell me where, and then it
gives you these like it's like, well, they did a
weekend festival at Sadler's Wells. They highlighted three choreographers in
Canada at the National Ballet over a season that had
fifteen total choreographers. I'm like, so three was a strong statement,
(13:54):
you know. And so I in looking at this landscape
and in thinking about the fact that I think that
obviously women in leadership roles in the arts has increased
immensely right over the last thirty forty fifty years. Do
I think it's equal?
Speaker 2 (14:11):
No?
Speaker 3 (14:11):
Do I think that it needs more attention. Yes, Do
I think that more organizations should be supporting monetarily with
venues with you know, press, more sort of female voices
who maybe are not getting as much attention as somebody else. Yeah,
I do, and I think, you know, I'm really hoping
(14:34):
that this will help. I'm hoping it will help.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Let me ask you this question I had somebody say
to me has nothing to do with dance. Recently. We
were talking about where clothing was made, and they were saying,
you know, once you have it on your back, why
does it matter?
Speaker 3 (14:46):
Where?
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Does it matter? Where it comes from? So you said,
the choreographer matters backstage, why does it matter? But from
the audience's point of view as well, why does it
matter who the choreographer is?
Speaker 3 (15:00):
Does it matter? Because why does it matter who the
CEO is? Why does it matter? Because we have different perspectives.
Who tells the story matters? Because whoever you are, right,
it means that you carry a history with you, right,
you carry a sensitivity with you that's different than somebody else.
(15:21):
And when we talk about why it's so important in
the world for more women and female identifying individuals to
be in positions of power, it's because we talk about
the fact that there's a different sensitivity that's brought. There's
maybe a lens that zooms out and gives us access
to something, or negotiates something, or is able to strike
(15:42):
a deal in a way that was not going to
be possible without that perspective or sensitivity. And I think
from a choreography standpoint, there's so many pieces that go
into it. Right. It's the process of working with a
company of artists that's a different process when it's a
woman versus a man. There's the process of working with
the backstage crew that looks differently. There's the process of
(16:04):
working with the PR team and the marketing teams and
the organizational leadership that looks differently. And I just I
think that all perspectives have to be included, and I
think they should be. And one thing I always I
keep saying is to my male colleagues in the building
here is I'm like, it's not that I don't adore
(16:24):
you just as much. It's just that it's just that historically,
female choreographers, female panelists, female curators have not had as
much time or space or resources.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
So this season, they'll get it here, my little.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
In my one little microcosm or I can make a difference.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
There's much more on the schedule. We only talked about
a couple of the choreographers, but there are ten different
offerings from female choreographers from September thirteenth through next May.
You can find out all about them at ninety two
ny dot org slash dance. My guest has been Allison
Manning of Harkness Dance Center. Always a pleasure to speak
with you and thank you for being on Get Connected.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
Thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
This has been Get Connected with Nina del Rio on
one oh six point seven light Fm. The views and
opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views
of the station. If you missed any part of our
show or want to share it, visit our website for
downloads and podcasts at one oh six to seven lightfm
dot com. Thanks for listening.
Welcome to Get Connected with Nina Del Rio, a weekly
conversation about fitness, health and happenings in our community on
one oh six point seven light FM.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Thanks for listening to Get Connected. From its home base
on the Upper east Side, Harkness Dance Center has been
moving dance forward for over ninety years. I'm pleased to
welcome Alison Manning back to the show. Alison Manning is
co executive director of Harkness Dance Center and director of
Hartner's School of Dance. To preview Women Move the World
(00:32):
this season's Harkness main Stage series at ninety second Street
y with ten different offerings from women choreographers starting September
thirteenth and through next May. Alison Manning, thank you for
being on the show.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
Thanks so much for having me. I'm so happy to
be back talking about this exciting season.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
You can find out more about everything we discuss at
nine two ny dot org slash Dance. I thought we'd
start with a little bit on just Harkness Dance, what
it is, what you do, and it's connection to the
found nations of modern dance.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Happy to so as you shared, I'm both running our
center and performance season curation but also running the School
of Dance, and so that question is always a nice
way to tie those two stories together, because Harkness is
ninety one years old this year and is a center
that was founded both on the principles of sharing performances
(01:25):
and artistic process of professional artists, but also primarily as
an educational base for students from zero all the way
up to one hundred, and so for all of its history,
the organization has really supported both the professional end of
artists from all different sectors and as you mentioned specifically
the modern dance world, which was really not being supported
(01:48):
by any major institutions ninety years ago, and so the
ninety second Street Wide kind of stepped in and became
this initial home for the modern dance movement, which is
something we take a lot of pride in here and
we've really aim to continue that trajectory going forward. And
as I've talked to you about before, it's really my
mission to really pay attention to kind of both the
(02:09):
educational and sort of cultivation roots of that movement in
my programming and in the school as we move forward,
but also to kind of look towards what's next.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
And this season is something brand new it is women
move the world? What is significant about it? What is
the meaning behind the title?
Speaker 3 (02:27):
As you can probably imagine, this is a very personal
season for me, the title is both from my perspective,
literal and symbolic. You know, dance is movement and for centuries.
I mean, this is my opinion, but I'm sure many
also feel it. You know, women have been moving this
art firm forward and have been the primary vehicle for
(02:50):
that in a lot of ways, but often without equal
visibility to men who are in the field, really in
leadership positions. Mostly. I would also say that move in
the sense of the word also really in this context
means to me to inspire, to create change, to claim
space for these women and these leaders, and all of
the works on this season really embody this idea of
(03:12):
power combined with vulnerability, connection, and this word that I
keep using in this day and age right now, resistance.
And you know, for me, the title really acknowledges kind
of women's es central role in shaping our culture and
points to what I'm hoping is this sort of transformative
impact that I want them to continue to have on
(03:33):
you know, the dance world, in the dance field.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
In addition, to dance. I mean, this is clearly, I
think a response to what's going on in the world.
There's something that has to do with that as well.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
Yeah, I mean, you know, for me, I feel, which
I keep speaking from the eye, that we're in a
cultural moment where women's rights, bodies, voices are constantly under
renewed threat, and dance for me, has always been a
space where storytelling and truth telling and space claiming and
(04:07):
really talking about who telling the story is, because that
is really what matters. It matters who tells the story.
And so for me, by centering women and female identifying artists,
I'm aiming to amplify voices that have historically been sidelined
and really creating a season that has as much a
(04:27):
statement about their artistic offerings as about what's going on
in the world.
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Right now, I want to get back to what you
just said, but before we do that, let's talk about
the first performance of the season. Let's talk about the schedule.
So you open with Latasha Barnes. That is an all
female swing band. Yeah, it's kind of a dance party.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
It is a dance party. It is a dance party,
and it's you know, it's contrary to what most of
my seasons have opened with, which is usually a true
kind of click and repeat performance venue moment for an
our artist on our stage. And despite the fact, or
in conjunction with the fact that this season is about
(05:07):
power and resistance and all of these really strong commentaries,
to me, it's also about celebration. It's also about joy.
It's also about coming together as a community and really
celebrating these women and these voices. And so I wanted
to kind of open this very important and serious season
with this idea of joy and with this idea of community.
(05:30):
And so that's really where the motivation came from for this.
And I've worked with Latasha before, and she's talk about
somebody who brings joy everywhere she goes she does, and
so she was really the perfect person in my mind
to find a way to combine both some really fun
what will be surprise performance moments in this swing dance
(05:51):
evening with really just a community dance that will be
led by these incredible band leaders who are all going
to be women and the musical community all over the city.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
I think it's a great way to start, too, with
something that's uplifting in a bit cathartic perhaps rather than
something that's you know, you've got to sit down and
be serious and all those things. This season begins September thirteenth.
You can find out more at nine two ny dot
org slash Dance. We're speaking with Alison Manning about the
upcoming season of Women Move the World at the Harkness
(06:22):
Mainstage series at ninety second Street Why beginning again September thirteenth,
It runs through next May. This is get connected on
one oh six point seven light FM Amina del Rio
and let's just jump to the end, because that's a
big one too. Azure Barton is a big deal. What's
going to happen at the end of it? It's in May.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
It's in May, so Azure Barton will be with us
for a one night only. What I'm calling really the
landmark engagement of this season. What we're doing with her
has not yet been done with her work anywhere. For
those who don't know Azure Barton, she arguably is one
of the most important choreographic voice in the contemporary dance
(07:01):
landscape today. She has been commissioned literally by every major
dance company in the world at this point, and really,
in my mind is up there with the likes of
Ohad Naharan from Bat Sheva Dance Company, but in typical fashion,
is not to a lot of people as well known
necessarily as Ohad might be. And a lot of that
(07:23):
has to do with this sort of male versus female
conundrum that we're talking about, and so I'm really ecstatic
to be celebrating her in her work in this way.
She premiered this past May with Us a world premiere
of a co commissioned piece that she had been working
on for two years with the Lamone Dance Company and
it was unbelievable, and so out of that project, she
(07:46):
and I had been talking and I was like, you know, Azure,
I really want to do this crazy thing, and she
was like, what do you want to do? Like, I
really want to put together a couple of dance companies
from literally all over the world who have your work
and put them on our stage for one night and
fly them all in and like have it all be
(08:09):
about you, but like with a collection of artists and
dancers that have never shared the stage really under that
auspice before. And she was like, well, let's see. So
we got to dreaming, and I think it's going to
be amazing. And so not only are we bringing in dancers,
like I said, from some of these major companies, both
(08:30):
in our own country but also from abroad, but she's
also going to be creating another world premiere on a
number of artists that she's pulling from many many, many
dance companies and putting in the same room for one
week and then putting it on the stage here at
the Y. So it's going to be pretty exciting.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
What did you ask of So that's what you asked
of Azure Barton? What did you ask of some of
the other choreographers to bring to this season since it's
so specific.
Speaker 3 (08:56):
Yeah, I mean it. It was every conversation which different,
which was part of what made it so much fun
to do actually, because it was all about the unique
relationships that I have with each of these choreographers, directors, curators,
leaders who are in this season. And so, for instance,
like with Innua Dance Company yy DC as she is called,
(09:20):
She's an artist I've been working with for years in
different contexts, and she has this three part triptych that
she's been building for the better part of a decade,
and the third piece is going to have its world
premiere here at the Y, and that to me felt
like a really important moment because she teaches here, she
runs summer intensives here, she's been an artist in residence here,
(09:41):
and so being able to present kind of the culminating
efforts of this very long project of hers felt like
it belonged on this season, so that conversation was really
targeted towards that particular individual. My conversation with Jodi Melnick
and Sarah Merns, which is going to be another historic
set of evenings in March ar was very different, and
(10:01):
that stemmed out of me getting to know Sarah, who
participated in another program we had here last year, and
really saying to her, I want to work with you again,
and I'm really interested in figuring out a way, as
I mentioned to you before, to kind of bring some
more contemporary ballet and ballet voices into the Wise dance programming,
(10:23):
because that's not really something we've done a lot of here.
I was like, but I really wanted to feel like
it belongs with the history of this organization and our
connection to kind of the contemporary modern dance landscape, and she,
of course was like, well, I've been partnering with Jodi
Melnick for a number of years now on smaller projects,
and we've really been looking for an opportunity to do
(10:44):
something else, like why don't we all talk? And so
I got Jody in the room and I was like, Jody,
I want you to dream a little bit, and she
was like okay. And so they are putting together this
spectacular program that's going to include work that Jody and
Sarah have been working on together for a while that
hasn't really had a full presentation, but also Jodie's going
(11:07):
to be pulling from our archives of material from solos
that were set by Anna Sakalo and Doris Humphrey and
all of these historic figures that were part of the
Why and creating her own version that's sort of an
homage to these women on something for Sarah. And so
that was an entirely separate conversation. So you know, that's
(11:29):
just two of them, but there's many that looked very
different and looked all unique in their own way.
Speaker 2 (11:36):
And will be unique when they come to the stage. Yeah,
I want to get back to something you said earlier.
You know, dance it's not unusual among performing arts or
visual arts, and that the contributions of men over time
seem to have held more weight, certainly in classical dance.
There are some exceptions, the majority of choreographers are men. Yeah,
when you're talking about dance in general, your thoughts on
(11:57):
that and where is it going?
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Well, I think, you know, I was shocked to discover
when I got this idea in my head, which won't
surprise you that this was around October November of last year,
and you know, I really thought to myself, you know,
there's not enough space for women, there's not enough support
for women in leadership positions in the dance field, and
(12:23):
I am in a position to do more for that,
So why don't I think about that? And so then
I got inspired to start talking to all these artists
and the season built itself from there. But as it
solidified and really became clear to me that I was
going to be making a full season that was entirely
led by women, from artists and residence to curatorial panelists
(12:46):
to everyone, I then started doing my research online and
I was like, well, I'm sure that this has been
done before, it's just not really been talked about. And unsurprisingly,
or surprisingly as the case may be, I was I
did so much deep diving, and the Internet came back
with it's been done before in weekend long festivals in
(13:10):
weeks where they bring in choreographers that are all women
as like panelists to talk about a project. And I
kept being like, but give me an organization that's done
a full season that's entirely dedicated, and nobody's done it
unless it's not written about and it, you know, the
Internet spits out an answer when you ask them which
you can do, which I'll go for it, which says,
(13:33):
you know, like, oh, this has been done, and then
you go, oh, great, tell me where, and then it
gives you these like it's like, well, they did a
weekend festival at Sadler's Wells. They highlighted three choreographers in
Canada at the National Ballet over a season that had
fifteen total choreographers. I'm like, so three was a strong statement,
(13:54):
you know. And so I in looking at this landscape
and in thinking about the fact that I think that
obviously women in leadership roles in the arts has increased
immensely right over the last thirty forty fifty years. Do
I think it's equal?
Speaker 2 (14:11):
No?
Speaker 3 (14:11):
Do I think that it needs more attention. Yes, Do
I think that more organizations should be supporting monetarily with
venues with you know, press, more sort of female voices
who maybe are not getting as much attention as somebody else. Yeah,
I do, and I think, you know, I'm really hoping
(14:34):
that this will help. I'm hoping it will help.
Speaker 2 (14:37):
Let me ask you this question I had somebody say
to me has nothing to do with dance. Recently. We
were talking about where clothing was made, and they were saying,
you know, once you have it on your back, why
does it matter?
Speaker 3 (14:46):
Where?
Speaker 2 (14:46):
Does it matter? Where it comes from? So you said,
the choreographer matters backstage, why does it matter? But from
the audience's point of view as well, why does it
matter who the choreographer is?
Speaker 3 (15:00):
Does it matter? Because why does it matter who the
CEO is? Why does it matter? Because we have different perspectives.
Who tells the story matters? Because whoever you are, right,
it means that you carry a history with you, right,
you carry a sensitivity with you that's different than somebody else.
(15:21):
And when we talk about why it's so important in
the world for more women and female identifying individuals to
be in positions of power, it's because we talk about
the fact that there's a different sensitivity that's brought. There's
maybe a lens that zooms out and gives us access
to something, or negotiates something, or is able to strike
(15:42):
a deal in a way that was not going to
be possible without that perspective or sensitivity. And I think
from a choreography standpoint, there's so many pieces that go
into it. Right. It's the process of working with a
company of artists that's a different process when it's a
woman versus a man. There's the process of working with
the backstage crew that looks differently. There's the process of
(16:04):
working with the PR team and the marketing teams and
the organizational leadership that looks differently. And I just I
think that all perspectives have to be included, and I
think they should be. And one thing I always I
keep saying is to my male colleagues in the building
here is I'm like, it's not that I don't adore
(16:24):
you just as much. It's just that it's just that historically,
female choreographers, female panelists, female curators have not had as
much time or space or resources.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
So this season, they'll get it here, my little.
Speaker 3 (16:43):
In my one little microcosm or I can make a difference.
Speaker 2 (16:47):
There's much more on the schedule. We only talked about
a couple of the choreographers, but there are ten different
offerings from female choreographers from September thirteenth through next May.
You can find out all about them at ninety two
ny dot org slash dance. My guest has been Allison
Manning of Harkness Dance Center. Always a pleasure to speak
with you and thank you for being on Get Connected.
Speaker 3 (17:07):
Thank you so much for having me. I really appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (17:10):
This has been Get Connected with Nina del Rio on
one oh six point seven light Fm. The views and
opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views
of the station. If you missed any part of our
show or want to share it, visit our website for
downloads and podcasts at one oh six to seven lightfm
dot com. Thanks for listening.
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