5.6.7.EIGHT

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Steven Melendez, Artistic Director at the New York Theatre Ballet. Steven’s journey with dance began through his current company’s LIFT Program, which teaches dance to homeless or home insecure youth. Steven has since danced as a Soloist and Principal dancer at a collection of ballet companies across three continents. Steven’s story is also explored in the award-winning ...

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Kevin Jenkins, Founder and Artistic Director at Ballet Counterpointe. Kevin’s choreography, which Dance Magazine has praised as “riveting,” has been featured at dozens of dance companies, including...

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Matz Skoog, executive coach at Matz Skoog Coaching. Skoog, a Stockholm native, had an accomplished career in dance at several international companies. Following his career in dance, he became a sought-after tutor, which led to a variety...

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Jeffrey Cirio, an internationally recognized ballet dancer who is currently dancing as Principal at Boston Ballet. Jeffrey also is co-founder and Artistic Director of his own company, Cirio Collective. Jeffrey has danced for American Ballet Theatre and the English National B...

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Kristin Draucker, a veteran dancer and choreographer who is currently performing with the Paul Taylor Dance Company. As a long-time New York City resident, she has danced with a variety of well-known companies in the area. Draucker began creating original works in 2014 and has...

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Julianna Rubio Slager, Artistic Director at Ballet 5:8. Slager, who is originally from Michigan, studied under many renown global dance experts and teachers. Upon moving to Chicago, Slager had the opportunity to work as a freelance ar...

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Joseph Morrissey, Director of Dance at the Interlochen Center for the Arts. Prior to this role, he served in a similar role with the Hong Kong Ballet. As a professional dancer, he danced with the Bavarian State Ballet in Munich and the B...

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Jess Spinner, entrepreneur and holistic health coach at The Whole Dancer. Jess holds a bachelor’s degree from Butler University in Dance and Arts Administration. Upon graduation, she danced with the Louisville Ballet and did some prof...

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews David Leventhal, Program Director at Dance for PD — a part of the Mark Morris Dance Group. Through the program — which is on its 20th year — David teaches dance classes for people living with Parkinson’s disease and trains other teachin...

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Tony Bordonaro and Ingrid Kapteyn, Co-Artistic Directors at Welcome to Campfire — an experiential dance platform that merges dance and theater to immerse performers and audiences into incredible dystopian settings. Tony and Ingrid first met while performing in Sleep No More NYC in 2013. After a run of the show in Shanghai, the two went on to develop four evening-length i...

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Joanna Wozniak, Senior Consultant at HBR Consulting and former ballerina with the Joffrey Ballet. Joanna, whose run with the Joffrey started as a seasonal artist in 2001, went on to enjoy a two-decades-long career with the esteemed Chicago dance company. In 2009, Point Magazi...

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Elisabeth Motley, an award-winning, Brooklyn-based choreographer, scholar, and teacher, who is using her platform to make dance accessible to all. Motley — who holds a BFA from the Juilliard School and an MFA from Goddard College — has ...

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Flor Aracama and Nico Busso of DuoRings. Flor and Nico’s unique creation — DuoRings. — is a unique aerial rings duo which combines gymnastics athleticism and performance and, since 2016, has been regularly featured on tour with Cirque de Soleil. After spending a decade together on the Argentinian national gymnastics team, Flor and Nico got married and ...

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Nico Kolokythas, Founder of strengthmotionmind and Strength and Conditioning Coach at the Birmingham Royal Ballet. Nico has an extensive two-decades-long background in elite sports, focusing predominately on judo, netball, basketball, ...