Finale: Season 3 Review

How large is the world of dance? Well, the simple answer is that it is not that simple. There is a place for everyone in every niche of every sector in the performing arts. Hello and welcome to the Background Dancer. I'm your host, Jason Yump. Thank you for joining me with our community of passionate dance contributors from around the world and across different fields. In this podcast, I offer educational conversations and insightful tips to help you better understand all things offstage about this curious art form. Hello there and welcome back to the Background Dancer Podcast. My name is Jason and it's so great to be here. Again, thank you all for listening throughout this entire journey. I cannot express my appreciation enough. But if you've been following us close enough, you will know that this is the second final episode that I will ever do on this platform. Yeah. The previous episode was called The Tower of Movement, and that was already the final episode, or let's say the final episode with a guest. This episode is going to be a season 3 review. So once again repeating what I did in both season 1 and 2. And the next one will literally be the final episode of this entire platform. And I can't believe I'm even actually just saying that, but I think the time is right to finally lay down my mic and just embark on many new things in life. And I will of course be updating you all on what those things are. Now, while season one focused on introducing the different categories, you know, laying down the groundwork so what it means to look at career in that way, right? Like a multi-layered, broaden your horizons way, really consolidating that mindset that a life in dance does not always have to be limited to the stage. Season two then kind of took it to a whole new level and focused on what those areas of expertise, what those sectors within the performing arts, what those potentials, what those possibilities are for you to be able to then consider once you maybe one day want to change your career from a performer to something else, right? So I really doubled down on pioneers and one of my favorite words, trailblazers of these sectors, or these expertise, these specialties. Season three then focused on the proverbial wearing many hats. Yes, this is a season featuring artists that just pretty much know everything. It's quite funny to say that because as artists, we often are being put into position to do that anyways, right? We always have to know everything because we're mostly doing things on our own. So season three was thinking the culmination of what season one and season two were working on collectively. So I'm really happy to be able to now sort of tie a knot, you know, finish the circle and present to you exactly what this entire thing, the background dancer, was meant to do. Just like in season one and season two, this season three review will follow a very specific structure. So we always start with the name of the episode, followed by something unique about it, what is the crux of that experience, that conversation. And then I will move on to basically who the guest was and what they are doing now. And of course, we always sort of finish with a tiny little summary or major lesson learned personally, I guess, from my side. Now, I will not be covering, of course, the bonus episodes because, as you know, I always categorize my episodes, and the bonus ones will always stay as the bonus episodes. So not really sort of encroaching upon this 10-episode season that uh has designated theme or thematic framework. So without further ado, let's jump straight into episode 1: A Depth Within by Winston Reynolds. This episode was really cool because it was such a joy to actually speak to Winston. He is a British but born in Sweden, and his specialty, I guess, is more towards dance circus, which is of an ever-growing field, and is actually something that my current company, the one that I work for right now called Kinetic Orchestra, is also leaning towards. So it's kind of a coincidence there, and it really helps shape my understanding of what that integration of these two art forms is beginning to look like. Now, the key lessons that have shaped Winston's professional journey, of course, also relates to his innate ability to traverse different fields so seamlessly. He is an artist that not only integrates different, let's say, disciplines, he's also being able to work on so many different levels through his work, for example, with Terra Nova, Ferros Animi, the collective. Also with people like Johan Bourgeois or Fernando Mello, Calenio. He's a performer, an assistant, choreographer, yeah, and he's even, you know, really, really nice on social media as well. So he's got that layer to it. Now, Winston usually divides his time now between leading both online and in-person workshops, writing, and participating in regular training meetups within his thriving community in Brussels, Belgium. Now, the major lesson, of course, is just learning how to build a multifaceted career within the European contemporary dance circuit, which I always like to say a beast of its own. So having an understanding of where and what to activate in order to, let's say, build yourself up as a brand is very important, especially within the Central European or Western European contemporary dance network. Episode two is called Anatomy of Choice by Alexandra Beller. Now Alexandra's kaleidoscopic journey was focused on exploring how she navigated her various roles as artistic director of Alexandra Beller Dances, which is an organization that supports artistic growth and well-being through workshops, showings, and all sorts of creative gatherings. She also runs another organization called Praxis Space, which is an online community designed to connect choreographers and artists alike. Alexandra is not only just a writer, she is also a certified movement analyst in Laban movement analysis and Batinev Fundamentals. She's currently on the faculty at the Princeton University, Rutgers University, and the Laban-Batineev Institute for Movement Studies, while also teaching workshops all across the globe. The major lesson of this episode was really understanding the trials and tribulations of being a solo artist and how to navigate all the different aspects of becoming your own brand. So quite similar to the experience of Winston himself. Next up, episode 3, contexting education policy and reform with Angela Pickhard. Now, this episode was really about education, but more specifically the art of policy making and reform. Angela herself is a dancer, choreographer, and renowned academic. Most notably, she is a curriculum builder and incredibly innovative thinker who became the UK's first professor of dance education back in 2021. Angela is currently the director of the Sydney Dihan Research Center for Arts and Health, the route lead for the Masters of Arts, Health and Performance, and the Director of the Hub for Practice Based Research in the Arts at the School of Creative Arts and Industries. That's a mouthful, but basically Angela has been through many different academic as well as leadership positions, especially in her contributions to education reform. Now the major lesson of this episode is of course looking at education within dance and how it contains many different layers and windows of opportunity for one to really stand out. You don't always have to be a lecturer, you can be somebody who builds curriculum or makes policies. Episode 4. Now this episode was very special because at the time it was my first ever book review. Now I've seen quite a few of them on YouTube or even listened to other podcast episodes about book reviews, but I've never really actually done them until that very point. Cara, of course, was nice enough to reach out to me and I seized the opportunity to explore the different chapters of her life through the lens of a really well-written memoir. Kara is a dancer, choreographer, teacher, coach, and writer, who gained a BFA in dance from NYU's Teach School of the Arts and an MFA in choreography from SUNY Purchase. In the year 2000, she founded her own company called Independent Dance Maker Kara Terobaum. Her work has been showcased at numerous venues, including Dance Now in NYC, the Gibney Center, Joyce Soho, and even internationally at the Shanghai Expo in China. Now, what does it feel like to write a book? Many people have written books before, but it is definitely not an easy process, and it's something that can be quite difficult to do, especially when you're presenting a memoir just like what Kara did, you know, illustrating your life through words and a collection of different memories. Episode 5. Now, this episode was really special because Sharmila is yet another one of my own, a Malaysian, a fellow artist working in the arts and culture within the Malaysian and Southeast Asian region. And she is so incredible, so talented because of her work in art critique, in radio, and this was really about the key nuances between radio broadcasting, which is what you can consider a traditional form of media, and new media, which is podcasting. And really looking at the role of media in preserving culture itself. Sharmila is a writer, journalist, moderator, MC, as well as art and culture critique, with over 15 years of experience covering Malaysian culture. She holds a bachelor's in media studies from the Murdoch University and a Master's in Communication and Film Studies from the RMIT University. Most recently, she was recruited as a content manager at the Creador Foundation in Malaysia, where she helps pioneer innovative solutions for social impact in South and Southeast Asia. Now the major lesson of this episode was looking in detail at the decreasing gap between radio and podcast, between old and new media, and how no matter what, regardless of the form of media, it will always play an incredible role in culture itself. Episode six commuting dance in school with Lauren Ashley Messina. This episode was basically a journey in understanding how Lauren built a school dance, which is an incredibly brilliant online platform that she has built over the years. And of course, really extrapolating the lessons she's learned herself in fostering such a vibrant community, and also how she's been able to do that with her vision for the future of dance. She was a big easy award-winning choreographer with a storied career spanning multiple dimensions of dance, including performance, choreography, mentorship, and like I said, community building. Quite obviously, the major lesson of this episode was in learning how to build and maintain an online community. Now that's not easy because there are tons of these everywhere you find nowadays, be it FB, Insta, be it Discord. So how do you then shine? How do you stand out amongst crowd? How are you able to recruit members and potentially just you know run it as a business? And that's what Lauren has been able to do quite expertly. Episode 7, Conversation with a Dance Counselor with Terry Hyde. Terry was an incredibly eccentric and superb individual, somebody who also shares a psychological background just like I do. Finally being able to speak with a psychotherapist who actually also has dance experience. That's not easy to find, by the way. So this episode was about Terry's transformative journey and his mission to destigmatize mental health within the dance community. Terry is a retired English national ballet professional dancer, turned psychotherapist who has then dedicated his entire career to supporting performers with their mental health issues. In 2017, he created Counseling for Dancers, an initiative aimed at helping dancers address emotional and mental health concerns at various stages of their career. The major lesson here is of course really understanding and realizing that dancers need mental health care just as much as anyone else does. And in some cases, I would even argue even more. Episode 8. Business with the Brainy Ballerina with Caitlin Sloan. Episode 8 was a deep dive into the journey of Caitlin herself and how she transformed from being a professional dancer to entrepreneur and specialist in dance education. Caitlin is a dance educator, career mentor, and former dancer based in Madison, who holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from the Grand Valley State University and a graduate certificate in nonprofit management from the University of Missouri. Caitlin enjoyed a nine-year professional dance career with companies such as Ballet Toussaint and Missouri Contemporary Ballet, now called Marrick Dance. In 2019, Caitlin founded the Brainy Ballerina, a virtual platform designed to guide and support aspiring ballet dancers and help them learn business skills, entrepreneurial knowledge in order to carve out their own careers in the future. The major lesson here is of course that dancers most often do not get to learn a lot of business skills within their tertiary education. And therefore you have people like Caitlin, experts in these fields, who really matter and who really are out there looking for people to offer their services to Now episode 9. Performing to Birds Performance Arts with Vest and Page. Vest and Page is of course the wonderful performance art collective comprising of the artist duo Verena Stanke from Germany and Andrea Pagnes from Italy. This episode was a deep dive into the difference between contemporary dance and performance art. Literally one of my favorite topics and debates of all time. Vest and Page, of course, was a collective that I learned about first when I attended the Paris Summer Academy back in 2027. Vest and Page redefined contemporary performance art through their exploration of social, political, and environmental themes. Their work delves into fragility, memory activation, and transformation. Of course, heavily influenced by their own backgrounds in philosophy and theatre. Since 2012, Verena and Andrea have also been the co-founders and co-directors of the Venice International Performance Art Week. The lesson of this episode is understanding the differences of these two ultra popular art forms. And no matter what and how big visual arts has become, contemporary dance will always have a place in it, and vice versa. Last but not least, episode 10, Dance's Last Slalom with the J Cast. And in the J Cast, I of course am mentioning two of my closest podcasting friends, Jacob Caldwell and Joshua Salem. This episode was a session examining the critical issues within dance across all of Asia, Europe, and the US. Some of the questions, of course, that emerged were what were the challenges that are deeply personal yet universal? Can we really identify real-time solutions by adopting a transcontinental perspective in strategic planning and problem solving? Jacob Cotwell is an actor, dancer, and art activist based in North Hollywood, California. He was the founder of the All House Dance Collective, which is a really vibrant community that he built, driven by his vision to create a future where arts and education are not only thriving but also accessible for everyone. Joshua, on the other hand, is also a dancer from India who travels between worlds and mediums, channeling his experiences into artistic expressions through dance, music, photography, and visual art. He is currently exploring the concept of folk as both a performance practice and a function of community togetherness. As a co-founding member of the 206 Dance Collective, Joshua continues to engage with the global dance community through his teaching, performing, and podcasting. The major lesson of this episode is realizing that dance can be such a complex, convoluted industry, which makes it both a joy to cover, but also sometimes quite a pain. Regardless, it is important to find your unique place in it and eventually carve out your specialty or, as I've said many times throughout this episode, contribution. And there you have it, the season 3 full review is now done and dusted. Massive thanks for tuning in, and if you like what you heard, feel free to go back and listen to any of these episodes that have such a rich foundation, such incredibly colourful guests, and of course such challenging topics. Lastly, don't forget to subscribe or follow wherever you're listening to this, or even on our YouTube channel. If you have any questions or would just like a chat, reach out on socials or via email. Now the next episode is truly no kidding, my final episode. My final class. And of course it will be a summary episode with the side is customer.