Episodes
Technology: Augmented Reality | Gilles Jobin
Wish to dance differently? Within an augmented reality, the limits are endless both with technology and dance! Gilles Jobin is the founder and Artistic Director of Cie Gilles Jobin , a Geneva based dance company specializing ...
Technology: Raising the Floor | Guy Dagger
Ever noticed what you've been dancing on all this while? Research has proven the effectiveness of quality dance floors in preventing serious injuries as well as extending the life span of professional dancers. Guy Dagger is t...
Business: Branding Ballet | Heidi Lee
How do you brand a ballet? Every Artistic Director needs a business brain as support in marketing a company forward. Heidi Lee is the incumbent Executive Director of the Hong Kong Ballet, one of the three flagship dance compa...
Business: Pointe To Rise | Susanne Puerschel
What do ballerinas and entrepreneurs have in common? Yes, there is always failure before success, a fall before the RISE. Susanne Puerschel was a former member of the Berlin State Opera and founder of Pointe To Rise , an empo...
Business: The Dancepreneur | Erin Pride
Do dance and business ever go hand in hand? How could dance artists maximize financial opportunity by gaining financial literacy? Erin Pride is an educator, performer and founder of The DancePreneur Academy , an online busine...
Science: Somatic Sojourns | Vincent Yong
What was our first ever universal language? No, it did not require speech as there was only movement at the very beginning. Vincent Yong is Singapore's sole Certified Movement Analyst, Somatic Movement Therapist and founder o...
Science: Who's Your Avatar? | Serving Your Purpose
Who do you ultimately serve? No, I don't mean as an employee or such, but as a human being who's driven to bring value to others. When you wake up every morning, ask yourself these questions: Who do you dance …
Science: To Dance, From Science | Edel Quin
Where can dancers turn to for an interest or career in science? The overarching aim of dance science is to optimize dancer performance and minimize injury risk for the prolongation of one's professional life. Edel Quin is the...
Science: Doctor Dancer | Filomar Cortezano Tariao
What do doctors and dancers have in common? They both apply the human body as main instruments! Yes, medical expertise can benefit dancer wellbeing in a multitude of ways, but you obviously need an actual doctor present for t...
Media: Pick and Pod | Podcasting for Dance
Is podcasting a necessary medium for the arts? There are already a multitude of dance podcasts available that offer such wide-ranging information, so it shouldn't be a question. My answer is obviously YES, but let me share wi...
Media: The Movement Journalist Part 2 | Megan Castro
Is social media a viable option to build a dance archive? How can one stand out in the sea of information while still expressing a voice? U.S based artist Megan Castro set out on her own fascinating journey and has …
Media: The Movement Journalist Part 1 | Megan Castro
Remember when having a journal was actually cool? Instead of filling one up with words and whimsical doodles, how about movement instead? In the advent of the pandemic, Megan Castro set out to create her own version of a jour...
Media: My Paper, My Stage | Melinda Gaskin
We write almost everyday, in every way. Like a dancer, being an editor also requires having a voice that can inspire across all levels of society. For those who many not find the stage all that appealing, the 'paper' is …
Management: Rope a D.O.P.E. | Personality Types for Dance Jobs
Taking a trip down memory lane with my first ever personality test, yeah the one with the birds! Personality tests are not the absolute rulebook, but they can be useful navigators for making smarter career decisions and to be...
Management: Producing Progress | Bilqis Hijjas
What is a producer in the performing arts? What does it mean to be scouring for not just an elephant, but a purple one as well! In recent years, the role of producer has received growing attention as more crucial …
Management: To ASK or not to ASK Part 2 | Joseph Gonzales
The second of a two-part series exploring the tools and motivations behind starting a dance company. Prof. Joseph Victor Gonzales features as the first ever guest on the show and is an immensely experienced performer, choreog...
Management: To ASK or not to ASK Part 1 | Joseph Gonzales
The first of a two-part series exploring the tools and motivations behind starting a dance company. Prof. Joseph Victor Gonzales features as the first ever guest on the show and is an immensely experienced performer, choreogr...
Think Transition
Transitions can be daunting, but dancers need to consider one at some point in their journey. So why not start now? In this episode, we ruminate about the reality and necessity of career transition. Also, some highlights thro...
D.A.N.C.E. for Who?
In this episode, I have a little wordplay derived from the acronym of DANCE. The idea of building community is always a priority, thus who am I hoping to connect with? D - Dedicated Doers A - Aspirational Agents N …
Ep.1 Basking in the Background
Welcome to the inaugural episode of The Background Dancer ! Here, I share my vision and passion for all things offstage regarding the world of dance and performing arts. To begin with, what does it feel like to bask in …
Why in the Background?
As part of a double-episode launch, I now take you through the four major principles of why all this is so important to me, and hopefully also to you. This episode will expand on the tenets of: Community Building Enriching …