Conversations on Dance

Michael Sean Breeden & Rebecca King Ferraro
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Performing Arts
  • Every two weeks

Conversations on Dance is an award winning podcast hosted by former Miami City Ballet dancers Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden. Since 2016, the podcast has provided an inside look at the world of dance through in-depth interviews with the field’s most influential dancers, choreographers, musicians, directors, and educators. With a mission to educate, inspire, and connect, Conversations on Dance goes beyond performance to uncover the stories, insights, and artistry that shape the dance world today. Each week, listeners are invited into candid conversations that highlight the intelligence, passion, and creative process of those working at the highest levels of the art form. With over 500 episodes and partnerships with institutions like the Vail Dance Festival, Works & Process at the Guggenheim, Performing Arts Houston, San Francisco Ballet, The Kennedy Center, and more, the podcast has become a trusted and celebrated voice in the global dance community. Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement. Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts. 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 YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@conversationsondance Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance Facebook: facebook.com/conversationsondance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 11 hr ago

    (512) Choreographer Alysa Pires on her new work for New York City Ballet

    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 Today on Conversations on Dance, hosts Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden welcome choreographer Alysa Pires, who's new work for New York City Ballet will be premiering October 1 as a part of NYCB's fashion gala. Alysa who shares how she gravitated to dance as a child, discovered contemporary dance in high school, and began choreographing early. She discusses mentorship at Toronto Metropolitan University and explains her creative process: coming into ballet settings highly prepared with music charts and organizational planning while developing steps collaboratively in the studio. Byers describes managing imposter syndrome, the people-focused side of choreographing, and a career turning point when the National Ballet of Canada opened its choreographic workshop to outside artists, leading to bigger opportunities. She previews her second NYCB commission, inspired by motherhood, protection, and sacrifice. Tickets and more information: https://www.nycballet.com/season-and-tickets/fall-2026/fall-fashion-gala 00:00 Support on Patreon 00:40 Meet the Hosts 01:29 Early Dance Roots 03:14 Finding Contemporary Path 06:34 Choreography Takes Hold 09:28 Mentors and Ballet Return 11:46 Prepping a New Work 14:25 Music Charts and Logistics 18:57 Discovery in the Studio 20:55 Leading the Room 24:37 Breakthrough Commissions 28:53 City Ballet Nerves 30:10 Family Sacrifice Balance 31:48 Who Gets Choreography 36:06 Second Commission Process 37:49 Casting For Collaboration 43:59 NYCB commission Inspiration 48:19 Fashion And Motherhood 53:51 Title And Bird Imagery 55:49 Premiere Dates And Runs 56:57 Thanks And Credits Interested in signing up? Enjoy one month access to our Patreon for free: CLICK 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.

  2. 9 Sept

    (511) James Whiteside announces retirement from American Ballet Theatre and tells us what's next

    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 Hosts Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden welcome American Ballet Theatre principal dancer James Whiteside, who announces he will retire from the ABT stage on June 30, 2027, dancing Giselle with Isabella Boylston at the Metropolitan Opera House. Whiteside explains the decision felt simple after 25 professional years, post-COVID recovery and a knee injury, and seeing peers retire, while emphasizing he values new colleagues and feels his body is ready. He reflects on industry changes, his growth as a dancer, and his early social media trailblazing that supported queerness in ballet and created income beyond the company, though he’s largely stepping away from being an influencer. He discusses future plans in choreography and writing, including a new Indiana University work inspired by George Platt Lynes and Debussy titled Stone Blossom, upcoming premieres, a restaging of City of Women, and his ABT fall performances including Ballet Imperial, Petal, and Petite Mort, plus final California Nutcracker shows. 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.

  3. 2 Sept

    (510) Summer recap and a COD restructure with Michael and Rebecca

    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 Interested in signing up? Enjoy one month access to our Patreon for free: CLICK HERE. Conversations on Dance: Patreon Updates, Vail Highlights, and Michael’s First Balanchine Staging Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden discuss a format shift for Conversations on Dance, encouraging listeners to support the podcast via Patreon to help sustain production while keeping three free episodes per month and the full back catalog free. They outline tiers—Emerald ($3, ad-free episodes), Ruby ($8, ad-free plus one monthly bonus episode), and Diamond ($15, same as Ruby)—and offer a free one-month trial link in the show notes. They recap their 10th year at the Vail Dance Festival, highlighting guests including Alexei Ratmansky, Caroline Shaw, Hermán Cornejo, and an episode with four pianists. Michael shares staging his first Balanchine ballet, Allegro Brillante, at Nashville Ballet, and previews upcoming work at Indiana University, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, and Hamburg Ballet. They also share details on Miami City Ballet’s Young Patron Society (ages 26–45) and its upcoming events. 00:00 Iconic Guests Teaser 01:01 Patreon Format Change 02:00 Tiers and Bonus Episodes 04:06 Why Support Matters 05:34 Social Media and New Listeners 08:05 Vail Festival Highlights 11:21 Interviewing Without Cards 13:31 Staging Balanchine Debut 17:39 Working With Familiar Dancers 25:18 Upcoming Projects Tour 27:12 Jeanette Delgado Appreciation 31:03 Miami City Ballet Young Patrons 34:12 Final Patreon Reminder 35:05 Show Credits and Outro 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.

  4. 26 Aug

    (509) Pianists of Vail Dance Festival: Michael Scales, Derek Wang, Tony Yun, Joel Wenhardt

    This episode was recorded live from the Vail Dance Festival on August 9th, 2026. Enjoy one month of Conversations on Dance on Patreon for free! Redeem here. In the final episode of our Vail Dance Festival series, Michael Sean Breeden is joined by guest co-host Kate Penner for a rare conversation with the festival's pianists: Michael Scales, Derek Wang, Tony Yun, Joel Wenhardt. Together they pull back the curtain on what most audiences never see: the musicians who make dance possible. They talk about how each of them found music in the first place, what it's actually like to collaborate with choreographers and dancers in the room, the tiny details that can make or break a piece, and some of their favorite moments from years of playing at Vail. 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.

  5. 26 Aug

    (508) Career Pathways at The Vail Dance Festival: Savannah Green, Kayla Mak, Brooks Landegger, Philip Duclos

    Enjoy one month of Conversations on Dance on Patreon for free! Redeem here. This episode was recorded live from the Vail Dance Festival on August 9th, 2026. In this early-morning session from the final day of the festival, Michael Sean Breeden is joined by guest co-host Kate Penner (Rebecca had already headed home for her son's first day of school) for a conversation with four dancers who represent very different paths into the profession: Savannah Green (BalletX), Kayla Mak (ABT), Brooks Landegger (ABT), and Philip Duclos (Royal Danish Ballet). They talk about how differently each of their careers began, the moment each of them was "thrown in the deep end" at Vail, how they mentally and physically prepare for a performance, and what it's like bringing what they learn at the festival back to their home companies. 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.

  6. 11 Aug

    (507) LIVE from the Vail Dance Festival with Nikolaj Hubbe, Carla Korbes, Margaret Tracey, & Melissa Toogood

    Watch NOW: PREMIERES from the 2026 Vail Dance Festival here: https://www.youtube.com/live/IWR7IJTIUjM?si=Hew1Dst2yyijlh9k. Enjoy one month of Conversations on Dance on Patreon for free! Redeem here. Join Conversations on Dance hosts Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden for a live podcast recording exploring the special and unique process of preparing today’s generation of dancers for the world stages. In this special conversation, four of today’s passionate leading dance educators gather to discuss how they cultivate tomorrow’s stars and what it means to pass artistry from one generation to the next. The panel includes Nikolaj Hubbe, former Artistic Director of the Royal Danish Ballet and former New York City Ballet principal; Margaret Tracey, Artistic Director of Canada’s National Ballet School and former New York City Ballet principal; Carla Korbes, former Pacific Northwest Ballet principal and now ballet chair at Juilliard; and Melissa Toogood, Bessie Award-winning dancer and Dean of Juilliard’s Dance Division. Together, they bring decades of combined artistic and teaching experience to a conversation about craft, education, and a love of dance. 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.

  7. 8 Aug

    (506) LIVE from the Vail Dance Festival with Alexei Ratmansky

    Enjoy one month of free access to Conversations on Dance on Patreon and listen ad-free. Click here to redeem. Join Conversations on Dance hosts Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden for a live podcast recording with this summer’s Artist-in-Residence, Alexei Ratmansky. Ratmansky is widely regarded as one of the most important ballet choreographers of his generation, creating celebrated works for companies around the world and currently serves as Artist-in-Residence at New York City Ballet. This summer he brings that singular creative force to Vail, where he will create new work as part of the 2026 festival. Hear Ratmansky reflect on his creative process, his vision for new work, and what it means to bring his artistry to the mountains of Colorado during Artistic Director Damian Woetzel’s landmark 20th year at the helm. Stay tuned for more episodes coming from the Vail Dance Festival 2026. Conversations on Dance at the Vail Dance Festival is generously underwritten by The Town of Vail. 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.

  8. 7 Aug

    (505) LIVE from the Vail Dance Festival with Ryan Tomash, Principal Dancer with New York City Ballet

    Enjoy one month of free access to Conversations on Dance on Patreon and listen ad-free. Click here to redeem. Join Conversations on Dance hosts Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden for a live podcast recording with one of ballet’s most exciting rising stars: Ryan Tomash, newly promoted Principal Dancer at New York City Ballet. Born in Toronto and trained at Canada’s National Ballet School, Tomash spent eight formative years with the Royal Danish Ballet before joining NYCB for the 2025-26 season. Tomash made his American debut right here at the Vail Dance Festival in 2025. Hear him reflect on that journey, from Copenhagen to New York, and back to Vail, and what’s ahead. Stay tuned for more episodes coming from the Vail Dance Festival 2026. Conversations on Dance at the Vail Dance Festival is generously underwritten by The Town of Vail. 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.

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About

Conversations on Dance is an award winning podcast hosted by former Miami City Ballet dancers Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden. Since 2016, the podcast has provided an inside look at the world of dance through in-depth interviews with the field’s most influential dancers, choreographers, musicians, directors, and educators. With a mission to educate, inspire, and connect, Conversations on Dance goes beyond performance to uncover the stories, insights, and artistry that shape the dance world today. Each week, listeners are invited into candid conversations that highlight the intelligence, passion, and creative process of those working at the highest levels of the art form. With over 500 episodes and partnerships with institutions like the Vail Dance Festival, Works & Process at the Guggenheim, Performing Arts Houston, San Francisco Ballet, The Kennedy Center, and more, the podcast has become a trusted and celebrated voice in the global dance community. Conversations on Dance was the recipient of the 2024 Clive Barnes Award for Journalism and Media Achievement. Subscribe now wherever you get your podcasts. 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 YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@conversationsondance Instagram: instagram.com/conversationsondance Facebook: facebook.com/conversationsondance Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Michael Sean Breeden & Rebecca King Ferraro
  • Years Active
    2016 - 2026
  • Episodes
    490
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Michael Sean Breeden & Rebecca King Ferraro
  • Show Website
    Conversations on Dance