LMU On Dance: Critical Conversations

Taryn Vander Hoop & Laura Smyth
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  • Performing Arts

Welcome to On Dance, a LMU-sponsored podcast with a new take on the dance review. Hosted by Laura Ann Smyth and Taryn Vander Hoop, this show provides a dynamic space to have risky and candid conversations with world renowned choreographers about their art-making process. Get ready to have your creative mind inspired.

  1. Jul 22

    The Power of Repetition: Jeremy Nedd on Community, Choreography & Copyright

    Today we're joined by Brooklyn-born, Switzerland-based choreographer Jeremy Nedd, whose work explores the intersections of social dance, performance, community, and cultural authorship. After training in New York and performing with artists including Kyle Abraham, Jeremy relocated to Europe in 2010 and is now based in Basel, where he creates boundary-pushing contemporary performance that bridges Black vernacular dance, conceptual choreography, and popular culture. In this conversation, we discuss Jeremy's acclaimed work, from rock to rock… aka how magnolia was taken for granite, which we experienced at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. Inspired by the viral Milly Rock dance and the copyright lawsuit surrounding its use in Fortnite, the work asks provocative questions about ownership, authorship, cultural appropriation, and who profits from Black cultural production. Together, we explore Jeremy's creative process, the importance of building choreography through genuine community and long-term collaboration, the artistic power of repetition, and how ordinary movement can reveal extraordinary meaning. We also discuss thoughtful dance criticism, creating work that sparks conversation rather than certainty, and Jeremy's advice for the next generation of artists. Resources Learn more about Jeremy Nedd: https://www.jeremynedd.com/ Read the L.A. Dance Chronicle review referenced in this episode: https://www.ladancechronicle.com/reconnecting-with-culture-in-jeremy-nedds-from-rock-to-rock-aka-how-magnolia-was-taken-for-granite/?utm_source=chatgpt.com LMU Dance: https://cfa.lmu.edu/programs/dance/

  2. 01/30/2025

    A Community of Memory — On Scat!… The Complex Lives of Al & Dot, Dot & Al Zollar with Jawole Willa Jo Zollar

    Today we're joined by the esteemed and incredible Jawole Willa Jo Zollar. Growing up in Kansas City, Missouri, Jawole earned her B.A. in dance from the University of Missouri at Kansas City and her M.F.A. in dance from Florida State University. In 1980 Jawole moved to New York City to study with Dianne McIntyre at Sounds in Motion, and in 1984 Jawole founded Urban Bush Women (UBW) as a performance ensemble dedicated to exploring the use of cultural expression as a catalyst for social change. In this conversation, we discuss Scat!… The Complex Lives of Al & Dot, Dot & Al Zollar which we saw at the Mark Taber Forum. We've both seen Urban Bush Women live previously, but this performance was distinctly magical. Together we explore the choreographic and creative process of developing such a collaborative work, the process of creating a deeply personal piece inspired by her parents, and why Jawole made the choice to be onstage herself. We also unpack the nuances of what it means to be an interdisciplinary artists and why it may be time to reimagine what that looks like. Resources Learn more about Scat!… The Complex Lives of Al & Dot, Dot & Al Zollar Learn more about Jawole Willa Zollar Learn more about Urban Bush Women

  3. 12/09/2024

    Dance as Dialogue — On Cion: Requiem of Ravel's Boléro with Gregory Maqoma

    Today we're joined by internationally renowned dancer, choreographer, teacher, director and scriptwriter, Gregory Maqoma. Born in Soweto, South Africa in 1973, Gregory became interested in dance in the late 1980s as a means to escape the political tensions growing in his place of birth. He started his formal dance training in 1990 at Moving Into Dance where in 2002 he became the Associate Artistic Director. In this conversation, we discuss Cion: Requiem of Ravel's Boléro which we saw at Royce Hall. Together we explore Gregory's inspiration for the piece, the variety of different traditions, forms and histories that inform his approach to dance, how collaboration played a key role in this piece, as well as how South African dance is stretching its influence across the world.   Resources Learn more about Gregory Learn more about Cion at UCLA Learn more about The Land We Carry

  4. 12/02/2024

    The Tension of Circus — On Circa: Humans 2.0 with Yaron Lifschitz

    Welcome back to On Dance. Today, we're joined by Yaron Lifschitz, the Artistic Director and CEO of Circa. We begin the episode with our review of Circa's recent performance of Humans 2.0 at The Wallis in Los Angeles. Then we invite Yaron to the show to share more about circus and Circa. Yaron shares how he fell in love with performance in the moments when the theater goes dark before a show, and he offers us a plethora of contemporary circus, theatre, and musical performers that inspire his contemporary work. In our conversation, we discuss the purpose of circus, how it distinguishes itself from mainstream culture, and why Yaron got awful reviews for six years straight. We also rave about Resources Learn more about Yaron Learn more about Circa: Humans 2.0 at The Wallis Find more performances of Circa: Humans 2.0 Mentioned: Euripides Laskaridis, Laura Murphy

  5. 07/25/2024

    Seeking the Language of Each Dance — On Ballet Hispánico's Doña Perón with Annabelle Lopez Ochoa

    Welcome back to On Dance. Today we're excited to be joined by renowned Belgian-Colombian choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa to discuss her production of Ballet Hispánico's Doña Perón, as performed in Los Angeles in July 2024. In this conversation, Annabelle reflects on the ways her gender has impacted her dance career, why she decided to tell Evita's story, and how she approaches choreographing a narrative ballet. We also discuss the role of awards and reviews, what it means to be "famous," and the differences between the dance world and the ballet world. Resources Learn more about Annabelle More about Ballet Hispánico's Doña Perón at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion See Ballet Hispánico's upcoming performances

  6. 04/30/2024

    Dancing with Death — On The Rite of Spring & common ground[s]

    Today we're joined by LMU dance student Katie Tuchi to discuss The Rite of Spring, which was choreographed by the late Pina Bausch and recently performed at The Music Center in Los Angeles. We also talk about common ground[s], a remarkable work created, performed and inspired by dance icons Germaine Acogny and Malou Airaudo, which was performed before and prepared us for The Rite of Spring. Tune in as we explore the history of these pieces and the dynamics of age, race, and gender that emerge in the performances.   Resources The Rite of Spring and common ground[s] at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion Watch a video trailer of the performance Learn more about the history of The Rite of Spring

  7. 04/26/2024

    Celebrating Black Superpowers — On Ink with Camille A. Brown

    Welcome back to On Dance. Today we're thrilled to be joined by Camille A. Brown, a prolific  choreographer whose work taps into both ancestral and contemporary stories of African American identity. In this episode, we share our experience seeing Camille and her company perform ink at The Wallis in January 2024. Camille shares what it felt like to perform in her forties, how she cultivates the culture of her company, and the continuities between concert dance and musical theater. We also discuss a negative review she received early in her career and how she's learned whose feedback to take to heart.   Resources Learn more about Camille More about the show at The Wallis

  8. 02/08/2024

    Multi-Dimensional Dance Legacies — On Versa-Style with Breeze-lee

    Today we're excited to be joined by Leigh Foaad, aka Breeze-lee, the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of the renowned Versa-Style Dance Company. In this episode, we share our experience seeing Versa-Style at the Carpenter Center in Long Beach, CA. Then Breeze-Lee joins us to explore the company's journey from its founding in Los Angeles in 2005 to their present-day mission of empowering underserved and marginalized groups worldwide by celebrating Hip Hop and Streetdance culture. We also discuss the challenges of sustaining an artistic vision amidst the evolving landscape of dance in a digital age.   Resources Learn more about Breeze-lee Learn more about Versa-Style

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About

Welcome to On Dance, a LMU-sponsored podcast with a new take on the dance review. Hosted by Laura Ann Smyth and Taryn Vander Hoop, this show provides a dynamic space to have risky and candid conversations with world renowned choreographers about their art-making process. Get ready to have your creative mind inspired.

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