Stairway For Ballet Stairway For Ballet

In this episode, we talk about a sensitive issue in the ballet industry: weight and how this is manifested in ballet training and professional ballet companies. Historically, ballet has been known for idealizing a thin body. We now delve into the historical roots to this idealization and a look into the future of promoting a healthy body image in the ballet world. 

In celebration of the holidays, the end of 2021, and a New Year 2022, we are going to be celebrating a few famous BIPOC ballet dancers. Featuring amazing dancers Alicia Alonso, Arthur Mitchell & Maria Tallchief!

In this episode, we explore something that is often overlooked in the ballet industry: sexism in ballet. Pay inequality in the ballet industry. We talk about how not a lot of ballets are choreographed women and questions: Why are there not more female choreographers and artistic directors? We also explore the pay inequality in the ballet industry and how female dancers are often paid less than their male counterparts. 

Ms. Stephanie Potreck is a former dancer turned doctor and sports nutritionist, and also a psychotherapist specializing in the treatment of eating disorders, and challenges with self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-care. She has a unique insight into the challenges that dancers face these days, worldwide. She is the founder of AusDancersOverseas that was originally created to support Australian dancers and dance students when moving overseas; this platform has grown into an education and information hub for dancers and dance students worldwide.

In this episode, Ms. Stephanie Potreck talks about why she decided to become a doctor and sports nutritionist from a dancer, the mission of AusDancersOverseas and the funniest thing that happened to her recently.

In this episode, we talk about power and abuse in the dance world and the core of the underlying issues. We explore recent events where people bravely spoke up about their experiences with sexual abuse in dance. We also question: Is the ballet and dance world ready to address sexual harassment and abuse? So is there a way to fix these issues in ballet?

Jeraldine Mendoza is a first-generation Filipina American who was born in San Francisco, California, and trained at City Ballet School of San Francisco since the age of five. At age 17, Mendoza was invited to graduate in the Russian course at the prestigious Bolshoi Ballet Academy in Moscow., and she later won First Place at the YAGP San Francisco Regional Semi-Finals in 2011. Now, she is currently dancing at Joffery Ballet and have danced a lot of principal and lead roles.

In this episode, Jerry talks about overcoming comparing herself to other dancers, her experience in the lack of diversity in ballet, and what year she would travel to if she had a time machine.