Dissecting Dance: Kickin it with Ren

A common issue that occurs in dance is the lack of consent that dancers are able to give, whether it comes to contact or social media. On this episode, Gwyn and I discuss the repercussions associated with not being able to give proper consent in the dance world.

I have Gwyn on today to discuss our experiences with being gender non conforming dancers in an industry and discuss ways to assist ways to create a more inclusive environment in the dance world.

Elizabeth Higgins has been the Coordinator of the Dance Department at Howard Community College as well as Artistic Director of the HCC Student Dance Company. We discuss her journey on how she got there, as well as her providing her insight and wisdom for people who have an interest on pursuing dance in the industry.

Ryan Bailey is here to talk about his experiences with being a professional in the dance industry, and gives us a realistic view on what doing dance as a full time career looks like, as well as sharing his journey and experiences that got him to where he is today. https://instagram.com/byan_railey?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

This episode a former dance teacher of mine, Becca Sigmund, who is a dance teacher, dance injury prevention specialist, dance conditioning specialist, and a PBT (Progressive Ballet Technique) certified teacher. She is here today to discuss misconceptions of what dance when it comes to what is considered safe for the body versus what isn't as well as sharing her story as a dancer, and how she has become passionate for encouraging students to learn about their bodies and what exactly stretching does to them. Ms. Becca is someone who I have known since I was in elementary school. She is a dance teacher that I highly value and has had a huge impact on who I am as a dancer and as a person. Truly, one of the biggest role models I have had, and I don't say that about many people. What she does for young dancers now is highly admirable and a blessing to the dance community, so I highly encourage you to hear what she has to say. Links: https://acceleratedance.com/ https://www.facebook.com/acceleratedance https://www.instagram.com/beccabullersigmund/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D

In this episode, I have discovered a hyper fixation in ballet history, so we will be focusing specifically on the eras of how ballet dance came to be. Every style of dance has a history behind it, and I feel that as dancers and dance enthusiasts, we should be obligated to study what we do. The next episode I will do about dance history, will be focused on George Balanchine, one of the most popular teacher/choreographer from the 20th century. Sources: https://www.balletdancersguide.com/history-of-ballet-eras.html http://www.ukbaroquedance.com/baroquedance/#:~:text=Baroque%20dance%2C%20a%20precursor%20of,of%20dancing%20was%20no%20exception.

This episode dives into the discussion about the relationships and streotypes when it comes to race and dance. I will have a friend of mine, Sanai, who studies Political Science, Africana Studies, and Critical Sexuality Studies on the show to lead the discussion of dance and race. Trigger Warning Spot: 20:00-21:30

This episode focuses on introducing the podcast as well as starting up a discussion on how the two dance styles, modern and contemporary dance styles differ from each other. These two terms in regards to dance are not interchangeable, so why not talk about it?