Stanton Welch and Julie Kent join the Conversations on Dance podcast this week and reflect on nearly three years leading Houston Ballet, praising the dancers’ versatility, focus, and the engaged Houston community, and describing the value of sharing leadership. They discuss how the company’s identity is shaped by having a prolific choreographer as artistic director in Stanton and what they look for in dancers. Looking ahead, they highlight a variety of works still to come this season including Welch’s new 12-minute piece to Mason Bates featuring electronics and live percussion, and they outline how Welch’s Giselle differs musically and dramatically, with expanded characters and staging, while Kent coaches intention and relationships.

For more information on performances still to come this season, visit houstonballet.org.

Houston Ballet 25/27 Season announced here: https://www.houstonballet.org/seasontickets/2026-2027-season-announced/

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TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Welcome Back Catch Up

02:14 Partnership Leading Together

03:01 Studio Time And Support

04:21 Choreographic Hub Culture

07:54 Auditions Finding Versatility

13:35 Season Variety Story Ballets

18:44 Programming And Identity

21:39 New Work Alice Topp

25:43 Staging Hazards and Effects

25:57 Avatar as Ballet Pitch

26:22 More Dancers on Stage

27:17 New Work Mason Bates

29:08 Reimagining Giselle

31:32 Coaching Story Over Steps

34:39 Technique vs Artistry Debate

38:12 Season Highlights Dances

39:50 Rehearsal Timing and Stamina

41:21 Next Season Tease and Farewell

LINKS:

Website: conversationsondancepod.com

Instagram: @conversationsondance

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On today's episode of "Conversations On Dance" we are joined by dance writer Marina Harss. Marina tells us about her recent excursions to Vienna and Copenhagen, where she traveled to document some of the most exciting new dynamics in European dance companies, including a renewed focus on Copenhagen's genius choreographer Bournonville, new directors in the Royal Danish Ballet and the Vienna State Ballet, and buzzy new Ratmansky productions in both companies. Marina wrote on these experiences in the New York Times and the New York Review Of Books. Both articles are available online today.

Alexei Ratmansky’s Leap of Faith - By Marina Harss for The New York Review

For Royal Danish Ballet, It’s Back to Bournonville - By Marina Harss for the New York Times

At City Ballet, Alexei Ratmansky’s Morality Tale Is Wrapped in Farce - By Marina Harss for the New York Times

Get Marina's book on Ratmansky: The Boy from Kyiv: Alexei Ratmansky's Life in Ballet

Sneak Peek of Ratmansky's newest work for Miami City Ballet, mentioned in this episode.

Listen to Conversations on Dance ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance

LINKS:

Website: conversationsondancepod.com

Instagram: @conversationsondance

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On today's episode of "Conversations On Dance" we are joined by choreographer Robert Battle. Robert tells us about how he started a company to push his own choreographic work, what it was like to become the third director in the history of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and how he's just begun to explore his recent post as resident choreographer of Paul Taylor Dance Company. To see Robert's latest work for Paul Taylor on tour visit paultaylordance.org/performances.

Listen to Conversations on Dance ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondance

LINKS:

Website: conversationsondancepod.com

Instagram: @conversationsondance

COD Merch

Listen to COD on YouTube

Join our email list

Sponsorship information

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.