Mission MindLeaps uses dance to develop the cognitive skills and social-emotional learning of at-risk youth to ensure that they can succeed in school, enter the workplace and leap forward in life. About MindLeaps Founded in 2005 (as RDDC: Rebecca Davis Dance Company) by social entrepreneur Rebecca Davis, the company was originally based in Philadelphia with the goal of building awareness of social justice issues through … Continue reading EP0030 MINDLEAPS | GLOBAL
Founded in 2014, MindLeaps is a nonprofit organization that deploys dance to support street kids and other marginalized children in locations across Africa and the Balkans. Not only did the organization receive significant attention thanks to their partnership with ballerina Misty Copeland, but the tools they use demonstrate the way that dance can be an effective means to expand the horizons of young people who face serious financial and educational obstacles in their lives. We chatted with Executive Director Rebecca Davis and International Coordinator Eugene Dushime to learn more about the organization. Continue reading MINDLEAPS USES DANCE TO SUPPORT MARGINALIZED CHILDREN ACROSS AFRICA
Deeply rooted in the creative community, we hold our values dearly. Inclusiveness, diversity, purpose and authenticity are beliefs that drive us to go beyond. Projection Dance uses dance to make a difference, inspire change and be a fearless voice and active advocate for innovation and dialogue surrounding the development of arts at this time. We share a natural affinity with expressive movement; like all strong … Continue reading EP0029 TIM PODESTA | AUSTRALIA
Meet Ahmad Joudeh, borne a stateless refugee from Syria he came to the Netherlands after the incredible documentary Dance Or Die. Watch this astonishing in depth interview, where he shares how he was born in a refugee camp, was stateless for 30 years, but loved dance and escaped problems by immersing himself into his passion. It is an incredible story of daily bombings, narrow escapes, … Continue reading EP0028 AHMAD JOUDEH | SYRIA
Meet Janine Younes who had to leave her native Lebanon because of the situation in the Middle-East and came to Amsterdam. She gave us an insight into Ballet in Lebanon, the first ballet school founded by one of her teachers and how she herself discovered ballet only at the age of 20! There was no stopping her after that and the first 4 years she … Continue reading EP0027 JANINE YOUNES | LEBANON
Welcome to this special interview with Jozef Varga (Principal Het Nationale Ballet) and Casey Herd (Founder of Ballet Rising). We have heard many stories from dancers around the world, but what about the story of our own Casey? “when dancers stop dancing, they have to re-invent themselves” Learn in this interview how Casey started from difficult beginnings to go on to shine as Principal at … Continue reading EP0026 CASEY HERD | BALLET RISING
We’re capping off our grant period from the Grant For The Web with three fascinating interviews about ballet around the world. We’re joined by world renowned Syrian dancer Ahamd Joudeh, Lebanese ballerina Janine Younes, and Dutch National Ballet principal dancer Jozef Varga interviews Casey Herd about how he started Ballet Rising, all filmed in person, in Amsterdam. The films are available now for Coil subscribers … Continue reading Fascinating Interviews & A Better Internet
The Brazilian dancer started dancing at the age of 10 in Ourinhos. He joined the John Cranko School in Stuttgart in 2005 and graduated four years later. He was a pupil of the famous Russian master Peter Pestov. At the end of his studies, he joined the Corps de Ballet of the Stuttgart Ballet. After his excellent debut in the role of Basilio in Don … Continue reading EP0025 DANIEL CAMARGO | BRAZIL
Learn about Matz Skoog, a Swedish dancer and director and the artistic director of English National Ballet from 2001 to 2005. Continue reading EP0024 MATZ SKOOG | UNITED KINGDOM
Almost exactly a year ago, Ernst Meisner had agreed to be interviewed for an article to appear here on Ballet Rising to discuss a tour that the Dutch National Ballet Junior Company would take in Indonesia, but in the intervening time between arranging the interview and it actually happening, the world went into lockdown. Unbeknownst to Meisner at that time, the Junior Company’s Indonesia tour would serve as a year-long farewell to in-person international performances for the Dutch National Ballet Junior and main companies. Continue reading BRINGING THE INTERNATIONAL TO THE DUTCH NATIONAL BALLET JUNIOR COMPANY
