Trailblazers

Trailblazers

Author: the Association of Performing Arts Professionals June 17, 2025 Duration: 30:57

Being the first to do something comes with accolades and recognition, but it can also be lonely. The premiere of season four features stories from four trailblazers who broke barriers, not just for their own advancement, but to create opportunities for others.

INTRO (0:00): “Trailblazer” with Precious Perez, a singer, songwriter, music educator, and disability activist based in Louisville, Kentucky.

ACT ONE (7:20): “Barre None” with Lydia Abarca Mitchell, a founding member of Dance Theatre of Harlem, now living in Marietta, Georgia.

ACT TWO (17:16): “A Day in the Life” with Magdalene Minnaar, the artistic director of Cape Town Opera in Cape Town, South Africa.

ACT THREE (21;01): “Let It Rain” with Yura Sapi, the CEO of LiberArte based in  Chocó, Colombia and New York City.

You can find a full transcript and more on APAP’s website: https://apap365.org/podcast/

Are you a performing arts worker with a story to tell? Submit it here: https://bit.ly/AWLpodsubmit


Behind every curtain, every rehearsal room, and every touring schedule, there's a complex human story about making a living in creativity. ARTS. WORK. LIFE., produced by the Association of Performing Arts Professionals, pulls back that velvet rope to share the candid, often unheard narratives from performers, administrators, technicians, and all the professionals who make the performing arts happen. This isn't about reviewing shows; it's about the realities of the workplace itself-the triumphs, the tensions, the unique culture, and the sheer grit required to sustain a life in this field. Each episode offers a grounded conversation that moves beyond the glamour to explore what it truly means to build a career centered on expression. Through these personal stories, the podcast builds a deeper understanding of the arts as an essential ecosystem of labor and passion. Tune in for honest reflections that resonate with anyone who has ever dedicated themselves to a craft, highlighting the vital intersection where artistic pursuit meets the everyday challenges of work and survival.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 39

ARTS. WORK. LIFE.
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