(451) Yuan Yuan Tan, former San Francisco Ballet principal dancer

(451) Yuan Yuan Tan, former San Francisco Ballet principal dancer

Author: Michael Sean Breeden & Rebecca King Ferraro July 2, 2025 Duration: 1:01:39

On today's episode of "Conversations On Dance" we are joined by award winning ballerina Yuan Yuan Tan. We cover her meteoric rise, from entering San Francisco Ballet as a soloist at 18 directly from her schooling, a nearly unheard of feat, to anchoring the company as a principal for nearly three decades, and finally becoming a leader in the arts, most recently as the artistic director for the Chinese folktale production Lady White Snake, a stirring visual blend of dance, martial arts, music and costumes. To purchase tickets to Lady White Snake, coming to the David H Koch theater at Lincoln Center this July 26 and 27th, visit davidhkochtheater.com.


Tickets to Conversations on Dance at the 2025 Vail Dance Festival on sale now! https://vaildance.org/conversations-on-dance/


LINKS:

Website: conversationsondancepod.com

Instagram: @conversationsondance

Merch: https://bit.ly/cod-merch

YouTube: https://bit.ly/youtube-COD

Join our email list: https://bit.ly/COD-email

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.


For anyone who has ever watched a performance and wondered about the life that happens in the wings, Conversations on Dance offers a rare and thoughtful backstage pass. Hosted by former Miami City Ballet dancers Rebecca King Ferraro and Michael Sean Breeden, this award-winning podcast builds on a simple, powerful premise: the most compelling stories in dance aren't always told under the lights. Since 2016, their interviews have provided an essential, grounded look at the art form, moving far beyond reviews or technique to explore the real human endeavors behind the curtain. Each episode is a deep, considered dialogue with the field's most influential voices-not only dancers and choreographers, but also the musicians, directors, and educators whose work shapes the entire ecosystem. Listening feels like pulling up a chair in a studio lounge, where the conversation might cover the gritty reality of a choreographer's creative process, the collaborative tension with a composer, or an educator's philosophy on cultivating the next generation. The hosts' own professional backgrounds inform a dialogue that is both knowledgeable and genuinely curious, fostering connections between the art and its audience. This podcast consistently uncovers the discipline, vulnerability, and sheer hard work that define a life in dance, making the vast world of performance feel intimately accessible. It’s for the dedicated student, the lifelong enthusiast, and the simply curious-anyone who believes understanding the struggle and joy behind the steps only deepens the appreciation of the final, fleeting bow.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 466

Conversations on Dance
Podcast Episodes
(487) Royal Danish Ballet soloist Tobias Praetorius [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:33
Listen to Conversations on Dance ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/conversationsondanceOn today's episode of "Conversations On Dance" we are joined by Royal Danish Ballet soloist Tobias Praetorius. He takes…