(474) Alastair Macaulay on Suzanne Farrell

(474) Alastair Macaulay on Suzanne Farrell

Author: Michael Sean Breeden & Rebecca King Ferraro November 20, 2025 Duration: 53:02


Today on Conversations on Dance, we welcome back a listener favorite and our friend, Alastair Macaulay, former Chief Dance Critic for the New York Times. This past week, on Friday November 14th, Alastair hosted an event at the New York Public Library where he examined films of revered Balanchine ballerina, Suzanne Farrell. Alastair tells us about how research for this event, talks about the films he showed, and other tidbits on Suzanne’s career and dancing. At the end, Alastair talks about his City Center Studio 5 event which is available to watch now on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAkP-QnDpL0 


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



SPONSOR: The Royal Ballet School are bringing their diverse programme of non-selective and selective Intensive Courses for students aged 8-19 to London, Singapore, Hong Kong, and for the first time, Los Angeles next summer!

 

Explore your love for dance in a supportive environment, as the School’s expert Artistic staff and guest coaches guide you in a variety of styles to hone your technique, artistry and musicality.  

 

Classes include classical ballet, repertoire, contemporary, choreography, character, body conditioning, pas de deux, stagecraft and pointe work.

 

Don’t miss your chance to train with one of the world’s leading centres for classical ballet training. Applications are now open. Head to royalballetschool.org.uk to secure your spot today.  

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
(182) Rebecca and Michael: Balanchine Masterworks Tournament Bracket [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:45
This week on the pod, Rebecca and Michael fill out a Balanchine masterwork tournament bracket to crown the ultimate Balanchine ballet. In March, two students at Indiana University sent us an email: they were missing Marc…
(181) Tricia Albertson, Principal with Miami City Ballet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:14
This week we are joined by our friend, Tricia Albertson, Principal dancer with Miami City Ballet. Raised in Santa Cruz, CA, she began her ballet training at The Studio School of Classical Ballet. She attended summer prog…
(180) Mira Nadon, New York City Ballet Corps de Ballet dancer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:23
This week we are joined by Mira Nadon, New York City Ballet Corps de Ballet dancer. Mira began her ballet training at the age of six at the Inland Pacific Ballet Academy in Montclair, California. She attended summer cour…
(179) Jovani Furlan, Soloist New York City Ballet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:16
This week we are joined by our friend, Jovani Furlan, soloist with New York City Ballet. Born in Joinville, Brazil, Jovani started dancing at the age of 11 at The Bolshoi Theater School in Brazil. In 2010 he participated…
(175) Gil Boggs, Colorado Ballet Artistic Director [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:47
This week we bring you our final episode from the 2019 Vail Dance Festival! Today we speak with Gil Boggs, Colorado Ballet Artistic Director. Gil began his dance career with the Atlanta Ballet and he joined American Ball…
(174) Michael Montgomery, Alonzo King LINES Ballet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:52
This week on Conversations on Dance, we are joined by Michael Montgomery, dancer with Alonzo King LINES Ballet from the 2019 Vail Dance Festival. Michael was born in Long Beach, CA, trained at the Orange County High Scho…
(173) Pam Tanowitz, Choreographer [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:03
This week we are happy to bring you our full conversation with celebrated Choreographer, Pam Tanowitz, from the 2019 Vail Dance Festival. We spoke with Pam from a Live panel event at Washington DC’s Kennedy Center in epi…