12-02-2014 Audio Interview

In the second half our interview James Jordan describes the way the “flow” returned. How again – unexpectedly – he was called by Todd Bolender to return to the Kansas City Ballet Company as its ballet master and how he worked to grow into that role which he held for 23 years. This year James will be Honorary Chair of the Company’s Black Tie Gala, staging the last performance of Bolender’s Nutcracker and receiving its Pirouette Award and the thanks of a grateful company for his extraordinary 30 years of service. He explains that, fearing that the ballets of Anthony Tudor would be lost, he spent his own money to follow Donald Mahler, Senior Repetiteur of Tudor’s Ballets, so he could learn and document the ballet’s as Mahler staged them around the country. In this interview he also explains how he became ballet master for the Sarasota Ballet Company and describes its next ballet; Sir Frederick Ashton’s La Fille Mal Gardee, and talks in detail about the process of putting a ballet together with its score.

11-18-2014 Interview

Re-run of Part one. James Jordan had no particular interest in dance until, at 17, having decided to check out a dance class being given in his small town, he took his first dance lesson. From then on a series of unplanned, unexpected and serendipitous events lead him inextricably to the life he was clearly meant to live; as a dancer and a ballet master. He was recruited by Todd Bolender to be part of the fledgling Kansas City Ballet Company where he was a member for 7 years. In the first half of our interview listen to this charming man describe how he followed the “flow” and what happened when the “flowing” stopped. Also hear him describe what a ballet master does and preview Sarasota’s upcoming ballet.

12-18-2014 Interview

Although James Jordan had no particular interest in dance, when he heard about a dance class given in his small town he decided to check it out and at 17 (very old to begin ballet) James took his first dance lesson. From then on a series of unplanned, unexpected and serendipitous events lead him inextricably to the life he was clearly meant to live. Listen to this charming, self-deprecating man talk about what a ballet master does, describe the meandering way he wound up with as ballet master at Sarasota Ballet, and what Sarasota Ballet has in store.

October 26, 2010

Interview with Principal Ballet Dancer with the Sarasota Ballet Co, Victoria Hulland.

In this show I also include NY theater reviews of “Million $ Quartet”, “Memphis” and ” Freud’s Last Session”

October 19, 2010

Interview – Yaima Franco was only interested in her school studies and not the ballet class her parents took her to at age 8. At age 13, however, she realized that “she could do this” and so began an interest that grew into a passion. At 18 she auditioned for the Cuba Nation Ballet Co, where only 2 would be chosen. Yaima was told that she was great but had to lose 15 pounds in a month. She did this by eating only fruit and tea. Listen to Yalima’s story of the couples escape and her happy ending as mother of her 3 year old daughter and teacher of the students in the Sarasota Ballet Company

October 12, 2010

Octavio Martin is a principal dancer in the Sarasota Ballet Company, but before he could find his way to Sarasota, Octavio first had to escape (with his wife – whose story you will hear next week) from the clutches of the Cuban Ballet Co. Listen to the hair-raising story of their escape, his mission to assure boys that they can be both masculine and Ballet dancers, his love of his new home, and as always his passion for the Dance to which he has dedicated his life.

July 20 Interview with Iain Webb

Director of the Sarasota Ballet Company, Iain Webb has danced all over the world with some the ballet world’s greatest choreographers and many of its most prestigious companies. But Iain’s story is compelling because he is a real live Billy Elliot, whose working class British father, while never truly accepting that his son was a ballet dancer, nevertheless did everything he could to support his son’s difficult choice. Listen to the amazingly serendipitous way that Iain discovered ballet and how he, fought for, protected and nurtured his dream.

November 10, 2009

I’m dedicating this show to a review by Sharon Leslie of the Tony Award winning musical “Contact,” which celebrates its 10th anniversary with a collaboration between the Asolo Repertory Company and the Sarasota Ballet Company at the Asolo Theater in Sarasota Florida till November 22nd. And an Interview with Iain Webb, Director of the Sarasota Ballet Company Iain has danced all over the world, with many of the world’s most prestigious companies. Because his career has connected him with some the ballet world’s greatest choreographers he is able to bring their works to Sarasota, making this season as remarkable as it is exciting. Iain’s story is compelling. Hear how a real live Billy Elliot found, protected and nurtured his dream of becoming a ballet dancer.