Shows
The Grace & Form PodcastSeason 2 Finale: Advice from Megan Fairchild, Esteban Hernandez, Ashton Edwards, Katherine Barkman and more!What is the advice that stays with you long after the curtain falls?
In this Season 2 finale of the Grace & Form Podcast, we bring together the most powerful, honest, and unexpected pieces of wisdom from dancers, directors, and creative leaders across the ballet world.
From Megan Fairchild, Ashton Edwards, Katherine Barkman, Tamara Rojo, Wendy Whelan and more, we revisit moments of advice that shaped careers, challenged perspectives, and redefined what it means to succeed in dance.
Alongside these voices, we share new reflections and personal insights from artists like Esteban Hernandez - advice...
2026-01-2647 minThe Grace & Form PodcastLauren Lovette: On Spreading Her WingsFormer New York City Ballet Principal, choreographer, and creative force, Lauren Lovette has always felt most at home in the studio where curiosity, fear, and becoming collide. In this intimate conversation, Lauren reflects on starting ballet later than most, navigating performance anxiety, injury, identity, and the pressure of rising fast, and why the rehearsal room has always mattered more than the spotlight.
She speaks candidly about motherhood, creativity after the stage, ADHD, self-trust, and what it means to build a life and an artistic voice without a final version. This episode is about the quiet work, the...
2026-01-191h 48The Grace & Form PodcastStories From The Stage: Mira Nadon, Alexa Maxwell, Naomi Corti, Christina Clark and KJ TakahashiStories From the Stage brings together five extraordinary dancers: Mira Nadon, Alexa Maxwell, Naomi Corti, Christina Clark, and KJ Takahashi - for an honest, hilarious, and deeply human look at what really happens behind the curtain.
Hosted by Indiana Woodward and Saskia Gregson-Williams, this special Grace & Form stories from the stage talks about moments dancers never forget: costume malfunctions, missed cues, split-second saves, and the beautiful chaos that can unfold onstage when things don’t go to plan.
Whether you’re a dancer, a theatre lover, or someone who’s ever had to think on their...
2026-01-1252 minThe Grace & Form PodcastTamara Rojo: How to Lead an Art Form ForwardIn this episode, Tamara Rojo reflects on a career shaped by courage, curiosity, and conviction. From navigating ballet as an outsider to leading major institutions from within, she shares how intentional leadership, creative risk, and respect for tradition can coexist.
Tamara speaks openly about power and gender in ballet, building healthier cultures for dancers, and why repeating what’s worked before is rarely enough. This conversation explores what it means to lead with intelligence honoring the past while making space for new voices, new audiences, and new ideas.
---
Take class with one of...
2026-01-051h 20The Grace & Form PodcastTaylor Stanley: Bringing Your Whole Self to the StageIn this episode, we sit down with Taylor Stanley, principal dancer at New York City Ballet, for a deeply honest conversation about identity, self-acceptance, and what it means to take up space on stage and in life.
Taylor reflects on growing up in ballet, navigating gender and fluidity within a highly traditional art form, and learning to trust an evolving sense of self. We talk about musicality as instinct, softness as strength, and how sensitivity, often misunderstood, can become a source of power. Taylor shares how therapy, community, and creative outlets beyond ballet have helped shape a...
2025-12-221h 23The Grace & Form PodcastGonzalo Garcia: A Full-Circle Journey to a New Chapter at Miami City BalletIn this episode, we sit down with Gonzalo Garcia as he steps into a new chapter as Artistic Director of Miami City Ballet. Gonzalo reflects on the full-circle journey that brought him back to the very studio where his training began in Zaragoza, Spain, a return that now marks the start of his leadership role.
We explore the moments that shaped him: early mentorship under María de Ávila, winning the Prix de Lausanne at just 15, navigating pressure and perfectionism, and rising to principal dancer at San Francisco Ballet before making the leap to New York City Ba...
2025-12-151h 23The Grace & Form PodcastGillian Murphy: 29 Years at ABT and the Power of PresenceIn this episode, we sit down with the legendary Gillian Murphy to reflect on her extraordinary 29-year career at American Ballet Theatre. From joining the company at 17 to her unforgettable final bow as Odette, Gillian shares the moments that shaped her, the roles that changed her, and the mindset that carried her through nearly three decades onstage. A conversation about presence, artistry, fearlessness, and what comes next.
Take class with one of our incredible Grace & Form teachers, here: Train with the best
Try 7 Days Free and Download our App: Launch the app
2025-12-081h 25The Grace & Form PodcastThe Injury Episode P2: Julie Kent, Maria Kowroski, Harrison Coll, Zimmi Coker, Miko Fogarty, Cameron Gomez, Dr. David Williams & Caroline KrummIn part two of our injury series, we look at injury through connected angles: how company culture is shifting, the perspectives of those who care for dancers’ bodies, and the ways injuries can open the door to unexpected new chapters.
You’ll hear from dancers and practitioners across the ballet world:
Julie Kent on the emotional reality of injury at the highest level of the art form, and how her experiences now inform the way she nurtures dancers in her leadership roles.
Harrison Coll (soloist, New York City Ballet) on how company culture arou...
2025-12-011h 22The Grace & Form PodcastPatricia Delgado: On Returning to Your Roots & Reimagining What’s PossibleIn this intimate and expansive conversation, Patricia Delgado, Tony Award–winning choreographer, Juilliard faculty member, and proud Cuban-American artist opens up about the many chapters that shaped her: dancer, teacher, mother, collaborator, sister, and now, a choreographer discovering her own voice.
Patricia shares what it means to build a classroom rooted in emotional awareness, how motherhood has become her greatest grounding force, and why reconnecting with her Cuban roots through Buena Vista Social Club™ ignited a new creative fire. Together, we explore the complexities of comparison and sisterhood, the delicate dance of artistic partnership, and the courage it t...
2025-11-241h 35The Grace & Form PodcastGilbert Bolden III: Making the Suit That Suits YouGilbert Bolden III is a newly minted principal dancer with New York City Ballet, a designer, choreographer, and an artist who brings joy, fluidity, and individuality into everything he does. Earlier this year, he ruptured his Achilles mid Scotch Symphony- but instead of spiralling into crisis, Gilbert met the moment with calm, humour, and an almost shocking amount of perspective.
In this episode, we start right where he is today, and then trace the path that brought him here: dancing to Britney in his living room, discovering ballet later than most, rising through the ranks at NYCB...
2025-11-171h 20The Grace & Form PodcastThe Injury Episode P1: Craig Hall, Sara Mearns, Thomas Forster, Isabella LaFreniere, Alexa Maxwell, Cameron GomezIn this special episode of Grace & Form, we’re doing something a little different. This is Part One of our two-part deep dive into injury - a universal experience for dancers, yet one that’s rarely spoken about with honesty and care.
In this episode, we hear voice notes and reflections from dancers around the world, each sharing what injury has meant in their lives and careers, from the first moment it happened to the long journey of recovery that followed.
Featuring:
Alexa Maxwell - New York City Ballet soloist
Craig Hall...
2025-11-101h 06The Grace & Form PodcastMaria Kochetkova: A Career Around the WorldFrom Moscow to London, San Francisco to Copenhagen, Maria Kochetkova has built a career defined by courage, curiosity, and conviction. In this episode, she reflects on her early years at the Bolshoi Ballet School, leaving Russia to find artistic freedom, and the challenges of carving a path in an industry that often tries to box dancers in.
Maria shares what it means to follow intuition over practicality, the importance of great teachers and truthful technique, and how motherhood has reshaped her relationship with dance. She talks about performing while pregnant, adapting her body through each decade, and...
2025-11-031h 05The Grace & Form PodcastCraig Salstein: The Scaffolding of a Great DancerCraig Salstein-NYCB repertory director, longtime ABT soloist, teacher, and Broadway collaborator-shares grounded, generous advice for dancers navigating the hard parts: injury, casting politics, and self-comparison. With trademark humor and clarity, Craig makes a case for “dancing smart”: build technique like scaffolding, obsess over landings and communicate clearly and kindly. He talks about keeping class light without losing discipline, how to turn professional envy into fuel, and why presence beats perfection. We also dig into his work with Justin Peck (from Carousel and West Side Story to Maestro), teaching everyone from company principals to total beginners, and the mindset that sust...
2025-10-2759 minThe Grace & Form PodcastMisty Copeland: Five Years Away and One Final Bow with ABTMisty Copeland joins Saskia Gregson-Williams and Indiana Woodward on the Grace & Form Podcast for an intimate, reflective conversation about stepping away, returning, and saying goodbye to ABT.
After five years off stage, Misty shares the perspective she gained outside of ballet, the injuries and challenges that kept her away, and why she initially resisted the idea of a farewell. She talks about the decision to come back: and how gratitude, not finality, is what guides her farewell at ABT. With honesty and warmth, Misty reveals what movement means to her now, how she carries her legacy forward...
2025-10-201h 15The Grace & Form PodcastJovani Furlan: The Leap That Changed EverythingIn this episode of the Grace & Form podcast, we’re joined by New York City Ballet principal dancer and founder of Furlan Dancewear, Jovani Furlan. From his early training at the Bolshoi school in Brazil to dancing on some of the world’s biggest stages, Jovani shares the pivotal moments that shaped his path; including the risks he took, the pressure he’s learned to navigate, and the tools that keep him grounded.
We talk about performance anxiety, building a business while dancing full-time, and how meditation, therapy, and a sense of humor have helped him through it all...
2025-06-231h 16The Grace & Form PodcastBallet, Business & Best Friends: The Story Behind Grace & FormIn this special episode, co-founders Saskia Gregson-Williams and Indiana Woodward sit down for an honest conversation about friendship, creativity, and the leap from barre to business. From meeting through the ballet world to building Grace & Form from the ground up, they reflect on the highs, the hard bits, and how their bond has shaped everything along the way.
Expect behind-the-scenes stories, a few laughs, and a look at what it really takes to build something meaningful, with your best friend by your side.
Take class with one of our incredible Grace & Form teachers, h...
2025-06-161h 03The Grace & Form PodcastIndia Bradley: Pointe Shoes, Pressure & Self-BeliefIn this powerful and personal episode, New York City Ballet’s India Bradley opens up about what it means to be the “first”; the first Black Dewdrop, the first in many roles - and the complex weight that comes with it. From her early years in Detroit to finding her voice at Dance Theatre of Harlem and SAB, India shares the winding path to NYCB, the pressure to prove she belongs, and the lessons she’s still learning about self-worth, representation, and resilience.
We talk about dancing through doubt, the difference between strength and visibility, pointe shoe trials...
2025-06-091h 10The Grace & Form PodcastSaskia Gregson-Williams: How Ballet Led Me to Start a Business at 15In this intimate episode, Indiana turns the mic on her co-host and best friend, Saskia Gregson-Williams. Saskia’s journey as a ballet dancer, entrepreneur, and wellness creative has been anything but linear. Together they unpack the journey: homesickness, bullying, burnout, early independence, , injury, and the quiet courage it takes to start again, again and again.
They talk about the pressure of being “the best,” the cost of chasing external validation, and how Saskia found strength not in perfection, but in surrendering control. This is an honest and hopeful conversation about identity, reinvention, and the power of patience.
2025-06-021h 04The Grace & Form PodcastChun Wai Chan: How I Learned to Dance Smarter, Not HarderFrom Guangzhou to New York, cramping on stage to commanding the spotlight, Chun Wai Chan shares the story of how grit, laughter, and letting go helped him become the first Chinese principal dancer at New York City Ballet.
In this episode of Grace & Form, Chun opens up about the physical and mental battles behind the curtain: from writing a letter to his parents to convince them to let him dance, to redefining success across continents. We talk training, injury, cultural expectations, building a personal brand, and the infamous Swan Lake performance that almost ended in disaster (hint...
2025-05-2653 minThe Grace & Form PodcastIndiana Woodward: Body Image, Self-Love, and the Journey BetweenFrom growing up between continents to rising through the ranks of New York City Ballet, your co-host Indiana Woodward shares her deeply personal journey with body image, identity, and learning to embrace herself fully. In this candid conversation, she opens up about the pressures of ballet, the impact of being told her body wasn’t “right,” and the long path toward self-love and acceptance. We also talk about what it means to build something of your own, and how Grace & Form became part of that healing.
Take class with Indiana or one of our incredible Grace & Form teache...
2025-05-191h 08The Grace & Form PodcastSara Mearns: Dancing Beyond Expectation, through Burnout and Hearing LossIn this episode, Principal Dancer Sara Mearns joins us for a raw and wide-ranging conversation about how life onstage has shifted, and how she’s shifted with it. She shares the reality of living with hearing loss for over a decade, what it was like to finally hear her own solo again, and how that moment marked a turning point. We talk about burnout, boundaries, mental health, body maintenance, saying no, and unlearning perfectionism. She opens up about returning to roles like Swan Lake, navigating long-term creative partnerships, her cross-training routine, and the evolving pressure to choreograph in the ag...
2025-05-121h 07The Grace & Form PodcastUnity Phelan: Resilience, Artistry, and Choosing Your PathUnity Phelan’s journey to becoming a principal with New York City Ballet wasn't linear, and in this episode, she opens up about the doubts, decisions, and quiet determination that got her there. From facing early rejection to finding her voice as both an artist and a person, Unity shares what it means to stay the course while still carving your own. We talk about building resilience and staying true to yourself in a competitive world.
Take class with Saskia, Indiana or one of our incredible Grace & Form teachers, here: Train with the best
Try 7 Days Free...
2025-05-051h 09The Grace & Form PodcastSkylar Brandt: Owning Your IndividualityIn this episode, we sit down with Skylar Brandt, principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre, to explore how she's forged a path that’s uniquely her own. Skylar opens up about the challenges and triumphs of embracing her individuality in a traditional art form, the lessons she's learned along the way, and how self-expression has shaped her career both on and off the stage. Whether you're a dancer, a dreamer, or simply someone seeking inspiration, Skylar’s story is a powerful reminder that the courage to be yourself is one of the greatest strengths you can have.
Take...
2025-04-281h 02The Grace & Form PodcastPayal Kadakia Pujji: Class Pass Founder on How She Danced Her Way to a Billion-Dollar BusinessIn this powerful and heartfelt episode, we sit down with Payal Kadakia Puiji, founder of ClassPass and Sa Dance Company, to trace the incredible path from basement dance classes to boardrooms, sold-out performances, and building a billion-dollar business. Payal shares how her love of dance helped her navigate the pressures of academia, corporate life, and entrepreneurship, while staying deeply connected to her culture and artistic spirit.
We talk about the dual identity of dancer and businesswoman, the inner tug-of-war of choosing joy over expectations, and how Payal kept movement as her North Star, even while building one...
2025-04-211h 05The Grace & Form PodcastDevon Teuscher: The Quiet Strength Behind the SpotlightIn this episode, we sit down with Devon Teuscher, principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre, to explore the extraordinary journey behind the curtain. Devon shares how dance became her sanctuary through her childhood; offering her presence, purpose, and safety when so much felt uncertain. We talk about what it means to stay: in a company, in your body, in your truth — even when the path forward feels unclear. This episode is a celebration of grace, grit, and the ongoing practice of presence.
Take one of Devon Teuschers ballet classes on our Grace & Form studio app: Learn from Devo...
2025-04-141h 06The Grace & Form PodcastWendy Whelan: The Evolution of a DancerFrom Center Stage to Leadership, we sit down with Wendy Whelan to explore learning, letting go, and lifting the next generation. A former New York City Ballet principal dancer and current associate artistic director, Wendy shares her incredible journey—from performing at the height of her career to stepping into a leadership role. In today’s episode, Wendy opens up about her evolution, embracing growth, and empowering the voices of future dancers.
2025-04-071h 08The Grace & Form PodcastIntroucing The Grace & Form PodcastIntroducing, The Grace & Form Podcast – your backstage pass to the world of movement and the stories that shape it.
Join us as we sit down with dancers, creators, and artists who find joy and inspiration through movement. From career-defining moments to lessons in resilience, we explore the journeys that have shaped them—on and off the stage.
Meet your hosts and get ready for new episodes every Monday. Let’s move, learn, and be inspired—together.
2025-04-0202 min