Jul 29, 2026
Listen to Ballet Help Desk Podcast ad-free on Patreon
We sit down with Carter Alexander, Chair of the Division of Dance at Southern Methodist University, to find out what sets the program apart from the more ballet-specific schools. Carter walks us through the conservatory-within-a-liberal-arts structure: required...
Jul 22, 2026
Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon
Shane Jewell, executive director of Oregon Ballet Theatre, was kind enough to sit down with us to explain how ballet companies actually run as businesses. He takes us through the nonprofit structure, including what makes up the primary revenue streams. We also discussed...
Jul 15, 2026
Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon
Peter Stark, president and director of The Rock School for Dance Education, has spent 26 years running ballet schools and knows the recruiting process from both sides of the table.
We talk with him about how he evaluates students for recruitment. We also cover how his...
Jul 8, 2026
Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon
Our parent panel is back for part two, picking up right where we left off.
In this half of the conversation, Erin, Sarah, and Sue cover the topics that come up most for families navigating full-time residential training: how a highly competitive environment can affect a...
Jul 1, 2026
Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon
We are so excited to be publishing part 1 of this 2 part interview. It's something we've wanted to do for a long time. Three parents of dancers who attended some of the largest full-time training programs in North America joined us for an in-depth and candid conversation...