DDP Announces Global Conversations Round 5: Behind the Stage & Partnership with Auditorium Theatre

June 24, 2021 | Northfield, IL | Dance Data Project® (DDP) today announces the upcoming release of Global Conversations: Behind the Stage, the fifth round in a series of virtual interviews. Round 5 will highlight those professionals who work behind the scenes and out of sight, creating artistic magic in every production, while coping with disasters on a regular basis. This Round features 11 conversations with a roster of renowned women in their respective fields, from stage managers and lighting designers to fight choreographers and filmmakers.

For the first time, DDP presents Global Conversations in partnership with the Auditorium Theatre. The Auditorium’s commitment to lifting up diverse voices in the arts has been sustained over its 130-year history, celebrating performances by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Ballet Hispánico, and Ballet Folklórico de México, among others.

“Dance Data Project® is delighted to be working with the historic Auditorium Theatre as co-presenter for Round 5 of Global Conversations: Behind the Stage,” commented DDP Founder and President Elizabeth “Liza” Yntema. “On the cusp of their re-opening, it’s critical to be thinking about the role that women artists and artisans play in the $61 billion performing arts economy. The Auditorium Theatre, one of the greatest stages in the U.S., has always been at the forefront of innovative productions, so this true partnership is a great fit.”

Rich Regan, Chief Executive Officer of the Auditorium Theatre and a live-performance professional himself, sat down with Yntema to discuss Behind the Stage and each organization’s commitment to an equitable arts future. He noted, “Emerging from these difficult months, the performing arts community must come together to address inequity in all forms and forge a sustainable future post-pandemic. The innovative work performed by Dance Data Project® provides a necessary perspective on classically based dance and presents it in an accessible way. Behind the Stage will become yet another resource for dancers and arts professionals to learn from, aligning well with the Auditorium’s mission to be ‘The Theatre for the People.’”

In Round 5, Yntema will lead conversations covering each artist’s career path, ability to cope with glitches large and small, and the role the pandemic has had in shaping their respective fields. The roster of participants includes the following list of leaders in producing and creatively constructing some of the world’s best dance and theatre performances.

Week 1:

● June 28, 2021: Dacquiri Baptiste

● June 29, 2021: Caryn Wells & Eleanor Wolfe

● June 30, 2021: Nicole Pearce & Nicole Walters

● July 1, 2021: Bregje Van Balen & Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew

● July 2, 2021: Jacqueline Reid & Kristin Colvin Young

Week 2:

● July 5, 2021: Fiona Findlater & Laura Oliver

● July 6, 2021: Jo Chalhoub

● July 7, 2021: Sharon Huizinga & Kelly Palmer

● July 8, 2021: Bess Kargman & Talia Koylass

● July 9, 2021: Lindsay Gauthier

● July 9, 2021 (Capstone): Jennifer Tipton

Global Conversations: Behind the Stage will premiere the week of June 28, 2021 and continue through July 9, 2021. Episodes will be released every weekday at 12:00 PM/noon EDT on Instagram TV (IGTV), YouTube, and the DDP website.

About Dance Data Project®

Founded in 2015 as a simple database and launched officially in 2019 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Dance Data Project®’s mission is to inform equity in classical dance through data analysis, advocacy, and programming. Learn more at dancedataproject.com.

About The Auditorium Theatre

The Auditorium Theatre, located at 50 E Ida B Wells Dr at Roosevelt University in Chicago, is an Illinois not-for-profit organization committed to presenting the finest in international, cultural, community, and educational programming to all of Chicago and beyond as The Theatre for the People. The organization also is committed to the continued restoration and preservation of this National Historic Landmark. For more information visit AuditoriumTheatre.org.