Welcome to episode 104 of the DanceSpeak podcast as we celebrate pride month with a powerhouse group discussion around being a queer female in the dance world. The group is comprised of Jasmine Rafael, Amy Morgan, Alyssa Stamp, and curated by your host, Galit Friedlander.  
Topics that are brought to the table include coming out of the closet, actions that can be more harmful than supportive, bringing recognition the queer people who are not highlighted in the media, experiences in the professional dance world as a non-straight woman, uncomfortable social interactions around sexuality and how NOT to ask questions, how TO ask questions, not knowing who is in the queer community, a conversation around non-binary language, laughs, tears, and more. 
We hope to serve a larger purpose in this episode, to have EVERYONE know that they are LOVED, cared for and that DanceSpeak is here to support all members of our beautiful dance world (and beyond).
Subrcribe and Enjoy!

Jasmine Rafael
Instagram: instagram.com/jasminejrafael
Website: jasminerafael.com/biography

Amy Morgan
Instagram: instagram.com/amymorgan
YouTube: youtube.com/amymorgan

Alyssa Stamp: 
Instagram: instagram.com/alyssastamp
Twitter: twitter.com/alyssastamp

Moncell IllKozby Durden: What You May Not Know About Dance & How To Go From The Cypher To Teaching Dance In Universities
Welcome to episode 103 of DanceSpeak with Moncell IllKozby Durden. Moncell is currently on faculty at the widely respected USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. Not only does he teach at USC, but some of the universities where he has taught include Drexel, Yale, Princeton, NYU, The New School, and Temple University. What is even more impressive is that Moncell did not gain a degree from college, rather he has lived the culture, learned from the elders, read continuously, and has never stopped learning.
The topics we explore in this episode span from an eye-opening perspective on how a teacher can go above and beyond to serve his/her students, to Moncell's entry into academia, to his cultural perspective as an African-American sharing a heritage that many have not lived (but want to participate in)... Moncell is inspiring in his unapologetic love for dance and the absence of needing approval.
One of my favorite aspects of this episode is the information that Moncell shares on different dances that I have barely heard about before. He begins to answer my question: who are the teachers of my teachers and how do I find their teachers?
Empower yourself with knowledge, let us know what you think, share with a friend, SUBSCRIBE, and make sure to keep the dance alive!

YouTube: youtube.com/E.MoncellDurden
Facebook: facebook.com/moncell.durden
Gloria Kaufman School of Dance: kaufman.usc.edu/faculty/moncell-durden