Episode Details

Episode 3 of The Art Career’s New York season goes inside one of the world’s most influential training grounds for artists: The Juilliard School.

What does it mean to train the next generation of dancers at a moment when the field—and the possibilities of a life in dance—continue to evolve?

Melissa Toogood is the Dean and Director of Juilliard’s Dance Division, as well as an acclaimed dancer, educator, and former member of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company. Her career has moved between performance, collaboration, teaching, and artistic leadership, giving her a rare perspective on what it takes to build—and sustain—a life in dance.

Emily sits down with Melissa at Juilliard to discuss the realities of a professional dance career, the role of rigorous training, how young dancers develop their own artistic voices, and what it means to lead one of the most respected dance programs in the world.

Then, the episode moves from the classroom to the stage. Emily joins Juilliard’s dancers behind the scenes as they prepare to perform Les Élémens at Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, featuring world-premiere choreography for Juilliard dancers by Pam Tanowitz.

In this episode, Emily and Melissa discuss:

• What Juilliard is preparing young dancers for today
• The transition from student to working artist
• Developing individuality within rigorous technical training
• Melissa’s own path from performer to educator and institutional leader
• What young artists need to understand about building sustainable creative careers
• The discipline, collaboration, and work audiences rarely see behind a finished performance

Recorded at The Juilliard School in New York City, with behind-the-scenes access to Juilliard Dance at Carnegie Hall.

The Juilliard School
https://www.juilliard.edu

Juilliard Dance Division
https://www.juilliard.edu/dance

Melissa Toogood
https://www.juilliard.edu/dance/faculty/toogood-melissa

Carnegie Hall
https://www.carnegiehall.org

Featuring Melissa Toogood, Dean and Director of the Dance Division at The Juilliard School

Hosted by Emily McElwreath

Recorded at The Juilliard School and Zankel Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York City

Featuring behind-the-scenes access to Juilliard Dance and Juilliard in rehearsal for Les Élémens, featuring world-premiere choreography for Juilliard dancers by Pam Tanowitz

Special thanks to The Juilliard School, the Juilliard Dance Division, and Carnegie Hall

The Art Career is produced by McElwreath Art Advisory.