This podcast usually includes weekly bite-sized (5-15 minute) insights on dance, yoga, well-being, creativity, and joy! But, to celebrate the 50th episode, I decided to share a special longer-form (1-hour) interview, kicking off a regular interview series to be interspersed with my solo episodes.
I'm so excited to introduce you to one of my mentors, the teacher who first taught me to dance and has inspired me in so many ways, Virginia Holte. In this conversation we discussed her history as a ballet dancer on the US mainland and then as a dance educator on the Big Island on Maui in Hawai'i, her current projects, philosophies of teaching ballet and other movement modalities and collaboration, teaching online in pandemic, and her positive approach to life.
Virginia Holte is the Founder and Artistic Director of the West Hawaii Dance Theatre and recently founded a new, project-based outreach, Maui Ballet. A Graduate of the Academy of the Washington Ballet under the late Mary Day, Ms. Holte enjoyed a long professional dance career with Indianapolis Ballet Theatre, Chicago Ballet, Washington Ballet and various guest appearances with Ballet Internationale, New Jersey Ballet, and Indiana Ballet Theatre N.W. A Third Series practitioner of Ashtanga Yoga, certified in the Pilates Method, Mat and Equipment from the Physical Mind Institute, Ms. Holte is an International Certified GYROKINESIS® and GYROTONIC® Specialized Master Trainer. She has been sharing her love of ballet and movement with the Hawaii community since 1986.
Current Projects:
"Don Quixote" at Maui Ballet: www.mauiballet.org
It was so delightful to catch up with Virginia, and I learned so much about interviewing for the podcast from this experience, thanks so much for taking the time and being willing to be the first :)
What do you think of having interviews interspersed on the podcast to share their knowledge about dance, movement, and living a luscious life?
Blythe Stephens, MFA
A Blythe Coach: Dance Education & Coaching
move through life with balance, grace, & power