In this episode, we sit down with legendary Italian dancer and teacher Pompea Santoro for a deeply personal conversation about artistry, identity, and transmission. From her early training between southern Italy and Turin to her extraordinary 25-year collaboration with Mats Ek at the Cullberg Ballet, Pompea reflects on the choices, risks, and inner transformations that shaped her path.

She shares what it meant to embody iconic roles such as Giselle and Carmen, including the role of M. created specifically on her by Ek — a performance that later received an Emmy Award. We explore presence, vulnerability, and what it truly means to “serve the work” without losing yourself inside it.

The conversation also traces her transition from performer to mentor, her ongoing work restaging Ek’s repertoire worldwide, and the vision behind the EkoDance International Project, created to nurture the next generation of artists.

Honest, profound, and full of lived wisdom, this episode is an intimate reflection on artistic growth, legacy, and what it means to remain human — both on and off the stage.

In this episode we interview Aurora Dickie Brazilian soloist dancer based in Berlin, trained in classical and contemporary technique and holding an MA in Dance Science.

Her work sits at the intersection of performance, research, and mentorship. After moving from Brazil to Germany, she rebuilt her career while deepening her understanding of biomechanics, performance psychology, and sustainable training practices.

In this episode, Aurora reflects on: navigating a cross-continental transition, integrating dance science into daily practice, overcoming mental barriers in high-performance environments, mentoring young dancers with both artistic and scientific awareness

For her, success is not just about adaptability—it’s about knowledge, cultural identity, and responsibility toward the next generation.

Listen to the full conversation to discover how her Brazilian roots, academic training, and Berlin experience shape her artistic voice.

Our next guest is Katharina Christl , Rector of the Palucca University of Dance in Dresden Germany.

Shaped by her early years as a dancer in East Germany, she now leads the Palucca University of Dance with vision and dedication. In this episode, she shares her journey; how she grew, created, and now guides the next generation of dancers.

She reflects on the power of community, the importance of mental well-being, and the responsibility of shaping an art form in a rapidly changing world.

A story of mentoring and creativity, showing how Katharina Christl bridges tradition and innovation to guide dance into the future.