#161: In the Season 8 finale of the Dance Behind the Screen Podcast, host Martheya Nygaard Scott sits down with Karla Hardaway, award-winning dance educator, choreographer, author, advocate, and founder of the Texas Association for Dance and Culture (TADC). Karla shares how her own experience discovering ballet folklórico in a Texas public school helped her connect with her cultural identity and ultimately shaped her career as an educator and advocate. Today, she is working t

#160: In this episode of Dance Behind the Screen, host Martheya Nygaard Scott sits down with Diana Crowder, founder and artistic director of Pegasus Contemporary Ballet, to explore leadership, innovation, and what it takes to build a sustainable future for ballet. Diana shares her journey from professional ballet dancer to arts leader and entrepreneur, including the process of building Pegasus Contemporary Ballet from the ground up. She reflects on the importance of cultivati

#159: In this episode of the Dance Behind the Screen Podcast, host Martheya Nygaard Scott sits down with Joshua King, mixed-media artist and co-founder and Executive Director of AURORA, to explore how art, technology, and public space can create more accessible and connected cultural experiences. Joshua shares the evolution of AURORA from a one-night light, video, and sound event into an internationally recognized public art organization. He reflects on the importance of taki

#158: In this episode of the Dance Behind the Screen Podcast, host Martheya Nygaard Scott sits down with Elisa De La Rosa, choreographer, educator, researcher, Associate Professor of Dance at Texas Woman’s University, and Artistic Director of De La Rosa Dance Company. Elisa shares how her upbringing in the Rio Grande Valley and her Mexican American identity shape her work as an artist and educator. Together, Martheya and Elisa explore cultural memory, belonging, and the body

#157: In this episode of the Dance Behind the Screen Podcast, host Martheya Nygaard Scott sits down with Corey Haynes, Texas-based writer and visual artist working primarily in photography and mixed media, to explore movement, memory, authenticity, and the role photography plays in documenting creative communities. Corey shares her journey from photographing friends and everyday life to finding her artistic home in dance photography. She reflects on how years of collaborating

#156: In this episode of the Dance Behind the Screen Podcast, host Martheya Nygaard Scott sits down with Niloo Jalilvand, filmmaker, educator, multidisciplinary artist, and founder and executive director of Pegasus Media Project, to explore how storytelling, technology, and education can create more accessible pathways into the creative industries. Niloo shares how more than two decades in education—and an after-school film club she started while teaching mathematics at Booke

#155: In this episode of the Dance Behind the Screen Podcast, host Martheya Nygaard Scott sits down with Jennifer Mabus, choreographer, performer, educator, and founder of Grackle Dance Collective, to explore what it means to create dance rooted in community, empathy, and human connection. Jennifer shares how immersive and site-specific performance transformed the way she thinks about the relationship between artists and audiences. From taking over a historic home to creating

#154: In the Season 8 premiere of the Dance Behind the Screen Podcast, host Martheya Nygaard Scott is joined by former co-host and current kNOwBOX dance Manager of People & Community Reyna Mondragon for a behind-the-scenes conversation about the ideas shaping this new season. At the center of the conversation is a simple question: How do we better value the artists doing the work? Martheya shares how kNOwBOX dance is prioritizing artist compensation by providing honorariums t

End of BARDO First Prize

"The sense of comfort we find in a circular environment, where everything feels predictable and we always know what comes next. That’s what home is all about, a safe place. This is a thought-provoking piece and that’s what we need right now. Artists as amplifiers. Thank you for such top-notch work."

"THE DUST OF MY CONCRETE CHILD is a masterfully executed video catalogue that fulfills its promise of exploring intimacy as a fragile state and violence as a brutal force rather than a mere act of aggression." Sebastian Cruz, NBFF 2026 Volunteer Juror

"This is a very well-crafted documentary that has the ability to really create audiences and engagement because of its visual storytelling.

"This film immediately pulled me in and continued to surprise me as the story and concept unfolded. The cinematography was brilliant and played an important role in shaping the world of the piece. The performances were top tier, and I especially appreciated the use of spoken storytelling alongside the movement. Together, these elements created a gorgeous and compelling world that was both engaging and memorable." Elisa De La Rosa, NBFF 2026 Invited Juror

#153: In this special Season 7 finale , host Martheya reflects on a season shaped by the intersection of strategic planning, technology, and creative leadership in the arts. From AI and immersive performance to community collaboration and sustainable growth, this episode invites listeners to explore what it means to design a creative path guided by purpose, curiosity, and integrity. Drawing from standout conversations with visionary guests, Martheya shares practical insight

#152: In this episode of Dance Behind the Screen , host Martheya speaks with choreographer, filmmaker, and performer Margot Gelber about the emotional depth and collaborative process behind her award-winning dance film If I Were You — an official selection of the kNOwBOX dance Film Festival. Together, they explore how vulnerability and strength coexist in the creative process, how artistic leadership emerges through trust, and what it takes to translate an inner vision int

#151:In this episode of Dance Behind the Screen , host Martheya sits down with multidisciplinary artist Gabri Christa , whose work moves fluidly between choreography, filmmaking, performance, writing, and education. Born and raised in the Dutch Caribbean, Gabri brings a global and deeply personal perspective to her art, weaving stories of identity, ancestry, and memory that illuminate the intersections of culture, race, and history. Tune in to discover how Gabri Christa build

In this episode of Dance Behind the Screen Podcast, host Martheya chats with visionary choreographer and RUBBERBAND founder Victor Quijada.

#149: In this episode of Dance Behind the Screen , Martheya talks with Amy Elizabeth (Smith) — dance maker, arts administrator, educator...

In this episode of Dance Behind the Screen, Martheya talks with arts leader Anne Kogan to explore what it means to innovate while staying rooted in community.

In this episode of Dance Behind the Screen, host Martheya talks with Suzanne Smith, founder and CEO of Social Impact Architects, about what it takes to design a blueprint for creative impact. Suzanne shares how nearly three decades of experience at the intersection of nonprofit, government, and business have shaped her approach to leadership and innovation.