Chava Lansky

1 month ago | dancemagazine.com | Chava Lansky

Choreographer Felice Lesser says that her mother, Ethel, was an incredible cook. “She was a concert pianist, and one of those people who could do everything,” says Lesser. “Several times, she catered parties for my dance company.” Lesser—whose company, Felice Lesser Dance Theater celebrates its 50th anniversary this June—says she didn’t inherit her mother’s skill in the kitchen. With a busy schedule and a New York City apartment severely lacking in counter space, Lesser usually prefers eating out.

1 month ago | dancemagazine.com | Chava Lansky

Growing up in Cuba, variations on meatloaf—or rollo de carne—were common in Joan Rodriguez’s home. “Access to certain food in Cuba is difficult, but ground meat is one of the foods we can always get,” says the BODYTRAFFIC company member. “So, there were a lot of dishes around ground meat.” This recipe, which wraps the rollo de carne in bacon, was an innovation born from an argument between Rodriguez’s grandmother and father while Rodriguez was still living at home.

1 month ago | dancemagazine.com | Chava Lansky

When Shannon Lewis was asked to choreograph Just in Time, the new Broadway musical about music icon Bobby Darin, she knew it was the right fit. “It was clear that dance was going to become such an important part of the storytelling,” says Lewis. “The music of Bobby Darin is already very dance-forward.

2 months ago | dancemagazine.com | Chava Lansky

Joe Bowie has always loved baking. He grew up helping his mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother in the kitchen, and while a member of the Mark Morris Dance Group he became known for the homemade baked goods he brought in for co-workers. As his performance career wound down, Bowie attended the French Culinary Institute, then spent a decade teaching bread baking, developing recipes, and working at bakeries across New York City.

2 months ago | pointemagazine.com | Chava Lansky

On a blazing hot day last summer, the environment inside the New Jersey Performing Arts Center was cool and hushed. A who’s who of U.S. ballet dancers entered from the wings, launching themselves across the stage in pointe shoes and unitards, while attentive audience members in suits and cocktail dresses looked on from their seats.