Rebuilding Ballet on New Terms: Choreographer Ja’ Malik

About this episode

Ja’ Malik discusses his journey and impact as the artistic director of Madison Ballet, focusing on community engagement and organizational change.

Ja’ Malik is just wrapping up his fourth year as the artistic director of Madison Ballet in Madison, WI, but his path to leadership has been shaped by decades inside the field. A former professional dancer with a 25-year performing career, Malik danced with companies including Cleveland Ballet, North Carolina Dance Theatre, BalletX and Ballet Hispánico, performing a wide range of classical, neoclassical and contemporary repertory. Trained at the Joffrey Ballet School and holding a BFA from The New School, his artistic voice draws equally on rigorous classical technique and socially engaged contemporary practice. He also continues to serve as the artistic director of Ballet Boy Productions , an organization he founded in 2007 that provides young men of color access to classical and contemporary ballet performing opportunities and that also offers training and mentoring. Since arriving in Madison, Ja’ has led a period of significant artistic and organizational change, and the results are more than encouraging. At a moment when many ballet companies nationwide are grappling with shrinking audiences, Madison Ballet is growing its own, responding to programming that places…

People in this episode

Guest: Ja’ Malik

Topics covered

• ballet
• artistic leadership
• community engagement
• dance education
• organizational change

Keywords

• ballet
• Ja’ Malik
• Madison Ballet
• artistic director
• dance
• community
• performance
• mentoring

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Madison Ballet, Ballet Boy Productions, Cleveland Ballet, North Carolina Dance Theatre, BalletX, Ballet Hispánico, Joffrey Ballet School, The New School

Places: Madison, WI