Teaching Artistry With Courtney J. Boddie

Episode 64, Act 1: “Mobilizing Interdependence,” featuring the passionate Yazmany Arboleda, will leave you invigorated, activated and inspired to up your game and think about how you could be engaging with your art and how you’re inviting others to engage with and through what you’re creating. Have you ever stopped to think that we, as humans, are collectively co-creating our future at all times? Do you center inquiry as the basis for creating works of art? Have you thought of art as a mechanism for healing individual and shared traumas? In his fast-paced, joyful chat with Courtney, Yazmany Arboleda explains that the foundation of his artistry is all about remaining curious about the state of his own existence. His aim is to engage people through inquiry and to imagine the impossible, and collectively rise to the challenge of co-creating something that makes the impossible, possible.

In Acts 1 and 2 of our newest episode, we learned about the origins of Teaching Artists Guild (TAG) and its merger with the Association of Teaching Artists (ATA). In Act 3, "Continuing the Continuum," Courtney sits down with Kerry Warren, Katie Rainey and Marissa Ontiveros, who all hold leadership positions at TAG, to discuss the future of the organization and of the field at large. Together, they talk about the organization's current goals and the tapestry of strategic plans for its future, which include analyzing the co-leadership model intrinsic to the current and future success and expansion of the organization. Their goals also focus on the necessity of building on past strategic plans from the center outwards, in order to strengthen TAG's community and strengthen the continuum of ever-changing leadership and continued learning. Their goals are clear: the organization aims to deepen their advocacy strategies, develop a more representative nationwide community of artists and build toward a more equitabl

What do the words intentionality, collaboration, community, responsiveness, tenacity, perseverance and leadership have in common? They’re all terms or themes that emerge in our newest episode. And they’re all used in reference to teaching artistry and its pivotal role in the constant reshaping and elevation of arts education and arts administration. In Episode 63, Act 2: “Collaborate, Cultivate, Celebrate,” a number of big ideas and questions arise, two of which take center stage: In a world in which the non-profit industrial complex holds such a firm presence, how do we establish a more equitable leadership model? In what ways can we center teaching artists’ voices and perspectives to help drive organizational practices forward? In this newest installment, a panel of arts practitioners and administrators discuss the merger between Association of Teaching Artists (ATA) and Teaching Artists Guild (TAG) and the interpersonal discussions that were had, and the big ideas and systems that, out of necessity, were

We’ve got another great episode for you, TA PODience! We’re back with Act 1 of a fascinating three-act series titled “Looking Back to Look Forward.” Episode 63, Act 1: “Collective Field Building,” features an exciting panel of inspiring multi-hyphenate artists and arts administrators who were instrumental in the formation of what would eventually become the Teaching Artists Guild (TAG). This episode is a fascinating reunion of sorts that is made up of Jean Johnstone, Kai Fierle-Hedrick, Lynn Johnson, Miko Lee, Jessica Mele, Eric Booth and of course Courtney J. Boddie. In Act 1, we learn about the “who” and “how” this confluence of creative minds intersected to found Teaching Artists Organized (TAO), and how that turned into Teaching Artists Guild. We also learn about the creation of two different tools developed in part by this group, one of which is the Teaching Artist Manifesto and how to create such a hold statement representative of every facet of teaching artistry as a field. The other is a larger, de

In Act 3 of our three-part series, “In Conversation with ‘Start the Conversation,’” we dive right into a crucial topic: emergency drill support for teachers and kids. In this episode, we spotlight New York City Children's Theater’s Caitlyn McCain and Nicole Hogsett who have developed a groundbreaking resource called, “Start the Conversation.” This video series aims to provide grown-ups with a range of tools needed to engage in ongoing conversations with children on important and complex subjects like race, politics, mental health and LGBTQ+ identities. Our panel discussion focuses specifically on emergency drill support. The inspiration for their work on emergency drill support stems from real-life classroom experiences, including active shooter drills and fire drills. Drawing from their own experiences in classrooms, and in collaboration with educators and mental health professionals, Caitlyn and Nicole have created valuable resources for teachers, teaching artists and anyone working with young people. Thei

We’re back with Episode 62, Act 2: “Make Space, Give Grace,” featuring Caitlyn McCain, Teaching Artist and Education Associate for Public Engagement with New York City Children's Theater (NYCCT), and Lindz Amer, creator of the video series “Queer Kids Stuff” and author of the book, “Rainbow Parenting.” This act is packed with rich discussion about gender and the conversations happening now in legislative bodies and learning spaces across the country about how we see (or don’t see) and understand (or don’t understand) gender. In their chat, the second in our three-part series, “In Conversation with ‘Start the Conversation,’” Courtney, Caitlyn and Lindz cover topics like pushing back against the current wave of anti-LGBTQIA legislation on the federal and local levels, book bannings and filling the void of Queer representation in TYA. In an effort to confront all of these issues, they discuss a shared interest: developing engaging education content that invites adults to have big conversations with kids about a

We are back with an exciting three-part series titled “In Conversation with ‘Start the Conversation.’” In episode 62, Act 1: “Step In and Go Slow,” Courtney sits down with panelists Caitlyn McCain, Tara Kirton and Nicole Hogsett to discuss how New York City Children’s Theater resources came to be, beginning with a three-part video series called, “Our Relationship to Race.” The series we focus on in Episode 62, Act 1, as Caitlyn and Nicole state, was born out of urgency and necessity during the racial uprisings of 2020, following the murder of George Floyd. Caitlyn notes that the series they’ve created invites deep conversations between adults and kids about their relationship to race and racism within the context of the U.S. and its ongoing struggle to reconcile its society’s shared violent past and present. As Tara states, these conversations may seem, to some, too big for kids to understand but, as she also notes in the episode, research tells us that is simply not true. Kids, indeed, notice and are curiou

We’re back. Act 2 of our newest episode, “Finding Paths for Freedom Dreaming,” can be whittled down to three main ideas: 1. Aspiring to a more liberated arts and culture world; 2. Feeling our emotions through the work we do as artists and arts educators and not giving in to shutting down when the work feels difficult; 3. Having the ability to recognize the power one has and knowing when the time has come to relinquish that power. The second part of this episode steers us more intentionally into our upcoming episodes, which showcases the New York City Children’s Theater’s (NYCCT) resources titled, “Start the Conversation.” In their chat, Caitlyn takes a deeper dive into the work she does at NYCCT. She talks about how that work has only deepened since the start of the pandemic and has aimed at being responsive to kids and families with a focus on ”having conversations about topics that I wish someone would've talked to me about when I was a kid.” The conversation reaches its most grounded moment when the focu

We’re back with Episode 61: “Finding Paths for Freedom Dreaming,” featuring Caitlyn McCain, Teaching Artist and Education Associate for Public Engagement with New York City Children's Theater (NYCCT) and recipient of the 2023 TYA Community Impact Award. Question: can you recall a teacher from your childhood—yes, that one teacher—the one who ignited the spark of your artistic trajectory? Courtney and Caitlyn can and do in this two-episode arc! Episode 61 is all about identifying passion, knowing where one is meant to be, loss and grief, and finding meaning and power in the arts. In this time machine of a discussion, Courtney and Caitlyn go back to their respective moments of foundational learning to investigate their lived childhood experiences, and reflect on the people that supported their growth and urged them to be their best selves. They also delve into what it means to find one’s calling in the arts, dreaming big and the harsh realities that reveal themselves when artistic ambition and lack of financial

Hello, PODience! We’re back with Act 2 of Episode 60: “The Pursuit of Synergy,” featuring Melissa Friedman, co-founder of Epic Theatre Ensemble. If Act 1 of Episode 60 reflected on the ways in which Courtney and Melissa’s artistic and administrative work has been challenged by the pandemic (masks, shutdowns, reframing the art we make and how we connect with students and each other during times of unrest), Act 2 continues down a similar path but focuses even more on access and inclusivity. The main themes of this episode are: breaking down barriers to provide opportunities for young people to experience live theater, creating art that truly represents and amplifies young people’s voices, the positive effects of young people seeing themselves represented in stories being told on stage, and the gaps in learning and implementation still present in the theater industry after “We See You White American Theater” was first published. You won’t want to miss the conclusion of this profound conversation, still taking p

Hello, PODience! We’ve got a brand new two-act episode arc for you! Episode 60: “The Pursuit of Synergy” features Melissa Friedman, co-founder of Epic Theatre Ensemble, a professional social justice theatre company in New York City. In many ways, Episode 60 really holds its finger to the pulse of the zeitgeist. At the top of their chat, Courtney and Melissa take time to reflect on the myriad ways in which their artistic and administrative work was challenged by the pandemic. For instance, Melissa names and digs into the complex frustrations and roadblocks created by simply donning a mask. In a way, masks became her Kryptonite, diminishing her so-called “super powers” as well as her ability to effectively connect with a group of students. She also uplifts what it meant to discover and implement new mechanisms for teaching and mentoring young people while covering the most expressive and communicative part of her body. Courtney and Melissa speak very personally and thoughtfully about what it feels like on this

Hello, PODience! We’re back with Act 2 of Episode 59: “Divine Self Development.” “Everybody’s story is so different,” says Courtney to our newest featured guest, Aminisha Ferdinand. In the first part of this two-episode arc, we posed the essential questions: What ignites something in you that must be expressed through art that cannot be expressed through words? Where do you fit on the spectrum of artistry? And we’re going to stick with and build upon those questions. In Act 2 of Episode 59, Courtney and Aminisha continue their deeply philosophical conversation about what it means to fall into or find one’s way to the arts. When Aminisha was young, people told her that she was “good at [theater and dance]” and she admittedly “like[s] to do things that [she] feels [she’s] good at.” This time around the discussion really begins to focus on what happens when dreams shift, the universe takes a hand and one finds themself doing something they know they want to do but it’s in the wrong space and time. What does it

Hello, PODience! We’ve got a wonderful new two-act episode arc for you to kick off our sixth season! Episode 59: “Divine Self Development” features Aminisha Ferdinand. What ignites something in you that must be expressed through art that cannot be expressed through words? Where do you fit on the spectrum of artistry? These are the essential questions that fuel our newest episode. In Episode 59, Courtney and Aminisha have a philosophical conversation about what it means to fall into or find one’s way to the arts. For instance, when she was a young child, people told Aminisha that she was “good at [theater and dance]” and she “like[s] to do things that [she] feels [she’s] good at. Their discussion digs deeper when they talk about what it means to find and exist with a community of artists and the reciprocal nature of making something new with a cohort of creative humans. They take a step further when they ideate on how our creativity lives inside of our brains but looks and acts differently—in good and bad wa

In the second installment of this two-episode arc, Courtney continues her conversation with Alex Santiago-Jirau. This thought-provoking chat is driven by the essential questions: How can theater be of service to the community? How can theater hold value beyond production and how can we create experiences that are not transactional? Alex dives even deeper into his work with Theater of the Oppressed and how those techniques are intrinsically embedded into his work and approaches to theater making. One example Alex offers is New York Theatre Workshop’s intergenerational “Mind the Gap” program, which sees teens and elders act as co-generators of original theater. There is a lot to unpack in this conversation and there’s even more to take away and reflect upon. Give our newest episode a listen!

Hello, PODience! We’ve got a great new two-act episode arc for you! Episode 58: “Processing the Collective Scars” features New York Theater Workshop Director of Education, Alex Santiago-Jirau. Their conversation begins with connecting around the missions and multi-faceted approaches of both New York Theatre Workshop and New Victory Theater. The real inquiry begins with the question: What does it mean to define oneself as an artist? The focus then turns to Alex Santiago-Jirau—born and raised in mountainous, small-town Puerto Rico, known for its arts-rich culture—who grew up singing, dancing and acting. As Alex puts it, he very much connected with the "play" aspect of theater, which “allowed me to explore and try things that me as Alex would not typically explore.” In other words, through the arts, he discovered a world in which he could be expressive and tell stories. Their conversation deepens further when Alex begins to discuss his work with Augusto Boal and the Theater of the Oppressed, which Alex charac

We are back with Act 2 of Episode 57: “Arts, Essence…Us,” featuring activist, storyteller and educator Miko Lee, Director of Programs at Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality (AACRE). As in Act 1, Courtney’s chat with Miko remains at the intersection of arts and social justice. This conversation holds fast to the tone of the first half of the episode, which focused on arts and social change. Here, Courtney and Miko both hold court and really lean into a few key points like: the need for the arts as a pathway for change-making, the global cultural variances in the approach to one’s artistry, the imperative of being in the right relationship with oneself and approaching transformative justice from the inside (self) to the outside (those one wishes to serve through the arts). Their conversation continues down a path that, at times, feels very introspective while also asking very meta questions. You’ll really want to connect with this one, listeners! Listen or download wherever you get your podcasts!

Hey, PODience! We’re excited to share our newest episode with you. Episode 57: “Arts, Essence…Us” is a thoughtfully passionate conversation featuring activist, storyteller and educator Miko Lee, Director of Programs at Asian Americans for Civil Rights and Equality (AACRE). The setting of Courtney’s chat with Miko is at the intersection of arts and social justice. At the top, we learn a lot about Miko’s trajectory from the arts into civic engagement, which occurred, she states, because she was at the right place at the right time. Miko really hones in on her passionate connection to her artistry and how the collaborative, communal nature of that artistry is so important in driving social change. Their conversation hits full throttle when they begin to discuss the power of teaching artistry and teaching artists’ innate ability to truly bring about positive change. The conversation weaves a fascinating web of topics including radical welcoming, guerilla theater as entrypoints to the arts and how teaching artist

What is it that drives you? What is the impact you want to have on the world? Those are the questions that are central to the heart of the conversation featured in the second part of our episode featuring James C. Horton. In Act 2 of Episode 56: “Arm Yourself with Hope,” Courtney and James’s conversation segues from the meaning of family and finding connection to the arts to the impact of the arts. This is where we learn much more about James’s career trajectory, a path which led him to a position at Carnegie Hall and then the Museum of the City of New York, where he was at the time of this recording. One of the most meaningful parts of this conversation focuses on James’s work with incarcerated youth, using the arts as a pathway to process trauma. You won’t want to miss Courtney and James’s thoughtful conversation about supporting human healing through trauma-informed arts practices and amplifying the voices of those who are often marginalized, ignored or criminalized. Be sure to check out Act 2 of Episode

Hey, PODience! We’ve got a brand new episode for you and you won’t want to miss it. Episode 56: “Arm Yourself with Hope” is a thoughtful, and in some aspects spiritual conversation with James C. Horton, the newly-appointed President of Harlem School of the Arts in New York City. At the top of Courtney’s chat with James, a self-proclaimed "analog dude" and father of four ambitious kids, they linger for a while on their childhood experiences. Their conversation really gains momentum when they connect over the meaning of family and finding a connection to the arts as a safe space at just the right time in life. The heart and soul of this meaningful chat is centered around the word “tension.” As James says it, every aspect of art is based in tension and how we, as artists, explore and move through that tension. Without the presence of tension, James notes, there is nothing. How one harnesses and focuses the power of that tension is the artist’s ultimate challenge. Other topics explored in this episode include

Hey, PODience! We’re back with Act 2 of our newest episode. This thoughtful conclusion of Episode 55: “Calling in Your ‘Why’,” features a deeper chat between Courtney and Shanna Melton, a poet and visual artist. Their discussion dives a bit deeper into what it means to grieve as humans, artists and learners, to lose oneself in trauma and to find oneself and one’s strength as they emerge from a place of dissociation to a moment of recognizing the power of vulnerability and personal strength. They also discuss the meaning of that word—strength—and how we are perceived from the outside doesn’t always reflect what’s going on inside. Courtney and Shanna’s chat eventually turns to things like: creating meaningful art, emotionally impactful artistic experiences and the future of the field of Teaching Artistry. So, how does this conversation end? You’ll have to listen to find out!