Melissa Rummel on Dancing Joan of Arc at Sarasota Contemporary Dance

In this episode of Behind the Masterpiece, host Brian Hirsch sits down with Melissa Rummel of Sarasota Contemporary Dance as she returns to the lead role in Jehenne. Melissa shares what it means to revisit this emotionally intense work at a very different stage of life, how the piece was originally created in silence before live music was added, and why faith, sisterhood, and resilience sit at the heart of the choreography. The conversation explores the physical and emotional demands of a long dance career, the impact of motherhood on performance, and the collaborative culture that defines Sarasota Contemporary Dance. This episode offers a thoughtful look at how movement, music, and life experience come together to create powerful storytelling on stage.   Visit SCD's website at the link below: https://sarasotacontemporarydance.org/   Timestamps: (00:00) Introducing Melissa Rummel, Dancer/Studio Coordinator/SCDE director (01:00) How do you prepare to be Joan of Arc? (02:50) When you were creating this, how did you prepare the story without music? (04:55) How does music help movement tell the story? (06:30) How does dance tell stories? (07:45) Melissa’s role as Studio Coordinator (09:30) How do you prepare your body? (14:30) What is the Sarasota Contemporary Dance Ensemble? For more information and to listen to all the episodes, go to sarasotapodcast.com