Grief & Growth, Heart in Hand with Carlye Eckert

In this episode of The Dance Maker Podcast, host Beth McKee Elliott and dance artist Carlye Eckert lean into their ‘gift for gab’ to talk about life’s transitions and their effects on dance-making. They unpack topics like creative environments that restore artists’ connection to their craft, differences between dance-making in the U.S. vs. Europe, and the underestimated potential of short-form dance works. The two gently pull apart the details of Carlye’s solo work, El Corazón Se Encuentra, performed at the 2025 Small Plates Austin show. What does it look like to honestly listen to and follow your own heart? What does it feel like to experience loss and growth at the same time? How can one make genuine movement and choreograph from the inside out? The piece’s origins lie in these questions, and its deep connection to the answers lets the audience feel its pulse long after watching. Carlye Eckert is a dance artist. Her movement-based work is dedicated to fostering spaces for thriving, accessible, and transformative arts experiences for underserved communities. Using environmental and communal encounters as a dynamic canvas to traverse physical and imaginary landscapes, her multi-media approach extends to other artistic disciplines, including visual art, video, set design, and sound. Carlye curates her practice on a spectrum of public, educational, traditional, and unconventional platforms, providing unique opportunities for audiences to immerse themselves in and connect with the present moment. A graduate of the Juilliard School (Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree, 2009), her work has been presented in Vienna, AUS at MUMOK and ImpulsTanz Festival (2024), in Portland, OR at A-WOL and the West Linn Theater; at Garner Arts Center (West Haverstraw, NY), Chapman Steamer Arts (Newburgh, NY), The Ritz Theater (Newburgh, NY), Rutgers University Mason Gross School of the Arts (New Brunswick, NJ), and in NYC at Judson Memorial Church, Center for Performance Research, Triskelion, CAVE, CUNY, Dance New Amsterdam, West End Theater, Dixon Place, Location One, DUMBO Dance Festival, Green Space, The Peter Jay Sharp Theater at Lincoln Center, and The Juilliard School. Tune in soon to hear Carlye Eckert hosting interviews for the Dance Maker Podcast! Carlye's website - https://www.carlyeeckert.com/about Carlye's insta - https://www.instagram.com/carlyeeckert/ Dance Parade - https://danceparade.org/ Y Museum - https://www.instagram.com/y\\museum/ Visit www.smallplatesdance.com⁠ for open applications, links to purchase tickets and to donate.  Join our email list at https://tinyurl.com/spcfjoin to receive notices about new podcast episodes, application deadline reminders, and announcements about new shows and events.