Language and Culture with Dr. J

About Language and Culture with Dr. J

This podcast focuses on interviews with performing and visual artists, as well as on thought-provoking and engaging discussions about the cultural habits, practices, and values that shape who we are. The older episodes center more around the connections between language and culture, and examine the cultural aspects of mono- and multiculturalism, third-culture kid identity, and the challenges of living and working across different parts of the world. Most of the episodes are in English, but I bring you occasional interviews in German, French, Spanish, and Hungarian.

Publisher

Language and Culture with Dr. J

Category

arts · education · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

23 Apr 2020

Latest episode

4 Dec 2025

Latest episodes

124 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   4 Dec 2025

   John Neumeier’s National Youth Ballet: the Dance, the Humanity, and the Power of Connection (Interviews with Kevin Haigen, Raymond Hilbert, and the dancers of the Bundesjugendballett)

   In this special, uncensored episode, we step inside the world of the German National Youth Ballet, the BJB, an extraordinary ensemble comprised of nine professional dancers between the ages of 18 and 23, trained in both classical ballet and modern techniques. One of the very special features of the BJB is that they perform not only on professional stages, but everywhere dance can forge a connection - in schools, museums, nursing homes, swimming pools, and even prisons. Their work demonstrates that dance speaks across generations, backgrounds, and life experiences, creating unity through shared artistic encounter. This episode, made possible by the generous support of the Charlotte Uhse Stiftung, offers a candid look into the power of communication and collaboration at the heart of the BJB. It begins with a spirited conversation with Artistic and Pedagogical Director Kevin Haigen, one that starts with a small disagreement and unfolds into a passionate, thought-provoking exchange. It includes  contributions from all nine dancers of the BJB, who answer questions from young amateur dancers from Kansas City. And it concludes with Ballet Master Raymond Hilbert’s reflections on connecting with audiences, the question of how a dance style is understood, and some of the most sensitive issues faced by the dance world. This episode promises to give you intimate insight into the philosophy, purpose, and daily reality of this remarkable ensemble. Thank you Kevin Haigen, Raymond Hilbert, Bronte Barnett, Eleftherios Sarafis, Hannah McCloughan, Miguel Alves Oliveira, Oskar Weissel-Hetzel, Taissa Pache Pimentel, Kohanna Williams, Javier Martinez, and Zofia Jabłońska for the interviews.bundesjugendballett.decultureum.com

2. 

   9 Sept 2024

   Ruth Van Reken – About Third Culture Kids and Growing Up Among Worlds

   An intimate chat with the woman who has paved the road for Third Culture Kid research and has influenced our views about multiculturalism and global mobility over the past 4 decades. It is with immense pleasure that I bring you this very personal interview that allows you to get to know the person behind the admired researcher and writer. cultureum.com      cultureumdrj Just a quick note – this is the last episode I am bringing out this year. I am taking a brief hiatus to gather creative energy, to write two books that I have been meaning to bring out, and to rethink and restructure the podcast a bit. But, I will be back with new episodes sometime in the spring or summer of 2025. Thank you for listening, Dr. J

3. 

   5 Sept 2024

   Zwischen Sprache und Musik

   Die Geigerin, Orchesterleiterin, Autorin und Pädagogin Gesine Mielitz spricht mit mir über die Zusammenhänge zwischen Sprache und Musik, über das Spektrum, in dem sich Musik und Sprache bewegen, über die interessante Übersetzung, die beim Wechsel zwischen verschiedenen Kunstformen stattfindet, über die Auswirkung der Nationalkultur auf den Stil von Autoren und Musikern, sowie über die Doppelrolle des kreativen Schöpfers und Pädagogen aller, die als Künstler sowohl in der Musik als auch in der Literatur tätig sind. Ein sehr interessantes Interview, das es wagt, schwierige Fragen zu stellen, dessen Antworten jedoch für die zukünftige Entwicklung von Sprache und Musik sehr wichtig sind.cultureum.com       @cultureumdrj

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

4.0 / 5

3 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

12 ratings