At UNCW, many know M.J. Giammaria as a core member of the Ed Lab team in the Watson College of Education. She is also the creator and host of MusicDanceChat, a new podcast that explores different genres of music and social dancing.
M.J. launched MusicDanceChat in November with a series of four episodes discussing shag dancing, DJing and how they have evolved. A second series, comprised of interviews with a singer/songwriter, music producer and others in the music industry will be introduced in February, and a third series, featuring DJ interviews, is in the planning stages.
Although hosting a podcast is new, music and dancing have been an integral part of M.J.’s life for decades.
“I am a child of the 50’s and where I grew up in Western Pennsylvania, life was all about steel-making, coal mining and heavy industry,” she said. “For me, life was gray… the buildings, the sky, the air, even the people. Music and social dancing always provided joy in this drab environment.”
M.J. is a member of the Carolina Beach Music Academy, a moderator/contributor for the Facebook music site Beach Music Café, and a Toastmaster who loves public speaking. She has taught social dancing and is a supporting member of the Competitive Shag Association. Still, when a friend suggested she host a podcast, she initially hesitated. “What would I talk about?” she said.
With encouragement and support from a wide network of friends and colleagues, she began conducting research, unearthing little-known facts and weaving stories together. M.J.’s venture now includes “the MDC Podcast Community.” In less than three months, the private Facebook group has attracted 357 members from around the world who share her love of music and dancing.
“It’s a small core group, but growing,” she said. “There are members from Australia, Eastern European Countries, and the Far East as well as many states here in the U.S. We have a lot of people using Google Translate!”
M.J. posts every day, sharing a quote, a favorite song, a question or something humorous, and asks members to comment.
“It’s a kind and friendly site and I’m learning a lot as others share anecdotes about their favorite musicians, dance experiences or music experiences,” she said. “It’s wonderful to see people connecting with each other, and I love when someone says a post has inspired them. Recently, one member commented, ‘Your music post got my feet going this morning… I was dancing in my kitchen!’ That really made my day.”
M.J. said she is grateful for the incredible support she has received from Alyssa Wharton, Coordinator of UNCW’s Digital Makerspace where she records and edits her podcasts; Dr. Brian Brinkley, Director of Watson’s Education Laboratory, longtime friends and colleagues, and the many new friends she is meeting along the way.
“Music is the air that I breathe, and social dancing is my go-to happiness,” she said. “It is very gratifying to me to have this amazing opportunity to share the things that I love with others.”
To learn more, visit M.J.’s Podbean website at MusicDanceChat, www.misicdancechat.com or join the MusicDanceChat Podcast on Facebook.
This article has the following tags: Accomplishments Engagement Watson College of Education