CPA releases third ‘Artists and Athletes’ video, spotlighting leadership
“Conductors and Coaches” features Carolina women’s lacrosse coach Jenny Levy and Philadelphia Orchestra director Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
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Carolina Performing Arts has released the third chapter of its “Artists Are Athletes/Athletes Are Artists” video storytelling series, examining shared approaches to leadership in music and sports.
“Conductors and Coaches” features Yannick Nézet-Séguin, music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Metropolitan Opera and Orchestre Métropolitain de Montreal, and Jenny Levy, head coach of UNC women’s lacrosse. The project highlights how elite leaders across disciplines rely on similar practices — preparation, physical endurance, focus and conviction — to guide teams towards collective success.
The series, produced by Carolina Performing Arts, seeks to challenge traditional boundaries between the arts and athletics by revealing common ground between seemingly unrelated fields. The previous installment featured UNC women’s soccer player Sam Meza with tap dancer Michelle Dorrance of Dorrance Dance, showcasing the craft behind the footwork of both disciplines. “Artists Are Athletes/Athletes Are Artists” began in 2023 with a video featuring Carolina men’s basketball and the Alvin American Dance Theater.
Leaders across Carolina shared reflections on the common values that shape this work:
“Carolina witnesses excellence and collaboration every day, and our students and the broader North Carolina community benefit from seeing world-class leadership modeled on stage, in the classroom, on the field and more,” said Chancellor Lee H. Roberts. “Both the arts and athletics are essential to a thriving society and play a critical role in developing character, discipline and creative leadership.”
“Great leadership looks remarkably similar, whether you’re standing on a podium or a sideline,” said Alison Friedman, the James and Susan Moeser executive and artistic director of Carolina Performing Arts. “This chapter invites audiences to recognize excellence in new places and to see how shared values drive performance at the highest level.”
“At Carolina, the culture we’ve built drives everything — trust, accountability and a shared commitment to excellence,” says Levy. “I loved being part of this series with Carolina Performing Arts because it highlights leadership in an unexpected way — not coach to coach but leader to leader. It reinforces something we believe deeply in our program: The principles that drive championship performance are universal.”
The video will be shown at Carolina’s women’s lacrosse game against Florida State on Feb. 27 and during halftime of the Tar Heels men’s basketball game against Virginia Tech on Feb. 28.
Carolina Performing Arts is uniquely positioned to tell these interdisciplinary stories at a university nationally recognized for its strength in the arts, athletics and academics. The project reflects the University’s collaborative culture and the role of the arts in connecting ideas across campus and beyond.
