The Dance Podcast

A true legend! MARGUERITE DERRICKS is one of dance’s most highly recognized and respected working choreographers. She is the first and only choreographer to have received three consecutive Emmy Awards for Outstanding Choreography, and is also the recipient of five MTV Movie Awards for Best Dance Sequence.  

Marguerite’s television credits include THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL, Netflix’s GLOW, the revival of GILMORE GIRLS, ​and film  blockbusters films like  the AUSTIN POWERS franchise, CHARLIE'S ANGELS, TROPIC THUNDER, MR. AND MRS. SMITH, 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE, NO STRINGS ATTACHED, and 13 GOING ON 30.

In this episode, Marguerite generously shares her dance journey - from ballet roots to TV, Film, Broadway, Vegas and what I am calling Dance-World-Domination. We talk about how she hires and expectations she holds from the dancers she works with. What came after winning 3 Emmy’s, how to best collaborate amongst creatives, pitching projects, where technology is fitting into her career growth, and her biggest mistakes that taught her the most. 

Please enjoy and share this beautiful conversation with the dance community. 

This season we have been interviewing faculty from the newest dance convention experience called The Moment by KM Agency. Today we are speaking with Hip Hop educator and master teacher Draico. From his late introduction to dance, to comparison, to his Emmy nomination for the Aretha Franklin Story, to moving through creative blocks - we cover so much. Dondraico has created movement for artists like Madonna, Miley Cyrus, Britney Spears, Ricky Martin, & Jennifer Lopez.

His feature film credits include GHOSTBUSTERS, HAUNTED MANSION, STEP UP 3D, STEP UP REVOLUTION, and Michael Jackson's THIS IS IT. Draico and I also have a Parent Conversation posted on the Km Agency Instagram page if you are craving more!

She is back for Round 3!  Liana believes that art is expressing one's self and their perspective honestly and vulnerably. That genuine expression permeates all aspects of her life and the connections she makes with others. As far as her career, Liana has been training dance since she was three, and choreographing, teaching, and dancing her way all over the world for the last 15 years working on TV and film such as Jane The Virgin, Dancing With The Stars, The Voice, So You Think You Can Dance, Target, The Greatest Showman LIVE Commercial, Footloose, Seventeen Again, Happy Feet 2, as well as dancing on stage with Cirque Du Soleil and alongside some of the most sought after recording artists, such as Katy Perry, Selena Gomez, Lady Gaga, The Jonas Brothers, Bebe Rexha, Britney Spears, Ricky Martin, The Rolling Stones, and over 20 others.

With a deep desire to help dancers, from beginners to pros, how to find their true inner voice in an often superficial and judgmental industry, she created a dance class called BODY LANGUAGE. Incorporating her numerous years of acting training with her dance career, she focuses on dancing WITH INTENTION, not FOR ATTENTION! While teaching dancers how to find clarity in their voice, confidence in their body, and power in their intention, she has watched lives completely transform before her eyes. Away from the classroom, you can find Liana online as DailyDancerDiet, where she openly shares her over a decade-long journey to healthy happiness. She is passionately dedicated to inspiring and coaching others to navigate their own paths toward delight in their well-being.

Casey Gonzalez, an Arizona native, has always had a passion for movement. She graduated from The Ailey School Certificate program in 2012 and followed up with achieving a B.S. in Healthy Lifestyles and Coaching From Arizona State University, a classical comprehensive Pilates Certification and both GYROTONIC® and GYROKINESIS® Teacher Training certifications by 2017. Her dance career has bridged the gap between the commercial and concert worlds. She has worked with choreographers such as Mandy Moore and Andrew Winghart, for brands like Master Card, Smirnoff, and Disney and performed on stages across Germany, France, Switzerland, and Dubai touring in Sweetbird Productions “Rock the Ballet X” and “Romeo & Juliette” ballets, choreographed by Adrienne Canterna. Casey began assisting for CLI Studios in 2019 for choreographers like Teddy Forance and Kathryn McCormick and made the move to Massachusetts from Los Angeles in 2021 to be a resident faculty member at The CLI Conservatory. Casey is also on faculty with Dana Foglia Dance programs. Casey takes great pride in working with younger dancers that have professional aspirations. From her own career experience and extensive study of movement, Casey’s mission is to coach and guide dancers to understand and value efficiency in movement. Casey believes that with the right combination of concentration, balance, and energy, even the most advanced movements can be done with ease and flow. Each class is aimed to unlock the greatest potential in each individual body.

Teddy Forance is a dancer, teacher, choreographer & entrepreneur in the dance industry. He has performed with Madonna, Janet Jackson, PINK, Usher, Lady Gaga, Florence & The Machine, Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Kylie Minogue & Cirque Du Soleil. He has danced on the Oscars, Emmy's, AMA's, Billboard Awards, Britt Awards, Dancing With The Stars, ELLEN, & Good Morning America. He has choreographed on SYTYCD, an Apple commercial & set work on Hubbard street dance company. Teddy is a Co-Founder of CLI Studios & the director of the CLI Conservatory where dancers from all around the world come to train for their future dance careers!

Julia Pearson has been a dance instructor for the past 23 years, specializing in teaching children ages 2-12yrs in ballet, tap, and jazz. Ms. Julia has been a resident instructor at Danceology in San Diego, winner of 2022 Studio of the Year (The Dance Awards). She has coached & taught competitive dancers for the last two decades including national title winners, award-winning mini groups, and tik tok sensations.

Ms. Julia has played an instrumental role in developing a student Mentorship program, tots classes, diva division, dance camps, and more specifically at her home studio, Danceology. She was honored with Citizen of Excellence in 2020 for her work with our Adaptive dance class, teaching dancers with special needs and Down syndrome.

She holds a Master's Degree in Organizational Leadership and brings a wealth of wisdom & experience to the dance community. Ms. Pearson is the author of the Miss Juju Ballet book series which encourages little ones to find the joy in ballet every day. She cultivates a warm and inviting learning atmosphere for young ones while providing the structure to teach true technique. Every class with Ms. Julia is a delightful experience!

Blake Stanley is an internationally recognized educator, coach, and choreographer. He is

a past mentee of contemporary dance legend Mia Michaels, and has spearheaded his own

training method, Blake Stanley Techniques.

He received his formal education from many studios & educators across the USA, with

most notable having been a full-scholarship student at the Indiana Ballet Conservatory. He

consistently trained with industry leading choreographers and educational leaders, eventually

transitioning into more professional studies ranging from anatomy and physiology, to myofascial

pain release, injury-prevention for dancers, childhood development, and is on the forefront of

new methods of dancer injury prevention pedagogy; certified in T Spheres Injury Prevention

Techniques. He has a kinetically expressive teaching style that is grounded in classical technique

and is easily relatable to students of all backgrounds and levels.

Blake has held long term residencies with universities and dance studios across the US;

currently having students in over 40 US states as well as Canada, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Costa

Rica, Uganda, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. He is a true trail-blazer in the virtual dance

community, with his weekly zoom classes reaching over 1000 students and having launched his

own virtual dance app, featuring New York City’s top educators, “DanceX!”

In the competitive dance community, he is recognized as a leading educator with students

receiving the highest honors such as overall winners at every major convention circuit; including

“Best Dance Winner” at The Dance Awards, “Protégé Winner” at Radix Nationals, “Outstanding

Dancer” at NYCDA Nationals, invitations to YAGP Finals, performances in YAGP Finals Gala,

Young Arts Scholarship invitees, and features in Dance Spirit Magazine. His mentees and

students include dancers at, or accepted to, the most prestigious performing arts schools;

LaGuardia Arts, Frank Sinatra, and Mark Twain, Summer Intensives; Juilliard Summer Intensive

and ABT Summer Intensive, Bolshoi SI, Royal Ballet in London, Pre-Professional Companies;

Alvin Ailey, Joffrey, Ballet and Academy East, and Universities; NYU-Tisch, Marymount, Pace,

and Point Park.

Known for his signature smile and captivating dance moves, So You Think You Can Dance Season 12 fan favorite, Neptune, is a multi talented superstar! His fans highlight his ground breaking performances and charming personality. Neptune specializes in Freestyle (i.e. Krump & Popping) and Hip Hop. With no formal training, he surprised America and conquered every genre of dance thrown his way, including Contemporary, Broadway, Bollywood, Jazz etc., which secured his spot in the top 8.

After SYTYCD, his career continued to soar as he gained a reputation for being the dancer who does it all! He’s performed and toured with several top artists, including Beyonce, Mary J. Blige & Pharrell etc. Neptune’s featured in many commercials, TV shows and films including the Academy Awards, Grownish, Space Jam: A New Legacy, Coming 2 America, to name a few. His biggest success to date, is getting to combine all of his talents as the lead actor in the award winning short film, Boogie Rage.

Neptune’s journey as a Hip Hop instructor started over 9 years ago. He’s taught all ages at various studios in North America and assisted “tWitch” at 24 Seven Dance convention and workshops for over 3 years. Neptune’s teaching style includes a blend of educating dancers on the knowledge of hip hop, creating fun and energetic choreography and giving dancers a challenge they can be proud of.

With over 1.2 Million followers on TikTok, social media has allowed Neptune to broaden his creativity and expand his brand! On TikTok, Instagram and YouTube he’s known for his viral and explosive freestyle videos. Neptune’s followers, of all generations, find excitement in doing his trendy dance challenges (from 90s to modern day Hip Hop, Dancehall and Afrobeats). He’s also well known for his dance content with his wife, Keda and their brand “The Eskridge’s”. As a content creator Neptune has collaborated with many of the industry's top brands including Mercedes Benz, Walmart, Paramount Pictures etc. to name a few.

Neptune is a natural born entertainer, incredible creator and excited to share his knowledge and elevate the next generation of artists!

Kim began training as a dancer at three years old. From the very start, she loved every second of dance. By age eight, she was training in ballet 30 hours a week, and at 12 years old she received 3rd in the nation at a National Tap Event sponsored by tap industry legend Gregory Hines. Mr. Hines was so impressed with Kim that he traveled to her studio in Dallas to give her a private lesson.

At 24 years old, Kim moved to L.A., where she quickly achieved success, booking jobs with celebrities such as Britney Spears, N’Sync and Michael Jackson, among many others. As well as working in films with stars such as Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck. Despite her growing career, Kim felt drawn to teaching and decided to focus her career strictly on training dancers.

As a teacher, Kim first joined Adrenaline on the convention circuit before being picked up by the largest dance convention in the world, JUMP. For six years, Kim taught everything from ballet and jazz to hip-hop, interacting with thousands of students a week. After that experience, Kim joined NUVO as the Children’s Director. Focusing on technical development, she gained a reputation for inspiring young dancers to be more than excellent performers, but also excellent people.

The longer she taught, the more other instructors wanted to learn from Kim. In city after city, Kim’s teacher seminars drew huge crowds as she motivated countless instructors to be the best educator and role model they could be for their students. Additionally, many of her own students have gone on to achieve incredible success, working with some of the most talented artists in the dance and film industry.

These experiences led Kim to retire from the convention circuit to focus on the success of her unique Changing Lives program. Kim now travels across the country, working directly with studios to educate their faculty and implement her teaching philosophy, along with speaking engagements, parent seminars, and business consulting.

With Kim’s experience and reputation in the industry, she enjoys strong relationships with a wide range of teachers and choreographers. As well as teaching young students, her mission now includes training others to be leading mentors and trainers in the dance world.

It has been another incredible season! In this episode, Lauren shares the words she needs to hear, a takeaway from 2020, and true facts about rest, recovery, high performance and pivots. 

Lauren Ritchie

Mental Performance and Mindset Educator, MEd, BA, ESFCC.

As a human, you can train three things: your mind, your body, and your craft. Lauren Ritchie has been studying, researching, and educating dancers and teachers on the physical, emotional and mental intricacies of dance. Recognizing the lack of mental skills training in dance, Lauren has created programs and exercises dedicated to educating and empowering both dancers’ and educators’ mental health and mindset to optimize physical and artistic training. From her MEd in Coaching Studies to a BA in Professional Communications, to multiple Yoga certifications and an accredited Art & Science of Coaching Certification, Lauren has a unique blend of education and resources that offer a holistic training approach for dancers.

An established educator, facilitator and speaker, Lauren has delivered workshops to prestigious schools and programs like Harbour Dance Centre, the Alberta Ballet School, the Dancer Transition Resource Centre, Capilano University and The Bridge Program with The Protege Movement. She is the co-founder of the Dance Teacher reTREAT, the creator of Mental Skills Training Teacher Training program and has been a keynote speaker for the Women In Sport Speaker Series, Dance Studio Owners Association, House of Jazz (London), and the Dance Teacher Expo.

Lauren has firsthand knowledge of the attributes required to achieve and sustain peak performance. She was a highly competitive and decorated dancer having classically trained in ballet, jazz, tap and lyrical. After completing her A.R.A.D, Lauren knew she “wanted to dance” but had little guidance and awareness of the true process of transitioning into a professional dance career. This is why Lauren has created and hosts The Dance Podcast; an invaluable resource dedicated to inspire and educate dancers, teachers, and parents through candid conversations with industry professionals. 

Lauren’s engaging and encouraging teaching style has inspired dance teachers and students across the country to be their best – mind, body, and craft.

Julie McDonald is co-owner of McDonald Selznick Associates (MSA). She is the pioneer in the field of dance and choreography representation, having formed the first talent agency in 1985 devoted exclusively to dance. While breaking ground by representing her clients across all mediums of entertainment, she became an advocate for better terms and working conditions for dancers and choreographers and devoted herself to raising the visibility of the art and craft of commercial dance and especially choreography. In 2000 she and Tony Selznick formed McDonald Selznick Associates. (MSA). Their clients represent a who’s who in the world of dance and have been nominated for or have won numerous Emmy, Tony, and MTV awards. MSA clients have directed and/or choreographed Las Vegas spectacles, Broadway productions, television prime time dramas and sitcoms, awards shows including the Emmys, Grammys, and Oscars, and numerous films spanning the past three decades. Ms. McDonald co-created the American Choreography Awards (1994-2004), an event honoring choreography achievement in media. She was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Choreographers Carnival and Dance under the Stars Choreography Festival for pioneering the representation of dancers and choreographers. She is on the Board of American Dance Movement a funding organization that builds healthy communities by expanding access to dance and movement. She is also on the Boards of Center Dance Association at the Music Center, and Dance Magazine.

Erin is an online business coach for dance educators and host of the Dance Boss Podcast. She is a Jersey girl all the way, graduated from Montclair State University with a B.F.A. in Dance and received her Masters in Dance Education from New York University. Erin helps dance educators niche down, build an online business, and bring in additional revenue for them and their families. Erin began her coaching journey as a dance education coach, providing resources and training to help dance educators run more successful classrooms. Now Erin helps her fellow dance educators pursue their dreams and start an online business that impacts the masses.  To learn more about Erin visit erindpride.com, and you can hang out with Erin on Instagram and Facebook.

Rosalynn Miller graduated from Point Park University, Conservatory of Performing Arts, with two dance degrees in 2008.  With a duel concentration in jazz dance and dance pedagogy (the art of teaching dance), Rosalynn, affectionately referred to as Roz by her students and peers, quickly landed teaching jobs at various prestigious dance establishments in the Pittsburgh area.  While in college she was Vice President to the student hip hop dance group “Impulse”, first Hispanic President to the United Student Government at Point Park and maintained an apprenticeship through the COPA department all four years of her education.  She fulfilled her apprenticeship working as a hip hop teacher for an after school dance program at McKees Rocks Middle School.

In an effort to continue her dance education, Roz attends an array of dance teacher conventions, seminars, workshops and classes to better serve her students and help strengthen the local dance community. The Dance Teacher Summit in New York, More Than Just Great Dancing with Misty Lown and Dance Masters of Pennsylvania are just some of the dance teacher functions she regularly attends throughout the year.

Roz is the owner and artistic dance director of Synergy Performing Arts Academy located in Canonsburg, Pa. Her students perform in local parades and community charity events.  The Synergy Dance Company trains and competes at a competitive level. Roz’s choreography has received recognition at both regional and national levels and has received multiple award winning titles. Synergy just celebrated their 10th year anniversary.  

Outside of teaching, Roz judges for local dance competitions and talent shows.  She has judged for Showbiz National Talent Competition and On Stage America dance competition. She is proud to be one of the founding 15 members of More Than Just Great Dancing, “MTJGD”, with Misty Lown, the PA Charter member of MTJGD, and a MTJGD certified Coach .  In 2014 Roz was accepted into Dance Masters of America (Pa chapter 10), Dance Educators of America (Pittsburgh chapter) in 2015, and in 2019 she was awarded “Dance Educator of the Year” by GROOVE dance competition at their Myrtle Beach Nationals.  In July of 2019 she was honored to be on the faculty and present business seminars at the NYC Dance Teacher Summit.  In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and playing with her son, a cancer survivor, Cruz!  

Known as one of “Tap’s Leading Ladies” and cover girl for Dance Spirit magazine’s Tap issue, Maud Arnold is a member of Syncopated Ladies and performed in their sold-out full-length concerts in Los Angeles, NYC, DC, and Dubai. 

We dive deep into rejection and the mental skills needed for a long, healthy dance career. We pick apart topics like success, hustle and the impact of generosity and service. Maud tells us about the phone call that cleared her schedule and how she prioritizes sharing happiness - especially through her instagram show - Maudcast. 

Maud has appeared on ABC's Good Morning America and at Essence Fest in New Orleans after their video covering Beyoncé’s Formation, went viral. Beyoncé shared the video on all of her social media and then hired the Syncopated Ladies to perform at her Ivy Park active wear clothing line launch at TopShop, London. 

Maud has quickly become a sought after teacher, judge and performer worldwide. Mentored and trained by Debbie Allen, Maud has taught at Debbie Allen Dance Academy in Los Angeles and Allen’s Dance Institute in Texas. Further to teaching in the USA, Maud has taught tap dancing and Afro-Funk in Dubai, Brazil, Japan, Spain, United Kingdom, Croatia, Ukraine and Russia.

Maud’s Television Credits Include: BET Experience: 106 and Park, The Late Late Show With James Corden, HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, Switched at Birth, Secret Talents of the Stars as a featured dancer with Mya, The Today Show and Syncopated Ladies winning Season 11 of FOX’s So You Think You Can Dance: Dance Crew Battle. Maud can be seen in national commercials and print ads for Toyota, GAP and CANTU and has worked with Beyoncé on several commercials and music videos. 

Maud is the co-director and producer of the critically acclaimed DC Tap Festival, pioneering new experiences for dancers and artists worldwide and with her sister Chloé Arnold they were recognized by the US House of Representatives as arts preservers and ambassadors.

Maud is also a female entrepreneur that holds a degree from Columbia University. Further to teaching, she oversees Chloe and Maud Productions and their many entities including their clothing lines: I LOVE TAP and UniLove as well as their tap dance workshops and after school programs.

Maud exudes her passion for tap dancing with her high energy, fun and action-packed dancing.

Lucie is a Chartered Psychologist and has published in peer reviewed articles, spoken at international conferences and worked with leading dance schools and companies across the world.

After tears to both of Lucie’s hips ended her dreams of a professional dance career, she redirected her curiosity and creativity towards a BSc Psychology from the University of Surrey. While there, Lucie quickly developed a new goal; to use her understanding of the science of behaviour to help dancers to navigate some of the challenges she herself had faced. After a year working in the neuroscience of dance, Lucie completed her Master’s and PhD in Dance Science at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance. During this time, she lectured in psychology and research methods at a number of Higher Education institutions throughout the UK.

Now a Chartered Psychologist (British Psychological Society) and Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Chichester,  Lucie continues to research the psychology of dance and leads the Wellbeing and Creativity in Performance Lab within the Institute of Education, Health and Social Sciences.

Lucie researches the psychosocial underpinnings of optimal performance, including the training environment and significant individuals (such as the teachers/parents) in nurturing healthy dance engagement. Some of her recent research focusses on creativity in the life of a dancer, understanding what it means to achieve not only technical excellence in dance but also to flourish creatively. 

Since 2016 Lucie has been listed by One Dance UK, the UK’s body for dance, as a recommended Healthier Dancer Speaker, and has since worked freelance within world-leading dance institutions. Lucie uses her expertise gained as an academic researcher to develop evidence-based psychoeducational workshops and consultancy for performing artists.

This one will leave you wanting more! Dana Wilson is a bright and vivacious content creator, choreographer, and performer. She illuminates everything she crosses from the worlds biggest stages to smallest cell phone screens. She may be best known for performing along side Justin Timberlake (on three world tours and at last year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show), Dana’s feature in Dance Magazine declares her “Anything But A Backup Dancer”. Dana shares her expectations after high school, Justin TImberlake Tour experiences, relationship with her body and the stories around navigating “cool” and “sexy” in LA.  She has created an incredible podcast, Words That Move Me, and after this convo - I have no doubt you will be seeking her and the Seaweed Sisters out!

More on Dana:

Most recently, Dana contributed choreography to the Film adaptation of In The Heights, and acted as the pre-production movement coach for Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming Elvis Biopic.

Dana also makes up one third of the wildly original and imaginative group “The Seaweed Sisters” (adored and admired by a wide range of audiences from toddlers and their parents to the screens of Dance Camera West, and the Cascadia International Women’s Film Festival).

Dana has been teaching for over thirteen years, and she is constantly experimenting with new technologies and techniques (like 360 degree video, VR and Drones). She draws inspiration from every corner of the dance world, from street styles to social dances, and Mime to Burlesque. Most distinguishable by her refined yet bizarre style always calling on a healthy sense of humor sure to leave a smile on every face.

Richard Elszy is passionately dedicated to training the next generation of dancers through his technical expertise, and inspiring them with inventive and picturesque choreography. We talk about starting late as a dancer, how he had to work through alignment and his body type that wasn’t technically ideal, the power of using imagery, the nerves that come with sharing his work on social media and online platforms, and Building Blocks of Dance!

“Building Blocks of Dance” is an online dance technique program for teachers.  BBD provides strategies and tips on how to make complex concepts relatable to young dancers.  This program has successfully inspired teachers throughout the US and across the globe.  However these are not the only online tools he has to offer. Richard has become a teaching sensation, offering online Lyrical Dance Classes, which are featured on DancePlug.com and as well has his own “Dance Technique on the Edge” videos available to dancers around the world.

As a Los Angeles bases choreographer, Richard’s classes at the esteemed Edge Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles are a popular place for students to work toward formulating technique into artistry. He has presented numerous works of choreography at Club Jeté – LA’s Premier Dance Showcase, as well as coaching and choreographing dance concept videos featuring Nia Frazier of ‘Dance Moms’ titled “Young Love”,  Chelsie Hill and the Rollettes “Be Boundless” and “We Can Together” campaigns and choreographing a TV pilot for TV star and Emmy nominated actress Shanti Lowry of ‘Family Time.’ Richard also travels throughout the US, Canada and Australia teaching master classes and choreography for studios and conventions such as “Immerse Artists Experience” “Movement Dance” “Dance Masters Of Michigan" “Chicago National Association of Dance Masters” and the “Rollettes Experience”.  He was also recently awarded the “Believer Award” at the 2019 “Be Boundless Summit” for his choreography work with the” Rollettes”.

Richard’s choreography has earned several national awards, and other accreditations including the 2011 Rainbow Elite ‘Video of the Year’ for “Step Sisters” and nomination for Best Novelty/Character Musical Theater at the 2012 KARTV Dance Awards for “500 Miles.” Richard was recently awarded the Star Award in the Best Ballet/Open Category for his piece “Swim Good” at 2019 Industry Dance Awards in Hollywood.  This was Richard’s second time receiving this honor as he was the 2014 winner for his piece “Tornado”. He also received a 2015 Industry Dance Award nomination for his work entitled, “All I Could Do.”

Richard combines his extensive understanding of technique with an innovative choreographic style to create a unique class and coaching experience for dancers of all levels across America and abroad. With his endless yearning for knowledge, Richard is eager to see what journeys he will embark on next, and is enthused by the opportunity to continue inspiring future generations of artists.

Expectations we put on our art and ourselves, how to cultivate our own self worth, embracing the growth and transitions as us  as artists and, of course, failure. We cover it all this week with Christie Lee Manning!

Christie Lee Manning is one of the UK’s most versatile performers. Born and raised in Vancouver, Canada, Christie has worked with such artists as Lenny Kravitz, Nelly Furtado, and Michael Buble. She played a lead role in the musical 'Sweet Mystery', and has performed and adjudicated in Brazil for the XXI International Dance Seminar alongside Chan Goh, Monica Proenca, and Karah Abiog. Other credits include the sitcom Package Deal (TV), sci-fi series Warehouse 13 (TV), and Sky 1's 'Got To Dance' Season 5, mentored by Adam Garcia.

Christie has taught all over the world, from New York to Australia, choreographed for the National Lacrosse League, and is also the Creator of Industry Dance Magazine, a Canadian online website for dancers and choreographers alike. She is a member of Lukas McFarlane's contemporary company, UnTitled, and is the artistic director of BODY Jazz Theatre UK. 

Stacey Tookey  is back and sharing with us current industry conversions and plans, how she has become her own business, the true practice of self care and working through imposter syndrome.  After connecting with pre-professionals and professional dancers feeling lost and disconnected, Stacey has created a virtual program called The Bridge where dancers from around the world receive unparalleled training, mind, body and artistry. 

Emmy-nominated choreographer Stacey Tookey is a multitalented, Canadian-born director, choreographer and dancer who has worked with legendary musical artists such as Celine Dion, Bette Midler, Justin Timberlake, and Michael Bublé.

Stacey performed as a member of Mia Michaels’ cutting edge dance company R.A.W., New York’s Parsons Dance Project, Ballet British Columbia, ChuThis, and the Houston Grand Opera’s Carmen. She also earned the coveted role as Assistant Choreographer for Broadway’s A Few Good Men Dancin’ and was an original cast member for the entire five-year run of Celine Dion’s record-breaking show, A New Day at Caesars Palace.

Stacey’s passionate pieces on So You Think You Can Dance have earned her three consecutive Emmy nominations from 2010-12. She has also choreographed for Dancing With The Stars in the featured Macy’s Stars of Dance opening number. She choreographed the video for Atlantic Records recording artist Christina Perri’s chart-topping hit Jar of Hearts, as well as Vienne’s She Breaks, and John Torres Ocean music videos.

We talk about body-positive teaching, the impact of conscious educators and the impact of mindfulness within dance.

She trained in the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) syllabus, and has completed their Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies (CBTS). She also trained at the San Francisco Conservatory of dance and performed professionally with Brisas de Espana, a Flamenco and Spanish dance company.

She has been teaching for over 10 years, teaching at both for-profit and not for profit schools and serving a diverse community of dancers. Benicia Ballet School, Community Youth Center, San Francisco Conservatory of Dance, Sonoma Conservatory of Dance are just a few of the places that have been her dance homes.

She graduated with B.A. in Theater and Dance from CSUEB, where she had the opportunity to add to her training in modern, choreography, jazz and hip-hop from noted Bay Area directors/choreographers Nina Haft, Eric Kupers and Laura Elaine Ellis. Katrena has performed and taught across the United States and Canada including Vancouver, New Mexico, and New York.

She is back for round 2! Her first episode on the podcast, Episode 43, was a bomb of inspiration and love. Liana has worked with everyone from Britney Spears to Ricky Martin to Katy Perry. We loved her so much - we brought her back and this time to talk about her program, Body Language. Over the past few years, Liana has taken her love of dance and movement and brought back into an authentic experience - one that is centered around enjoying your how your body moves, how your heart grooves, and how community connects us all.

Emmy Nominated Choreographer, and International tap star Chloé Arnold was discovered at a young age in Washington, DC by the legendary Debbie Allen. A leading lady of tap, Chloé has performed on stages around the globe and her choreography has been featured in over 50 episodes of The Late Late Show With James Corden, including the hit Crosswalk The Musical, Aladdin with Will Smith, Mena Massoud, and Naomi Scott.  Also on hit television shows such as So You Think You Can Dance, Good Morning America, HBO's Black Lady Sketch show, and national commercials/print campaigns for Special K, Macy’s, GAP, Aldo/Refinery 29, and Cantu.  

Chloé’s is the Artistic Director & Founder of Syncopated Ladies, an all-female Tap company that are widely known for viral videos that have accumulated over 50 million views. The most successful being their tribute to Prince and their cover of Beyoncé’s Formation, which Beyoncé shared on all of her social media and then hired Chloé and the Syncopated Ladies to perform at her Ivy Park active wear clothing line launch at TopShop, London. Chloé along with her company performed live on ABC's Good Morning America and have had sold-out concerts in Los Angeles, Dubai, New York City and Washington, DC, receiving rave reviews in The New York Times and more.  

Chloé is also a female entrepreneur that holds a degree from Columbia University. She and her sister co-founded Chloé and Maud Productions and DC Tap Festival, and co-produced the award-winning documentary TAP WORLD with Hollywood Executive Producer Dean Hargrove. 

Other career highlights include winning So You Think You Can Dance: Dance Crew Battle (Season 11), HBO’s The Comeback, recurring role as an Onyx Girl on HBO's Boardwalk Empire, guest performing on America's Got Talent and Dancing With The Stars, a sold-out NY run of her One Woman show My Life. My Diary. My Dance. at La MaMa in New York City, Global Fusion Concert in Dubai, Jacob’s Pillow Dance, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids Easter Bonnet at The Minskoff Theatre, numerous musical productions with Debbie Allen including performing at a star-studded gala hosted by Diddy at the Howard Theatre in Washington, DC.

Let the inspiration flow! We are talking about goals and the complexity of goal setting, how to build confidence and the difference between performative success vs authentic love of the process and so much more. Justin Su’a is an Executive Coach for elite performers. He is currently with the Tampa Bay Rays (Previously Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Browns Organizations). He also travels the country speaking and training various organizations on how to optimize performance and create a culture of excellence. Justin’s clients perform in the NFL, Olympics, WWE, PGA, CrossFit, the U.S. Army and the MLB. He is the author of two books: "Parent Pep Talks: The 10 Must Have Mental Skills Your Child Must Have to Succeed in Sports, School, and Life"​ and, "Mentally Tough Teens: Developing the Winning Mindset". Justin is also the host of the daily, "Increase Your Impact" Podcast on iTunes.

Misty Lown is a dance powerhouse and entrepreneurial force. Misty Lown is the founder, president and energized force behind More Than Just Great Dancing™ - A licensed dance studio affiliation program that has a positive impact on over 60,000 dance students around the globe each week. She is also the founder of MoreThanDancers.com, an online lifestyle magazine for young people that has over 35,000 visitors each month.

Her dance studio, Misty’s Dance Unlimited, founded in 1998 and named a “Top 50 Studios in the Nation” by Dance Spirit Magazine has provided $225,000 in scholarship for dancers. Misty has been a speaker at the  PULSE Teachers Convention, Hollywood Connection, Dance Teacher Web, Dance Teacher Summit, and the DanceLife Conference. She has also been the keynote speaker for the Australian Teachers of Dancing Convention. Misty is on the staff of Dance Revolution Convention, a faith based dance convention, and has authored over 40 industry articles.

She is a sought after speaker and recently shared her business methods as a guest blogger on SUCCESS.com and as a speaker at IF:Gathering Local and the US Army Garrison Woman’s Equality Day. She has been recognized as “Teacher of the Year” by Eclipse, "Outstanding Businesswoman of the Year" by the YWCA and awarded the “Pope John XXIII Award for Distinguished Service” by Viterbo University and the “Philanthropy Award” from the Red Cross.

Misty is an entrepreneur at heart. In addition to her dance studio and licensing program, she owns a dancewear store, a dance competition and a self-storage business. She is the author of One Small Yes and creator the One Small Yes podcast.

A Canadian native and original member of the pioneering dance group Streetscape, Bradley relocated to the U.S. after winning a Canadian Talent Search and top honors at The IMTA Awards in New York and L.A. Choreography honors include an Ovation Award, World Dance Award, and multiple NAACP Awards. Other credits include; La La Land, The Goofy Movie, and World of Dance. Bradley currently serves as Creative Director at Cantinas Arts, is happily married and has three beautiful children.

Bradley has a deep desire to share the spirit, freedom, and power behind street dance culture with the world. As the founder of The Groovaloos, Groove Theory, and Groove Mindset, he uses his dynamic life experiences and powerful analogies from the art form to break people free from self-doubt, anxiety, disconnectedness, and fear. Bradley believes it’s crucial for people to step into who they are designed to be and to bring that authenticity into the circle. 

Initially from an academic background, Bradley dramatically switched gears and dove into twenty-five years of street dance culture. He pioneered a movement in Los Angeles that ignited the community, launched countless artists, and positively impacted the landscape for hip hop and freestyle dance in culture and media. Bradley went on to perform and choreograph at the highest levels in the industry from L.A.’s commercial world to New York’s Broadway stages, orchestrating complex multi-layered theatre productions while creating a curriculum and teaching at universities and conferences internationally. His collaborations include the likes of the directors of Hamilton and Jesus Christ Superstar, to orchestrating the story of his crew in their own Off-Broadway show and leading them onto So You Think You Can Dance, Dancing With the Stars, Superstars of Dance, The Wayne Brady Show and Ellen.

From winning the world ballet competition Prix de Lausanne, to hitting the stages with ABT, Miami City Ballet,  SYTYCD, and Broadway’s Newsies Alex Wong has crossed over from ballet companies to tv, film, and live theatre.  Alex speaks about his resistance to dance at a young age because “only girls dance” to being instrumental in the Boys Dance Too viral movement. He shares how his teachers were the most critical part of his ballet success as well as the multiple, often public, injuries that shaped his career and defined how he moves through life as a person, dancer and artist.

Alex can be seen in multiple roles starting in 2011 including the TV series "Smash" directed by Steven Spielberg, "Glee," and as a semi-finalist on "American Idol." On Broadway, he portrayed Sniper in the original cast of "Newsies" and later in "The King and I." In 2014/2015 he landed roles in NBC's "Peter Pan Live!", "Ted 2" and "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" and a co-starring role in the Starz series "Flesh and Bone." Alex also continues to return every season as a reoccurring All-Star on "So You Think You Can Dance."

This week Lauren speaks to what she has learned from her studies focusing on Mental Skills Training. From the responsibilities we hold as dance educators to building and executing goals to creating and standing for the dance community we desire. Lauren is in the hot seat with guest host, Julianna Bootsman, asking the deep questions about values, intentions and, of course, a few laughs along the way!

Josh is a New York based choreographer and performer. Throughout Josh's career, he has worked some of the most respected jobs in the industry including Broadway, national tours, national commercials, film and television. He has performed in major venues across the world including United States, Canada, Mexico and Europe.

Some of his recent choreographic work includes New York Fashion Week, Audi Ottawa, a commercial for Modos Furniture, Mary Poppins at Arrow Rocks Lyceum Theater and the world premiere of Medicine the Musical, which ran in New York City, Off-Broadway. He was the associate choreographer for the Saturday Night Fever National Tour as well as Kiss me Kate at the Summer Theater of New Canaan. This summer Josh will be returning to the Lyceum Theater to choreograph their season opening, Cinderella.

As a performer, some of his favorite credits include Disney's 1st National Tour of Newsies (asst. Dance Captain), Neleus in Mary Poppins on Broadway and the 1st National Tour, Baby John in West Side story (Stratford Festival), Wizard Of Oz National Tour (Troika), and dancing on NBC's Saturday Night Live with Jimmy Fallon. Josh has been featured in Dance Spirit Magazine, Dance Canada Quarterly, Industry Dance Magazine and Dance Plug Los Angeles. He has taught at Edge Performing Arts Center and is currently on faculty at the Broadway Dance Center in New York City where he has been a guest choreographer for many of their events.

This episode is all about TRANSITIONS! Transitions in cities, disciplines, roles, and casts. Christina Bodie has had a beautiful career - all of which required a lot of flexibility and adaptability as she transitioned. 

Originally from Edmonton, Canada, Christina studied in the professional division of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School. She went on to graduate from the Juilliard School in New York City in 2005 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts. Upon graduation, Christina launched her professional career dancing with the Koresh Dance Company in Philadelphia for two seasons. In 2007, Christina returned to Canada to join Les Ballets Jazz de Montréal (BJM Danse), with which she toured the world for eight seasons. In 2015, Christina relocated to Los Angeles to join BODYTRAFFIC. In addition to her concert dance career, she has performed in television productions and special events for organizations such as Cirque du Soleil, L'Oreal, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and Radio Canada.

Christina is also passionate about teaching and choreographing. She is currently on dance faculty at Loyola Marymount University, Windward School and Marat Daukayev School of Ballet. Christina teaches master classes nationally and has been on guest faculty for the University of Southern California, Regional Dance America, Francisco Gella Dance Works, Idyllwild Arts Academy, Long Beach Ballet, Los Angeles Theater Center and Greater Washington Dance Center. Christina also enjoys rehearsal directing, and in 2017, she was invited by choreographer Barak Marshall to stage his work Monger on the dancers at the University of Southern California’s prestigious Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. Christina’s love of teaching extends beyond dance. In 2015, Christina completed her yoga teacher training through Yogaworks, and she enjoys incorporating yoga into her dance classes. 

Dr. Justin is fascinated by movement and is committed to a practice of personal and collective growth. With a passion for continual learning and sharing, he thrives off of cultivating experiences and evidence informed knowledge surrounding movement, self-development, and life optimization. 

Graduating with a Doctorate in Chiropractic Medicine (D.C). Justin received the Palmer West Clinical Excellence and Virgil V. Strang Chiropractic Philosophy awards. Accolades which are distinguishing honours reflecting his commitment to delivering a result orientated treatment, optimal client experience, with a focus on community and client engagement and education.

Justin innovated Rollax, a movement therapy system that engages and optimizes the brain-body connection. He is a movement and health legacy ambassador for Lululemon Athletica and Clear Float Spa, is a privileged Instructor for the movement company, Rocktape. 

Sarah Rodenhouse is the Founder/Movement Leader of Moved LA *and* Artistic Director of MashUp Contemporary Dance Company.  Between these two entities, she is quickly becoming a mover and shaker in the LA dance scene. Through Moved LA, she brings movement workshops to working professionals in businesses such as Pinterest - and hosts wellness retreats. Via MashUp, Sarah choreographs with professional dancers and presents performances all of LA including the A+D Museum, Glendale Brand Library, and multiple festivals.  www.thedancepodcast.com

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Marissa Labog, nicknamed "Mighty" by her peers, is committed to her strong belief in the transformative power of storytelling. Indicated by her nickname, as an actor, dancer, and stunt woman, Marissa is fearless and powerful in her pursuit for creative adventure earning her awards such as the Lester Horton Award for Outstanding Performer, the Solo Award, and an Ovation Award Nomination.

Commercially, she has worked with artists such as Tina Turner, Christina Aguillera, Justin Timberlake, and Toni Basil. She has also appeared in countless commercials for Nike, iPod, Coke, and T-Mobile. Her TV and film credits include: MTV Movie Awards, the Emmys, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Wolverine,

Dancing nationally and internationally with PCB Ballet and Inland Pacific Ballet, Marissa was urged by her loving mother to take up martial arts to learn to "defend" herself while traveling abroad. Enrolling her in Karate, Marissa excelled and furthered her study with capoeira, and Tae Kwon Do. Curious of her training and its connection to her growing desire to tell stories, Marissa went on to Scripps College where she graduated with a BA in both Dance and English and the coveted Lucille Morrison Scholarship. After graduation, Marissa performed as a principle dancer across the United States, Japan, Ireland, Portugal, Russia, China, Holland, Belgium, and England.

Internationally Recognized Choreographer & Director Jeff Dimitriou’s artistic projects include creating for film, television, world ceremonies, theatre, live events, and art installations. He is the creator and founder of JDX Creative, an entertainment production house.

He has created 6 original theatrical stage presentations that are currently playing worldwide.

Jeff has the rare privilege of working in many different genres of the arts and entertainment industry. From world touring theatre productions, to choreographing and directing for mass ceremonies such as The Pan American Games (Head Choreographer), Parapan Games (Head Choreographer) and FIFA World Cup Opening Ceremonies (Choreographer) to such esteemed organizations as Cirque du Soleil, NHL, MLB, and Mirvish Productions. He also also directed and staged the opening sequence for the 2018 NHL Classic, broadcast across North America.

Choreographing the new film version of Anne of Green Gables, choreography that was featured on the Netflix hit Degrassi, choreographer of Footloose and Mamma Mia, a national art installation campaign for BMO & Cineplex, A Middle Eastern Tour of the stage musical Cinderella, and also choreographed the Opening Piece for the 2016 Cultural Architect Awards.www.thedancepodcast.com

During his teenage years, Mark met a man named Luther Brown (choreographer/judge of So You Think You Can Dance Canada), who was soon to be his mentor, partner and close friend for many years to come. Luther invited Mark to be a part of Canada's first ever Hip-Hop/R&B Dance Agency – Do Dat Entertainment. While dancing for Do Dat, Mark performed with countless Canadian artists, such as Jully Black, Shawn Desman, Maestro Fresh Wes, Victoria Duffield and Nelly Furtado to name a few. He has also performed at some of the industries top stellar events, such as the Juno Awards, The MMVA’s, Canadian Idol, Canada's Got Talent and So You Think You Can Dance Canada.

Mark decided to make his next major move: to become a dancer in U.S. He had the opportunity to work with the some of America's biggest choreographers such as Fatima Robinson, Laurie-Ann Gibson, Sho-Tyme and Hi Hat. During his U.S. journey, he danced for artists like Cam’ron, Mariah Carey, Nivea, Missy Elliott, Mary J Blige, Olivia, Kelis and Mario to name a few. 

www.thedancepodcast.com

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Genevieve Carson is the artistic director of L.A. Contemporary Dance Company (LACDC).  Genevieve’s work as a director, choreographer, and performer has spanned across North America, the Philippines, Argentina, Sweden, and New Zealand. Genevieve’s work is often focused on the human condition. Genevieve has been a guest artist and instructor at Chapman University, Cal Arts, Cal State Long Beach, University of Auckland, and University of the Philippines. She is on faculty at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA), where she teaches an array of classes and directs concerts. Genevieve graduated cum laude with a BFA in Dance Performance from Chapman University.www.thedancepodcast.com

Learn more about the Dance Studio Owners Association:

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Ben Johnson is currently the Director of Performing Arts for the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs.  In this position he is tasked with relaunching the Performing Arts Division of the City of Los Angeles, which includes overseeing six city-owned theaters, relaunching a festival platform for the city, developing cultural exchange programs with venues and artists in LA, and advocating on behalf of LA artists on a national and international level.  Previously, he was the Program Manager at the Center for the Art of Performance at UCLA (CAP-UCLA) in Los Angeles, considered one of the top contemporary performing arts institutions in the country, and where he produced significant contemporary performing arts events throughout Los Angeles. Also previously he was the Director of Programs at United States Artists (LA) which awarded 50, 50K awards to artists in all disciplines. www.thedancepodcast.com

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Lam was born in Marin County, California. Born from immigrant parents from Vietnam, Lam found his passion for life in dance at age 4. Training at Marin Ballet, Lam formed vital relationships that would mold his career and was coached by renowned Svetlana Afanasieva, Cynthia Lucas, and Mikko Nissinen. In 200, Lam began his tenure with Canada's National Ballet School under the directorship of Mavis Staines. Coached by famous Sergiu Stefanschi, Lam developed a foundation that would launch his career in 2003 with the invitation from Mikko Nissinen to join Boston Ballet. www.thedancepodcast.com

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Jen and Kyla - two performing artists from Toronto and New York join Lauren for some big Podcasting chats! On their podcast, Tits and Teeth, they have a blast interviewing their peers in show biz, unveiling their secrets about balancing this crazy unconventional life, and debating issues in the arts. They play games and ask insightful questions, all while sipping on their guests favourite drink! www.thedancepodcast.com

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Colette began her dance training under Evelyn Kreason at Michigan Ballet Theatre.  Eventually, she completed her Independent Study at the Alvin Ailey School and began choreographing, performing and teaching in NYC, LA and London.  She pursued her MFA Choreography Degree at Roehampton University and co-founded the LA Follies, a company of phenomenal dancers, acrobats, synchronized swimmers, roller skaters, poppers, breakers, ballerinas, tappers, aerialists, fire dancers, ice skaters, aerialists (and sometimes mermaids) that bring arena size magic to Hollywood and Los Angeles events. www.thedancepodcast.com

Learn more about the Dance Studio Owners Association:

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Colette began her dance training under Evelyn Kreason at Michigan Ballet Theatre.  Eventually, she completed her Independent Study at the Alvin Ailey School and began choreographing, performing and teaching in NYC, LA and London.  She pursued her MFA Choreography Degree at Roehampton University and co-founded the LA Follies, a company of phenomenal dancers, acrobats, synchronized swimmers, roller skaters, poppers, breakers, ballerinas, tappers, aerialists, fire dancers, ice skaters, aerialists (and sometimes mermaids) that bring arena size magic to Hollywood and Los Angeles events. www.thedancepodcast.com

insta: @thedancepodcast

Learn more about the Dance Studio Owners Association:

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Dominique Kelley has been named one of the most promising up and coming choreographers of his generation.  An avid tapper and percussionist, Dominique tries to fuse rhythm patterns with classical movement to create a visual and aural experience.

"Black and Blue" was his first Broadway tour at age 12, and then “Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk national tour at 15, and ever since he has had a love of performing, choreographing, and movement coaching.

No stranger to stage and live performance, he has collaborated with recording artists such as Beyonce’, Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, Gwen Stefani, Chris Martin, Queen Latifah, Taylor Swift, FKA Twigs, Miley Cyrus, Frank Ocean, Nelly, Cee Lo Green, B.o.B, and Flo Rida,. Not leaving out sports entertainment, he has been one of the main choreographers for such sports teams as the San Francisco 49ers, San Diego Chargers, Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics,  LA Clippers, and many teams around the country. Dominique’s goal and endeavor is to bring movement and dance artistry to every facet of the entertainment industry.

www.thedancepodcast.com

 insta: @thedancepodcast

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Joey Arrigo is an dancer, aerialist and choreographer. He was “the trickster” in Cirque du Soleil’s KOOZA and part of Shaping Sound Dance Company’s first national tour. He was also a Top 20 dancer on So You Think You Can Dance Canada and a choreographer’s assistant to Mia Michaels during Seasons 1–3. Joey holds multiple titles from Dance Masters of America and was the 2010 Senior National VIP for JUMP. He has choreographed and taught in Canada, the US, Europe, and Australia, including teaching with Break The Floor’s conventions, JUMP, NUVO and 24/7. Currently, Joey plays the lead role of “Waz” in Cirque du Soleil’s VOLTA.

thedancepodcast.com

insta: @thedancepodcast

Learn more about the Dance Studio Owners Association:

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Expectations, recognition and awareness. In this Season finale Lauren closes with personal relefections and exercise that will set up 2019 for a year of gratitude and clarity. 

Deirdre Barnes started her career performing in Las Vegas with world renowned entertainment company: Cirque du Soleil in their show Criss Angel “Believe” then went onto to tour the world with some of the most iconic pop stars, like Britney Spears and Justin Bieber. Deirdre opens up about what that initial transition into the professional world was like for her, what she learned from reowned choreographer Wade Robson, and the best thing she took away from both her stage and touring experiences. Since moving to Los Angeles Deirdre has worked extensively in film and TV. She has been featured on Dancing With The Stars, Disney: Descendants, the Ellen Show, Glee, Shake it Up, The Voice, Black Eyed Peas, American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance and multiple award shows. She has also danced alongside artists such as: Nicki Minaj, David Guetta, Nick Jonas, Gwen Stefani, Backstreet Boys, Incubus, Pitbull, Jlo and Gloria Estefan. Deirdre has toured the globe alongside Justin Bieber and was featured in his “Believe” film and dance instructional DVD. Most recently, Deirdre completed a 2 year residency performing alongside Britney Spears in her hit show: “Piece Of Me.”

Are you hustling hard? Do you feel like there are a million thing to do, directions to go, things on your bucket list that are screaming at you to get done? Lauren knows all about the hustle of doing- and it hasn’t always felt great or worked well. This week, Lauren introduces the concept- Be more to Do more. 

Mariah-Jane has been a dance educator for over 30 years, presenting around the world with conferences like IADMS, Healthy Dance Canada and Dance Science and Somatics Conference.  We cover topics like the Brain Gym and how it helps Mariah-Jane prime and ready dancers for more powerful learning. We explore how to come back from stress states to perform at our best and changing the state of your brain as you train.

He is back! As the most interviewed and only interviewer on the podcast! This week Calen and Lauren are all about the Teachers as Calen and Lauren open up some of their processes, approaches, and fails. Calen talks about the distinction between Contemporary and Lyrical, how he provides a space for play and where failing as a teacher is necessary. He also speaks to a flip in his leadership style that may inspire a new perspective for dance educators around the world!

Mentorship. Canada vs US. Female empowerment. Money. Magical mixes of motivation.  We cover it all with this incredible man. Jay T Schramek has a twenty year teaching career spanning Canada’s most prestigious post-secondary arts institutions and dozens of dance studios. A graduate of Ryerson University’s dance program and a former Mr. Dance of Canada, he has been a faculty member at the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts, George Brown College and Saint Lawrence College.As a performer, he continues to work in theatres across the continent. He has performed for The Stratford Shakespeare Festival, Mirvish Productions, Capitol Theatre, Charlottetown Festival, Stage West, Drayton Entertainment, Clearchannel Entertainment and dozens more. Jay is one of North America’s most prolific talent adjudicators and has judged and hosted over 100 talent competitions, pageants and festivals across the globe. He is a member and contributor to the Professional Adjudicator Alliance manual, has written articles for The Agent’s Book and had a column in Dance Canada Quarterly. Jay is a recipient of a Tyrone Guthrie Award and a Maud Whitmore Scholarship.

He recently became the exclusive Canadian distributor of Miller and Ben tap shoes. Check out Tap Shoes Canada to buy the world’s best tap dancing shoes!

When did you feel like you "made it"? That was a question asked to the world-class faculty in a Q&A this weekend at a convention. Lauren shares their answers and what she knows about the process and unpacking of "making it" in this industry. 

Jess Spinner is a former professional ballet dancer turned Health Coach and founder of The Whole Dancer. She supports dancers in reaching their body goals through one on one coaching and her online course, The Dancers' Best Body Program. Dancers from New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Boston Ballet, and aspiring dancers from around the world have participated in individual coaching and group programs from The Whole Dancer. There are options to fit every need and budget and many resources are provided at no – charge in order to support as many dancers as possible to find balance and true happiness as you work towards your dance goals.

Anxiety. Finding your artistic voice. Stripping labels and connecting with humanity. We cover a broad spectrum with Juel D Lane.  Juel  is an American dancer, choreographer, filmmaker, and one of Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch.” With elite training from Tri-Cities High School and the Youth Ensemble of Atlanta, Lane earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts with a focus on Contemporary Dance. Currently dancing with Bessie Award-winning Camille A. Brown & Dancers, Lane made history in 2012 as the first local and independent black choreographer to have his work commissioned by the Atlanta Ballet. From there, he participated in the 2015-2016 Alvin Ailey Dance Foundation New Directions Choreography Lab, and collaborated with dance legends across the United States. His dance films, "Just Another Day," "How to Kill a Ghost," and "When The Beat Drops," showcase the complexity, playfulness and creativity within this dynamic choreographer’s mind. 

Marjorie Goodson is breaking physical and creative boundaries with her luxurious, avant-garde coffee table book simply titled, MG. She is the daughter of Mark Goodson, the most popular game show creator and producer in the history of TV (Family Feud, The Price is Right, Match Game, To Tell The Truth, Beat the Clock) Marjorie is a proud and active supporter of The Actors Fund's Career Transition for Dancers, and has been an avid dancer since childhood. For Marjorie, dancing is her need, her want, her strength, her desire, her pleasure, her energy and sometimes her pain. “It’s my purpose and my passion, and it feeds my soul,” said Marjorie. With the release of MG, her book of photographic essays three years in the making, Marjorie most definitely pushes the artistic envelope to the pinnacle of creative performance. The book includes 153 commanding and empowering images by noted Romanian born art and fashion photographer, Andreea Radutoiu. The life-long dancer is captured – in glorious color, dramatic black and white and stimulating sepia tones – the magnificent and glorious 55-year-old Goodson in multiple dance postures in her passionate pursuit of life that goes beyond age and into the stratosphere of the emotional and physical connection to one’s inner self. “I feel my time is now,” says Goodson. There’s always tomorrow – there’s always an opportunity,” she says. “It’s tapping into your youth and having the courage to be creative and to live in the body physical.” MG is an artistic and visual collaboration between Goodson (concept and creative content), Radutoiu, and hair and makeup stylist, Torsten Witte (LaLa Land, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), set against some of Southern California’s most dramatic and historic locations including, The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Milk Studios, the Dunes at Pismo and Zuma Beach. Goodson has always loved using her body to express art and with this exquisite tome, she hopes to inspire other women by letting them know they, too, can find their passion and confidence at any age.

After 15 years of experience in the dance world, Galit has worked as Assistant Choreographer for Prince, danced in numerous music videos, including Pharrell Williams' "Happy", has been featured in two dance publications, and currently works as a dance instructor and conditioning specialist in Los Angeles and around the country. She is the creator and host of Dance Speak podcast, a podcast dedicated to sharing conversations about the dancer's life in Los Angeles.

You might have seen him on Laurieann Gibson’s show “Beyond The Spotlight” or as a dancer for Laurieann on “The Four".  King Chris has taken his technical background and transitioned into the LA commercial world. He heard a lot of "advice" and tried to fit in, but Chris shares his biggest lessons learned and what he wants the next generation of dancers to know. 

We are talking Body with Anna Vollmar. Anna’s passion for body awareness and biomechanics led her to study at the respected Kane School of Core Integration where she is fully certified in mat and equipment Pilates, and will now be a Teacher Trainer for the school.  Her training is specialized with information in anatomy, biomechanics, touch therapy, and experience with all populations of people in addition to dancers.Anna is proficient in contemporary, ballet, classic jazz technique, lyrical, and conditioning for dancers, and additional experience in pointe, musical theatre, tap, hip hop, modern. Her training in Pilates, Gyrokinesis, and yoga are fused into her warm-up and choreographic style. No matter what country Anna has visited, she has seen that the language of movement is universal and experiencing movement with others drives her passion for both teaching and for learning.

Chris Hale chats about his love for Ballet and the Body and getting to see the body in a new way will help every discipline of dance! 

Seats have swapped and Lauren is in the interview chair as Calen asks about her journey and why the Golden Threads are so close to her heart.

Get to know Calen Kurka and why he loves his class Contemporary Mechanics. He gives you a sneak peek for what to expect in his classes and why it is so close to his heart!

Kicking-off our Dance Teacher reTREAT mini-series, Kim McSwain is set to inspire us all Sept 1 & 2nd in Vancouver.

For more than 20 years, her positive and encouraging teaching style has inspired students across the country to chase their dreams on stage and off as they learn to dance from the inside out! Having studied, taught, and performed extensively, Kim’s training and technical expertise shine through all of her classes. But it’s her contagious energy and compassion for each and every student that sets Kim apart in the industry. She has taught on Adrenaline, JUMP, NUVO, The Dance Teacher’s Summit, and hosted her own children’s event at DancerPalooza. Most recently, Kim has retired from the convention circuit to focus on her Studio Consulting firm and new company, CHANGING LIVES. She now travels across the country working directly with studios to provide parent seminars, business consulting, and to educate faculty in her teaching philosophy. No matter where she travels for CHANGING LIVES, the message remains the same: True success comes from within, so when you change how you think, it changes how you dance… even when the music stops.

If it doesn't exist- you can create it. You can create your job. You can create your community. You can create the spaces that will hold all of your favourite people and deepest passions. Lauren shares how & why she continues to create new work and new opportunities. PLUS! An amazing special announcement not to be missed!

Jocelyn Peden has been a renowned name in the Canadian dance scene,boasting extensive dance, choreography, acting, and co-directing credits. From dancing with Janet to Co-Directing and Choreographing massive Opening and Closing ceremonies, Jocelyn shares her insights on audition tips, how to transition from dancer to director and how to do it all while building a family! 

More on Jocelyn: Some of Jocelyn’s dance credits include working with Janet Jackson on the videos Rhythm Nation, Miss You Much and Alright. Her feature film credits include The Bodyguard, the 6th Day, Dudley Do Right, Toys and the Sixth Man. She has extensive NBA experience as a Los Angeles Laker Girl and director/choreographer for the Vancouver Grizzlies Extreme Dance Team. Jocelyn has worked with such artists as Paula Abdul, Vanessa Williams, Paul McCartney, Jay Leno, Whitney Houston, Steve Winwood & Bette Midler. Some of Jocelyn’s co-directing and choreography credits include the 2010 Parlympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies, 2010 Olympic Bid and Mascot Unveiling, Juno Awards, Legoland Theme Parks, Guangzhou China World Cultural Event, Cirque Pop, Bring on the Night, Rolling Thunder, the 93rd Annual Grey Cup and the Great Big Boo. She has also choreographed for international level figure skaters including Emanuel Sandhu.

This career and the many transitions, demands, and projects can sometimes leave Dancers feeling alone or anxious. Inspired by the Bell Let's Talk campaign in Canada, Lauren speaks to how our community can support each other, bring awareness to those around us who may be in need help, and why it is so important. 

Calling all teachers, coaches, mentors and parents. Lauren shares a Manifesto that grounds her in her teaching and inspires her to do better every day.

Talk about building your dream job! Mickela Mallozzi was a studio trained dancer who took her two loves, travel and dance - and built them into the Emmy-Award winning tv series Bare Feet project. Mickela opens her heart and countless words of wisdom on: what do you do with the self-doubt that shows up when trying something new? how can you start to create your own dream job? what are the things you need to know in order to keep going when things get tough? This Boss Babe shares her heart, her stories and her passions with us!

Co-Founder of an internationally acclaimed Jazz company (DJD) and University Professor of Dance, Michele Moss is a lover of all the world of dance. How do you build a successful dance company? How do you mentor young dancers from university into a career? What can we do for our bodies to create longevity? We cover it all. And talk about career envy! Michele has conducted ethnographic research in field sites such as Italy, Jamaica, Poland, India, Japan, Sénégal and The Gambia, West Africa as well as New York City, New Orleans, Winnipeg, Toronto, Victoria, Paris and Monréal to name a few locales. Her most significant ethnographic field sites are Guinée, West Africa and Cuba. Her professional training has her seek out many experiences including swing, salsa, house dance as well as educational and current training practices to enhance her studio practice. Her research mostly takes the form of creation projects but also includes textual projects, recently co-authoring chapters, with Dr. Jill Crosby, on the history of jazz in a Feb 2014 publication from the University Press of Florida called Jazz Dance: Roots and Branches. She greatly enjoys her U of C teaching assignments and finds the studio a vibrant place to be.

The question asked was "What has surprised you most about Adulthood?". Lauren shares and reflects on navigating this dance career while we all find our feet as Adults! 

Luis Javier Fuentes is a small, but oh so mighty Ballet boy who is spreading his love of the Ballet Lifestyle across the world! What do you do when you don’t fit the Ballet mold ? What did sacrifice look like him and the young Cuban boys?    Luis shares how his reaching approach has changed the lives of dancers in South Africa, Cuba and across North America! 

Anthony Morigerato is a Tap Dancer, Director, Emmy nominated Choreographer and the Founder of “Operation Tap”. We break down MAJOR topics, like Improv and it’s true technique, what every dancer and performer needs in order to achieve a FANTASTIC performance, how dancer’s should train to give themselves an edge, and what he sees as a fellow choreographer and adjudicator. His knowledge is deep, his experience is incomparable, and his observations are profound.

More on Anthony:

ANTHONY IS ALSO THE PRODUCER OF AM DANCE PRODUCTIONS WHICH HAS PRODUCED LIVE THEATRICAL PERFORMANCES AND FILM IN NYC SINCE 2006. AS A PERFORMER ANTHONY WAS A SOLOIST AND MEMBER OF MICHAEL MINERY’S TAPAHOLICS (2002-2012), THE LEAD TAP DANCER AND CHOREOGRAPHER FOR THE MUSICAL GROUP MATT AND ANTHONY (2009-2012), A SOLOIST AND ASSOCIATE CHOREOGRAPHER FOR STACEY TOOKEY’S STILL MOTION (2012-PRESENT), AND A GUEST ARTIST FOR VARIOUS FESTIVALS, BENEFITS, INDUSTRIALS, SEMINARS, AND PERFORMANCES SINCE 1999. ANTHONY HAS APPEARED AS A CHOREOGRAPHER AND OR A PERFORMER ON SEVERAL TELEVISION SHOWS INCLUDING AMERICA’S GOT TALENT, THE ARSENIO HALL SHOW, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, AND THE TONY DANZA SHOW.

What are the cruise ship show really like? Are there weigh-ins? How do you stand out in an audition? Does social media matter? We cover ALL of this and much more with Casting Specialist, Stephaine Jansen.

Ray Leeper is one of the most sought after teachers and choreographers in North America. Ray shares how the true realities of breaking into the business, his hardships transitioning into the professional world, how he had to deal with comparison (especially through the SYTYCD process) and how he creates his NUVO faculty and experience!

Ray's credits include working with numerous recording artists that encompass such names as: Elton John, Cher, Jamie Lynn Sigler, Geri Haliwell, Mai Karaki, Kelly Levesque, Queen Latifah, and Jihae. Ray also has a vast collection of commercial credits; to name a few: Pepsi, Sierra Mist, Hyundai, Saks, Levis, Northwest Airlines, Timberland, Planet Hollywood, Vision Street Ware and Pioneer Electronics. His work can be seen recurrently on television shows such as: All My Children, One Life to Live, Big Bang Theory, X-Factor UK, America?s Got Talent and season 8 of So You Think You Can Dance.

Ray has recently choreographed the Off-Broadway show Mental - the Musical and also other notable Off-Broadway shows, Inappropriate and Night Life. His movie credits include the VH1 movie They Shoot Divas, Don't They, starring Jennifer Beals and the short film This Island.

He has also been awarded the esteemed "Best Choreography Award" for his work on "Common Grounds" in the New York Musical Theater Festival and the prestigious "Gold Leo Award" for Excellence in Choreography" at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. All of these experiences have given Ray a very broad breadth of knowledge in not only dance and choreography, but also in the intricacies and nuances of being a successful, working professional in "the Business", thus allowing him to draw upon and share this comprehension through his provoking, stimulating, and inspirational teaching style and classes.

Lauren shares her insights on the twists and turns of life and a helpful exercise to ease the way.

When Oprah herself tells you to do something - you listen! Well, Jonathan Givens did.  From Performer to Technical Director to Set Designer and now Photographer - Jonathan has worked on films & shows like Rock Of Ages, Iron Man 3, The Oprah Winfrey Show and countless stage productions. Jonathan shares his biggest lesson learned from career-ending injuries, the truth about world class Talent and Technical crews, and how Dance photography inspired Dance Across the USA - an adventure that took Jonathan into every US state to capture the beauty of diversity, dance and nature. 

What do you do when you feel like you don't fit the norms? Or you lose your dance mojo? Once a contemporary dancer, now a fitness & Belly Dance Entrepreneur, Oreet shares her dance story and how she took her differences and made them a successful career. She has been featured on NBC, ABC, CBS and CNN - sharing her love of dance and words of wisdom to the world!

Brad & Felicia Taylor are the Presidents of Dance Makers, Inc. a dance convention dedicated to using dance as a medium for self-exploration and love. They witness thousands of dancers and dance teachers every year - so we dig into what they notice about the community, what could elevate the dancers to an even higher level of themselves, the magical, most powerful piece of success and what they wish EVERY dance teacher knew.

Originally from Toronto, Anisa Tejpar is a graduate of Canada’s National Ballet School. She is now Co-Artistic Director of the dance entertainment firm Hit & Run Dance Productions for which she has choreographed works for The Rolling Stones, Ferrero Rocher, Telus, Warner Bros., Fashion Cares, M.A.C. Cosmetics, CTV, PUMA, Mobilicity, the Toronto International Film Festival, and the Golden Globe winning feature film Barney’s Version. She is also the pilot choreographer of Steven Spielberg’s “Minority Report”.

Justin Stadnyk has performed in major Musical Theatre productions like Kinky Boots & The Boys in the Photograph, as well as used his talents and entrepreneurial spirit to build Just Music - an editing company dedicated building a Choreographers vision. We talk about the benefits of a side hustle, the worst part about Broadway auditions, and the magical piece that will make audition experiences successful.  

Holding an University Dance degree and a Master is Physiotherapy, Dani West shares loads of resources, techniques and body tricks to train and develop healthy dancers. From cross training to spine structure to giving yourself an edge- Dani has us looking a dancers body and brain in new ways!

You may recognize Harper Watters from his "pink heels" viral vids, but Harper is a demi-soloist at Houston Ballet and the face of The Pre Show on youtube. Harper talks about his early transition out of high school to Houston, the shocks and surprises of becoming a professional Ballet dancer, and how he structures his social media and builds his following.