DANCE +

On our second replay of the month, take a dive into my 3rd episode with the lovely Emmy nominated and master teacher Chole Arnold. If knowledge is power… this episode is a superhero! I talked to Chloe about the education that didn’t only land her at the top of the industry.. it taught her to elevate her community along with her. If you’re looking for the motivation to take your training to the nex...

This week is the first of our replays for the month of August! Starting out with Episode #5, and it is frighteningly good.  It digs into concepts of FEAR.  The kind that keeps you alive and the other kind that keeps you from LIVING!  Give a listen and cut the ties to fear that are holding you back. Quick Links: The Power Of Vulnerability  – Brené Brown The Call to Courage – Brené Brown Daring Grat...

  I know how easy it is to get caught up in confusion and indecision when it comes time to make those “big career moves”, and sometimes the small ones too!  So, I am finally sharing decision making formula!  In this episode, first we’ll identify how your values factor into your decision making.  Then, we’ll talk about false dichotomies and Zero Sum Thinking. THEN, I’ll give you the outline, a tool...

Listening to this episode is the podcast equivalent of stargazing with someone who loves you… and happens to be thoughtful, technical, experienced, and wildly creative.  This week, my husband Daniel, the CEO and Founder of ViceChief , examines the role of light and darkness in the world of a performer… and a prototyper.  He cracks into “uncertainty” like a pinata and king size brain candy falls ou...

If you know me, then you know I LOVE to talk (hence Podcast ).  From teaching and coaching, to rehearsing and working on sets, my voice is a key part of how I make my living, and it distinguishes me from everyone else… So, you might imagine how I felt when I got the news that I needed surgery to remove a “massive” cyst in my vocal cord.  This episode offers a peek into how I am preparing for my su...

In this episode, Kara Mack (dancer/ choreographer/ movement coach/ producer, founder and CEO of Africa in America) talks about how she builds bridges.  She builds bridges from education to entertainment, entertainment to agitation, and pop culture to the many cultures of the African diaspora. Kara artfully advocates for individual responsibility and the harmony of our society.  If you are looking...

I have been a fan of Karine Plantadit  since I saw her perform at the Tony awards in Come Fly away in 2010 (FYI she was Tony Award and Drama League Award nominated for that role) AND THEN we got to work together on “In The Heights”!  I jumped at the opportunity to have a conversation with her because it isn’t hard to tell that she is as strong in mind as in body.  She is delightful and insightful...

When people watch the In The Heights movie and ask me “How did you guys DO THAT?”… I’ll spare myself the struggle to explain it, and simply send them the link to this episode. I’m thrilled to be joined by the film’s choreographer Christopher Scott , my fellow associate choreographers Ebony Williams and Emilio Dosal, the associate Latin Choreographer: Eddie Torres Jr., and his assistant Princess Se...

Emmy award winning choreographer, Tyce Diorio and I cover A LOT in this episode.  We talk about finding and being friends in a dog eat dog world, we discuss our processes and passion for movement coaching, and of course we talk In The Heights (in theaters and streaming on HBO Max NOW!)  Like so many, I have looked up to Tyce for years, and this episode feels a whole lot like sitting down with my h...

You know how they say “it ain’t gunna happen over night”… and stuff like that?  Well, some things DO happen overnight… but changing your mind and changing your LIFE usually doesn’t.  This episode is all about how you can be making BIG changes in your life gracefully… like a monkey! Quick Links: Self Coaching Model Free Guide from Brooke Castillo and The Life Coach School: https://thelifecoachschoo...

What do Tik Tok, a hydraulic press, and my favorite city in Australia all have in common?  This week’s guest, Smac McCreanor. In this conversation, Smac and I dig into TikTok, commercials, building creative spaces, and living the lives of our dreams, so get ready to giggle, take notes, and maybe even tear up a little bit, because … This woman lives to laugh, she is strategic AND silly, and she kno...

I love boldness, otherness, and a full spectrum of “sexy”… so, in a word, I love Miguel Zarate. In this episode, Miguel and I go from zero to 100 in 1.5 seconds.  We talk pronouns, sexuality, our own artistic identities, and we go IN on what it means to be “sexy” in an industry where sex sells.  So… grab a glass of wine and some ear muffs for the little ones, and ENJOY! Quick Links: Miguel’s Youtu...

There comes a time in a dancer’s life when the questions stop being about “favorite job or favorite dancer” and start being… USEFUL.  In a short time, we covered everything from  handling criticism, to audition mentality, and even a little dive into @intheheightsmovie BIG THANKS to everyone who came to our live Q&A episode (and to those that submitted questions prior) for helping me to make go...

I’ve been taking notes from this woman my whole life, and now, she is sharing answers to questions we’ve all been asking, like:  What is the secret to managing a busy schedule?  How do we OVER-deliver without burning out?  Does dance save lives? Yes, all that, and then some, because my guest this week is all that and more!  Movers and shakers, I am so proud to present,  my sister and my hero, Dr....

I’m celebrating Cinco De Mayo this year by sharing this conversation with the FABULOUS Lily Frias.  Lily is simply sensational and in this episode we cover everything from her style, her process, her history, Mexican history (and what you SHOULD know about Cinco De Mayo), to her take on using dance as self discovery.  I absolutely light up for Lily and I hope you do too!   Truth is, you don’t know...

My long time friend, Erika Mori, joined me on the podcast today!  The conversation bounces between sensitive, smart, and very silly as we walk down memory lane, dig into the importance of technique to access emotion, and discuss the inevitable “professional heartbreaks” that we’ll experience in our work. Quick Links: Life is Strange Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6CkzwVAr0M The Lucid Bo...

I hope this episode reminds you of the brilliance of children… and gets you more in touch with your brilliant inner child!  I have started to look at young people as little Baby Yodas.  Full of potential, wisdom and plenty of life hacks up for grabs!  In this episode I focus on the willingness to play (and walk into every game like a winner), the bounce back (after our losses), and the importance...

This episode is a response to something I have noticed coming up A LOT lately.  I’m calling it FOMAD (Fear of Making a Decision), but you can call it whatever you’d like.  I created this acronym to address the feeling of immobilization that comes along with thinking: “It’s HARD to choose a path when I don’t know exactly where I’m going and I have so many interesting paths ahead of me!”  Let’s unco...

This one is touchy my friends, and I’ve been getting smoke signals from near and far to do a podcast on this topic. FOMO is REAL… but it is not tremendously useful… This episode is full of ways to turn it into something that IS! Quick Links: Register for April 14ths FREE Coaching Call here: https://www.thedanawilson.com/registrationform For more DANA For coaching with me, join the WTMM COMMUNITY ...

What are the biggest mistakes an independent contractor can make? How important is it to file quarterly?  What can you do to get on the same “money page” as your partner? 1099’s… there are so many, what do I do with all of them?  THIS episode is all of your money questions… ANSWERED! Thanks to my very special guest, Julia Grubbs , Dancer, Aerialist, Personal Trainer, and CPA! Quicklinks: Find Juli...

My goal for this episode is NOT to tell you what you should or shouldn’t think about money, or even THAT you should or shouldn’t think about money.  My goal is to  hold a safe place for you to explore, and discuss your RELATIONSHIP with money.  By the end of this episode, you’ll understand your beliefs about money, how (long it takes) to make a billion dollars AND the very significant role your em...

Let’s talk ORGANIZATION! Choreographers and their teams (assistant choreographers, associate choreographers, co-choreographers etc.) along with production assistants are the ONLY category of workers on Film/ TV/ Commercial sets that do not have Union representation.  What does that mean? It means no minimum daily rate, no Health & Pension contributions, no residual structures, no penalties for...

Dancers are unique in many many ways, not least of which is our income.  It comes from MANY different places, at inconsistent intervals, it’s often not taxed… and then there’s the actual numbers!  We might make $17.49/ hour, we might make over $1k per day, we might make $0.00 in a month, we might make $250,000.00 per year. Still interested?  Yea, me too.  In this episode, I break down the rates, t...

    The chapters of the Nika Kljun story read a bit like a fairy tale of a girl who followed her heart, but if you read between the lines it is the story of certainty in uncertain times.  Nika is an example of dreaming big and achieving BIG THINGS.  This episode dips into the strategies behind big moves (geographically and otherwise).  Movers and shakers, (and fellow ambassadors) Please welcome th...

This episode is equal parts education and celebration and 100% of it comes with love.  Guest host Dom Kelley bridges the generational gap with two dance icons, Eartha Robinson and Big Will Simmons. Listen as these three unpack and unfold their history, Black history: past, present, and future.  They say don’t meet your heroes, but if your heroes are Dom, Eartha and Will, we highly recommend you do...