Breaking the Wall Podcast

We all want to book jobs more easily and efficiently. We also all know those people who seem to always be booked. Instead of waiting hours in a cattle call audition, how can we get to a place where were waking up with job offers in our DMs. This is where direct bookings become the goal. In this episode, Brandon talks about how dancers can get on the path to direct booking. Through many small, cons...

Whenever we see dancers doing the things that we want to be doing, many times it is because they built the project, tour, event, or show themselves.  In the "Build it Yourself" series, I share my own projects and how I built the first iterations of them. I hope these episodes bring some clarity to the potential every dancer holds to build a career they love. In this episode, Brandon talk...

Asking for money only gets easier with practice but for many dancers, they struggle to justify rate increases even if they know they aren't being paid enough. The world is constantly changing the worth of a dollar and the artists need their price tag to match the value of their work the changing landscape around them. In this episode, Brandon outlines four times when dancers, teachers, and ch...

Any professional dancer who can practice resiliency is bound for a great career. Because our industry is riddled with problems and bouts of failure, it's important that dancers are able to navigate that terrain in a healthy way. In this episode, Brandon talks about the importance of resilience and how to become more resilient. More times than not, this industry is about staying in it the long...

I work with two types of dancers: 1) The dancer thats knows what they want and we're striving for a specific goal 2) The dancer who that doesn't have a clear idea of what they want and might subconsciously  be putting their dance career on the back burner. There's nothing wrong with not knowing what you want, BUT we need to know that a dance career doesn't "just happen.&qu...

As dancers, many of us grow up in a discipline that teaches us to be seen in not heard. But for many dancers, they find themselves in professional environments that ask them to give input and collaborate with a choreographer. When we are in these situations, we need to know when and feel confident about the ideas we're presenting to a choreographer or director. In this episode, Brandon talks...

In the contemporary world, collaboration is a daily practice. If we can hone our skills as a collaborator, we will prove to be more valuable in creation process and also get a head start on our own choreographic or teaching journeys.  In this episode, Brandon kicks off the "Collaboration Series" by talking about manipulating phrases. How do we take information or movement provided by a c...

When we find ourselves in the real world after college it can feel like a challenge to find our place in a new city. We crave connection and community but don't know where to find it or where we fit in. In this episode, Brandon talks about the ways he found community when he moved to NYC and the obstacles he felt were in his way.  He offers ideas in how you can create better connections with...

I sometimes forget what the college work load was like, but when I think back to it, I remember how dense the schedule and workload actually was. Between school work, technique classes, rehearsals, and trying to my #LifeLongFriends, I remember feeling overwhelmed at times. However, I also feel like there was great value to what that experience brought me. In this episode, Brandon talks about the v...

Imposter Syndrome can feel like you're in the wrong room or will be found out as a fraud. This idea is common in our community and can stem from the idea that dancers have to pay their dues in order to earn a place in a respectable show, company, or class. The truth is, we have to believe we belong and that may require a little faking at first. In this episode, Brandon breaks down a real life...

It's really hard for dancers to know when to move on. It's also a challenge for them to have the courage to make a big change after working so hard to achieve a life long dream. Most of the time, the picture we build in our head isnt the reality when we book the job. This is when we have to get honest and take action that is going to be the most beneficial to our physical, emotional, and...

We're in an industry where paid opportunities are few and far between. When it comes to solidifying one of these opportunities (teaching jobs/choreographic commissions) for ourselves, we need to be able to clearly show how capable we are to do these jobs. In this episode, Brandon talks about why it's so important to document your work and why you need to start NOW. Clear video footage, b...

You ever get that nervous butterfly feeling when you’re stepping outside of your comfort zone? It’s that kind of energy I’m constantly looking for. I want to engage in activities that make my armpits sweat… at least a little bit. In this episode, Brandon talk about why it’s important we challenge our nervous systems and step out of our comfort zones regularly. With summer approaching it’s importan...

Through this podcast, I hope to share new ideas and shifts so that you can incorporate your many different interests in your dance career. In my conversation with director, producer, choreographer and environmental activist, Kelly Ashton Todd, we dive into we can continue to create work that reflects what we care about most. About Kelly: Kelly Ashton Todd is a performing artist, filmmaker, and env...

I see it time and time again. When I go to a show and open my program the longest dancer bios will be from the youngest dancers. I think we feel pressure early on to match the caliber of artist that we share the stage with, but in fact, those dancers will end up having the shortest bios. In this episode, Brandon talks about how to write your first bios and the value of keeping them short and sweet...

When we start our careers, we have a desire to have all the things to make us look more professional. The best websites, 150 business cards,  a email footer/signature. In reality, these things generally take away from what we can do to move our career forward. In this episode, Brandon reflects on the mistakes he made when he was first starting his career and talks about the ONLY four things you ne...

Remember that adrenaline rush you got in auditions for jobs you really wanted? That's the energy that is probably missing from your self tapes. This form of auditioning isnt going away anytime soon so it is important for dancers to learn how to separate themselves from the 1,000 other self tapes landing in casting directors inbox's.  In this episode, Brandon breaks down four ways to rais...

As a coach/mentor, I have to bight my tongue sometimes when dancers tell me their career goals. After being around the block for a few years now, I've experienced my fair share of toxic work environments. I'm here to provide tool, insight, and resources to help these dancer's navigate their careers but I never want to tell them what they should or shouldn't do with their career...

Dancer's are generally pretty familiar with in-studio coaching. They are use to honing their technique and artistic voice in the studio but when it comes to creating and navigating a career in dance, they can feel lost, unsure, and frustrated with the process. This is where career coaching comes in. In this episode, Brandon talks about why dancers today need a coach more than ever. With the e...

Sometimes I talk to dancers who feel like they need to move to a big city in order to have a fulfilling career. However, if there is anything this pandemic has taught us, it's that dance can happen anywhere. In this episode, Brandon makes an argument for NOT moving to the big city and investing in smaller communities. When considering your own values, does a life in NYC, LA, or Chicago really...

When we think of networking, we sometimes think that it's about how it happens in "the real world." We don't always realize that the networking we need and can utilize right away has been happening for years. In this episode, Brandon talks about networking and why your current relationships matter more than the ones you think you need. It's important that we invest in new...

Breaking the Wall Podcast is 1 year old! Thank you to everyone who has joined me for any part of this wild ride. As dancers, we only have so much time and energy in a day. We want to take class, go to rehearsal, post on IG, write grants, meal prep, connect with our loved one, and it can be completely exhausting. In this episode, Brandon gives his tips on how to create a more sustainable schedule a...

In part 2 of my interview with Jen Passios, we dive into all things grant writing. We talk about why ways we can improve our writing skills, the materials we can gather before hand, and how we can use grant writing to better define who we are as artists. About Jen Passisos Jen Passios is an artist-athlete, wordsmith, and dance educator committed to building agency through improvisation.  She has s...

In part one of my interview with "nomadic artist-athlete and educator" Jen Passios, we dive into her life as a professional dancer, creator, and grant writer. Throughout our conversation, we talked about  taking advantage of happenstance and the importance of defining your boundaries and values around your career wants/needs. About Jen Passisos Jen Passios is an artist-athlete, wordsmith...

I'm not a big resolutions person BUT I think it's important to have big dreams and take important action towards those dreams. Every pre-pro and professional dancer has a variety of ways to get to where they want to be but if we do what everyone else is doing, how are we going to get to the place  we want to be specifically? In this episode, Brandon outlines three major action steps that...