DANCE +

This (100TH) episode is a peek into my life and mind! Not only am I celebrating 100 episodes with a list of 100 things I am grateful for, I am also celebrating over 100k downloads!  Thank you all for ALL of your love and learning.  Now buckle up and get ready to get to know me better (…for better or for worse). Quicklinks: WTMM IG for contest details! Words That Move Me Shopping List: https://www....

We have a long way to go before we reach TOTAL diversity, equity and inclusion in the ballet industry, but today’s guest is hopeful and full of heart.  Jonathan Batista was born in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, and went on to train at The Royal Ballet School in London, England, before graduating from the English National Ballet School and Trinity College London with a degree in dance. That was the very...

Oh my friend, you are in for a sweet treat today!!!  In this Episode, Alexis “Tilly” Evans-Krueger  brings us backstage at Moulin Rouge on Broadway for a little pre-show dressing room chit chat… but only no, this isn’t a chit chat… it is a deep dive on several big and important topics.  Tilly talks about creating the feeling of freedom daily and her experience with college for dance.  Her journey...

Those that know me/ have been listening to the podcast for awhile, might call me a “Joy Machine”.  My default setting is “SPARKLE”… but my ratio of joy to sadness has been inverted as of late.  I am deeply sad as I am recording this episode, and that is OK.  Stepping into the booth and talking to a microphone was my Minimum Viable Effort and I am so glad I did it, because it turns out, this episod...

Today’s guest means BUSINESS, and she’s been in it for 26 years.  She got a late start (relative to most dancers) but it seems like there’s nothing she hasn’t done: films, tours, TV, TWO Super Bowl halftime shows, and her very own training program Lipstick Diaries. The great thing about Jessica is that it seems she is only getting started. This episode holds so many golden nuggets of business wisd...

This episode is NOT an A-Z glossary of camera and film terminology.  It IS a deep dive into  why “film speak” is important for dancers and choreographers… and also why it is a total set up.  Yes, I’ll demystify a few of the basic terms and technicalities, but I also dish out some of my favorite resources for a deeper dive on jargon, and I zoom in on (sorry, couldn’t help it) a few simple cues you...

“Negotiation” shouldn’t be a scary word.  Advocating for yourself and your values is cool, AND it is part of the job! In this episode, I discuss the role of intimacy coordinators and how much they can teach us about establishing and communicating boundaries in our work (and in our lives).  We practice using the terms Yes, AND” and “No, BUT” to set clear parameters that will help to protect your me...

This episode’s guest is the reason I pursued a professional career in dance,but she isn’t only an inspiration and a hero in MY life, she is a creative leader in the entertainment industry at large.  Nina McNeely’s work is singular… it is dark, it is bright, and so is she.  I can’t wait for you to hear her thoughts about social media and the way it has changed BRAVERY in art.  We also explore the s...

In this Q&A episode I get to tackle questions from listeners that span the spectrum from technical to philosophical.  I share the best advice I’ve ever gotten (from David Frickin Fincher), and I talk about some outstanding gigs!  I tell you about the race and dance history programs/ resources that have been game changers to me, I outline my mental health regimine, AND talk about “that talk” th...

This may be the first time we really dig into the subject of status and power dynamics on the podcast! FUN!!!  In this episode,  insiders and outsiders are under the microscope, and we approach the subject from the position of moving into a new role or industry AND I’ll point out how this power dynamic can shift during the course of ONE audition , or pitch meeting.  I hope that after listening to...

In this episode, I talk about why many creative people feel the need to take on the world by themselves… Then, I hand out all of my favorite ways to do more by NOT doing it alone.  The key is to simplify.  It really is that simple. Not EASY, but SIMPLE.  Quick Links: Wyzant and Lynda.com <- for general Tutoring). I’ll ask obvious but GOOD questions Contest fines or enrollment fees: https://dono...

Reshma Gajjar had to be my first interview back after vocal cord surgery no doubt about it.   In this episode, Reshma and I discuss the importance of humanness in dance and how silence and meditation can help to achieve it.  She also speaks about how stepping away from dance helped her change her definition of success, and how her ethnicity has both helped and hurt her at different times in an eve...

You know me as a dancer/ choreographer, you know me as a talker, but I am ALSO a person who WRITES… in a journal.  You better believe I journaled the crap out of my 10 days of silence that turned into 21 days of silence post vocal cord surgery.  I yielded about 3 pages of stream of consciousness writing every day, and as you can imagine, thos pages turned up a lot of… STUFF.  So, As an exercise fo...

This week’s replay is so special because my guests were SO special. Welcome to the world of Jermaine Spivey and Spenser Theberg where good questions are met with GREAT answers. These humans bring so much thought into their words, movement, and world and I couldn’t be happier that they are a part of my world! Quick Links: Watch Jermaine in Kid Pivots’ Betroffenheit  https://www.marquee.tv/watch/cry...

On our third replay of August, take a listen to Not Booking, AKA not getting what you want. With the world reopening again, this can be a GREAT topic to revisit. What do you do when you’re not booked and blessed? Come explore in this episode the wonderful world of not getting what you want and how the wanting most often does not equal the getting. Show Notes: Donate to the Words That Move Me Commu...

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...