Essence Embodied by Tyne Stecklein

Welcome to Episode 20 and the Season 1 finale of Essence Embodied . Today I'm sharing a story from my entertainment career that still makes me laugh—and cringe—a little. After putting myself on tape for a television pilot that felt perfectly aligned with my real-life experience as a new mom, I received an email from my agent saying they no longer wanted to represent me. Here's the twist:...

A single moment can reroute a whole life if we’re willing to notice it. This week, I’m joined by Jenny Robinson Clark, a former professional dancer and actress turned children’s book author, to talk about what happens when the path you thought you’d live starts to change and how that shift can become the most meaningful work you’ve ever done. Jenny shares her journey from pursuing a career in ente...

Meditation has been one of the most powerful tools in my life. It's helped me navigate stress, pressure, motherhood, and uncertainty, and it's something I often wish I had discovered a decade earlier during my performance career. In this episode, I share how meditation transformed my relationship with stress, anxiety, and overwhelm. I used to think meditation was about clearing my mind....

Perfectionism can look like ambition, but more often it feels like pressure. It pulls us out of the present moment, disconnects us from ourselves, and convinces us that who we are right now isn't quite enough. In this episode, I'm sharing my own journey with perfectionism as an actress, performer, and mother. We'll talk about how the pursuit of getting everything "right" c...

In this episode of Essence Embodied, I’m joined by movement coach Nicole Sciacca for a conversation on embodiment, self-trust, healing, and finding joy through life’s hardest seasons. With over 25 years of experience in dance, yoga, mobility, and strength training, Nicole shares how a severe spine injury forced her to rebuild not only her body, but her identity. We talk about nervous system regula...

In this episode, I’m joined by Jaimie Goodwin — professional dancer, mentor, movement coach, and So You Think You Can Dance alum — for a conversation about dance, mindset, injury recovery, authenticity, teaching and navigating the realities of a creative life. Jaimie shares her journey from competitive dance to major opportunities in the entertainment industry, including the audition story that ch...

A Broadway contract. A dream opportunity. And a quiet inner knowing that said… not now. In this episode of Essence Embodied by Tyne Stecklein, I share one of the most personal decisions of my career: turning down a role in The Cher Show on Broadway and choosing a completely different dream instead — motherhood. After dancing for Cher at Caesars Palace, on tour, and even in Burlesque, I got the cha...

In this episode, we talk about giving yourself permission to pursue your dreams, trust your ideas, and stop waiting for external validation to begin. Your voice has value, your movement has value, and your story matters. I open up about the fears creatives face: rejection, self-doubt, comparison, and the inner voice asking, “Who do you think you are?” I share how I learned to move that voice aside...

In this episode, I sit down with actress and friend Mekia Cox to talk about building a career in the entertainment industry—and navigating the highs, lows, and many emotions of a creative life. Mekia and I met backup dancing for Michael Jackson, and she has since gone on to have an incredible career!  We discuss her character Nyla Harper on The Rookie , and talk about the audition process as well...

In this episode, I reflect on my time dancing for Michael Jackson—a dream I never could have imagined, and the heartbreak that followed. What stayed with me most wasn’t just the opportunity, but the energy in the room: support, joy, and generosity, even in a space where competition could have taken over. It was a reflection of who Michael was and how he led. I share one of my favorite memories—a f...

In this episode, I’m sharing my true story of booking the biggest credit on my resume, backup dancing for Michael Jackson.   This booking taught me that when you’re aligned with your authentic self, you stop negotiating your worth and start bringing a presence people can’t ignore.  I'll talk through my experience auditioning for MJ, why I believe I booked the job, and why the right opportunit...

A lot of creative careers look linear from the outside. Jennifer Hamilton’s story is way more useful: learn fast, earn trust, pivot when the path stops fitting, and keep your heart in the work. Jennifer is an Emmy-nominated choreographer (Apple TV+’s Physical) with decades in film and television, and she joins me for an honest conversation about what actually builds longevity in dance and entertai...

I told my son not to look at a solar eclipse… then I did it myself—and spiraled into anxiety, convinced I was going blind. What followed wasn’t an eye issue, but a powerful reminder of how quickly our thoughts can take over our body and shape our reality. In this episode, I share the simple morning routine that’s helped me create more energy, joy, and patience in my real life with three young kids...

Fear has a way of shrinking our world until we can’t think straight, and that’s exactly why I wanted to share this conversation with Dr. Mark Holmes. We recorded it at the beginning of the pandemic, but the wisdom lands just as powerfully now: stress and anxiety aren’t only “in your head” they shape your body, your choices, and your immune system through what you repeatedly hold in your awareness....

Many talented performers never build sustainable careers — not because they lack talent, but because they lack the tools to navigate the entertainment industry while protecting their self-worth. Today on Essence Embodied, I sit down with my dear friend Rachael Markarian — working actor, dancer, teacher, and author of The Dancer’s Edge — to talk about what it really takes to build a long-term caree...

I was dancing for Cher in Las Vegas at 19 years old—living the dream I had worked my whole life for. But behind the scenes, I felt deeply alone. In this episode of Essence Embodied , I share a personal story from the early days of my dance career when I booked a dream job performing with Cher in Las Vegas . The choreography was everything I had trained for as a professional dancer—but offstage, I...

What happens when your dream job disappears overnight? In this first episode of Essence Embodied , I share the story of moving to Los Angeles at 17 to pursue a professional dance career—landing my first world tour and being fired on day two. What felt like rejection and failure ultimately redirected me toward dancing on the High School Musical tour directed by Kenny Ortega and a career more aligne...

I was hired for my first professional dance job—and fired the next day. In this episode of Essence Embodied , I share how that painful moment of rejection in Los Angeles became the beginning of something far more meaningful. A story about setbacks, unexpected turns, a surprise love story, and learning to trust the path unfolding in front of you.  This episode explores rejection, resilience, career...

In this episode, I share a vulnerable moment from an early acting job when someone on set crossed a line and tested my boundaries. I said I was married and stood my ground—but later realized there were even stronger ways I could have owned my worth in that moment. We explore confidence, self-respect, and how to stay rooted in who you are when a room tries to make you doubt it. If you’ve ever quest...

What if your hardest year became the one you’re most proud of? I open up about evacuating our home with a three‑week‑old, navigating grief, managing injury in the family, and facing a quiet season in a two‑decade performance career—then show how a few daily choices turned chaos into clarity. The heart of this episode centers on redefining success in a way that’s resilient and human. Rather than ch...

Welcome to Essence Embodied by Tyne Stecklein, a podcast inspired to help you own your authenticity and ground into your self- worth, so that you can create your dream life.  I'm your host, I'm a professional dancer, actress, artist, motivational speaker, master dance teacher, and mama of three. For the last twenty years, I've been in the entertainment industry, dancing for some of...