Finding Her Courage

Melanie is a powerhouse performer who is small but mighty and has graced the stage for numerous artists and award shows. She toured twice with Bad Bunny, has danced for the KCA’s Mexico, Coachella mainstage where history was made and is currently on tour with Jay Wheeler. Proudly representing her island, this Puerto Rican mami pursued her education in the States and has not stopped working on her...

Sara brings positivity, authenticity and acceptance to our social media consumption. In a world of unrealistic standards, AI generated edits, posing a certain way to mask insecurities, etc – she shows us how easy it is for people to trick others into thinking they’ve transformed their bodies. Starting with scoliosis and her own body struggles, she turned to fitness in a not so healthy way - but it...

TW: DOMESTIC ABUSE Bri is someone who lights up a room with her energy, her smile and her attitude. A musical theater girl through and through, she has made New York City her home and a place to blossom into who she was meant to be. As an emcee for ID Dance Competition, she is the heart and soul of the weekend and a wicked talent on the mic. Behind the glitz and the glam is a story of triumph that...

If you're a dancer you probably have your eye on Brent Street - Sydney's premiere institution for breeding professional dancers. At the heart of Brent Street is someone who's been through the experience herself. Cassie Bartho is THE choreographer of her generation – and the world is starting to recognize it, too. She’s worked with artists like Katy Perry, Sam Smith, Dua Lipa, Jessie J…...

Like any story of true triumph, there are slow starts, bumps along the road and a true tenacity to see things through that make the journey quite a story to tell. Courtney is organized, loves to plan and has a true knack for storytelling and presenting. With the promise to keep 'courting adventure' wherever she goes, she has upheld that promise having traveled to the most incredible places...

Diagnosed with breast cancer at 33, Anj had to face the unthinkable. Being a young adult cancer patient is somewhat of an oxymoron. While research and progress has been made with treatment there's also a robbing of your young adult years. She found that posting her own story online and finding community has been the ultimate gift in an otherwise dark time. Being your own advocate, listening to...

Lindsay is insanely talented and has carved out her own lane in the world of hair and makeup. At 23 years old, she was approaching graduating from cosmetology school when her world flipped upside down. The car she was in crashed and her airbag didn’t deploy, it’s a miracle she’s able to move her limbs – let alone be alive today. From that fateful day merely five years ago, it is truly astonishing...

It all started on the Amalfi Coast...and now, Perfect Picnic delivers quintessential experiences to New York guests every single day. From an idea in her head to a storefront in Central Park, Wendy worked tirelessly with her young daughter on her hip to create a brand that she is proud of. It's all about slowing down, taking the time to notice your surroundings and the company you keep. THOSE...

TW: Suicidal ideation briefly mentioned around 36 minutes! Juliana encountered some health issues in 2016 that would send her down a never-ending path of questions, lack of diagnoses, scans, not being believed and loss of identity and purpose. It wasn't until she found a therapist that introduced trauma timelines and EMDR therapy where she began to fully process the work it would take to heal...

Rachel grew up in a dance studio that fostered creativity, hard work and a fire inside that has propelled her into this next chapter: Los Angeles. Making that decision to follow her instincts and leave the familiar was a tough one, but one that ultimately she has no regrets for. In the past six months she has learned so much about the industry and how what you go through MATTERS. We talk about the...

I sat down with the lovely Randi Strong to talk about navigating and building a life she could have only dreamt about. From Orem, Utah - dance training was abundant. But what she never saw coming was immersing herself in the world of figure skating and ice dancing. As a movement coach for athletes around the world, Randi has built a reputation and empire. Not knowing anyone to lean on, she slowly...

TW: Eating Disorder and Suicidal Ideation is mentioned We are kicking off Season Three with none other than Gracie Gold – whom you may know from her rise to stardom in the 2014 Olympic cycle – where she became the IT Girl and the piece of the puzzle that America seemed to claim as their ticket back to the podium. No one bothered to stop and ask how she felt about this immense pressure, and no one...

Woman are powerful. They can do anything and everything. But not all at once. Courtney Platt is a huge role model of mine - and she first captured our hearts on SYTYCD S4 where she pushed her limits and lived every day in the moment. During the Season 7 tour as an All-Star, she began to feel things weren't right with her body. Diagnosed with receptive and remitting Multiple Sclerosis - she imm...

Finding a love for books became even more important when Mackenzie was diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome - an incurable disorder that specifically targets an area of the body but can radiate outwards. Even something as simple as rain and wind can knock one with CRPS out the rest of the day. Discovering that reading took the mind off the unimaginable level of pain - Mackenzie began to f...

Ever since she was little, Shannon had energy she had to get out. We discuss her background and the transition from dance & theater to stunts. A spark was lit. (Literally) Not having the experience, she was eager to learn on the spot if given the opportunity. From there, she learned what makes her valuable and continued to push her limits. We go into the training involved for stunts in TV and...

Haley reflects back on her life flipping upside down in the height of the pandemic. A healthy 29 year old who contracted COVID - it was not long after that she found herself hospitalized and then in a coma. For nearly a month, everyone thought that there was a good chance this was it. But she survived. And she's here to tell you the story. We get into the shared interests that brought us toget...

This is Lauren's story. One filled with bravery, strength, thorns and roses. Cystic Fibrosis may be a character in her arc - but she is much more than that. Finding an outlet in dance, Lauren has worked tirelessly towards her craft and fulfilled her goal of SYTYCD (S16). One look at her doing what she loves and it is undeniable. We discuss her journey growing up as a CF'er, writing her mem...

Growing up, Yarelis didn't know how to say no. She oxerextended herself to be everywhere and involved in multiple things with a hustle mentality that simply was not serving her anymore. Looking inward and asking herself the hard questions, she began to re-evaluate how she shows up in this world as well as how she shows love in all of its forms. We examine the shifts that took place, her love f...

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes of her own suffering - Danielle is without a doubt an inspiration to so many. In the way she carries herself, the way her mind works and her genuine energy. Many people know of her through hair and her ability to rock any curly cut for her client. (She's literally the best) We look at how influential her mom has been, her mindset, her newest annoucement (sp...

It may not be easy, but it's worth it. Kalina is a fighter and she is led by a spiritual feeling with everything she does. Whether it is painting, dancing or sharing some other part of her soul - she is not alone in her creating. From working multiple jobs to quitting and now a full time small business owner - she has said yes to the courageous tug at her heart strings. We talk about her proce...

You'll want a pad of paper and a pen for this one. Cierra Lauren is a lot of things. Big Leo energy, a leader, a peacemaker, a protector, an advocate, a voice. In 2020 - if you were on social media - you most likely heard about/saw the shocking IG lives where dancers came forward with their truth about abuse from leaders in the industry. Cierra saw a need for something much greater than her an...

Growing up in Peru, Denisse attended private school and was kept in a 'bubble.' At seventeen, she moved to New York for school, followed by finishing up her undergraduate in Florida. Feeling lost, depressed and back with her parents after eight years...she got a job where she met her now husband. Fighting the 'what am I doing sitting in front of a computer?" for a while, she quit...

At 22 years old, Melissa moved to Orlando. Actively pursuing the performance side of dance - she also continued to teach and choreograph...which she has always felt called to do. Watching her "kids" grow up before her eyes, there is nothing like the mentorship she has with each student. In 2018 she opened Underground Dance Movement - an adult drop in dance studio in the Central Florida a...

West Side Story graced our screens on December 10, 2021. If you have been able to see it - you know the cast did an exceptional job of bringing this story to life. Every movement, every lyric, every nuance - was perfectly executed. Charita - one of the main Shark girls - is played by Tanairi Sade Vazquez. This remarkable woman is proudly representing her island of Puerto Rico with every role she d...

Akashic records reader and yoga instructor Kaitlynn Newton has had several rock bottoms. Learning by trial and error - these rock bottoms really created turning points in her life. We dive into a couple of these as well as some of the things that needed extra attention prior to her spiritual awakening: Learning to absorb allll the truths of yourself. Creating intimacy in a relationship while recog...