Leta's Tap Styles (And My Autistic Life)

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of 'Leta's Tap Styles', Leta and Amanda delve into their personal experiences with autism, focusing on how it defines their identity. They discuss how well-meaning people will often ignore that someone is autistic, using the phrase “I don’t see autism.” They discuss the misconceptions surrounding acceptance (especially when it comes to claiming accep...

Send us Fan Mail Dr Kristen Williamson returns to the podcast for a discussion on advocating for neurodiversity within the military, focusing on the challenges and strategies for supporting neurodivergent children and their families. We discuss the stress levels experienced by parents of neurodivergent children, managing PCS moves, and the importance of understanding the specific needs and rights...

Send us Fan Mail This week features Leta discussing her latest video and photo shoot, and how autism does or does not affect her ability to handle shoots. Leta also discusses her experiences dancing and interacting with animals. The conversation covers various subjects including filming for her tap dance career, how she manages sensory issues, and why she isn’t afraid of doing improv. Leta also sh...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Leta’s Tap Styles, guest Rebecca Engle, a special education teacher, ten-time author, and six-time poet, shares her experiences growing up nonverbal, her journey to becoming verbal, and her work in special education. Rebecca uses her own experiences using IEPs and 504s as a student to explain the importance of both IEPs and 504s. We discuss Rebecca’s experiences...

Send us Fan Mail This conversation explores the differences between Gen Z and Gen Alpha, particularly in the context of their experiences during the COVID pandemic. It highlights the impact of online learning and therapy on childhood development, communication styles, and the cultural references that shape their identities. The discussion also touches on the challenges faced by Gen Alpha in terms...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, host Leta and her mom welcome guest Kerie Logan, a therapist, empowerment specialist, podcast host, and parent of an autistic child with PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance). They delve into topics such as autism, masking, the importance of parental understanding, and how technical difficulties impacted their recording session. Carrie shares personal experiences an...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Leta and her mom discuss the multifaceted nature of their podcast, blending tap dancing and autism awareness. They talk about their nonprofit, Autistic Wings Dance Company, its founding, and the need for fundraising to expand their dance studio to better serve autistic children. They share a heartwarming profile about one of the dance students at Autistic Wings Da...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the 'Tap Styles' podcast, hosts Leta and Amanda welcome Michael. They discuss Michael's autism diagnosis journey, workplace challenges, and the importance of accommodations for autistic individuals. They emphasize the need for understanding and supportive environments, particularly in work and school settings. The conversation critiques traditiona...

Send us Fan Mail In this engaging conversation, Amanda and Leta celebrate the first anniversary of the Autistic Wings Dance Company, reflecting on their journey, challenges faced in traditional dance studios, and the importance of creating an inclusive environment for autistic dancers. They discuss the founding of Autistic Wings Dance Company, the need for fundraising to support growth, and their...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Leta's Tap Styles podcast, Leta and Amanda host guest Mario Wissa, who shares his journey from Cairo, Egypt to the United States, his diverse professional background, and his passion for communication. The discussion delves into the challenges and nuances of communication, and how it is different for each and every individual. Mario takes some time to quest...

Send us Fan Mail In this engaging conversation, Amanda and Leta discuss the intersection of autism and the dance studio. They focus on the importance of true authenticity and the detrimental effects of masking. They explore the challenges faced by autistic dancers in traditional dance environments, the role of teachers in fostering inclusivity, modeling true authenticity to their students, and the...

Send us Fan Mail In this heartwarming and informative episode of 'Leta Tap Styles', hosts Leta and Amanda welcome Dr. Kristen Williamson, a licensed professional counselor with a PhD in Behavioral Health Management. Join them as they discuss living with autism and ADHD and how it affects their every day life. Come along as they share personal stories, the challenges of masking behaviors,...

Send us Fan Mail Join Leta and Amanda on this week’s “Tap Tuesday” where they take a break from serious topics and discuss a little bit of fluff and toss in a breakdown of Chloe Arnold's choreography. You'll get a glimpse of their fun interactions, quirky discussions, and spontaneous moments. They also touch upon special events coming up, like the Hollywood and DC Tap Fests, and Leta’s a...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Leta Tap Styles podcast, guest Dr. Bibi Pirayesh, an educational therapist and adjunct faculty at Pepperdine University, joins us to discuss neurodiversity as a social justice. Especially when it comes to the needs of neurodiverse students in the world of education. Leta shares her personal experience with dance teachers. Dr. Bibi emphasizes the need to see neur...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Leta’s Tap Styles, Leta and Amanda discuss the lifelong impacts of masking on autistic dancers. They discuss how dance studio owners and teachers – while well meaning – often cause harm by not understanding what masking is, how it manifests itself, and the physical and emotional harm masking causes. Even the most “inclusive” space seems to demand that their...

Send us Fan Mail The plan had been to talk to about her program, Thrive, for parents of kids with complex needs. But, when friend of the program, Michelle Choairy, joins the program, scripted questions go out the window. Join us instead as we kind of talk about Thrive, hit upon Michelle's Facebook support group for parents, Wisdom4Complex Kids, and just talk about having kids who aren't...

Send us Fan Mail This week, thirteen years old co-host, Leta, gets a bit personal as she discusses how her dance teachers words left deep wounds. Coming at the discussion from her invisible hip issues, Leta and Amanda discuss how dance teachers never fully understood how Leta's hip works. They talk about how dance teachers inability to fully comprehend the extent of Leta's hip problems h...

Send us Fan Mail This week, we welcome Jennifer Celeste Briggs, author of the new book, "Watching Sarah Rise." Jenny's takes us along on her journey to find the right therapies and support for her daughter, Sarah. With the help of an entire community of volunteers, Jenny and her family took the Son Rise Program and molded into the perfect therapy for Sarah. "Watching Sarah Rise...

Send us Fan Mail Chloe Arnold's Synco;ated Ladies have officially kicked off their 2025 Concert Tour. Join Amanda and Leta as they give their review of the two shows they watched. (Greeley on Feb 1st and Lone Tree on Feb 2nd.) Get your tickets - or let the Ladies know where they shoulg go next - by visiting https://www.syncopatedladies.com Help Chloe and Maud keep tap dance alive for the next...

Send us Fan Mail This week on Leta’s Tap Styles Podcast "Friend's Friday" we welcome Leanne Pritchett. Join us as we share personal anecdotes, insights from years of professional experience, and practical tips for families navigating the complex world of special education, particularly the challenges and intricacies of Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Leanne brings a wealth...

Send us Fan Mail On this week's "Tap Tuesday", Leta and Amanda breakdown the iconic Gene Kelly and Jerry the Mouse duet from "Anchors Away" (1945). Then, Leta and Amanda talk about what tap dancing means to Leta. The conversation transitions into the nonprofit dance studio Leta founded, Autistic Wings Dance Company. They discuss that the fact that Autistic Wings Dance Comp...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of 'Leta's Tap Styles,' Leta and Amanda welcome Rob and Ryan Delana. We chat a bit about everyone's experiences dealing with neurodivergent diagnosises, and discuss what hasn't quite changed about the way we look at people who are different.. Then,  Ryan shares his journey from being a misunderstood child with various diagnoses to becoming...

Send us Fan Mail Tap Tuesday is here again. Join Leta and Amanda as they breakdown Chloe Arnold's "Rise Up" Choreography. Or at least attempt to break it down between laughter and stories about the Syncopated Ladies. Which Sync Ladies video should we breakdown next? Want to see the Syncopated Ladies in person? Their 2025 Concert Tour starts Jan 23rd in Lincoln, Nebraska. Check out t...

Send us Fan Mail Murphy Monroe struggled early in life. His undiagnoised autism made him "different." Not just in the classroom, but in life. He knew he was different. He knew his brain processed things differently. Murphy just didn't know what that difference was. His late (adult) diagnosis didn't necessarily change Murphy's life, but gave him confirmation that he was dif...

Send us Fan Mail Join us this week on an emotional "Friend's Friday" as we host David Chalk. David was kind enough to be an open book, sharing his inspiring journey from struggling with dyslexia and autism, to naviagating an education system that was not created to help complex kids like him thrive, to navigating life without being able to read. (And becoming an airlines pilot at 23...