Leta's Tap Styles (And My Autistic Life)

Send us Fan Mail In this lively conversation, Amanda and Leta kick off the new year by reflecting on their holiday experiences and discussing the upcoming season of the podcast. They delve into the world of tap dance, share their excitement for future guests, and explore the representation of tap in film, particularly in the musical Wicked. The duo also touches on the importance of creativity, inc...

Send us Fan Mail Are you old enough to remember watching a guy in a suit filled with question marks talk all about free money? Or rushing to Tattered Cover to buy his latest book filled with government grants and lists of other places that gave away money. Before the rise of the internet search engine, there was Matthew Lesko's infomercials, books, and segments on Oprah. And Amanda geeked out...

Send us Fan Mail Merry Christmas! In today's holiday themed "Leta's Tap Styles", Leta and Amanda discuss Christmas cookies, Santa's upcoming visit, and breakdown one of Leta's favorite pieces of tap choreography of all time; "Ripple" from the movie "Spirited". (Choreographed by Leta's mentor, Chloe Arnold.) What's your favorite piece of C...

Send us Fan Mail This week, Leta welcomes special guests Marlene Sharp and Judy Uttal. Judy, president of the Orange County Asperger's Support Group and founder of Autism in Entertainment, and Marlene, an ally for Autism in Entertainment, discuss their efforts to increase employment opportunities for people on the autism spectrum in the entertainment industry. Judi and Marlene dive into the a...

Send us Fan Mail Join us for a lively chat in this episode of "Leta's Tap Styles Tapped Into Tuesdays," where Leta humorously reflects on her experiences joining "Tapped Into the Holidays, LA" this year by Zoom. Try not to roll on the floor laughing as Leta discusses the challenges of joining master class weekends by Zoom, and in trying to learn Chloe and Maud Arnold Chore...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a 13-year-old tap-dancing prodigy with autism and severe dyslexia takes on live television? Join us for a heartwarming episode as Letashares her experiences dancing on live television for the first time. From navigating the chaos of live TV, to charming audiences with the help of her sleepy dog co-host, Jack Elvis, to discussing coming up with a team to write and...

Send us Fan Mail In the spirit of the holiday season, we turn our Tap Tuesday discussion towards festive choreography. Leta breaks down Chloe and Maud's rendition of "Carol of the Bells", and she recounts the fun of trying to teach her father Chloe's choreography. Join us for a conversation that blends humor, insight, and holiday cheer, as we appreciate the artistry and shared...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Eric Chessen discusses the importance of tailored fitness programs for individuals with autism and neurodivergent conditions. He emphasizes the need for a structured approach to fitness that considers individual goals, capabilities, and the unique challenges faced by this population. The conversation covers various topics, including the significance of core streng...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder what's on co-host Leta's Tap Dancer's Holiday Wish List? Don't worry, she's here to tell you. From shoelaces to dance boards, to everything in between, here's her list of things to buy your favorite tap dancer. We promised you links to all of her favorite things she talked about in the show. (These are not a paid endorsement. Leta just lov...

Send us Fan Mail Spoiler Alert: Contains Discussions About Music from "Wicked: Part 1" Autism, Dance, and 'Wicked': A Heartfelt Discussion In this episode of 'Leta's Tap Styles,' Amanda and 13-year-old Leta discuss their recent experience watching 'Wicked' and delve into how the themes and characters resonate with Leta's experiences as an autistic...

Send us Fan Mail Curious about Autistic Wings Dance Company's innovative Dance Studio IEP? This Tap Tuesday we brought in special guest Gayle Knowles from Autistic Wings Dance Company. We try to explain indepth AWDC's Individual Education Plans (IEPs) for autistic dancers, delving into how these personalized approaches can revolutionize traditional teaching methodologies. Gayle's ex...

Send us Fan Mail April Ratchford, host of "Adulting with Autism," joins us to unpack the often unspoken challenges faced by autistic individuals and their families during pivotal life transitions. Discover her son's personal journey post-high school, where a lack of support systems for autistic adults becomes glaringly evident. As young adults navigate new horizons—be it college, th...

Send us Fan Mail Join us this Tap Tuesday as we discuss how something as simple as shoelaces can be a barrier keeping autistic dancers from excelling in the dance world. Curiosity piqued? Discover the challenges faced by autistic individuals with seemingly simple tasks like tying shoelaces, and how simple, everyday products can make a world of difference. If only the neurotypical world would have...

Send us Fan Mail Imagine unlocking the power of music to transform the lives of neurodivergent individuals. That's exactly what Samantha Foote, a seasoned music therapist with 13 years under her belt, shares with us in this episode. Samantha enlightens us on how music therapy can forge new neural pathways, enhancing communication and motor skills, especially for individuals with autism. Throu...

Send us Fan Mail Imagine creating a dance performance under the warm sun with a snowy backdrop—sounds unconventional, right? This week on Leta's Tap Styles, Leta and Amanda discuss the difficulties in trying to film around the crazy Colorado weather. Choreographer Gayle Knowles brings a fresh perspective with her modern tap interpretation set to Livingston's "Architect," and we...

Send us Fan Mail Moms of complex kids tend to have support groups, and plenty of podcasts and publications aimed at helping them navigate this journey. But what support and help is out there for the dads? Join us as we sit down with John Fela, Ministry Relations Manager at Joni and Friends Chicago, to hear his heartfelt story of navigating fatherhood with a son diagnosed with autism. John's j...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to the first "Tap Tuesday" episode of Leta's Tap Styles. Starting today, we'll be discussing tap dance on Tuesdays. This week, Amanda and Leta discuss one of Leta's signature tap dance combos. They break it down while talking about how Leta's insistance on continuing to go right isn't normal. The normal thing to do is go left as Leta come...

Send us Fan Mail Join us as we discuss how even the most well-meaning inclusive dance program can often overlook the daily challenges faced by autistic dancers. This week we explore fabric and clothing sensitivity issues, and how something as simple as wearing sleeves can be a sensory overload nightmare for dancers on the Spectrum. We go down a few bunny trails while we discuss how physically pain...

Send us Fan Mail Discover the transformative power of dance in language development as we explore innovative strategies with our special guest, Jeaneen Tang, author of "Play Dumb and Sabatoge". Jeaneen shares her expertise on how integrating dance vocabulary gradually and employing multimodal learning approaches can significantly benefit children with autism and speech and language chall...

Send us Fan Mail This week we bring back the amazing mother-daughter duo behind Styles in Motion is Las Cruces, New Mexico. LeeAnn and Courtney Kay stop by to discuss why a professional shoe fitting is important. From making sure your shoe is the right width, to ensuring it has the proper structure to support you, there is so much more than just "does this shoe look good" to consider whe...

Send us Fan Mail How can parents become the ultimate advocates for their children with complex needs? Join us as we uncover the transformative journey of Michelle Choairy, founder of Collective Wisdom for Complex Kids. Michelle shares her heartfelt story and the unique challenges she faced in ensuring her son receives the best care and support. You'll learn the critical role of early interven...

Send us Fan Mail Behind the rhythm of tap shoes lies a complex dance with sensory issues that many of us may not fully understand. We unpack the intricacies of noise sensitivity, which creates a unique relationship with sound for Leta and others like her. Learn how different noises bring comfort or discomfort, and uncover the humor in Leta's adorable interactions with her pets and the distinc...

Send us Fan Mail After last week's rant of an episode, Leta and Amanda lighten things up. Between discussing what Halloween costumes they are handing out, to reminiscing about the Halloween Costumes Leta has worn through the years, this episode is sure to bring a smile to your face. (It even includes a discussion about the very controversial candy corn.) While discussing the many different co...

Send us Fan Mail Can fostering independence in autistic children significantly impact their lifelong success? This week's episode of Leta's Tap Styles uncovers the profound ways dance can support autistic students and help them thrive. We discuss Leta's journey from a non-verbal child to a verbal, tap dancing, teenager who is the founder of a 501(c)3 dance studio for autistic dancer...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when you take someone who feels like a "blobby blobfish" and throw her on stage with the SoleTalk International Youth Tap Company at the DC Tap Fest? Spoiler: you get Leta! Join us on Leta's Tap Style Podcast as we share a vibrant and humorous rundown of the festival's highlights, from the All-Star concert to the SoleTalk video shoot on the Nationa...