The Dance Talks Podcast

Angelica Zuenko had her eyes set on a professional ballet career from a young age. When she moved away from her parents and was put into a highly competitive, professional program, Angelica encountered some setbacks that ultimately led to her putting her career on hold. Tune in to find out how she overcame her setbacks and what this young, talented performer has her eyes set on now. ✨ About Our G...

Author, Director and Podcaster, Anna Harsh joins DanceTalks to enlighten us on her passion in life, Italian cultural dance! Anna has travelled across Italy as well as the United States sharing her passion and doing extensive research on the art form. Anna's company, Allegro Dance Company, has travelled to perform at fesitvals and events across North America in the hopes of sharing Italian cult...

Louis DeFelice joins Al to talk all things ballet. From where Louis started to how he got to be an audio technician to a Yale graduate to ultimately a professional ballet dancer and entrepreneur. Louis gives some insights into the ballet world and why it has him hooked. From its rich history to its athletic challenges, Louis never fails to find ways to keep the art form interesting and engaging fo...

Longtime DanceBUG Channel friend, Shawn Byfield is back and he did not come to play. Shawn and Al dive deep into the competitive dance world. They discuss what changes they would like to see and how the competitive scene needs to adapt to current times. Shawn also promotes his new book, You Came To Slay" and provides a few 5 essential skills that every dancer needs to be able to slay this dan...

Is it possible to go back to something that you were once great at? After dancing with Paula Abdul and the Joffrey Ballet, Miller decided to quit dance altogether. Now, 25 years later, he is documenting his journey back into the dance world. Join us as we dive in deep with Miller about his stacked resume, his docuseries, Back to Great and ultimately, his return to dance. ✨ About Our Guest: Miller...

Al sits down with Self-Published Author, Wendy Coates to discuss the journey of creating her sucessful children's book, Dance Eva Dance. After experiencing rejection in the publishing world, Wendy explains that her determination and belief in her book is what led her to the success she has today. Tune in to hear Wendy explain the process of creating a book, the motivation behind the story and...

Victoria Wells-Smith discusses how she got into the world of theatre from a young age. She sheds light on Terra Bruce Productions which just finished producing Let's Dance the Musical in Canada. Victoria also spills the tea on what's next for Terra Bruce Productions. ✨ About Our Guest: Victoria Wells-Smith Victoria Wells-Smith is a producer, director, choreographer, writer and actor who h...

Dr. Niraj Mehta's outlook on dance and functional movement as an Oncologist is something not to be missed. Dr. Mehta explains how movement and repeating steps, otherwise known as choreography can decrease chances of dementia and increase your quality of life. Niraj, or Raj as his friends call him, is extremely passionate about dance. He explains how he got into movement and dancing and what hi...

Jamie is known for their candid and direct approach when expressing thoughts and opinions about the dance world. They are a refreshingly straightforward voice unafraid to tackle the dance community's most pressing issues. In this interview, Al and Jamie explore a few significant challenges that Jamie believes are currently affecting the dance scene. They also talk a little bit about Jamie'...

Ezra Sosa talks about the struggles he faced growing up as a gay male dancer in Utah, his experience touring with Jojo Siwa and his time on So You think You Can Dance as well as Dancing with the Stars. ✨ About Our Guest: Ezra Sosa Ezra Sosa is a professional dancer originally from Utah where he started dancing at the age of 2. His talents and abilities have landed him titles such as NYCDA Regiona...

Ashley Schofield joins us to talk about her journey as a dancer and the paths that ultimately led her to become a creative and skilled choreographer. ✨ About Our Guest: Ashley Schofield Ashley Schofield is a choreographer and teacher from Toronto, ON. After a successful career on stage as a dancer, Ashley decided to turn to her other passion, choreography. She is the founder and choreographer for...

On this episode Alison Stroming talks about life as a professional dancer, model, and entrepreneur.  She also shares her big aspirations as well as a sneak peek into some of her upcoming projects! ✨ About Our Guest: Alison Stroming Alison Stroming is a professional dancer, model, and entrepreneur. Born in Recife, Brazil, and raised in the heart of New York City, she started her formal ballet trai...

On this episode Andrew 'Pyro' Chung tells the fascinating story that is his life and career journey. He explains how he got the name 'Pyro', he gives us his background in dance (spoiler alert: he is self-taught!) and how dance became such a huge part of his identity. He gives his two cents on why Toronto is not on the radar as a dance hub of the world and he speaks about his new role as a Talent A...

▶️ Watch full episodes FOR FREE on: https://dancebugchannel.com/ On this episode Dr. Chelsea Pierotti joins us to discuss what it means to have a healthy mindset. She touches on what makes dancers unique in comparison to other competitive athletes, she speaks about resilience through emotions and what the difference is between mental health and mental strength. She also talks about how taking an i...

▶️ Watch full episodes FOR FREE on: https://dancebugchannel.com/ In this episode, Marny Florence discusses her start in dance and her progression from dancing on stage, to choreographing for others, and ultimately hosting events! Marny talks about the countless jobs she had just to build her resume and about some of the experiences that have gotten her to where she is today. She is currently livin...

▶️ Watch full episodes FOR FREE on: https://dancebugchannel.com/ In this episode, Conner discusses adaptive dance and accessibility in the dance world. Although dance may look different for some people, there is still joy, passion and fun to be had by all. Conner discusses the Rollettes, an all-female wheelchair dance team and how their choreography has been adapted by both standing and seated dan...

▶️ Watch full episodes FOR FREE on: https://dancebugchannel.com/ In this episode, we learn that despite not starting in the arts as a young kid, Jamie Hodgins has made a name for himself in the dance industry. Jamie opens up about his start in dance, the opportunity that changed his life forever, why it's important to have something to fall back on, and his new business venture - Reel Talent! Jami...

Watch video episodes FOR FREE on: https://dancebugchannel.com/ In this episode, Clarice Ordaz gets real about what it takes to become a professional dancer. She talks all things So You Think You Can Dance, touring with Taylor Swift and being in the iconic opening dance number of La La Land. Clarice shares her take on the competitive dance world and discusses the disconnect between the pressures to...