Dance Dad With John Corella

Rahja Fuller did not luck into the Brandy and Monica Tour. He trained for it, prepared for it, and walked into the audition like he belonged there.

On Dance Dad, host John Corella talks with dancer, singer, actor, and former Pop Money member Rahja Fuller about how to become a professional dancer with focus, humility, and real industry awareness. At just 19, Rahja has already moved from competition dance to major stages.

Learning how to become a professional dancer is not only about being talented. It is about doing the small jobs before the big ones, taking unpaid opportunities when they build real experience, and understanding that relationships matter. Walk in like you belong there. Let your personality show. Stay present in the room. Focus on what makes you stand out instead of worrying about who else might book the job.

This conversation also gives space to a thoughtful discussion about Gen Z, masculinity, and the expectations placed on young men in dance. Rahja speaks openly about ballet, contemporary, hip hop, breakdance, and the way masculinity and male dancers are often talked about from the outside. His take on masculinity is rooted in confidence, discipline, self-respect, and comfort in your own skin.

For young dancers, parents, teachers, and anyone trying to understand what it really takes to build a career in entertainment, this episode offers more than a success story. It is a clear reminder that preparation matters long before the audition starts. Rahja is young, driven, and already thinking like someone who wants to bring people with him. Work hard. Stay ready. Know your history. And when the room opens, dance like you already know why you are there.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Dance Dad with John Corella and Guest Rahja Fuller

02:56 How Rahja Booked the Boy Is Mine Tour Audition at 19

04:08 Why Dance Competition Kids Make Better Professional Dancers

11:52 What Competition Dance Teaches You About Rejection and Resilience

28:26 The Role of a Supportive Dance Dad in a Dancer's Success

41:27 Dance Audition Tips from a 19-Year-Old Who Booked a Major Tour

54:39 Masculinity and Male Dancers in 2026

1:07:27 Why Doing Free Work Is Essential to Building a Dance Career

Connect with Rahja Fuller:

Follow Rahja on Instagram 

Connect with John Corella:

Follow Dance Dad with John Corella on Instagram

Follow John on Instagram

Join Dance Dad with John Corella on Patreon

Visit John Corella’s website

For anyone raising boys who dance, this Mother’s Day episode will hit home fast. In this season 3 premiere episode of Dance Dad, John Corella sits down with his mom Sylvia and his brother Joseph for a conversation that goes far beyond recital memories. It gets into what it really takes to believe in a child before the rest of the world catches up. Sylvia shares what it meant to be a dance mom for two sons in an environment that did not always make room for boys who dance, and why supporting boys in dance can shape far more than talent. It can shape confidence, identity, and the courage to stay true to yourself.

There is a lot here for listeners who want honesty, heart, and a few Dance Mom funny moments too. You get family stories about competitions, Broadway, Star Search, tough feedback, and the kind of humor only siblings and a seasoned dance mom can bring. You also hear how Sylvia’s life experience as a survivor of cancer, stroke, and loss gave her a deeper sense of faith and perspective. That turns this into more than a family tribute. It becomes real inspiration to be kind, stand up for your kids, and keep going through hard seasons. If you care about parenting, resilience, or the lasting impact of believing in boys who dance, this one is worth your time.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Mother’s Day Special With Sylvia Corella and Joseph Corella

05:22 How a Dance Mom Supported Boys Who Dance

16:20 Bullying, Courage, and Supporting Boys in Dance

20:23 Advice for Dance Moms Raising Boys Who Dance

33:08 Cancer, Faith, and Staying Strong Through Hard Seasons

36:42 Broadway, Star Search, and Proud Family Milestones

44:59 What Winning Means in Dance and in Life

53:55 Dance Parent Pressure, Judgment, and Protecting Young Dancers

01:00:21 Betty Boop, Dance Memories, and Funny Family Moments

01:09:13 Bold Choices, Moving Away, and Building a Creative Life

Connect with John Corella:

www.josephcorella.com

Follow Dance Dad with John Corella on Instagram

Follow John on Instagram

Join Dance Dad with John Corella on Patreon

Visit John Corella’s website

Mental performance coaching is changing how athletes and parents think about success in youth sports. In this bonus episode, John Corella and mental performance coach Lisa Mitzel discuss how a healthier youth sports mindset can help young athletes compete with confidence without losing their sense of self. The discussion draws inspiration from Olympic champion Alysa Liu, whose approach to competition highlights the power of present moment performance and emotional awareness.

Lisa explains how mental performance coaching helps athletes stay grounded during pressure moments instead of becoming trapped in results, expectations, or fear of mistakes. Alysa Liu’s journey illustrates how athletes can perform at the highest level when they trust their instincts, respect their bodies, and remain present during competition. Present moment performance allows athletes to stay connected to what they are doing instead of obsessing over scores, placements, or approval from others.

Parents also influence how young athletes experience competition. John and Lisa discuss how family values shape the environment around training and performance. Parents often feel pressure to protect children from disappointment, yet mental performance coaching shows that resilience develops when kids learn to face setbacks with support instead of avoidance. This youth sports mindset encourages patience, accountability, and emotional strength.

The conversation also addresses body image and the messages young athletes receive about their bodies in dance and sports. Through sports parenting advice and real examples from training environments, John and Lisa encourage parents to create conversations that help children appreciate their bodies and build confidence from within.

Mental performance coaching appears throughout the episode as a framework for helping athletes manage pressure, respond to mistakes, and compete with greater awareness. Parents who want a healthier youth sports mindset will hear practical sports parenting advice that supports both performance and well-being.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Introduction to Mental Performance Coaching and Youth Sports Mindset

01:27 Alysa Liu and the Power of Present Moment Performance

04:34 Sports Parenting Advice and Building Strong Family Values

08:57 Shifting From Results to a Healthy Youth Sports Mindset

13:00 Present Moment Performance vs Perfection in Competition

20:03 Mental Performance Coaching and Learning From Failure

29:44 Parents, Pressure, and Accountability in Youth Sports

33:05 Alysa Liu and Joy in Competition

Connect with Lisa Mitzel:

Visit Lisa's website

Connect with John Corella:

Follow Dance Dad with John Corella on Instagram

Follow John on Instagram

Join Dance Dad with John Corella on Patreon

Visit John Corella’s website

Auditions take on a new clarity as John Corella shows how dancers can stay grounded, choose an outfit that supports their presence, rely on their 3 tricks, and move through the journey with steadier confidence.

John talks openly about the pressure dancers feel and the emotional weight parents carry. It raises important questions. What helps someone stay centered in a room full of nerves? How does a dancer build confidence when the result is out of their hands? He explains why courage grows in spaces where dancers can try, fail, and continue without shame. He also breaks down what teachers actually notice, from focus and kindness to an outfit that helps them remember you. His take on improv feels especially helpful. The 3 tricks approach gives dancers something reliable to lean on when the moment feels unpredictable.

Listeners will leave with a clearer sense of the audition journey and the mindset that helps a dancer stay steady through every high and low.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Introduction to Dance and Auditions

03:03 Navigating the Audition Process

05:52 Preparing for Auditions: Tips and Tricks

08:46 The Importance of Presentation and Focus

12:10 Understanding the Audition Environment

15:10 Improv and Showcasing Your Strengths

18:04 Coping with Rejection and Disappointment

20:57 Post-Audition Reflections and Growth

23:50 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

Connect with John Corella:

Follow Dance Dad with John Corella on Instagram

Follow John on Instagram

Join Dance Dad with John Corella on Patreon

Visit John Corella’s website

Yvette Walts opens up about the pressure tied to Dance Moms fame, the panic attacks that surfaced once episodes aired, and the steady purpose that guides her work as a studio owner.

John Corella invites her to revisit the intense reality-TV environment that shaped so much of her early public life, and the conversation turns into an honest look at what happens when you see a version of yourself on screen that doesn’t match who you believe you are. How do you process that kind of shock? What helps you find your footing again? Yvette shares the role her community played as she worked through anxiety and self-forgiveness and she reflects on the difference between reacting in the moment and living with those reactions once millions of people have seen them.

Yvette also brings forward two decades of insight from owning a dance studio and explains how structure, clarity, and genuine care built a space where more than a thousand students feel supported. What does it take to create a place that feels safe for growth? How do you lead with both expectation and compassion? Through stories from AUDC and Dance Moms and through reflections on panic attacks and leadership, this episode shows the resilience required to stay centered in a world that rarely gives you time to catch your breath.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Yvette Walts Joins John Corella

03:08 Behind the Scenes of AUDC

05:48 Reacting Under Stress on Reality TV

07:30 Regret, Self-Forgiveness, and Online Judgment

08:58 Panic Attacks After Seeing Herself on TV

19:47 From Gymnastics to Owning a Dance Studio

25:08 How Dance Moms Impacted Her Business

32:18 How Her Teaching Style Evolved Over Time

48:12 The Systems Behind a 1,100-Student Studio

49:53 Creating a Full Studio Experience

53:25 Advice for Studio Owners on Brand and Culture

01:00:06 Creative Influences and Final Reflections

Connect with Yvette Walts:

Follow Yvette on Instagram

Connect with John Corella:

Follow Dance Dad with John Corella on Instagram

Follow John on Instagram

Join Dance Dad with John Corella on Patreon

Visit John Corella’s website

Fifteen years in Wicked collide with grief, queer joy and the quiet rituals that keep a performer brave eight shows a week.

With part two of the Wicked movie now in theaters, John Corella celebrates the moment by revisiting his conversation with Justin Wirick, a longtime dancer with the Broadway National Tour of Wicked. What begins as a lighthearted holiday replay opens into a layered, intimate look at creativity, identity, resilience and the emotional depth woven into performing the same show thousands of times.

Justin shares how ritual, presence and community have sustained him through the demands of touring life, the pressure of staying fresh onstage and the grief of losing his mother. He reflects on the ways Wicked mirrors the lived experiences of queer performers who spend years learning to celebrate the parts of themselves they once hid. This episode is a reminder that the courage to keep showing up for your art and for your truth is its own form of defying gravity.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Welcome and Wicked Movie Celebration

02:00 Justin Wirick on Nerves and Finding His Voice

05:30 Fifteen Years in Wicked and Touring Life

12:44 How Justin Finally Joined Wicked After Three Offers

17:41 Wicked Choreography: Stage vs Film

23:54 Justin’s Rituals for Calming Nerves Before Every Show

37:04 Choosing Joy and Staying Fresh After Thousands of Performances

41:08 Performing Through Grief After Losing His Mom

41:25 Why Wicked Resonates With LGBTQ+ Audiences

54:32 Staying Kind and Grounded in a Tough Industry

01:04:15 Dance Lightning Round and Where to Follow Justin

Connect with Justin Wirick:

Follow Justin on Instagram

Connect with John Corella:

Follow Dance Dad with John Corella on Instagram

Follow John on Instagram

Join Dance Dad with John Corella on Patreon

Visit John Corella’s website

Charm Spencer opens up about tour life - the late nights, the travel, and the mindset that keeps him grounded while performing on The Boy Is Mine Tour with Brandy and Monica. In this episode, he joins John Corella to talk about learning to move between masculine and feminine energy onstage and how that balance shapes both his artistry and his identity.

He reflects on rejection, growth, and humility with a kind of honesty that pulls you in. How do you stay true to yourself when every role asks for something different? How do you keep your confidence in an industry built on constant change?

Charm’s story connects discipline with self-acceptance and reminds dancers that authenticity is its own kind of power. And for anyone who grew up watching Dance Moms, he shows how those early lessons in adaptability and storytelling still echo through every performance today.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Behind the Scenes of The Boy Is Mine Tour

06:00 Charm Spencer’s Journey to Becoming a Professional Dancer

09:03 Balancing Masculine and Feminine Energy in Dance

11:57 Breakthrough Auditions and Career Lessons

15:05 A Real Look at Tour Life

47:59 Handling Criticism and Protecting Your Energy

49:47 What Touring Dancers Teach Each Other

54:08 Dance Moms and Early Influences

Connect with Charm Spencer:

Follow Charm on Instagram 

Connect with John Corella:

Follow Dance Dad with John Corella on Instagram

Follow John on Instagram

Join Dance Dad with John Corella on Patreon

Visit John Corella’s website

When former Olympian Melissa Marlowe talks about the 1988 Olympic controversy and the bronze medal being taken away, she doesn’t just revisit a headline; she relives what it felt like to stand on the edge of history and have it quietly rewritten overnight. How does someone keep competing after that? What carries an athlete through when the spotlight fades but the memory doesn’t? 

As she joins John Corella in this episode, Melissa reflects on the discipline, artistry, and strength that defined her career, from the power in her legs and feet to the mindset that helped her face pressure and perfectionism. She shares how her coaches’ mix of kindness and toughness shaped her longevity in a sport built on precision and risk, and how she’s come to measure success in ways that last longer than medals.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Welcome to Dance Dad and Guest Intro

01:47 Early Ballet Roots and Natural Flexibility

05:05 Signature Lines: The Power of Legs and Feet

06:35 Beating Nerves with Sports Psychology

21:39 The Reality of Olympic Pressure: Was It Worth It

23:40 1988 Olympic Controversy: Bronze Medal Being Taken Away

45:22 Competing in the Cold War: USA vs USSR

51:09 Hard but Kind Coaching and Athlete Longevity

59:12 Scholarships, Overtraining, and Choosing Longevity

01:00:42 Life After the Olympics: Movement, Motherhood, Meaning

Connect with Melissa Marlowe:

Connect with Melissa on Instagram

Connect with John Corella:

Follow Dance Dad with John Corella on Instagram

Follow John on Instagram

Join Dance Dad with John Corella on Patreon

Visit John Corella’s website

What does it take to hit 10 turns with confidence? For Lynnrae Hiers Serra, it comes down to repetition, mechanics, and belief - the same mix that’s helped dancers of every level find their balance and push past limits.

John Corella talks with Lynnrae, known to many as “The Turn Coach,” about how her journey started at the JPD dance studio under her mentor Terry Schulke and how that experience shaped her lifelong fascination with precision and progress. She explains why mastering turns isn’t about perfection but about patience, consistency, and learning how your body works. What happens when a dancer stops chasing technique and starts trusting the process instead?

Lynnrae also shares tips for teachers and parents who want to help dancers grow without pressure, along with the story behind TurnCoach Enterprises and her mission to make effective turn training accessible to anyone. This episode looks at the intersection of art, discipline, and belief, and how small shifts in mindset can lead to those moments when everything clicks and the turns finally stick.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Welcome to Dance Dad and Episode Focus on Turns

01:10 Meet The Turn Coach and Motto “I Can Make Anybody Turn”

04:15 JPD Dance Studio Roots and Mentor Terry Schulke

06:25 The Turn Coach Method Progression and 10 Turns System

11:55 Challenging Tradition: Why Mechanics Come Before Perfection

13:59 What Actually Makes You Turn: Practical Mechanics That Work

19:50 TurnCoach Enterprises: Scaling a 700 Person Waitlist

26:40 Most Common Mistake: Fix Your Prep to Unlock More Rotations

33:20 Every Body Can Turn: Mindset, Confidence, and Inclusive Coaching

44:50 Healthy Body Image in Dance: Language Teachers Should Avoid

Connect with Lynnrae Hiers Serra:

Visit The Turn Coach Website

Follow Lynnrae on Instagram

Connect with John Corella:

Follow Dance Dad with John Corella on Instagram

Follow John on Instagram

Join Dance Dad with John Corella on Patreon

Visit John Corella’s website

Amanda LaCount proves that plus size dancers belong center stage, sharing how her journey, her advocacy, and the support of Dance Mom Jill are reshaping the dance community. 

A professional dancer who has performed with Lady Gaga, Rihanna, JLo, and Katy Perry, Amanda joins John Corella to challenge the stereotypes that have long defined the industry. She reveals how media-driven beauty standards create barriers, why she is determined to advocate for greater inclusivity, and how she built the confidence to push back against an environment that often resists change. 

Amanda credits much of her boldness to Dance Mom Jill’s unwavering advocacy and explains why having someone in your corner can make all the difference. From speaking openly about rejection and resilience to highlighting the responsibility of representation, Amanda shows how dancers of every body type can thrive when they are given safe, supportive spaces to express their art.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Introduction to Amanda LaCount on Dance Dad

07:43 Every Body Is a Dancer’s Body: Breaking Stereotypes

11:32 Finding Boldness Through Dance Mom Jill’s Advocacy

24:32 Growing Up Plus Size in Dance Competitions

30:42 How Studios and Conventions Can Support Plus Size Dancers

42:03 Performing in Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty Show

45:33 Lessons From Working With Lady Gaga and Katy Perry

47:37 Teaching Dance and Creating Inclusive Spaces

56:23 Inclusivity vs. Stereotypes in Casting

01:00:27 Being the Role Model Amanda Never Had

Connect with Amanda LaCount:

Follow Amanda on Instagram

Visit Amanda’s website

Connect with John Corella:

Follow Dance Dad with John Corella on Instagram

Follow John on Instagram

Join Dance Dad with John Corella on Patreon

Visit John Corella’s website