DANCE +

By Dana WilsonBusiness Education Arts Performing Arts Careers

DANCE + episodes

November 12, 2025253. Coming Full Circle with Keone Madrid & The Full Circle Boys
This is The Full Circle Boys & Keone Madrid on evolution, trust, and what becomes possible when creative roles shift.
In this episode, The Full Circle Boys and choreographer Keone Madrid discuss their collaboration journey—from DIY beginnings to finding their distinct lanes. We explore:
The sonic vision of a modern American boy band. How their creative sessions revealed a sound and aesthetic that broke from traditional boy band templates.
The power of role clarity and creative trust. How the group transitioned from being hands-on choreographers juggling multiple responsibilities to focusing on music while trusting Keone completely.
Creating beyond algorithms and benchmarks. What it means to navigate engagement metrics and content benchmarks (three seconds, six seconds, fifteen) while staying true to what speaks to you.
Plus, some big laughs and a brand new 8 count!
This conversation reveals what's possible when collaborators find their zones of genius, when trust replaces the need to control everything, and when the work itself becomes more important than perfecting your response to praise.
Watch the full episode here.
Show Notes:
Connect with the Full Circle Boys on IG
Connect with Keone on IG
Watch all the latest FCB Music Videos
Listen to their new EP “Plié”
For more DANA
For coaching with me, join the WTMM COMMUNITY
To donate to WTMM through our Fiscal Sponsor, THE DANCE RESOURCE CENTER
To shop for GOODIES & SERVIES
Watch and Subscribe on YOUTUBE
Stay connected with us on IG and TikTok
1 hr 7 min
November 05, 2025252. WHEN, Not IF Injury Happens: Lessons in Resistance
This is an episode on injury, resistance, and the thoughts that become available after you stop fighting what is.
In this episode, Dana shares her first-ever back injury at 39 and the 4 key lessons that came with it. We explore:
The non-negotiable truth about injury. Why pretending you're not hurt serves no one, no job is worth pushing through real pain, and "if" you'll get injured is actually "when", even if you shop exclusively at Whole Foods and still manage to scrape your knee in Crocs
Separating physical pain from emotional shame. How we compound very real injury-related pain with unnecessary embarrassment, why you're not stupid for thinking you could move the couch without warming up (you're human), and the essential practice of telling people you're healing without kicking yourself while you're down
The egg white layer of resistance. What happens when you actually sit with unwanted thoughts like, "I can't be injured right now" instead of bypassing them, how that paper-thin friction softens into acceptance when you give it airtime, and the thoughts that become available on the other side: "I'm 100% exactly when I need to be, and I can handle what's in front of me with this body, exactly as it is."
This conversation reveals what's possible when we stop resisting our human limitations and start recognizing that our bodies don't always cooperate with our timelines—and that's not a character flaw. Whether you're currently injured, recovering, or inevitably will be someday, Dana's experience offers a framework for meeting pain without adding suffering, and finding agency even when your body has other plans.
Watch the full episode here.
Show Notes:
For more DANA
For coaching with me, join the WTMM COMMUNITY
To donate to WTMM through our Fiscal Sponsor, THE DANCE RESOURCE CENTER
To shop for GOODIES & SERVIES
Watch and Subscribe on YOUTUBE
Stay connected with us on IG and TikTok
26 min
October 08, 2025251. Mel Mah: Dance as Energy, Not Identity
This is Mel Mah on intuition, container-shifting, and letting dance lead you to your voice.
In this episode, Mel Mah, writer, director, producer, former professional dancer, and internationally renowned yoga teacher, shares her journey from dancing for icons like Janet Jackson to directing her first feature film. We explore:
The art of creative incubation. Why Mel treats her work like birthing a child, protecting ideas in their vulnerable early stages, and the deep meditation required to step back from your own material and see it objectively, especially when you're both writer and director
Dance as energy, not identity. How Mel discovered that rhythm, emotional expression, and storytelling don't disappear when you leave the stage, they simply find new containers. Why she never really left dance; it just transitioned with her into teaching, directing, and writing
The unexpected gift of rejection. How not booking tours early in her LA years created space for something else: teaching yoga at Millennium's loft on Sunday mornings to five or six people, discovering her voice, and recognizing a calling that dance alone couldn't fulfill
This conversation reveals what happens when we stop defining ourselves by what we do and start recognizing the essence that flows through everything we do. Whether you're navigating your own transition out of performing, searching for ways to use your voice, or learning to trust divine timing when doors don't open, Mel's journey offers a masterclass in how dancers inherently understand transformation; we just have to trust the choreography.
Watch the full episode here.
Show Notes:
Listen to our Parents Roundtable
Listen to Kat’s episode
Listen to Mimi’s episode
Listen to the Seaweed Sisters Episode
For more DANA
For coaching with me, join the WTMM COMMUNITY
To donate to WTMM through our Fiscal Sponsor, THE DANCE RESOURCE CENTER
To shop for GOODIES & SERVIES
Watch and Subscribe on YOUTUBE
Stay connected with us on IG and TikTok
1 hr
October 02, 2025250. The Business Transition of Monsters of Hip-Hop
This is Andy Funk and Jeremy Keeton on legacy, transition, and the next chapter for Monsters of Hip Hop.
In this episode, Andy Funk, founder of Monsters of Hip Hop, and Jeremy Keeton, founder of Adreneline, sit down to discuss one of dance education's most significant transitions. As Andy passes the torch of his iconic brand to Jeremy, they explore:
The catalysts for major life transitions. How the loss of Andy's father prompted deep reflection on priorities, family, and the desire to explore new challenges beyond what he and his team have built over the years
Intentional legacy planning. Why preserving the integrity, uniqueness, and essence of Monsters of Hip Hop mattered more than any other consideration, and how their relationship through the Dance Educators Collective made Jeremy the natural choice for stewardship
Leading through action in times of change. Jeremy's commitment to honoring the foundation of Monsters, learning from the existing faculty and community, and showing up with actions rather than words as he navigates this responsibility
This conversation reveals what thoughtful leadership transitions look like in the dance industry, rooted in relationships, respect for community, and a shared understanding that some legacies are too important to leave to chance. Whether you're building something you hope will outlast you, considering your next chapter, or learning to steward what others have created, this episode offers a masterclass in how dancers naturally understand the art of transition.
Watch the full episode on YouTube.
Show Notes:
For more DANA
For coaching with me, join the WTMM COMMUNITY
To donate to WTMM through our Fiscal Sponsor, THE DANCE RESOURCE CENTER
To shop for GOODIES & SERVIES
Watch and Subscribe on YOUTUBE
Stay connected with us on IG and TikTok
21 min
September 24, 2025249. Brinn Nicole: Heels and Motherhood as Pathways to Empowerment
This is Brinn Nicole on evolution, authenticity, and redefining success in dance.
In this episode, professional choreographer and Heels dance instructor Brinn Nicole—creator of the Pumpfidence—opens up about the profound shift from industry ambition to inner transformation. Brinn, whose work treats Heels dance as a pathway to emotional development and empowerment, explores:
The evolution of artistic drive—how her focus transitioned from "racking up credits" and booking tours to tapping into her feelings, being a working mom, and witnessing the freedom her work brings to others
Building sustainable creative careers—the strategic pivot that led her to develop teacher training programs and franchise her assistants as Pumpfidence instructors, creating passive income streams that allow artistic freedom while honoring the recovering from labor.
The branding evolution of Heels dance—from the pioneering work of teachers before her creating individual brands to the eventual umbrella term "heels" that unified the genre, and how she navigates positioning her "Pump" style within this landscape
Brinn Nicole represents a new generation of dance educators who prioritize authentic self-expression and sustainable business practices over traditional industry validation. Whether you're questioning conventional definitions of success, building a teaching-based creative career, or exploring dance as a tool for personal transformation, this conversation offers essential insights into creating meaningful impact while staying true to your evolving artistic vision.
Watch the full episode here.
Show Notes:
Connect with Brinn on IG
For more DANA
For coaching with me, join the WTMM COMMUNITY
To donate to WTMM through our Fiscal Sponsor, THE DANCE RESOURCE CENTER
To shop for GOODIES & SERVIES
Watch and Subscribe on YOUTUBE
Stay connected with us on IG and TikTok
46 min
September 17, 2025248. Moncell Durden: 2.5 Million Years of Dance
This is Moncell Durden on dance education, culture, appropriation, and activism.
In this episode, renowned dance educator and ethnographer Moncell Durden, professor of dance for 22 years and founder of INTANGIBLE ROOTS, is back on the podcast and challenges fundamental assumptions about dance history and pedagogy. Moncell, whose groundbreaking documentary "Everything Remains Raw" was featured at international film festivals and whose work spans from Mop Top Crew to academic institutions, explores:
The house music revolution—why there are no "steps" in authentic house dance, how hip-hop dancers appropriated and codified a free-form club culture that was never meant to be systematized, and why you don't need to learn New York's claimed vocabulary to truly dance to house music
Musicality versus moving musically—the crucial distinction between dancers who reflect sound and true musicianship, and how understanding harmony, melody, and tone color transforms dancers into musical collaborators rather than mere interpreters
Dismantling ballet supremacy—why a 600-year-old European form cannot claim to be the "beginning of everything" when dance traces back 2.5 million years to the Paleolithic era, and the importance of understanding any dance form within its proper cultural and social parameters
Moncell Durden represents the cutting edge of decolonized dance scholarship and the preservation of Afro-Diasporic movement traditions. Whether you're questioning Eurocentric dance hierarchies, seeking authentic approaches to cultural dance forms, or exploring the intersection of embodied history and contemporary pedagogy, this conversation offers essential insights into reclaiming dance's true global heritage.
Watch the full episode here.
Show Notes:
Connect with Moncell on IG
Listen to Moncell’s 1st episode with WTMM
Watch Everything Remains Raw
Watch Check Your Body at The Door
Take Moncell’s Intangible Roots Course
Read the USC article
Listen to Chloe’s episode
For more DANA
For coaching with me, join the WTMM COMMUNITY
To donate to WTMM through our Fiscal Sponsor, THE DANCE RESOURCE CENTER
To shop for GOODIES & SERVIES
Watch and Subscribe on YOUTUBE
Stay connected with us on IG and TikTok
55 min
September 10, 2025 247. The Reel Response: Parents of IG Speak Their Truth
1 hr 29 min
September 03, 2025246. Will Loftis: Creativity as an Act of Service
This is Will Loftis on creativity as an act of service, finding your personal "in," and the Adele approach to sustainable artistry!
In this episode, visionary choreographer and creative director Will Loftis—fresh off his Hollywood Music Video Award nomination for Ariana Grande's "Yes, And?" and his work on the iconic Wicked films—shares wisdom from the biggest stages in entertainment. Will, whose movement has brought life to everything from Met Gala performances to major film musicals, explores:
The personal "in" philosophy—how working with director John Chu on Wicked taught him that every project demands finding your authentic connection point, why saying no becomes easier when you can't find that spark, and the difference between taking work because you can versus taking work because you must
The Adele model of artistry—embracing cycles of intense creative output followed by intentional retreat, why "you can miss me" creates space for deeper work, and how thinking about desired lifestyle rather than just career goals shapes better creative decisions
Creativity as pure service—his revelation that at its truest form, creative work channels something bigger than individual ego, how this perspective removes the pressure of ownership over outcomes, and why remembering "it's never really your thing" liberates artists from perfectionist paralysis
Will Loftis represents the intersection of commercial success and artistic integrity in today's entertainment landscape. Whether you're navigating creative career choices, seeking sustainable approaches to high-pressure industries, or exploring the spiritual dimensions of artistic collaboration, this conversation offers profound insights into building a meaningful creative life while working at the highest levels.
Watch the full episode here.
Show Notes:
Connect with Will on IG
Listen to Mandy’s episode
Listen to Jillian’s episode
Listen to Tyce’s episode
Listen to Comfort’s episode
Listen to the In The Heights episode
Listen to Marty’s episode
Listen to the Seaweed Sisters episode
Watch "Rather Important" by The Seaweed Sisters
Watch “Yes, And”
Watch “Cold Hearted Snake”
Read “When We Were Young” by Agatha Christie
For more DANA
For coaching with me, join the WTMM COMMUNITY
To donate to WTMM through our Fiscal Sponsor, THE DANCE RESOURCE CENTER
To shop for GOODIES & SERVIES
Watch and Subscribe on YOUTUBE
Stay connected with us on IG and TikTok
58 min
August 27, 2025245. Taya Lee: Game Changer
This is Taya Lee on assistant choreography, the clarity of movement, and learning while earning in the dance industry!
In this episode, professional dancer and choreographer Taya Lee takes us from her San Diego roots to assisting on Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter Tour and dancing with Doechii. Taya, whose credits span MTV Movie & TV Awards performances to standing in for Missy Elliott, explores:
The evolution of assistant choreography—how stepping into rooms with legends like Tyrik Patterson means being ready when "choreographer" in your title suddenly demands you create those crucial 8 counts, and learning that every creative partnership requires different skills, from demonstration to invention
Movement as language—why dancing "like water" isn't enough if you're unclear, and her revelation that fluid movement without punctuation creates run-on sentences that leave both performer and audience breathless
The myth of complete preparation—discovering that the industry teaches you while paying you, breaking down the assumption that you need to know everything before stepping into professional spaces, and finding freedom in learning through doing rather than studying from the sidelines
Taya Lee represents the new generation of dance artists championing work that amplifies Black womxn experiences. Whether you're interested in the behind-the-scenes reality of major tours, the philosophy of clear movement communication, or navigating creative careers where expertise develops through practice, this conversation offers profound insights into growing as an artist while staying true to your values.
Watch the full episode here.
Show Notes:
Connect with Taya on IG
Listen to How Do Dancers Make Money
For more DANA
For coaching with me, join the WTMM COMMUNITY
To donate to WTMM through our Fiscal Sponsor, THE DANCE RESOURCE CENTER
To shop for GOODIES & SERVIES
Watch and Subscribe on YOUTUBE
Stay connected with us on IG and TikTok
1 hr 1 min
August 20, 2025244. Kid David: Beliefs, Breaking, and Broadcasting
Kid David on breaking, terrifying tour stories, his Emmy-winning broadcast coverage of the Olympics, and finding freedom through mastery!
In this episode, professional B-boy and breaking commentator Kid David (David Shreibman) takes us from the streets where he discovered breaking to the biggest stage in sports—the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Emmy-winning commentator, whose credits span the Step Up film series to NBC's Olympic coverage, explores:
The art of "forgetting" your technique—how spending decades mastering footwork, glides, and freezes is ultimately about trusting your body so completely that you can stop thinking and start truly listening, creating those magical moments where raw authenticity emerges through pure reaction
Surviving Hollywood's disposable dancer culture—from literally almost dying in a malfunctioning stage lift during a major tour, to learning the harsh reality that performers are often seen as replaceable line items
Breaking down breaking for the world—the intense preparation behind NBC's Olympic commentary.
Kid David embodies the evolution of breaking from underground culture to mainstream recognition. Whether you're interested in the intersection of street culture and elite competition, surviving creative industries that undervalue artists, or learning how mastery creates space for genuine expression, this conversation offers powerful insights into staying true to your craft while navigating its commercial possibilities.
Watch the full episode here.
Show Notes:
Connect with Kid David on IG
Read The Believing Brain by Michael Shermer
Listen to our episode with Marty
Read the Art of Learning by Joshua Waitzkin
Listen to our episode with Randi
Listen to the episode with Alison
For more DANA
For coaching with me, join the WTMM COMMUNITY
To donate to WTMM through our Fiscal Sponsor, THE DANCE RESOURCE CENTER
To shop for GOODIES & SERVIES
Watch and Subscribe on YOUTUBE
Stay connected with us on IG and TikTok
48 min

About DANCE +

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The dance podcast where movers and shakers like you get the information and inspiration you need to navigate your creative career with clarity and confidence. Master mover, Dana Wilson, taps into 20…