This powerhouse duo holds a special place in my heart, and I can look forward to lots of laughter when I am with sisters, Karla Pacheco and Ashley Alcantara. I’ve had the privilege of teaching both of them and being an instructor alongside Karla for most of my time at Spotlight Dance Center in Orlando, Florida. This conversation allowed us to reflect back and really appreciate how Spotlight was more than just a studio; it was a home and a family. With their long standing history of dance training at Spotlight, Karla and Ashley uncovered some important Dance Superpowers that have served them in the real estate industry:

• Vocational Confidence and the ability to use your voice

• Embracing Change

• Caring about setting people up for success

• Resiliency

The conversation was accompanied by a 2021 Elouan Pinot Noir that boasted bold raspberry and blackberry notes and nodded to the brilliance of a California red. Some drop-the-mic quotes from this episode include, “closed mouths don’t eat” and “defeat doesn’t exist in our vocabulary.” Don’t miss episode 6.

Episode 5 is rich in thought-provoking, emotional, and honest content because I am joined by the one and only, Kendrick White! Kendrick’s lens is unique because his dance education and teaching career has been anything but “traditional.” Accompanied by a beautiful Pink Cava from Parés Balta in Spain, we discuss the following dance superpowers:

Re-living this episode during the editing process brought me to tears a few times because Kendrick tells his story in an eloquent and beautiful way. We had a chance to process and honor the passing of a dear friend and fellow educator we lost over a decade ago; a shared moment in time both unforgettable and pivotal to our growth. I find Kendrick the same as when I met him: humble, profound(I say this word 3 different times in the episode), and astonishing. Enjoy!

Special thank you to my favorite restaurant, George + Violet’s for the Pink Cava recommendation and supplying the bottle to try!

Watch on YouTube.

Listen on Spotify.

Episode 4 features past dance student turned international professional opera singer, Teresa Perrotta! I’m so thrilled that we could find time in between Teresa’s busy schedule to chat and enjoy a big glass of Bordeaux. Teresa holds an undergraduate degree, Master’s Degree, and Post-Master’s Degree in Opera - spending a total of 8 years studying opera in a higher education setting! Prior to focusing solely on singing, Teresa studied dance in Orlando, Florida for over a decade. She highlights the following dance superpowers that have served her in her opera career thus far:

Teresa was intentional about picking a French Bordeaux as her wine of choice, and there’s a fabulous story tied to it. With opera singing being a full body workout, Teresa holds dance close to her heart and attributes dance training to a lot of her success. Teresa’s opera career is flourishing, and I’m positive that there will be more exciting opportunities in her bright future. Cheers to Teresa - shining brightly from center stage!

Photo credit: Caitlin Oldham

In Episode 3, I’m joined by past student and mentee, Lisa B Levin! “Lisa B” was one of my first students at Spotlight Dance Center and most of the episode is spent reflecting on so many happy memories. Lisa holds a deep connection to Spotlight Dance Center, and considers the owners, Peter and Margaret, myself, and so many others part of her chosen family. She is currently Vice President of her family-owned business and identifies the following dance superpowers that have brought her success:

When we recorded the episode, Lisa was about to celebrate the Jewish Passover holiday. Together, we enjoyed a Kosher Cabernet Sauvignon from Herzog Wine Cellars. Lisa B has always been hard working, loyal, and dedicated. Our conversation exposes that she continues to live by those qualities and expresses a deep appreciation for Spotlight Dance Center being the place she could call home for most of her life. She is one of a kind, and will continue to soar.

Episode 2 is full of some very rich content thanks to my guests and past students, Jenna and Serena; sisters that were present for most of my teaching career at Spotlight Dance Center in Orlando, Florida. Living in 3 different states made it challenging for us to decide on a single wine to share. So, we each agreed to find a Willamette Valley Pinot Noir to enjoy and I pulled out the Wooden Shoe Vineyards 2016 Pinot Noir from my wine rack. After spending extra time talking about Pinot Noirs from the Willamette Valley region, we dove into dance superpowers that have resonated with Jenna and Serena on and off the stage. A few superpowers that are mentioned:

The exceptional content in this episode is the product of Jenna and Serena’s deep thinking and willingness to specifically define their dance superpowers according to their truths. This episode travels into the next layer of common dance superpowers and exposes how to articulate them in a more meaningful way. Jenna is a flight attendant instructor and Serena works in food and nutrition policy in addition to recently becoming a yoga instructor. I’m so proud of them, and I think this episode will show you why these two women are a force together and individually.

Wooden Shoe Vineyards: https://woodenshoevineyards.com/

The start of Season 3 couldn't have been better, thanks to my former student and episode 1 guest, Donae Fourth! I met Donae when she was teenager while on faculty at Spotlight Dance Center in Orlando, Florida. She is as lovely now as she was back then with incredible intellect, elegance, and charm. Throughout the conversation, Donae reflects on a variety of dance super powers that have helped her find success through career changes, moving cross-country, and completing her graduate studies:

These dance superpowers have shown up for her over the last decade, and currently in a Project Management career. I'm so proud of her accomplishments, but more importantly, I'm proud of how she leveraged her dance superpowers to navigate through major changes in her life. Donae's collected confidence shines through the episode, and I can't wait for audiences to hear what she has to say.

Thank you Donae, for setting the tone of an exciting season ahead. Cheers!

Featured Wine:

McBride Sisters Collection - 2021 Chardonnay

Central Coast California

Season 3 started off strong with a beautiful 2021 Chardonnay from the McBride Sisters Collection! Curated by the women that also own and operate the brands Black Girl Magic Wine and She CAN Wines, this Chardonnay is as unique as the story behind the McBride Sisters entry into the wine industry, and into each other's lives. Their mantra, "go where you don't belong, because someday you will" empowers women and specifically, women of color, to rise as leaders in a male-dominated industry. The McBride Sisters are trailblazers, creating a legacy right before our eyes - and they're just getting started. Donae picked out this wine, and we enjoyed the crisp, citrus-forward flavors of the 2021 Chardonnay. A hint of oak is the icing on the cake. Read more about the McBride Sisters Collection and the 2021 Chardonnay on their website. 

It is a new year, and I'm looking forward to an exciting Season 3! I will be returning to the conversation on dance superpowers in the workplace. But this time, I will be hearing from past students that I've had the honor of teaching as they grew from children into young adults at Spotlight Dance Center in Orlando, Florida.

In the final episode of a short season 2, I am joined by fellow Company Movimiento core members, Mariah Melson and Jana Mezsaros to discuss some important dance superpowers that have brought success in their current careers. Mariah is the owner of a local resale clothing business, The Clothes Horse (my favorite shopping destination, hands down) and Jana works for the City of Eugene in the Cultural Services division. Together, we uncover the following superpowers (and more!):

Throughout the episode, we can't help but discover more dance superpowers that have served us in our careers, and we engage in the discussion with glasses of Zilch's Non-Alcoholic Bubbly Brut as the beverage of choice. Just like the ease and joy I experienced with Mariah and Jana in this episode, we sipped on "bubbles without the troubles" and savored every last drop!

Watch on YouTube.

Resources discussed in the episode:

The Clothes Horse

City of Eugene Cultural Services

Company Movimiento

DanceAbility International

Kyra Bannister - friend and fellow local dance artist joins me in episode 5 to discuss her top three dance superpowers that have served her in the workplace. Originally from Florida, but spent most of her early years in San Fransisco, Kyra’s dance background spans from musical theatre to Limón and Horton modern dance techniques. She identifies the following dance superpowers that have served her in her current career as a clinical assistant for sports medicine and physical rehabilitation:

Learning dance in and of itself, exposes individuals to multiple learning styles. Thus, molding dancers into iconic multitaskers.

Kyra brings an intellectual approach to concepts that have surfaced in previous episodes, offering listeners a different lens to consider these superpowers. I always appreciate the way Kyra dives head first, straight into the deep end - both in her friendships and the way she experiences dance. Please enjoy this episode as much as I did!

Watch on YouTube.

Follow Kyra: Company Movimiento

In Episode 4, I’m joined by Cynthia Gutierrez-Garner, Artistic Director of Company Movimiento. She also happens to be a close friend and dance mentor who continuously provides opportunity for fellow artists, observers and dance enthusiasts alike. In this episode, Cynthia dives deep into her dance history and how that led her to starting her own modern and jazz dance company in Eugene, Oregon five years ago. Company Movimiento was born out of Cynthia’s desire to represent LatinX voices and increase presence in her local dance community. She talks about her upcoming concert, “Rooted” scheduled to run at Oregon Contemporary Theatre April 28-29, 2023 in addition to two dance superpowers that have served her in jobs outside of dance:

Accompanied by a beautiful glass of Antiquum Farm’s 2019 Juel, Cynthia and I do what we do best - talk dance, sip wine, and dream about changing paradigms deeply embedded in dance one step at a time. Cynthia sums up this episode perfectly: “When you’re passionate about something, sharing that is easy.”

Check out Company Movimiento and purchase tickets for their upcoming concert, “Rooted.”

April 28-29, 2023, 7:30pm

Oregon Contemporary Theatre

Watch on YouTube.

Company Movimiento’s Instagram.

Company Movimiento’s Facebook.