Have a message for us? Send it here!

Thank you all for listening! Follow me on Instagram at @dissectingdance for current updates on postings and more!

We have Danielle Sampson (she/her) on the show to discuss the intersectionality between being a dancer, and mental health. As dancers, we develop a lot of very important skills: Not limited to self-discipline, teamwork, accountability, and body awareness.  Dance is a beautiful sport and art form; however, if a dancer is not in a proper learning environment, or another factor, it can lead to the dancer developing mini traumas that can affect their core beliefs as they get older. It could lead to the common question of "Am I good enough?" or believing that they aren't without questioning it.

Danielle has a dance background and is a trauma therapist certified in Schema Therapy, and working towards Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy; two methods that allow the brain to heal from negative core beliefs. Due to her dance background, it gives her an increased understanding on the mini traumas associated with dance. If you are interested in her services, you can find her at

https://traumatherapybuffalo.com/

If you need help finding an EMDR therapist, please utilize the resources below. 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us

https://www.emdria.org/find-an-emdr-therapist/

Have a message for us? Send it here!

Thank you all for listening! Follow me on Instagram at @dissectingdance for current updates on postings and more!

After a super long hiatus, we are back, and ready! On today's episode, I will be discussing my thoughts on the Dancing with the Stars Live Tour 2025 from an attempted perspective of a dance critic. 

Please keep in mind! In the dance world, everything is subjective. The opinions I share is an opinion! The purpose of this podcast is to promote discussion surrounding dance and is not meant to upset or offend anyone. It's perfectly valid to disagree, because dance is incredibly subjective regardless of where you are in the industry. 

Have a message for us? Send it here!

Thank you all for listening! Follow me on Instagram at @dissectingdance for current updates on postings and more!

Happy 2025! In this episode, we talk about Wii Fit, a game that was released for the Wii in the late 2000s, that was meant to create a fun way for people to get exercise and stay healthy. I played the game as a kid frequently, and I loved it. But now I am starting to think about how the structure of the game could have played a role in potential body image issues down the line. 

Please keep in mind that all opinions are my own, I am not a health professional in ANY way, so please take what I say with a grain of salt. Any claims made about the game are alleged. 

Have a message for us? Send it here!

Thank you all for listening! Follow me on Instagram at @dissectingdance for current updates on postings and more!

In this episode, we have special guest Courtney McCarthy on the show to discuss societal pressures on women in the gym environment, and her story on creating Loyobo. Women specifically are put under a lot of pressure to look a certain way, and meet stereotypes. Her goal was to create an environment that allows women to work out as a way of self love, setting personal goals, and taking back their bodies. 

Courtney McCarthy is the CEO and founder of Loyobo, a community for women who are sick of trying to be smaller. This isn't about weight loss. This is about learning how to love your body and feel strong so you can take up more space in your life! Radical body acceptance, Joyful Movement, and Food Freedom. Courtney's mission, as an ACE Certified Fitness Instructor, Body Image and Mindful Eating Coach, is to show women how to write your own rules when it comes to fitness and health. She will be your biggest hype girl along the way. Courtney is always down for a dance party. When she is not working, she loves going for long walks with her puppy Archie and cuddling with her cat, Munchkin. The Loyobo Virtual Platform & Community includes live fitness classes, on demand videos, group coaching, cooking calls, mindful eating support, and more! 

If you are interested in Loyobo, please use the links below!
Website:  www.loyobofit.com 
Instagram: @loyobofit
Facebook:  www.facebook.com/loyobofit 

Have a message for us? Send it here!

Thank you all for listening! Follow me on Instagram at @dissectingdance for current updates on postings and more!

Today I bring on my friend and DCC enthusiast Kayla to discuss all things Making the Team and the Netflix special that came out earlier this year. Overall, we consider this an example of the standards we don't exactly want representing the dance community.

Please keep in mind that a lot of things mentioned without evidence is our own opinion, and should not be taken as factual statements. This is purely commentary on how we interpreted both America's Sweethearts and Making the Team. We love making inferences and analyzing, but they should not be taken as fact. 

This is technically part 2 out of 3 of our recording session. The other parts will be a part of a new grouping of episodes called "Dissecting Off-Topic", which is currently in progress! Follow the podcast on Instagram below so you know when parts one and three release!

Have a message for us? Send it here!

Thank you all for listening! Follow me on Instagram at @dissectingdance for current updates on postings and more!

In this episode, we discuss another side of dance performance: Teching it. We chat with Brian about his experience as Technical Director, as well as learning about how he got into the industry, and how he was able to move up into what he is doing now. 

Please keep in mind that in editing I decided to "bleep" out my former university. This is nothing against Brian or the school, just for the protection of myself and previous guests. Thank you all for understanding. 

Have a message for us? Send it here!

Thank you all for listening! Follow me on Instagram at @dissectingdance for current updates on postings and more!

Aliya Cheyanne came on the show to discuss her online consulting business and algorithms in social media! We also discussed the importance of self improvement, especially in the arts where it is extremely difficult to achieve perfection. 

Check her out here!
Website: https://www.aliyacheyanne.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theprolifichubpod?igsh=MTZxZzZpOWJzaWJtMw==
Podcast:  https://theprolifichubpodcast.buzzsprout.com/

Have a message for us? Send it here!

Thank you all for listening! Follow me on Instagram at @dissectingdance for current updates on postings and more!

In this episode, we speak with Lauren Tait, who shares her experience as a company director who owns a theater (that's pretty cool!) and discuss her choreographic process when it comes to creating dances. Dance creation comes from a lot more than a thesaurus of terms, it is movement generated by the body, for the body. 

Have a message for us? Send it here!

Thank you all for listening! Follow me on Instagram at @dissectingdance for current updates on postings and more!

On this episode I share my approach to favoritism, bias, and jealousy and delve into what that could look like in the dance education world. My goal for the episode was to share potential risk factors of favoritism and encouraging dance students to think critically about their teachers perceptions of hard work, and their ability and willingness to provide feedback. 

Oftentimes, when a student observes potential favoritism going on, they are usually right, however it is important to keep in mind that sometimes not getting opportunities in comparison to peers could also be caused by other factors. If you are concerned of potential favoritism, I would advise talking to your classmates first or asking for feedback from the teacher and see how they respond to that.

Please keep in mind that this is not a professional perspective. I am not liable if you take this advice.  

Have a message for us? Send it here!

Thank you all for listening! Follow me on Instagram at @dissectingdance for current updates on postings and more!