Many talented performers never build sustainable careers — not because they lack talent, but because they lack the tools to navigate the entertainment industry while protecting their self-worth.

Today on Essence Embodied, I sit down with my dear friend Rachael Markarian — working actor, dancer, teacher, and author of The Dancer’s Edge — to talk about what it really takes to build a long-term career in the entertainment industry without losing yourself in the process.

In this episode we discuss:

• embracing the multi-hyphenate path without hiding parts of yourself• translating dance training into acting preparation and scene work
• the “$6.86 with rent due” moment and the mindset behind booking work
• training your instrument so you’re ready when doors open
• building financial stability early in an unpredictable industry
• using yoga, movement, and gratitude to ground before self-tapes
• redefining success through goals you can control instead of outcomes
• reading the room at conventions and maximizing what you can influence
• setting goals that match your real values and current season of life
• finding joy in stillness and protecting rest as creative fuel
• stepping outside your comfort zone and allowing growth to be messy
• building a supportive community that celebrates wins without envy

We also talk about the incredible wealth of knowledge Rachael provides in her book, The Dancer's Edge. 

If you’re an aspiring performer, working artist, teacher, or parent of a young dancer, this conversation offers practical tools for building confidence, resilience, and longevity in a creative career. 

Learn more about Rachael here: www.rachaelmarkarian.net
Order the book here: THE DANCER'S EDGE
Connect with Rachel on IG here: @rachaelmarkarian

Thank you so much for being here! If you are enjoying the show, it would mean so much if you please follow Essence Embodied, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a rating and review! Thank you!

You can keep up with Tyne on instagram here:

https://www.instagram.com/tynestecklein?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr 

View her website here:

https://tynesteckleinartdesigns.com/

Join Tyne's email list here: https://shy-band-100.myflodesk.com/mrxyszsu5h

I'd like to say a massive thank you to my editor and dear friend, Nikki Dalonzo, for supporting me on this journey! 

I was dancing for Cher in Las Vegas at 19 years old—living the dream I had worked my whole life for. But behind the scenes, I felt deeply alone.

In this episode of Essence Embodied, I share a personal story from the early days of my dance career when I booked a dream job performing with Cher in Las Vegas. The choreography was everything I had trained for as a professional dancer—but offstage, I felt isolated, and unsure how to truly belong without shrinking myself down.

I trace that feeling back to high school loneliness, when the cafeteria felt like a spotlight and walking in alone felt unbearable. That thread of “I don’t have a group” can follow us into adulthood unless we learn something deeper: self-knowledge, self-trust, and the courage to show up authentically.

Along the way, I share the surprising leadership I witnessed from Cher herself—including the nightly prayer circle she led before each show—and how I later realized the connection I thought I was missing had been present all along. It became a powerful lesson in kindness, presence, and treating every person like they matter.

We also talk about the conversations we dread: how to express your truth without confrontation and how to leave situations with integrity.

Years later, I returned to dance for Cher again—this time with a deeper sense of self—and everything changed. I finally experienced the connection and friendships I had once longed for.

If you’ve ever felt like you don’t fit in, struggled with loneliness even during “successful” seasons, or want deeper friendships built on authenticity, this episode is for you.

Thank you so much for being here! If you are enjoying the show, it would mean so much if you please follow Essence Embodied, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a rating and review! Thank you!

You can keep up with Tyne on instagram here:

https://www.instagram.com/tynestecklein?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr 

View her website here:

https://tynesteckleinartdesigns.com/

Join Tyne's email list here: https://shy-band-100.myflodesk.com/mrxyszsu5h

I'd like to say a massive thank you to my editor and dear friend, Nikki Dalonzo, for supporting me on this journey! 

What if your hardest year became the one you’re most proud of? I open up about evacuating our home with a three‑week‑old, navigating grief, managing injury in the family, and facing a quiet season in a two‑decade performance career—then show how a few daily choices turned chaos into clarity. The heart of this episode centers on redefining success in a way that’s resilient and human. Rather than chasing credits, cash, or clout, we build a scoreboard you can actually influence—presence, kindness, learning, and consistency. When success equals how you show up, you create value on slow days and stormy ones alike. 

Share this episode with someone who needs a softer start to their year, and tell me: what part of success will you define for yourself today?

You can watch this episode on YouTube here:

 https://youtu.be/5i-trz5Ddaw

Thank you so much for being here! If you are enjoying the show, it would mean so much if you please follow Essence Embodied, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a rating and review! Thank you!

You can keep up with Tyne on instagram here:

https://www.instagram.com/tynestecklein?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr 

View her website here:

https://tynesteckleinartdesigns.com/

Join Tyne's email list here: https://shy-band-100.myflodesk.com/mrxyszsu5h

I'd like to say a massive thank you to my editor and dear friend, Nikki Dalonzo, for supporting me on this journey! 

In this episode, I share a vulnerable moment from an early acting job when someone on set crossed a line and tested my boundaries. I said I was married and stood my ground—but later realized there were even stronger ways I could have owned my worth in that moment. We explore confidence, self-respect, and how to stay rooted in who you are when a room tries to make you doubt it. If you’ve ever questioned whether you truly belong in the opportunities you’ve been given, this conversation will remind you why you were chosen. 

You can watch this episode on YouTube here:

https://youtu.be/wBBURZF5MHA

You can see my artwork mentioned in the episode here: 

https://tynesteckleinartdesigns.com/shop/ols/categories/original-art

Thank you so much for being here! If you are enjoying the show, it would mean so much if you please follow Essence Embodied, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a rating and review! Thank you!

You can keep up with Tyne on instagram here:

https://www.instagram.com/tynestecklein?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr 

View her website here:

https://tynesteckleinartdesigns.com/

Join Tyne's email list here: https://shy-band-100.myflodesk.com/mrxyszsu5h

I'd like to say a massive thank you to my editor and dear friend, Nikki Dalonzo, for supporting me on this journey! 

I was hired for my first professional dance job—and fired the next day. In this episode of Essence Embodied, I share how that painful moment of rejection in Los Angeles became the beginning of something far more meaningful. A story about setbacks, unexpected turns, a surprise love story, and learning to trust the path unfolding in front of you. 

This episode explores rejection, resilience, career setbacks, personal growth, romance, and trusting your path as a creative.

You can watch this episode on YouTube here: 

 https://youtu.be/jn7S3Ky5t-s

Thank you so much for being here! If you are enjoying the show, it would mean so much if you please follow Essence Embodied, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a rating and review! Thank you!

You can keep up with Tyne on instagram here:

https://www.instagram.com/tynestecklein?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr 

View her website here:

https://tynesteckleinartdesigns.com/

Join Tyne's email list here: https://shy-band-100.myflodesk.com/mrxyszsu5h

I'd like to say a massive thank you to my editor and dear friend, Nikki Dalonzo, for supporting me on this journey! 

What happens when your dream job disappears overnight?

In this first episode of Essence Embodied, I share the story of moving to Los Angeles at 17 to pursue a professional dance career—landing my first world tour and being fired on day two. What felt like rejection and failure ultimately redirected me toward dancing on the High School Musical tour directed by Kenny Ortega and a career more aligned with who I truly was.

A story about rejection, resilience, and trusting the unexpected turns of a creative career.

Listen to Part 2 to hear how the job I was fired from also shaped my love story.

You can watch this video on YouTube here: 

https://youtu.be/xHziHeigNWI

Thank you so much for being here! If you are enjoying the show, it would mean so much if you please follow Essence Embodied, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a rating and review! Thank you!

You can keep up with Tyne on instagram here:

https://www.instagram.com/tynestecklein?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr 

View her website here:

https://tynesteckleinartdesigns.com/

Join Tyne's email list here: https://shy-band-100.myflodesk.com/mrxyszsu5h

I'd like to say a massive thank you to my editor and dear friend, Nikki Dalonzo, for supporting me on this journey! 

Welcome to Essence Embodied by Tyne Stecklein, a podcast inspired to help you own your authenticity and ground into your self- worth, so that you can create your dream life.

 I'm your host, I'm a professional dancer, actress, artist, motivational speaker, master dance teacher, and mama of three. For the last twenty years, I've been in the entertainment industry, dancing for some of the biggest pop icons, and acting across the screen from legends! So prepare yourself as I share with you my wildest, most exhilarating, and terribly gut wrenching stories from my career.  Because even though I was living my dream life, I was also really struggling personally with self doubt and insecurity. So this podcast isn't about the big credits on my resume, but more so, the life lessons that were hidden inside those experiences. Lessons that can help you navigate your life with more self trust and clarity. 

My inspiration comes from motherhood, spirituality, Chinese alchemy and meditation and mindset work. So my hope is that this podcast will really help you feel less alone in the challenging experiences you may be facing. Join me or an incredible guest, each week, as we share real stories, grounded insights, and give you practical tools to help you own your authenticity..

Together we will explore how to release stress, instead of carry it. Because you are worthy, of a life that you love! One you feel fully embodied in. That you want to dance through every single day. 

Thank you so much for being here! If you are enjoying the show, it would mean so much if you please follow Essence Embodied, share it with someone who needs it, and leave a rating and review! Thank you!

You can keep up with Tyne on instagram here:

https://www.instagram.com/tynestecklein?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr 

View her website here:

https://tynesteckleinartdesigns.com/

Join Tyne's email list here: https://shy-band-100.myflodesk.com/mrxyszsu5h

I'd like to say a massive thank you to my editor and dear friend, Nikki Dalonzo, for supporting me on this journey!