Hey, Dancer!

Gregory Hines was a child tap dance star at the Apollo by six. Danced on Broadway by seven. And grew up touring the world with his brother Maurice.

But just when it looked like he had it all —

he stepped away.

And when he returned… he didn't just dance.

He changed the form itself.

He called it Improvography: tap that swung, breathed, and broke the mold.

Tap as jazz. Tap as truth.

From Eubie! to The Cotton Club, White Nights to Tap, this episode traces his rise from child prodigy to genre-shaping icon —

a dancer who didn't just revive tap… he pulled it into the future.

Check out my ⁠⁠Return to Dance docuseries!⁠⁠

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Paula Abdul choreographed for Janet Jackson, redefined the Laker Girls, sold over 60 million records, and paid tribute to Gene Kelly with a Grammy-winning video that made animation dance.

But behind all the fame was something deeper:

She was born three months premature with hip dysplasia and a crushed windpipe — dance seemed out of the question.

Instead, she cleaned studio floors for lessons. Studied MGM musicals like scripture. And before she ever picked up a mic, she had already reshaped pop culture.

In this episode, discover the full-circle moments — dancing in Gene Kelly's living room, transforming Janet's "Control" era, and creating a movement language that fused club, stage, and screen.

Check out my ⁠⁠Return to Dance docuseries!⁠⁠

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Tommy Rall could do it all — tap, jazz, ballet, acrobatics — each with technical precision, power, and a musicality that lit up the screen.

Gene Kelly once called him "the best all-around dancer."

Bob Fosse choreographed for him.

Jerome Robbins hand-picked him for his premiere ballets.

So why isn't his name mentioned in the same breath as theirs?

From Kiss Me Kate to Seven Brides for Seven Brothers to My Sister Eileen…

From Broadway to (American) Ballet Theatre…

Rall's range was unmatched.

This episode dives into the remarkable — and under-credited — career of one of Hollywood's most versatile dancers, from his vaudeville roots to stealing scenes in MGM's most iconic musicals.

He wasn't the flashiest. He wasn't the most promoted.

But again and again, he was the standout.

This is the story of a dancer who didn't chase stardom — he chased mastery.

And along the way, he left a mark that still echoes today.

It's time we speak his name alongside the greats — and the most famous — of Hollywood's Golden Age.

Check out my ⁠Return to Dance docuseries!⁠

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What happens when dancers speak up for what's right — and it actually works?

After releasing an episode on the legendary choreographer Michael Peters (for my The Rest of the Story series), I stumbled across something that stopped me cold: a global dance event celebrating Thriller (Michael Jackson)… without a single mention of the man who choreographed it.

Not on the homepage. Not in the archives. Not even under "choreography."

So I decided to do something about it.

And you — my audience — showed up in full force.

In this episode, I share the full story of what happened next: the social media post, the emails, the screenshots, the resistance, the pushback… and ultimately, the change.

Peters' name is finally where it belongs.

It's a small shift on a global stage — but one that reminds us credit matters, and voices can spark change.

Le't chat about how it happened!

Watch this episode on YouTube!

Watch the Michael Peters episode of The Rest of the Story!

Check out my ⁠Return to Dance docuseries!⁠

Support my Instagram — where I post daily dance inspo, insights and fun! ⁠@backtogreat

Juliet Prowse danced with Elvis. Stole scenes from Sinatra. And, for a time, was introduced as the most famous dancer in the world.

But how did she go from South African ballet student… to global dance sensation and reigning queen of Las Vegas?

In this episode of The Rest of the Story on the Hey, Dancer! podcast, we trace her path from early ballet brilliance to an unexpected break with Jack Cole, a life-changing encounter with Hermes Pan, and her scene-stealing debut in Can-Can.

Not to mention, her chemistry with Elvis in G.I. Blues — and her bold decision to walk away from a major Hollywood production.

And just how did she become Entertainer of the Year in Vegas and sell out theatres in London?

She dazzled. She defied expectations. And I'll even share a bit about my own connection to her.

It's time you knew her story.

Check out my ⁠Return to Dance docuseries!⁠

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Before he revolutionized music video choreography, Michael Peters was a restless kid from Brooklyn, bouncing between gigs, trying to fit into the mold — and ultimately creating his own.

From disco stages and Broadway flops to pop culture milestones (Michael Jackson and beyond!), this episode traces the full arc of his artistic evolution.

And in the outro, I'll share a glimpse behind the scenes: a taste of how each episode is deeply researched, fact-checked, and built from the ground up to preserve and credit the legacy of these dance giants.

Watch on YouTube to get the full Michael Peters experience!

Check out my ⁠Return to Dance docuseries!⁠

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Carol Haney wasn't just a dancer — she was the engine behind the scenes.

Before Bob Fosse found his style, before Gene Kelly dazzled in Singin' in the Rain, before Jack Cole set the standard for theatrical jazz… Carol Haney was there. Assisting, dancing, innovating.

She spent years in the chorus, often uncredited, helping shape the golden age of movie musicals.

The Pajama Game changed everything — launching her into the spotlight and, finally, into a new era as a choreographer in her own right.

In this episode, I dig into her full legacy, including the oft-repeated story about Shirley MacLaine's lucky break — and why it should never overshadow the work Haney actually did.

And yes, an exclusive: for the first time ever, you'll see images from Haney's high school days — never before made public. This podcast is the original source of their release, and Hey, Dancer! is proud and honored to bring them to light.

This is Carol Haney's story. And it's about time.

Check out my ⁠Return to Dance docuseries!⁠

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Are dancers athletes? It's a question that's everywhere now — but back in the 1950s, Gene Kelly already had a very specific answer. In this episode, we dig into a rare piece of dance history where Kelly draws a surprising line between dancers and athletes. His language is careful, intentional, and honestly… both shocking & illuminating. What he says — and what he doesn't say — might change the way you see movement altogether.

We'll unpack what this means for dancers today, how we talk about physicality and performance, and why language matters more than ever in the dance world.

Watch this podcast on YouTube for the full effect!

Check out my series: Why Dance is a Sport | Part I

Check out my ⁠Return to Dance docuseries!⁠

Support my Instagram — where I post daily dance inspo, insights and fun! ⁠@backtogreat

Transcript, Gene Kelly's words:

"Now all these men, dancers and athletes alike, possess something very much in common, skill and physical movement. And more important than that, physical movement and rhythm. Now just as the dancer, the athlete does not exist who doesn't move with a certain rhythm. His timing is based on the same elements as the dancers.

There are just two differences. The athlete, after having trained his body and learned to move rhythmically in whatever the demands of its court may be, must change his rhythms to meet the spontaneous requirement for the instant. He's also playing to win a game, and the ultimate thing is the competition. Now the dancer, after having learned to control his body rhythmically, goes even further and with the use of music, tries to express something to the onlooker. Now this could be done all with a deep emotion or with a light one or it could be just a story told visually.

In short, we could say that the athlete uses his body skills and controls in a competitive manner but the dancer must have something to say…

Mickey Mantle throwing a ball is dancing. And even though he is not doing it to music, it's still a beautiful, rhythmic thing to watch."

Toni Basil was a Go-Go icon in the '60s. A street-dance pioneer in the '70s with The Lockers. And by that same decade, she was choreographing for Tina Turner and Bette Midler — shaping the stage presence of music legends before MTV even launched.

Oh — and she's also the force behind "Mickey," one of the most iconic pop hits (and videos) of the '80s.

In this episode of The Rest of the Story, we trace her extraordinary path — from a childhood in vaudeville to Elvis musicals, from bringing street dance into the mainstream to choreographing some of Hollywood's most unforgettable films.

A one-hit wonder? Please. Toni Basil is the moment. Always has been.

Thank you to Cristina Benedetti for recounting Toni's viral story!

Check out my ⁠⁠Return to Dance docuseries!⁠⁠

Support my Instagram — where I post daily dance inspo, insights and fun! ⁠⁠@backtogreat⁠

To celebrate hitting 100K on Instagram and 10K on YouTube, I'm doing something I've never done on this podcast: talking about myself. Not dance stories. Just… me.

In this very personal (and sometimes silly) episode, I'm sharing 10+ personal things about me you don't know, like:

• the breakfast I've eaten every day for 15+ years
• why I trained myself to sleep like a mummy
• what happened when I booked a guest spot on the #1 show on TV… and then didn't
• the time I was robbed at gunpoint
• how I cured my IBS
• and so much more!

Some of it's deep. Some of it's trivial. Some of it's just plain human.

It's awkward, honest, and a little all over the place — but so is life. And that's the point.

Check out my ⁠⁠Return to Dance docuseries!⁠⁠

Support my Instagram — where I post daily dance inspo, insights and fun! ⁠⁠@backtogreat⁠