What does it actually take to build a career in this industry, the parts that never make it onto a resume? In today's episode, I sit down with Benji Rivera, Broadway performer and NYC-based photographer, to talk about what it actually takes. Benji is an original cast member of Moulin Rouge!, a show that won 10 Tony Awards including Best Musical, and he's on the Grammy-winning cast recording. He's also danced on Saturday Night Live, Netflix, and Fox. He introduced himself to me on his questionnaire as simply "dancer and photographer."
We get into his journey from a small town in Iowa to Broadway, including going in for the same show nine times, getting cut, and booking it three months later when he'd already moved on. Benji opens up about the mindset shift that changed everything for him, learning to stop chasing what he wasn't and leaning into exactly what he is, and the voice teacher who finally said what he needed to hear.
We also talk about burnout, what the pandemic cracked open about identity, and what happens when the job disappears and you have to ask who you are without it. Plus how building a photography business on the side gave him something performing never could. If you're a dancer, performer, or anyone chasing something that keeps saying no: this one is for you. And with Moulin Rouge! closing on Broadway on July 26th, 2026, this conversation hits different.
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Instagram: @kickingitrealpod @potentiallygabby
TikTok: @potentiallygabby
Episode requests: [email protected]
Find Benji here 👇🏼
IG: @benji_riv
Photography: @benjaminriveraphotography

In today's episode, I’m sitting down with Kelsey Lewinski, a former professional dancer turned Pilates studio owner, teacher, and choreographer. We talk about her journey from growing up in dance to performing professionally, and ultimately making the decision to step away from performing to pursue something that felt more aligned.
This conversation dives into identity, burnout, and what it looks like to redefine success on your own terms. Kelsey shares the realities of the dance industry, the transition out of it, and how her experience as a dancer shaped the way she built her business. We also talk about longevity in movement, the difference between performing and teaching, and why being a dancer doesn’t end when you stop performing.
If you’ve ever felt unsure about your next step or questioned a path you once wanted so badly, this episode is for you.
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Instagram: @kickingitrealpod @potentiallygabby
TikTok: @potentiallygabby
Episode requests: [email protected]
Find Kelsey here👇🏼
IG: @kelssleww & @studio_kore

This week’s episode is for the dancer preparing for a high-pressure audition, especially if you are heading into the Radio City Rockettes audition and feeling like everything is on the line. I share the four things I would focus on in the week leading up to a big audition, based on my experience auditioning for and becoming a Rockette.

I talk about why this is not the time to push harder, but instead to maintain what you have already built, how to choose classes that build confidence rather than break it down, and why your energy walking into the room matters just as much as your technique. I also walk you through how to visualize the audition day so you are mentally prepared for every moment, and how leading with gratitude can completely shift your experience.

If you are feeling the pressure, the nerves, or the weight of “what if,” this episode is here to ground you, refocus you, and remind you that you are more ready than you think.

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Instagram: @kickingitrealpod @potentiallygabby
TikTok: @potentiallygabby
Episode requests: [email protected]

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Gena Brady; a fellow WMU alum, freelance dancer, and aerialist who has truly built a career on her own terms. From dancing in Chicago to performing on cruise ships and now navigating freelance work, Gena shares what it actually looks like to create a sustainable life in dance without following just one path.
We talk about the transition out of college, the reality of cruise ship contracts (including what no one tells you), and how staying open to opportunities can completely change the direction of your career. Gena also shares how she found aerial, built a freelance network, and what it really takes to maintain consistency when you’re your own boss. This conversation gets into the business side of being a dancer too; advocating for yourself, understanding your worth, navigating contracts, and how to actually get booked. If you’ve ever felt like there’s only one “right” way to make it in dance, this episode will challenge that and open your perspective to what’s possible.
If you’re an aspiring professional dancer, navigating auditions, or figuring out your next step... this episode will give you both the mindset and the practical insight to move forward with more clarity.
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Instagram: @kickingitrealpod @potentiallygabby
TikTok: @potentiallygabby
Episode requests: [email protected]
Find Gena here👇🏼
IG/TT: @genabrady

This episode was inspired by one of my most talked-about posts, and probably one of my most controversial takes as a dancer. I’m diving deeper into what I actually mean when I say “put your eggs in one basket,” because it’s not about limiting yourself… it’s about being intentional. There’s a difference between being versatile and being unclear, and I think a lot of dancers get stuck right in the middle of that.

I talk through how to train with a clear end goal in mind, how to make smarter decisions with your time and energy, and why trying to be good at everything might actually be what’s holding you back. This is for the dancer who feels pulled in a million directions and is ready to finally lock in, get focused, and move with purpose toward the career they actually want.

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Instagram: @kickingitrealpod @potentiallygabby
TikTok: @potentiallygabby
Episode requests: [email protected]

In this episode of Kicking It Real, I’m sitting down with performer, choreographer, and educator Morgan DiFonzo. Morgan has performed in productions like Frozen, The Music Man, and Matilda, and now works as a freelance performer while also teaching and choreographing in Chicago.

We start by going all the way back to Morgan’s training and what it was like growing up in a very ballet-focused studio environment. We talk about the discipline ballet gives dancers, but also the darker side of that culture including comparison, body image struggles, and the pressure many dancers feel to fit a certain mold. Morgan shares the moment she decided she was done “living in the shadow” in class and how that mindset shift changed the way she approached dance. We also talk about navigating the industry as adults; from building a reputation in the dance and musical theatre world to learning how to advocate for yourself professionally while still maintaining relationships.

This conversation is honest, vulnerable, and a really important reminder that talent doesn’t come in just one shape or size.

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Instagram: @kickingitrealpod @potentiallygabby
TikTok: @potentiallygabby
Episode requests: [email protected]
Find Morgan here👇🏼
IG: @morgandifonzo

Audition season can bring up a lot of pressure, anxiety, and overthinking... but what if the key to standing out actually has less to do with what you do in the room and more to do with the energy you bring into it? In this Monday Morning Motivation episode, I’m sharing a mindset shift that completely changed the way I approached auditions, especially the year I booked Rockettes.

We talk about the difference between confidence and desperation, why preparation builds trust with yourself, and how the idea of “attract, don’t chase” can apply to auditions, dance, and honestly life in general. If you’re heading into audition season or working toward a big goal, this episode is about learning to trust the work you’ve already put in, showing up knowing the value you bring, and remembering that confidence often comes from the reps you’ve done long before you walk into the room.

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Instagram: @kickingitrealpod @potentiallygabby

TikTok: @potentiallygabby

Episode requests: [email protected]

In this episode, I sit down with Ryan Winkler, currently on the First National Tour of & Juliet as a swing and the tour’s social media captain, to talk about what it really takes to build a sustainable career in the performing arts.

From growing up in a small town in Texas to navigating the competitive audition scene in New York City, Ryan shares what resilience actually looks like. We talk about being waitlisted for her dream college program, handling rejection in open calls with hundreds of dancers, tracking auditions like data instead of emotion, and why perfectionism will not survive a swing track on a Broadway tour. We also dive into recovering from a labrum tear, booking a Broadway national tour while coming off an injury, managing five tracks at once, and the mental discipline required to stay grounded in a high-pressure environment. Beyond performing, Ryan opens up about building parallel skills in marketing, time blocking her life on tour, and dismantling the starving artist narrative by creating financial autonomy as a dancer.

If you’re auditioning, questioning your path, recovering from an injury, or trying to figure out how to make a real living in this industry without losing yourself; this episode is for you. This is the honest conversation about Broadway tour life, swing mentality, rejection, identity, and building a career that lasts.

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Instagram: @kickingitrealpod @potentiallygabby
TikTok: @potentiallygabby
Episode requests: [email protected]

Find Ryan here👇🏼
IG/TT: @ryanbwinkler
ryanwinkler.net
To see her perform visit: https://andjulietbroadway.com/tickets/#north-american-tour

Have you ever ended the day feeling like you got nothing done… even though you technically did a lot? In this Monday Morning Motivation episode, I’m talking about something I’ve had to really learn over the past few years: how to redefine productivity. Coming from the dance world, I was so used to feeling physically exhausted at the end of the day that if I didn’t feel that same level of depletion, I assumed I hadn’t done enough. And that mindset followed me into entrepreneurship and creating my own schedule.
So today I’m sharing a few of the little resets I use when I feel myself slipping into that spiral of doom scrolling, overwhelm, or the feeling that I’m “not doing enough.” These aren’t complicated productivity systems, they’re small mindset shifts and habits that help me get back on track. If you’ve ever struggled with feeling like you didn’t accomplish enough, this episode is a reminder that your best looks different every day, and sometimes the most productive thing you can do is give yourself a little grace.
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Instagram: @kickingitrealpod @potentiallygabby
TikTok: @potentiallygabby
Episode requests: [email protected]

In this episode of Kicking It Real, I sit down with Broadway performer and former Hamilton Dance Captain, Tyler McKenzie. Tyler has spent over eight years inside the Hamilton universe, from original company member to Universal Swing to Dance Captain, and shares what it actually takes to sustain a career at that level.

We talk about starting “late” in dance, building triple threat skills intentionally, and why being marketable isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing the right things consistently. Tyler opens up about leadership, learning how to read a room, and what it means to be stronger than the show you’re in. This conversation also goes beyond the stage. We get into financial literacy for performers, navigating company closures, seasonal depression, identity outside of a contract, and building a career that supports your life... not the other way around.

If you’ve ever wondered how someone lasts nearly a decade in one of Broadway’s most demanding shows, this episode is for you.

Stay in the loop with me 👇🏼🤍
Instagram: @kickingitrealpod @potentiallygabby
TikTok: @potentiallygabby
Episode requests: [email protected]

Find Tyler here👇🏼
IG: @tylrmckenzie
tylermckenzie.net