This week, we sat down with Stef Williams. Stefanie has worked with some of the industries most reputable artists such as Pitbull, Sean Paul, Marc Anthony, FloRida, Nelly Furtado, Don Omar, Machel Montano and many more.

In her episode, we talk about her experience as a professional dancer working in Miami, her decision to move back to Toronto, and how important it is to think about what kind of dancer you want to be.

This week, we sat down with Brandon 'Bizzy' Owusu. Born and raised in the west end of Toronto, Bizzy has trained in styles such as Dancehall, Hip Hop, and African. He has danced with artists such as Ariana Grande, French Montana, Rihanna, Drake, Sean Paul, Paula Abdul, and many more. 

In his episode, we talk about how artists should strive for longevity, how Social Media can be used effectively for artists, and how dancers can find purpose in their craft.

This week, we sat down with the lovely Leah Totten. She is the artistic director of the all-female collective BOSS Dance Company, on faculty at Centennial College and dedicates the majority of her time to youth training and development. She has produced four full-length theatre shows and taught in over 150 studios across Canada, the U.S, and Europe. Her unique style and approach have been described as one that combines community heart with industry work ethic and artistic integrity. 

In her episode we talk about the misconceptions dancers have about teaching, how she's dealt with adversity and persevered through her transition to Toronto, and why she started BOSS Dance Company. We are really excited for you to hear what she has to say, so without further ado, here's Adversity & Perseverance with Leah Totten. 

This week, we sat down with Paul Mula. He is a dancer/choreographer born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. Known for his unique and diverse abilities in movement quality and choreography, Paul has learned a lot from working deeply with local dance artists. In his episode, we talk about his come-up in the dance scene and he offers some advice for the current generation on how to deal with some of the criticism they face from the older generation.

This week, we flip the script and the host becomes the interviewee! In episode 016, Roy sits down with Mikee Victoria - a freelance journalist who works for a major broadcasting company here in Toronto. Get to know the host, why he started The Dance Plug, the podcast and hear his thoughts after the first 15 episodes. 

This week, we sat down with the lovely Apolonia Velasquez. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of Dora Award winning dance company GADFLY, TUDS Festival of Urban Dance Culture, and the ProFRESHional Training Program. We talk about her journey from Montreal to Toronto, What it's like to be on the opposite side of the desk in auditions, and the stigmas behind booking jobs in the commercial dance world. 

This week, we sat down with Derick Robinson - a dancer, choreographer and teacher from Toronto by way of Keswick, Ontario. We talk about his experience as a dancer for various groups and companies throughout his career, advice for any high school students looking into various post-secondary school dance programs, and his experience being in this 'generation gap' due to Social Media.

In this week's episode, we talk about Danny's journey as a working commercial dancer to owning a dance studio, burning and creating new relationships, and how to learn to stand up for what you believe in. 

ABOUT DANNY DAVALOS

Danny is an internationally known professional dancer, teacher and choreographer and was the owner of O.I.P. Dance Centre, a staple drop-in studio in Toronto for over 10 years.

As a dancer, Danny has performed and toured worldwide with top artists such as Rihanna, Ricky Martin, Shakira, and Sean Paul. A few of his greatest performances include those with Danny Fernandes and Shawn Desman on their "Hit & Run European Tour", the Much Music Video Awards, the motion picture "Shall We Dance" with Jennifer Lopez, and the Carnival Choreographers Ball. 

Outside his dance career, Danny has directed and produced many theater plays, live performances, music videos, and short films.

In 2015, Danny was an assistant choreographer with the Cirque Du Soleil team for the PanAm Opening Ceremonies alongside Luther Brown. Today, he is focusing much of his attention on growing and enhancing Toronto dancers by utilizing all he has experienced throughout his career through training the ladies of the Badass Babes program.

This week, we sat down with Chris Clarke, a multi-disciplinary artist and co-founder of Duality Entertainment. 

He specializes in performance training, technique building, and combines theatrics with execution. Chris has a unique brand of creative direction and concepts, while harnessing individuality and dancer development. 

In our episode, we talk about how difficult it is for his generation to stay relevant in an ever-changing industry and how important it is to use words in the right context. 

This week, we sat down with Leon Blackwood - a choreographer and artistic director from Toronto. We talk about what Toronto's Dance Scene was like for him as he was on the come-up during Luther Brown's time in Toronto, unkept promises and the lack of loyalty in this city, and what the future of this city can look like if the proper steps aren't taken now. 

Disclaimer: The views, information, or opinions expressed during this episode are solely those of the individual involved and do not necessarily represent those of The Dance Plug Toronto and its affiliates. Listener discretion is advised.