From assisting Mia Michaels at 15 to becoming a Tony Award-winning collaborator, Broadway performer, and multi-faceted director—Ioana Alfonso’s journey is a masterclass in embracing what makes you different, staying in service to the work, and building a career that defies boundaries.
In this episode of The Breakthrough Collective, Io opens up about working with legends like Mia Michaels, Denzel Washington, and Jake Gyllenhaal, originating roles in Wicked and 9 to 5, and how she has become more conscious about leading with her Latina roots. From navigating multiple creative roles to creating inclusive performances for underserved communities, Io shares the mindset, resilience, and inner work that fuel her extraordinary career.
In This Episode, You'll Discover:
- How Mia Michaels taught Ioana to embrace her big hair and unique name
- Why Ioana only recently began leading with her Latina heritage
- The moment she realized she could shape her impact through intentional choices
- What it's like to work on Othello with Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal
- How she balances being a dancer, actor, director, and producer simultaneously
- The magic of performing for audiences with sensory needs
- Why slowing down and naming one obstacle can change everything
- The childhood moment by the ocean that still influences her decisions today
✨Connect with Ioana:
Website: https://www.ioanaalfonso.com
Instagram: @IoanaAlfonso
Attend her AltaVibra event on November 1, 2025: https://bit.ly/AltaVibraio
Engineer: Wolf Taylor
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