The Business of Dance

Interview Date: July 19th, 2026

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Brandon Henschel shares his journey from discovering dance at age 12 after being inspired by Michael Jackson to building a successful, decades-long career as a performer, choreographer, director, and educator. He reflects on breaking into the entertainment industry in the 1990s, landing one of his first major opportunities in a Michael Jackson music video, and commutin...

Interview Date: July 12th, 2026

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Tanya Jane shares her journey from a young professional dancer in Australia to building a thriving career in Los Angeles—and ultimately transitioning into a seven-figure success energetics coaching business. After moving to LA at just 19, she navigated visas, broke into the industry without connections, and built a decade-long career performing on some of the wor...

Interview: July 5th, 2026

Episode Summary:

In this episode, German Morales—talent agent, manager, producer, and founder of MGMT Artists—shares an inside look into the entertainment industry and what it truly takes to build a sustainable career as a performer. With over 20 years of experience, German walks through his unconventional journey from aspiring actor to becoming a leading talent representative, highlighting how ...

Interview Date: June 28th, 2026

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Tina Oleff, agent at MSA Talent Agency, shares her dynamic journey through the dance industry—from her early days as a competitive dancer in Ohio to building a multifaceted career across performance, production, broadcasting, and talent representation. She highlights how there is no single path to success, emphasizing the importance of adaptability, curiosity, an...

Interview Date: June 21st , 2026

Episode Summary:

In this powerful and expansive conversation, Jeff Thacker—executive producer of So You Think You Can Dance—shares his journey from an untrained school dancer to one of the most influential figures in global dance entertainment. He walks through each stage of his career evolution—from performer to choreographer to producer—emphasizing that longevity in the indu...

Interview Date: October 20th, 2025Episode Summary:This special red carpet episode of The Business of Dance Podcast takes you inside the Gala of the Stars at the Beverly Hilton, a powerful evening supporting Dancers Against Cancer. Host Menina Fortunato interviews some of the most influential names in dance and entertainment, capturing real-time insights, career advice, and heartfelt moments from industry legends, rising stars, and ...

Interview Date: June 14th, 2026

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Julian Mireles shares his unconventional journey into dance, beginning with a background in martial arts and overcoming early physical limitations. Starting later than most, Julian developed a deep curiosity for movement, leading him to study anatomy, biomechanics, and performance science to accelerate his growth and prevent injury.

Julian breaks down how his personal s...

Interview Date: June 7th, 2026

Episode Summary:

This episode dives into Sienna Morris’s journey from a dedicated young dancer to a working professional in Los Angeles, highlighting the mindset, preparation, and initiative required to succeed in today’s dance industry. From choosing dance over gymnastics at an early age to navigating a short-lived opportunity in Monaco, Sienna demonstrates the importance of trusting your i...

Interview Date: May 31st, 2026

Episode Summary:
In this episode, Alison Stroming shares her inspiring journey from classical ballet training to building a dynamic career across concert dance, commercial work, teaching, choreography, and entrepreneurship. She reflects on her early training at the School of American Ballet and American Ballet Theatre’s JKO School, the challenges of rejection, and the career-defining opportuni...

Interview Date: August 4th, 2025

Episode Summary:

In this episode of The Business of Dance Podcast, Kelly Sweeney shares her journey from starting dance at age 10 to becoming one of the busiest teachers, choreographers, and creatives in Los Angeles. Originally from Mexico and raised in LA, Kelly talks about growing up bilingual, moving quickly through the competition world, and making an early shift into commercial dance and hip-hop ...

Episode Summary

In this episode of The Business of Dance Podcast, George Jones Jr. shares his unconventional path into the dance industry, from starting dance at 17 to building a successful commercial career working with artists like Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez, Nicki Minaj, and Usher. He opens up about coming from a musical theater foundation, teaching himself hip-hop through culture and observation, and learning how to navigate...

Interview date: May 3rd, 2026

Episode Summary:

In this episode of The Business of Dance Podcast, Gary Edwards shares his remarkable journey from a seven-year-old boy in London learning to dance so he could attend his mother’s events, to becoming a world champion ballroom dancer, international judge, and now CEO and partner of Arthur Murray Dance Studios. He reflects on the unwavering conviction he had from a young age that danc...

Interview Date: April 26th, 2026

Episode Summary:

In this episode of The Business of Dance Podcast, Menina Fortunato sits down with Karynn Hough, Director of Millennium Dance Complex Nashville and founder of Fresh Talent Group, for an honest and inspiring conversation about building a dance career outside of the traditional LA/New York path. Karynn shares how her daughter’s professional journey helped spark her desire to create...

Interview Date: April 19th, 2026

Episode Summary

In this episode of The Business of Dance Podcast, Austin Lee shares his inspiring journey from a young boy in Orlando putting on living room performances for his family to becoming a working professional dancer in Los Angeles. He reflects on how dance immediately clicked for him after trying many other sports, and how winning a Hollywood Summer Tour scholarship at his very first conven...

Interview Date: April 12th, 2026

Episode Summary

In this episode of The Business of Dance Podcast, Alicia Mae Holloway shares her extraordinary journey from a small-town competition dancer in West Virginia to building a multifaceted career in ballet, commercial dance, modeling, acting, and social media. She reflects on knowing from the age of three that dance was her purpose, and how that conviction led her to leave home at just 13 y...

Interview Date: March 29

Episode Summary:
In this episode of the Business of Dance Podcast, Menina Fortunato sits down with internationally acclaimed dancer, creative, and entrepreneur Loïc Mabanza to explore his inspiring journey from street dancing in Paris to working with some of the biggest names in entertainment. Entirely self-taught, Loïc shares how dance was never something he formally planned for—it was simply part ...

Interview Date: March 22nd, 2026

Episode Summary:

In this episode, Menina Fortunato sits down with choreographer and movement director Mark Samuels for a conversation about persistence, timing, and carving out your own path in the dance industry. Mark shares how he started out as a self-taught dancer in Toronto, learning choreography by recording music videos on VHS tapes and studying them frame by frame long before YouTube or social...

Interview Date: March 8th, 2026

In this inspiring episode, Jason Williams shares his journey from a curious three-year-old stepping into dance class to becoming a globally recognized performer, choreographer, and creative visionary. He reflects on the pivotal moments that shaped his career—from boldly inserting himself into opportunities like So You Think You Can Dance to working with icons such as Lady Gaga and Beyoncé. Jason...

Interview Date: March 8th, 2026

Episode Summary:

In this episode of the Business of Dance Podcast, Menina Fortunato sits down with Jamie Hodgins, Executive Director of the International Competitive Dance Registry (ICDR). Jamie shares his journey from starting dance at 16 in Ottawa to building a multifaceted career as a performer, choreographer, producer, and casting professional. His career includes projects such as Camp Rock 2, tour...