Interview Date: April 13th, 2025
Episode Summary:
International choreographer, aerialist, and performer Johanna Sapakie (Cirque du Soleil, Super Bowl LIV with Jennifer Lopez, Hustlers, Dita Las Vegas) drops a masterclass in longevity and reinvention. From creating her own “scholarship program” after a studio closed, to bold networking that led to her first agent within months, Johanna shows how resourcefulness plus relentless training turn opportunities into credits. She breaks down the leap from dancer to aerialist/pole artist, how Hustlers led straight to the Super Bowl, and why the real separator isn’t trick difficulty—it’s entertainment value. We also cover working with A-list artists, targeted demo reels, practical grip/endurance tips, and her current creative leadership role revamping Ringling Brothers.
If you’re an aspiring pro, this episode is your blueprint for asking clearly, training smart, and staying in the game—decades in.
Shownotes:
- (0:00) — Introductions & career pivots during pandemic
- (11:46)— Builds DIY scholarship training program
- (18:48) — First agent & early industry mentors
- (23:44) — Discovering aerial work, first opportunities
- (30:28) — Cirque du Soleil breakthrough moment
- (32:33) — Pole artistry, JLo & Hustlers36:49 — Inside JLo’s work ethic & process
- (42:46) — Training evolution: 20s, 30s, 40s
- (45:23) — Creative directing Ringling & Dita Las Vegas
- (50:47) — Entertainment value outlasts technical tricks
Biography:
Johanna Sapakie is an accomplished Artistic Director, Choreographer and Performer. Johanna has been involved in many projects on stage and on camera including the Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show, Hustlers and Medicine with JLo, Cirque Du Soleil's Michael Jackson ONE and Viva ELVIS, Dancing With the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, The Tournament of Roses Parade, RuPaul’s Drag Race Live, Shiners Nashville, the Arabesque Festival at the Kennedy Center, Songs of Soul and Inspiration with Debbie Allen, the re- release of Michael Jackson’s “Blood on the Dance Floor”, Miley Cyrus: Live in Concert World Tour, 2 tours for Madonna and Splendor by Dragone.
Johanna is also an accomplished aerial acrobat and performs on many different apparatus including tissú, lyra, spans, hammock, acro & aerial pole, and aerial heart . She has just recently completed the creation of the new residency Dita Las Vegas: A Jubilant Revue as their acrobatic and associate choreographer. Johanna also proudly teaches master classes and workshops around the world in pole, aerial acrobatics and dance. She excels at artist development and act creation.
Connect on social media:
Instagram: Www.instagram.com/johannasapakiereal
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.