Breaking the Wall Podcast

CJ and I met back in 2016 while working with Shannon Gillen at Springboard. I was a year into my career and CJ was navigating the end of his college experience. As many dancer are in their early 20's, CJ was full of curiosity, drive, and ambition. Today, not much has changed. Now he spends his time between NYC and Europe as both a dancer, collaborator, and choreographer. In our talk, CJ talks about big pivots he's had to make over the years, seeking out the worlds most inspiring choreographers, and how dancers can better navigate their careers. About CJ: A Chicago native, Cj is a dancer, choreographer, and movement director. After finishing his studies at The Chicago Academy for the Arts and Suny Purchase College, where he was awarded the Adopt-A-Dancer Scholarship, Claude then became a full-time company dancer with A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham from 2017-2022 where he became a Princess Grace 2021 nominee. Claude has gotten the opportunity to perform works by Kyle Abraham, Merce Cunningham, Trisha Brown, Aszure Barton, Johannes Weiland, Doug Varone, Kevin Wynn, Nicole Von Arx, Keerati Jinakunwiphat, Princess Madoki , and many more. As a performer and black queer artist, Claude dances to translate the human experience to audiences to recognize the art form of dance as the best catalyst to motivate self-expression and social change. In any artistic space he believes his responsibility is to increase the knowledge and perspective of his community’s vast experience. Connect with CJ! Instagram: @Cj4400 Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE Connect with Brandon! Join his Email List: HERE Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

The when is really out of our control when it comes to achieving the career goals we set for ourselves. Over the years we have to pivot, engage with new ideas, and much of the time learn on the job. When I first joined Visceral in 2015, Paige Fraser was one of those dancer's I looked up to. In our conversation we dive into the life of a dance captain on Broadway, the importance of sharing your story, and how dancer's today can focus their energy when they want to do it all. About Paige! Paige Fraser (Bronx, NY) trained at Ballet Atlantic Academy and the Professional Performing Arts High School/Ailey School in NYC. She was a scholarship recipient at; ABT, DTH, Complexions, Jacobs Pillow, and The Juilliard School summer intensives. In 2012, Ms. Fraser graduated Cum Laude from Fordham University/Alvin Ailey BFA. Paige was a member of Ailey II for 2011-2013 seasons. In 2013, she became a founding dancer of Visceral Dance Chicago for 6 seasons. She has been a guest artist with Deeply Rooted Dance Theater since 2016. She is a Princess Grace Award recipient (2016) and a Dance Magazine “Top 25 to Watch” (2017). She has done commercial work with Beyonce, Chanel Iman, and Jussie Smollett; and has been featured in international campaigns with INTEL, ESPN Latin America, and ELLE Magazine. Ms. Fraser made her musical theatre debut in “West Side Story” at the Lyric Opera in Chicago (2019). She toured with the The Lion King, and is now the Dance Captain and Swing for The Lion King on Broadway. Ms. Fraser is the Chief Artistic Officer and Program Director of Dance for The Paige Fraser Foundation. She is currently getting her MA in Art Management from University of Denver. Connect with Paige! Instagram: @lovingthispaige | @thepaigefraserfoundation www.thepaigefraserfoundation.org www.paigefraser.net Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE Connect with Brandon! Join his Email List: HERE Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE Connect with Brandon! Join his Email List: HERE Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

I remember talking to JBC for the first time in 2015 when I was considering a position with Giordano Dance Chicago. He is the definition of charisma and Mr. Chicago Dance World if you ask me! It wasn't until the following year that I got to perform a new solo by him and a friendship was formed. JBC has been a great resource for me over the years and in our conversation we got to peak behind the curtain to see what it's like to be an Artistic Director, understand what the other side of the table sees, and what the hope is for the dance community as a whole. Enjoy! About JBC! Joshua Blake Carter is the Artistic Director of Dance Kaleidoscope in Indianapolis, IN. Originally from Atlanta, GA, he spent 14 years in Chicago with Giordano Dance Chicago, first as a dancer and then as an administrator and Director of Giordano II, a position he held for 10 years. During his time at GDC, Joshua created three original works for the main company and nine original works for Giordano II. As a freelance artist, he has created works for dance companies, theater companies, and events across the nation. Joshua was the 2009 winner of Wonderbound’s (formerly Ballet Nouveau Colorado) national choreography competition dancemakers2.0. In 2013, he was commissioned to create a new work for DanceWorks Chicago’s DanceMoves choreography competition, and he was awarded the Producers’ Panel Prize by the Ruth Page Foundation for his work, Ripen. Joshua’s choreography for Disney’s Newsies at the Paramount Theatre was nominated for a Jeff Award and a Regional Broadway World Award. Other commissions include Missouri Contemporary Ballet, Nomi Dance Company, Visceral Dance Chicago, and Artifact Dance Project, as well as an original work for Embarq with Joffrey Ballet. In 2016, he created the finale for the event Sing! Featuring Elton John. Joshua has been an Artist in Residence with Brenau University, Glendale Community College, Illinois State University, Salve Regina University, and Southeast Missouri State University. Connect with JBC! Instagram: @jbcchoreography Dance Kaleidoscope's handle: @dance_kaleidoscope_indy Website: www.dancekal.org Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE Connect with Brandon! Join his Email List: HERE Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Although many dancers dream of making larger cities like NYC or LA their homes, this isn't the case for our Guest on todays episode. Elisa and I met back in 2018 when I took a road trip across the country with my friend Owen. We made a stop in Pittsburgh where Elisa took ous out and let us crash on her couch for the night. Years later she would invite me to teach at her FireWall Dance Theater Summer Intensive and we.d be friends ever since. In our conversation we touch on the importance of community, building your own opportunities, and the blur of a work/life balance and why we love it! More about Elisa: Elisa-Marie Alaio is a native of Brooklyn, NY and a graduate of Point Park University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in dance with a primary focus in modern/jazz. Elisa is the founder and owner of fireWALL Dance Theater, currently operating as a drop in dance studio in Pittsburgh. fireWALL was established in 2013 as a modern/contemporary dance company, known for their ability to story-tell in an abstract and theatrical way. fireWALL currently has a resident professional dance company along with a team of young, aspiring dancers that perform and compete nationally. Over the years Elisa has curated and choreographed over twenty full length productions, many that have toured throughout the east coast and have been recognized in magazines, newspapers and critics. Elisa is currently a faculty member at Point Park University and Seton Hill University! Connect with Elisa! Instagram: @elisa_alaio | @firewalldancetheater www.firewalldance.com Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE Connect with Brandon! Join his Email List: HERE Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

"Please stop expecting superior results from mediocre effort." -- Dr. Shante Cofield This quote really hit me this morning as I was drinking my coffee and made me think about how we show up to class. In this episode, Brandon rants about the importance of prioritizing quality over quantity in class and workshops. While its important to just 'check the box' from time to time, we also want to find ourselves moving the needle of our effort more often than not. Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE Connect with Brandon! Join his Email List: HERE Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

A lot of the time on this podcast, I speak with artists who are established or moved onto other aspects of their career. I'm excited to have Hannah on the podcast today because she is approaching her three year anniversary of NYC living. In this episode, Hannah talks about her journey so far, what she recommends for dancer's who are interested in moving to NYC, and what she didn't expect when she moved here. Hannah Weinmaster graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the School of Dance. As a dancer, Hannah has worked with and performed works by choreographers such as Chelsea Thedinga, Peter Chu, Brandon Coleman, Martha Graham, Shannon Gillen, and Paul Taylor. Most recently, Hannah performed as a Radio City Rockette at Radio City Music Hall and has performed works for Dumbo Dance festival, Uptown Rising and White Wave Soloduo Festival in NYC. With choreography, Hannah has been selected as a finalist for Steps Beyond Choreography Lab, Made by Women Film Festival, Utah Dance Film Fest, CDC McClaine Timmerman Choreography Festival, and the Palm Desert Choreography Festival. Connect with Hannah! Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/hannahgraceweinmaster Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE Connect with Brandon! Join his Email List: HERE Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

In our community, there is a lot of talk about working for free, valuing our talent, and being paid what we deserve for the work we do so well. A lot of advice around working for free revolves around early-career artists and the hoops they have to jump through. However, as some one who has worked for free in the past, there are times when I STILL would and times I never would and don't think you should either. In this episode, Brandon talks about two types of jobs that he would still do for free and why. Our careers revolve around relationships and skills. How do we nurture both and find joy in discovering new ones? Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE Connect with Brandon! Join his Email List: HERE Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

It's that time of year again! Summer teaching and choreographing is how a lot of dancer's support themselves over the slower performing months. However, when we set our rate, no one ever tells us what the "right amount" is. In this episode, Brandon breaks down what studio owners are thinking and what they probably wont be telling you. It important to set the correct value on your work so you can 1) support yourself and 2) not finish a job feeling resentful but fulfilled! Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE Connect with Brandon! Join his Email List: HERE Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Dancer's are no longer just one thing. They never really have been. But these days, dancers are simultaneously making their own work, teaching classes, setting other peoples work, and taking on additional skills/responsibilities. In this episode, Brandon talks about the importance of being a multi-hyphen artist and why you can be even as you primarily focus on your dance journey. Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE Connect with Brandon! Join his Email List: HERE Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

As a mentor, I want to offer only the best tools and resources for the dancers I work with. However, what they do with that information is up to them. In this episode, Brandon shares why decision making is such an important factor in a successful dance career. We face so many obstacles on our journeys and our ability to make decisions in the face of constant change is paramount for what were able to accomplish along the way. Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE Connect with Brandon! Join his Email List: HERE Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

As we start our careers, we create an idea of what it will look like. We build up stories and images in our minds about what it will be like to have success, and set goals around finding stability. More than that, we can feel like we have a grasp on what is correct and struggle to open our minds to other ideas. However, what if letting go of these ideas are the keys to our success? In this episode, Brandon talks abut abandoning your ideas of success, security, and being right, to open up more possibilities. How can we move forward in our careers with abundance and be ready top pivot when needed. Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE Connect with Brandon! Join his Email List: HERE Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

I'm so excited to share this conversation with Ali with you. We dive into her careers, knowing when to transition, and what it takes to book work + build a fulfilling career today. Alicia Delgadillo began her career with Hubbard Street 2 and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, was a founding member of PARA.MAR Dance Theatre in 2020, and later joined Gibney Company as an Artistic Associate from 2021-2023. Delgadillo has collaborated with a wide array of choreographers and institutions, including Crystal Pite, Ohad Naharin, Alejandro Cerrudo, The Art Institute of Chicago, and The Second City. She graduated with Honors from the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program where she was able to foster her passion for arts outreach through JUNTOS Collective, a non-profit dance outreach organization. She has taught through residencies with NYU Tisch School of Dance and Bard College, and also served as Artistic Coordinator for Hubbard Street Summer Intensive, Company Manager for PARA.MAR Dance Theatre, and has produced various artistic projects. She is currently a Rehearsal Director with Charlotte Ballet. Connect with Ali: Instagram: @aliisabel Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE Connect with Brandon! Join his Email List: HERE Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

As performers, we're going to face high stakes moment regularly. For some of us, that may mean dealing with nervousness and anxiety around performing more often than others. In this short mindset episode, I want to encourage you all to acknowledge those feelings WITHOUT projecting them onto your audience, even if it makes us feel better in the moment. Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE Connect with Brandon! Join his Email List: HERE Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

I'm in Phoenix for the weekend celebrating my little brother, Connor Coleman. BUT I was hanging out with my older brother Danny and we started diving into the different personality types we work with. The conversation was too good NOT to record. See where you fall in the Big Five Personality Types HERE About Danny: As a trainer and coach for 12+ years, I learned that it didn’t matter how knowledgeable I was or how many certifications I got unless I understood people. I became obsessed with psychology and behavior change. I read 450+ books (yes, I track them. I had a lot of free time in my twenties) on communication, motivation, influence, human development, business, management, and behavior change. The only fiction I’ve read is the Hunger Games series. Expanding my tastes is something I’m working on. I took all of that information and wrote a book with my mentor and friend Dr. Jade Teta called “Next Level Tribe” and began speaking at colleges and online seminars, conducting workshops, and building programs for coaches and managers to improve their leadership skills. Things like: - How to communicate in ways that actually influence behavior change - Teaching in simple ways to make your ideas stick - Building confidence and self-esteem to move through fear and anxiety - Understanding key active listening skills that build connection and retention - Utilizing the principles of motivation to make habits stick In 2019, I joined a health and fitness company to build a $1M coaching program (with some amazing people) and oversaw hundreds of clients going through our curriculum, managed a team of brilliant coaches, and applied all that book knowledge with real human beings. Now, I am the Head of Operations at JillFit, where we help trainers and coaches build and run online businesses. I also head up The Coaching Academy, where I teach coaches, managers, and leaders key skills that actually drive behavior change. If you dig psychology and behavior change, let’s connect! Get on the email list: https://www.takecarecoaching.com Email: Danny@takecarecoaching.com Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE Connect with Brandon! Join his Email List: HERE Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Money has always been a touchy subject across industries. We were taught from a young age that talking about money was in bad taste or impolite. When it comes to the dance world, this isn't really the case. Talking about dance is actually a great way to start growing your wealth. When we can talk about it, we can solve it. What are the things we should be doing? How can we know if were getting paid fairly? In this episode, Brandon is talking all about money and the benefits of bringing it up to your fellow dancers. Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE Connect with Brandon! Join his Email List: HERE Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Ever wonder what goes into booking a job? Why do some people tend to book more than others? Why are we not getting to where we want to be in our careers? In this episode, Brandon talks about what he calls, the SAT's of booking a job (not to be confused with the college test). When skill, availability, and trust intersect, dancer's will book work. All three are important to the equation and not all three are in our control. More about that in the episode. Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE Connect with Brandon! Join his Email List: HERE Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

There are many days when when I wish I had the motivation to get up, make my coffee, and head to class. More often than not, the motivation ends after the cup of coffee hits. The truth is, motivation is hard to find, especially when it feels like you're pushing a boulder up the hill as you navigate your career. In this episode, Brandon offers four ways to take action so that motivation can follow. It's important that we find creative way to still do the things we need to so that we can reap the rewards and opportunities down the line. Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE Connect with Brandon! Join his Email List: HERE Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Think about the people in your life that you spend the most time with. If you're in school, its probably the dancer's you take class with. If you're in your career, it might be the people you work with. However, as you grow in your career you'll start to see a seperation. Some will continue to opt into their dance journeys whille other might opt out. Belle Jessen is a good friend of mine from a 2013 summer intensives to our first professional jobs in 2015 who continues to opt in. In our conversation we touch on our early day in Chicago, her unexpected journey into the LA commercial world, and what dancer's can do to stay actively growing in their careers and hot to pivot if what you thought you wanted isn't serving you. Belle is a melting pot of trades and artistic endeavors. With 20 years experience in the dance industry, her career has dabbled in both the concert and commercial worlds. Credits: Dua Lipa, Katy Perry, Charli XCX, Troye Sivan, Banks, Moby, The Voice, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, Visceral Dance Chicago, Arrogant Elbow, Chicago Dance Crash, Point Park University As an educator and mentor, Belle considers herself a true nurturer for the next generation of dancers. Her style blends her technical training with experimental movement and diverse musicality creating a melting pot of styles ranging from contemporary ballet to jazz-modern fusion. Outside of her dance career, Belle is a licensed real estate broker in the state of Illinois. This venture has strengthened her skills as a business owner as through both industries, she is committed to providing unparalleled value through building long-lasting relationships based on trust and transparency. Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE Connect with Brandon! Join his Email List: HERE Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Wow-- and here we are. I'm so excited to have made it to this point in the shows journey and looking forward to even more. Only 1% of podcasts get past 20 episodes and 90% of them don't even pass episode 3. In this episode, Brandon shares three lessons he's learned from his time podcasting and how they can apply to your life as a dancer. How do we take action when were not feeling motivated, how do we let things take time, and how do we focus on the small wins to let the big successes form? Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE Connect with Brandon! Join his Email List: HERE Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

It's never ideal to lose your job, but losing it on your birthday feels like an angsty Alanis Morissette song. Early on in our lives and careers, we hear messaging that is pushing this desire for us to find job security. The issue here, especially in the arts, job security is more of an illusion than a tangible reality. In this episode, Brandon share three ways to protect against and combat job loss. Although dancers traditionally move from job to job, how can we refocus our goals from job security, to job fulfillment? Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE Connect with Brandon! Join his Email List: HERE Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP