Dance Journey

I'm sure you've seen her around at C Spot, LA DanceFit, or FlowMotion Dance Studio (to name a few), but now it's time to get to KNOW this dedicated dancer, Kristen Shaffer! Kristen and I love to take dance classes constantly, and we both post all the videos to our dance diaries (aka Instagram). So we have that in common, but it was even better to chat with her for an hour because she's so fun and easy to talk to! From the struggle of the LA commute, to being "older" dancers, to our journeys with improv and freestyle, we cover a lot of topics in this one. We just love dance, and Kristen is especially grateful for this season of life where she can be a "lady of leisure" with no day job and only dance classes! (I miss those days.) Tune in to learn more about why Kristen dances so much and why she recommends it!

Follow our dance journeys on Instagram: @kstylers @DanceJourneyPodcast @TracyinLA

Who even knows when I very first met Sarah Chan, we've taken so many classes together! From ballet at Westside to Jazz at Millennium to Contemporary at C Spot, we both love to run around the city trying all the different studios. Lately Sarah's been focusing on ballet, contemporary / modern, and heels, and she's in two dance companies! (And if you thought that was a lot, she also works as a dietitian, which she also loves.) It was so encouraging to hear Sarah's story about how she pursued dance her whole life but then took time to reflect on who she was and what she really wanted to do for a career. Cut to years later, and she's now figured out how to do it all in a balanced and sustainable way so she can keep growing and enjoying life. It was crazy to hear how all the puzzle pieces came together in a schedule that suits her so well! I love keeping up with Sarah's dance life in person and online, and it was so fun to take my very first heels class with her at Eighty Eight Studios! What an adventure that was, lol.

Follow our dance journeys on Instagram: 

@s.chan23

@DanceJourneyPodcast

@TracyinLA

I'm sooooo glad I got to interview Talyssa Cruz before she moved far, far away to Northern California! Talyssa and I first took class together at Athletic Garage, but then we didn't see each other for a while because I was mostly on the west side, and she was injured for a bit from rock climbing! We followed each other on IG, but it was so nice to start taking jazz and contemporary classes together again a few months ago. Talyssa's been training more and more at AG and other studios - Movement Lifestyle, Ruts, etc., and her technique and musicality are lookin' good! And she's been getting even more good training up in NorCal. I feel like she wasn't even up there a week before she tried the dance studios, and they look amazing! Check out her IG stories for that content, but anyways, I miss taking class with her. We were film buddies and cheered each other on; but alas, now we must cheer each other on virtually. And hopefully we'll get to see each other perform somehow too! (Something we've both been wanting to do again.)

Follow our dance journeys on Instagram:

@TalyssaJanae

@DanceJourneyPodcast

@TracyinLA

It's time to introduce you to Sarina Lowe—a beautiful ballet dancer with one of the strongest drives for dance I've ever seen, plus an amazing sense of humor! I've only taken two dance classes with her ever, but she's one of my biggest dance encouragers, and it was so great to hear her dance story. Sarina loved performing so much as a kid that she used to search out extra dance competitions to go to on her own to perform her solos as much as possible. She even got to be on an episode of Dance Moms for a moment because she danced at one of their competitions! Sarina did tap and hip hop and other styles as well, but ballet was her main focus. She was in a professional ballet company as a kid up until her late teens! These days, she's teaching and going on auditions and figuring out her next dance plan—another ballet company? being a dancer on a cruise? musicals? Who knows? The world is her dance oyster. So tune in to the whole episode (links in bio) to learn more about Sarina, be inspired, and hear about our absolutely amazing time taking Denise Leitner's class at Hama's Dance Center.

Follow our dance journeys on Instagram:

@DanceJourneyPodcast

@TracyinLA

@Sarina.Lowe

This episode is so exciting because I finally got to hang out with Elaine Adolfo, my biggest dance fan/friend/Insta pen pal from the Bay Area! Elaine and I have been chatting on IG and liking each other's videos practically every day for almost a year now, ever since we realized we like a lot of the same dance teachers, but we never met in person until the podcast! Elaine doesn't live in LA, but she's good at learning choreo off the video, so she takes class from teachers in LA, New York, and Canada, in addition to the ones she takes in person where she lives. She also knows lots of good dance studios in the Bay Area and puts them all in a blog, so check out that link from her bio if you're ever up there!

I was so grateful Elaine decided to take a dance vacation in LA this summer and that she was able to include the podcast in the midst of her packed week of classes. We had such a blast that night, taking The Gentle Ladies at Movement Lifestyle, and it was inspiring to hear how Elaine started taking dance classes later in life but then got so passionately dedicated to it. Seriously such a joy to spend time with her. I felt bummed we couldn't hang out more and take more dance classes together, but hopefully we will again one day! You can catch this episode (which is me and Elaine's first in-person conversation ever in real life) on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts. As always, links in bio. :)

Follow our dance journeys on Instagram: @TracyinLA @DanceJourneyPodcast @eadolfo

Here she is... our link to so many amazing dance classes and teachers... owner of The C Spot LA... Susan Seletsky!!!!!!! What a joy to get to interview Susan and hear all about her dance adventures. Susan started taking dance classes later in life and retired early to open a dance studio! She embarked on this journey to create community and help herself heal, and she got to be part of my journey and helping me heal too. The C Spot was my first main studio after my year-long injury, and Susan watched me go from taking one jazz class a week in sneakers and modifying everything, to eventually taking class almost everyday and going full out. She was always there to encourage me, and it helped me so much to be able to go to her studio after work and feel loved and supported. Susan creates such a welcoming environment at The C Spot LA and provides opportunities to learn so many styles. From follow-along dance classes like Kim Blank's World Beat Workout to intermediate contemporary and jazz classes, it's such a good place to grow in dance and make a ton of awesome friends. (And have some good tacos at the stand out front!) Check it out!

Follow our dance journeys on Instagram:

@TracyinLA

@DanceJourneyPodcast

@susanseletsky

@thecspotla

Barni Rothman is living my retirement DREAM cause all she is does is dance dance dance! I met Barni at a tap class three years ago, and we've been following each other's journeys ever since. I knew she mostly started training in dance after she retired from law, but I didn't realize she trained in ballet as a child, or that she danced at disco clubs for fun through her whole life! Tune in to find out what brought Barni back to dance class and all the opportunities that have opened up for her since. Commercials, music videos, shows... honestly doesn't really seem like she's retired, lol. Still working so hard, and she'll tell you all about every good Bollywood, Bhangra, whacking/punking, locking, popping, belly dance class, and more! Oh, and robot animation! So interesting. Plus, we took a Bollywood class together from Yogen Bhagat at Athletic Garage in Pasadena and absolutely loved it. :) 

Follow our dance journeys on Instagram: 

@TracyinLA 

@DanceJourneyPodcast

@redheaddancingmachine

This week we get to know dancer Bethany Dean, who Tracy met a year ago in a jazz class but then ran into at church recently! Bethany is living the dancer life - teaching kids at a studio she loves, going to class and auditions, and recently booking a dancing and singing role in The Music Man! Bethany has an intriguing beginning to her dance journey. She grew up in Hong Kong and started training there after her mom received a prophetic word that her daughter would be a dancer! Bethany has a strong technical background in ballet and ended up training in Virginia when her family moved back to the states. Then they moved to Thailand to help with humanitarian efforts after the tsunami, and she danced there too! Tune in to find out what brought Bethany back to the states again and eventually to LA to fully pursue her dance dreams, and what it felt like to go from classical training to commercial. Tracy and Bethany also share about their adventurous time in Downtown LA, taking headshots for each other all day and then desperately searching for hours for food and their cars. Good thing they found them, otherwise you would not be seeing this podcast, lol. Follow our dance journeys on Instagram: @TracyinLA @DanceJourneyPodcast @bethanyhcoyle

I got a few requests for this, and that was enough for me! Lol. Tune in to hear the latest going on in my dance life - plus some other random things - with guest host Bridget Renshaw! (If you want to hear my full dance journey, check out Season 1.)

Follow our dance journeys on Instagram:

@TracyinLA

@DanceJourneyPodcast

@thebridgetrenshaw

Finallyyyyy the one we've been waiting for... your ballet teacher and mine... Chasen Greenwood! Follow along as I interview Chasen in between his Saturday morning classes at Westside School of Ballet. From teaching at Westside to coaching kids in Pasadena to setting choreo on his professional dancers of The Realm Company, Chasen is all ballet all the time. He's choreographing it and having new ideas for it, not to mention performing it recently in a mesmerizing rendition of Noah's Ark with Pacific Festival Ballet! But he didn't always do ballet. Chasen actually got his start in acting and singing, but he fell in love with ballet immediately in his first class at age 11 and was dancing all styles and directing by the time he was a teenager! In this episode, you'll hear about Chasen's dreams to do new and meaningful projects with ballet, along with why he loves working with dancers of all levels. Also you'll learn some non-ballet things about him that are sure to make you smile. This is a fun one! :)

Follow our dance journeys on Instagram:

@TracyinLA

@DanceJourneyPodcast

@chasengreenwood

You've probably seen her around at Millennium - teaching tap or being a star in Hip Hop and Jazz Funk! Sydney Kinney started dancing at 2 years old in Ohio and knew by the time she was 7 that she wanted to be a professional dancer. Come along on her inspirational journey where she overcame so many obstacles, particularly a foot injury right before she was about to start the scholarship program at Edge Performing Arts Center in 2019. Sydney couldn't bear weight on her left foot, but that didn't stop her! She did the Edge program anyway and would sit for hours and hours, wishing she could dance but doing the best she could to learn by watching. Truly nothing has been able to stop her from going for her dance dreams, and her hard work and perseverance paid off because she is BUSY - teaching dance and booking jobs. She even recently booked a dance job on a Netflix movie! Learn all about what it was like for Sydney being that driven and what her biggest dance dream is for the future. Plus they chat about Sydney's Beginner Tap class at Millennium that Tracy took just before the interview. :)

Follow our dance journeys on Instagram:

@TracyinLA

@DanceJourneyPodcast

@sydneylkinney

It's that time... Tracy interviews dancer and dance studio owner Helen House! Tracy and Helen take you through their friendship journey of when they first met in Basic Jazz, which they used to take twice a week at Edge Performing Arts Center in 2019. Helen was staying in LA to do the Edge intensive, and she thought she'd probably move here officially soon after. But then Covid hit, and she ended up moving back to Mississippi and opening her own dance studio, House Studio Dance! Fortunately she still gets out to LA often, and she and Tracy had a blast trying Devin Solomon's hip hop class at Movement Lifestyle before they did the interview. Follow along to find out what class it was that made Helen decide she wanted to do dance for the rest of her life, what brought her to LA over New York, and how she ended up opening her own dance studio. Happy listening!

Follow our dance journeys on Instagram: @TracyinLA @DanceJourneyPodcast @helenhouse

You may know her from The C Spot, Millennium, T Milly, USC, AMDA, or Dupree Dance Convention (to name a few, lol!). Melissa Miles seems to be everywhere these days - teaching, choreographing, and dancing! Tracy is so excited to take you with her on the journey to Melissa's dance past, growing up in Michigan where she thought she only wanted to do sports and gymnastics because dance was "too girly." But then she discovered JAZZ DANCE at age 10 and knew by 12 that she wanted to dance the rest of her life. She began training in all the styles and even taught class at age 13! Melissa was encouraged by many teachers and choreographers to move to LA or New York after high school to pursue dance professionally. First she went to New York to train at BDC and Steps on Broadway, and then she moved to LA where she started booking dance jobs and soon began teaching at Millennium and Edge. Melissa has had all kinds of teaching and performing opportunities, but she also opens up about the struggle to pursue a career where the competition is so high. Fortunately she kept going because she's been blessing so many people with her talent and expertise. Tracy has definitely benefited from Melissa's teaching, and they discuss the class she taught that night where they learned a sensual (and technical!) dance to "Woman" by Doja Cat.

Follow our dance journeys on Instagram:

@TracyinLA

@DanceJourneyPodcast

@1melissamiles

You've probably seen her around The C Spot LA dance studio - taking class and teaching class, but this week we're going to learn more about dancer Lily Sheahan! Lily grew up competitive dancing in Arizona but then moved to California for college where she joined the CSUN dance team. Soon after, Lily started exploring the adult dance studio scene in LA where she began to love dancing for enjoyment rather than perfection and competition. During the day, Lily teaches reading and coaches the Pom team at Santa Monica High School. Dance is pretty much Lily's life, but recently she's become more interested in performing professionally and even auditioned to be an LA Rams cheerleader! Tune in to hear about all of Lily's recent adventures in dance and be inspired by her dedication and courage! Also, Tracy takes Lily's Pom+ class at C Spot before the interview and is surprised how much she liked being a cheerleader. :)

Follow our dance journeys on Instagram:

@TracyinLA

@DanceJourneyPodcast

@lilydances5678

@thecspotla

This week Tracy interviews her favorite dancer/comedian (is that a category?), Angel Strittmater! Tracy originally discovered Angel's funny videos about dance on TikTok but then soon realized she's a fantastic dancer and dance teacher as well! Follow along to find out what it was like for Angel to grow up dancing in Minnesota but then move to LA to navigate the dance industry here. From performing in music videos to dancing with contemporary dance company Klein Collective, Angel has done a lot in her first few LA years and continues to book and choreograph as she confidently goes after all her dance dreams! Tracy and Angel also discuss her contemporary class from the day before, including their thoughts on dancing to "California" by Chappell Roan.

Follow our dance journeys on Instagram:

@TracyinLA @DanceJourneyPodcast @angelstritt

And now... the moment we've all been waiting for... Zack Pinto's Dance Journey! Follow along to find out how a group of first grade girls brought shy, 6-year-old Zack out of his shell by getting him to dance with them! From that point forward, it was dance, dance, and more dance, as Zack soon started training everyday and competing by age 7! He competed in many styles (including salsa), and by high school became dedicated to ballet and played Fritz in The Nutcracker! Zack continued to pursue dance in college, grad school, and after, amidst many other pursuits and jobs. Find out how he does it all on this week's episode of Dance Journey. (Zack and Tracy also take Christian Espinel's contemporary class at The C Spot that night and discuss their post-dance thoughts.)

Follow our Dance Journeys on Instagram:

@TracyinLA

@DanceJourneyPodcast

@ZackPinto

@prince_espi

This week, Tracy interviews dance friend Laetitia Garcin! Laetitia is an accountant by day, dancer by night and weekend! She takes dance class at studios all over LA, and her favorite styles lately are lyrical, jazz, and jazz funk. Follow along to hear what it was like for her to grow up learning dance in Seychelles (islands off East Africa) and then France before moving to Northern California and now LA. Tracy and Laetitia discuss favorite teachers and teaching styles, along with their good dance advice. They share specifically about Malaya's lyrical class, which they took that night!

Follow our Dance Journeys on Instagram: @TracyinLA @DanceJourneyPodcast @Laetitia_fk @malayasdancepage

Yessssss. It's finally here. Tracy interviews one of her closest friends of 10 years - dancer Haley Royal! Tracy lived with Haley for almost 3 years back then, and their friendship and dance journeys have grown and transformed in different ways since. Find out how Haley went from liking only ballet in high school to enjoying various dance styles by the end of college and exploring the dance class scene after she moved to LA. She then got involved with LA Unbound - an adult dance company that performs twice a year. She danced with them for years and choreographed for the show as well! Haley now enjoys her regular dance schedule of ballet, jazz, and especially salsa - where she's been learning how to be a follower and have fun social dancing! Tracy and Haley could talk about their dance schedules for hours, but they kept it short for the pod. :) They also chat about one of their favorite ballet classes with Chasen Greenwood at Westside School of Ballet in Santa Monica.

Follow our Dance Journeys on Instagram:

@TracyinLA

@DanceJourneyPodcast

@ Haley Royal (no IG so find her in class! :) )

@launbound

@chasengreenwood

@westsideballet_

He's been a topic of conversation on other episodes, but now it's time to talk to the source! Christian Espinel shares how he got started in dance. From training at Debbie Allen to dancing full-time with a Utah-based company, Christian has lived the dance dream! He now teaches a regular contemporary class at C Spot LA that is loved and cherished by so many students. Follow along to learn the details of Christian's dance journey, plus his current dance goals. Also hear how it was for Christian and Tracy to take a lyrical class together from Malaya at Heart Dance Space!

Follow our Dance Journeys on Instagram: @TracyinLA @DanceJourneyPodcast @prince_espi @thecspotla @malayasdancepage

Tracy learns about Rachel Bonilla's dance journey from elementary school teacher to gymnastics instructor to bachata dancer! Follow along to see what brings Rachel the most joy (hint: it's not teaching long division, lol). Rachel could barely do a cartwheel when she first started taking class at Mats Gymnastics as an adult a couple years ago, and now she can do almost anything flip-wise, and she teaches there and helps run the place! She recently started her salsa / bachata journey and overcame fears there too - like touching people and dancing close and being social. Rachel and Tracy were inspirations to each other as they both quit "regular" jobs to follow their passions. And tonight Tracy took a salsa and bachata lesson with Rachel at Rain Studio City, and they share all the deets.

Follow our Dance Journeys on Instagram:

@TracyinLA

@DanceJourneyPodcast

@ra_bonita

@matsgymnastics

@bachatasalsadancingla