Dance Uncorked Podcast Lindsey Jean

Episode 2 is full of some very rich content thanks to my guests and past students, Jenna and Serena; sisters that were present for most of my teaching career at Spotlight Dance Center in Orlando, Florida. Living in 3 different states made it challenging for us to decide on a single wine to share. So, we each agreed to find a Willamette Valley Pinot Noir to enjoy and I pulled out the Wooden Shoe Vineyards 2016 Pinot Noir from my wine rack. After spending extra time talking about Pinot Noirs from the Willamette Valley region, we dove into dance superpowers that have resonated with Jenna and Serena on and off the stage. A few superpowers that are mentioned:


Patience and constructive criticism


Confidence to fail


The skill of being connection to your body and the special experience of moving with others


Self-trust that stems from the confidence superpower


Discipline in meeting expectations that translate to respect for others and yourself



The exceptional content in this episode is the product of Jenna and Serena’s deep thinking and willingness to specifically define their dance superpowers according to their truths. This episode travels into the next layer of common dance superpowers and exposes how to articulate them in a more meaningful way. Jenna is a flight attendant instructor and Serena works in food and nutrition policy in addition to recently becoming a yoga instructor. I’m so proud of them, and I think this episode will show you why these two women are a force together and individually.



Wooden Shoe Vineyards: https://woodenshoevineyards.com/
Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm: https://www.woodenshoe.com/
Hourglass Brewing: https://hourglassbrewing.com/about/
Beer Babes Family: https://www.beerbabesfamily.com/
Follow Jenna's Beer Adventures:   / orlbeerbabe  

The start of Season 3 couldn't have been better, thanks to my former student and episode 1 guest, Donae Fourth! I met Donae when she was teenager while on faculty at Spotlight Dance Center in Orlando, Florida. She is as lovely now as she was back then with incredible intellect, elegance, and charm. Throughout the conversation, Donae reflects on a variety of dance super powers that have helped her find success through career changes, moving cross-country, and completing her graduate studies:


The art of discipline


Learning and adapting quickly


Being open and receptive to feedback


Understanding the importance of community



These dance superpowers have shown up for her over the last decade, and currently in a Project Management career. I'm so proud of her accomplishments, but more importantly, I'm proud of how she leveraged her dance superpowers to navigate through major changes in her life. Donae's collected confidence shines through the episode, and I can't wait for audiences to hear what she has to say.

Thank you Donae, for setting the tone of an exciting season ahead. Cheers!

Featured Wine:

McBride Sisters Collection - 2021 Chardonnay

Central Coast California

Season 3 started off strong with a beautiful 2021 Chardonnay from the McBride Sisters Collection! Curated by the women that also own and operate the brands Black Girl Magic Wine and She CAN Wines, this Chardonnay is as unique as the story behind the McBride Sisters entry into the wine industry, and into each other's lives. Their mantra, "go where you don't belong, because someday you will" empowers women and specifically, women of color, to rise as leaders in a male-dominated industry. The McBride Sisters are trailblazers, creating a legacy right before our eyes - and they're just getting started. Donae picked out this wine, and we enjoyed the crisp, citrus-forward flavors of the 2021 Chardonnay. A hint of oak is the icing on the cake. Read more about the McBride Sisters Collection and the 2021 Chardonnay on their website. 

It is a new year, and I'm looking forward to an exciting Season 3! I will be returning to the conversation on dance superpowers in the workplace. But this time, I will be hearing from past students that I've had the honor of teaching as they grew from children into young adults at Spotlight Dance Center in Orlando, Florida.

This is a really special season for me; allowing me to reconnect with students with whom I've only been following on social media as a means to stay up to date on their success. It's also special because these important conversations are fueling future endeavors and goals of mine to create a resource for young dance students taking their first professional leap. It is my hope that this work can reframe the way a young dancer approaches entering into non-dance industries with confidence and avoid feelings of failure because dance is not the focal point.

I'm so proud of my students for the paths they've navigated, the success they've found in their current work, and for continuing to be some of the best human beings I've had the pleasure of interacting with as an educator. For those that have supported this podcast since Season 1, thank you. Dance Uncorked is a simple and sincere love project that holds space in my arsenal of artistic creations as another way to connect with audiences near and far. If you're new to the podcast, welcome, and I thank you too for being here.

Grab a glass of wine, and enjoy!
- Lindsey Jean

In the final episode of a short season 2, I am joined by fellow Company Movimiento core members, Mariah Melson and Jana Mezsaros to discuss some important dance superpowers that have brought success in their current careers. Mariah is the owner of a local resale clothing business, The Clothes Horse (my favorite shopping destination, hands down) and Jana works for the City of Eugene in the Cultural Services division. Together, we uncover the following superpowers (and more!):


Resourcefulness - A dancer's act of creating is quite literally, making something out of nothing. This skill is highly transferable in the workplace, and just might make you the most invaluable employee.


Confidence in creating; having faith in your own vision - Dance performance and choreographing builds confidence on a deeper level; we are willing to be courageously vulnerable with our audiences through our art. This kind of deeply rooted confidence is the mark of a great leader - something every company needs.

Throughout the episode, we can't help but discover more dance superpowers that have served us in our careers, and we engage in the discussion with glasses of Zilch's Non-Alcoholic Bubbly Brut as the beverage of choice. Just like the ease and joy I experienced with Mariah and Jana in this episode, we sipped on "bubbles without the troubles" and savored every last drop!

Watch on YouTube.

Resources discussed in the episode:

The Clothes Horse

City of Eugene Cultural Services

Company Movimiento

DanceAbility International

Kyra Bannister - friend and fellow local dance artist joins me in episode 5 to discuss her top three dance superpowers that have served her in the workplace. Originally from Florida, but spent most of her early years in San Fransisco, Kyra’s dance background spans from musical theatre to Limón and Horton modern dance techniques. She identifies the following dance superpowers that have served her in her current career as a clinical assistant for sports medicine and physical rehabilitation:


Resiliency - The ability to keep going, and showing up.


Empathy - Understanding life through the eyes of others.


Multitasking/Multi-functional Learning -

Learning dance in and of itself, exposes individuals to multiple learning styles. Thus, molding dancers into iconic multitaskers.



Kyra brings an intellectual approach to concepts that have surfaced in previous episodes, offering listeners a different lens to consider these superpowers. I always appreciate the way Kyra dives head first, straight into the deep end - both in her friendships and the way she experiences dance. Please enjoy this episode as much as I did!

Watch on YouTube.

Follow Kyra: Company Movimiento

In Episode 4, I’m joined by Cynthia Gutierrez-Garner, Artistic Director of Company Movimiento. She also happens to be a close friend and dance mentor who continuously provides opportunity for fellow artists, observers and dance enthusiasts alike. In this episode, Cynthia dives deep into her dance history and how that led her to starting her own modern and jazz dance company in Eugene, Oregon five years ago. Company Movimiento was born out of Cynthia’s desire to represent LatinX voices and increase presence in her local dance community. She talks about her upcoming concert, “Rooted” scheduled to run at Oregon Contemporary Theatre April 28-29, 2023 in addition to two dance superpowers that have served her in jobs outside of dance:


Building Community


Improvising



Accompanied by a beautiful glass of Antiquum Farm’s 2019 Juel, Cynthia and I do what we do best - talk dance, sip wine, and dream about changing paradigms deeply embedded in dance one step at a time. Cynthia sums up this episode perfectly: “When you’re passionate about something, sharing that is easy.”

Check out Company Movimiento and purchase tickets for their upcoming concert, “Rooted.”

April 28-29, 2023, 7:30pm

Oregon Contemporary Theatre



Watch on YouTube.

Company Movimiento’s Instagram.

Company Movimiento’s Facebook.