Hey, Dancer!

Miller Daurey
  • 4.8 (35)
  • Performing Arts
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to Hey, Dancer! — hosted by Miller Daurey, a former pro teen dancer (Paula Abdul, Joffrey) who has returned to training 3 decades later. Having cultivated a highly engaged and supportive dance community online, Miller is excited to dive deeper on everything dance with two weekly episodes! In one, Miller brings his unique perspective as an ex-dancer returning to the art form, sharing insights on… - the evolution of dance, from class to comps to the industry - living with injury and cutting-edge approaches to healing chronic pain - fostering mindfulness through guided dance meditations - responding to online feedback and comments - reviews of dance books, documentaries, and shows - and tons more! …all with a fresh, behind-the-scenes lens shaped by his inspiring journey and thriving Instagram community. The second weekly episode introduces a compelling series titled The Rest of the Story — where Miller delves into fascinating, little-known histories of dance legends and the unsung heroes who shaped the craft. Through these captivating stories, listeners will discover the hidden struggles, triumphs, and legacies of those who helped define dance as we know it today. While dedicated to helping dancers reconnect with their WHY in a culture that often prioritizes perfection over purpose, this podcast also speaks to anyone looking to reignite their creative spark or rediscover a long-lost passion. Follow along and explore all things dance with Miller!

  1. Is Starting Dance Class With Jumping Jacks Actually Bad For You?

    3d ago

    Is Starting Dance Class With Jumping Jacks Actually Bad For You?

    Is starting dance class with jumping jacks, high knees, and other impact-heavy movement actually the best way to warm up? After noticing this in class after class, I decided to dig into the research on dance injury prevention. Along the way, I surveyed my audience, explored recommendations from dance medicine specialists, and looked at what sports science actually says about preparing the body for impact and avoiding joint pain. In this episode, I share all of that! Plus, my own experience returning to dance after three decades away, why this dance warm-up question kept following me for years, and what finally sent me down the research rabbit hole.  Whether you're a dancer, dance teacher, studio owner, or simply someone who wants to keep dancing for as long as possible, I trust you'll find this conversation fascinating and important. If you enjoy this kind of deep-dive into all things dance, you can support my podcast here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Me a Coffee!⁠⁠⁠ Much appreciated!!! Check out my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Return to Dance docuseries!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support my Instagram — where I post daily dance inspo, insights and fun! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@backtogreat⁠ Studies mentioned in the episode (in the order they were mentioned): 1. IADMS Resource Paper ⁠https://iadms.org/media/5788/iadms-resource-paper-the-importance-of-a-good-warm-up.pdf⁠ 2. Shellock & Prentice 1985 — Sports Medicine ⁠https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3849057/⁠ 3. ⁠https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/how-to-do-jumping-jacks⁠ 4. Kaufmann et al. 2022 — Journal of Dance Medicine and Science ⁠https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36096663/⁠ 5. Dr. Carrie Skony 2024 — Perform Active Wellness ⁠https://www.academydancearts.com/post/ready-set-dance-understanding-the-importance-of-warming-up-for-dancers⁠

    26 min
  2. Mitzi Gaynor: How One Dancer Ruled Hollywood, Las Vegas & TV | The Rest of the Story | ep 66

    Jun 6

    Mitzi Gaynor: How One Dancer Ruled Hollywood, Las Vegas & TV | The Rest of the Story | ep 66

    Mitzi Gaynor was one of the last great stars of Hollywood's golden age of musicals. She danced alongside Gene Kelly, worked (repeatedly) under the legendary choreographer Jack Cole, and carried one of the most anticipated film adaptations in Hollywood history in South Pacific. But that's only part of the story. In this episode of The Rest of the Story on the Hey, Dancer! podcast, I trace Mitzi's full dance life: from her childhood classical ballet training in Detroit under one of the most extraordinary teachers in American dance history, to Broadway, to Twentieth Century Fox, to Paramount, and beyond. What did Jack Cole see in her that no one else had unlocked? How did she outlast the death of the Hollywood musical when so many of her contemporaries simply disappeared? And how did she go on to build a second (GIGANTIC) career in Las Vegas and television that thirty million people a week tuned in to watch? This is the story behind one of the last great stars of the Hollywood musical… and the dance foundation that made it all possible. If you enjoy this kind of deep-dive into all things dance, you can support my podcast here: ⁠⁠⁠Buy Me a Coffee!⁠⁠ ☕️ Much appreciated!!! Check out my ⁠⁠⁠⁠Return to Dance docuseries!⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support my Instagram — where I post daily dance inspo, insights and fun! ⁠⁠⁠⁠@backtogreat

    40 min
  3. Brain Science Behind That Moment Dance Class "Clicks"

    May 30

    Brain Science Behind That Moment Dance Class "Clicks"

    Can dancers actually predict each other's movements? A fascinating new study from the University of Colorado Boulder suggests that when dancers move together in sync, their brains may begin syncing too. In this episode of Hey, Dancer!, I explore the emerging science of "interbrain coupling," what researchers discovered when they studied experienced tango dancers, and why a response time of just 200 milliseconds has scientists paying attention. But what does any of that have to do with dance class? Why does a combination sometimes feel impossible alone but suddenly click when you're surrounded by other dancers? Why do certain classes, rehearsals, and performances stay with us for years? And why can dancing with other people feel so different from dancing by yourself? I'll break down the research in plain English, share some personal experiences from my recent return to dance classes after a three-and-a-half-year healing journey, and explore whether science may finally be catching up to something dancers have felt all along. Let me know what you think! Have you ever experienced a moment where a room of dancers seemed to lock in together? Here's the study, if you're curious! My episode on Debbie Allen (mentioned in the podcast)! If you enjoy this kind of deep-dive into all things dance, you can support my podcast here: ⁠⁠⁠Buy Me a Coffee!⁠⁠ Much appreciated!!! Check out my ⁠⁠⁠⁠Return to Dance docuseries!⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support my Instagram — where I post daily dance inspo, insights and fun! ⁠⁠⁠⁠@backtogreat

    14 min
  4. Buddy Ebsen: Before Beverly Hillbillies, He Was MGM's Dance Star | The Rest of the Story | Ep 65

    May 23

    Buddy Ebsen: Before Beverly Hillbillies, He Was MGM's Dance Star | The Rest of the Story | Ep 65

    Buddy Ebsen is one of the most recognizable faces in American television history — Jed Clampett on The Beverly Hillbillies, Barnaby Jones on the long-running CBS detective series. What most people don't know is that long before television fame, he was one of the most original dancers Hollywood ever put on film — dancing alongside Eleanor Powell, Shirley Temple, and Judy Garland during the golden age of MGM musicals. In this episode of The Rest of the Story on my Hey, Dancer! podcast, I trace Buddy Ebsen's full dance journey — from his childhood in a family-run dance studio, to the brother-and-sister act he built with Vilma Ebsen, to Broadway, MGM, The Wizard of Oz, and the devastating makeup disaster that nearly destroyed his career. But the deeper story is what came after. Because even after Hollywood stopped seeing him as a dancer — and America came to know him instead as a television icon… the dancing never fully disappeared. How good was Buddy Ebsen, really? This episode is the answer. If you enjoy this kind of deep-dive into all things dance, you can support my podcast here: ⁠⁠⁠Buy Me a Coffee!⁠⁠ Much appreciated!!! Check out my ⁠⁠⁠⁠Return to Dance docuseries!⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support my Instagram — where I post daily dance inspo, insights and fun! ⁠⁠⁠⁠@backtogreat

    35 min
  5. SYTYCD Is Officially Over. Here Is the Real Legacy It Left Behind

    May 16

    SYTYCD Is Officially Over. Here Is the Real Legacy It Left Behind

    So You Think You Can Dance has officially been cancelled by FOX after 18 seasons… but I don't think you can really tell the story of modern dance culture without it. In this episode of the Hey, Dancer! podcast, I break down the REAL legacy of So You Think You Can Dance — and why its impact goes far beyond television. How did the show change the visibility of dancers forever? Why did choreographers suddenly become recognizable names? Did SYTYCD help create the very online dance culture that eventually made it less necessary? And why are so many dancers divided about the show's long-term influence on dance itself? We'll also talk about: the rise of dancers as personalities and brands the shift from "America's Best Dancer" to "America's Favorite Dancer" how YouTube and SYTYCD launched in the exact same year why the show mattered so much for young dancers — especially boys how dance culture changed once social media took over and whether the cancellation of SYTYCD says something much bigger about where dance culture is now I also share my own unusual relationship with the show! And at the end of the episode, I share an important update about the future of The Rest of the Story series, this podcast moving forward, and the return of my long-awaited dance docuseries. If you enjoy this kind of deep-dive into all things dance, you can support my podcast here: ⁠⁠Buy Me a Coffee!⁠ Much appreciated!!! Check out my ⁠⁠⁠Return to Dance docuseries!⁠⁠⁠ Support my Instagram — where I post daily dance inspo, insights and fun! ⁠⁠⁠@backtogreat

    26 min
  6. Audrey Hepburn: The Secret Dance Life That Saved Her | The Rest of the Story | ep 64

    May 9

    Audrey Hepburn: The Secret Dance Life That Saved Her | The Rest of the Story | ep 64

    Audrey Hepburn is remembered as one of the most iconic presences in the history of cinema — the elegance, the posture, the way she moved through every frame. But what if that wasn't just natural? What if everything the world fell in love with — the way she carried herself, the way she inhabited every moment — was built on a dance life most people never knew existed? She was taking ballet classes by age five. Performing secretly during wartime occupation. Dancing on a body being slowly destroyed by malnutrition. And when it was over, she rebuilt herself from scratch — determined to become a ballerina — only to be told she didn't have what it took. In this episode of The Rest of the Story on my Hey, Dancer! podcast, I trace her full dance life — from wartime Holland to the London stage, from her first major film role as a ballet dancer in Secret People, to Sabrina, War and Peace, and Funny Face opposite Fred Astaire, to My Fair Lady, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and her final performance in Always. Drawn from primary biography and original film analysis. This is Audrey Hepburn like you've never seen her — not just a Hollywood icon… but the dancer who built everything from the inside out. If you enjoy this kind of deep-dive storytelling and want to help keep The Rest of the Story coming weekly — carefully researched, independently made, and quality-driven — you can support here: ⁠⁠Buy Me a Coffee!⁠ Much appreciated!!! Check out my ⁠⁠⁠Return to Dance docuseries!⁠⁠⁠ Support my Instagram — where I post daily dance inspo, insights and fun! ⁠⁠⁠@backtogreat

    30 min
  7. Peg Leg Bates: The One-Legged Dancer Who Redefined Tap | The Rest of the Story | ep 63

    May 2

    Peg Leg Bates: The One-Legged Dancer Who Redefined Tap | The Rest of the Story | ep 63

    Clayton "Peg Leg" Bates lost his leg at just twelve years old. So how did he go on to become one of the most famous tap dancers of his time — appearing on The Ed Sullivan Show more than twenty times (the most of any dancer!)? In this episode of The Rest of the Story on my Hey, Dancer! podcast, I trace his story from the very beginning… from a childhood accident in South Carolina to the stages of Harlem, Broadway, and Hollywood, building a career that put him alongside Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, and the biggest names in the business. At a time when Bill "Bojangles" Robinson was defining tap dance at the Cotton Club, Bates wasn't treated as a novelty. He worked the same vaudeville circuits, played the same rooms — and earned a reputation as one of the finest rhythm dancers, period. So why isn't his name said in the same breath as Robinson and Kelly today? If you enjoy this kind of deep-dive storytelling and want to help keep The Rest of the Story coming weekly — carefully researched, independently made, and quality-driven — you can support here: ⁠⁠⁠Buy Me a Coffee!⁠⁠ Much appreciated!!! Check out my ⁠⁠⁠⁠Return to Dance docuseries!⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support my Instagram — where I post daily dance inspo, insights and fun! ⁠⁠⁠⁠@backtogreat⁠

    18 min
  8. The Problem with 'Content Culture' in Dance Class

    Apr 28

    The Problem with 'Content Culture' in Dance Class

    This isn't about filming at the end of class. This is about what's happening during class — and how social media is quietly changing the entire dance studio experience. Is filming all through dance class going too far? Is 'content culture' ruining the safe space of training? In this episode, I share a moment that stopped me mid-combo… and why I made a split-second decision to step out instead of dance. From studio staff filming dancers while they're still learning choreography, to the pressure of being "on" before you're ready, this conversation goes deeper than just content — it's about what dance class is starting to feel like now. Is this just the new normal for dancers? Or is something important getting lost in the process? If you enjoy this kind of deep-dive storytelling and want to help keep The Rest of the Story coming weekly — carefully researched, independently made, and quality-driven — you can support here: ⁠⁠Buy Me a Coffee!⁠ Much appreciated!!! Check out my ⁠⁠⁠Return to Dance docuseries!⁠⁠⁠ Support my Instagram — where I post daily dance inspo, insights and fun! ⁠⁠⁠@backtogreat

    9 min
See All (101)

Trailer

4.8
out of 5
35 Ratings

About

Welcome to Hey, Dancer! — hosted by Miller Daurey, a former pro teen dancer (Paula Abdul, Joffrey) who has returned to training 3 decades later. Having cultivated a highly engaged and supportive dance community online, Miller is excited to dive deeper on everything dance with two weekly episodes! In one, Miller brings his unique perspective as an ex-dancer returning to the art form, sharing insights on… - the evolution of dance, from class to comps to the industry - living with injury and cutting-edge approaches to healing chronic pain - fostering mindfulness through guided dance meditations - responding to online feedback and comments - reviews of dance books, documentaries, and shows - and tons more! …all with a fresh, behind-the-scenes lens shaped by his inspiring journey and thriving Instagram community. The second weekly episode introduces a compelling series titled The Rest of the Story — where Miller delves into fascinating, little-known histories of dance legends and the unsung heroes who shaped the craft. Through these captivating stories, listeners will discover the hidden struggles, triumphs, and legacies of those who helped define dance as we know it today. While dedicated to helping dancers reconnect with their WHY in a culture that often prioritizes perfection over purpose, this podcast also speaks to anyone looking to reignite their creative spark or rediscover a long-lost passion. Follow along and explore all things dance with Miller!

Information

  • Creator
    Miller Daurey
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    101
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024
  • Show Website
    Hey, Dancer!

You Might Also Like