<![CDATA[DANCESPEAK PODCAST - Home]]>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 07:01:27 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[224 - Archie Burnett - The Club is the Classroom]]>Mon, 13 Apr 2026 11:33:57 GMThttps://www.dancespeakpodcast.com/home/224-archie-burnett-the-club-is-the-classroomArchie Burnett is a foundational voice in New York’s dance and club culture (House of Ninja, Check Your Body at the Door and world-renowned teacher) - someone who's lived through and contributed to the environments that shaped social dance as we know it today.
In this episode, we get into the realities of the club scene, the impact of policy and tragedy on nightlife, and how dancers adapted when everything around them shifted. Archie shares what it meant to learn through observation, community, and experience (long before social media).
This conversation goes beyond dance into philosophy, identity, and the mindset that’s carried Archie through decades of life, work, and movement.
Follow Galit:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gogalit
Website - https://www.gogalit.com/
Fit From Home - https://galit-s-school-0397.thinkific.com/courses/fit-from-home
You can connect with Archie on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/demoncar0007/
Listen to DanceSpeak on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
]]><![CDATA[Podcast 223 - May Or - Dancing on Tour While Earning a Doctorate in Psychology]]>Mon, 16 Mar 2026 03:46:09 GMThttps://www.dancespeakpodcast.com/home/podcast-223-may-or-dancing-on-tour-while-earning-a-doctorate-in-psychology​In episode 223 host Galit Friedlander and guest May Or (professional dancer with touring and commercial credits and a doctorate in psychology) discuss what it took for May to complete her PhD while working as a dancer, the pressure and perfectionism many dancers experience, and how social media has changed the way dancers are seen in the industry. They also talk about May’s experience growing up as an immigrant navigating language barriers, balancing rehearsals with doctoral coursework, and her perspective on why dancers can pursue more than one path.
Follow Galit:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gogalit
Website - https://www.gogalit.com/
Fit From Home - https://galit-s-school-0397.thinkific.com/courses/fit-from-home
You can connect with May Or on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maylovespink and TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@maylovespink.
Listen to DanceSpeak on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Instagram: instagram.com/maylovespink
TikTok: tiktok.com/@maylovespink
Vimeo: vimeo.com/may
Threads: threads.com/@maylovespink
]]><![CDATA[Podcast 222 - Brian 'Footwork' Green - The Difference Between Moving and Being a Dancer]]>Mon, 09 Feb 2026 15:04:23 GMThttps://www.dancespeakpodcast.com/home/podcast-222-brian-footwork-green-the-difference-between-moving-and-being-a-dancerThis week on DanceSpeak, I sit down with Brian 'Footwork' Green, a master teacher and influential figure in street and club dance culture whose impact spans generations.
Recorded live in August 2025, this episode captures Brian’s unfiltered thoughts on musicality, lineage, and what often gets misunderstood about street dance. We explore competition versus convention culture, the realities of the dance economy, and the difference between who you are and the artistic name you move under.
Brian speaks honestly about off-beat dancing, “auto-tuned” movement, teaching, trends, and what gets lost when dance drifts away from the heart. The conversation also touches on race, representation, and identity in dance spaces—layered, nuanced, and rooted in lived experience rather than soundbites.
Insightful, funny, challenging, and deeply grounded in culture, this episode is for dancers who love dance enough to think about it, question it, and keep it alive.
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/gogalit
Website – https://www.gogalit.com/
Fit From Home – https://galit-s-school-0397.thinkific.com/courses/fit-from-home
You can connect with Brian on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/brianfootworkgreen/.  
You can purchase Brian's on-line dance classes https://www.theybarelyunderstandhello.com/#classes. 
Website: brianfootworkgreen.com
Instagram: instagram.com/brianfootworkgreen
YouTube: youtube.com/BrianFootwork
Facebook: facebook.com/blessed.assurance.9
Linkedin: linkedin.com/brian-green
]]><![CDATA[Podcast 221 - Kim HOlmes - Coming Up in NYC House Culture and Building a Lasting Dance Life]]>Wed, 14 Jan 2026 02:25:29 GMThttps://www.dancespeakpodcast.com/home/podcast-221-kim-holmes-coming-up-in-nyc-house-culture-and-building-a-lasting-dance-lifeIn episode 221, host Galit Friedlander and guest Kim Holmes (widely respected director, choreographer, dance educator) explore the roots of house and hip-hop culture through lived experience, mentorship, and time spent inside New York City’s party and club scenes before these styles became widely visible. Kim shares her journey into dance, discovering house at a young age, and learning directly with pioneers like Marjory Smarth during a formative era that shaped how she moves, teaches, and thinks about longevity.
Together, Galit and Kim reflect on what it meant to come up in spaces where culture was built in real time—long before social media or conventions—and how being “the it kids” back then came with both opportunity and responsibility. The conversation also moves into technique, recovery, listening to the body, trusting timing, and how mindset and intuition quietly guide long careers in dance.
Originally recorded in 2019, this episode feels especially relevant today as dancers revisit foundations, lineage, and what it truly means to sustain a life in dance beyond trends.
Follow Galit:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/gogalit
Website – https://www.gogalit.com/
Fit From Home – https://galit-s-school-0397.thinkific.com/courses/fit-from-home
You can connect with Kim Holmes on
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/kimd.holmes.
Listen to DanceSpeak on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
]]><![CDATA[Podcast 220 - Chad Geiger - A Dance Agent on What Actually Gets You Booked]]>Mon, 15 Dec 2025 09:12:51 GMThttps://www.dancespeakpodcast.com/home/podcast-220-chad-geiger-a-dance-agent-on-what-actually-gets-you-bookedIn episode 220, host Galit Friedlander and guest Chad Geiger (dance agent at The Movement Talent Agency) pull back the curtain on what representation really looks like from the agency side and what dancers often misunderstand about it.
We talk about essential pieces of a sustainable dance career: communication, contracts, headshots and resumes that actually serve you, and how your choices off the floor impact your opportunities just as much as your training on it. Chad shares insight on navigating direct bookings, building trust with your team, and why “doing the basics well” is still one of the biggest differentiators in today’s industry.
Follow Galit:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/gogalit
Website – https://www.gogalit.com/
Fit From Home – https://galit-s-school-0397.thinkific.com/courses/fit-from-home
You can connect with Chad Geiger on https://www.instagram.com/chad_geiger
Listen to DanceSpeak on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Instagram: instagram.com/chad_geiger
YouTube: youtube.com/@ChadGeiger
]]><![CDATA[Podcast 219 – Jason Pickett - Rethinking Dance Culture, Teaching, and Influence]]>Mon, 17 Nov 2025 05:15:03 GMThttps://www.dancespeakpodcast.com/home/podcast-219-jason-pickett-rethinking-dance-culture-teaching-and-influenceIn this episode, Galit sits down with creator and educator Jason Pickett for a real conversation about the shifts happening in today’s dance world. Jason shares his path from Utah’s freestyle community to building a career outside the traditional LA route, and the mindset behind choosing what actually feels right.
They dig into the responsibilities of teachers and influencers online, the short-sightedness that's causing dance studios and conventions business, and a shift in what dancers want to do professionally. Jason and Galit also explore whether competitions are watering down dance, how COVID changed the mentality of young dancers, and why the best teachers don’t rely on the “combo.”
This episode pulls back the curtain on connecting the generations, talent development, and what it really means to create good dancers - not just good perfectionists.
Follow Galit:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gogalit
Website - https://www.gogalit.com/
On-Demand Fitness Courses - https://galit-s-school-0397.thinkific.com/collections
Follow Jason Pickett:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/heyitspickett/
Jason's Website - https://nsadance.com/
Website: nsadance.com
Instagram: instagram.com/heyitspickett
]]><![CDATA[Podcast 218 - Ben "BTEK" Chung - Detours, Discipliine, and Designing a Dance Career on Your Own Terms]]>Tue, 14 Oct 2025 01:28:51 GMThttps://www.dancespeakpodcast.com/home/podcast-218-ben-btek-chung-detours-discipliine-and-designing-a-dance-career-on-your-own-termsIn episode 218, host Galit Friedlander and guest Ben “BTEK” Chung (Kinjaz co-founder, Jabbawockeez, America's Best Dance Crew, and entrepreneur/consultant) dig into what happens when you refuse to take the conventional route.
Ben shares how he went from production work at MTV to dancing full-time, creating his own lane instead of following someone else’s path. We talk about best communication practices, navigating contracts with confidence, and redefining success as your career and even priorities change. Ben opens up about mindset, faith, and finding growth in life’s detours, plus what it really takes to stay sharp and inspired over the long game.
​
Follow Galit:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gogalit
Website - https://www.gogalit.com/
On-Demand Fitness Courses - https://galit-s-school-0397.thinkific.com/collections
Follow Ben Chung:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/btek_benchung
Werkflow - https://www.werkflow.us/
Instagram: instagram.com/btek_benchung
TikTok: tiktok.com/@btek_benchung
]]><![CDATA[Podcast 217 - Ana Rokafella Garcia – Hip-Hop’s Evolution, Representation, and Staying Authentic]]>Mon, 15 Sep 2025 15:42:33 GMThttps://www.dancespeakpodcast.com/home/september-15th-2025In episode 217, host Galit Friedlander and guest Ana Rokafella Garcia (legendary b-girl, co-founder of Full Circle Productions, choreographer, filmmaker, and adjunct professor at The New School), dive into the history, evolution, and impact of hip-hop.
From growing up in New York City during the fires, crack epidemic, and AIDS crisis to discovering her voice in cyphers and clubs, Rokafella shares how dance carved out a future for her. She reflects on commercialization, gender dynamics, and visibility in the scene, while urging today’s dancers to stay grounded in the culture’s foundations. The conversation also touches on breaking at the Olympics, the tension between competition and community, and why hip-hop’s resilience continues to guide her work.
​Follow Galit:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gogalit
Website - https://www.gogalit.com/
On-Demand Fitness Courses - https://galit-s-school-0397.thinkific.com/collections​Follow Rokafella:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/larokafella
Website - https://larokasoul.com/
Full Circle: https://www.instagram.com/fullcirclesouljahs
Behind the Groove: https://www.instagram.com/behindthegroovenyc/
All the Ladies Say: https://www.instagram.com/alltheladiessay
Listen to DanceSpeak on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Website: larokasoul.com
Instagram: instagram.com/larokafella
YouTube: youtube.com/@bgirlrokafella
X/Twitter: x.com/fullcirclesoul
Facebook: facebook.com/LaRokafellaNYC
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/ana-rokafella-garcia
]]><![CDATA[Podcast 216 - Liana Blackburn - Liana Blackburn – Emotional Freedom and Redefining What It Means to Be a Dancer]]>Sat, 09 Aug 2025 09:05:13 GMThttps://www.dancespeakpodcast.com/home/podcast-2216-liana-blackburn-liana-blackburn-emotional-freedom-and-redefining-what-it-means-to-be-a-dancerIn episode 216, host Galit Friedlander and returning guest Liana Blackburn (Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Dancing with the Stars, The Voice, Cirque Du Soleil, and more), explore the evolution from performer to guide and what it means to lead from embodiment, worthiness, and creative sovereignty.
Now a somatic practitioner and sought-after teacher, Liana shares how she helps passionate creatives connect more deeply with their body and being, and live in alignment with their values, on and off the dance floor. We also get into money mindset shifts, building supportive creative containers, and how to navigate the emotional side of dance, from learning choreography with confidence to knowing when it’s okay to walk out of class.
Follow Galit:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gogalit
Website - https://www.gogalit.com/
On-Demand Fitness Courses- https://galit-s-school-0397.thinkific.com/collections
You can connect with Liana Blackburn on Instagram @iamlianablackburn or via iamlianablackburn.com.
Learn more about Liana's October 2025 retreat by visiting iamlianablackburn.com/retreats
Website: iamlianablackburn.com
YouTube: youtube.com/dailydancerdiet
Instagram: instagram.com/iamlianablackburn
Facebook: facebook.com/dailydancerdiet
]]><![CDATA[Podcast 215 - Stephanie Scull - Styling for the Role You Want and the Respect You Deserve]]>Mon, 07 Jul 2025 06:37:47 GMThttps://www.dancespeakpodcast.com/home/podcast-215-stephanie-scull-styling-for-the-role-you-want-and-the-respect-you-deserve*Disclaimer: The audio quality in this episode is unfortunately below our standards but we felt that the content was too valuable not to share it*
In episode 215, host Galit Friedlander and guest Stephanie Scull (dancer for Pharrell, Usher, America’s Got Talent and founder of her own successful styling/costuming brand) get into the real-talk intersection of dance, identity, and personal style.
Stephanie shares how her path took her from competitive dance and the fashion world to working major jobs in LA and what made her say yes to pivoting towards her own business. From audition looks to headshot rules to what “comfortable” really means when you’re getting dressed for a career-defining moment, this one is full of practical gems and big-picture energy.
We talk about boundaries, burnout, why dancers often forget their power, and how to use clothes to show the world who you are, before you even move.
Follow Galit:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gogalit
Website - https://www.gogalit.com/
Fit From Home - https://galit-s-school-0397.thinkific.com/courses/fit-from-home
You can connect with Stephanie Scull on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/scullysculls/?hl=en.  
Stephanie's website is https://www.scullystyles.com. 
Listen to DanceSpeak on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Website: scullystyles.com
Instagram: instagram.com/scullysculls
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