The Business of Dance

Welcome to the 'Business of Dance' with your host Menina Fortunato. Tune in as we dive into insightful interviews with industry experts, sharing personal journeys and career advice for aspiring pro dancers. This podcast is your key to turning your dance dreams into reality.

The Business of Dance is a arts podcast hosted by MENINA FORTUNATO, with 151 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

MENINA FORTUNATO hosts The Business of Dance, a arts show with 151 episodes published.

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  Episode #151

  151 - Industry Dance Awards 2025: Red Carpet Conversations with Menina Fortunato

  Sep 27, 20261h 16m

  Recording / Interview Date: October 20, 2025 EPISODE SUMMARY What helps a dancer build a career that lasts? Join Menina Fortunato on the red carpet at Avalon Hollywood for the 2025 Industry Dance Awards, where conversations with performers, choreographers, educators, and industry leaders go beyond the spotlight to explore the work, relationships, and resilience behind a life in dance. From embracing your individuality to asking for help and protecting your reputation, this special episode brings together practical lessons for dancers, parents, teachers, and dance-industry professionals. Guests reflect on setbacks, creative opportunities, social media, and the importance of being someone others want to work with. Ian Eastwood champions uniqueness, Travis Wall speaks about seeking support, and Denise Wall shares perspective on learning through challenges. At the heart of the evening is Dancers Against Cancer. Tia Stokes, Jocelyn Basham, and Noah Lands bring the conversation back to community, compassion, and supporting dance families affected by cancer. Alongside career advice and personal stories, these interviews capture the projects and priorities guests shared on the night of the event. Whether you work in dance or simply love the art form, step behind the awards for an honest look at what sustains this community: purposeful work, human connection, and the courage to keep growing. SHOW NOTES 00:00 Red carpet highlights and welcome 01:59 Tia Stokes: Authenticity and resilience 03:31 Jocelyn Basham: The power of human connection 07:09 Enola Bédard: Enjoying the journey 12:40 Protecting yourself as an artist 15:10 Travis Wall: The courage to ask for help 18:03 Noah Lands: The story behind Dancers Against Cancer 22:29 Denise Wall: Learning from setbacks 32:04 Why your reputation matters 32:59 Brooke Lipton: Dance and television 45:24 Social media as your future résumé 47:15 Ian Eastwood: Embracing your individuality 54:38 Blake McGrath: Family and purpose 1:03:37 Building a lasting dance career 1:10:55 Bringing character to your movement ABOUT INDUSTRY DANCE AWARDS The Industry Dance Awards celebrates the people shaping dance and supports Dancers Against Cancer. This red carpet special brings together artists, educators, and advocates to share career lessons and highlight the importance of supporting dance families affected by cancer. CONNECT WITH INDUSTRY DANCE AWARDS & DANCERS AGAINST CANCER Industry Dance Awards: https://www.industrydanceawards.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/industrydanceawards/ Dancers Against Cancer: https://imadanceragainstcancer.org Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imadanceragainstcancer/ The Business of Dance: https://www.bizofdance.com/thepodcast Follow The Business of Dance on Spotify and share this episode with a dancer, dance parent, teacher, industry colleague, or dance fan.

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  Episode #150

  150 - Travis Lim: Lisa from Blackpink, Hollywood Arts, Lego, HHI, NBC's World of Dance, Canada's Got Talent, UCLA Graduate

  Sep 20, 20261h 7mS1

  Interview Date: September 13, 2026 EPISODE SUMMARY Vancouver-born dancer, choreographer, and teacher Travis Lim joins Menina Fortunato to share his journey from childhood competitions and Michael Jackson-inspired solos to UCLA and professional dance work in Los Angeles. With credits including Lisa of BLACKPINK and Hollywood Arts, Travis offers an honest look at the artistic growth, relationships, and practical skills involved in building a career beyond the competition stage. Travis reflects on the value of his UCLA dance education while explaining what it did not teach him about the business of working professionally. He discusses his family’s investment of approximately $400,000 CAD and the difference between developing as an artist and preparing to earn a living. The conversation also explores how he uses AI in his creative work, moves through perfectionism and comparison, and approaches projects with curiosity and a willingness to keep learning. During the dancer Q&A, Travis shares his perspective on networking, direct bookings, choosing an agency, communicating with agents, and showing up confidently in auditions. He also discusses developing an individual style, making choices about competition and professional work, and finding time to recover. This episode is perfect for aspiring professional dancers, dance parents weighing college options, and competition dancers ready to understand what comes next. SHOW NOTES (00:51) – Introducing Travis Lim and his journey into professional dance (03:44) – Childhood training, early competitions, and Michael Jackson’s influence (07:29) – Moving to Los Angeles and choosing UCLA for dance (13:43) – What his dance degree did not teach about the industry (17:48) – Reflecting on a $400,000 CAD education investment (22:01) – Using AI to support creative work and organize ideas (28:46) – Working through perfectionism, comparison, and hesitation to create (34:36) – Dancing with Lisa of BLACKPINK and learning from her professionalism (36:28) – Behind the scenes of A Week Away and Hollywood Arts (42:49) – Why networking and relationships matter for direct bookings (45:59) – Choosing MSA and building communication with your agents (50:49) – Standing out in auditions with confidence and personal strengths (52:50) – Developing your own style while learning from other dancers (59:24) – Weighing competition dance against a growing professional career (62:36) – Recovery, downtime, and maintaining a life outside dance ABOUT TRAVIS LIM Travis Lim is a professional dancer, choreographer, artist, and teacher from Vancouver, Canada, based in Los Angeles. He began as a competitive dancer and freestyler, earning international recognition through the competition circuit and appearances on NBC’s World of Dance and Canada’s Got Talent. He moved to Los Angeles to attend UCLA, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Dance before continuing to build his professional career. His film and television experience includes Hollywood Arts, A Week Away: The Series, and Lego Friends: The Musical with Kenny Ortega. Travis has also danced with artists including Lisa of BLACKPINK, Victoria Justice, Machine Gun Kelly, DPR IAN, Paris Hilton, and AJ McLean. Alongside his professional work, he teaches and shares his approach to training, choreography, and artistic development. Drawing on his background in freestyle, crew training, and choreography, he encourages dancers to develop their individuality while continuing to learn from different styles and experiences. CONNECT WITH TRAVIS LIM Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travylim/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@travylim

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  Episode #149

  149 - Noelle Marsh (So You Think You Can Dance, Tate McRae, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift)

  Sep 13, 202648 min

  Interview Date: August 30, 2026 Episode Summary In Episode 149 of The Business of Dance Podcast , host Menina Fortunato sits down with Los Angeles-based choreographer, movement director, and performer Noelle Marsh . Noelle traces her path from a small dance studio in North Carolina to the world stage, beginning with dance at age three, competing nationally, and appearing on So You Think You Can Dance , which became her gateway into the industry. She opens up about assisting Mia Michaels, being mentored by Brian Friedman, and choreographing and later performing alongside Tate McRae. Noelle also shares what it was like dancing in the Thriller sequence of the Michael Jackson biopic and the emotional weight of stepping into that legacy. The conversation explores her transition from performer to creative lead, moving fluidly between dancing and choreography, the fear and freedom of rejection, and why she believes people feel your thoughts more than your words. The episode closes with a mentee Q&A about authenticity, standing out in the room, building connections, and navigating today's social-media-driven industry. Shownotes 00:50 – Introducing guest Noelle Marsh 03:10 – Growing up dancing in small-town North Carolina 04:33 – Getting the call to assist Mia Michaels 07:00 – Moving to Los Angeles with no plan and no backup 10:33 – First booking: the Oscars with Adam Shankman 12:42 – Building a relationship with Brian Friedman 15:07 – Choreographing and later dancing for Tate McRae 19:20 – Dancing in the Thriller sequence of the Michael Jackson biopic 24:04 – Transitioning from performer to choreographer 27:00 – Winning Every Single Step and gaining creative confidence 29:48 – Balancing dancing and choreography today 32:37 – Authenticity, thoughts over words, and reframing rejection 36:56 – Mentee Q&A: connections, standing out, and social media's role today Biography Noelle Marsh is a Los Angeles-based choreographer, movement director, and performer whose career moves across contemporary dance, pop culture, film, television, and brand work. After growing up in North Carolina, she appeared on So You Think You Can Dance , assisted Mia Michaels, and became part of the original company of Shaping Sound. As a performer, Noelle has worked with artists including Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Lopez, Dua Lipa, Tate McRae, Halsey, Mariah Carey, Gwen Stefani, and Katy Perry. Her choreography and movement-direction work includes projects for Tate McRae, The Voice , and campaigns for Bose, McDonald's, Motorola, and DSW. Connect with Noelle Instagram — @noellemarsh

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  Episode #148

  148- Melissa Becraft: Brooklynettes, Blackpink, Disney, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Netflix, Lil Kim, and Hulu

  Sep 6, 202642 min

  Interview Date: February 15, 2026 EPISODE SUMMARY In this episode of The Business of Dance Podcast , Menina Fortunato sits down with New York City-based dancer and content creator Melissa Becraft to unpack the persistence, creativity, and unexpected opportunities behind her career. Melissa shares how she started dancing at 12, moved from South Carolina to New York City at 18, and spent four years auditioning while booking only one professional dance job before finally landing a spot with the NBA Brooklynettes. That opportunity became a major turning point, leading to six seasons with the team, including four as captain. When the pandemic paused live performances, Melissa turned to social media as a creative outlet. What began as a TikTok account with zero followers quickly exploded, reaching 950,000 followers in eight months. She shares how recreating movie scenes, music videos, characters, and decades helped her build a recognizable creative identity and eventually turn dance content into a viable business through brand partnerships. She also gets candid about influencer rates, from early $500 videos to a $35,000 short-form campaign, while comparing the earning potential of content creation to traditional professional dance jobs. Throughout the episode and mentee Q&A, Melissa offers practical advice on confidence, versatility, performance quality, audition preparation, social media safety, time management, and overcoming comparison. Her story is a reminder that success rarely happens overnight—and that dancers do not have to be the “best” person in the room to build a thriving career. SHOW NOTES 02:47 – Melissa’s dance journey from South Carolina 03:28 – Moving to New York at eighteen 04:40 – Four years of auditions and rejection 06:20 – Auditioning for the NBA Brooklynettes 07:05 – Six seasons and becoming team captain 09:08 – Pandemic sparks Melissa’s social media journey 10:48 – Reaching 950,000 followers in eight months 13:31 – Turning social media into paid partnerships 15:45 – Breaking down influencer income potential 18:10 – Performing with BLACKPINK at the VMAs 21:07 – Q&A: Building confidence and overcoming comparison 24:32 – Q&A: Why tricks don’t define dancers 29:22 – Q&A: Creating safe, professional dance content 33:26 – Q&A: Performance quality that books jobs 39:08 – Turning your dancing into a business ABOUT MELISSA Melissa Becraft is a dancer and content creator based in New York City. She began her career with the NBA Brooklynettes, later becoming captain and choreographer. Her credits include the VMAs with BLACKPINK, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel , and HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver . She has built an audience of more than 3.5 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube and created dance content for Disney, Prime Video, Netflix, Hulu, HBO, and Kate Spade. CONNECT WITH MELISSA Instagram — @melissabecraft

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  The Business of Dance

  147 - Joey Vice: Cirque De Soleil’s KOOZA, BalletRED, and Netflix’s Star Search

  Aug 30, 20261 hour

  Interview Date: August 16th Episode Summary: In this episode of The Business of Dance Podcast , Menina Fortunato sits down with Los Angeles-based performer, choreographer, acrobat, and educator Joey Vice to explore the unconventional path that took him from a young competitive dancer in Ohio to performing his dream role with Cirque du Soleil. Joey shares how he transitioned from soccer to dance, developed a strong technical foundation in ballet and jazz, and independently expanded into contemporary and acro. By 12, he had already set his sights on Cirque, studying its artists, training methods, and performance style in preparation for the career he wanted. That preparation paid off when Cirque du Soleil contacted Joey at just 18 years old and ultimately cast him in KOOZA . He opens up about the elaborate makeup process, the physical demands of touring, performing up to 10 shows per week, and developing the acting, improvisation, stamina, and versatility required of a Cirque artist. After two years on tour, Joey chose to step away from his childhood dream job to explore the broader dance industry and eventually relocated to Los Angeles. Joey also takes listeners behind the scenes of his transition into television and commercial work, including being discovered through social media for BalletRED and appearing on Netflix’s Star Search . During the mentee Q&A, he shares advice on strengthening acro technique, overcoming fear, researching who you audition for, embracing individuality, and continuing to train. His message throughout the episode is to stay curious, work hard, ask questions, and surround yourself with people who are pursuing similar goals. Shownotes: 03:56 – From soccer player to passionate dancer 06:00 – Building his unique acro-contemporary style 09:06 – Training specifically for a Cirque career 12:08 – Booking his dream job at eighteen 14:23 – Learning Cirque’s elaborate makeup process 19:13 – Inside life performing with Cirque 25:03 – The unexpected realities of touring young 28:54 – Transitioning from Cirque to Los Angeles 29:20 – Social media opens the Star Search door 30:37 – Eight months preparing for BalletRED 33:26 – Behind the scenes of live television 43:03 – Q&A begins with aspiring dancers 46:59 – Q&A: Strengthening and improving acro technique 53:39 – Q&A: Research who you audition for 1:03:32 – Final advice: Keep training and asking questions Biography: Joey Vice is a versatile performer and choreographer who has been making waves in the dance industry since his teenage years. At just 18, his exceptional talent and dedication led him to become the lead role in Cirque du Soleil’s KOOZA . Now based in Los Angeles, Joey works as a freelance choreographer, teacher, and performer, creating innovative choreography and jaw-dropping tricks. His career has included performing in music videos for artists such as 070 Shake, Marina, and Vana , and most recently appearing on Netflix’s Star Search with BalletRED . Joey is currently on faculty at Millennium Dance Complex and has worked as a teacher and choreographer for Joffrey Ballet School . Joey’s mission is to push the boundaries of dance while inspiring the next generation of artists through creativity, athleticism, and passion for performance. Connect on Social Media: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joeythedancer/

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