Rhinestones and Rants
Welcome to Rhinestones & Rants, where the glitz of the dance world meets the real talk of industry and a dance mom who lived it every day. This podcast isn’t just about perfect pirouettes and dazzling costumes—it’s about the raw, unfiltered journey of raising dancers, navigating the competitive scene, and balancing the chaos of life beyond the studio. Each episode dives into the heart of industry secrets and behind every amazing dancer is dance mom life with humor, honesty, and a little bit of sparkle. From the backstage battles over costume rhinestones to the emotional rollercoaster of competition season, no topic is off-limits. Expect lively discussions, behind-the-scenes stories, expert interviews, and listener call-ins where real moms share their experiences—the good, the bad, and the tutu-clad tantrums.
Episodes
This week, Alyssa Better sits down with industry powerhouse Menina Fortunato - dancer, choreographer, mentor, and creator of The Business of Dance and The Hollywood Summer Tour.
From branding and demo reels to taxes, agents, and turning passion into a paycheck, Menina is redefining what it means to go beyond the stage.
📋 Inside the episode:
• How to turn training into a career
• What studios don’t teach (but should)
• Why dancers ...
You’ve trained for years, survived competitions, and lived in rhinestones, but what comes after high school or college?
If you or your dancer is majoring in dance, what’s the end game? In this episode of Rhinestones & Rants, host Alyssa Better and guest Vicky dive deep into the real career paths that start with a dance degree, from Broadway and Beyoncé to choreography, conventions, content creation, and even corporate creative ...
High school dance isn’t just pep rallies and pom poms.
In this episode of Rhinestones & Rants, Alyssa Better sits down with Andrew Allen, National Grand Championship coach of Valencia High School Dance Team, to reveal what it really takes to build a winning program.
From tryouts and team culture to mental health, costs, and life beyond the title, Andrew shares the truths every dancer, parent, and coach needs to hear.
Behind every national title is a mom who makes it happen. 👑 In this episode of Rhinestones & Rants, Alyssa Better sits down with Lindsay, mom to the powerhouse dancers of Valencia High School.
From navigating high school dance team life to balancing studio, school, and competitions, Lindsay shares what it really takes to raise dancers who shine on the biggest stages. 💃✨ She also opens up about the lessons, sacrifices, and sup...
Think you know what it takes to get into a college dance program?
Spoiler: it’s WAY more than just nailing the combo. 👀
In this episode of Rhinestones & Rants, we sit down with Joe Alter of San Diego State University (SDSU), a dance educator, mentor, and admissions insider who has seen it ALL. From essays and interviews to audition photos and solos, Joe is pulling back the curtain on what really goes down behind the table.
✨ W...
You asked, we delivered. The conversation continues in Part TWO of our College Dance Series on Rhinestones and Rants 💎 In Part 1, we decoded the basics of a B.A. vs. B.F.A. degree. Now in Part 2, we’re taking it deeper: 👉 How auditions REALLY work beyond the combo (interviews, improv, solos & more). 👉 Red flags in program brochures 🚩 (and what they mean for your dancer’s future). 👉 The truth about triple-threat trai...
Welcome to Part ONE of our College Dance Series on Rhinestones and Rants💎
In this episode, host Alyssa Better sits down with dance mom & researcher ReJana Krause to break down what every dancer and parent needs to know before stepping into the college dance world.
👉 What’s the REAL difference between a B.A. and a B.F.A.?
👉 How do training hours, performance opportunities, and career outcomes compare?
👉 Which degree opens do...
Not every opportunity in dance is safe.
From “free” photoshoots to sketchy ambassador deals, predators know how to play the game.
⚠️ In this must-see episode, Alyssa Better & Vicky Inger expose the red flags every parent an dancer needs to know.
🎬 LIVE Premiere: Wed 9/3 @ 8AM PT | 11AM ET
👉 Subscribe + hit 🔔 so you don’t miss it.
#WhenFreeIsntFree #DanceSafety #RhinestonesAndRants #ProtectOurDancers #DanceParentsUnite #Dance...
THIS. IS. IT. 👑✨ Brian Friedman: PART 2. Does he know the power he holds over a room? Oh, he knows and today, so will you. ⚡ LIVE PREMIERE: TODAY, 8AM PT / 11AM ET ⚡ 👉 Join the chat. Witness the legend. Be part of history. #BrianFriedman #DanceLegends #DanceIcons #RhinestonesAndRants #BrianUnleashed #PremiereDay #ChoreoLegend #IconEnergy
🚨✨ THE WAIT IS OVER ✨
🚨 The legend. The icon. The choreographer who redefined pop culture. BRIAN. FREAKING. FRIEDMAN. 🎤💎
From Britney to Beyoncé, Bieber to the biggest stages on earth, Brian has shaped the dance world as we know it. And NOW… he’s telling ALL.
🎬 LIVE PREMIERE
📅 Wednesday 8/20 — 8AM PT | 11AM ET
💥 Be there. Be loud. Be part of history.
⚡ PLUS: This story is SO HUGE, it’s a 2-PART SERIES.
Part 1 → Aug 20 - 8am ...
She doesn’t just train dancers. She makes global superstars. Quinn Callahan: The visionary behind The Rock Center for Dance has built a legacy that stretches from the first barre to the biggest stages in the world.
Now, she’s pulling back the curtain on: 💎 What it really takes to rise to the top 🌱 Why she started The S.E.E.D. Program to give every dancer a shot 🔥 The grit, the heart, and the unstoppable drive behind the icons
She didn’t inherit it. She didn’t stumble into it. Toni Ricci built Elite Dance Center with grit, guts, and a whole lot of glitter. In this week’s episode of Rhinestones and Rants, we sit down with the powerhouse behind one of the most iconic studios in the competitive dance world and the woman beside her shaping the next generation of artists: Keli Adams, Elite’s fearless Director of Dance. From Broadway stages to award-winni...
If you know dance, you know Millennium Dance Complex. The bold red logo. The iconic LA backdrop. The world-class choreographers. The Instagram-famous combos. It’s a household name in the dance world.
But do you know the woman behind it all?
In this electrifying and emotional episode of Rhinestones and Rants, we sit down with Anne-Marie Hudson, the powerhouse CEO and founder of Millennium Dance Complex and let me tell you, this is n...
From preschool plot twists to pirouette-filled paths, this dance journey started with one unexpected stage moment. One Danced to Greatness. The Other Had the Breast Intentions.
🎧 Full tea in Episode 5
What does it really take to raise a boy in the world of competitive dance? In this raw, heartfelt, and unfiltered episode, we sit down with Scott and JoAnne Morales — the powerhouse parents behind dance sensation Gavin Morales.
From 6-hour round trips for 5-minute auditions to navigating a world not built for boys in ballet shoes, the Morales family’s journey is one of grit, sacrifice, and unconditional love. Scott opens up about h...
This week on Rhinestones & Rants, I sit down with the legendary Brooklyn Jai, choreographer to the stars and mentor to the next generation.
From Lizzo to 3LW, Soul Train to BET Awards, Brooklyn shares the raw truth behind the grind, the glory, and the grit it takes to make it in the dance industry.
We talk passion, purpose, and the power of showing up, moment by moment, class by class.
💎 If you’re in the world of dance (or jus...
✨ It’s LAUNCH WEEK and we’re going strong!
www.rhinestonesandrants.com is UP — and so is Episode 3! 💻🎉
“A Dance Daughter’s Journey: In Time with Cameron Suckle” 💃🎓
Some stories don’t just leave a mark — they leave a rhinestone trail straight to your heart. 💎
In this powerful and deeply personal episode, I sit down with someone I’ve known since she was little: the fierce and resilient Cameron Suckle.
Cameron just graduated...
🚨 It’s LAUNCH WEEK, and our website is officially LIVE! 💻🎉
RhinestonesAndRants.com is up and so is Episode 2 of the podcast! 💃
When does a dancer know it’s time to step off the stage and step into leadership?
For Maia Suckle, it wasn’t one big moment — it was quiet nudges, hard lessons, and one powerful push that led her to open her own studio. 👠➡️📋
🎙️ In this episode of Rhinestones & Rants, Maia spills what really g...
🚨 NEW PODCAST ALERT!
The wait is over our glitter-soaked, truth-telling, no-fluff dance podcast is officially LIVE! 🎙️✨
💎 Episode 1: Plié or Runaway? How to Choose the ‘Perfect’ Studio
We’re kicking off the debut of Rhinestones & Rants with glitter, grit, and brutally honest studio talk:
🩰 How do you know it’s the right fit?
🚩 What red flags should have you running in your jazz shoes?
💸 And how do you avoid getting ...
Ever wonder what it’s really like to grow up backstage, living that comp kid life with rhinestones in your roots and dance bags as your carry-on? 👯♀️🩰
Cameron Suckle is pulling back the curtain and she’s not sugarcoating a thing. From the pressure to be perfect to the pride of living the studio life, this is a raw, honest look into the world of the dance daughter. 👑 It’s emotional. It’s empowering. It’s everything you didn’t kn...
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