Breaking the Wall Podcast

As performers, we're going to face high stakes moment regularly. For some of us, that may mean dealing with nervousness and anxiety around performing more often than others. In this short mindset episode, I want to encourage you all to acknowledge those feelings WITHOUT projecting them onto your audience, even if it makes us feel better in the moment. 

Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE

Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

I'm in Phoenix for the weekend celebrating my little brother, Connor Coleman. BUT I was hanging out with my older brother Danny and we started diving into the different personality types we work with. The conversation was too good NOT to record.

See where you fall in the Big Five Personality Types HERE

About Danny:
As a trainer and coach for 12+ years, I learned that it didn’t matter how knowledgeable I was or how many certifications I got unless I understood people.

I became obsessed with psychology and behavior change. I read 450+ books (yes, I track them. I had a lot of free time in my twenties) on communication, motivation, influence, human development, business, management, and behavior change. The only fiction I’ve read is the Hunger Games series. Expanding my tastes is something I’m working on.

I took all of that information and wrote a book with my mentor and friend Dr. Jade Teta called “Next Level Tribe” and began speaking at colleges and online seminars, conducting workshops, and building programs for coaches and managers to improve their leadership skills. Things like:

- How to communicate in ways that actually influence behavior change
- Teaching in simple ways to make your ideas stick
- Building confidence and self-esteem to move through fear and anxiety
- Understanding key active listening skills that build connection and retention
- Utilizing the principles of motivation to make habits stick

In 2019, I joined a health and fitness company to build a $1M coaching program (with some amazing people) and oversaw hundreds of clients going through our curriculum, managed a team of brilliant coaches, and applied all that book knowledge with real human beings.

Now, I am the Head of Operations at JillFit, where we help trainers and coaches build and run online businesses. I also head up The Coaching Academy, where I teach coaches, managers, and leaders key skills that actually drive behavior change.

If you dig psychology and behavior change, let’s connect!

Get on the email list: https://www.takecarecoaching.com

Email: Danny@takecarecoaching.com 

Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE

Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE

Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE

Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

There are many days when when I wish I had the motivation to get up, make my coffee, and head to class. More often than not, the motivation ends after the cup of coffee hits. The truth is, motivation is hard to find, especially when it feels like you're pushing a boulder up the hill as you navigate your career. 

In this episode, Brandon offers four ways to take action so that motivation can follow. It's important that we find creative way to still do the things we need to so that we can reap the rewards and opportunities down the line.

Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE

Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Think about the people in your life that you spend the most time with. If you're in school, its probably the dancer's you take class with. If you're in your career, it might be the people you work with. However, as you grow in your career you'll start to see a seperation. Some will continue to opt into their dance journeys whille other might opt out. Belle Jessen is a good friend of mine from a 2013 summer intensives to our first professional jobs in 2015 who continues to opt in.

In our conversation we touch on our early day in Chicago, her unexpected journey into the LA commercial world, and what dancer's can do to stay actively growing in their careers and hot to pivot if what you thought you wanted isn't serving you.

Belle is a melting pot of trades and artistic endeavors. With 20 years experience in the dance industry, her career has dabbled in both the concert and commercial worlds.

Credits: Dua Lipa, Katy Perry, Charli XCX, Troye Sivan, Banks, Moby, The Voice, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, Visceral Dance Chicago, Arrogant Elbow, Chicago Dance Crash, Point Park University

As an educator and mentor, Belle considers herself a true nurturer for the next generation of dancers. Her style blends her technical training with experimental movement and diverse musicality creating a melting pot of styles ranging from contemporary ballet to jazz-modern fusion. 

Outside of her dance career, Belle is a licensed real estate broker in the state of Illinois. This venture has strengthened her skills as a business owner as through both industries, she is committed to providing unparalleled value through building long-lasting relationships based on trust and transparency. 

Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE

Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Wow-- and here we are. I'm so excited to have made it to this point in the shows journey and looking forward to even more. Only 1% of podcasts get past 20 episodes and 90% of them don't even pass episode 3.

In this episode, Brandon shares three lessons he's learned from his time podcasting and how they can apply to your life as a dancer. How do we take action when were not feeling motivated, how do we let things take time, and how do we focus on the small wins to let the big successes form?

Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE

Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

It's never ideal to lose your job, but losing it on your birthday feels like an angsty Alanis Morissette song. Early on in our lives and careers, we hear messaging that is pushing this desire for us to find job security. The issue here, especially in the arts, job security is more of an illusion than a tangible reality.  

In this episode, Brandon share three ways to protect against and combat job loss. Although dancers traditionally move from job to job, how can we refocus our goals from job security, to job fulfillment? 

Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE

Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

We move through two phases as we navigate our careers and most dancers (if not all) will start in the Growth Phase. Here, we are gaining new skills, experiences, and creating value for ourselves, but maybe not always getting the pay we want. Ideally, this phase will lead us to a Demand Phase where we have more autonomy over the jobs we do and create work that fulfills us artistically and financially.

In this episode, Brandon breaks down these two phases and emphasizes their utility as a guide to filter jobs and projects as we move forward in our careers. When is a growth phase necessary in order to reach a demand phase?

Additional Call to Action: I'm creating a new program and looking for a specific group of dancers to participate in the pilot season. If you meet at least 4 of the following criteria, I want to hear from you:

1. In your first 1-2 years of a pro dance career
2. Currently living in or near NYC
3. Contemporary dance
4. Actively looking or auditioning for dance jobs in the next 3-6 months
5. Haven't had the best luck booking work OR haven't booked any fulfilling work in yet.

Shoot me a DM on IG if this is you and you want to hear more about the program. 

Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE

Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Booking a job is tough process. As a dancer you either know the struggle or will know the struggle at some point. In some cases, we get so close to booking a job or are always getting cut before the last round. But how long do we go through this process before we move on to another focus? How do we tell the difference between when someone leading us on and when the timing just isn't right?

In this episode, Brandon talks about 5 signs to look out for when things aren't resulting in a job. He talk about the importance of taking each rejection as information and using that information to make your next move. Although these are not one-size-fits-all situations, they are great check in moments on your professional dance journey.

Interested in working with Brandon?  SIGN-UP for a FREE Coaching Consultation HERE
Brandon helps pre-professional dancers find their voice as they navigate their careers and helps them stay accountable  when pursuing their goals.

Through coaching, Brandon helps dancers define whats important for them and redefine what a successful life/career looks like.

Learn more here: http://www.brandoncolemandance.com/career-coaching

Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE

Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Early on in our careers we can get stuck in this mindset of never feeling like we have enough resources. For some dancers, they have the privilege and opportunity to start their careers with the financial security thanks to their parents, guardians, or someone else who helps fund their career early on. Although this is nice and softens the blow of diving into the real world, it could become a crutch that keeps dancers from fully committing themselves to the career they dream about.

In this episode, Brandon talks about why it's not always beneficial to have someone else fund your life at the start. The early days of your professional career is a great opportunity to gain confidence in yourself and what you can accomplish with limited resources. If you do have financial backing, Brandon shares ways you can ease off their payroll and fully step into your financial independence.

Interested in working with Brandon?  SIGN-UP for a FREE Coaching Consultation HERE
Brandon helps pre-professional dancers find their voice as they navigate their careers and helps them stay accountable  when pursuing their goals.

Through coaching, Brandon helps dancers define whats important for them and redefine what a successful life/career looks like.

Learn more here: http://www.brandoncolemandance.com/career-coaching

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE
Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE

Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

I think one of the main reason dancer's don't continue to pursue a career in dance is because they get defeated before they even start. We face a lot of rejection early on and can't always see the bigger picture when it comes to a successful career.

In this episode, Brandon shares 4 ways dancers can stop living in the short term losses and focus on the long term success. Through consistency, awareness, and adaptability, dancers can stay present in their careers without feeling defeated by a wave of rejection.

Interested in working with Brandon?  SIGN-UP for a FREE Coaching Consultation HERE
Brandon helps pre-professional dancers find their voice as they navigate their careers and helps them stay accountable  when pursuing their goals.

Through coaching, Brandon helps dancers define whats important for them and redefine what a successful life/career looks like.

Learn more here: http://www.brandoncolemandance.com/career-coaching

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE
Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE

Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Sometimes, it's just a no for me dog.

Early in our careers we tend to audition for every and any job. We're stacking ourselves against other dancers who are just graduating as well as dancers who have been in the field for years. In all the craziness, we don't always stop to ask if the jobs were auditioning for are right for us.

In an effort to unsubscribe from the "a job is a job" mentality, Brandon talks about why you should say no to a job. In this episode, he talks about four filters to go through when making a decision on weather or not to accept a position in a show, company, or process.

Book mentioned: "4,000 Weeks" by Oliver Burkeman
https://www.amazon.com/Four-Thousand-Weeks-Management-Mortals/dp/0374159122

Interested in working with Brandon?  SIGN-UP for a FREE Coaching Consultation HERE
Brandon helps pre-professional dancers find their voice as they navigate their careers and helps them stay accountable  when pursuing their goals.

Through coaching, Brandon helps dancers define whats important for them and redefine what a successful life/career looks like.

Learn more here: http://www.brandoncolemandance.com/career-coaching

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE
Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE

Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Before we graduate or enter the dance field, the world can feel pretty black and white: Dancer goes to an auditon, dancer gets job. In reality, I’ve found this is rarely the case and more often than not, the people on the other side of the table are hiring people they know through workshops, classes, and other long term relationships.

I also know that money can be a sensitive subject for dancers and the thought of spending more money on training and experiences after you graduate is hard for dancers to grasp.

In this episode, Brandon talks about why paying for additional workshops, classes, and trainings are a non negotiable. Dancer’s need to find workshops and programs that align with their values and goals and invest in them.

Interested in working with Brandon?  SIGN-UP for a FREE Coaching Consultation HERE
Brandon helps pre-professional dancers find their voice as they navigate their careers and helps them stay accountable  when pursuing their goals.

Through coaching, Brandon helps dancers define whats important for them and redefine what a successful life/career looks like.

Learn more here: http://www.brandoncolemandance.com/career-coaching

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE
Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE

Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

We all navigate our careers in our own time. Some of us find that we love to dance but don't see it as a viable career option right away and decide to take some time off. Dispite what you're hard core ballet teacher has told you, you can always take a break and get back into dance. How you do it safely and consistently is the real question.

In this episode, Brandon talks about how to navigate your reentry into the dance world. Through Ihis own experience with taking time away, Brandon shares three things dancers can do to make sustainable choices as they dive back in (or maybe just dip a toe in at first).

Interested in working with Brandon?  SIGN-UP for a FREE Coaching Consultation HERE
Brandon helps pre-professional dancers find their voice as they navigate their careers and helps them stay accountable  when pursuing their goals.

Through coaching, Brandon helps dancers define whats important for them and redefine what a successful life/career looks like.

Learn more here: http://www.brandoncolemandance.com/career-coaching

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE
Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE

Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

The wildness of a dance career comes in waves.  Between shows, auditions, class, and anything else that can fill our days, we can go for weeks without having a full day off. As we go through these motions, we can start to feel the weight of our careers.

In this episode, Brandon shares three ways he finds useful to simplify the role we play as dancers. Through these mindset shifts we can make space for more joy and less intimidating stress in our busy day to day lives.

Interested in working with Brandon?  SIGN-UP for a FREE Coaching Consultation HERE
Brandon helps pre-professional dancers find their voice as they navigate their careers and helps them stay accountable  when pursuing their goals.

Through coaching, Brandon helps dancers define whats important for them and redefine what a successful life/career looks like.

Learn more here: http://www.brandoncolemandance.com/career-coaching

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE
Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE

Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

The freelance life is no joke. It takes time, energy, and a drive that isn't for everyone. However, if you're able to stick it out, you could have a stellar career like Christine Flores.

In this episode, I chat with my good friend and Freelance Queen of NYC, Christine Flores. We talk about the schedule of a freelancer, how we'll never like auditions, and the importance of listening to what you want to do and keeping an open mind.

Christine Flores is originally from Toronto, Ontario and has been working with Pam Tanowitz since 2016. She graduated from New World School of the Arts (Miami) in 2015 with a BFA in Dance and received additional training at Springboard Danse Montreal, the Contemporary Program at Jacob's Pillow, and Cunningham Fellowship workshops. Named one of Dance Magazine’s 2021 “25 to Watch”, Christine is currently based out of New York City and also performing with Company XIV, Danielle Russo Performance Project, Keigwin + Company, Dance Heginbotham, NVA & Guests, and Shinsa Collective.

Connect with Christine!
Instagram: @ChristineFl0res

Interested in working with Brandon?  SIGN-UP for a FREE Coaching Consultation HERE
Brandon helps pre-professional dancers find their voice as they navigate their careers and helps them stay accountable  when pursuing their goals.

Through coaching, Brandon helps dancers define whats important for them and redefine what a successful life/career looks like.

Learn more here: http://www.brandoncolemandance.com/career-coaching

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE
Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE

Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

The life of a dancer is a busy one. We use a lot of energy physically and mentally each day and can get into routines that don't allow a lot of rest. However, every once in a while we get hit with a random day off and are left searching for ideas of how to fill it.

In this episode, Brandon talks about his best practices when it comes to taking advantage of a day off. It's important that dancers find an array of restorative activities they can implement when they have the time to so they aren't left with decision fatigue about how to spend their time.

Interested in working with Brandon?  SIGN-UP for a FREE Coaching Consultation HERE
Brandon helps pre-professional dancers find their voice as they navigate their careers and helps them stay accountable  when pursuing their goals.

Through coaching, Brandon helps dancers define whats important for them and redefine what a successful life/career looks like.

Learn more here: http://www.brandoncolemandance.com/career-coaching

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE
Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE

Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

One of the more common job offers for dancers fresh out of school is and apprenticeship. These positions have varying responsibilities form one company to the next but you can't know what to expect until you're in it....right?

In this episode, Brandon talks about what to consider before accepting a role as an apprentice. What questions should you ask up front and what experience are you looking to have? We step into these positions with specific goals or hopeful outcomes. What do you need to figure out so you can have a positive experience and avoid being left with nothing but resentment and disappointment.


Interested in working with Brandon?  SIGN-UP for a FREE Coaching Consultation HERE
Brandon helps pre-professional dancers find their voice as they navigate their careers and helps them stay accountable  when pursuing their goals.

Through coaching, Brandon helps dancers define whats important for them and redefine what a successful life/career looks like.

Learn more here: http://www.brandoncolemandance.com/career-coaching

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE
Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE

Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Unfortunately, getting a job as a dancer is not the easiest process straight out of college and many dancers will find themselves without work right away. Although this is true, how can dancers find the bright side of the time they have?

In this episode, Brandon talks about the highlights of being under or unemployed and the unique opportunities this situation presents. He dives into his own journey and talks about how he used the time to prepare and push Ihis career forward. This career is full of ups and downs, how we spend out time in both is a game changer.

Interested in working with Brandon?  SIGN-UP for a FREE Coaching Consultation HERE
Brandon helps pre-professional dancers find their voice as they navigate their careers and helps them stay accountable  when pursuing their goals.

Through coaching, Brandon helps dancers define whats important for them and redefine what a successful life/career looks like.

Learn more here: http://www.brandoncolemandance.com/career-coaching

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE
Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP

Interested in working with Brandon? He works with pre-professional and early career artist to help them book and build fulfilling work. You can learn more about his coaching HERE

Connect with Brandon!
Join his Email List: HERE

Instagram: @itsBrandonColeman | @BreakingTheWallPodcast
Website: www.BrandonColemanDance.com/BTWP