Dance Dad With John Corella

EP 52: Nothing Scares Men More Than A Feminine Boy Who Dances with Bronson Arrivillaga and his Dance Mom Katlyn

Bronson Arrivillaga is only 10 years old, but he already knows what it means to take up space.
 
He has performed in the Super Bowl halftime show with Bad Bunny, landed a role on The Pitt, and competed on stages where confidence is not optional. Yet what stands out most about Bronson is not the size of the opportunity. It is the way he talks about dance as a form of storytelling, self-expression, and connection.
 
In this episode of Dance Dad, host John Corella sits down with Bronson and his mom, Katlyn, for a conversation about what it means to be a boy in dance, especially a boy who refuses to shrink himself to make other people comfortable.
 
Bronson also talks about the harder parts. Dance moms bullying, negative online comments targeting his videos, and being questioned just for showing up as himself. His response every time is to walk back to his people and keep going.
 
From wearing Tiger Friday with zero apology to competing in multiple group dances and solos this season, Bronson is clear about one thing. Anything you do should make you feel happy and powerful. Katlyn's steadiness as a parent runs through the whole conversation and makes it clear why Bronson moves through the world the way he does.
 
His dreams are already becoming his life. He is playing characters on network TV, performing on the biggest stages in the world, and he is just getting started.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Meet Bronson Arrivillaga: Boy Dancer Inspiration Behind the Super Bowl Halftime Show
03:15 Finding Happiness and Purpose Through Dance
07:09 Why the Family Moved From Indiana to LA to Chase His Dreams
09:55 What It Was Really Like Performing the Super Bowl With Bad Bunny
12:57 Behind the Scenes Secrets From the Bad Bunny Halftime Show
16:57 What Bronson Loves Most About Dance and Competing
23:31 The Story He Most Wants to Tell Through Dance
27:26 How Bronson Shows Adults What It Means to Be Yourself
28:38 Dealing With Dance Moms Bullying and Online Hate
34:15 Feeling Safe at Dance Conventions as a Boy Who Dances
39:30 Why Bronson Loves Acting Just as Much as Dance
40:37 Playing Patient Ben Baker on The Pitt
48:28 Competing to Prince and Wednesday This Season
50:45 Favorite Choreographers, Dancers, and Dance Movies
55:40 The Boldest Things Bronson and Katlyn Have Ever Done
Connect with Bronson Arrivillaga:
Follow Bronson on Instagram 
 
Connect with John Corella:
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Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP 51: Pride or Problematic: Is Heated Rivalry Good for Gay Men? | Jake & Kendrick, The JK But Gay Show

Jake and Kendrick came on Dance Dad to talk about Heated Rivalry. They ended up talking about something much harder: what gay men are taught to hide from themselves and each other.
 
John Corella, host of Dance Dad and co-creator of Dance Moms, sits down with Jake and Kendrick of The JK But Gay Show for a Pride Month conversation about body image, masculinity, friendship, intimacy, and the stories gay men carry into adulthood. The episode starts with a debate about Heated Rivalry, but it quickly becomes more personal than anyone expected.
 
John came in skeptical of the show. Jake and Kendrick came in as fans. What they work out together touches on gay body image issues, whether therapy changes the way you consume media, and whether a show can be pure entertainment and still carry a real responsibility to the people watching it. Nobody wraps it up neatly, and that is what makes it worth listening to.
 
The conversation gets personal fast. Jake talks about growing up where crying was not acceptable and what that cost him. Kendrick shares a coming out story that started during confession at the Vatican. John reflects honestly on why he kept falling for emotionally unavailable men. LGBTQ masculinity is not treated as a talking point here. It comes up the way it actually lives, inside specific memories and patterns that took years to name.
 
Underneath all of it is the thing Jake and Kendrick built together. Real gay male friendship is rarer than it should be, and they started their show because they knew that. Gay men and emotional maturity, platonic loyalty, and what it looks like to grow alongside another person are not side topics here. They are the whole foundation.
 
This is one of those episodes that stays with you.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Welcome to Dance Dad with John Corella
02:10 Meet Jake and Kendrick of the JK But Gay Show
08:31 Does Heated Rivalry Give Gay Men Body Image Issues
15:55 Hiding Your Identity in Sports and the Closet
41:17 Does Heated Rivalry Reinforce or Challenge Masculinity
48:12 Why Gay Men Are Drawn to Emotionally Unavailable Partners
52:51 The Difference Between Sex and Intimacy for Gay Men
59:46 A Gay Therapist Explains Why Heated Rivalry Feels So Good
1:17:06 Kendrick's Coming Out Story at the Vatican
1:21:04 Favorite Selena Quintanilla Songs
1:24:10 The Boldest Thing Each of Them Has Ever Done
 
Connect with Jake and Kendrick:
Follow Jake and Kendrick on Instagram 
 
Connect with John Corella:
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Follow John on Instagram
Join Dance Dad with John Corella on Patreon
Visit John Corella’s website
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP 50: Gen Z Men Redefining Dance with Rahja "King" Fuller

Rahja Fuller did not luck into the Brandy and Monica Tour. He trained for it, prepared for it, and walked into the audition like he belonged there.
 
On Dance Dad, host John Corella talks with dancer, singer, actor, and former Pop Money member Rahja Fuller about how to become a professional dancer with focus, humility, and real industry awareness. At just 19, Rahja has already moved from competition dance to major stages.
 
Learning how to become a professional dancer is not only about being talented. It is about doing the small jobs before the big ones, taking unpaid opportunities when they build real experience, and understanding that relationships matter. Walk in like you belong there. Let your personality show. Stay present in the room. Focus on what makes you stand out instead of worrying about who else might book the job.
 
This conversation also gives space to a thoughtful discussion about Gen Z, masculinity, and the expectations placed on young men in dance. Rahja speaks openly about ballet, contemporary, hip hop, breakdance, and the way masculinity and male dancers are often talked about from the outside. His take on masculinity is rooted in confidence, discipline, self-respect, and comfort in your own skin.
 
For young dancers, parents, teachers, and anyone trying to understand what it really takes to build a career in entertainment, this episode offers more than a success story. It is a clear reminder that preparation matters long before the audition starts. Rahja is young, driven, and already thinking like someone who wants to bring people with him. Work hard. Stay ready. Know your history. And when the room opens, dance like you already know why you are there.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Dance Dad with John Corella and Guest Rahja Fuller
02:56 How Rahja Booked the Boy Is Mine Tour Audition at 19
04:08 Why Dance Competition Kids Make Better Professional Dancers
11:52 What Competition Dance Teaches You About Rejection and Resilience
28:26 The Role of a Supportive Dance Dad in a Dancer's Success
41:27 Dance Audition Tips from a 19-Year-Old Who Booked a Major Tour
54:39 Masculinity and Male Dancers in 2026
1:07:27 Why Doing Free Work Is Essential to Building a Dance Career
Connect with Rahja Fuller:
Follow Rahja on Instagram 
 
Connect with John Corella:
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Follow John on Instagram
Join Dance Dad with John Corella on Patreon
Visit John Corella’s website
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP 49: Season 3 Premiere Episode: When Her Boys Became Men on Stage with My Dance Mom

For anyone raising boys who dance, this Mother’s Day episode will hit home fast. In this season 3 premiere episode of Dance Dad, John Corella sits down with his mom Sylvia and his brother Joseph for a conversation that goes far beyond recital memories. It gets into what it really takes to believe in a child before the rest of the world catches up. Sylvia shares what it meant to be a dance mom for two sons in an environment that did not always make room for boys who dance, and why supporting boys in dance can shape far more than talent. It can shape confidence, identity, and the courage to stay true to yourself.
 
There is a lot here for listeners who want honesty, heart, and a few Dance Mom funny moments too. You get family stories about competitions, Broadway, Star Search, tough feedback, and the kind of humor only siblings and a seasoned dance mom can bring. You also hear how Sylvia’s life experience as a survivor of cancer, stroke, and loss gave her a deeper sense of faith and perspective. That turns this into more than a family tribute. It becomes real inspiration to be kind, stand up for your kids, and keep going through hard seasons. If you care about parenting, resilience, or the lasting impact of believing in boys who dance, this one is worth your time.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Mother’s Day Special With Sylvia Corella and Joseph Corella
05:22 How a Dance Mom Supported Boys Who Dance
16:20 Bullying, Courage, and Supporting Boys in Dance
20:23 Advice for Dance Moms Raising Boys Who Dance
33:08 Cancer, Faith, and Staying Strong Through Hard Seasons
36:42 Broadway, Star Search, and Proud Family Milestones
44:59 What Winning Means in Dance and in Life
53:55 Dance Parent Pressure, Judgment, and Protecting Young Dancers
01:00:21 Betty Boop, Dance Memories, and Funny Family Moments
01:09:13 Bold Choices, Moving Away, and Building a Creative Life
Connect with John Corella:
www.josephcorella.com
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Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

Bonus Episode: How to Win at Dance Competitions: What Alysa Liu Actually Reminded Us

Mental performance coaching is changing how athletes and parents think about success in youth sports. In this bonus episode, John Corella and mental performance coach Lisa Mitzel discuss how a healthier youth sports mindset can help young athletes compete with confidence without losing their sense of self. The discussion draws inspiration from Olympic champion Alysa Liu, whose approach to competition highlights the power of present moment performance and emotional awareness.
 
Lisa explains how mental performance coaching helps athletes stay grounded during pressure moments instead of becoming trapped in results, expectations, or fear of mistakes. Alysa Liu’s journey illustrates how athletes can perform at the highest level when they trust their instincts, respect their bodies, and remain present during competition. Present moment performance allows athletes to stay connected to what they are doing instead of obsessing over scores, placements, or approval from others.
 
Parents also influence how young athletes experience competition. John and Lisa discuss how family values shape the environment around training and performance. Parents often feel pressure to protect children from disappointment, yet mental performance coaching shows that resilience develops when kids learn to face setbacks with support instead of avoidance. This youth sports mindset encourages patience, accountability, and emotional strength.
 
The conversation also addresses body image and the messages young athletes receive about their bodies in dance and sports. Through sports parenting advice and real examples from training environments, John and Lisa encourage parents to create conversations that help children appreciate their bodies and build confidence from within.
 
Mental performance coaching appears throughout the episode as a framework for helping athletes manage pressure, respond to mistakes, and compete with greater awareness. Parents who want a healthier youth sports mindset will hear practical sports parenting advice that supports both performance and well-being.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Introduction to Mental Performance Coaching and Youth Sports Mindset
01:27 Alysa Liu and the Power of Present Moment Performance
04:34 Sports Parenting Advice and Building Strong Family Values
08:57 Shifting From Results to a Healthy Youth Sports Mindset
13:00 Present Moment Performance vs Perfection in Competition
20:03 Mental Performance Coaching and Learning From Failure
29:44 Parents, Pressure, and Accountability in Youth Sports
33:05 Alysa Liu and Joy in Competition
Connect with Lisa Mitzel:
Visit Lisa's website
 
Connect with John Corella:
Follow Dance Dad with John Corella on Instagram
Follow John on Instagram
Join Dance Dad with John Corella on Patreon
Visit John Corella’s website
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP 48: How to Audition for Convention Scholarships

Auditions take on a new clarity as John Corella shows how dancers can stay grounded, choose an outfit that supports their presence, rely on their 3 tricks, and move through the journey with steadier confidence.
 
John talks openly about the pressure dancers feel and the emotional weight parents carry. It raises important questions. What helps someone stay centered in a room full of nerves? How does a dancer build confidence when the result is out of their hands? He explains why courage grows in spaces where dancers can try, fail, and continue without shame. He also breaks down what teachers actually notice, from focus and kindness to an outfit that helps them remember you. His take on improv feels especially helpful. The 3 tricks approach gives dancers something reliable to lean on when the moment feels unpredictable.
 
Listeners will leave with a clearer sense of the audition journey and the mindset that helps a dancer stay steady through every high and low.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Introduction to Dance and Auditions
03:03 Navigating the Audition Process
05:52 Preparing for Auditions: Tips and Tricks
08:46 The Importance of Presentation and Focus
12:10 Understanding the Audition Environment
15:10 Improv and Showcasing Your Strengths
18:04 Coping with Rejection and Disappointment
20:57 Post-Audition Reflections and Growth
23:50 Final Thoughts and Encouragement
Connect with John Corella:
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Visit John Corella’s website
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP 47: Holiday Episode with Yvette Walts from Dance Moms, AUDC

Yvette Walts opens up about the pressure tied to Dance Moms fame, the panic attacks that surfaced once episodes aired, and the steady purpose that guides her work as a studio owner.
 
John Corella invites her to revisit the intense reality-TV environment that shaped so much of her early public life, and the conversation turns into an honest look at what happens when you see a version of yourself on screen that doesn’t match who you believe you are. How do you process that kind of shock? What helps you find your footing again? Yvette shares the role her community played as she worked through anxiety and self-forgiveness and she reflects on the difference between reacting in the moment and living with those reactions once millions of people have seen them.
 
Yvette also brings forward two decades of insight from owning a dance studio and explains how structure, clarity, and genuine care built a space where more than a thousand students feel supported. What does it take to create a place that feels safe for growth? How do you lead with both expectation and compassion? Through stories from AUDC and Dance Moms and through reflections on panic attacks and leadership, this episode shows the resilience required to stay centered in a world that rarely gives you time to catch your breath.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Yvette Walts Joins John Corella
03:08 Behind the Scenes of AUDC
05:48 Reacting Under Stress on Reality TV
07:30 Regret, Self-Forgiveness, and Online Judgment
08:58 Panic Attacks After Seeing Herself on TV
19:47 From Gymnastics to Owning a Dance Studio
25:08 How Dance Moms Impacted Her Business
32:18 How Her Teaching Style Evolved Over Time
48:12 The Systems Behind a 1,100-Student Studio
49:53 Creating a Full Studio Experience
53:25 Advice for Studio Owners on Brand and Culture
01:00:06 Creative Influences and Final Reflections
Connect with Yvette Walts:
Follow Yvette on Instagram
Connect with John Corella:
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Follow John on Instagram
Join Dance Dad with John Corella on Patreon
Visit John Corella’s website
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP 46: Defying Gravity for 15 Years With Wicked Dance Justin Wirick

Fifteen years in Wicked collide with grief, queer joy and the quiet rituals that keep a performer brave eight shows a week.
 
With part two of the Wicked movie now in theaters, John Corella celebrates the moment by revisiting his conversation with Justin Wirick, a longtime dancer with the Broadway National Tour of Wicked. What begins as a lighthearted holiday replay opens into a layered, intimate look at creativity, identity, resilience and the emotional depth woven into performing the same show thousands of times.
 
Justin shares how ritual, presence and community have sustained him through the demands of touring life, the pressure of staying fresh onstage and the grief of losing his mother. He reflects on the ways Wicked mirrors the lived experiences of queer performers who spend years learning to celebrate the parts of themselves they once hid. This episode is a reminder that the courage to keep showing up for your art and for your truth is its own form of defying gravity.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Welcome and Wicked Movie Celebration
02:00 Justin Wirick on Nerves and Finding His Voice
05:30 Fifteen Years in Wicked and Touring Life
12:44 How Justin Finally Joined Wicked After Three Offers
17:41 Wicked Choreography: Stage vs Film
23:54 Justin’s Rituals for Calming Nerves Before Every Show
37:04 Choosing Joy and Staying Fresh After Thousands of Performances
41:08 Performing Through Grief After Losing His Mom
41:25 Why Wicked Resonates With LGBTQ+ Audiences
54:32 Staying Kind and Grounded in a Tough Industry
01:04:15 Dance Lightning Round and Where to Follow Justin
 
Connect with Justin Wirick:
Follow Justin on Instagram
 
Connect with John Corella:
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Follow John on Instagram
Join Dance Dad with John Corella on Patreon
Visit John Corella’s website
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP 45: The Boy Is Mine Tour Dancer with Charm Spencer

Charm Spencer opens up about tour life - the late nights, the travel, and the mindset that keeps him grounded while performing on The Boy Is Mine Tour with Brandy and Monica. In this episode, he joins John Corella to talk about learning to move between masculine and feminine energy onstage and how that balance shapes both his artistry and his identity.
 
He reflects on rejection, growth, and humility with a kind of honesty that pulls you in. How do you stay true to yourself when every role asks for something different? How do you keep your confidence in an industry built on constant change?
 
Charm’s story connects discipline with self-acceptance and reminds dancers that authenticity is its own kind of power. And for anyone who grew up watching Dance Moms, he shows how those early lessons in adaptability and storytelling still echo through every performance today.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Behind the Scenes of The Boy Is Mine Tour
06:00 Charm Spencer’s Journey to Becoming a Professional Dancer
09:03 Balancing Masculine and Feminine Energy in Dance
11:57 Breakthrough Auditions and Career Lessons
15:05 A Real Look at Tour Life
47:59 Handling Criticism and Protecting Your Energy
49:47 What Touring Dancers Teach Each Other
54:08 Dance Moms and Early Influences
Connect with Charm Spencer:
Follow Charm on Instagram 
 
Connect with John Corella:
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Follow John on Instagram
Join Dance Dad with John Corella on Patreon
Visit John Corella’s website
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

EP 44: 1988 Olympics Womens Gymnastics Team Controversy with Missy Marlowe

When former Olympian Melissa Marlowe talks about the 1988 Olympic controversy and the bronze medal being taken away, she doesn’t just revisit a headline; she relives what it felt like to stand on the edge of history and have it quietly rewritten overnight. How does someone keep competing after that? What carries an athlete through when the spotlight fades but the memory doesn’t? 
 
As she joins John Corella in this episode, Melissa reflects on the discipline, artistry, and strength that defined her career, from the power in her legs and feet to the mindset that helped her face pressure and perfectionism. She shares how her coaches’ mix of kindness and toughness shaped her longevity in a sport built on precision and risk, and how she’s come to measure success in ways that last longer than medals.
 
Episode Breakdown:
00:00 Welcome to Dance Dad and Guest Intro
01:47 Early Ballet Roots and Natural Flexibility
05:05 Signature Lines: The Power of Legs and Feet
06:35 Beating Nerves with Sports Psychology
21:39 The Reality of Olympic Pressure: Was It Worth It
23:40 1988 Olympic Controversy: Bronze Medal Being Taken Away
45:22 Competing in the Cold War: USA vs USSR
51:09 Hard but Kind Coaching and Athlete Longevity
59:12 Scholarships, Overtraining, and Choosing Longevity
01:00:42 Life After the Olympics: Movement, Motherhood, Meaning
 
Connect with Melissa Marlowe:
Connect with Melissa on Instagram
 
Connect with John Corella:
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Follow John on Instagram
Join Dance Dad with John Corella on Patreon
Visit John Corella’s website
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm