This week on Rhinestones & Rants, Eshe Gibbs opens up about her powerful journey through the highs and heartbreaks of the dance world.

From being treated “like family” to realizing that loyalty can turn toxic, Eshe shares the red flags she missed, the lessons she learned, and the courage it took to walk away, not just from a studio, but from everything holding her back.

Now, she’s living her dream, teaching with purpose, and proving that peace, confidence, and self-worth will always outshine fear and control.

It’s honest, raw, and deeply inspiring, a story about breaking free, finding your voice, and reclaiming your freedom one eight-count at a time.

This week on Rhinestones and Rants, we’re laughing, crying, and glue-gunning our way through the wild world of dance moms with the one and only Nichole Long, aka The Crazy Dance Mom.

If you’ve ever cried in a hotel hallway, panicked over lipstick No. 78, or labeled 14 hangers before sunrise… you’re one of us. From Dream Duffel drama to snack-list wars, Nichole spills the sparkly tea on the chaos, comedy, and heart of dance mom life.

🎧 Watch “Confessions of a Crazy Dance Mom”, premiering Wednesday, October 29 at 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET!

👉 Subscribe, laugh with us, and tag your favorite dance mom!

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 need business skills now more than ever

💎 Episode premiers on October 22nd 8am PT/11amET

#RhinestonesAndRants #BusinessOfDance #DanceCareers #DancePodcast #DanceMoms #DanceEducation #AlyssaBetter #MeninaFortunato

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 careers.

We’re talking jobs, money, and mindset and breaking the myth that a dance degree is a dead end.

Because the end game isn’t “What now?” …it’s “Watch me.”

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 support systems that help her kids thrive, not just as champions, but as people.

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.

✨ What you’ll learn:

• The real difference between a BA and BFA (and why it matters)

• What happens in a college dance audition (beyond the pirouettes 💃)

• Why “dream school” ≠ “best fit”

• The #1 mindset shift every competition dancer needs before college

• How SDSU helps dancers grow into confident college artists

• Insider Qs to ask BEFORE applying

If you’re a dancer, parent, or mentor navigating the leap from studio to stage, this is the must-watch, must-share episode. Joe’s advice is honest, empowering, and could save you years of confusion (and $$$).

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 training vs. single-focus conservatories. 👉 How to prepare early (yes, junior year!) so you’re not scrambling. ✨ Hosted by Alyssa Better with dance mom & researcher ReJana Krause, this is the episode every parent and dancer needs before applications, prescreens, and auditions hit.