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.”

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.

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.

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 $$$).

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-winning choreography, Toni and Keli open up about sacrifice, vision, and what it really takes to create a space where dancers become legends. 💥 This is more than a studio. It’s a movement. 💖 This is the Elite story - raw, real, and radiant. 🎬 Watch the LIVE PREMIERE 📅 Wednesday at 8AM PT / 11AM ET 📲 Subscribe to catch every moment as it drops! ✨ New episodes every Wednesday Rhinestones and Rants is now streaming on all major podcast platforms. 🔗 Binge Episodes 1–6 while you wait: 🔥 Red flags. 💼 Studio owner drama. 👩‍👧 The pressure of being a studio owner’s daughter. 🎤 Brooklyn Jai unfiltered. 💃 Dance parents who don’t play. 👑 And the woman behind the red wall who started it all.

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 not just a story about a studio. This is a story about vision, grit, perseverance, and passion.

✨ WATCH THE FULL EPISODE NOW: 👉 https://youtu.be/mRKkJbGTyjs

🎧 Also streaming on: Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Amazon Music | iHeartRadio

⏰ New episodes every Wednesday at 8AM PT / 11AM ET

💬 Drop a comment, tell us what resonated most, and don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share with your dance fam!

#MillenniumDanceComplex #AnnMarieHudson #DancePioneer #SheBuiltThis #DanceLegends #RhinestonesAndRants #WomenInDance #DanceEntrepreneur #LAChoreoScene #RedWallIcon

This week, we’re pulling back the curtain on West Coast Elite with founder Stephanie Noori, the woman who turned a vision into a dance empire. 🔥

The truth about fairness, integrity & what it really takes to run the most respected school-dance competition in the country. 💬

Hear how WCE became the gold standard for dancers, coaches & teams nationwide and why it’s more than just trophies, it’s a movement.

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.