No Starving Artists
The No Starving Artist podcast is dedicated to dancers & artists looking to take their dancing to the next level. We interview people from all walks of dance that have had professional experience doing what they love. We hope to inspire the next generation of artists to pursue what THEY want.
Episodes

Jul 13, 2026
Jul 13, 2026
49 min
Welcome back to the No Starving Artists podcast featuring Brittni Johnson - a licensed clinical mental health therapist with many years of experience working with individuals of various age groups, including children, adolescents and adults. We talk about her experience with dance, her approach to teaching and more.
Their links:https://www.instagram.com/being_brittni/?hl=enhttps://www.empoweredmvt.com/about
This podcast is directed at artists, specifically dancers, looking to take their dancing to the next level. Each episode I'll have a different artist with a different background but all with one thing in common - they've elevated their artistry in one way or another.My hope is that this will inspire younger artists to keep pushing and also give you new ideas as to how you can turn your passion into a career.
Online coaching, free resources and more available online: www.nsadance.com Comment, Like and Share and don't forget to follow us on all social media!
https://www.instagram.com/artistswhoeat/

Jul 6, 2026
Jul 6, 2026
46 min
Welcome back to the No Starving Artists podcast featuring Theresa Stone - we chat about her journey with dance, her creative process and what she wants to see for dance moving forward.
Their links:https://www.instagram.com/theresastone91/
This podcast is directed at artists, specifically dancers, looking to take their dancing to the next level. Each episode I'll have a different artist with a different background but all with one thing in common - they've elevated their artistry in one way or another.My hope is that this will inspire younger artists to keep pushing and also give you new ideas as to how you can turn your passion into a career.
Online coaching, free resources and more available online: www.nsadance.com Comment, Like and Share and don't forget to follow us on all social media!
https://www.instagram.com/artistswhoeat/

Jun 29, 2026
Jun 29, 2026
47 min
Welcome back to the No Starving Artists podcast featuring Angela Trapani - We chat about her role as a dance parent & school psychologist and how those worlds have interesected.
Their links:https://www.instagram.com/amtrapani
This podcast is directed at artists, specifically dancers, looking to take their dancing to the next level. Each episode I'll have a different artist with a different background but all with one thing in common - they've elevated their artistry in one way or another.My hope is that this will inspire younger artists to keep pushing and also give you new ideas as to how you can turn your passion into a career.
Online coaching, free resources and more available online: www.nsadance.com Comment, Like and Share and don't forget to follow us on all social media!
https://www.instagram.com/artistswhoeat/

Jun 22, 2026
Jun 22, 2026
57 min
This guided conversation brought together some influential voices in the competitive dance space to talk about: What happens when private equity, outside investment, and corporate acquisitions enter the world of competitive dance?
We discussed:• Why investors are suddenly interested in dance • Rising costs for studios and families • The impact of consolidation on competitions, conventions, and studios • Whether artists are losing influence in the industry • New opportunities for studio owners looking toward retirement • How we balance business growth with artistic integrity • Who should have a seat at the table as dance continues to evolve
This wasn't a debate about who's right or wrong. It was a conversation about transparency, education, and making sure dancers, families, educators, and artists remain at the center of an industry that's changing rapidly.
Whether you're a studio owner, teacher, parent, dancer, or industry professional, this is a conversation worth listening to.
Guest speakers:Menina Fortunatohttps://www.instagram.com/meninafortunato/
Rhee Goldhttps://www.instagram.com/rheegold/
Chasta Hamiltonhttps://www.instagram.com/chastahamilton/
Mandy Yiphttps://www.instagram.com/mandyjyip/
Jeff Homerhttps://www.ensembleschools.com/
Presented by No Starving Artists and hosted by Jason Pickettwww.nsadance.comhttps://www.instagram.com/heyitspickett/

Jun 15, 2026
Jun 15, 2026
40 min
Welcome back to the No Starving Artists podcast featuring Chasta Hamilton - We chat about her journey, how private equity in dance crossed her radar and where we're at today with competitive dance.
Their links:https://www.instagram.com/chastahamilton/https://www.chastahamilton.com/
This podcast is directed at artists, specifically dancers, looking to take their dancing to the next level. Each episode I'll have a different artist with a different background but all with one thing in common - they've elevated their artistry in one way or another.My hope is that this will inspire younger artists to keep pushing and also give you new ideas as to how you can turn your passion into a career.
Online coaching, free resources and more available online: www.nsadance.com Comment, Like and Share and don't forget to follow us on all social media!
https://www.instagram.com/artistswhoeat/

Jun 8, 2026
Jun 8, 2026
41 min
Welcome back to the No Starving Artists podcast featuring Jamie Hodgins from ICDR - this is a part 2 with Jamie taking about ICDRs current position in competitive dance, how they want to help and clarifying some pushback.
Their links:https://icdrdance.com/
This podcast is directed at artists, specifically dancers, looking to take their dancing to the next level. Each episode I'll have a different artist with a different background but all with one thing in common - they've elevated their artistry in one way or another.My hope is that this will inspire younger artists to keep pushing and also give you new ideas as to how you can turn your passion into a career.
Online coaching, free resources and more available online: www.nsadance.com Comment, Like and Share and don't forget to follow us on all social media!
https://www.instagram.com/artistswhoeat/

Jun 2, 2026
Jun 2, 2026
1hr 1 min
Welcome back to the No Starving Artists podcast featuring Jonathan Carone from Healthy Sports Parents. We talk about why parents push pressure on young athletes, where youth sports are heading and more!
Their links:https://www.instagram.com/healthysportsparents/
This podcast is directed at artists, specifically dancers, looking to take their dancing to the next level. Each episode I'll have a different artist with a different background but all with one thing in common - they've elevated their artistry in one way or another.My hope is that this will inspire younger artists to keep pushing and also give you new ideas as to how you can turn your passion into a career.
Online coaching, free resources and more available online: www.nsadance.com Comment, Like and Share and don't forget to follow us on all social media!
https://www.instagram.com/artistswhoeat/

May 11, 2026
May 11, 2026
55 min
Welcome back to the No Starving Artists podcast featuring Kristina Cross & Brie Pena from Elevation on Tour. We chat about the beginnings of their business, challenges they faced and where they see things going from here.
Their links:https://www.instagram.com/elevationontour/https://elevationontour.com/
This podcast is directed at artists, specifically dancers, looking to take their dancing to the next level. Each episode I'll have a different artist with a different background but all with one thing in common - they've elevated their artistry in one way or another.My hope is that this will inspire younger artists to keep pushing and also give you new ideas as to how you can turn your passion into a career.
Online coaching, free resources and more available online: www.nsadance.com Comment, Like and Share and don't forget to follow us on all social media!
https://www.instagram.com/artistswhoeat/

May 5, 2026
May 5, 2026
1hr 6 min
Welcome back to the No Starving Artists podcast featuring Kim McSwain - in this episode Jason talks with Kim about her approach to teaching dance, working with studios to reform their programs and the safety of dancers in todays technological age.
Their links:https://www.instagram.com/kmagencydance/https://www.kmagency.com/https://icdrdance.com/
This podcast is directed at artists, specifically dancers, looking to take their dancing to the next level. Each episode I'll have a different artist with a different background but all with one thing in common - they've elevated their artistry in one way or another.My hope is that this will inspire younger artists to keep pushing and also give you new ideas as to how you can turn your passion into a career.
Online coaching, free resources and more available online: www.nsadance.com Comment, Like and Share and don't forget to follow us on all social media!
https://www.instagram.com/artistswhoeat/

Apr 27, 2026
Apr 27, 2026
1hr 6 min
Welcome back to the No Starving Artists podcast featuring Bree Hafen -Jason Pickett sits down with Bree Hafen, founder of Tiger Friday, to break down her journey from professional dancer to building a successful dancewear brand. They dive into the realities of running a business, the purpose behind ambassador programs, and the balance between opportunity, marketing, and responsibility in today’s dance world. This episode offers an honest look at the intersection of dance, business, and the evolving culture around young dancers online.
Their links:https://www.instagram.com/tigerfriday/https://www.instagram.com/breehafen.choreo/
This podcast is directed at artists, specifically dancers, looking to take their dancing to the next level. Each episode I'll have a different artist with a different background but all with one thing in common - they've elevated their artistry in one way or another.My hope is that this will inspire younger artists to keep pushing and also give you new ideas as to how you can turn your passion into a career.
Online coaching, free resources and more available online: www.nsadance.com Comment, Like and Share and don't forget to follow us on all social media!
https://www.instagram.com/artistswhoeat/




