She auditioned for Cirque du Soleil for seven years before getting the call. Now she's the one deciding who makes the cut. Dance Casting Specialist and Talent Scout Marqui Kumavat reveals what actually catches her eye in an audition room, why technique alone won't get you hired, and the business side of a dance career most young performers never learn. Plus, your shot at a backstage experience with Cirque's Drawn to Life at Accelerate Acro Convention.

By popular demand, this one's back. Sandra Elliott, Acrobatic Arts Principal and the eye behind our syllabus, joins Loren to answer a question every dance teacher needs to ask: are your dancers developing evenly on both sides? One sided training doesn't stay small. It builds into twisted bridges, unstable landings, and injuries that follow a dancer for life. Sandra breaks down how it happens and what to do about it, starting in your very next class. If you teach dance, don't miss this one.

Drew Burgess is back, and this time he's diving into handstand walking, the skill he says tells him everything about a dancer the first time he sees them attempt it. He breaks down progressions for every level, starting as early as a plank, and shares the hand squeezing trick that gets dancers to stack their hips like a rocket. There's also a studio wide challenge idea to keep every class pushing for more reps and more steps. If you teach acro, this one gives you something to use in class tomorrow.

Katie Schaar has danced and choreographed for Dancing with the Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, the Grammys, and the Super Bowl Halftime Show, plus world tours with P!nk, Katy Perry, and Taylor Swift. She's also the co-creator of Sugarfoot Therapy and founder of MOTI Physiotherapy in LA. In this spotlight episode, Katie shares career highlights, mentorship lessons, and why movement diversification matters so much for young dancers.

Since launching Acrobatic Arts in Japan in 2022, Ai Notohara has been quietly doing something remarkable. In this update episode, Ai shares how the program is now running inside a Tokyo elementary school in partnership with Japan's Ministry of Education, why she teaches acro in English, and what it meant to bring her students to Canada to compete for the very first time. A great listen for anyone who loves seeing acro grow beyond borders.