As one of the co creators/executive producers of the hit reality show Dance Moms, this podcast will be a safe space to talk about all things Dance. I will have meaningful conversations with guests from the show Dance Moms, as well as discussing the colorful, magical Dance competition world that I grew up competing in and am still a part of teaching and choreographing for. Dancing and being in the film and TV Industry for over 40 years I will be talking with those who who have inspired me and we will share our knowledge on what worked, what didn’t and why. Growing up a young feminine boy who loved to dance was extremely challenging in a lot of ways. Now as gay man I will have some heartfelt meetings with people in the LGBTQ community to share about this and the suffering that goes on currently with adults and kids and how we can help and most importantly heal it
Put your dance shoes on every other Friday when this podcast comes out! Listen. Be Bold. Be Fierce.
Sincerely,
John Corella
All content for Dance Dad With John Corella is the property of Dance Dad LLC and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
As one of the co creators/executive producers of the hit reality show Dance Moms, this podcast will be a safe space to talk about all things Dance. I will have meaningful conversations with guests from the show Dance Moms, as well as discussing the colorful, magical Dance competition world that I grew up competing in and am still a part of teaching and choreographing for. Dancing and being in the film and TV Industry for over 40 years I will be talking with those who who have inspired me and we will share our knowledge on what worked, what didn’t and why. Growing up a young feminine boy who loved to dance was extremely challenging in a lot of ways. Now as gay man I will have some heartfelt meetings with people in the LGBTQ community to share about this and the suffering that goes on currently with adults and kids and how we can help and most importantly heal it
Put your dance shoes on every other Friday when this podcast comes out! Listen. Be Bold. Be Fierce.
Sincerely,
John Corella
EP 46: Defying Gravity for 15 Years With Wicked Dance Justin Wirick
Dance Dad With John Corella
1 hour 7 minutes
1 month ago
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:
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
Dance Dad With John Corella
As one of the co creators/executive producers of the hit reality show Dance Moms, this podcast will be a safe space to talk about all things Dance. I will have meaningful conversations with guests from the show Dance Moms, as well as discussing the colorful, magical Dance competition world that I grew up competing in and am still a part of teaching and choreographing for. Dancing and being in the film and TV Industry for over 40 years I will be talking with those who who have inspired me and we will share our knowledge on what worked, what didn’t and why. Growing up a young feminine boy who loved to dance was extremely challenging in a lot of ways. Now as gay man I will have some heartfelt meetings with people in the LGBTQ community to share about this and the suffering that goes on currently with adults and kids and how we can help and most importantly heal it
Put your dance shoes on every other Friday when this podcast comes out! Listen. Be Bold. Be Fierce.
Sincerely,
John Corella
