The Leadership Dance

What does it take to rise to the top at one of America's leading ballet companies, after dozens of rejections, a serious injury, and a recession?
Samantha Hope Galler, Principal Dancer at Miami City Ballet, joins host Alissa Hsu Lynch to share the resilience and self-belief that carried her through 30+ auditions and years of setbacks, including a near career-ending injury. She also reflects on founding Fifth Position Path, a mentorship platform for dancers, earning her Master of Science from Northeastern University while performing professionally, and navigating pregnancy as a dancer.
Don't miss this honest conversation about processing rejection, betting on yourself when no one else will, and building a career on your own terms.
💡 Key Takeaways:
Why rejection is often the best teacher and how to process it without losing momentum
How discipline, visual learning, and problem-solving skills from dance translate to any career
Why mentorship matters and how Fifth Position Path is filling a critical gap for dancers and their families
Photo credits: A Iziliaev, Daniel Azoulay, Danny Cardoza, Jonathan Taylor, Juliet Hay, Melissa Dooley, Philip Galler
Connect with Samantha:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-hope-kunstadt/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifeisadebut/ and https://www.instagram.com/fifthpositionpath/ 
Website: www.fifthpositionpath.com 
✅ Sign up for the newsletter: 
https://theleadershipdance.substack.com/s/the-leadership-dance
👉 Listen and follow: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance
Music from InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ "Catwalk Queen"

Jenna Segal is writing women into the history books in arts and entertainment. Women make up more than 75% of theater audiences, yet are rarely in the decision-making seats. Jenna has stepped in to change that narrative. She is an Emmy, Tony, and Clio award-winning producer of Broadway hits including Hadestown, Gigi, and Six, as well as the visionary behind The 31 Women Collection of remarkable female artists. In this episode of The Leadership Dance, she discusses how she moved from CNN and MTV to Broadway, why she insists on supporting women in leading roles, and how she built an amazing career by just saying yes.
💡 Key Takeaways:
Ask who's missing from the room and make space for women in decisions, not just in the audience.
Say yes before you feel ready and follow your curiosity.
Build a life and career you're proud to "lose money on" because it aligns with your values.
Connect with Jenna:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gathererent/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gathererent/
Website: https://gathererenterprises.com/
✅ Sign up for the newsletter: 
https://theleadershipdance.substack.com/s/the-leadership-dance
👉 Listen and follow: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance
Music from InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ "Catwalk Queen"

Spotlight, pressure, and the power of example. In this episode of The Leadership Dance, Chloe Misseldine, Principal Dancer at American Ballet Theatre, talks about her surprise promotion on stage after her debut as Odette/Odile at The Met, how she prepares for the technical and emotional demands of taking on leading roles in Swan Lake, Giselle, and Sylvia, and what she's learned about artistry, setbacks, and confidence along the way.
She also reflects on growing up with a mother who danced with ABT, performing through injury, being named to Forbes 30 Under 30, and the importance of staying humble — especially when younger dancers are watching.
💡 Key Takeaways:
Kindness is a form of leadership. How you treat people matters, whether that's in the studio, at the stage door, or online.
Do the work so you can trust yourself. Preparation allows you to step on stage with freedom instead of fear.
Confidence grows over time. Sticking to the basics, staying humble, and trusting the process builds lasting strength.
Connect with Chloe:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chloemisseldine 
Photo Credits: Emma Zordan, HELI, Laura Sukowatey, LK Studio and Jennifer Curry Wingrove, Nir Arieli, Quinn Wharton, Rosalie O'Connor
✅ Sign up for the newsletter: 
https://theleadershipdance.substack.com/s/the-leadership-dance
👉 Listen and follow: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance
Music from InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ "Catwalk Queen"

Who gets funded depends on who's deciding.
In this powerful episode of The Leadership Dance, Lawton Cummings, General Partner at Capital Factory, shares why women in venture capital matter—and how her experience navigating cancer has influenced her approach to life. Lawton gets vulnerable about navigating breast cancer twice while continuing to work and raise a family, and what survivorship taught her about rest, energy, and letting go of perfection.
She also shares her nonlinear career journey: from practicing law to serving as a legal analyst for Fox News (while simultaneously serving on an ACLU board of directors) to now investing in tech startups. The conversation explores representation in decision-making and how curiosity and resilience shape leadership over time.
💡 Key Takeaways:
Resilience isn't always pushing through. Sometimes leadership means resting, recalibrating, and being honest about your limits.
Careers don't have to be linear to be successful. Following curiosity and depth can open doors that rigid paths never will.
Representation shapes outcomes. Diverse perspectives drive better outcomes and stronger innovation. 
Connect with Lawton:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lawtoncummings/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lawtoncummings/?hl=en 
Website: https://capitalfactory.com/ 
✅ Sign up for the newsletter: 
https://theleadershipdance.substack.com/s/the-leadership-dance
👉 Listen and follow: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance
Music from InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ "Catwalk Queen"

What can leaders learn from fighter pilots about performing under pressure?
Former fighter pilot and CEO Christian "Boo" Boucousis joins The Leadership Dance to share how elite performers make decisions in chaos, execute with clarity, and stay calm when it matters most. From cockpit-tested leadership habits to practical tools like plan–brief–execute–debrief, this episode breaks down what it means to perform like a fighter pilot. From a five-year-old boy mesmerized at an air show to one of fewer than 400 fighter pilots trained over four decades, Boo's journey reveals how his air force training taught him to value time in seconds and put the mission above ego. This candid conversation explores friction, burnout, digital overload, and how to move from reactive days to truly flawless execution.
💡 Key Takeaways:
High performers don't just have good ideas; they turn decisions into action.
The fighter pilot mindset is relentlessly growth-oriented: define what success looks like today, then get slightly better tomorrow.
Calm is a leadership advantage. In chaos, people look to the calmest people in the room.
Connect with Boo:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-boo-boucousis/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/christianbooboucousis/ 
Website: https://callmeboo.com/about/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fewpodcast
✅ Sign up for the newsletter: 
https://theleadershipdance.substack.com/s/the-leadership-dance
👉 Listen and follow: https://linktr.ee/theleadershipdance
Music from InAudio: https://inaudio.org/ "Catwalk Queen"