David Winters has produced and directed over 80 feature films and over 200 television shows and TV movies, and is recognized as nothing short of an icon in the entertainment industry. In Tough Guys Do Dance, he shares many fascinating and, at times, jaw-dropping behind-the-scenes stories regarding his associations with some of the biggest names in show business—names like Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Barbra Streisand, and Michael Jackson, to name a few. It is filled with personal stories of David’s life that at times may seem hard to imagine and is told with David’s personal voice and real-life humility in a way that only he could tell.

Dancers know that we deserve proper compensation, and it’s time the rest of the world knows as well. Check out this list of tips and tricks on how performers, teachers, and choreographers can calculate their rates.

With the awesome technology we now have at our fingertips, there are a number of ways you can use your craft to generate some extra income...IF you're willing to step outside your comfort zone and get creative. Here are 7 ways to earn extra money as a dancer.

If you’re looking for a great way to take matters into your own hands, to give YOURSELF a break, and to launch (or relaunch) your professional career and personal life, then grad school might just be the next step for you.  Check out three of the most important things I learned during grad school and how you can use them to give your dance career an immediate boost.  

What you believe about any given situation will always trump your actions surrounding it. In fact, limiting beliefs are one of the biggest obstacles you may face, and they get you nowhere fast.

If you truly want to reach your goals, financial or otherwise, it’s critical that you align your thoughts with your actions. Here are a few tips to help you level up your mindset, which will, in turn, help you level up your money too.  

A lot of artists have the same problem. They work like mad, and yet they can’t survive those lean months between jobs. They live paycheck to paycheck, and are absolutely desperate for that next job because they don’t know if they’ll survive until it comes along.  Fortunately, I now know how to staunch the flow. Now I’m positively thriving, and I didn’t need more cash to do it.

So what finally worked? What do I now teach my money mindset clients?  Budgeting. I don’t care if you’ve heard it or tried it before. This one actually works. 

Once you've been working for a bit, getting work becomes about more than just how well you move.  At a certain point, people will begin to talk about your talent AND your work ethic and attitude.  Keeping some basic guidelines in mind will get you far, but here's the secret that will get you even further.

When performers are uber competitive, unwilling to help others, unwilling to share connections, or unwilling to share audition info...just to name a few...those are clear signs that something deeper is going on.  In these cases, fear is back stage calling all the shots.  Instead of letting fear put puppet strings on your personal and professional life, operate from this truth instead.  

Apparently, dancers know where to look for jobs and auditions.  We know where to turn for classes.  We may even know where to turn for help with taxes, insurance, etc.  But it seems to me that we don't know where to find peace to help us weather the storms.  Here are two strategies that have helped me maintain my peace while I'm waiting for my dreams to come true.  

Having a dance career can be about more than performing, choreographing, or teaching.  There are many ways to incorporate your other interests into your dance career.  Have an interest in writing?  Check out what it takes to become a dance writer.

Industry choreographer Chuck Maldonado gives some great career advice.  5 tips to help you level up your dance career.

When people think of dance careers, they commonly think of a ballet company member, studio owner/teacher, or performer/choreographer.  While those are all great career options, they're only a small piece of the dance pie.