This month, I am joined by an amazing dancer, singer, and instructor from Toronto, Caitlin Wellman. A native of Ithaca, NY, Caitlin made a splash with the rest of Minnie’s Moochers in 1998. Starting as a teen, Caitlin was a traveling instructor for the better part of a decade, partnering with Dan Amores & Peter Strom, before she stepped away from the scene in 2006. She has since returned, teaching on her own in Toronto and at dance events in Canada & the USA.

In our conversation, we talk about regional dance “accents,” why her height had her turn to Leon James for inspiration, and the struggle with the chronic illness that led her to step away from dancing at the top of her game. We also discuss what it’s like managing that illness, gender roles in partner dance, and challenging the glass ceiling as a female headlining instructor.