In this deeply resonant episode of A Joyful Rebellion, James sits down with choreographer, director, educator, and somatic movement analyst Alexandra Beller to explore the profound intersection of art, healing, embodiment, and authenticity. Alexandra has spent over 25 years helping artists unlock body-based creativity, cultivate rigor without harm, and create work rooted in truth rather than performance pressure.

Together they unpack why so many creatives fear being wrong, how scarcity and digital culture have reshaped artistic risk-taking, and why younger artists often struggle to “live in the unknown.” Alexandra also breaks down the philosophy and structure of her upcoming book — a toolkit offering essays, embodiment exercises, creative prompts, scores, and 50+ questions per chapter to help artists deepen their process and understand their own constellation of influences.

If you’re a dancer, photographer, writer, or anyone chasing meaning through creative work, this conversation will encourage you to rethink motivation, embrace experimentation, and rekindle a healthier relationship with your craft.

00:00 – The Sweet Spot Between Humility and Certainty Alexandra opens with a reflection on living in the unknown as an artist. 20251029_AJR_alexandra-beller_t…

00:51 – Can Art Actually Heal Us? James introduces Alexandra’s body of work and the role healing plays in creativity. 20251029_AJR_alexandra-beller_t…

02:05 – Alexandra’s Artistic Journey From dancing with Bill T. Jones to teaching, somatics, and movement analysis. 20251029_AJR_alexandra-beller_t…

03:38 – The Myth: “Real Art Isn’t Healing” Alexandra breaks down the false divide between art and healing. 20251029_AJR_alexandra-beller_t…

07:17 – Are Great Artists Actually Broken? A reframing of the stereotype of the tortured artist. 20251029_AJR_alexandra-beller_t…

09:07 – Finding Her Own Path & Mapping the Body Interoception, embodiment, and teaching others to access inner awareness. 20251029_AJR_alexandra-beller_t…

13:11 – Why She Wrote the Book How questions, rigor, and embodiment turned into a 12-chapter toolkit. 20251029_AJR_alexandra-beller_t…

18:48 – What Early Readers Told Her Mentorship gaps, agency, and a “choose-your-own-adventure” creative structure. 20251029_AJR_alexandra-beller_t…

22:01 – Advice for Young Artists Humility, certainty, and finding the constellation of your artistic identity. 20251029_AJR_alexandra-beller_t…

26:32 – The Fear of Being Wrong How scarcity and digital life changed creative confidence. 20251029_AJR_alexandra-beller_t…

30:02 – Creativity, Craft, and the Boring Work Why mastering fundamentals is essential for developing voice. 20251029_AJR_alexandra-beller_t…

36:59 – Technique, Skill-Building & Finding Your Style Craft as choices, virtuosity redefined, and genre-specific development. 20251029_AJR_alexandra-beller_t…

39:21 – What Non-Creatives Don’t See The hundreds of hours behind any performance — and respecting your own “amateur” creativity. 20251029_AJR_alexandra-beller_t…

45:15 – Burnout, Capitalism, and Organic Growth Why forcing artistry into business timelines breaks people. 20251029_AJR_alexandra-beller_t…

50:20 – Closing Reflections Creative connections, appreciation, and where to find Alexandra.

• Alexandra’s website: alexandrabellerdances.org

• Alexandra’s upcoming book (title pending)

• Bill T. Jones / Bill T. Jones–Arnie Zane Company

• Liz Lerman’s Critical Response Process framework

What if aging wasn’t something to fear… but something to design? In this empowering conversation, bestselling author and leadership expert Erika Andersen introduces the radical idea at the heart of her new book The New Old: that your “third act” can be your most vibrant chapter yet.

Drawing from research, decades of coaching experience, and her own personal reinvention, Erika breaks down the three guiding principles for aging well: Be the boss of your life, master your mindset, and get good at change. We explore how internalized ageism limits people long before their bodies do, why curiosity keeps the brain young, and the surprising research that shows mindset alone can add an average of 7.6 years to your life.

From reframing what “midlife” actually means to learning entirely new skills in your seventies, this episode reframes aging as a deeply personal, totally customizable adventure. If you’re in your 50s, 60s, 70s — or simply planning ahead — this joyful rebellion against age stereotypes will encourage you to write your own story all the way through.

00:00 — The truth about agency in later life

00:52 — Rebelling against aging stereotypes

01:20 — Who is Erika Andersen? Introducing The New Old

02:40 — What “third act” really means

04:05 — Why Erika shifted from leadership books to aging well

05:18 — Pandemic reflections and redefining her own future

06:12 — The new reality: people are living longer than ever

07:30 — Surprising research on longevity and mindset

09:02 — How aging looks different today

10:23 — Erika’s move to Spain & learning Spanish in her late 60s

12:40 — The three principles of aging well

15:00 — Helping people who feel “out of ideas” post-career

19:10 — The role of mindset in shaping the third act

20:00 — The Yale mindset study: 7.6 years added

23:15 — The simple 3-step process to shift your self-talk

25:10 — Are younger generations less ageist?

27:00 — Companies trying (and failing) to market to boomers

29:00 — Curiosity as a lifelong anti-aging tool

33:00 — How to “modify gracefully” as life changes

36:00 — The importance of learning new things at any age

40:00 — What Spain gets right about old age

43:00 — Connection: the thread running through everything

44:55 — You control more about aging than you think

• The New Old: Crafting Your Best Later Life — by Erika Andersen

• Erika’s website: Erika Andersen, Nationally-Known Business Thinker & Author

• Erika’s Substack: The New Old

In this episode of A Joyful Rebellion, James sits down with writer, programmer, photographer, stand-up comedian, and self-described “professional dabbler” Matt Savino to unpack the winding path behind his debut book A Land Without a Continent. What starts as a practical decision to drive his Toyota FJ Cruiser through Central America turns into a life-shifting adventure spanning border crossings, unexpected friendships, creative breakthroughs, and even getting stranded during a political uprising in Nicaragua.

Matt opens up about what it takes to turn lived chaos into a compelling narrative, how comedy and poker shaped his resilience, why landscape photography taught him to chase the story, and the moment he realized writing wasn’t just a project — it was a calling. From navigating roadblocks guarded by student revolutionaries to learning the discipline of descriptive writing, Matt shares an honest look at creativity, curiosity, and what happens when you finally decide to “get on the mountain.”

Whether you’re dreaming of a big adventure or sitting on a creative idea you’ve been avoiding, this conversation will nudge you to start.

00:00 – The Power of Just Starting

01:00 – Who Is Matt Savino? Physics, Comedy & Professional Dabbling

02:00 – Life Paths, Career Pivots & Creative Curiosity

03:00 – From Stand-Up to Programming: Finding Flow State

05:00 – Poker, Tilt, and Why Emotional Fitness Matters

07:00 – Discovering Landscape Photography & Adventure Travel

08:30 – Why Matt Decided to Drive to South America

10:00 – The Plan, the Layoff & the Push to Go

12:00 – Travel Writing, Bill Bryson, and Learning to Tell a Story

14:00 – Getting Stranded in Nicaragua During an Uprising

16:00 – Talking His Way Through Roadblocks & Type-2 Fun

18:00 – Learning to Write Descriptively (and the “bugaboo”)

21:00 – The Value of a Writing Coach & Structured Accountability

23:00 – James & Matt Swap Book-Writing Lessons

26:00 – Creativity, Voice, and Building a Book From Chaos

28:00 – The Behind-the-Scenes of Publishing and Editing

31:00 – Image Licensing, Kindle Issues & Hybrid Publishing

34:00 – The Emotional Rollercoaster of Finishing a Book

36:00 – Planning the Next Adventure: South America

38:00 – Fear, Purpose, and Choosing a Life With Momentum

39:00 – Marketing, Superfans, and Letting the Next Story Begin

40:00 – Home - Matt Savino and Where to Follow the Journey

41:00 – Final Thoughts: “Just Get On the Mountain”

• Matt’s Website: Home - Matt Savino

• Book: A Land Without a Continent

• Bill Bryson, A Walk in the Woods