At just 23, Josh Smith was choreographing for the biggest names in music: Chris Brown, Usher, BTS, Ciara, and more. But his journey started way outside the industry playbook. In this raw and powerful episode, Josh opens up about being rejected, breaking into the dance world with no agent, and how one last-minute audition changed everything. From crashing a Disney audition to touring the world with Usher, this is the unfiltered truth about what it takes to build a sustainable dance career, including the money, the mindset, and the hustle no one talks about. Whether you're a dancer, creative, or just chasing a dream, this interview will shift your perspective. 00:00 Intro02:06 Childhood and Early Dance Influences03:44 Middle School Dance Beginnings10:01 High School and Developing Skills11:33 Transition to Atlanta13:50 America's Best Dance Crew Experience15:51 First Professional Gigs21:13 Dealing with Rejection and Perseverance29:46 Landing Major Artist Collaborations30:48 Mentorship and Career Growth32:02 Loyalty and Big Break with Usher34:38 Touring with Usher41:29 The Role of Dance Agents46:07 Sustaining a Dance Career52:17 Adapting as You Get Older01:00:34 Transitioning to Choreography01:02:27 Working with Chris Brown01:09:43 The Role of Choreographers in Dance01:10:31 The Challenges of Filming Dance01:10:40 Editing Dance Videos01:12:30 The Impact of TikTok on Dance01:23:45 Finding Inspiration for Choreography01:32:47 Advice for Aspiring Dancers01:36:28 Dream Collaboration with Michael Jackson01:39:30 Meaningful Compliments and Legacy01:42:38 Final thoughts   Follow Josh Follow ⁠⁠Arrad (podcast host)⁠⁠    LISTEN / SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST: ⁠⁠SPOTIFY⁠⁠ ⁠⁠APPLE MUSIC⁠⁠ ⁠⁠YOUTUBE⁠⁠   CONNECT WITH US: ✩ ⁠⁠Ourselves (production team)⁠⁠:  ✩ ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ ✩ ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠ ✩ ⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠ ✩ ⁠⁠Facebook