Amplify the Arts

As we head into a new school year, I had the chance to sit down with Meridian Elementary School Art Teacher, Allison Goodwin, about her favorite projects she does with her students, the way she sees her students grow every day, and how we can all help support the arts in our schools this year.Want to support Allison and her classroom? Send her a message on Instagram at @mrsgoodwinart for access to her Amazon wishlist—and while you're there, be sure to follow us at @amplifythearts! 

Tune in to hear Reese Johnson, Miss West Michigan's Outstanding Teen 2022, and I discuss all things pageants, theatre, and songwriting! It's always a pleasure to chat with Reese, and I could not be more proud to have her as my teen. On this episode, we got to chat about what song she's most proud of (which is out now, and you can listen to it here!), hear how Miss Michigan's Outstanding Teen preparations are going, and walk down memory lane together on the day we were crowned Miss West Michigan and Miss West Michigan's OT *cue heart eyes emoji and tear emoji*. Keep up with Reese's adventures as Miss West Michigan's Outstanding Teen on Instagram at @maoteen_westmichigan, and see more about the work she's doing with PRISM at @prismmonroe!

A professional DJ, Grand Rapids socialite, and my friend, Adrian Butler (DJ AB) was part of the Windows Project in Grand Rapids, Michigan in May 2020. When riots began to break out following the murders of George Floyd, the Windows Project turned boarded-up windows into canvases, allowing local artists to use them as a catalyst for social change. The result? Downtown Grand Rapids became a living, breathing art museum, sparking conversations and touching hearts as we stepped through a pivotal moment in our country's history together. As two local Grand Rapids citizens and supporters of the arts, it was an honor to reflect on this experience with Adrian, and to hear his personal experience with the healing impacts of the arts during this time. Keep up with DJ AB: @abisadrianbutlerwww.everythingab.com

Sometimes, the darkest times of our lives can end up giving us the space to create the most beautiful works of art—things that bring people together and lift them up. That just so happens to be the case for my friend Micah Trout, AKA Radlee, whos  new album, Wonder, is coming out on January 28th! Tune in to hear him and I discuss his creative process, how the covid pandemic influenced his songwriting, and more (and there might even be a sneak peek or two of some of his new music… *wink*). Be sure to connect with us on Instagram at @amplifythearts, and keep up with Radlee at @songsbyradlee or at songsbyradlee.com! 

As a Music Therapist working with everyone from children with special needs in classrooms, to hospice patients, my good friend Amanda Partlo is passionate about creating moments that heal and unite individuals through music. Tune in to hear about some of her favorite moments as a music therapist (like how she creates music out of a heartbeat), and to hear her take on how we can use music to heal in our own lives.Be sure to connect with us on Instagram at @amplifythearts!

To watch Tangled is to love Tangled.  The Disney movie is a feel-good, easy-to-love movie for all ages, and it happens to be my friend Sabrina's favorite (She can quote the entire movie from memory, and has done so for me once while hiking down a mountain). Sabrina also has a dream to work in animation, as well as a deep love and interest in film psychology. Listen in to hear all about what goes into making our favorite love-able movie characters, and about how the character Mother Gothel is a textbook Gaslighter--and what we can learn from her relationship with Rapunzel in the movie. Shop Amplify the Arts Merchandise here to support arts programs, scholarships and projects in Michigan. Read Psychology Today's 11 Red Flags of Gaslighting in a Relationship. Watch Cinema Therapy's 11 Signs on Gaslighting in Tangled.Keep up with Sabrina on Instagram @sabrinakloss and us at @amplifythearts!

Amplify the Arts is officially BACK! I'm so excited to kickoff season 2 and am looking forward to many more conversations about why the arts matter. Today I thought it'd be fun to take a look back at my favorite moments of season 1!But that's not all... listen in for a surprise that I am INSANELY excited about ;) or if you can't stand to wait that long (trust me, I get it), check out the link below! But first, follow us over on Instagram at @amplifythearts! Ok, carry on. You can shop Amplify the Arts merchandise here: https://www.redbubble.com/people/sarahdudinetz/explore?asc=u&page=1&sortOrder=recent Want to donate, but don't feel like shopping? No worries - send me a venmo over to @sarahdudinetz!

What's it like to be a power couple running an incredible wedding photography/videography business and essentially getting to tell stories for a living? That's the life of my latest guests, long-time friends and creatives, Patrick and Alayna Hellenga! Click play to hear all about the joy and purpose they find in their business, Shore their own personal methods for dealing with the burnout and imposter syndrome that creatives often deal with, and where they're going once it's safer to travel again (hint: they're not sticking around the U.S.)! Be sure to connect with us on Instagram at @amplifythearts, and you can keep up with Patrick and Alayna at @shoreandsummit!

Press play to hear from Sarah and Katie Daniel, twins who were living their lifelong dream of being Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall up until the pandemic took over all of our lives. I got to chat with them about everything from what the journey of training to become Rockettes looked like, what life has looked like since having to say goodbye to that dream for a bit in March 2020, and how they're finding peace in the present while they're back living in Michigan again. Keep up with Katie and Sarah on Instagram at @katieanndaniel and @sarahmariedaniel, and keep up with us @amplifythearts! 

While it's not rare for people to have hobbies or careers in the arts, it's less common to hear about art being used as a legitimate form of therapy--which just so happens to be exactly what one of my best friends, Sabrina Kloss, is passionate about. Give this one a listen if you want to hear her make one too many Avatar references, hear us get way too excited about creating art, and her insanely complex categorized movie list. Be sure to connect with us on Instagram @amplifythearts, and you can keep up with sweet Sabrina at @sabrinakloss and @sabrinadoesart. Want to check out the video montage I made for Sabrina? You can find it here!

Shelby is approximately 8,000 beautiful things wrapped into one. She's an artist, a singer, a songwriter, a storyteller, a nonprofit founder AND president, she's currently Miss Sunrise Side and placed in the top 12 at Miss Michigan 2019... I could go on. After receiving the life-altering news that she was positive for Huntington's Disease, she made the decision to be a champion--not a victim--of the disease, and has become a prominent voice of encouragement. She's raised thousands of dollars for research and to aid families who are fighting HD, and has written songs that have become the anthems and safe places for those struggling. And she's done it all with the most graceful smile and a beautiful heart. Keep in touch with Shelby: Instagram: @shelby_lentz, @championsforHDHer work on Spotify: Shelby LentzYoutube: Shelby Lentz And of course, keep up with us on Instagram @amplifythearts!

If you’re anything like me, when you think of art, food might not be the first thing that you think of. I don't remember the last time I thought very hard about the food I was eating, the creative thought process and design behind my food, or sitting down to take the time to intentionally enjoy it. That's why I loved getting to sit down and learn from my good friend, Madison Sharpe, a graduate of the Great Lakes Culinary Institute who is incredibly passionate about ALL of those things. We chatted about the Americanized go-go-go way of eating (and living), Ratatouille: The Tik Tok Musical, and of course, our shared love of all things Disney. Keep up with Madison on her personal Instagram @maddysharpe18, and her chef-stagram (Did I just coin that term? Maybe) @chefmadisonsharpe. And of course, keep up with us @amplifythearts!

Diving into the good, the bad, and the ugly of the world of dance with my good friend, Emma Seidel, was SUCH a treat. From addressing the hyper-sexualization of young girls in the cutthroat field of competitive dance, to finding her sense of identity after a big injury left her almost unable to dance, to how she empowers young girls as a dance teacher by creating a space for girls to 'just be'- Emma is truly a passionate, driven firecracker of an artist, and I know she's going to keep doing such amazing things in the future. Be sure to connect with us on Instagram at @amplifythearts, and you can keep up with Emma at @emmaseidel!

Not all of us are singers, dancers, or actors. We're not all going to perform on big stages for thousands, or have our art hang in the most grandiose of galleries.But for those who are in the arts, we all had a teacher that made it possible for us. And for hundreds of middle school students at Meridian Junior High over the last several years, that teacher has been none other than my own mom! She's so much of the reason I'm a passionate arts advocate, she's helped instill the empathy and love of teaching in me, and she's constantly working to create arts opportunities for students who wouldn't have them otherwise. Be sure to connect with us on Instagram at @amplifythearts, and you can keep up with my momma at @kdudinetz. 

Hello hello!Welcome to the very first episode of Amplify the Arts!The arts have played such an influential role in my life, so much so that they essentially ARE my life. Press play to hear more about who I am, what I do, and why Amplify the Arts came to be!Be sure to connect with us on our Instagram, @amplifythearts, and subscribe so you never miss an episode!

Acting literally requires you to walk a mile in someone else's shoes - something each of us could definitely improve on!Between having a well-rounded background in theatre, years of pageant experience, and serving as an advocate for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids, today's guest, Erica Kennedy, is no stranger to the stage--or to serving and loving those around her wholeheartedly. She credits much of her empathy for others and her desire to make sure those she meets are taken care of to her arts background, and I loved getting to dive into this further with her (as well as discuss her striking similarity to Sutton Foster!).Be sure to connect with us on Instagram at @amplifythearts, and you can keep up with Erica at @Erica_Kennedy34.