From Mia Michaels’ Assistant at 15 to Tony-nominated Producer: Ioana Alfonso’s Journey

From assisting Mia Michaels at 15 to becoming a Tony Award-winning collaborator, Broadway performer, and multi-faceted director—Ioana Alfonso’s journey is a masterclass in embracing what makes you different, staying in service to the work, and building a career that defies boundaries.

In this episode of The Breakthrough Collective, Io opens up about working with legends like Mia Michaels, Denzel Washington, and Jake Gyllenhaal, originating roles in Wicked and 9 to 5, and how she has become more conscious about leading with her Latina roots. From navigating multiple creative roles to creating inclusive performances for underserved communities, Io shares the mindset, resilience, and inner work that fuel her extraordinary career.

In This Episode, You'll Discover:

• How Mia Michaels taught Ioana to embrace her big hair and unique name
• Why Ioana only recently began leading with her Latina heritage
• The moment she realized she could shape her impact through intentional choices
• What it's like to work on Othello with Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal
• How she balances being a dancer, actor, director, and producer simultaneously
• The magic of performing for audiences with sensory needs
• Why slowing down and naming one obstacle can change everything
• The childhood moment by the ocean that still influences her decisions today

✨Connect with Ioana:

Website: https://www.ioanaalfonso.com

Instagram: @IoanaAlfonso 

Attend her AltaVibra event on November 1, 2025: https://bit.ly/AltaVibraio

Engineer: Wolf Taylor

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 2:35 Big Hair & Unique Name: Leading with What Makes You Different
• 6:15 From Celebrating Culture to Leading with It
• 8:32 The Artist’s Daughter: A Journey Across Cultures
• 10:45 From Mia Michaels' Assistant at 15 to Claiming Her Own Spotlight
• 13:30 Originating Roles in Wicked & 9 to 5: What Draws Her to Meaningful Projects
• 20:35 Making Classics Current: Associate Directing Othello on Broadway
• 27:30 Buena Vista Social Club: Creating an Authentic, Culturally Rooted Production
• 34:25 How She Navigates Being a Multi-Hyphenate Artist
• 38:53 When a Project Looks Impossible: The First 10% You Solve
• 48:08 The Power of Accessibility: Making Space for Audiences with Special Needs
• 49:00 The Importance of Storytelling: Healing, Community & Cultural Shift
• 50:16 A Childhood by the Ocean: The Moment That Still Influences Her Decisions
• 51:55 The Magical Moment She Knew Dance Was Her Path
• 56:36 Staying Resilient in a Challenging Industry: Working from the Inside Out
• 59:17 A Simple Shift: Identify the One Thing Holding You Back
• 1:01:21 Guiding Wisdom: Quotes That Shaped Her Journey