In the whirlwind of digital fame, stories like that of Alana Hubbard, the dynamic and viral force behind Mother Hubbard Photography, often fade into obscurity after their initial burst into the public eye. Yet, contrary to the fleeting nature of viral phenomena, Alana’s journey post-virality is a testament to resilience, reinvention, and relentless pursuit of passion. From capturing the grim visage of The Walking Dead cast members to igniting fire dances on global stages, championing mental health, and entering politics, her story weaves through triumphs and tribulations with the grace of a carefully choreographed circus.

Alana’s ascent into the limelight began between 2014 and 2019 when her unique lens on photography went viral repeatedly. Her bald Cinderella and pediatric cancer patient photos captivated everyone, as well as her innovative gay Disney prince photo shoot to celebrate gay marriage becoming legal. However, her photoshoot of her children, Mason & Mariana and their friends dressed up as “The Walking Dead” is what catapulted her into the spotlight, working and touring with The Walking Dead cast at Walker Stalker Cons. Alana even raised thousands for the Pulse Victims by donating a shoot by her with Chad Coleman and Michael Rooker at Fan Fest. During that time, she had photo contracts with MTV, OK magazine, Today Show, and most importantly, New York Fashion Week, where she dreamed of one day walking the runway despite the odds. However, this rising star soon faced harrowing medical challenges; beating cervical cancer and a severe car accident left her battling debilitating health issues, including Trigeminal Neuralgia—a painful condition affecting facial nerves and a broken jaw. 

Photo Courtesy: Alana Hubbard

Yet, 2020 marked a pivotal turn in Alana’s narrative. Heeding an inexplicable call to change, she sold Mother Hubbard Photography and relocated to Orlando, Florida—a move that would catalyze her metamorphosis from celebrated photographer to multifaceted entertainment mogul and philanthropist. In Florida, she delved into modeling, dancing, and social media freelancing. It was here that fate introduced her to Austin Wood, a charismatic former Marine with expertise in fire dance acquired on Hawaii’s picturesque beaches. They instantly became best friends and coentrepreneurs. Under his tutelage, Alana not only mastered fire dance but also found love for performing fire alongside him, and they traveled around the country and even as far as Medellín, Colombia, together until he decided to move to Asia to pursue other passions. However, the guidance and knowledge bestowed to Alana from Austin changed the trajectory of her life, and she will be forever grateful for the spark that ignited Alura Entertainment. She continued to model, dance and perform fire performances for celebrities like Nelly, Tory Lanez, Joey Fatone, Lil Durk, Pooh Shiesty, and Bad Bunny, among others. She also competed in beauty pageants and is the reigning Mrs. Saint Cloud and Mrs. Osceola County. 

2023 witnessed the birth of Alura Entertainment under Alana’s visionary leadership. Firedanz became its signature offering—a mesmerizing fusion of traditional dance with fire flow techniques. As lead fire performer—and wearing many hats, including model, host/MC, aerialist, and flow artist,  among others—Alana transformed Alura Entertainment into Florida’s premier circus entertainment company. The inclusion of her children, Mason and Mariana, as paid fire performers & aerialists symbolizes not just a family business but an ethos rooted in talent development irrespective of age. She intends to create a renaissance of the circus arts and dance world and bring these dying art forms back to life.

Parallelly running with her entertainment career is Toxicura—a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded by Alana aimed at aiding individuals thrive after toxic or abusive relationships through her TANETH method, a book that will be released soon, and podcast with Rebekah Cassell as well as holistic approaches complemented by Eastern medicine practices. This initiative underscores Alana’s commitment not only to physical artistry but also to mental health advocacy. She also returned to UCF to receive a Master’s in LCSW to help Toxicura Thrivers and plans to open a mental health facility dedicated to holistically helping abuse victims. 

Photo Courtesy: Alana Hubbard

The year 2024 unfurled further opportunities for growth and influence. New Year’s Eve saw Alura Entertainment opening for Uncle Kracker with her fire assistant Alana #2 (Whittingham), Jodi Kovar, as well as her kids, Mason and Mariana, followed by an enthralling performance at CES Expo in Las Vegas, which led to an unexpected venture into politics as she met then Presidential Candidate Gabriel Cornejo and took on the role as Executive Director of Strategy for his campaign. She is now running his congressional campaign for District 1 of Nevada. Alana then hired Emily Conti to be the Dance Manager and Katie Brown as the Event Manager to help grow the Alura empire as her hands became full.

Mother Hubbard

In June, Alura Entertainment took over Miami Swim Week 2024. Alana, Emily and Gabriel hosted The Miami Luxy Awards. Then Alana and Emily stole the show, performing with fire on the runway and at the Louis Vitton afterparty, as well as modeling on the runway. Alana then met Army Ranger veteran, Joel Roselle, on Florida’s pristine beaches, and they immediately decided to collaborate. Alana helped Roselle form his veteran-owned and operated security nonprofit called PeaceKeeper Protection, and he is keeping her safe as she travels across the country to perform in Vegas and Disneyland this summer! 

Amidst managing these ventures and collaborations—including PeaceKeepers Protection, which offers security solutions employing solely veterans—Alana never ceased innovating within the realm of entertainment, bringing raves to assisted living facilities like Solaris and setting stages ablaze at high-profile parties and events across Florida, with over 50 incredibly talented cast members spanning across Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Melbourne, Orlando, Tampa & Miami.

Looking ahead, Alura Entertainment is poised to revolutionize New York Fashion Week with a first circus runway show in collaboration with Candice Christian and CDCD Productions, an endeavor that aligns perfectly with Alana’s lifelong dreams despite past adversities. Alana and Alura Entertainment aims to follow in the footsteps of P.T. Barnum & Bailey. Alana is even legally changing her name to Alura Bailey Wynn. She will be hosting a “Cirque funeral “for the old Alana on October 10, 2024, at Cabana Live! in Sanford, Florida. 

This remarkable saga from 330lb viral photographer to impresaria extraordinaire showcases not just personal resilience but also points towards a future where creativity knows no bounds—all while keeping grounded in altruism and philanthropy through initiatives like Toxicura and PeaceKeeper Protection.

Follow along on this extraordinary journey:

– @aluraentllc (Alura Entertainment)

– @toxicura501c3 (Toxicura)

– @gabe2024 (Gabriel Cornejo)

– @cdcdproductions (Candice Christian) 

– @peacekeeperprotection (Joel Roselle)

-@bb_13media (Ben Lester)

From behind the camera lens capturing apocalyptic fantasies to lighting up stages worldwide with fiery performances while fostering healing through advocacy—Alana/Alura exemplifies what it means to pivot with purpose, forever rewriting what comes next after going viral and proving anything is possible to if you work hard to achieve all your dreams.

Published by: Nelly Chavez