Yesterday I talked to a client who is just a few weeks into her summer layoff. She stopped having regular ballet classes just a week ago. While she said she’s been doing some other exercise, she also declared: I’m already
Get Back in Dancing Shape
Bloating in Ballet: What Dancers Should Know
A topic dancers bring up with me quite frequently in coaching sessions is concern about bloating. It’s relatively unavoidable, and it doesn’t have to dominate your thoughts when you’re in front of the mirror. Part of the solution is how
Dancer Success: The Importance of Mindset
Considering mindset for dancers is essential. Your challenges in dance start and end with your thoughts. The way you mentally approach your dancing is arguably more than half the battle. When I’m working with dancers in the early years of
Don’t Get Stuck on the Trainee Program Hamster Wheel
In the world of professional ballet today, there’s a structure that can leave dancers feeling stuck. Before you can get a paid company position, you often have to go through years of trainee programs, 2nd company positions, or other-named post
Dear Dancer: Your Body Is Supposed to Change
Dear Dancer: Expect Your Body to Change. Prefer to listen to a podcast episode on this topic? Click below. There’s a lot of aesthetic pressure in dance. It’s important to talk about it realistically without sugar coating or ignoring the
For Your Dance Cross-Training Needs
When it comes to cross-training for dance, there are so many options to choose from…and a lot of mixed messages around them. Will weight training make you bulky? Is endless cardio the answer? What about Pilates and yoga, do those
Dealing with Casting in Dance
Dealing with casting in dance can be a challenge… We’ve all been there. The cast sheet goes up and you walk over feeling hopeful. Then, you read the list and are totally disappointed with your roles. At just about every
Ballet Help Desk Part II: Looking Forward
If you haven’t read Part I of Brett and Jenny’s interview, check it out here. Tell us about some trials and triumphs of being a dance parent. Brett: There are big and small trials and triumphs every single day. The
Ballet Help Desk: Part I
Ballet Help Desk and its founders Brett and Jenny provide dancers and dance parents with invaluable insights into the world of high-level ballet training. A world that’s often left a mystery, behind a big, scary curtain. Borne from their own
Dancers and Sugar: Some Key Considerations
Can Dancers Have Their Cake and Eat It? Every time I present something on food or eating plans, there are questions around sweets and foods you might categorize as “treats.” Most of us enjoy sugar and even that burst of