Shows
Dance; Better.S2E25 The One With Rethink DanceToday I spoke with Haylee Thompson of Rethink Dance. Haylee is a dance enthusiast from Willmar, MN. She studied Dance Ed at the University of Auckland in NZ was inspired to bring back her knowledge & teach dance to all ages and abilities.
Haylee encourages people around her to pursue their passions & be exactly who they were created to be. Her positivity and authenticity inspires others to reach their highest potential and has led to the creation of Rethink Dance.
Rethink is on a mission to create a global community committed to understanding others, shifting perceptions...2022-07-0857 minDance; Better.S2E24 The One With Erase the Stigma Through DanceToday I spoke with Nina Madsen Puckett of Erase the Stigma Through Dance. She very bravely shares her journey with mental health and how that journey has inspired a platform for mental health advocacy. Just a heads up you will hear a few bleeps in the conversation. These are present simply to delete specific medication names mentioned on the show, and are there for health and safety purposes.
Nina is a dancer, choreographer, licensed massage therapist, business owner and mental health advocate. She has her BFA in Dance from UNCG and also studied at the Theatre Academy o...2022-06-2454 minDance; Better.S2E23 The One About Self-TalkToday I spoke with Leigh Skvarla, National certified counselor and advisor to Minding the Gap. We focus on her work around self-talk as well as checking in on the state of ballet companies and dancing mothers.
We dive deep into what self-talk is, what is “good vs. bad” (it’s not what you might think!), how it affects us in and out of the studio, and how parents, teachers, and other dance leaders can facilitate productive self-talk, not just for performance, but for life!
We also touch on a very hot topic these days in the da...2022-06-101h 34Dance; Better.S2E22 The One With Your Health Data and CompetitionsToday’s episode is an important discussion...perhaps one of the most important ones I have had on the podcast over the last two years. I address something that is going on in the ballet competition world today. You might have heard of it, know someone who has done it, or even engaged in it yourself.
I am talking about misrepresenting health data on competition applications. This episode might be triggering for some and shocking for others, but it is an important conversation. I bring on Stephanie Potreck of Ausdancers Overseas, who has been conducting field research on...2022-05-271h 12Dance; Better.S2E21 The One About Defining Success and Navigating ChallengesToday, I spoke with Erin Sanchez. Erin is an advocate, educator, and developing applied researcher. She collaborates to improve dancers’ health, well-being, and performance through healthy working/training conditions and positive, strengths-led psychological services and education. In 2021, she released her first book, Psychological Skills for Dancers, with Prof Dave Collins and Dr. Aine MacNamara.
We speak about the reasons why challenge and adversity can be a good thing, what the research is showing us, and how you can navigate your own challenges and personally define your success.
To connect with Erin’s work:
Nati...2022-05-131h 13Dance; Better.50TH EPISODE! The One With Biscuit BallerinaFIFTY EPISODES?! I am filled today with so much happiness and gratitude that I have been able to now publish fifty episodes of conversations that are so dear to my heart. I have met the most amazing people, and I have so much hope for the direction of the ballet world. It is therefore with great pride, gratitude, and excitement to present to you…
The one and only Biscuit Ballerina. Shelby Williams is a soloist with the Royal Ballet of Flanders & the creator of Biscuit Ballerina, a satirical ballet account that addresses unhealthy perfectionism & advocates for mental hea...2022-04-291h 02Dance; Better.S2E19 The One With The Mental GameToday, I got to catch up with a good friend of the show, Glenn Kelich. You might remember him from season 1, episode 22 titled “The One Where Dancers are Human”. If you haven’t already listened to that one, please go back because it is GOOD.
Glenn revisits the show to delve more into his own mental health as it relates to dance, gives us an update to introduce his very own mental health podcast, The Mental Game, and talks about how all his mental health education is informing his teaching practices.
To connect with Glenn and Th...2022-04-151h 06Dance; Better.S2E18 The One With Alissa Nehrlich, Dance ScientistToday I spoke with Alissa Nehrlichm. Alissa is a performer, inclusive dance artist, dance scientist, and SENr registered Sports Nutritionist. After training in Germany and South Africa, she went on to complete an MSc in Nutrition and Exercise Sciences. Alissa's goal is to improve dancers' access to evidence-based dance training and nutritional knowledge to support safe training for a healthy career.
We speak about the importance of nutrition education in the dance space, as well as her involvement in some pretty amazing inclusivity programs. It was a really fun and informative chat!
To connect with...2022-04-0141 minDance; Better.S2E17 The One With Chloe FreytagChloe Freytag is a household name in the dance industry. Not only is she a contemporary ballet powerhouse, but she's also one voice of a generation of dancing mothers, those who have refused to put off motherhood in service of their dance career and have blazed new trails and redefined what it means to be a whole dancer and a whole person.
Through telling her story of being fired for having a body shape that “couldn’t form certain positions” (what a ridiculous idea), she has gone through a personal revolution and come out the other side a stro...2022-03-181h 29Dance; Better.S2E16 The One With the Resilient BallerinaToday I spoke with the Resilient Ballerina, Jazz Bynum. Jazz is a company corps artist at Ballet West. She began training at the age of 5 with Hudson Repertory Dance Theatres’ after-school program. She continued her training at Maryland Youth Ballet and Dance Theatre of Harlems’ Residency Program at the Kennedy Center. Jazz has also received her B.F.A in Contemporary Performance with an emphasis in ballet from The Boston Conservatory.
Her goals as a ballet dancer are to become a principal dancer, be a part of the change to normalize black faces in ballet companies, dismantle micr...2022-03-0459 minDance; Better.S2E15 The One About Eating DisordersToday I spoke with Josh Spell, licensed social worker. He danced with Pacific Northwest Ballet & Kansas City Ballet. He currently works with dancers around the country centering on dance from a holistic perspective and offering a variety of mental health tools.
Today, I finally talk about THE topic, eating disorders. I mention in the interview, that I kind of feel like I have been putting it off, honestly. I’m not sure why, but when I have been putting something off and check in with myself, it is usually because of some deeper reason. In this case, it...2022-02-181h 06Dance; Better.S2E14 The One With Keshet Dance and Center for the ArtsToday’s episode is a truly uplifting example of how dance institutions can bring in programming to facilitate the development of excellence in dance, without compromising dancers’ mental health. In fact, they can work to improve the dancers’ quality of life!
I spoke with Sarah Gonzales, the Pre-Professional Education Program Director at Keshet Dance and Center for the Arts. At Keshet, their vision is, “To celebrate the art of dance and be a welcoming home for the intersection of the arts, artists, and audience; actuating a flourishing environment for empowered individuals, nurtured communities, and sustained equity.” Not only is th...2022-02-0459 minDance; Better.S2E13 The One About Ballet, Movies, and StereotypesHello dancers! Today I am doing something a little different. I had on the pod my good friend Olivia Cinculli. (you might remember her from season 2, episode 3, where she spoke about her own retirement journey, mental health, and becoming a mom). Olivia and I share our experiences with ballet on TV and in movies. How we feel about them, share about how they’ve affected us, and ask some pretty big questions about how they affect the ballet culture and how audiences view dancers because of them.
Also, before we get started, when we are talking about ma...2022-01-211h 16Dance; Better.S2E12 The One About Positive Tough LoveWe have all heard that dancers need “tough love” to succeed in an oftentimes harsh environment. With everything we’ve learned this season about dancers’ resilience (see episode 8 for more!) I am starting to question a lot of practices that, I will admit, have used in the classroom. But what does tough love mean, really? Where’s the line? What works and what doesn’t from a psychological standpoint? What damage can be done along the way?
In this episode, I sat down with Jo-Anne La Flèche, the resident psychologist at L’École Supérieure de Ballet du Québec...2022-01-071h 05Dance; Better.S2E11 The One About Dancer AutonomyAutonomy. Did you know that this is one of the forces behind motivation, passion, and even burnout? Having autonomy helps you feel most... yourself. It helps to grow your intrinsic (inner) motivation. It is what makes you feel whole in the moment and encourages you to keep going, even when things get difficult.
I spoke with the brilliant Dr. Sanna Nordin-Bates, a leading sports psychologist and lecturer in the dance field at the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences. Her research spans topics like creativity, disordered eating, and so many more. We sat down to chat...2021-12-171h 14Dance; Better.S2E10 The One About Parenting a DancerParents... amIright? They’re always advocating for us, looking out for us, loving us, and helping us become our best... but parenting is hard (from what I hear, anyway). And parenting a preprofessional dancer today comes with its own set of challenges, family dynamics, and ups and downs. I was so thrilled to sit down with the one and only Jennifer Milner and hash it all out.
Jennifer Milner is a ballet coach and Pilates trainer specializing in dancers. After a successful dancing career, she got certified in Pilates and mentored under Marika Molnar for dance medicine. She’s trained danc...2021-12-031h 06Dance; Better.S2E9 The One With Mental Health + InjuriesIt is turning into a very nerdy November! Today I had the honor of speaking with Dr. Paula Thompson.
Paula is a Professor and dance coordinator in the Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Northridge. She is also a licensed Clinical Psychologist, a certified Sport Psychologist, and works in private practice in Tarzana, California. For over thirty years Paula Thomson has been a teacher at numerous international schools, most notably Julliard School of Music, Banff School of Fine Arts, University of Cape Town - South Africa, the University of Limerick in Ireland, Opera Works, Stratford Shakespearean Festival, a...2021-11-191h 15Dance; Better.S2E8 The One Where I Get the Research ResultsTime for a research update! Strap in because this is a super-sized episode! I just couldn’t cut any of these nuggets! Today I was able to speak with Minding the Gap‘s very own Kathleen Gaines to get a breakdown of the amazing mental health research being done at Point Park Univeristy. The results are in from the first round of research and boy let me tell ya...there were some shocking revelations.
We talk about everything from self-esteem, anxiety, depression, body-physique anxiety, resilience, and how dancers cope with it all! The research is fascinating, but even...2021-11-051h 34Dance; Better.Fall Break!Hello dancers! Just popping in to say hello. I have a couple of updates to share with you today and will be back next time with an incredible guest with some mind-blowing research. Cannot wait to share with you!
ALSO, Drop in the comments…
Your FAVORITE guest so far who you’d like to hear more from
Your DREAM guest who you know would have a lot of great things to share!
Thanks again to all of you for supporting me in this journey. I am so grateful for each and every one of your like...2021-10-2905 minDance; Better.S2E7 The One With The Brainy BallerinaToday I spoke with Caitlin Sloan, who you may know on IG as the Brainy Ballerina! Caitlin is a dance educator and career mentor based in Madison, WI. Following a decade-long career dancing with companies including Ballet Tucson and Missouri Contemporary Ballet, she founded The Brainy Ballerina. The mission of The Brainy Ballerina is to empower aspiring dancers with the tools they need to succeed in a professional career both on and off the stage.
We spoke about how she has built a business around helping dancers navigate their careers, but also about how she has been...2021-10-1545 minDance; Better.S2E6 The One With Christopher HampsonToday I spoke with Christopher Hampson. Aside from his notable credits as a dancer and choreographer with companies like English National Ballet, Christopher joined Scottish Ballet as Artistic Director in 2012 and was appointed CEO/Artistic Director in 2015. The Company has performed across the world, and Christopher has brought some of the most sought-after dance creators to work with Scottish Ballet, while also developing in-house talent. Christopher is on the Boards of Central School of Ballet and Ballet Black.
In this episode, we chatted about many aspects of the ballet world where change must happen. From issues with...2021-10-0141 minDance; Better.S2E5 The One With Centre Stage NutritionToday I spoke with Jenny Accettura, a Registered Dietitian and founder of Centre Stage Nutrition. With a 17 year history in dance that included ballet, contemporary and Scottish dancing, she understands the unique challenges that dancers face in fuelling for performance with unrealistic body image expectations. Her passion is helping aspiring, professional, and retired dancers fuel for optimal performance and build a healthy relationship with food through 1:1 counseling and nutrition workshops.
To connect with Jenny, you can find her
On Instagram @centrestagenutrition
Or at www.centrestagenutrition.com
Please remember that I am not a mental health pr...2021-09-1751 minDance; Better.S2E4 The One With En Pointe ConsultingToday I spoke with the brilliant Alice Aschwanden, the owner of En Pointe Consulting, a career and mindset coaching business for dancers. Alice is a ballet geek who tried, and failed, to put away her pointe shoes.
She danced professionally with Alberta Ballet and Zurich Ballet, and after a successful career went on to university to complete a Bachelor of Arts (psychology) and a Master of Social Work (counseling). She taught ballet, pilates, and barre, and worked in the education sector, before pivoting to her dream role- a mindset and career coach for dancers.
She...2021-09-0350 minDance; Better.S2E3 The One Where Retirement Gets BetterToday I spoke with my good friend and fellow teacher, Olivia Cianciulli. Olivia has danced with the Joffrey Ballet, Ballet Theatre of Maryland, Charlottesville Ballet, and The Louisville Ballet. Olivia has trained in both the United States and abroad while working with many notable ballet instructors from around the world. She currently serves as an instructor at the former Pennsylvania Ballet, now Philadelphia Ballet, as well as Wayne Ballet… and she is the mom to two beautiful kids and wife of another former dancer, now pianist, Joe Cianciulli.
We spoke about the ins and outs of retirement, me...2021-08-201h 06Dance; Better.S2E2 The One With Ballet INitiativeToday I had the pleasure of having back my podcast bestie, Courtney along with Ola Tarnowski to talk about the ballet company reimagined. Ola is an Indianapolis-based professional ballet dancer, theatre performer, dance educator, and Pilates instructor. She co-founded Ballet Initiative, a dance collective, which focuses on providing a safe, inclusive, artist-forward environment for local professional dancers.
You can connect with Ballet INitiative
www.balletinitiative.org
Instagram @BalletINitiative
Facebook: @balletinitiativeindy
Please remember that I am not a mental health professional, and anything you hear me say on the show is personal...2021-08-061h 02Dance; Better.S2E1 The One With Dancers Connect.deWelcome to Season 2 Everyone! So happy to be back and learning with all of you!
In today's episode, I spoke with two representatives from Dancers Connect.de Dominic Hodal and Shai Ottolenghi. Dancers Connect De is a neutral and informal platform aimed at professional dancers in permanently employed ensembles as well as the independent dance scene in Germany, but open for all.
Their mission is to create safe spaces for communication and discussion, promote education and information sharing, advocate for the dancers perspective and encourage artists to actively participate in all aspects of their art...2021-07-231h 06
Dance; Better.Summer Break!For this week, Courtney and Sarah wanted to catch you guys up on a few things...
First, they go back and reflect on THIRTY EPISODES in Season 1! It has been an incredible journey of growth, friendship, and learning so many things about the ballet world, and how it can and will move forward.
And they make a bittersweet announcement. Sadly, this will be the last episode with Courtney, as she moves into the next phase of her life as an entrepreneur, but do not fear! Sarah will be back with SEASON TWO in just four weeks.
To continue following Courtney...2021-06-1816 minDance; Better.S1E30 The One About Classical Ballet's EvolutionToday Sarah and Courtney spoke with Zachary Whittenburg about many areas of ballet culture: hiring practices, company structure, inclusivity, and how all of that ties into the mental health of dancers.
Zac spent ten years as a professional dancer followed by a freelance career including performance, teaching, and choreographic work with many prominent companies including Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, BJM Danse Montréal, Pacific Northwest Ballet, and North Carolina Dance Theatre, now Charlotte Ballet. Zac is a regular contributor to Dance Magazine, a panelist and guest speaker, and tweets @trailerpilot about contemporary culture, politics, and the performing a...2021-06-111h 09Dance; Better.S1E29 The One With A Pre-Professional Student's PerspectiveSarah and Courtney spoke with Alea Brown about her experience as a pre-professional student. She brings a fresh perspective on the challenges of being a pre-professional dancer in the era of COVID, college auditions, and everything in between. Alea is a 17-year-old high school senior and pre-professional dancer with the Colorado Ballet Society. She plans to attend the University of North Carolina School of the Arts this fall to continue her training in classical ballet.
To follow Alea's college journey, follow her at: @Alea.YunCai.Brown
To check out her jewelry business, please visit her...2021-06-0439 minDance; Better.S1E28 The One With Youth Protection Advocates In Dance Today Sarah and Courtney spoke with Dr. Christina Donaldson. Christina serves as an Advisory Panel Member for Youth Protection Advocates in Dance (YPAD), an organization dedicated to building empowered dance communities and keeping kids healthy and safe in all dance environments. Christina is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with a private practice in California an Adjunct Faculty member at Antioch University, and a guest lecturer at various Universities and Community Colleges on the topic of eating disorders. Recently, she co-founded Soul Meets Body, a self-esteem workshop for dancers.
Today we spoke with Christina about the work being done w...2021-05-281h 05Dance; Better.S1E27 The One About Saving Ballet from ItselfToday Courtney and Sarah spoke with Chloe Angyal. Chloe is the author of the new book, "Turning Pointe: How a New Generation of Dancers is Saving Ballet from Itself," which is available anywhere you buy books. Chloe’s book is a fascinating read about inequality in the ballet world, and how it affects dancers everywhere. Her message is truly a powerful one.
To schedule a free presentation with Chloe for your school or company, go to https://chloesangyal.com/
You can connect with Chloe on Instagram @chloe.angyal.writes
Please remember that Sarah and...2021-05-211h 01Dance; Better.S1E26 The One About Ballet's Social-Emotional RevolutionIn today's episode, Courtney and Sarah spoke with Jackson Jirard about his extensive research in psychology and dance and what a social-emotional revolution in the ballet industry looks like from his perspective.
Jackson is a Bostonian artist and educator. He received his BA in Psychology from Stanford University, his M.Ed. in Human Development & Psychology from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and has been researching power, responsibility, and emotional well-being in ballet companies for many years. He’s danced professionally with Ballet Austin in Texas, Sacramento Ballet in California, and Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre. More recently, he...2021-05-141h 26Dance; Better.S1E25 The One About ComparisonToday, Courtney and Sarah unpacked one of the prevailing afflictions in the ballet world today: comparison. They shared their earliest memories with comparison in dance, how it can lead to distorted constructive criticism, and how it shows up in adulthood. They also shared some quick tips and resources that help them combat it.
Please remember that Courtney and Sarah are not mental health professionals, and anything you hear them say are experiences from their lives and should not be considered medical advice. If you are in crisis, please call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to reach a 24-hour crisis...2021-05-071h 02Dance; Better.S1E24 The One About NeurodiversityHey everyone! Today Courtney and Sarah spoke with Sophia Martins from Neuroscience of Dance. We dove deep into neurodiversity and how it affects all parts of the ballet world.
Sophia is an international dance neuroscientist, dancer, performer, and dance teacher. She trained in dance therapy and somatic practices, has a double degree in Psychology and Forensic Psychology and worked as a mental health practitioner for 4 years. Through her Neuroscience of Dance project and Dance Integrated Healing Method, she provides neurocognitive and dance healing tools.
As a coach, she talks about coping with injuries, neurological recovery...2021-04-301h 14Dance; Better.S1E23 The One With The Balanced BallerinaIn today's episode, the girls spoke with the amazing Georgia Canning. Georgia shared with us some incredible tips on how she developed her studio culture that fosters inclusivity while maintaining a Vaganova curriculum.
Georgia is the Founder of Balanced Ballerinas - podcast, vlog, blog, and community dedicated to breaking down the elitist barriers usually associated with ballet and providing a more holistic approach to ballet training. Georgia is also the co-owner and Director of GC Dance which is a studio for school-aged students on the Gold Coast, Australia.
To connect with Georgia, you can find h...2021-04-231h 21Dance; Better.S1E22 The One Where Dancers Are HumanIn today's episode, the girls spoke with former professional dancer and now graduate student, Glenn Kelich. He spoke candidly about his experience as a football player and ballet dancer, struggles with concussion injuries, and ways we can change the ballet world for the better.
Glenn was both a high school football player as well as a pre-professional ballet student. He went on to graduate from Indiana University’s rigorous ballet program with a Bachelor of Science in Ballet as well as a degree in Sports Marketing and Management. Following graduation, he danced with the Kansas City Ballet and...2021-04-1658 minDance; Better.S1E21 The One About Ballet's Emotional DemandsIn today's episode, the girls spoke with former professional dancer, Suvi Honkanen. Suvi was born in Helsinki, Finland, and began her ballet training at age five at Helsinki Dance Institute. She went on to train at Russia's Vaganova Academy and danced professionally with Finnish National Ballet for nine years before transitioning into writing and journalism in 2019.
Suvi recently wrote an article in Pointe Magazine titled “As ballet looks towards its future, let’s talk about its troubling emotional demands” and in this episode, Courtney and Sarah go even more in-depth on her experiences and opinions on how exactly...2021-04-091h 02Dance; Better.Bonus Episode! Spring Break!Hey friends! Courtney and Sarah recorded a mini-episode for you to celebrate 20 episodes! We're taking a bit of a spring break.
The ladies return next week with an incredible episode with Suvi Honkanen. Check out her recent Pointe Magazine article, "As Ballet Looks Toward Its Future, Let's Talk About Its Troubling Emotional Demands" and get ready to learn all about the woman behind these powerful words.
Hope you all are taking some intentional time to rest this weekend as well and we'll see ya next week!
We would like to include that if...2021-04-0212 minDance; Better.S1E20 The One That Squashes "My Way or the High Way"In this ep, Courtney and Sarah got together for a chat about the all too common mindset around "my way or the highway". They spoke about how this shows up in the studio from a day-to-day student perspective with ballet techniques, styles, teachers' beliefs, and what it means to "make it".
Please remember Courtney and Sarah are not mental health professionals, and anything you hear them say in this episode should not be considered medical advice.
If you are in crisis, please call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to reach a 24-hour crisis center, text MHA to 741741, c...2021-03-2655 minDance; Better.S1E19 The One About PerfectionismWelcome back Terry! In this ep, the girls brought back their very first guest, UK-based dance psychotherapist Terry Hyde. In this conversation, he dug deeper into the web that is perfectionism. We all hear that word a lot these days, and we know that it can be harmful, but what can we do about it? Terry walked us through what defines perfectionism, when to know it is becoming a barrier to your success, and how to navigate it.
You can connect with Terry on Instagram @counsellingfordancers and on his website www.counsellingfordancers.com.
Don't forget to...2021-03-1957 minDance; Better.S1E18 The One With The Evolved DancerIn today's ep, Courtney and Sarah spoke with Taylor Behringer, a life-long dancer, educator, & mom, helping professional dancers heal their relationship with their bodies. She is a certified PAUSE Breathwork Facilitator & Life Coach, who works with the somatics of the body to help dancers find safety & peace with their bodies. Her work as a coach for professional dancers provides a unique perspective on the relationship between their bodies and how they show up in the studio.
You can connect with Taylor on Instagram @taylor_behringer
And her website https://www.taylorbehringer.com/
...2021-03-121h 08Dance; Better.S1E17 The One With The Dance PsychologistIn this ep, Courtney and Sarah spoke with Dr. Lucie Clements, The Dance Psychologist. She is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Chichester and a Chartered Psychologist. She now runs a business as a dance psychologist along with her academic position. She supports dancers across the world, including India, Hong Kong, and the USA. She is particularly interested in the interplay between the environment and the individual in developing a rounded healthy dancer, not just a technically "perfect" performer.
She spoke in-depth about the psychology surrounding auditions. From the preparation to the aftermath, she gav...2021-03-051h 11Dance; Better.S1E16 The One With RetirementIn today's ep, Sarah and Courtney began a series about retirement; engaging in conversation with dancers who are going through or have transitioned out of being a professional dancer.
That transition looks different for everyone and in this part one episode, we interviewed Sadie Sommer, a former dancer with Nashville Ballet. She spoke to us about having a balanced life as a dancer and how that affected how she transitioned from the stage to working in a support role in the social research field. We also spoke about motherhood and what that has meant to her. She s...2021-02-2652 minDance; Better.S1E15 The One With Kathryn MorganIn this episode, the girls spoke with Kathryn Morgan. Kathryn is a YouTube phenom, ballet influencer, author, coach, YAGP judge, and the creator of Kathryn Morgan Online, Kathryn Morgan and Friends, and so much more.
She shared her amazing journey through being a preprofessional, getting hired at NYCB, a seven-year retirement and harrowing health journey, her comeback to the stage, and now creating her own space in the dance world. Kathryn is a true phoenix, rising from the ashes time and again, and is a true inspiration to us all.
You can follow Kathryn on...2021-02-191h 00Dance; Better.S1E14 The One With Pointe to RiseIn this ep, Sarah and Courtney sat down with Susanne Puerschel, creator of Pointe to Rise, an empowerment society for dancers and other artists. We spoke to her about the mindset involved with competing at an elite level.
Pre-professional competitions are a growing pillar in the ballet industry and it is crucial to have a solid understanding of your mindset as a competitor as well as to "arm" yourself with a good headspace as you step into the competition season.
Susanne came with all the tips and insight to help you develop this healthy mindset f...2021-02-121h 03Dance; Better.S1E13 The One Where They're Minding the GapIn today's episode, the girls spoke with the brilliant force behind Minding The Gap, Kathleen Gaines. She is a former professional dancer, turned journalist and now creator of an amazing mental health research and education platform for dancers. Her work has been most recently highlighted in the Dance Teacher Magazine article, Inside Point Park’s First-of-Its-Kind Dancer Mental-Health Program, but it all started in 2017 when she wrote the article that went viral for Dance Magazine, Why Are We Still So Bad At Addressing Dancers' Mental Health? She spoke in depth about the inspiration behind starting this movement, and how sh...2021-02-051h 08Dance; Better.S1E12 The One About Dancer WellnessIn this ep, Courtney and Sarah spoke with Katrena Cohea with Different Drummer Dance, a studio owner and dance wellness educator. She dove into just how wellness practices can be easily integrated into studio life so your dancers can approach their training with the best mindset possible. She gave us some actionable tips and insight so if you are a studio owner, teacher, or director, you will want to grab a pen and a notebook!
You can connect with Katrena on Instagram at @diffdrummdance
and find all her amazing workshops and trainings at
...2021-01-291h 05Dance; Better.S1E11 The One With The Whole DancerIn today's ep, the girls spoke with the incredible Jess Spinner, creator of the Whole Dancer platforms.
Coming from her perspective as a certified health coach as well as drawing on her own experiences as a dancer, she spoke about what it means to be in a healthy place as a pre-professional ballet dancer. When it comes to mindset work as well as eating habits, Jess has become the go-to for dancers to repair and replenish themselves. She gives some great "how tos" on the day-to-day caring for your whole body and mind.
To connect w...2021-01-221h 00Dance; Better.S1E10 The One Where They Get Some Perspective.In this ep. Courtney and Sarah sat down with success coach and wellness mentor, Elizabeth Sullivan. She has years of experience working with pre-professional students, helping them uncover and change those mental blocks surrounding their bodies, their technique, and their artistry.
This episode really uncovered the roots of how your mindset can, and will, affect all aspects of your dancing life.
You can book a discovery session with Elizabeth here: https://easullivan.com/
The music is, "A Journey" by Kevin Hartnell It has been edited and reproduced under the Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0).2021-01-151h 06Dance; Better.S2E9 The One With Abi Stafford Part IIAre you ready for part 2 of our episode with Abi Stafford? We are!
In part two, Abi discusses more in depth about how her mental health has played a role in her company years and we also discuss how mental health plays a role within the inner workings of a multi-generational professional ballet company.
Her vulnerability and wisdom lends itself to such a unique perspective given the rank she has achieved and her words serve as an inspiration to all dancers.
Please once you've listened to this episode, share with your dance friends and colleagues and help us spread this emp...2021-01-0849 minDance; Better.S2E8 The One With Abi StaffordIn this ep, the girls sit down with world renowned NYCB principal ballerina Abi Stafford. They get into some real talk about mental health in the professional ballet world and how that affects everything from hiring to casting, and everything in between. This was such an empowering conversation, and we hope it inspires all of our dancers out there to take charge of their careers and blaze new trails for mental health in the dance space.
The opinions shared in this episode are those of our guest's, and not of Dance Better LLC or any co-host.
2021-01-0141 minDance; Better.S1E7 The One With Nutty MemoriesThis one goes out to all the dancers of 2020 experiencing a *different* Nutcracker this year. In this ep, the girls relive their best--and worst Nutcracker memories from their favorite rolls to most embarrassing moments. This episode celebrates all that is Nutcracker...including the crippling anxiety of wearing tutus and midriff costumes (oof!).
Music selections include "A Journey" by Kevin Hartnell It has been edited and reproduced under the Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0), as well as Tchaikovsky's Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy arranged by Kevin Mac Leod and used through the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) 2020-12-1854 minDance; Better.S1E6 The One Where They Push Past PotentialIn today's ep, the girls spoke with Jordan Nichole of the Ballet to Business Podcast. The life of a professional ballet dancer may appear glamorous, however, with beauty, there’s also sacrifice and pain. She became a professional with the San Francisco Ballet at 18 and danced as a corps de ballet member for 7 seasons. After suffering through many seasons of injuries, she endured one of her worst injuries in February of 2019, causing her to undergo surgery. However, it was through that season of not being able to dance, that she thought, “Well, what CAN I do?”
Enter, creati...2020-12-111h 13Dance; Better.S1E5 The One Where They OvershareIn today's ep, Courtney and Sarah revisit those formative teenage years. Tune in to hear all about vying for parts, friends, favorite costumes, and then perhaps some oversharing about boob sweat, butt sweat, and period mishaps. We dive into it all. No pun intended. This is a lighter ep full of fun stories and sharing. We hope you find it fun and uplifting! Welcome to the teen years.
The music is, "A Journey" by Kevin Hartnell It has been edited and reproduced under the Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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Dance...2020-12-041h 02Dance; Better.S1E4 The One Where They Learn Food is Their FriendIn today's ep, Courtney and Sarah spoke with AusDancersOverseas, an Australian research team. Dr. Stephanie Potreck is a former dancer turned doctor and sports nutritionist, and Dr. Nicky Keay is a clinical researcher with a focus on hormones. Nicky is also the medical advisor to the Scottish Ballet and undertaking research with these dancers.
Together this research team is focusing on Low Energy Availability and Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport for current ballet dancers. They’re putting together their expert knowledge on ballet training and performance, nutrition, hormones, and overall health to discover how foo...2020-11-201h 13Dance; Better.S1E3 The One Where They Trick Their Anxiety TriggersIn this ep, we explore the early roots of our anxiety in ballet and how that has translated to our lives as adults. Please remember that we are not mental health professionals, and none of what we say should be considered medical advice.
In this episode, we talk about some sensitive topics including disordered eating. Children should listen under the guidance of a parent, and may not be suitable for everyone.
Here are the articles we referenced in today's episode:
Definition of Generalized Anxiety
Data and Statistics on Children's Mental Health
2020-11-061h 12Dance; Better.S1E2 The One Where They Learn Where All This Anxiety is Coming FromJoin us with Terry Hyde, a renowned psychotherapist, and creator of
Counselling for Dancers (yes, spelled with two "Ls"!).
Terry is a former dancer himself and hails from The Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, and the West End. His lengthy dance career combined with education as a psychotherapist means that he is a deep well of wisdom and advice to help you Dance; Better.
Click here: Insight Timer to find the meditation app that Terry mentioned.
The music is, "A Journey" by Kevin Hartnell It has been edited and reproduced...2020-10-231h 04Dance; Better.S1E1 The One Where They Introduce ThemselvesTake a quick deep dive into the past lives of Sarah and Courtney. From baby ballerinas to Nutcracker shenanigans, and off to company and college, these stories are so relatable for every dancer. Take a look from a bird’s-eye view at how dance training can have such an impact on a single human.
The music is, "A Journey" by Kevin Hartnell. It has been edited and reproduced under the Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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Dance; Better podcast @dancebetterpodcast.
Courtney @courtulrich
Sarah @techballet
Send in yo...2020-10-1658 minDance; Better.TrailerGet a sneak-peek into our mental health podcast, just for dancers!
The music is, "A Journey" by Kevin Hartnell. It has been edited and reproduced under the Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0).2020-10-0803 min