Episodes

Would you want to know that your last time onstage was the last time? Would that knowledge bring closure or would it be too difficult to perform if you knew it was your last time? My guest in today’s episode …

Today’s episode is all about making it as a professional dancer. My guest, Justine Menter, has over 15 years of experience in LA's entertainment industry as a choreographer, educator, and entrepreneur. She hosts her own podcast, Dance Careers...

We are entering the thick of dance competition season where dancers start to feel more pressure and there are some big wins and some very hard days. Dancers who train their mental skills are not only able to increase their …

It's Nutcracker season, and today I want to pull back the curtain on what life is really like as a professional ballet dancer. My guest today is Janine Kovac who was a professional dancer for 12 years in Iceland, Italy, …

I've talked to hundreds and hundreds of dancers all over the world, and I hear from each of them about the heavy load they experience as dancers. There's pressure to perform. We never feel like we have enough time to …

If you are a dance teacher who has ever struggled to get your students to go full out when they're learning, or if you've been saying the same cue, like, “Pull up,” and they don't get it, today's guest is …

The best performers in the world didn't get to where they are through magic, nor did they get there overnight. The best path to your personal best is to focus on those small, daily habits that add up to consistent …

What kind of dancer will make it in New York City? Do passionate dancers get taken advantage of in the professional world? Today’s episode is a conversation with Dr. Ruth Horowitz, a sociologist who specifically studied recent dancers. She...

It takes a lot of positive mental skills to learn how to focus on small improvements every day and not give up when you don't feel like you're making the progress you want. Many dancers focus on getting the turns, …

When it comes to a focused mindset, I'll admit that I'm one of those psychologists who talks about the benefit of intention. I personally always set a word for the year that serves as my overarching intention, and I often …

Many coaches today struggle with accountability on their teams or in the studio. We want dancers who do the hard work and follow through with their promises. Truly accountable dancers own up to their mistakes and do what they say …

I often hear from dancers they say some pretty mean things to themselves they’d never say out loud or to a friend. For some reason, it’s so easy for us to get caught in negative spirals where we berate ourselves …

Do you use the cues to “pull up” or “point your toes”? Those are common cues teachers use in the dance world. One mental skill I talk about is attention and learning how to take a cue like “pull up” …

I see so many frustrated dance teachers talking about how it feels harder and harder to get dancers to be fully committed to their teams and their studios. We want our dancers to be 100% committed, and anything less is …

Have you ever wanted to ask a mental performance coach what to do in a certain situation? Do you have a dancer who's getting overly anxious before competition, or you're not sure how to get your dancers to be fully …

One thing that separates good dancers from great dancers is their ability to believe in themselves. It's true for students, teachers, and professionals. When you're pursuing any dream at any stage of life, there is so much power in believing …

Are you a flexible dancer or have easily hyperextended joints? Dancers with hypermobile joints might love the ability to show off tricks and skills as a dancer, but is it dangerous to be that hypermobile? I’ve been wanting to talk …

For many teams, be it school teams or studios, we are entering a new season. Wouldn't it be great if we could establish strong, positive cultures from the beginning? When an athlete quits in the middle of the season, it …

We often label our dancers without even meaning to do it, even if it's only in our heads and we never say it out loud. You know who your solid turner is, who is lazy, who has style, and who …

Time management can be hard for all of us, dancers and coaches included, and we often beat ourselves up when we can't do it well. My guest today taught me the time-management strategy I use every day, so I had …

If you are of a certain age in this dance industry, like me, you probably had to run laps when you were late to practice or would be kicked out of ballet if you crossed your arms in class. For …

Do your dancers struggle with face-to-face conversations or have a hard time handling their emotions? If you're like most dance educators I've talked to, having real, face-to-face conversations, that are productive but still kind and provide real...

Whether you're a coach at a school or teach in a studio setting, your dancers likely need to build a tight-knit team if they're going to be successful this season. Traditionally, people think of connecting socially when they want dancers …

Did you know there's a formula for creating a high-performance environment? Successful dancers know how to perform at their best, but that happens when you practice at your best. Being a successful dancer starts in rehearsal. It's about creating that...