The love — how it starts. In the beginning, dance is about joy. You love to do it, so you take more classes and spend more time in the studio. At some point you may decide you’re going to pursue it professionally because the love is just that deep.  Many dancers experience a time when their perception of their body is skewed. This happens in puberty for a lot of young women. This can alter your relationship to your body and dance in massive ways. Sometimes, a loss of joy begins at this point and stays with you through your dance journey and career.  A life filled with dancing should ..read more

Our bodies are working for us. Just like you should trust your body, your body wants to trust you and the decisions you’re making. Building trust in your body is a process for anyone, but for a dancer, it’s perhaps an even more essential process. It will help you dance better, feel better, and have more confidence.  The best way to build trust is to gather evidence that your body is worth trusting. Dancers tend to tell themselves the opposite: “I can’t trust my body.” You might have convinced yourself that if you deviate from some controlled eating plan, your body will change drastically ..read more

Every single week (if I’m being honest, almost every day), I’m connecting with clients who are going through the audition process. The dancers I work with are at every stage in their careers. I’m working with 17-year-olds going through it for the first time, dancers in their mid-20s trying to transition to a new company or a better-paying company, and even seasoned pros at the top of their careers looking for a more supportive environment to work in. There’s certainly some variation in the different stages of life and career, but there’s also a big constant: the audition process sucks. It’s lo ..read more

Constantly overthinking about food choices is relatively common among dancers. Even dancers who don’t fixate on what the “right” choices might be, likely have times of questioning or doubt. There’s also a false idea floating around that there might be a perfect way of eating to achieve the ballet “aesthetic” of thinness that many of us feel pressured to attain. Most dancers conclude that the best diet for them is one that’s restrictive or minimal. It doesn’t help that a lot of teachers still feed into this notion. I remember one of my most beloved ballet teachers once telling us that when she ..read more

I’ve covered weight loss for dancers in various capacities over the years, but I’ve never addressed it so directly. Honestly, I think by avoiding the topic, I’ve done you a disservice. This topic needs to be addressed because lots of body pressure still exists in the dance industry. It is very real for professionals, and unfortunately it’s even a part of the young dancer experience.  Many people don’t actually talk about this, which leads dancers to search through non-dancer resources, often finding misinformation or incredibly unhealthy advice. In an effort to be “healthy,” dancers get r ..read more

When the new year hits, so do all the diet, exercise, and body-related messages. You start hearing even more about what foods are “good” or “bad” and what you “should” or “shouldn’t” be eating.  That’s why now is a great time to refresh and strengthen your food mindset. You can set yourself up for an easy-going holiday as well as a self-loving start to the new year. Imagine what your life would be like if food wasn’t a concern. Think of the ways you might spend all that freed-up mental energy. It’s possible to go through life without overthinking food, and that allows everything else to o ..read more

It’s been at least a couple of years since we’ve done a gift guide and giveaway, and I’m so excited that it’s back! This gift guide features some of our favorite brands and products that are all about supporting you to feel inspired, happy, and healthy. Details on the giveaway:* One winner will receive ALL of the items listed below. To enter, go to @thewholedancer on Instagram and find this post.  Fuego Dance Sneakers These dance sneakers are truly revolutionizing the market. They are the lightest-weight dance sneakers available. I’ve got a pair myself, and they’re my favorite shoes to t ..read more

Dancers can survive Thanksgiving. Beyond that, you can truly enjoy this time of year. All told, Thanksgiving is now one of my favorite holidays. I love the focus on gratitude that a lot of us can easily forget about throughout the year. It’s really important to pause and consider all the blessings you have in your life, and I think Thanksgiving can have a good grounding effect for us.  That being said, there was a time when Thanksgiving was full of stress, worry, guilt, and discomfort for me. I know it’s still that way for a lot of dancers. You can go beyond surviving this holiday (or any ..read more

As Nutcracker season approaches, it’s possible you’re already feeling the busy energy in the air that either motivates us or leaves us feeling frantic and overwhelmed. There are a lot of ways you can calm your mind and body through this season. Here’s a guidemap for creating a balanced approach to the Nutcracker season. Reflect on your past Nutcracker experiences. Think about Nutcracker’s past. Consider what worked and what didn’t. In the moment, it’s possible you felt a bit of just gotta get through it and survive. How would you like to feel through the Nutcracker and holiday seasons? Pick o ..read more

As you look ahead to the audition process, it’s possible how your body looks is a concern. For some of you, it might be the primary concern. It’s possible you’ve said something to yourself like, “If only my body were different, I’d get the job.” Many dancers see their bodies as the main problem. If only your body were different, you’d be getting jobs, offers, company class invites. That line of thinking isn’t supportive. It doesn’t allow you to focus on your dancing abilities and strengths as an artist. It also can create a mentality where you’re constantly tearing yourself apart and blaming y ..read more