The Curious Dancer

Ally is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, dancer, dance teacher, and choreographer. She grew up dancing, and her most recent dance experience includes two seasons with the Washington Commanders.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How to eat to fuel performance as a dancer.
• Common mistakes dancers make nutrition.Ideas for pre-class meals to optimize your energy levels.
• The role of sleep, caffeine, and mindset on your experience as a dancer.
• Ally's pro team audition experience and what most pro teams look for in auditions.

We're back for Season 2 of the podcast, kicking it off with the lovely Auti! We talked about her path in the dance world, teaching dance, building her YouTube channel, and creating her dance training app. 

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In this episode I talk to Gina McFadden about life after a professional career, being a dance educator, and how to take care of your whole self as a dancer.

Rachel Redding is a dancer, teacher, and student. In this episode, we discussed what it's like to dance in college and Rachel's journey as a dancer.

This week I'm chatting with Rachel Josefina about ditching the hustle mentality, learning to rest, and doing what's best for you.

Gaylyn Lareese is a dancer, content creator, and CEO/Founder of Motion Prep™. In this episode we discussed:

• What it's like to be a dance major
• How to navigate different career options as a dancer
• How to thrive as a dancer when you feel out of place

Today I'm talking about 4 mindset shifts you can make to become a better dancer. 

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Khristal Harbert is Spirit Coordinator for the University of Houston Spirit Teams. She is also head coach of the UH Cougar Dolls Dance Team (and was my coach when I was on the team!). We talked about what it's like to dance for a college team, why team culture matters, and how to balance multiple responsibilities. 

Today I'm talking all things flexibility, turnout, injury prevention, and strength with Allie Christensen! 

Jason Harrison is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS). He also is a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and a member of the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science (IADMS).

In this episode, I spoke with Jason about why strength training is important for dancers, how to get started with strength & conditioning, the importance of rest & recovery, and whether lifting weights will make you bulky.

Jason's research and training interests include developing systematic approaches for enhancing dancer performance and injury prevention strategies rooted in strength and conditioning best practices.