Getting to Know DWC Ambassador Emily Borders
There are more ways to be involved in the dance industry than just being a professional dancer. Community members like DWC Ambassador Emily Borders are proving this to be the case by partaking in community classes and studying physical therapy in hopes of making dance more accessible to a wider array of individuals. Read on to learn more about Emily’s personal dance journey, hopes for the larger dance community, and plans as a DWC ambassador!
A Local Dancer and PT Student on Increasing Dance Accessibility
Name pronunciation: Em-ill-ee Borders | Pronouns: she/her
By Madison Huizinga, DWC Blog Editor
There are more ways to be involved in the dance industry than just being a professional dancer. Community members like DWC Ambassador Emily Borders are proving this to be the case by partaking in community classes and studying physical therapy in hopes of making dance more accessible to a wider array of individuals. Read on to learn more about Emily’s personal dance journey, hopes for the larger dance community, and plans as a DWC ambassador!
Emily says that she was an active kid growing up, but it took her a while to realize that dance was her favorite activity. She laughs sharing that it took getting cut from her middle school volleyball team for her to pursue dance wholeheartedly. She danced and competed across many genres throughout high school and majored in kinesiology and minored in dance at Western Washington University. After graduating from college in 2018, Emily has been enjoying taking community classes, dancing around her living room, and trying out aerial silks. She is also in her second year of physical therapy school and plans to graduate in June 2023. Following graduation, Emily looks forward to helping make dance more accessible and affordable to all bodies, particularly to neurodivergent people.
In the larger dance world, Emily sees a great need to make dance teacher education more accessible and affordable as well. She also hopes to see more helpful and accurate information disseminated on how to be a healthy dancer, specifically information on how to nourish oneself, build strength, and cross-train in a sustainable way. For example, she thinks more dance teachers should be educated on how to provide screenings for the female athlete triad, as malnutrition, disordered eating, and a generally increased risk of injury are all common among dancers. Emily shares that when she was 19 she broke her arm by doing a simple cartwheel on a mat, an injury that may have been prevented if she and more dance professionals in the larger industry knew about phenomena like the female athlete triad.
When asked what her favorite thing about dance is, the first thing that comes to Emily’s mind is community. “I feel like my dance friends are probably my closest group of friends,” she says, sharing that they’ve spent so many long hours rehearsing together that it’s hard not to form a tight bond. To this day, the friends she’s made through dance are incredibly supportive of one another.
Emily also appreciates the creativity and artistry that dancers get to hone when practicing their craft. Particularly as an adult dancer, Emily has enjoyed shifting her focus in dance away from improving her technical facility and more on sharpening her artistic skills. “I love that there’s freedom just to move,” she says. Emily also loves that dance is a form of healing. “It’s just really helpful physically, emotionally, [and] mentally,” Emily says of the holistic nature of dancing.
Photo by Robert Borders
Emily says that growing up, she was extremely hard on herself when dancing. She says that being a perfectionist feels inherent in her personality, and can be exacerbated by principles widely disseminated in the dance industry. Dancers are taught that their work is never done - they can always get their legs higher, make their combinations cleaner, and generally improve their technique. But attaining perfection is impossible. For those struggling with this perfectionist mentality, Emily encourages them to acknowledge that this type of thinking comes naturally to them. She points out that having a lot of ambition and drive is helpful, but it’s important to also have balance. For Emily, acknowledging what she’s done well in addition to what she can improve upon is also useful for counteracting perfectionism.
Emily shares that she had been considering applying for the DWC ambassador program for a while. She had been following Dancewear Center on Instagram for some time and was impressed by the fact that the business strives to do much more than sell products. She loved seeing dancers from across the community use Dancewear Center’s platform to amplify their own messages as DWC ambassadors. Emily was hesitant about applying for the program because she hadn’t been dancing for a while and thought she may not be the best candidate. Nevertheless, she reminded herself that she’s a part of this community and has a lot of knowledge to contribute, which led her to fill out the application. As a DWC ambassador, Emily is looking forward to writing blog posts on topics she’s passionate about, especially sharing the physical therapy knowledge she’s gathered in PT school.
“I’ve learned a lot that I felt was lacking in my own life and dance experience growing up,” Emily says, sharing she hopes to give the physical therapy knowledge she’s learned today to others.
Keep an eye out for more from Emily Borders in the coming months!
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Disclaimer
All content found on the Dancewear Center Website, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and all other relevant social media platforms including: text, images, audio, or other formats were created for informational purposes only. Offerings for continuing education credits are clearly identified and the appropriate target audience is identified. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this Website.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the emergency department, or call 911 immediately. Dancewear Center does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on dancewearcenter.net. Reliance on any information provided by dancewearcenter.net, Dancewear Center employees, contracted writers, or medical professionals presenting content for publication to Dancewear Center is solely at your own risk.
Links to educational content not created by Dancewear Center are taken at your own risk. Dancewear Center is not responsible for the claims of external websites and education companies.
Inside Dancewear Center’s Continuing Education
“One of our core values is integrity and I feel like that shines through in the fitting process,” Samantha says. “We’re here to make sure that the dancer goes home in something that is as safe and comfortable as possible. We always prioritize the dancer over the sale, every single time.” She’s excited to be a part of a pointe shoe fitter community that works to empower dancers with informed knowledge about their pointe shoes, as well as help build out a larger fitter knowledge base.
A Look Into DWC Pointe Shoe Fitters’ Processes
By Madison Huizinga, DWC Blog Editor
Since Samantha Weissbach took over ownership of Dancewear Center in 2018, she and the rest of the DWC team have tasked themselves with offering dancers high-quality products and pointe shoe fittings. A big part of providing community members with knowledgeable pointe shoe fittings is staying up to date on the latest product knowledge and progressing the staff’s knowledge base with continuing education training sessions and programs. Read on to learn more about Dancewear Center’s continuing education processes from the staff members themselves.
Owner & General Manager Samantha Weissbach says that new pointe shoe fitters go through an initial training that involves shadowing another fitter. “When somebody is in training, [I try] to get them with as many senior fitters as possible,” she shares. Pointe Shoe Fitter Tija Dupont recalls sitting in on fittings, in which she would take notes and ask questions. Once onboarded and fitting on their own, fitters meet weekly with Samantha for one-on-one check-ins, in which case studies are reviewed and questions are answered. “We go over notes from their past week,” Samantha says, sharing that they also go over notes for the upcoming fittings for the week.
Samantha shares that the fitters also undergo in-depth quarterly training sessions and monthly fitters educational meetings, where case studies are discussed, new products are introduced, and more. Assistant Store Manager Anna Peters says that the quarterly sessions are useful, as the team discusses product knowledge, customer interactions, and more. Tija recalls her first training seminar with Dancewear Center, in which she was introduced to every single shoe the store carries. She shares that the initial seminar was extremely helpful, as she was able to take detailed notes which she still references from time to time. Tija also shares that in later training sessions, fitters were given extensive training on customer service, including role-playing sessions in which different scenarios were acted out with the staff. Anna says that Samantha makes an effort to intermix more written, textbook-style learning with hands-on learning so there’s something for many types of learning styles.
Outside of the internal training, DWC fitters and staff also undergo training sessions with different pointe shoe manufacturers, such as Russian Pointe, So Danca, and Bloch. Anna recalls undergoing virtual fitting training sessions with all brands. Samantha shares that fitters even observed Freed fitters fit pointe shoes at Pacific Northwest Ballet.
Senior pointe shoe fitters also undergo external certification processes, including the Progressive Pointe Method, a pointe shoe fitting curriculum offered by ThePointeShop. Dancewear Center is also closely connected with ThePointeShop and Master Pointe Shoe Fitter Josephine Lee through ThePointeShop Retail Partnership, making DWC a recommended store by experts like Josephine.
Anna says that just the basic training was eleven weeks long and was focused on the basics of fitting, sizing, troubleshooting, product knowledge, and much more. Samantha also views continuing education as a collaborative effort, creating dialogues with other dancewear store owners and pointe shoe fitters across the country including Beam & Barre in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Samantha is also a member of DanseMedica and participates in monthly “mastermind” calls in which she connects with specialists in the dance medicine world. She is also currently enrolled in the Pointe Safe Certification course, where she’s learned more about anatomy, strength, and how to progress young students en pointe safely. This course informs her teaching efforts outside DWC as well as her fittings. Samantha is also a part of Seattle Performing Arts Medicine (SeaPAM), which features Seattle-based medical professionals. She attends SeaPAM journal club meetings every other month in which members meet together to review case studies, look at medical journals, discuss work they’re doing in realms relating to dancers’ physical and mental health, and more.
“I try to stay up to date with dance medicine and bring anything that’s relevant up with the team,” Samantha shares.
Tija says that Samantha makes an effort to be hands-on with fitters during the training process and allows them to be hands-on when learning. She shares that there are a lot of opportunities for fitters to explore fitting in non-judgmental environments before they work with customers so that they can learn by doing. “I feel super confident,” Tija says of her fitting abilities following the training sessions she’s experienced. After much practice, she feels comfortable finding dancers the best shoe for them in a reasonable amount of time.
Anna also expresses the confidence she’s gained from training, sharing that the knowledge she’s gathered is much more intuitive, allowing her to have much more efficient fittings. “I think we’ve managed to streamline the whole process. We’re a lot more organized,” Anna says, referencing the notes that DWC has on hand on customers’ pointe shoe preferences. She also says the DWC community as a whole has gotten much more friendly, happy, and confident as they’ve gained more fitting knowledge and experience.
“We try to help each individual develop their own fitting style because it is going to be different for everyone,” Samantha says of the different ways individuals can approach pointe shoe fitting.
Samantha shares that the extensive training and resources available to DWC fitters today have allowed for the establishment of a more helpful guiding framework for employees to use when fitting pointe shoes. “People are progressing a lot faster and part of that is [due to] having a solid knowledge base,” Samantha says.
Being able to pair the newer fitters with more experienced pointe shoe fitters has also greatly facilitated the fitter onboarding and education process. Samantha says that being able to split the fitting process into different categories and sub-categories, has allowed fitters to understand both the mechanics and empathy required of the process. In general, Samantha says that the more detailed training process has allowed new fitters to feel more confident when they fit on their own for the first time.
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Tija shares that the learning process never stops as a fitter. “Every time I go into watch a fitting or do a group fitting, [it’s] still very educational,” she vocalizes. Tija also expresses her appreciation for the relationships she’s developed with customers, sharing that she’s grateful for the mutual understanding and transparent communication that’s developed between fitters and dancers.
Anna appreciates how available and accessible Samantha makes continuing education. “She’s very supportive of any continuing education that [we] want to take part in,” Anna says.
“One of our core values is integrity and I feel like that shines through in the fitting process,” Samantha says. “We’re here to make sure that the dancer goes home in something that is as safe and comfortable as possible. We always prioritize the dancer over the sale, every single time.” She’s excited to be a part of a pointe shoe fitter community that works to empower dancers with informed knowledge about their pointe shoes, as well as help build out a larger fitter knowledge base.
Sources:
Disclaimer
All content found on the Dancewear Center Website, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and all other relevant social media platforms including: text, images, audio, or other formats were created for informational purposes only. Offerings for continuing education credits are clearly identified and the appropriate target audience is identified. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this Website.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the emergency department, or call 911 immediately. Dancewear Center does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on dancewearcenter.net. Reliance on any information provided by dancewearcenter.net, Dancewear Center employees, contracted writers, or medical professionals presenting content for publication to Dancewear Center is solely at your own risk.
Links to educational content not created by Dancewear Center are taken at your own risk. Dancewear Center is not responsible for the claims of external websites and education companies.
Providing Nutritional Education for Dancers
Ensuring that you can dance at your best for the longest amount of time possible involves much more than what happens in the studio. Making sure dancers take care of their bodies and fuel themselves in a sustainable and accessible fashion is crucial. However, myths and toxic misconceptions about nutrition abound within the dance world. People like Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Kristin Koskinen of Eat Well, Live Well are helping make the dance world a better place by providing nutrition and educational services to the dance community.
Kristin Koskinen on Promoting Balanced Nutrition and Debunking Myths in the Dance World
By Madison Huizinga, DWC Blog Editor
Photo by Brittney Kluse Photography
Ensuring that you can dance at your best for the longest amount of time possible involves much more than what happens in the studio. Making sure dancers take care of their bodies and fuel themselves in a sustainable and accessible fashion is crucial. However, myths and toxic misconceptions about nutrition abound within the dance world. People like Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Kristin Koskinen of Eat Well, Live Well are helping make the dance world a better place by providing nutrition and educational services to the dance community.
Like many, Kristin began dancing around age three or four, growing up training in tap, jazz, ballet, and musical theater. Eventually, she realized that ballet was where her heart was and she got wholeheartedly involved with a pre-professional company. Kristin ended up dancing with Mid-Columbia Ballet in Richland, WA. When she went to college, she took some dance classes here and there but dedicated most of her time to being a part of the cheer staff at her university. Admittedly, it was a big transition for her to make, as the dance style was more hip-hop-oriented.
Kristin had plans of attending medical school because she “wanted to learn more about the human body and nutrition.” In one of her pre-med courses, her professor suggested that she shift her focus towards getting a master’s degree in nutrition, as it was clear that her interests lay more in that realm.
Being heavily involved in the dance industry at a young age, Kristin had come face to face with diet culture early in her life. She grew up training in a supportive environment where comments about her body or shape were never made and where her artistic director made fairly sound nutrition recommendations. Nevertheless, the more toxic aspects of dance and diet culture managed to permeate through her wall of support. “It has a really big impact on me,” she says.
Kristin says that there can be specific aspects of the dance world that can trigger disordered eating, sharing that it’s often the “elephant in the room” when it comes to dancing. When Kristin’s daughters began taking dance classes, it became clear to her that few things had changed in the dance world since her time as a student, particularly in regard to nutrition. She realized that this space is where her nutrition expertise could be put to its best use. “This is where I was needed to bring [my] body of knowledge and understanding to dancers and their parents and teachers…whoever was really interested in the health and well-being and longevity of dancers,” Kristin says.
Kristin says that a major part of her mission is being the person she needed when she was a young dancer. “I see these kids who struggle and I get it,” she says, sharing the challenges that come with navigating “diet talk.” “There are adults who are perpetuating this stuff and continue to project it when frankly there’s no excuse for it,” she says, insisting that using “tradition” as an explanation for promoting disordered eating is unacceptable. “It’s time to come in with some sledgehammers and knock those walls down,” Kristin says.
Kristin shares that a major misconception about dancers is that they are all supposed to be skinny. She recognizes that some genres of dance are slowly becoming more inclusive and accepting of different types of bodies, but there is still an underlying assumption that dancers are supposed to be thin and on a restrictive diet to maintain a particular body size. And contrary to predominant beliefs in the past, there is also a growing assumption that dancers ought to be “ripped, cut, [and] shredded” to be the best performers. Kristin says that these standards are “frankly unnecessary.”
“Form should follow function,” Kristin says. She strives to help make these assumptions about what a dancer should look like and what they should eat go away. The concept that dancers must be at a “healthy weight” to perform at a certain level is also a myth. Aiming for dancers to fit a certain aesthetics as opposed to cultivating their craft is an adverse practice.
Eat Well, Live Well is Kristin’s private practice where she works with dancers and other artistic athletes. Kristin had been working in clinical settings prior to beginning her private practice and recognized a distinct need to bring another voice and resource to dancers to help them meet their specific needs and enhance their careers and longevity within the dance field. She works with private clients and also guest lectures at universities and with professional companies and studios.
Kristin shares that her work at Eat Well, Live Well is all individualized. Some people have medical needs that require a specialized nutrition plan, such as dancers who are hyper-mobile or have digestive issues. Some are recovering from eating disorders and injuries and are in need of additional nutritional support and guidance on their journey. And some dancers learn to debunk myths about nutrition that they learn within the mainstream industry to move towards a more balanced nutrition plan. “Dancers have unique needs,” Kristin acknowledges, sharing that she helps address dancers’ needs on a personal level, taking their individual schedules into account.
Kristin also runs a blog that covers topics like performance nutrition, recipes, and more. In addition, she collaborates with dance organizations like The Bridge Dance Project, DanseMedica, Bendy Bodies, and Apolla Performance, and has contributed to more mainstream media outlets, including Healthline, NBC News, The Today Show, and The Oprah Magazine. She’s a regular contributor to Dance Magazine, Pointe, Dance Teacher, and Dance Spirit. She speaks internationally about dance nutrition and is frequently asked to lecture at universities across the US. She recently spoke to the Washington State Dance Studio Owners Coalition over Zoom, sharing that it was great to chat with studio owners about how they can create a positive influence on their dancers and help create waves of change. Kristin and the studio owners discussed how to bolster mental health and stay in their lane of expertise when it comes to nutrition. “Studio owners can have a phenomenally positive impact on a dancer’s life. It can be outstanding,” Kristin emphasizes, adding that she also works closely with the Dance Educators Association of Washington from time to time.
Kristin believes that one of the biggest mentalities that needs to be changed in the dance world is the idea that everyone is replaceable. The idea that dancers are interchangeable and that positions can easily be refilled when injuries pop up promotes the idea that dancers are mere bodies, rather than human beings with unique life experiences and offerings to bring to the stage. “If we would look at the dancers as human beings first as opposed to commodities, I think that would be a phenomenal change,” Kristin says.
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What “Love Your Body Week” Means to Me
In talking with the older dancers, they all say that LYBW has really shaped their perspective of themselves and dance. It’s also found its way into their life outside dance. They’ve been quick to point out when a friend at school was being unkind to their body, and look at social media with less self-judgment. I’m so excited and proud that I’m able to work at a studio that holds this week with high regard. And we continue the ideas of LYBW throughout the year. It’s become so embedded in ATD’s culture, there’s a different feeling just walking into the building.
Promoting Self-Love in the Studio
By Dominique See DWC Ambassador
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Summit Track Pant | Dylan Tank Bra | by Girlfriend Collective
We use our bodies for our art. Our bodies are our medium. We strive to make the most interesting/beautiful/unique art with our bodies, sometimes forcing them into harmful situations. However, most of the time, we don’t take a moment to appreciate our bodies for what they are and can do. At All That Dance, there is a week dedicated to loving our bodies. It’s now become a national event, and the National Honor Society for Dance Arts has brought it to many studios around the country.
Love Your Body Week (LYBW) started in 2005, with Rachel Stewart. Rachel was teaching at All That Dance (ATD) and was concerned with the negative body image talk she would overhear students saying. The main idea is to take time out of each class during this week, and have discussions with the students about dance and self-love.
This program has grown over the years, and now makes use of student leadership to facilitate some class activities, overseen by Mary Pisegna Gorder. There is now a curriculum that Mary and Rachel develop each year, with different topics of discussion and activities for different classes. Each of these prompts culminates with each dancer writing or drawing a positive statement about their body. All the dancers then tape their artwork and words of love on the mirrors in the studios till the mirrors are completely covered with heartwarming messages.
As a new teacher at ATD, I experienced my first in-person LYBW in 2021. It was my first full year of teaching a full teaching track load. I was over the moon ecstatic to be a part of this incredible program and week long event. When I grew up, there wasn’t any such thing as LYBW. Looking back, I often ask myself if I could have avoided many nights of tears and frustration that my body wasn’t the perfect “ballet body” if I would have had this program. I struggled with my identity as a dancer since it was a dream to do ballet professionally. I didn’t know what else to do and I felt betrayed by my body. This was all when I was just 12 years old. It was horrible. The pressure I put on myself and the disappointment that I kept feeling left me so uncomfortable in my skin.
I started getting into modern more, and that is where I found my stride. I believed that in modern, it would be ok that I have a much more muscular frame, and shorter legs with a long torso. I believed that I could potentially be a professional modern dancer because of these physical traits.
Thinking about how I leaned into modern dance because I thought it would be more forgiving to different body shapes makes me sad. Don’t get me wrong, I do love modern dance. I love rolling around on the floor, and minimalistic hand gestures (not that that is all that modern dance is). But the fact that I fell in love with modern dance because I was “let down” by my non-ballet body, is not the healthy love story I’d like for my students to hear.
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Long story short, I still never got over how my body wasn’t “perfect” for dance. This led to me developing an eating disorder in my early 20’s out of anxiety and fear. This was a dark time for me, and it was during what was supposed to be a highlight of my dance career as well.
I met with Mary pre-LYBW to discuss what I would have to do as their teacher. The National Honor Society for Dance Arts runs LYBW, but the teachers are in the room still for support. I was concerned that my state of mental health and my eating disorder issues were going to get in the way of me holding space for my students. We looked over the curriculum and I felt pretty safe about all the topics besides one. Compliments. The students were going to discuss compliments and how giving compliments to others is easy, but giving a compliment to yourself is much more challenging, if not impossible. The thought of trying to give myself a compliment turned my stomach inside out. I was very concerned that I wouldn’t be able to keep steady in the room with this discussion. We came up with a game plan for me to keep my mental health safe during this day, and I’m so thankful that Mary was understanding.
LYBW kicked off with my Teen Ballet dancers. It was so much fun seeing them excited for LYBW since they’ve been a part of ATD and have experienced it for many years already. They were stoked. The mirrors started filling up with sweet messages. Lots of spelling errors from the little dancers, and big hearts from the older dancers. One said “Taylor Swift loves you just the way you are!” Another said “I love my tummy because it helps me eat.” It was heartwarming reading these messages and then watching my students read them as well. Some dancers had some trouble thinking about what they loved about their bodies. It made me sad for a second, but once I started pointing out the amazing things our bodies do for us, they were able to pick up one of those and run with it.
In talking with the older dancers, they all say that LYBW has really shaped their perspective of themselves and dance. It’s also found its way into their life outside dance. They’ve been quick to point out when a friend at school was being unkind to their body, and look at social media with less self-judgment. I’m so excited and proud that I’m able to work at a studio that holds this week with high regard. And we continue the ideas of LYBW throughout the year. It’s become so embedded in ATD’s culture, there’s a different feeling just walking into the building.
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By the end of the week, I was mentally exhausted. My brain was on overdrive trying to protect itself while also holding space and being a supportive teacher to my students. I took all the discussions to my personal therapy sessions and have been slowly picking away at the iceberg that is my mental health and body image. It’s a bummer that I didn’t grow up with LYBW to potentially save some of these issues from existing, but as a dance educator I’m so excited to see what LYBW does to the future of dance. It’s a promising future, and an idea that should never be overlooked. Dancers need the support and reminders that our bodies are amazing. No matter what shape, size, color, or ability. Our bodies are our medium for our art. And if we don’t treat our medium with love and respect, our mediums won’t be there to support us for long.
Disclaimer
All content found on the Dancewear Center Website, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and all other relevant social media platforms including: text, images, audio, or other formats were created for informational purposes only. Offerings for continuing education credits are clearly identified and the appropriate target audience is identified. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this Website.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the emergency department, or call 911 immediately. Dancewear Center does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on dancewearcenter.net. Reliance on any information provided by dancewearcenter.net, Dancewear Center employees, contracted writers, or medical professionals presenting content for publication to Dancewear Center is solely at your own risk.
Links to educational content not created by Dancewear Center are taken at your own risk. Dancewear Center is not responsible for the claims of external websites and education companies.
A PNB Soloist on Mentorship and Being a Ballet Life Coach
When asked about what steps can be done to help alleviate these often harmful expectations, she shares that normalizing the concept of an everyday person dancing is something that needs to be more globally understood. She expresses that it can be hard for trained dancers to look at others’ dancing and not critique them in certain ways. Therefore, Santina believes that the mindset of seeing everyone as a dancer is something that needs to be adopted by dancers all around the world.
Cecilia Iliesiu on Tackling Tough Conversations in the Dance World
By Nicole Barrett, DWC Blog Co-Editor
Diving into the tough conversations about mental health and preparing for jobs that are engulfed in the dance world is something that Pacific Northwest Ballet Soloist Cecilia Iliesiu is very passionate about. Having danced professionally for thirteen years, she knows that the ups and downs in a dancer’s career can be very tough. By creating and running the Mentorship Program at PNB School (PNBS), she is tackling those issues head-on and providing pre-professional dancers with career support through Ballet Life Coach. Read on to learn more about Cecilia’s dance journey and the steps she’s taking to create a more open and supportive space for dancers.
Cecilia was born and raised in New York City, New York, and trained at the School of American Ballet from the ages of eight to eighteen. After her training, she landed a company job at the Carolina Ballet. She danced there for six seasons and became a soloist, but after dancing there for years she knew that she wanted to be on another path. Cecilia auditioned internationally and domestically for numerous ballet companies and Pacific Northwest Ballet offered her a job. She has now been dancing with the company for seven seasons and became a soloist in 2020. “I plan on dancing until I stop learning or my body tells me not to,” Cecilia shares.
Outside of dance, Cecilia loves to go swimming, kayaking, do yoga, and make pottery. She bikes to work every day and has many other hobbies that give her a perspective outside of dance. Cecilia also graduated from Fordham University with a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and Media Studies while dancing full time at Carolina Ballet and PNB.
Cecilia runs PNBS’s Mentorship Program with fellow PNB dancer Amanda Morgan. Starting in March 2020, this program was founded by Morgan and aimed to help with the mental health challenges dancers were facing during the pandemic. This program has evolved to work with dancers in the highest six levels of the PNBS and includes PNB company dancers as the student’s mentors. Cecilia and the mentors work very closely with PNBS consulting therapist Josh Spell to ensure that all the sessions meet the needs of the students. Each level of the Mentorship Program has two sessions per month, one with a company mentor and one with a therapist. The meetings discuss topics like body image, goal setting, work ethic, grappling with self-doubt, and much more. "I can see the students' confidence blossoming in each mentorship chat. The student's vulnerability to talk about their struggles in dance is incredible. The safe space allows them to verbilize, process, and connect with their classmates in a really meaningful way.” Cecilia says about the mentorship program.
During the pandemic in particular, Cecilia noticed a plethora of needs expressed by the pre-professional dancers she worked with in the PNBS Mentorship Program. In particular, dancers needed assistance with company auditions, including help with resumes and cover letters, which led her to give advice and create resources. Helping dancers with a business-side baseline to start their careers was something that motivated her to create Ballet Life Coach, an online resource to help dancers achieve their professional goals and guide them towards a successful career.
Ballet Life Coach currently offers a free 8-Step Audition Checklist with suggested timelines and to-do lists, a resume template, and audition template package that covers the important audition materials. Dancers can also now book one-on-one coaching sessions with Cecilia herself to review and fine-tune audition materials. Click here for more information! In the future, she hopes to see this kind of administrative and holistic support integrated into dance school education
Coming up, Cecilia is offering workshops for year-round schools and summer courses on pre-audition preparations. She was involved in workshops for the summer course at PNB in 2021 and is planning to expand to more schools this summer. One of her big goals is to not only do these workshops for PNB but include other companies in different areas and create more in-depth audition preparation programs.
One of Cecilia’s favorite things about dance is performing. She shares that when the pandemic started, it was very hard for her to switch over from a real audience to a screen. “I just love expressing myself on stage and creating different storylines and characters,” Cecilia shares about performing live. She also shares her love of seeing her coworkers dance along with her and just enjoying the presence of everyone onstage.
When asked about her biggest struggle in the dance world, Cecilia expresses that the mental blocks that dancers face can pose huge challenges. She shares that throughout a dancer’s training process, the physical aspects of learning how to do certain movements often come before the mental challenges that are endured when attempting such things. Cecilia ties this topic back to her work with the Mentorship Program, sharing that she wants to make these conversations about mental health more accessible for dancers. “To me, ballet is physically demanding, but the mental part of it isn’t talked about, and honestly is often the hardest part of dancing,” Cecilia shares.
Cecilia wants dancers that are struggling with similar mental health issues to know that they are not alone, and that they should not be afraid to ask for guidance. She expresses the importance of talking to your peers about any issues. Everyone is going through something, so having these open discussions, and not suppressing your feelings is something that is very important.
Moving forward into the dance world, Cecilia would like to see more normalization of tough conversations within the dance community. She shares that the transitions between what ballet is now versus what it has always been can be very hard for companies and dancers to grasp, so making that transition is something that Cecilia finds very important. “The next generation of dancers need to be the change that they want to see in the ballet world,” she shares.
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All content found on the Dancewear Center Website, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and all other relevant social media platforms including: text, images, audio, or other formats were created for informational purposes only. Offerings for continuing education credits are clearly identified and the appropriate target audience is identified. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this Website.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the emergency department, or call 911 immediately. Dancewear Center does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on dancewearcenter.net. Reliance on any information provided by dancewearcenter.net, Dancewear Center employees, contracted writers, or medical professionals presenting content for publication to Dancewear Center is solely at your own risk.
Links to educational content not created by Dancewear Center are taken at your own risk. Dancewear Center is not responsible for the claims of external websites and education companies.
The Benefits of Nurturing Passions Besides Dance
In ballet, I have struggled with confidence. I always felt unworthy and inferior to everyone. Being considered a late starter, I always had the feeling that I was constantly playing “catch-up” when it came to my peers. I spent too many years at my first ballet studio, receiving bad training and abuse from my teacher who always made me feel like I would never amount to anything as a dancer. These feelings of inadequacy negatively impacted my attitude towards dance and also contributed to my low self-esteem. I always felt something was holding me back from dancing my best. It wasn’t until I underwent a major surgery that I came back to professional ballet with a newfound confidence and a greater passion for the art form.
A Story of a Dancer’s Road to Recover
By Anna Nelson, DWC Ambassador
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In ballet, I have struggled with confidence. I always felt unworthy and inferior to everyone. Being considered a late starter, I always had the feeling that I was constantly playing “catch-up” when it came to my peers. I spent too many years at my first ballet studio, receiving bad training and abuse from my teacher who always made me feel like I would never amount to anything as a dancer. These feelings of inadequacy negatively impacted my attitude towards dance and also contributed to my low self-esteem. I always felt something was holding me back from dancing my best. It wasn’t until I underwent a major surgery that I came back to professional ballet with a newfound confidence and a greater passion for the art form.
In 2018, during a guest performance of the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker. I felt a sharp pain in my hip while doing a developpe a la seconde into a fouette arabesque on stage. Thanks to that fateful moment on stage, I realized I needed to go to the doctor. Years prior, I had brought up that I had some hip pain and constant clicking in my hip to my doctor, but was told that it was arthritis, and the only thing that could be done was to make sure I keep my hip warm before dancing. I accepted that diagnosis and made sure to wear extra warm-ups while taking class for years, until my hip pain progressed to the point of me not being able to walk after waking up in the morning.
Fast forward to the fall of 2020. I had been diagnosed with bilateral hip dysplasia by a hip specialist and was told the only surgery that would help my pain long-term, as well as prevent me from having to get a hip replacement by the age of 35 would be to undergo a procedure known as a Periacetabular Osteotomy, or PAO for short. This would be a major surgery that would require five days in the hospital and six to eight months of physical therapy. I was told that I would most likely be able to dance again, but at a “modified” level. This horrified me, but the amount of pain I was in daily and the fear of having an artificial hip joint so young in life, led me to my decision to undergo the operation.
The recovery process was definitely the hardest physical struggle I have endured in my life. I was on crutches for 2 months, which led me to be completely dependent on my husband who, at the time, was working 14 hour days as an infantry reconnaissance platoon leader in the Army. I remember feeling frustrated many times because I was unable to do simple tasks, like washing the dishes, because putting all my weight on one leg for more than a few minutes was unbearable. The most difficult aspect of recovery for me, was that I was completely banned from doing any physical activities to allow my hip bone to heal without bending the screws. Even though during this time I had put professional dancing on the back burner and was focused on completing my degree, I would try to make it to as many ballet and fitness classes that my busy academic schedule would allow. Moving my body and exercising made me feel great and relieved a lot of the daily stressors in life. That was all taken away from me and I needed to divert my energy into something else that would allow me to feel fulfilled. It was during this time I was grateful that I was currently in school and had grown so many interests outside of dance. I had to remind myself of the difficult things I had already accomplished in my life, and I also needed to accept the reality that I may not ever be able to dance at the level I was dancing at before again. I placed all my passion and energy into studying at my final year of University, I rediscovered my love of reading, I grew my faith in God and I also learned how to give myself grace and be patient with my healing journey.
I remembered when I was a pre-professional ballet student, my entire identity was rooted in the fact that I was a ballet dancer. I had put all my energy into dance. I never took the time to develop friendships, I never attended homecoming or prom, I switched to online high school my junior year, all so that I could focus on my ballet training. If I had this surgery back then, I don’t think I could have handled it.
After six months of physical therapy, I began taking a ballet class for my last elective credits over zoom at the University of Washington. As the months progressed, I began taking ballet classes at local studios and gaining my physical strength back. Upon graduation from UW, I increased my ballet training significantly. I began to feel like I had control of my body again. The confidence I gained from receiving my degree in a difficult, competitive major at a top university gave me the confidence to “test out” my new hip in a professional ballet setting. I took a company class at Olympic Ballet Theatre and was offered a position. Immediately, I began rehearsals for the Nutcracker and went on to perform 13 shows about one month later. Although a major injury or surgery seems like a negative setback, I challenge you to reconsider. Perhaps just what you need to improve your dancing is to step away completely and nurture other passions or interests. The confidence you may gain from excelling in other areas in life or learning a new skill could be just what you need to improve and increase your confidence in dance.
Sources:
https://www.hss.edu/conditions_Periacetabular-Osteotomy-PAO.asp
Disclaimer
All content found on the Dancewear Center Website, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and all other relevant social media platforms including: text, images, audio, or other formats were created for informational purposes only. Offerings for continuing education credits are clearly identified and the appropriate target audience is identified. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this Website.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the emergency department, or call 911 immediately. Dancewear Center does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on dancewearcenter.net. Reliance on any information provided by dancewearcenter.net, Dancewear Center employees, contracted writers, or medical professionals presenting content for publication to Dancewear Center is solely at your own risk.
Links to educational content not created by Dancewear Center are taken at your own risk. Dancewear Center is not responsible for the claims of external websites and education companies.
Promoting Empowerment and Body Positivity Through Movement
When asked about what steps can be done to help alleviate these often harmful expectations, she shares that normalizing the concept of an everyday person dancing is something that needs to be more globally understood. She expresses that it can be hard for trained dancers to look at others’ dancing and not critique them in certain ways. Therefore, Santina believes that the mindset of seeing everyone as a dancer is something that needs to be adopted by dancers all around the world.
Santina Rigano-Lesch on Breaking the Stereotypes of Dance
By Nicole Barrett, DWC Blog Writer
Like many, Santina Rigano-Lesch found the COVID-19 pandemic to be a time for herself to hone in on what she’s really passionate about. From this time of reflection, projects like Unstoppable You and Unstoppable Babes were born. Read on to learn about these projects and more about Santina’s dance journey and upcoming work!
Santina is originally from Australia and started dancing when she was four years old. Later on, she ended up managing a performance company, while she was coaching national hip hop championships and touring around Australia. What brought her to the U.S. was being an au pair in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and she began dancing there as well. In her job contract, she got moved to Seattle and wanted to stay here. She met her wife in Seattle and realized that she wanted to start her own dance studio near her where she could create a space for people to engage in the “alternative styles of dance.”
“Seattle has such a big contemporary and ballet scene,” Santina recalls being in Seattle’s established dance world. When she was building her studio, she realized that she had to start from the ground up to create a name that people would recognize, like in Australia. In the U.S., she faced challenges building such a name. Because of this, she worked with Seattle Parks and Recreation to get her name out there and to forge a partnership to help create what she envisioned.
One thing that was important for Santina regarding her dance studio was creating a space for people to explore their creativity. She started teaching children through daycare and elementary enrichment programs, along with teaching studio classes to 400 kids weekly. Santina wanted to create a non-traditional dance space, where she taught ballet to reggae music and worked to foster a safe, body-positive, and inclusive environment for everyone.
Once the pandemic hit, everything about the studio changed. Regulations based upon quarantine guidelines created a nearly impossible environment for Santina to continue doing the thing she loved. So, she made the conscious and bittersweet decision to shut down the studio in May 2020. She then pivoted her focus to create a new business called Don’t Do It Yourself Virtual Assistance Services where she started her work with studio owners who were having trouble with their social media and virtual assistant tasks.
Adding to her many other projects, she started her podcast Unstoppable You, which is all about empowering women in the body love space and crushing the body standards in society. Tagging onto Unstoppable You and her larger Confidently You brand, she started an online monthly membership Unstoppable Babes that is aimed at women wanting to get involved in loving their skin and their body. Santina’s main goal in creating these spaces was to speak up about the empowerment of women. She shares that because of COVID, she was able to sit down and assess what she was truly passionate about. She realized that what she was truly enthusiastic about was working with women like herself and helping empower them by bringing them in closer touch with their femininity. “[There’s] this avenue that I’ve gone down of helping women get confident within themselves, whether that’s dance-wise or business-wise,” she shares.
Santina’s favorite thing about dancing is the ability to express yourself in ways that in everyday life you just can’t. Growing up in Australia, the “you can only speak when you are spoken to” mindset was prevalent and she shares that she struggled with expressing herself verbally. Dance is what allowed her the ability to express herself and show how she feels without the hassle of using words.
One of Santina’s biggest struggles in dance has always been the way that she looks. She recalls being told by one of her ballet teachers that she was “too fat” to be a ballet dancer and she shares that it completely crushed her. Santina struggles with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) which inflames the entire body and can cause weight gain, among other things. This thin-bodied stereotype in the dance world is what made her look into other styles of dance, which is what she mainly practices now. Because of this, Santina’s advice for anyone going through the same issue is “don’t care about what anyone else thinks.” She shares that everyone struggles with something in or out of dance so if you love to dance, it doesn’t matter what your body looks like, just get moving.
Something that Santina would like to see change in the dance world is breaking the stereotype that dance is only for a trained dancer. “Based on conversations I have with women every day that want to dance, they feel this judgment that they didn’t start dancing sooner and feel immense anxiety attempting a dance class full of trained dancers,” Santina shares about the expectations in the dance world. She believes that dance is for everybody no matter who you are or what you do.
When asked about what steps can be done to help alleviate these often harmful expectations, she shares that normalizing the concept of an everyday person dancing is something that needs to be more globally understood. She expresses that it can be hard for trained dancers to look at others’ dancing and not critique them in certain ways. Therefore, Santina believes that the mindset of seeing everyone as a dancer is something that needs to be adopted by dancers, and by all, around the world.
At the same time, Santina mentions that she doesn’t like to use the word “normalize.” She shares that her wife has experiences with mental illness and has developed an unfavorable opinion of the word. “The reason why I don’t like using the word normalize comes from me educating myself in mental health and being there for an advocate and [in] support [of] my wife,” Santina shares. The word “normal” can be perceived in a marginalizing way and Santina doesn’t use it out of respect for the way it makes her wife feel and to show more understanding to the community that experiences mental illness as well.
Santina has many different projects coming up! Free Your Body, a dance-inspired bootcamp that ran from May 17th to May 22nd using movement to unleash trauma, is now available in recorded replay format. She also has her Unstoppable Babes membership program online that has classes on Wednesdays and Saturdays allowing the everyday woman to tap into their sensual and embodied side to reclaim themselves, let go of stories holding them back and put themselves first. Lastly, something that is in the works right now for Santina is a group coaching program for female entrepreneurs that aims to help them feel more comfortable with getting visible online in their businesses.
Be sure to check out Santina’s work on her website www.santinarigano.com for more information!
Disclaimer
All content found on the Dancewear Center Website, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and all other relevant social media platforms including: text, images, audio, or other formats were created for informational purposes only. Offerings for continuing education credits are clearly identified and the appropriate target audience is identified. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this Website.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the emergency department, or call 911 immediately. Dancewear Center does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on dancewearcenter.net. Reliance on any information provided by dancewearcenter.net, Dancewear Center employees, contracted writers, or medical professionals presenting content for publication to Dancewear Center is solely at your own risk.
Links to educational content not created by Dancewear Center are taken at your own risk. Dancewear Center is not responsible for the claims of external websites and education companies.
How to Recover From a Tough Class: A Guide for Students and Teachers
We have all been there as dancers. We’ve all had that class where nothing seems to be going our way. We mess up every combination, we can’t balance longer than a couple of seconds, we fall out of every turn, or completely botch a petite allegro. It’s so easy to let self doubt and negativity completely destroy us. It’s easy to let those feelings of failure take over. Sometimes it feels like every combination gets worse and worse to the point you want to give up and run out crying. As teachers, we’ve also been there when we can see students starting to struggle and then it causes us to doubt ourselves as valuable educators.
By Austin Sexton, DWC Ambassador
Medical Disclosure: Dancewear Center does not claim to have any medical expertise on any circumstances or diseases discussed. This is Austin’s personal experience and opinions. If you need help see the resources listed at the bottom of this post. If you or someone you know needs immediate medical attention, call 911.
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We have all been there as dancers. We’ve all had that class where nothing seems to be going our way. We mess up every combination, we can’t balance longer than a couple of seconds, we fall out of every turn, or completely botch a petite allegro. It’s so easy to let self doubt and negativity completely destroy us. It’s easy to let those feelings of failure take over. Sometimes it feels like every combination gets worse and worse to the point you want to give up and run out crying. As teachers, we’ve also been there when we can see students starting to struggle and then it causes us to doubt ourselves as valuable educators.
Most of the time, the reasons for having a hard class have nothing to do with our technical ability or worthiness as educators and everything to do with outside factors. Maybe you had a tough day at school, maybe your body is processing some trauma, maybe your body needed more nourishment that day, and you didn’t realize it until you were halfway through a tendu combination. But sometimes, maybe the class is harder than you expected and you weren’t prepared for the challenge because of those outside factors.
As a teacher, I have also had classes where I go into it with good intentions, but I’ve let my outside factors take over and things start to spiral. I can see that I’m not connecting with the students in the way I intended, and I can see their self doubt kicking in, which then in turn, causes my own self doubt to kick in. I start to question if I’m a good teacher, if they trust me, and imposter syndrome tries to take hold of the truth.
It’s important to not let one rough class define your worth as a dancer or teacher and more importantly your worth as a human.
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Here are some ways to recover when you’ve had a class that makes you want to quit:
CRY. I mean it. It is okay to cry. Crying releases so much tension and emotion out of the body, that I promise you will feel better afterwards. Crying is not weak (this is something I’ve really had to work on for myself). Crying is the body's natural way of releasing negative emotions so that it doesn’t hold it in and manifest in the body through pain or injury. As a teacher, sometimes it can be very scary to see a student crying, because it feels like a personal attack on our teaching ability, or our worth as a teacher. But I have been trying to understand that maybe sometimes the student can’t control it and that it's genuinely the body doing what it’s supposed to do. However, if it is a result of my inability to meet a student’s needs, I try to hold accountability and take action to reconcile through communication and redirection. I recommend finding a safe space and/or a safe person and crying as much as you need to.
Take a break. If you’re in the middle of class and you feel tension rising in your body and self-doubt kicking in. Attempt to communicate to your teacher that you need a moment. As a teacher, I try to be in tune with my students and notice if they’re struggling, but not every teacher does. So, try to find an appropriate moment to say something like, “I need a moment to collect myself” or “I’m having some anxiety, may I please be excused for a moment?” The most obvious moment is between barre and center or warm up and progressions, but we can’t control when we reach our limit, so in extreme cases, if you just need to step out without saying anything, that’s okay too. Your mental health is more important than five minutes of class. As long as there is communication with your teacher either before or afterwards, then it is okay to take a break.
Do some grounding exercises after class. It’s easy to let yourself spiral into all of the negative moments in class and to fixate on every missed tendu or stumbled glissade. Breathing helps so much. Take some deep breaths and try to de-center your thoughts of negativity and tell yourself that you are safe and that you are worthy. As you’re breathing, try to recall three positive moments in the class and let those be the light that carries you through. Choosing to recall the good moments over the bad can help you realize that the class was not completely terrible and that although sometimes class is hard, you are still strong and powerful. Pick a color and identify items in the room of that color. This activity helps to bring your consciousness out of your head and into the room so you can begin to think logically about the class and identify what went well and what didn’t. For more grounding techniques visit: https://www.healthline.com/health/grounding-techniques#physical-techniques
Self-affirm. Remind yourself that you matter and that you are worthy of having access to the joy of dance. Remind yourself that you are doing your best with the tools that you have in your box that day, and that the goal is not to be perfect. The goal is to do your best and give 100% of what you have to offer that day. That might change from day to day, depending on your stress levels and outside factors and that’s okay. Tell yourself that you did your best. But also, have a conversation with yourself about what you could have done differently. It’s good to hold yourself accountable, while also reminding yourself that it’s okay to make mistakes, because mistakes are where you learn the valuable lessons in life.
Lastly, as teachers, we hold the power and therefore, we are responsible for taking accountability for the outcome of the class. After a tough class, talk to your students. Have a moment with them to not only take accountability for how you could have improved in the moment and also tell them what your intentions were. Show students that they deserve respect and that you are capable of apologizing and reconciling after tough moments. Assure them that you want to see them doing their best and that you are also doing your best. Tell them you don’t ever expect perfection from them, but you expect intention and for them to simply try, even if they make mistakes. Showing students your own vulnerability can create a safe space for them to be able to take risks and not give up on themselves, because you won’t give up on them.
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Not every dance class you take is going to be perfect. Not every pirouette you do is going to be flawless. Sometimes, class is going to be hard-and that’s okay. Sometimes, you’re going to completely screw up a combo-and that’s okay. It is 100% okay to have a “bad class.” But when you let that one pirouette, or missed pas de bourre completely ruin the rest of class for you, that’s when you’re letting yourself down. Don’t let one tough moment in time define your worth as a dancer. You are still worthy, you are still strong, and most importantly the work that you’re doing matters. When you give up on yourself, you give up on the possibility of a successful moment and give the one flaw too much power. No one is perfect, but what you can do is decide to do your best, every day. Even if that looks different from day-to-day. Your best is best.
RESOURCES
https://www.healthline.com/health/grounding-techniques#physical-techniques
Students, please talk to your parents or an adult you trust if you need help. They can connect you with a doctor. If you need immediate help, here are some resources:
Getting to Know DWC Ambassador Claire Kaskel
Many dancers experience common challenges that aren’t often brought into conversation in class settings, including feelings of physical and technical insecurity. DWC Ambassador Claire Kaskel is an advocate for fostering open communication across dancers, instructors, and studio owners to ensure dancers know they are valued for their uniqueness. Read on to learn more about Claire’s dance journey, the changes she wants to see made in the dance industry, and her plans as an ambassador.
A Conversation About Embracing Uniqueness
By Madison Huizinga, DWC Blog Editor
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Many dancers experience common challenges that aren’t often brought into conversation in class settings, including feelings of physical and technical insecurity. DWC Ambassador Claire Kaskel is an advocate for fostering open communication across dancers, instructors, and studio owners to ensure dancers know they are valued for their uniqueness. Read on to learn more about Claire’s dance journey, the changes she wants to see made in the dance industry, and her plans as an ambassador.
Like many dancers, Claire began in a ballet class around age three. As she got older, she began exploring other styles, including jazz and lyrical. When she was eight years old, Claire began competing mainly in jazz and lyrical genres, later dabbling in salsa, Paso Doble, hip hop, tap, and contemporary.
“I really love competing and I really love being a part of a studio. For me, that’s one of the best parts [of dance],” Claire says. She shares that she’s also gotten the opportunity to teach dance to younger students, which has been a great source of joy. Claire loves that teaching allows her the chance to help children cultivate what might be their own lifelong passion for dance. Claire also loves the therapeutic qualities of dancing, sharing that attending dance class allows her to release stress and feel grounded.
“Something that I’ve struggled with a little bit throughout my time as a dancer [is] feelings, here and there, of not being enough,” Claire shares. She says that whether it’s feeling like her dance technique is subpar or feeling like her body isn’t the “right” look to be attempting a certain style, dance can bring out some uncomfortable emotions from time to time. “It makes you second guess yourself and it makes you feel super insecure and confused,” Claire speaks on these feelings. She points out that settings like competitions and conventions can sometimes foster an environment of comparison that encourages this unfavorable self-evaluation.
To help manage these unpleasant feelings, Claire advises dancers to rethink and reassess their thoughts and remember that who they are as a dancer is valuable. “[Each] different dancer is going to bring something unique and special to the table,” she says. Claire, herself, is always enamored by dancers who put their own special spins on their movements, making them their own. “You should always be working to continue improving, but you also need to be appreciative of what you have and the body that allows you to dance and the mind that allows you to learn,” Claire says.
One change Claire hopes to see made in the dance world is more diversity across every facet of the industry, in terms of racial backgrounds, body sizes, and more. She hopes that all types of people can be welcomed and embraced in the dance industry, by actors on all levels helping foster a more inclusive environment. She also hopes to see the dance industry make more efforts to keep dancers safe, particularly in the competition world, and listen to young dancers when they voice the challenges they’re experiencing.
Claire says that she’s been shopping at Dancewear Center for years, but learned about the ambassador program recently through DWC Ambassador Kristina Koumaeva, as she is a teacher of hers at Premiere Dance Center in Redmond, Washington. After seeing Kristina’s social media posts about the ambassador program, Claire felt inspired to apply herself. “I’m really excited that I get to be here and I get this opportunity!” Claire says.
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In general, as an ambassador, Claire looks forward to being able to help support a local business and have a platform of her own to share her love for dance. She loves the idea of potentially inspiring others through the messages she puts out.
In addition to the DWC ambassadorship, in the coming weeks, Claire is looking forward to performing in her studio’s end of the year recital with Premiere Co., a pre-professional dance company at Premiere Dance Center. She is also preparing for the company’s auditions for the 2022-2023 season and getting ready to attend a national dance competition this summer.
We’re thrilled to have Claire as a DWC ambassador! Stay tuned for more from her in the coming months!
Disclaimer
All content found on the Dancewear Center Website, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and all other relevant social media platforms including: text, images, audio, or other formats were created for informational purposes only. Offerings for continuing education credits are clearly identified and the appropriate target audience is identified. The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this Website.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor, go to the emergency department, or call 911 immediately. Dancewear Center does not recommend or endorse any specific tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned on dancewearcenter.net. Reliance on any information provided by dancewearcenter.net, Dancewear Center employees, contracted writers, or medical professionals presenting content for publication to Dancewear Center is solely at your own risk.
Links to educational content not created by Dancewear Center are taken at your own risk. Dancewear Center is not responsible for the claims of external websites and education companies.
Getting to Know DWC Ambassador Dominique See
One of the things that Dominique is looking forward to about being an ambassador is that it can allow her to become more of an advocate for mental health in the dance world. Having gone through these experiences herself, she wants to be able to raise awareness for these issues that are very common in the dance world. At All That Dance where Dominique teaches, there is Love Your Body Week that has been picked up by numerous other studios around the country where time is taken out of dance classes during the week to discuss loving your body. Dominique shares that this week is something that has helped her want to lift up the voices of people struggling with these issues and advocate for more awareness.
By Nicole Barrett, DWC Blog Writer
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Advocating for mental health around the dance community is something very important to one of our new DWC ambassadors, Dominique See. Starting at the age of three, Dominique has always been involved in the dance world and has strived to achieve the acceptance everyone deserves. Read on to learn more about Dominique’s dance journey and work at All That Dance and Genki Pilates!
Dominique is from a small town in southern Washington State called White Salmon where she started dancing at the age of three. She signed up for dance classes with her friend and ultimately, she just never stopped dancing. She was involved in the performance companies at her studio where she shared that she learned she wanted to dance forever. She majored in dance at the University of Washington and graduated in 2017. While dancing at UW, she was the President of the Dance Student Association and worked with the Chamber Dance Company. Dominique wanted to be as involved as she could in the dance community at UW and that is what she did.
Post-graduation, Dominique went into the pilates teacher training program to become a pilates instructor and was dancing here and there in different places around the Seattle area. While dancing in Seattle, she was involved in the Tint Dance Festival and danced with Pat Graney for about two and half years during this time. Dominique then began performing with MALACARNE and did a virtual zoom performance in 2021. She then began teaching at All That Dance in Seattle and has been involved in the dance company there.
Growing up, Dominique was always drawn to ballet more than any other style. “I was very much drawn to ballet with the structure and the precision and the thought that ‘this is what you do when you do it,’” Dominique shares. She describes a sense of comfort when dancing in a style like this where she can tell her body exactly what she wants to do and how to do it and she felt that it was a grounding point for her.
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As she got older, she started shifting over to more modern dance instead of ballet. Dominique mentions that the physical aspects of the dance world and the stereotypical body types that were required for ballet dance as an adult were something that made her switch over to modern dance instead. “What I love most about dance is you have all the control in it, but you also have control in how much you let go,” Dominique shares.
When asked about her biggest challenge in the dance world, Dominique shares that it was her inability to say no. She mentions that this realization occurred for her when she became more aware that you don’t have to do the things that hurt. She also mentions this need to please the choreographer and feel appreciated when they show attention to you, which is something very common in the dance world. Because of this, she wants other dancers to know that no matter what “you are your own body, your own dancer, your own artist, and you are your own person.” She wants dancers to be mindful of their own health and safety and know when to say no.
One of the things that Dominique is looking forward to about being an ambassador is that it can allow her to become more of an advocate for mental health in the dance world. Having gone through mental health challenges herself, she wants to be able to raise awareness for similar issues that are very common in the dance world. At All That Dance where Dominique teaches, there is a “Love Your Body Week” that has been picked up by numerous other studios around the country where time is taken out of dance classes during the week to discuss loving your body. Dominique shares that this week is something that has helped her want to lift up the voices of people struggling with these issues and advocate for more awareness.
Dominique just got finished with a five-hour duration show at the Georgetown Steam Plant that she did with Malacarne. “[This performance] was epic, it was amazing and so fulfilling,” Dominique shares about the show. She is looking forward to the end-of-year recital for All That Dance where she gets to watch all the kids that she teaches perform.
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Outside of teaching at All That Dance, Dominique is a pilates instructor. She was trained by Lori Coleman Brown in downtown Seattle through a very intensive training process that is very deeply integrated with how to look into the body. She mentions that dancers could utilize pilates greatly to help feel safe and secure in their muscles when performing. Because of this, Dominique opened up her own pilates studio Genki Pilates for more artists to have access to these utilities. This summer, Dominique hopes to put in more time to Genki Pilates to help serve the whole dance community.
Moving forward in the dance world, Dominique would like to see more studios pick up the ideas of Love Your Body Week as they have at All That Dance. She wants everyone in the dance community to feel that they are enough and that their body doesn’t limit what they can and can’t do. Seeing that incorporated into the dance world makes Dominique very hopeful for the future of dancers and she hopes to see these changes happen in more places.
We are so excited to have Dominique as one of our new ambassadors!
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