Holistic Dance Wellness

Essential Oils for Muscle Relief: What Actually Helps Dancers Recover Sore after dance class? Wondering if essential oils can actually help with muscle recovery? In this episode of Holistic Dance Wellness , we’re taking a practical, evidence-informed look at essential oils for muscle relief and where they fit into a dancer’s recovery routine. You’ll learn why muscle soreness happens, the differenc...

Can scent actually support dancers? In this episode of Holistic Dance Wellness , we’re diving into the world of aromatherapy for dancers and breaking down what essential oils actually do—and what they don’t. We’re talking about how scent connects to the nervous system, memory, emotions, focus, and recovery in a way that’s practical, approachable, and dancer-friendly. Inside this episode: ✨ Aromat...

Butterflies before performing? Sudden bathroom trips at competitions? A stomach ache before class even though you’re excited? It might not be “just nerves.” In this episode of Holistic Dance Wellness, we’re talking about the gut-brain connection in dancers….how stress, digestion, emotions, and performance are connected more than most people realize. Learn why anxiety often shows up in the stomach...

Dancers absorb more than choreography. Have you ever walked into a dance studio and instantly felt calm… or immediately felt drained before class even started? In this episode of Holistic Dance Wellness, we’re exploring the hidden factors that shape the energy of a dance room and how those environments affect dancers physically, mentally, and emotionally. We talk about the real reasons some studio...

Summer break is often filled with anxiety for dancers who worry they’ll lose their technique, strength, flexibility, stamina, or progress after time away from the studio. But what if your body isn’t losing everything—it’s simply adapting? In this episode of Holistic Dance Wellness, we’re exploring what actually happens to a dancer’s body during summer break and extended time off from training. You...

In this episode of Holistic Dance Wellness, we’re diving into the powerful connection between music, dance, and the nervous system — and why music in dance training is so much more than just background noise. From warmups and competition mornings to confidence, focus, emotional regulation, and recovery, music directly impacts how dancers feel, perform, and process stress both inside and outside th...

In this episode, we’re talking about instant gratification in dance culture and how social media is changing the way dancers experience growth, training, technique, confidence, and body awareness. From viral dance clips and comparison culture to pressure for fast progress, dancers today are constantly surrounded by instant feedback and unrealistic expectations. But dance training does not happen o...

Ep. 7 | Creative Burnout In Dance Teachers: When Your Still teaching But Creativity Is Gone. Creative burnout in dance teachers is something we do NOT talk about enough in the dance industry. Because burnout in dance is usually discussed from the dancer perspective — physical exhaustion, overtraining, performance stress. But teachers? We carry an entirely different kind of load. In this episode of...

Episode 6: Body Image in the Dance World: What We Normalize Without Realizing It Body image struggles in dance don’t always start with obvious pressure…. they’re often built through everyday habits we don’t even notice. In this episode, we’re unpacking the hidden patterns dancers experience daily , from mirror habits and studio comparison to costume anxiety and social media influence…and how these...

Episode 5: Flexibility without Injury: A Holistic Approach for Dancers Flexibility is one of the most talked about goals in dance — but it’s also one of the most misunderstood. In this episode of the Holistic Dance Wellness Podcast, we break down what safe flexibility actually looks like for dancers, and why pushing harder isn’t always the answer. True flexibility isn’t just about stretching deepe...

In this episode of Holistic Dance Wellness, we break down one of the most overlooked elements in dance training… How to build recovery into a dancer’s weekly schedule in a realistic, sustainable way. Most dancers train hard, rehearse often, and push through fatigue, but rarely have structured recovery built into their week, In this episode, Carlee explores how recovery is not just rest, but an ess...

EP 1: 5 Signs Your Dancer Needs Recovery Support (Not Just More Training) In this episode of Holistic Dance Wellness, we explore dance recovery, dancer fatigue, and performance science through a lens that every dancer, parent, and dance educator needs. If your dancer feels constantly tight, sore, or like more practice is not leading to improvement, this episode will help you understand what their...

Episode 2: When Hard Work Becomes Too Much: Understanding Overtraining in Dancers In this episode of the Holistic Dance Wellness Podcast, we explore the fine line between dedicated training and overtraining in dancers . While hard work is often celebrated in dance culture, more is not always better when the body is not given enough time and support to recover. You’ll learn what overtraining actual...

Episode 3: Why Your Nervous System Matters More Than Your Stretching Routine In this episode of the Holistic Dance Wellness Podcast, we dive into the often overlooked but essential role the nervous system plays in dancer performance, recovery, and long-term health. While stretching, conditioning, and technique are important, they do not tell the full story of why dancers feel tight, fatigued, or m...

Welcome to Holistic Dance Wellness: a podcast created from a deep love of dance and a passion for holistic health. I’m Carlee Bigelow, a holistic health practitioner, dance educator, and dance mom, and I’ve seen firsthand how much dancers give to their art: the long rehearsals, the physical demands, the pressure to perform, and the constant push to improve. But dancers shouldn’t just be trained ha...