Off Stage: The Crosstraining for Performing Arts Podcast

Think back to how you felt in February last year-if it was anything short of "yeah I fucking slayed training through the holidays this year"...this ep is for you. I'll give you simple, actionable tactics to implement December through January, whether it's a ton of gigs, the studio showcase, a f ton of travel or all of the above that throws you off-let's make a plan. Stay c...

Merry King is a multi talented dancer, aerialist and vocalist, have a sit down with us as she shares her journey as a 30 something dancer doing all the things. A little bit more about all the things she embodies:  Merry Annette King brings radiant joy and captivating energy to every stage. With a PhD in Communication and a career built on resilience, her performances captivate audiences and her st...

Stretching is a tool used in both flexibility training and other useful situations like active recovery. Tune in to the episode to learn more about what sorts of adjustments you should be making to your stretching technique depending on your intended outcome.  And we'll also be discussing the ways in which performing artists need to approach stretching and flexibility training differently tha...

Insight into my strength, flex, and dance training into the third trimester. And, sharing the answers to common questions from clients right now (in case you're wondering the same!), covering: -Grip giving out during lifts -Split squat stance cues -Warm ups for skill work Mentioned in this episode: - Full episode on warm ups -Coach Kate on IG: @coachkatemorales -App: BetterYou Stay connected...

Pulling back the curtain so you can see some of the frameworks and considerations I take account for when creating programs for artistic athletes.  Stay connected with me and our team: Newsletter subscribe : Exclusive tips and tricks, including the "Sunday Secret" Follow me on IG: @britta.athleticarts Join The Training Club Stay connected with me and our team: Newsletter subscribe : Excl...

If you can only do waterfalls at the wall, but freak out the second you don't have that spot, this is the episdode for you. I'll walk you through some common technique mistakes that often keep people scared of performing the full waterfall such as: -How to load the spine -The role your glutes play -When to bend your knees -Ideal stance position Mentioned in this episode: Allison Schieler...

Have you ever wondered if something besides your exercise selection and training intensity is holding you back? Let's take a detailed look at some of the body proportion puzzles that effect your training in terms of strength, flexibility, and performance in your combos. I'll walk you through some biomechanical considerations for limb and torso length, rib cage shape, q-angle of the femur...

Let's get on the same page with some vocabulary that often gets misused in the crosstraining for performing arts world. Understanding these terms on a simple yet profound level can help you hone in on exactly where you need help in your training program, and communicate that clearly with your coach.  Clear communication creates more opportunities for hard and meaningful work.  Mentioned in th...

If you missed the CoreCraft workshop this morning, or just want a quick refresher-this is the episode for you.  I'll give you a quick and dirty download of core anatomy, function, and performance. As well as some juicy tidbits brought up by live attendees.  Mentioned in this episode: How to engage your core episode Ribcage overview episode Watch this episode on YouTube Stay connected with me...

In this episode I'll walk you through the three different ways you can engage your core, and cue you through some better ways to feel like you're actually in touch with the tissues that control your torso.  You if "engaging your core" feels like some setting you were born without...tune it. I promise you that's not the case.  Mentioned in this episode: The CoreCraft Worksh...

Myself and 16 artistic athletes just wrapped up the 2025 round of The Intensive, and I want to share three potent lessons from this cycle. I often find myself having these conversations with athletes in The Intensive, and this round was no exception, so I figured if I can share them with you early on, you can get a jump start on implementing these concepts to your training. Tune in to this episode...

In this episode, I've invited the knowledgable Samyukta Ranganathan to share her experience in the vocal arts world. She holds a masters degree in Indian Classical Pedagogy, years of experience performing, and coaching other practitioners of Indian Classical singing, while working on her PhD.  We'll talk a little bit of vocal arts anatomy, and a lot of where these concepts crossover with...

There are SO many ways to design a strength and flexibility program. You may have heard your bodybuilder friends talking about their "upper/lower split", and wondered if that's right for you. Or perhaps you've seen professional athletes doing a "high/low split" and wondered the same.  In this episode, I'll cover FOUR different types of splits I use. The pros and...

If you've ever mused over the talented MedusaMamiii, and noticed how her flow sequences don't seem like sequences at all, but rather pre-existing choreography straight from the soul... She's gonna reveal a ton of absolute gems in how you can approach blending technique and finding sensuality in your pole and dance flows.  AND, listen up clinicians, providers, and coaches. This episo...

What if I told you that the same concepts that are going to help you get over the hump of that back tweak, are the same tools you're going to use to better your backbends? I'll tell ya all about it in this episode.  Mentioned in this ep: Schedule a Vibe Check Intensive details and interest list Training Club membership Pink Mantaray's post Want the full visual experience? Listen to...

OrangeTheory and other circuit training style classes have benefits and detriments. Here are the specific variables to consider when discerning if these classes are right for your pole and dance goals: -The "chronic underload issue" in pole and dance athletes -Combo moves and their effect on force vectors -Correct rest intervals for strength -Programming heavier lifts -Load management fo...

In this episode I'm taking you through a more detailed dive into the training phases of competition and performance. Do you know at what point to start tapering off crosstraining intensity? Do you know at what point to start looking for show quality rehearsals? I'll take you through the week by week process, and show you exactly how I guide my performer/competitor clients to show day. Al...

If you've ever wondered what type of training happens in the Intensive, let me show you everything from Intake to Prep to the Integration phase. Of course, every athlete is a bit different, so I'll also be walking you through what types of conversations I have with clients to be sure they get the most out of the Intensive experience. Folks come in with all sorts of questions like "H...

In this episode, we dive into the process of balancing strength and flexibility cross-training while preparing for peak performance as a pole or dance athlete. Discover why aiming for higher loads with fewer reps can keep your tissues and central nervous system primed for the stage—hint: it’s about staying stong and ready! I'll also tackle the reality of navigating training disruptions, like...

In this episode I'll give you action items, and some important questions to ask yourself when you recognize that you're struggling with staying consistent. Mentioned in this episode: The Dancer Durability Project Level Up 40% off sale The Training Club Stay connected with me and our team: Newsletter subscribe : Exclusive tips and tricks, including the "Sunday Secret" Follow me...

This episode serves as a mini crash course for implementing cardio training as a pole and dance athlete. I'll be answering your questions like: "Does choreo count as cardio" Sneak peek: No it doesn't listen to find out why! "How long should I do cardio for?" "Do I need to count my steps?" "What's a safe max heart rate for me?" All this and mor...

If you've ever uttered the phrase "I just need to get back to training how I was pre-pandemic" or if there's a certain era of training that you have in your head as your "peak self" that you wanna get back to... this ep is for you. I'll divulge some of the sport science and psychology techniques I use with clients to help them move forward, and give you some adju...

In this episode, I'm going to give you a behind the scenes look at some of the juicy conversations I've been having with Intensive clients.  We'll take a look at: -Understanding how hip rotation effects your hamstring positioning (and why your outside hamstring gives your issues in reiko split). -Psoas biased stretches vs rectus femoris bias stretches to target different parts of th...

I've seen (and done myself) a lot of mistakes that could have been avoided on comp day. This episode serves as a resource for your questions like: "What should I eat before performing?" "What should my warm up look like" "What should my crosstraining look like?" All this and more in the ep! Mentioned in this episode: The Training Club Advanced Flexibility Trainin...

Heads up... Advanced flexibility training is not referring to you being at a certain level of flexibility, or the ability to do a certain skill. In this episode, we'll talk advanced flexibility CONCEPTS. So whether you need 3 blocks under your hands in a split, or you’re in a 3 block oversplits… this is for you if you need resources in progressing your flexibility training beyond basic stretc...