The Brainy Ballerina Podcast

Veronica K is a former professional dancer turned educator. She combined her background as a dancer, Physical Therapist Assistant, and certified personal trainer to develop the Veronica K method of cross-training, an innovative approach to help dancers develop the strength they need to perform safely. In this episode we chat all about Veronica’s dance training and professional career working on cr...

It’s no secret that many dancers in the industry are underpaid and overworked. And while we’re pushing for change, the reality is that many of us will take on side gigs to support ourselves financially, especially when we’re first starting out. I found it necessary to have a side gig during my entire professional ballet career in order to support myself. Of course, some of these gigs were better t...

Ashley Tomaszewski is the Founder and Director of THREE POINT PROJECT, a professional project company based in Wisconsin. She is a graduate of Butler University with a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Pedagogy and an esteemed choreographer with works being performed by ButlerBallet throughout Europe, at MashUp’s International Women’s Day Festival and by SALT2. In addition to directing, choreographing, an...

Camille Goldsborough is a professional ballerina based in Los Angeles, currently dancing as a soloist with Petra Conti’s Hollywood ballet. Since moving to LA, Camille has worked as a model as well as dancing in films, commercials and music videos. She is the founder of The Prima Club, a positive brand and community for dancers, and of Dance Dominican, a foundation that supports teaching ballet thr...

Jacqueline Moscicke has danced professionally with Milwaukee Ballet and the Joffrey Ballet and is currently working as a freelance artist and instructor. She is also the founder of MSeam Apparel, a dancewear company she started in 2016 while dancing with the Joffrey. Jacqueline gets incredibly honest in this episode about the triumphs in her dance career as well as the heartbreaking losses. We tal...

I never imagined that I would go into business for myself, but here I am! From Dancer to Educator to Administrator to School Director and now Entrepreneur, I owe much of my success to the skills I learned in the dance classroom. Chances are you will find yourself in a career outside of performing one of these days. If you’ve ever thought about entrepreneurship but are not sure you’re cut out for i...

Dr. Chelsea Pierotti is a sports psychologist and high-performance coach for dancers and dance educators. As a speaker, workshop teacher, and host of the Passion for Dance podcast, Dr. Chelsea’s mission is to create happier, more successful dancers through positive mental skills. In this episode, Dr. Chelsea shares her path to becoming a sports psychologist and how she combined her two passions -...

TRIGGER WARNING: this episode includes discussion of eating disorders. If you find this topic triggering, we encourage you to skip this episode and prioritize your mental health and well-being. If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, please seek support from a trusted healthcare professional. Dr. Stephanie Potreck is a former dancer turned doctor/sports nutritionist and f...

Emily Baker is a professional dancer currently in her 6th season with Newport Contemporary Ballet, formerly Island Moving Company. She has also danced professionally with Inland Pacific Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Ballet Tucson, Impact Dance, Colorado Ballet, Mareck Dance (formerly Missouri Contemporary Ballet), and The Big Muddy Dance Company. In this episode we dive deep into Emily’s path as a profe...

Jennifer Milner is a ballet coach and certified Pilates trainer specializing in working with dancers. After a successful career as a ballet and musical theatre dancer, she became certified in Pilates with Kelly Kane and mentored under Marika Molnar for her dance medicine certification. She’s trained dancers from the Royal Ballet, New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, San Francisco Ballet,...

Lucy Ashe is the author of CLARA & OLIVIA (Magpie, Oneworld publications, UK)/ THE DANCE OF THE DOLLS (Union Square & Co, US) Her second novel, THE SLEEPING BEAUTIES, is out now in the UK and is coming to the US in September 2024. Lucy trained at The Royal Ballet School for eight years, first as a Junior Associate and then at White Lodge. She has a Diploma in Dance Teaching with the Britis...

Have you ever wondered why you might consider working with a Dance Career Mentor? While I have had many wonderful mentors in my life, I can only imagine what an impact it would have made to have someone solely dedicated to helping me gain the necessary skills to build a long and sustainable dance career. My passion is helping dancers like you build not just sustainable, but truly fulfilling dance...

Elise Mosbacher is a professional dancer currently in her 14th season with Mareck Dance, formerly Missouri Contemporary Ballet. She is also a certified Pilates instructor and a self-proclaimed crazy cat lady. In this episode we get real about Elise’s path to a professional career, how she finds balance between her career and personal life, and how she overcame a potentially career-ending injury. K...

Welcome to The Brainy Ballerina Podcast, where we peel back the curtain of the professional dance world with open and honest conversations about the realities of becoming a professional dancer. I’m your host, Caitlin Sloan - a former professional ballerina turned Dance Educator and Career Mentor. I’ve got a great lineup of interviews from top dancers, educators, and experts in the dance industry w...

Welcome to The Brainy Ballerina Podcast, where we peel back the curtain of the professional dance world with open and honest conversations about the realities of becoming a professional dancer. I’m your host, Caitlin Sloan - a former professional ballerina turned Dance Educator and Career Mentor Along with sharing my industry knowledge, I’ll interview top dancers, educators and experts in the danc...