The Brainy Ballerina Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Kara Tatelbaum is a dancer, choreographer, teacher, coach and writer based in New York City. She earned her BFA in Dance from Tisch School of the Arts at NYU and MFA in Choreography from The Conservatory of Dance at SUNY Purchase. Kara is the founder of professional company independentdancemaker and author of Putting My Heels Down - a memoir of having a dream and a day job.

Kara’s memoir is to this day one of the most honest and hilarious books I have ever read and I am thrilled to share her story on the pod. Kara shares how she opened up performing opportunities for herself through her choreography and how she balances her dream and her day job. One of my biggest takeaways from this conversation was the power of having choices and the importance of not pigeonholing yourself as a dancer. Kara is one of those people who always finds a way to make her dream a reality - get ready for a huge dose of inspiration!

Key Moments:

• Early dance training [2:23]
• The decision to attend college for dance [6:06]
• Exploring her choreographic voice [9:10]
• Starting her own professional company at 22 years old [10:58]
• Balancing your dream and your day job [13:42]
• How asking for help will further your dance career [18:02]
• How Kara got started writing a memoir and her experience through the process [22:10]
• What Kara’s life looks like now as an author, instructor, choreographer, performer and coach [28:59]
• Why Kara’s story resonates so much with dancers [36:04]
• Her biggest piece of advice for dancers pursuing a career [40:19]

Connect with Kara:

HER WEBSITE: karatatelbaum.com

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/karatatelbaum

Links and Resources:

Join the Brainy Ballerina Book Club

Get your copy of Putting My Heels Down: A Memoir of Having a Dream and a Day Job (affiliate link)

Get your copy of The Ultimate Audition Guide

Let’s connect!

My WEBSITE: thebrainyballerina.com

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrainyballerina

1-1 Career Mentoring: book your complimentary career call

Questions/comments? Email me at [email protected]

Rian Wood is a professional dancer based in New York City and currently performing in the Medora Musical in Medora, North Dakota.

At just 25, Rian is wise and experienced beyond her years. We talk all about how Rian makes her freelance dance career work and how she’s finding artistic fulfillment and balance. We also chat about Rian’s experience in career mentorship and some of the hurdles she was able to overcome during our time working together. If you’ve ever been curious about pursuing a dance career in NYC, this is the episode for you!

Key Moments:

• Early training [1:34]
• Attending college for dance during a global pandemic [2:18]
• Moving to NYC to pursue dance as a fresh college grad [4:32]
• Finding balance between side gigs and dancing in the city [10:38]
• Rian’s first dance gig in NYC [12:23]
• How she ended up dancing in North Dakota for the summer [12:50]
• Rian’s experience dancing on cruise ships [18:16]
• What’s next for Rian and how she makes a freelance career work [22:15]
• Their biggest piece of advice for dancers who want to move to NYC and pursue a career [25:14]
• The power of community and asking for help in the dance world [28:20]

Connect with Rian:

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/rian.wood

Links and Resources:

Get your copy of The Ultimate Audition Guide

1-1 Career Mentoring: book your complimentary career call

Let’s connect!

My WEBSITE: thebrainyballerina.com

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrainyballerina

Questions/comments? Email me at [email protected]

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 talk about the journey to being okay again after losing her contract and the identity crisis so common for dancers in a transition period. We also get a peek inside MSeam Apparel and all that’s to come in this next phase of life. If you’ve been struggling with not feeling good enough as a dancer - Jacqueline’s courageous story is a must-listen.

Key Moments:

• Early training [1:32]
• Joining Milwaukee Ballet at 17 years old after training at the school [5:42]
• A peek inside AGMA and the union process [8:13]
• Making the move to the Joffrey Ballet [10:54]
• Being let go after 9 years with the Joffrey Ballet [18:07]
• Shifting into freelance dance work [22:04]
• Starting MSeam Apparel [26:57]
• The future of MSeam Apparel [36:31]
• Her biggest piece of advice for dancers pursuing a career [38:50]

Connect with Jacqueline:

HER WEBSITE: mseamapparel.com

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/mseamapparel

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/jacquelinemo8

Links and Resources:

Career Transition for Dancers: The Entertainment Community Fund

Click here for one FREE month of Danscend’s Council for Educators with code BRAINY

1-1 Career Mentoring: book your complimentary career call

Let’s connect!

My WEBSITE: thebrainyballerina.com

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrainyballerina

Questions/comments? Email me at [email protected]

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 it - tune in to this episode. You might realize that your dance training has set you up with the most important skills you need to get started.

Links and Resources:

1-1 Career Mentoring: book your complimentary career call

Let’s connect!

My WEBSITE: thebrainyballerina.com

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrainyballerina

Questions/comments? Email me at [email protected]

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 - dance and psychology - to create her dream career. I came away from this conversation with loads of actionable tips on motivation, burnout, self-awareness, and goal setting. We also had a candid conversation about what the ballet world can learn from dance team culture.

Key Moments:

• Early training [1:30]
• Attending college as an academic (but still keeping dance alive) [4:43]
• Finding purpose in sports psychology [9:49]
• Learning to control the controllables [11:39]
• How to know when to speak up or make a change in your career [15:19]
• Setting goals that are within your control [17:33]
• Working through burnout as a dancer [21:11]
• What the ballet world can learn from college dance team culture [28:19]
• The biggest challenges dancers face in reaching their goals (and how they can overcome them) [36:15]
• Her biggest piece of advice for dancers pursuing a career [49:04]

Connect with Dr. Chelsea:

HER WEBSITE: chelseapierotti.com

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/dr.chelsea.pierotti

PODCAST: chelseapierotti.com/podcast/

Links and Resources:

Click here to get your copy of The Intentional Career Handbook

1-1 Career Mentoring: book your complimentary career call

Let’s connect!

My WEBSITE: thebrainyballerina.com

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrainyballerina

Questions/comments? Email me at [email protected]

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 founder of AusDancersOverseas. I invited Stephanie onto the podcast to get her professional take on a recent interview written for The Independent by Charlotte Cripps with the director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet, Carlos Acosta titled ‘It’s hard to talk about weight in ballet’ (linked below).

It’s no secret the ballet world is obsessed with weight, even with a growing body of medical evidence showing the lifelong harm of restrictive eating. In this episode Dr. Stephanie breaks down what happens to dancers physically, emotionally and mentally when they restrict food intake. She shares the markers she looks for as a medical professional to determine a dancer’s health as well as her ideal scenario to foster happy, healthy dancers in ballet companies.

Key Moments:

• Stephanie’s initial thoughts upon reading the article [2:55]
• The ballet world’s obsession with weight [5:28]
• The effect of restrictive eating on emotional maturity [9:22]
• Important elements to partnering beyond a female dancer’s weight [10:34]
• What happens to the body when the diet is restricted [12:56]
• The first time I was told to lose weight as a dancer at 14 [16:19]
• What medical professionals screen for to determine a dancer’s health [24:48]
• The lifelong implications of restrictive eating for dancers [29:16]
• Stephanie’s ideal scenario for optimal dancer health in a ballet company [35:55]

Connect with Dr. Stephanie:

HER WEBSITE: https://ausdancersoverseas.com/

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/ausdancersoverseas

Links and Resources:

Carlos Acosta Interview in The Independent: https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/features/carlos-acosta-carmen-sadlers-wells-cuba-birmingham-royal-ballet-b2547981.html

1-1 Career Mentoring: book your complimentary career call

Let’s connect!

My WEBSITE: thebrainyballerina.com

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrainyballerina

Questions/comments? Email me at [email protected]

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 professional dancer, the power of connections, knowing when it’s time to pivot and getting really comfortable being uncomfortable.

Key Moments:

• Early training with Inland Pacific Ballet [1:55]
• Moving across the country for her first professional contract at 18 [3:48]
• Moving back home after a setback [5:00]
• Joining Ballet Tucson after a crazy audition experience [6:30]
• Making connections and branching out in Colorado [8:05]
• Shifting into contemporary ballet with Mareck Dance [16:29]
• Taking the leap to contemporary with Big Muddy Dance Company [22:43]
• Experiencing burnout and taking a year off from dancing professionally [31:58]
• Going back to company life with Newport Contemporary Ballet [35:23]
• Pursuing passions beyond being a performer [40:36]
• Her biggest piece of advice for dancers pursuing a career [46:29]

Connect with Emily:

HER WEBSITE: emilybakerdance.com

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/emilybaker8

Links and Resources:

Click here for one FREE month of Danscend’s Council for Educators with code BRAINY

1-1 Career Mentoring: book your complimentary career call

Let’s connect!

My WEBSITE: thebrainyballerina.com

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrainyballerina

Questions/comments? Email me at [email protected]

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, and the Kirov Ballet.

Jennifer and I talked all about her career as a dancer, from ballet to musical theatre. We discussed staying motivated as a freelance dancer, how to determine if you should take a gig (especially the unpaid ones!) and our plans to overhaul the current company audition process. Jennifer shares how a career-ending injury led her to her current passion and the work she does to shape healthy dancers, both physically and emotionally.

Key Moments:

• Early training [1:40]
• Beginning her professional ballet career at 16 [4:16]
• Transitioning to a career in musical theatre [7:40]
• Staying motivated as a freelance dancer [17:05]
• Deciding when to take a job, even if it’s not paid [20:56]
• Turning a career-ending injury into a new career [26:15]
• The biggest struggles dancers are currently facing [33:35]
• Her biggest piece of advice for dancers pursuing a career [47:30]

Connect with Jennifer:

HER WEBSITE: www.jennifer-milner.com

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/jennifer.milner

Links and Resources:

Click here for one FREE month of Danscend’s Council for Educators with code BRAINY

1-1 Career Mentoring: book your complimentary career call

Let’s connect!

My WEBSITE: thebrainyballerina.com

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrainyballerina

Questions/comments? Email me at [email protected]

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 British Ballet Organisation.

She studied English Literature at St Hugh’s College, Oxford, while continuing to dance and perform. After graduation, she obtained a PGCE teaching qualification and became an English teacher.

Her poetry and short stories have been published in a number of literary journals and she was shortlisted for the 2020 Impress Prize for New Writers. She reviews theatre, in particular ballet, writing for the website PlaysToSee.com.

In this episode we talk about Lucy’s training at the Royal Ballet School, her journey from dancer to 2x published writer and where she draws inspiration for her novels.

Key Moments:

• Early training at The Royal Ballet  [1:45]
• Transitioning from dance to college [9:55]
• The process of writing your first novel [14:05]
• A look inside Clara & Olivia/The Dance of the Dolls [19:15]
• A look inside The Sleeping Beauties [23:06]
• How Lucy stays motivated as a writer [26:58]
• Her biggest piece of advice for dancers pursuing a career [36:05]

Connect with Lucy:

HER WEBSITE: Lucyashe.com

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/lucyashe_author

Links and Resources:

Join the Brainy Ballerina Book Club

Let’s connect!

My WEBSITE: thebrainyballerina.com

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrainyballerina

Questions/comments? Email me at [email protected]

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 careers. That starts with ditching the narrative that asking for help makes you weak and ignorant and replacing it with the truth - that showing vulnerability takes a lot of courage and strength. Two things I know all dancers have in spades.

Tune in to this week’s episode to learn five signs you could benefit from working with a Dance Career Mentor.

Links and Resources:

1-1 Career Mentoring: book your complimentary career call

Let’s connect!

My WEBSITE: thebrainyballerina.com

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrainyballerina

Questions/comments? Email me at [email protected]