who am i?
I’m a former professional dancer, ballet teacher, speaker, and mindset coach for dancers.
But yeah yeah, you've heard that already!
In a nutshell...
I was always that dancer who was more focused on connecting with and supporting peers that being better than everyone else. Im a twin (hence my social media name “TwinTalksBallet”, a Texan, a cat-mom, an absolute geek when it comes to two things: ballet and helping people live lives full of joy and possibility!
why coaching?
When “living the dream” as a dancer was cut short for me by a persistent knee injury, I thought I had to cut my losses with dance and pick something entirely different to do with my life. At the time, being a dancer was the only version of being involved with the ballet industry that I was interested in.
However, throughout my own mental, emotional, and physical struggles leading up to my departure from the professional realm, I realized that there was a huge unfulfilled need within the ballet community that was calling my name. The need for someone to partner with dancers to go beyond just coping with the hardships of the career. Instead, I wanted to bring out the confidence, joy, and individual strengths that will allow them to stand out as artist and to make living “the dream” actually feel like a dream.
I believe that so many dancers are highly competent, intelligent, and well-equipped for success. However, due to the influence of shame-based teaching styles and the highly competitive nature of ballet, a majority of dancers spend their precious years in the studio in stress and a self-limiting mentality instead of joy and confidence.
I choose to help dancers through coaching, because the foundational belief of coaching is that there is nothing gravely wrong with the client, only more potential to draw out and put to use.
Dancers are already so aware of every potential imperfection that I provide them with the space to see what’s right with them, and to nurture their strengths while also releasing old fears or limiting beliefs that have held them back for years.
credentials
Board-Certified Practitioner of Neurolinguistic Programming
iPEC Certified Coach (program accredited by the International Coach Federation)
Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist
CORE Success and Life Coach
Practitioner of Emotional Freedom Techniques
Certified T.I.M.E Techniques Practitioner
Creator of TwinTalksBallet (an online community of 20k+ dancers)
Advanced ballet instructor for 3 years (currently at Ballet Arts of Austin)
Guest instructor at Next Step Dance Kodiak, Oklahoma City Ballet, Central Texas Youth Ballet, Corpus Christi Ballet, and more
Former Professional Dancer with Oklahoma City Ballet
BFA in Ballet from the University of Utah (graduated with top honors)
Graduated from the top levels of Houston Ballet Academy
my vision
As I continue to serve the dance community throughout my professional career (yup, I'm in this for the long haul!), I desire for my work to play a role in creating a culture shift in the ballet world. I want to see the ballet community at large turn away from relying on a shame-based method of leading ourselves and being lead by others, to leading with respect for ourselves and others.
Though I work with dancers now to understand that they do have the freedom to choose confidence and joy, my strategy is to eventually work with teachers, leaders, and companies to create environments that are both highly productive and honoring of the dancers’ wellbeing.