Passion for Dance

In this episode of Passion for Dance, host Dr. Chelsea interviews former professional dancer and author Emily Sayre Smith. They delve into Emily's memoir 'Smart Ass Memoir of a Mouthy Girl,' discussing how ballet's lessons of resilience and perseverance profoundly shaped Emily's life. The conversation covers tough themes like overcoming addiction and personal hardships, as well as the transformative power of dance. Emily and Dr. Chelsea reflect on the complexities of ballet culture, the importance of speaking up, and the evolution of ballet's demands and expectations. Emily's journey illustrates how the challenges in ballet prepare dancers to handle life's adversities and underscores the need for the dance industry to continue to evolve.

In this episode, Dr. Chelsea explores the concept of mental toughness in dancers by breaking down the Four C's: Control, Commitment, Challenge, and Confidence. She provides practical strategies for developing these skills to help dancers stay resilient under pressure, maintain motivation, embrace challenges, and build self-belief. Dr. Chelsea also discusses the importance of balancing commitment to avoid burnout and shares exercises to improve emotional and mental control.

In this special episode of Passion for Dance, Dr. Chelsea discusses strategies for fostering accountability and work ethic in dance teams with three distinguished coaches—Arianna from Washington, Jenna from Nebraska, and Edwina from New York. Each coach shares her approach to setting high expectations, maintaining motivation, and building a supportive culture where athletes take ownership of their goals. This episode will feel relatable to any dance coach, and will give you actionable strategies you can implement in your next practice.

In this episode of Passion for Dance, Dr. Chelsea talks about self-compassion in dancers who are usually very hard on themselves. Inspired by a listener's question, the episode explores how treating oneself with kindness can improve performance, enhance resilience, and bolster overall mental health. Dr. Chelsea breaks down the concept of self-compassion into three key areas: self-kindness, mindfulness, and common humanity. She offers actionable strategies like reflective journaling, mindfulness, and visualization to help dancers develop this crucial skill. The episode emphasizes that self-compassion doesn't mean lowering standards but rather supporting oneself through challenges to foster continuous growth and motivation. Coaches and dance educators are also given tips on how to model and integrate self-compassion into their feedback.

In this episode of Passion for Dance, Dr. Chelsea shares a team-building exercise inspired by the children's book 'Have You Filled a Bucket Today?' The activity focuses on fostering connection and kindness among dancers by teaching them to recognize and appreciate positive actions from others. Dr. Chelsea explains the three-step process: identifying what fills their own buckets, acknowledging those who fill their buckets, and learning ways to fill others' buckets. She also provides a free, customizable bucket filling worksheet available at passionfordancepodcast.com/bucket. This exercise is designed to enhance team morale and emotional awareness, promoting a healthier and more supportive dance team culture.