As a mental-performance coach, Jaclyn Ellis has seen firsthand how the right mantra can transform a performer. “I work with an Irish dancer who has a lot of what I call ‘What if’ thinking. ‘What if I fall? What if the judges don’t like me? What if I collide with someone onstage?’ ” says Ellis, who […]

It’s a cycle familiar to many: First, a striking image of a lithe, impossibly fit dancer executing a gravity-defying développé catches your eye on Instagram. You pause your scrolling to marvel, over and over again, at her textbook physique. Inevitably, you take a moment to consider your own body, in comparison. Doubt and negative self-talk […]

You’re standing in the wings, moments from entering the stage. You’ve done your planks to warm up your core, pliés to feel centered and dynamic stretches to loosen up. But your mind won’t stop racing through all the ways your performance could go wrong. Sport science strategies can get you in the right headspace. Photo […]

Let’s face it: The demands of a dancing life are extraordinary, and sometimes we would just rather not. “We all know those days where you have to wrench yourself out of bed and you’re shuffling to the shower because you’re so tired and it’s about all the effort that you can muster,” admits Pittsburgh Ballet […]