Tag: branch out

How Dance Helped Propel 4 "Drag Race" Favorites to Stardom

Dance is famous for its ability to instill valuable life skills. But it can also be a conduit to so many other forms of artistic expression. And if you’ve ever watched the phenomenon that is “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” you’ve seen how interdisciplinary art can be—and how dance and the art of drag often work in […]

Dance Helped Me Achieve Success in My Nondance Career Path

Like most kids, by the age of 4 I knew exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up…a dancer. And sure, every kid picks a career to play along with—doctor, veterinarian, princess. But from that young age of 4, I was determined to turn my dream into a reality. I spent my adolescent […]

Why Dancers Make the Best Livestream Fitness Instructors

Today more than ever, fitness platform subscriptions are replacing gym memberships. Dancers have always been great in-person fitness class instructors; now, they’re becoming popular leaders of streamed sessions, too. Why? Because many of the skills required to teach a livestream class are dance-world fundamentals. We know how to motivate a crowd, perform for the camera, […]

How a Former Ballerina Revolutionized Pointe Shoe Padding

When Kelly Schmutte started dancing on pointe in fifth grade, she felt like there had to be a way to make it feel more natural. Right away she began thinking about how to improve the experience. “I wondered if there was a way to make it more enjoyable, so that a dancer could focus on […]

Raising the Barre on Studio Snacks

Aaron Ingley and Julia Erickson are partners on and off stage—and now, in business. (Nick Coppula) When Julia Erickson and Aaron Ingley fell in love with dance—and each other—they had no idea their passion would result in a successful food business. Well into their professional ballet careers, the pair became dissatisfied with the lack of […]

Building a Fitness Empire

You may have noticed Broadway dancer Emily Hsu’s vibrant leggings and sports bras in dance and yoga studios across the country. In just two short years, Emily Hsu Designs has become a dancer-approved sensation, thanks to her unique understanding of line and fit—knowledge of a woman’s body that only a dance career can teach. Her […]

From Ballerina to Wellness Guru

Dancers need more than balance at the barre to be successful—they need it in life, too. That’s where Jessica Spinner’s online program The Whole Dancer comes in, making professional nutrition and wellness counseling available to dancers everywhere. “There’s only so much your teachers can impart on you in the studio, and they’re mostly focused on […]