Professional dancer, choreographer, educator, and creative entrepreneur Sharon Kung is redefining what it means to build a sustainable and empowered life in dance. In this episode, Sharon shares her unconventional path through ballet, contemporary dance, higher education, and entrepreneurship, including the experiences that led her to found Ballet Trauma Club.

We dive into honest conversations about dancer pay, burnout, artistic freedom, and the realities of building a long-term career in dance, along with how dancers can begin reshaping the industry from the inside out.

Key Points in this Episode:

• Sharon’s early relationship with dance and her training in Hong Kong through the Royal Academy of Dance
• Transitioning to the U.S. dance world and discovering contemporary dance at Juilliard
• Double majoring in dance performance and economics at UC Irvine and what dancers should consider before taking that path
• Her first professional contract with Thodos Dance Chicago and navigating cultural shifts in the industry
• Differences between dance work in the U.S., Europe, and Asia
• The inspiration behind Ballet Trauma Club and the conversations Sharon hopes to spark around sustainability, trauma, and pay equity in ballet
• Systems Sharon uses to avoid burnout while building a creative business

Connect with Sharon:

Follow Ballet Trauma Club on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ballettraumaclub/

Shop Ballet Trauma Club’s Website: https://ballettraumaclub.com/ (Use code BBBTC15 for 15% off your purchase!)

Follow Sharon on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/its.sharonkung/

Sharon’s Personal Website: https://sharonkung.com/

Links and Resources:

Get 20% off your first order of ALOHA protein bars: https://aloha.com/BRAINYBALLERINA

Complimentary Career Mentoring Consultation: https://www.thebrainyballerina.com/career-mentoring

Let’s connect!

My WEBSITE: thebrainyballerina.com

INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrainyballerina

Questions/comments? Email me at [email protected]

This episode was brought to you by the Pivot Ball Change Network.