Serena Lu is a Team USA rhythmic gymnast. She was on the U.S. National Team from 2010-2018, competed at the 2014 and 2015 World Championships, and finished third at the U.S. Olympic trials in 2016. Serena was first featured on Athlete Voices in 2019, while a junior at Princeton University. Since then, she graduated college with a degree in psychology and is presently working several jobs in New York City as an investigative analyst, actor, and dancer. In 2021, she decided to make a comeback to rhythmic gymnastics after 5 years out of the sport. She placed 4th at the 2022 U.S. National Championships, which secured her spot on the National Team once again. Now 24, Serena shares her comeback story, what inspired her to return to the sport, and how she juggles early-twenties adulting alongside competitive training.

Follow Serena on social media:

Instagram: @serenajlu

TikTok: @serenajluuu

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Website: https://athletevoices.net/

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Former USA national team rhythmic gymnast Jazzy Kerber, now a coach, certified Brevet judge, and athlete representative on the programs councils, offers insight into the technical component of rhythmic gymnastics: a sport often described in media as “elegant”, “beautiful”, and “unabashedly girly,” but less noted for its athleticism and technical demands.

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Website: https://athletevoices.net/

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Hey guys, it's Belicia! On this episode, I'd like to formally introduce myself and why I began Athlete Voices in 2018. I explain the mission statement of Athlete Voices and the reason behind its title. This episode is also available as a blog: https://athletevoices.net/why-the-title-athlete-voices/

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Stay connected with Athlete Voices!

Instagram: @athletevoices

Website: https://athletevoices.net/

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Grace Stevens is a professional dancer/choreographer based in New Zealand. In this interview, Grace breaks down her dance journey, how she started and where she wants to take her dancing, insider's knowledge on the New Zealand dance scene, and advice for aspiring professional dancers.

Follow Grace on social media: @gracestevens 

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Stay connected with Athlete Voices!

Instagram: @athletevoices

Website: https://athletevoices.net/

Support the podcast directly HERE! - https://anchor.fm/athletevoices/support

Welcome to the Athlete Voices Podcast! On this podcast, we turn the spotlight on aesthetic sports, featuring exclusive interviews with gymnasts, dancers, figure skaters, artistic swimmers, and more. Our mission is to humanize athletes and de-stigmatize their struggles while offering them a voice to share their stories.

Click subscribe to stay up to date for weekly episodes. You can also check out our website, athletevoices.net, where you can find articles written about the guests featured on this podcast as well as blog posts and opinion pieces about all things aesthetic sports.

Instagram: @athletevoices

Website: https://athletevoices.net/

Support the podcast directly HERE! - https://anchor.fm/athletevoices/support