Backstage is a Ballet Science bonus series featuring short reflections on lessons learned as a professional ballerina and ballet teacher, and how biomechanics and research later helped explain them. Quick insights at the intersection of studio experience and science.

What happens when a professional ballet dancer starts a PhD?

When I transitioned from a professional ballet career into a PhD in biomechanics, I expected the hardest part to be learning the science. What surprised me most was how different the pace, feedback, identity, and emotional experience of academia felt... and how little of that transition had to do with intelligence.

In this Backstage episode, I share five things I wish I had known before starting my PhD after ballet, especially for dancers considering careers in science, research, or academia.

You’ll learn:

• Why academic feedback feels painfully slow compared to ballet
• How identity shifts can feel unsettling, but aren’t failures
• Why dancers don’t need to “prove” they belong in academia
• Why missing the studio doesn’t mean you made the wrong choice
• How ballet training prepares you for research more than you realize

If you’re a dancer navigating a nonlinear career path, transitioning out of the studio, or wondering whether science or graduate school is “for you,” this video is for you.💬 Have you made a transition from dance into academia or another field? I’d love to hear your story in the comments.

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Hosted by Caroline Simpkins, Ph.D., the Ballet Science podcast brings science into the studio to help dancers of all ages and abilities give their best performances both onstage and off, and reveals how the science of ballet can benefit anyone who moves.

Each week, we will explore the intersection of science and ballet... from injury prevention and biomechanics to nutrition, mindset, and everything in between. If you enjoyed this episode, please hit the subscribe button, leave a review, and share it with your friends and dance community. You can also follow Ballet Science on social media and visit our website for additional information.

Filming Equipment Affiliate Links:

• ⁠⁠Microphone⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Pop Filter⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Mic Stand⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Prompter⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Large Key Light⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Small Key Light⁠⁠
• ⁠⁠Eve Flare Light⁠⁠

Logo Photo: Richard Calmes