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

When people hear that I was a professional ballerina and later earned a PhD in biomechanics, they often assume those worlds couldn’t be more different. But the truth is, many of the skills that helped me succeed in academia were forged long before I ever stepped into a research lab.

In this video, I share five powerful lessons ballet taught me... from discipline and feedback to patience, attention to detail, and resilience... and how those same skills translated directly into surviving and thriving in higher education.

I’m Caroline Simpkins, a former professional ballerina with a PhD in biomechanics and the creator of Ballet Science, where I help bring science into the studio for dancers of all ages and abilities.

Whether you’re a dancer considering an academic path, a performer transitioning careers, or someone navigating a nonlinear journey, this video is a reminder that your past experiences are not a liability... they’re an asset.

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Blisters are often treated like a rite of passage in ballet... but from a biomechanics perspective, they’re actually important feedback about how your foot is interacting with your shoe.

If you’ve ever tried to dance with a painful blister, you know how much it can affect balance, confidence, and technique. Instead of just “toughing it out,” this episode helps dancers understand blisters as a modifiable mechanical issue, not a weakness.

In this episode of the Ballet Science Podcast, you will learn:

• What blisters actually are (biologically and mechanically)
• Why ballet dancers get blisters so frequently
• Key differences between toe blisters and heel blisters
• How friction, moisture, repetition, and shoe design contribute
• Safe blister treatment strategies for dancers
• Why pointe shoe fit is one of the biggest predictors of blister formation
• Practical prevention techniques, including toe taping, corn pads, and moisture management

Blister-Related Affiliate Links:

• Blister pads
• Masking tape
• Blister prevention tape
• Corn pads
• Waterproof bandages
• Moleskin

This discussion connects directly to previous Ballet Science episodes and interviews on pointe shoe biomechanics, shoe fitting, and foot mechanics, which are linked below:

• Josephine Lee (Pointe Shoe Fitting)
• Jessica Aquino (Pointe Shoe Biomechanics)

🎧 Whether you’re a ballet student, professional dancer, teacher, or clinician, this episode will change how you think about foot pain and help you dance more comfortably and sustainably.

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👉 Follow for weekly episodes on ballet biomechanics, injury prevention, performance science, and movement across the lifespan.

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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

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

I went from spending my days in a ballet studio to a biomechanics lab. While those worlds may seem completely different, getting a PhD taught me some surprising lessons... not just about science, but about my body, learning, failure, and performance.

In this video, I share five things I learned from getting a PhD as a former professional ballerina, and how those lessons completely changed how I think about ballet training and movement.

In this episode, I talk about:

• Why discipline is not the same as understanding
• How failure is part of the learning process, not a verdict
• What biomechanics taught me about adaptability and anatomy
• Why mental load and cognitive fatigue matter in dancers
• Why ballet and science don’t compete... they belong together

If you’re a dancer, a student, or someone navigating a nonlinear career path, I hope this video reminds you that unconventional journeys aren’t a weakness... they’re a strength.

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In 2025, I released 31 episodes of the Ballet Science Podcast covering anatomy, biomechanics, injury prevention, performance psychology, strength training, and research on ballet across the lifespan.

In this year-in-review episode, I connect the dots among interviews, anatomy deep dives, and research discussions to show how they fit together. Think of this episode as a guided tour of Ballet Science... perfect if you’re new here and helpful if you’ve been listening all year.

We revisit conversations with experts in dance medicine (Miko Fogarty), strength & conditioning (Shane Wuerthner & Kendall Baab), sports psychology (Lauren Ostrander McArdle), pointe shoe biomechanics (Jessica Aquino), and pointe shoe fitting (Josephine Lee), along with an anatomy series on the foot & ankle, knee, hip, and spine, and research on ballet and fall prevention, neurological health, gait, and nutrition.

This episode is also a moment of gratitude. Ballet Science launched in June 2025, and the response from dancers, teachers, clinicians, researchers, and movement lovers has been incredibly meaningful.

Whether you’re a dancer, teacher, student, clinician, or simply curious about how ballet works, this episode will help you navigate the podcast and decide what to explore next.

Subscribe for weekly episodes on dance science, biomechanics, injury prevention, performance, and longevity

Leave a comment with topics you’d love to hear in 2026

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Logo Photo: Richard Calmes

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

When I tell people that I went to college while dancing professionally as a ballerina, the reaction is almost always the same: How did you make that work?

In this video, I break down the five strategies that enabled me to balance school with a professional ballet career, including what my daily schedule looked like, the sacrifices it entailed, and what I learned along the way.

In this video, you’ll learn:

• How I structured early morning, daytime, and late-night classes
• Why I treated ballet like a non-negotiable job
• How I adjusted my course load during soloist and principal seasons
• The sacrifices no one talks about (socially and emotionally)
• Why managing energy, not just time, is critical for dancers
• How protecting the body made everything else possible

I’m Caroline Simpkins, a former professional ballerina with a PhD in biomechanics and the creator of Ballet Science, where I help bring science into the studio to support dancers of all ages.

If you’re a dancer balancing school, work, or another demanding passion (or thinking about how to structure your next chapter), I hope this gives you a realistic and encouraging perspective.

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A herniated disc can sound terrifying for dancers, but it is not a career-ender.In this final episode of the Ballet Science spine series, Dr. Caroline Simpkins (former professional ballerina, PhD in biomechanics) breaks down what a herniated disc actually is, why it often develops gradually rather than from one dramatic movement, and (most importantly) why dancers can and do recover successfully.

Using a physical spine model and her own personal recovery story, Caroline explains:

• What happens anatomically during a disc herniation
• Why imaging findings don’t always equal pain
• How repetitive loading and movement patterns matter more than one “bad move”
• Why movement (done correctly) is essential for healing
• How dancers can return to training with confidence and resilience

This episode is designed to be visual, human, and hopeful... especially for dancers navigating fear, uncertainty, or a recent diagnosis.

🎧 Listen to the Ballet Science Podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify

🩰 Follow for weekly science-based insights for dancers, teachers, and movers of all ages

⚠️ Educational content only. Not medical advice. Please consult a qualified healthcare professional for individual care.

Watch the Full Video on YouTube

Back Mechanic Book by Stuart McGill, PhD: https://amzn.to/4qtFsQb

My Favorite Lumbar Support Pillow: https://amzn.to/4jmxTsi

Herniated Disc Model: https://amzn.to/49ak7Eo

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Your spine doesn’t move on its own. An entire team of muscles, tendons, and ligaments makes ballet possible, and most dancers are only using half of them.

In Part 2 of the Ballet Science spine series, Dr. Caroline Simpkins (former professional ballerina, PhD in biomechanics) breaks down how the spinal support system actually works in ballet. We explore the difference between deep stabilizing muscles and global movers, why dancers tend to overgrip their backs and abs, and how this imbalance can limit technique and increase injury risk.

You’ll learn:

• The role of deep stabilizers like the multifidus and transverse abdominis
• Why gripping your erector spinae won’t give you a higher arabesque
• How ligaments and tendons protect (and sometimes fail) in extreme ballet ranges
• What really supports movements like arabesque, cambré, penché, and turns
• Why strength training is transformative for spinal health in dancers

This episode connects anatomy directly to real ballet technique, helping dancers move with more control, expressiveness, and longevity, without unnecessary strain.

👉 Next episode: Herniated discs in dancers... what they are, why they happen, and how to return to dance safely.

Watch the Video on YouTube

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Your spine isn’t meant to be stiff, straight, or locked in place. It’s designed to move, absorb load, and adapt, and understanding its natural curves can instantly change your ballet technique.

In this episode of the Ballet Science Podcast, former professional ballerina and biomechanics Ph.D. Caroline Simpkins breaks down the bones of the spine and explains how each region... the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine... supports the technical demands of ballet.

We’ll explore:

• Why the spine’s natural curves improve posture

• How vertebrae shape balance, turnout, arabesque height, and port de bras

• Common movement compensations dancers make (and how to fix them)

• What dancers need to know about thoracic mobility and lumbar control

• Why a “straight spine” cue can actually harm your technique

Whether you’re a dancer, teacher, or movement professional, this episode will help you understand how spinal structure influences alignment, artistry, and injury prevention.

If you enjoy learning how science connects to dance, be sure to like, subscribe, and follow for weekly episodes. It helps Ballet Science reach more dancers and educators who want evidence-based insights to support technique, longevity, and performance.

Watch the Video on YouTube⁠

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Falls are the #1 cause of injury in older adults worldwide, but can ballet help?

In this episode of the Ballet Science Podcast, Caroline Simpkins, PhD, breaks down her published research in the Journal of Dance Medicine & Science, examining whether recreational ballet dancers aged 55+ show advantages in key fall-risk factors compared to non-dancers.

Using functional mobility tests, leg strength assessments, cognitive screening, and physical activity measures, this study explored how ballet may support strength, balance, power, coordination, and healthy aging.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why falls are such a major public-health issue
• How ballet uniquely trains strength, balance, and neuromuscular control
• How older ballet dancers performed on sit-to-stand, timed-up-and-go, strength tests, and more
• Why dancers showed significantly better physical function than non-dancers
• Why fall history alone doesn’t tell the full story
• What this means for fall prevention programs and healthy aging
• The next steps for ballet-based research and structured interventions

This episode is perfect for dancers, teachers, older adults, clinicians, and anyone interested in how movement practices support long-term health.

📄 Read the full publication: Simpkins C, Ahn J, Yang F. Recreational Ballet Practice Is Associated with Improved Fall Risk Factors in Older Adults. Journal of Dance Medicine & Science. 2025. https://doi.org/10.1177/1089313X251380085

Subscribe for weekly episodes connecting biomechanics, injury prevention, and dance science.

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Unlock what it really takes to build strong, resilient male ballet dancers, without “bulking up” or losing artistry. In this episode of the Ballet Science Podcast, Caroline Simpkins sits down with Shane Wuerthner (former principal dancer and founder of Athletistry) to talk all things strength training for male dancers and students.

We break down the biggest misconceptions about lifting weights, why “just do push-ups” isn’t enough, and how to design smart, dancer-specific strength programs for partnering, jumps, turns, and overhead lifts. Shane also explains how to support young male dancers who feel intimidated stepping into the gym, how to introduce load and plyometrics safely during growth, and how strength training can help prevent common injuries to the back, knees, and Achilles.

Looking ahead, we discuss how strength training for male dancers may evolve over the next decade in professional companies and schools, the importance of collaboration between teachers and strength coaches, and why anatomy and physiology education is so powerful for dancers.

In this episode, we cover:

• The biggest myths male ballet dancers hear about strength training
• How to design programs for partnering, overhead lifts, jumps & turns
• Why “muscle-bound” fears are often misunderstood
• How to support young men who are new (or nervous) in the gym
• Common weaknesses and movement patterns in male ballet students
• How smart strength training can reduce injury risk and improve longevity
• What the future of strength training in ballet could look like

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Follow Shane Wuerthner, Athletistry:

Website: https://www.athletistry.au/

Instagram: https://instagram.com/athletistry

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/athletistry

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Athletistryofficial

Watch Full Interview on YouTube

Logo Photo: Richard Calmes