In this episode of Passion for Dance, Dr. Chelsea speaks with Ashley Mowrey, a mindset coach, former dance teacher, and part of the Embody Dance Conference team. They discuss the mental and emotional challenges dancers face, such as perfectionism, body image issues, and performance anxiety. Ashley shares her journey from being a competitive dancer to becoming a mindset coach, and how her experiences fuel her passion for helping dancers thrive. She explains the unique approaches of the Embody Dance Conference, emphasizing mental health and whole-person training. Listeners will learn about practical strategies to improve self-awareness, emotional regulation, and self-compassion in dance.

Embody Dance Conference: https://www.embodydanceconference.com/

Connect with Ashley Mowrey: https://www.ashleymowrey.com/

Other Episode Resources: https://passionfordancepodcast.com/232

Episode Breakdown:

00:22 Meet Ashley Mowrey: Mindset Coach and Dance Advocate

00:56 Diving into Perfectionism and Mental Health in Dance

02:20 Ashley Mowrey's Dance Journey and Mental Health Struggles

06:07 Addressing Perfectionism and Negative Self-Talk

12:06 Building Self-Awareness and Emotional Regulation

18:57 Supporting Younger Dancers and Body Image Issues

21:38 Embody Dance Conference: A New Approach to Conventions

36:16 Final Thoughts and Life Lessons from Dance

37:22 Conclusion and Contact Information

In this episode of Passion for Dance, host Dr. Chelsea interviews former professional dancer and author Emily Sayre Smith. They delve into Emily's memoir 'Smart Ass Memoir of a Mouthy Girl,' discussing how ballet's lessons of resilience and perseverance profoundly shaped Emily's life. The conversation covers tough themes like overcoming addiction and personal hardships, as well as the transformative power of dance. Emily and Dr. Chelsea reflect on the complexities of ballet culture, the importance of speaking up, and the evolution of ballet's demands and expectations. Emily's journey illustrates how the challenges in ballet prepare dancers to handle life's adversities and underscores the need for the dance industry to continue to evolve.

Get Emily's Book - Smartass: Memoir of a Mouthy Girl

Other Episode Resources: https://passionfordancepodcast.com/231

Episode Breakdown:

00:20 Interview with Emily Sayer Smith: Ballet's Life Lessons

00:59 Emily's Personal Journey: Addiction and Resilience

02:02 The Impact of Ballet Culture

06:09 Navigating Challenges and Speaking Up

16:33 Emily's Memoir and Final Thoughts

37:16 Conclusion and Podcast Outro

In this episode, Dr. Chelsea explores the concept of mental toughness in dancers by breaking down the Four C's: Control, Commitment, Challenge, and Confidence. She provides practical strategies for developing these skills to help dancers stay resilient under pressure, maintain motivation, embrace challenges, and build self-belief. Dr. Chelsea also discusses the importance of balancing commitment to avoid burnout and shares exercises to improve emotional and mental control.

Competition Confidence Checklist: https://passionfordancepodcast.com/checklist

Episode Resources: https://passionfordancepodcast.com/230

More on the 4Cs from the creators: https://aqrinternational.co.uk/

Episode Breakdown:

00:09 Defining Mental Toughness

01:11 The Four C's of Mental Toughness

02:40 Control: Mastering Your Emotions

06:12 Commitment: Staying the Course

09:08 Challenge: Embracing Growth

12:22 Confidence: Believing in Yourself

15:19 Putting It All Together

16:26 Conclusion and Resources

In this special episode of Passion for Dance, Dr. Chelsea discusses strategies for fostering accountability and work ethic in dance teams with three distinguished coaches—Arianna from Washington, Jenna from Nebraska, and Edwina from New York. Each coach shares her approach to setting high expectations, maintaining motivation, and building a supportive culture where athletes take ownership of their goals. This episode will feel relatable to any dance coach, and will give you actionable strategies you can implement in your next practice.

Episode Resources: https://passionfordancepodcast.com/229

Releve: Dance Coach Membership: https://passionfordancepodcast.com/membership

Episode Breakdown:

00:17 Meet the Coaches

02:09 Defining Work Ethic

09:41 Establishing Expectations

16:24 Maintaining Motivation

23:30 Accountability Strategies

30:50 Reframing Fun and Goals in Dance

31:32 Coaching Philosophy and Personal Growth

32:52 Demerit and Merit Systems

34:01 Empowering Leadership and Accountability

40:05 Balancing Mental Toughness and Care

42:29 Building Team Culture and Legacy

50:01 Effective Coaching Strategies

57:37 Final Thoughts and Reflections

In this episode of Passion for Dance, Dr. Chelsea talks about self-compassion in dancers who are usually very hard on themselves. Inspired by a listener's question, the episode explores how treating oneself with kindness can improve performance, enhance resilience, and bolster overall mental health. Dr. Chelsea breaks down the concept of self-compassion into three key areas: self-kindness, mindfulness, and common humanity. She offers actionable strategies like reflective journaling, mindfulness, and visualization to help dancers develop this crucial skill. The episode emphasizes that self-compassion doesn't mean lowering standards but rather supporting oneself through challenges to foster continuous growth and motivation. Coaches and dance educators are also given tips on how to model and integrate self-compassion into their feedback.

Episode Resources: https://passionfordancepodcast.com/228

Got an Episode Idea?! Send Dr. Chelsea a message:

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Written message: https://passionfordancepodcast.com/question

Episode Breakdown:

00:59 The Importance of Self-Compassion

02:18 Defining Self-Compassion

02:47 Key Ideas of Self-Compassion

05:00 Why Self-Compassion Matters in Dance

08:23 Developing Self-Compassion

11:06 Tools for Coaches and Teachers

12:32 Conclusion and Takeaways

In this episode of Passion for Dance, Dr. Chelsea shares a team-building exercise inspired by the children's book 'Have You Filled a Bucket Today?' The activity focuses on fostering connection and kindness among dancers by teaching them to recognize and appreciate positive actions from others. Dr. Chelsea explains the three-step process: identifying what fills their own buckets, acknowledging those who fill their buckets, and learning ways to fill others' buckets. She also provides a free, customizable bucket filling worksheet available at passionfordancepodcast.com/bucket. This exercise is designed to enhance team morale and emotional awareness, promoting a healthier and more supportive dance team culture.

Filling Buckets Worksheet: https://passionfordancepodcast.com/bucket

Other Episode Resources: https://passionfordancepodcast.com/227

Episode Breakdown:

00:22 Today's Topic: Bucket Filling

00:38 Understanding the Bucket Concept

02:15 Step-by-Step Guide to Bucket Filling

05:11 The Benefits of Bucket Filling

06:02 Conclusion and Call to Action

In this episode of Passion for Dance, Dr. Chelsea discusses the negative impacts of cliques within dance teams and offers strategies to foster a more inclusive team culture. She shares 5 practical strategies with real tools you can implement today. Dance coaches, you can establish a culture where every dancer feels respected, valued, and included, ultimately leading to a more motivated and cohesive team that's a lot more fun dance with.

Dance Coach Mental Skills Bundle: ​​https://passionfordancepodcast.com/mentalskills

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Episode Resources: https://passionfordancepodcast.com/226

Episode Breakdown:

00:45 Understanding Cliques in Dance Teams

02:18 Building a Team-First Mindset

04:29 Mixing Up Groups to Prevent Cliques

07:23 Fostering Cross-Skill Interactions

09:20 Structured Conversations to Prevent Misunderstandings

10:58 Setting Clear Norms and Rewarding Inclusion

15:02 Conclusion and Additional Resources

In this episode of Passion for Dance, Dr. Chelsea discusses the importance of building real, durable confidence in dancers. She explains that true confidence doesn't come from simply repeating affirmations but is grounded in the consistent practice of growth mindset principles through actionable habits. Dr. Chelsea addresses common challenges dancers face, such as overthinking and stage nerves, and offers practical tools to help dancers build confidence.

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Episode Resources: https://passionfordancepodcast.com/225

Episode Breakdown:

00:31 The Truth About Confidence

01:33 From Mindset to Action

04:51 Cognitive Behavioral Tools for Dancers

08:10 Building Confidence Through Failure

09:43 The Role of Environment in Confidence

11:12 Framework for Building Confidence

In this episode of Passion for Dance, Dr. Chelsea discusses the common issue of procrastination among dancers and offers practical strategies to overcome it. She highlights the importance of self-discipline over motivation and introduces 2 practical tools to help you stop procrastinating and see real progress. By following these strategies, dancers can build consistency, confidence, and self-trust.

Thank you to our sponsor Apolla Performance: https://apollaperformance.com

Episode Resources: https://passionfordancepodcast.com/223

Episode Breakdown:

00:30 Welcome to Passion for Dance

00:37 Understanding Procrastination

02:42 The Importance of Discipline

05:02 Practical Tools to Overcome Procrastination

08:45 WOOP: A Strategy for Success

09:45 Building Habits to Combat Procrastination

10:56 Taking Action Today

12:37 Final Thoughts and Challenge

In this episode of 'Passion for Dance,' Dr. Chelsea explores the science behind peak performance for dancers, and shares the science-backed tools that help you reach your personal best. Dr. Chelsea shares 5 tools for training, recovery, and of course, mindset, to help you be the best possible dancer. These 5 things are what high achieving dancers do differently!

Check out our sponsor Apolla Performance: https://apollaperformance.com

Episode Resources: https://passionfordancepodcast.com/223

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 Introduction and Sponsor Message

00:31 Welcome to Passion for Dance

00:40 Understanding Peak Performance

02:13 Mental Skills for Peak Performance

04:06 Training Smarter, Not Harder

05:58 The Importance of Sleep

09:04 Balancing Academics and Dance

11:22 Holistic Approach to Peak Performance

11:45 Recap and Final Thoughts