Passion for Dance

Leaders who are happy and effective will create a team of hardworking dancers who enjoy their time together. A negative leader though, can ruin an entire season. I've always loved having strong leaders on my dance team, but sometimes the dancer who is chosen to be that formal leader turns out to be a nightmare. Good leaders can motivate others and help the rest of the team stay positive, but what do you do when you have a leader who is lazy, isn't showing up, or is blatantly breaking the rules?

In this episode, we'll discuss what to do when a leader falls short, and we'll break down the two important action steps to take with a leader when they aren't stepping up. Tune into this episode to hear more about these two clear approaches to fix the problem while mentoring your athlete to be a stronger, positive presence for your program!

Episode Resources: https://chelseapierotti.com/138

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Since it's Thanksgiving week here in The States, I'll be taking time off to be with family and away from screens and work, but I didn't want to leave you without another episode to help improve your dancer's mental toughness. This is a re-release of episode 51 from way back in early 2022, where I talk all about the three things that we can do as teachers to encourage our dancers to work harder.

I think this topic has been so popular because we all want hard-working dancers, and there are a few simple things teachers can do to get a little more effort from your dancers. In this episode we'll cover those three things dance educators can do to encourage hard-working and self-motivated dancers. I hope you enjoy this episode, and if you're celebrating this week, I wish you a very happy Thanksgiving!

Episode Resources: https://chelseapierotti.com/137

Why do people choke? You've been cleaning your routine for months, you've spent hours in technique classes, and the routine looks flawless. Then finally the time comes to take the competition floor, and someone chokes with a random mistake that you've never seen before that unfolds before your eyes in slow motion. Let's talk about the number one reason an athlete chokes. Side note: it's not just a lack of preparation.

In today's episode we'll discuss the mental skill of relaxation. We'll talk about over-arousal, the advantages of using breath training and how it works, and I'll give you an example of a breath control pattern I use with my dancers to combat over-arousal. With today's mental skill, I'm here to help you make sure all that hard work in the studio shows up on stage, so if you've ever had a dancer mess up on something they've done correctly in practice a zillion times, this episode is for you!

Episode Resources: https://chelseapierotti.com/136

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As a passionate dance teacher, do you ever feel overwhelmed or struggle with making decisions? I know after a day of teaching, I often struggle to make a simple decision about what to eat for dinner. If you've ever felt overwhelmed, especially with a big decision, I have some guidance for you. I understand how making so many little decisions is mentally taxing, and then when there's a big decision to be made, we can freeze and lose confidence in what path to choose.

In this episode, I'll help you discover that you do know which path is right. We'll talk about the importance of knowing your values and how they can help you make hard decisions and achieve your goals. Whether you're a dance teacher or a dancer, this episode will help you make those hard decisions so you can confidently pursue your goals!

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Episode Resources: https://chelseapierotti.com/135

Key Highlights -

• [3m 19s] - Knowing Your Values
• [6m 53s] - Values Help You Achieve Your Goals
• [9m 31s] - Behaviors
• [11m 45s] - Values Help Us Make Hard Decisions

Do you feel like your dancers are focused, dialed in, and confident when it's time to take the stage, or do they seem nervous, distracted, and scared? As a passionate dance teacher, you might feel like you've done your best to prepare your dancers for success, yet they still get anxious and say things like, "What if I make a mistake?"

In this episode, I'll share how to help your dancers stay focused and calm during competition. I'll unpack more about the simple mindset mantra that I personally use nearly every day, and when I teach it to dancers and teachers, I've seen it make a big difference for them as well. I'll also share about the three things that are in your control and break down the ACE acronym. If you want to help your dancers let go and perform, listen in to hear about how you can calm their inner voice and allow the best performance to flow!

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Episode Resources: https://chelseapierotti.com/134

Have you ever looked at another dance teacher who you admire and just felt jealous or had the thought, "How can I compare myself to these top people in the industry whose career I wish I had," and then use that comparison for inspiration, or if you get trapped in that sense of, "I'll never get there." If you've ever had these thoughts, you're probably a passionate dance teacher or someone who also gets caught in a comparison trap. Here's the thing though: comparison doesn't have to make you feel so isolated or feel less than or stuck. Comparison can be a source of inspiration.

In this episode, I'll share a bit about my own experience of getting caught in the comparison trap. We'll also talk about the red flags that come up as a teacher when comparison is holding you back and how you can help your dancers get out of the comparison trap mindset to find confidence and inspiration. I hope this episode helps you pause and consider how you can shift your perspective from the comparison trap to using others as inspiration!

Episode Resources: https://chelseapierotti.com/133

Key Highlights -

• [1m 56s] - My Experience With Comparison
• [3m 26s] - The Comparison Trap is a Normal Experience
• [4m 04s] - Signs Comparison is Holding You Back
• [6m 55s] - Ask Yourself These Three Questions
• [10m 38s] - How to Address Comparison as a Teacher
• [13m 29s] - Helping to Shift Your Dancers' Comparison Mindset

Have you ever trained your dancers for a competition, drilling a dance routine over and over, only to have the dancers make a big mistake onstage that came out of nowhere? It feels so frustrating when you think you've done all you can to help your dancers prepare, and then something happens and the routine is just not up to par onstage. The good news is there's a mental skill you can strengthen to increase your dancers' chance for success onstage.

In this episode, we'll discuss motor programs, habit brains, and why overlearning is an important skill for dancers to develop. Listen in as I explain how you can help your dancers use their habit brain to be more successful this competition season!

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Episode Resources: https://chelseapierotti.com/132

If you want dancers with more focus in class or more personal accountability, there is one mental skill that dancers need first. Maybe you're frustrated right now because dancers aren't taking corrections or are just going through the motions in class without much drive or purpose. I get it because I've seen this type of mindset in studios and school teams all over the country.

In this episode, we'll discuss how working on one fundamental mental skill may be the solution to your biggest headache right now. We'll take a deeper look at using this mental skill in warm-up, practice, competition, and to deconstruct routine behaviors. We'll also talk about how this mental skill just might be the key to joy for your dancers.

To help build this mental skill, you'll want to give your dancers the opportunity to reflect and journal on a regular basis. So to help you with that, you can grab your copy right now of 46 Different Journal Prompts for Dancers. Enjoy this episode on the one foundational mental skill your dancers need to work on right now!

Journal Prompts: https://chelseapierotti.com/journal

Episode Resources: https://chelseapierotti.com/131

In this episode, I'm talking with New York City-based professional dancer, Courtney Ortiz. If you've ever wondered what it's like to audition and perform in New York City, she shares some great advice on the mental aspects of being a professional adult performer and how to pick up choreography quickly.

Courtney's career spans from stage to screen with credits including the Broadway National Tour of Finding Neverland, Lin Manuel Miranda's In The Heights, The Radio City Christmas Spectacular featuring The Rockettes, and so much more. Outside of performing, Courtney is an international dance educator and in-demand dance adjudicator as well. She's been teaching on faculty with numerous dance conventions and is currently on guest faculty at the legendary Steps on Broadway.

Courtney has some great points about being able to pick up choreography quickly in an audition and adapt in a professional setting. Spoiler alert: you have to count! There's even more to the conversation when we discuss teaching, judging, how you build your confidence as a judge, and if judges can really tell if you're nervous based on your walk on. Enjoy my conversation with New York City-based professional dancer, Courtney Ortiz!

Episode Resorces and Courtney's Info: https://chelseapierotti.com/130

Do you need confidence to perform well, or do you need to perform well before you can feel confident about yourself? Confidence is one of the biggest mental skills dancers are usually working on. Whether we are a new studio dancer or a professional on Broadway, we are always trying to find that confidence boost to control our nerves and put our best foot forward. The question is how do you get that confidence?

Today's episode is all about the confidence cycle. We'll discuss the benefits of intentional cleaning sessions, giving your dancers a sense of accomplishment, and acknowledging small victories will have on your dancers' confidence. When your dancers feel more confident, they'll have better performance success, which only increases their confidence!

Episode Resources: https://chelseapierotti.com/129

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