07/14/2026
The changes dancers can make in seconds when they truly understand how to use strength training inside ballet class.
This was my fourth year teaching at the IABF | International Adult Ballet Festival , and every year Julie and I refine how we help dancers bridge the gap between strength training and technique. This year, we wanted to do something different.
Instead of keeping strength work separate from ballet, we brought it directly into class.
Each day, we spent nearly two hours focused on one specific skill:
• Standing leg
• Turnout
• Feet
• Balance
We started with targeted strength exercises, then broke down the cues I use in my classes and DANCER STRONG™ programs so dancers understood what those cues actually mean, not just the shorthand they’re used to hearing.
Then we went to the barre and into center with one goal:
Apply it immediately.
Watching dancers feel the difference almost instantly was my favorite part of the week. Suddenly, that “boring” single-leg deadlift wasn’t just another exercise. It became the reason they could stand taller, balance longer, and move with more control.
Even more inspiring were the dancers themselves.
Many of them didn’t start dancing until just 1 to 4 years ago. They weren’t the kids who grew up in the studio.
Yet they showed up every day with incredible passion, humility, and determination. They supported one another, celebrated each other’s wins, and weren’t afraid to struggle, fail, laugh, and try again.
As always, I left this festival incredibly grateful.
Grateful to witness adults proving that it’s never too late to improve your technique, become stronger, and surprise yourself with what’s possible.
If you’re an adult dancer who’s ready to feel a real difference both in and out of the studio, I’d love to help.
Click the link in my bio to try DANCER STRONG™ free for one week, or send me a DM if you have questions. There’s no reason this can’t be your story, too. ❤️
