On the latest episode of Dance Med Spotlight, guests Kristin Deiss, MFA and Michelle Loucadoux, MBA join our host, Dr. Alyssa Arms, PT, DPT, OCS to discuss their mission to transform dance culture and better support dancer wellbeing through their organization, Dancend.

After struggling to find mental health resources tailored to the dance community during the pandemic, Deiss and Loucadoux saw a need for more accessible tools to help dance educators nurture their students’ emotional growth. Dancend offers workshops and certifications to equip teachers and companies to address issues like perfectionism, body image struggles, and negative self-talk.

Deiss and Loucadoux explain how social media promotes unrealistic standards that exacerbate these challenges dancers face. Dance training traditionally focuses solely on corrections rather than fostering a growth mindset. This, combined with the stigma surrounding mental health issues, often leaves dancers unwilling to seek support.

To counter this, Dancend advocates teaching dancers self-compassion practices to build self-awareness and resilience against criticism. They encourage focusing on process over product to help dancers sustain lifelong, fulfilling careers.

Tune into this insightful discussion about transforming dance culture for the better. Deiss and Loucadoux offer practical strategies any dance educator can implement to nurture the complete wellbeing of their students.

To learn more about Danscend and what all they do, check them out online:

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• Website
  
• Instagram
  
• LinkedIn
  
• Facebook
  

Join us on Dance Med Spotlight as we talk about supporting dancers in our communities. Subscribe now to stay up to date with all things dance medicine and embark on a journey of curiosity, knowledge, and serving the dance community.

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