Upcoming Events

Navigating Pressure: Tools for Dancers & the Parents Who Support Them

A 75-minute interactive workshop for dancers and parents

Auditions. Performances. Competitions. Casting. Corrections. Big opportunities.

Being a serious dancer comes with pressure, and learning how to navigate that pressure is an important part of a dancer’s development.

In this interactive 75-minute workshop, we’ll explore practical, healthy ways to navigate the nerves, self-doubt, comparison, and expectations that can come with high-pressure dance situations.

Rather than trying to eliminate nerves or pressure, we'll focus on what dancers can do when those feelings show up—and how parents can support them along the way.

In the workshop, we’ll cover:

• How to feel more prepared and grounded before high-pressure situations

• Practical tools for navigating nerves and self-doubt

• Building confidence that isn't dependent on casting, scores, corrections, or other outcomes

• How comparison and perfectionism can affect a dancer—and what to do when they show up

• Healthy lifestyle routines that support demanding training and stress management

• How to navigate disappointment, setbacks, and things not going as planned

• What meaningful support from parents can look like before, during, and after high-pressure moments

• How dancers and parents can create a healthier, more supportive approach to the demands of serious dance training

The goal isn't to teach dancers how to never feel nerves or pressure. It's to help them develop the tools, confidence, and resilience to navigate those moments—and to help parents understand how they can support them without unintentionally adding to the pressure.

This workshop is designed to be practical, interactive, and immediately applicable to the real-life experiences of serious young dancers.

Jess Spinner's Bio:

Jess Spinner is a former professional dancer turned multi-certified holistic health, nutrition, and lifestyle coach for dancers. She founded The Whole Dancer in 2015 to help dancers prioritize their well-being, build a healthy relationship with food and their bodies, and navigate the pressures of pursuing dance at a high level.

Drawing on both her professional dance experience and more than a decade of coaching dancers, Jess takes a whole-person approach to helping dancers develop healthy habits, confidence, resilience, and a stronger relationship with themselves.

Jess holds certifications through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and Precision Nutrition and has completed continuing education through Duke University and Harvard University. Most recently, she completed Tara Mohr’s Coaching Way Certification, supporting dancers in cultivating their inner mentors.

Learn more about Jess and The Whole Dancer at thewholedancer.com.

Come in your Halloween costume to take class and enjoy some fun activities. Bring a friend to class!

St. Joseph's College of Maine's Chief Enrollment Officer, Top college recruiter, former Dean of Students, Financial Aid advisor, Assistant High School Principal and Guidance Counselor Lynn Brown comes in to discuss college admissions, the enrollment process, the search for schools that fit your goals, as well as how to get ahead in the process your Freshman, Sophomore, and Junior Year of college. Then Artistic Director and Point Park University BFA dance Alumni will discuss majoring, minoring, and other ways to include dance in your college career and how to go about auditions.

Bring a friend and wear red! Make sure to let us know if you will be bringing a friend to class on Saturday, February 13th!

Creative Movement 9:00 - 9:30am

Pre-Ballet 9:30 - 10:15am

Primary A 9:15 - 10:00am

Primary B 9:00 - 10:00am