Overview

Since Ballet Help Desk started, we’ve been fortunate enough to meet several organizations doing great work with, and on behalf of, the ballet community. We wanted to share these groups with you and help amplify what they’re doing!

Check back regularly to see new organizations we’ll be adding!

jess spinner

Jess Spinner, founder of The Whole Dancer, supports ballet dancers in achieving a healthy, balanced approach to their training and careers. A former professional dancer and certified health coach, she focuses on nutrition, body image, and mindset. Jess helps dancers build confidence, develop sustainable habits, and find joy in dance while maintaining their overall well-being.

Learn more about Jess on her website.

Podcast: Preparing Dancers For Audition Season

Elizabeth Sullivan

Has your dancer ever said to you, “I’m stressed about ballet”? We heard that all the time from our dancers and found ourselves wondering how to best guide them in a field we knew very little about. Luckily, we found someone who could help our students navigate the highs and lows of their training. 

Meet Elizabeth Sullivan, a success coach and wellness mentor for pre-professional dancers. Elizabeth has “been there” and has developed a unique approach to helping dancers (and their parents) navigate the behind-the-scenes aspects of their professional training. 

Elizabeth is a former professional ballerina with the Cleveland and Boston ballet companies. After retiring from ballet, she pursued her degrees at Dartmouth College and Columbia University, and then returned to dance to work with the next generation of pre-professional dancers.

If your dancer needs help developing a robust mental toolkit to manage the huge amount of stress and uncertainty that is part and parcel to serious ballet training, we can’t recommend Elizabeth enough!

You can learn more on her website or on social media @easull.

Blog Post: Mental Fitness Maintenance

Podcast: How Ballet Students Can Maintain Emotional Health While Injured

Podcast: Mental Fitness For Parents During Audition Season

caitlin sloan, The Brainy Ballerina

Caitlin Sloan, known as the Brainy Ballerina, helps ballet dancers build mental skills and navigate their careers. As a former professional dancer, she offers career coaching and practical strategies for improving focus, managing setbacks, and building confidence, giving dancers the tools they need to succeed both in and out of the studio.

Click here to learn more about The Brainy Ballerina

Podcast: Building Your Ballet Career With Intention

Cecilia “CC” Iliesiu, Founder of ballet life coach

Ballet Life Coach offers personalized coaching to help ballet dancers navigate their careers and personal lives with confidence and clarity. Focused on mindset, goal-setting, and overall well-being, Ballet Life Coach supports dancers in managing the challenges of training, performance, and career development. The coaching empowers dancers to find balance, overcome obstacles, and achieve their fullest potential both in and outside of the studio.

Learn more about CC on her website

Podcast: Career Coaching For Aspiring Professional Dancers

dance data project

The Dance Data Project® (DDP) is all about bringing transparency to the dance world through data. They research and track who’s leading, choreographing, and shaping the industry, then publish their findings to highlight gender disparities and trends.

By sharing this data, DDP provides a clear picture of where opportunities exist—and where they don’t—across leadership, choreography, design, composition, and more. Their goal is simple: put the numbers out there and let the data drive change.

Click here to learn more about Dance Data Project.

monika saigal

Monika Saigal is a nutritionist and certified eating disorders specialist who works closely with ballet dancers, helping them develop healthy, sustainable relationships with food to support their demanding training and performance schedules. With a deep understanding of the unique physical and mental challenges dancers face, she provides tailored guidance on fueling for energy, recovery, and long-term wellness. Monika’s compassionate approach empowers dancers to nourish their bodies and thrive both on and off the stage.

Podcast Episode: Nourishing Dancers: Insights on Nutrition and Eating Disorders

Be sure to check out Monika’s Book, Nourishing Dance, An Essential Guide On Nutrition, Body Image and Eating Disorders

Veyette Virtual Ballet School

During the pandemic, ballet schools worldwide closed, leaving students with few options. As dancers scrambled to keep up with their training, we stumbled across Veyette Virtual Ballet School. At the time, we thought the idea of having our kids take class via a floating head on a laptop was sheer insanity. But, our kids gave it a whirl and it was a terrific experience. Not only did they offer excellent training, but they also provided the much needed emotional support often lacking in larger ballet schools. We will be forever grateful for both the training as well as the mentoring that VVBS provided for both of our kids.

Co-owned by Lauren Fadeley-Veyette and Francis Veyette, and created in 2018, Veyette Virtual Ballet School (VVBS) is a one of a kind online classroom. VVBS came into being out of a desire to share a love of ballet instruction with children who otherwise wouldn’t have access to exceptional training. They bring world class ballet training to every aspiring student, regardless of location.

Learn more on their website or on social media @veyettevirtualballetschool

Podcast: Fran Veyette on Potential, Body Type and Facility in Ballet

Podcast: Lauren Fadeley-Veyette: Navigating Ballet Summer Intensive Auditions

The Data pointes guide

“Becoming a professional ballet dancer in the United States requires years of training, dedication, and a bit of luck. With only a few thousand full-time positions available, the path is challenging and often uncertain.”

These words open the DataPointes Guide, a groundbreaking report developed by former dancer Jason Yeung. We sat down with Jason to explore how he used publicly available data to create an insightful resource that highlights which ballet training programs are producing the most professional dancers.

For dancers considering serious training or pursuing a career in ballet, the DataPointes Guide is an invaluable tool to navigate the journey.

Click here to read the report.

Podcast: Data Pointes Guide Founder On The Realities Of the Ballet Job Market

Brown Girls Do Ballet

Founded by TaKiyah Wallace-McMillian, the mission of Brown Girls Do Ballet® is to help increase participation of underrepresented populations in ballet programs through organizing and arranging ballet performances, photo exhibitions, and providing resources and scholarships to assist young girls in their ballet development and training. The organization also offers a global mentorship program that pairs older dancers of color with younger students.

Representation matters. Thanks to efforts by organizations like Brown Girls Do Ballet more students can see ballet dancers who look like them, making clear that there is a place for them in the dance world.

To learn more about what Brown Girls Do Ballet is up to or to support the organization, visit their website.

Podcast: A Force For Change: Takiyah Wallace-McMillian, Brown Girls Do Ballet

Be sure to check out Takiyah’s books, Brown Girls Do Ballet and The Color of Dance

The Encore Fund

All dancers have a second act. Your body simply won’t let you dance forever. But, with the low pay in U.S. companies and limited time to develop other skill sets outside of demanding ballet schedules, dancers often are left with few options after retirement. Couple that with only a handful of companies that provide educational support to dancers and it can make for a stressful lead-up to retirement from a ballet career.

This is where the Encore Fund can step in to help. The Encore Fund is a program that is housed under the non-profit umbrella of the Dance Resource Center but operates as its own scholarship fund. The fund’s mission is “to close the financial gap between professional dancers and their transitions into higher education opportunities.”

Basically, this fund provides unrestricted scholarship support to dancers who may need financial help while attending school. And, since no one person’s needs are the same, funds can be used in any way dancers see fit, as long as it is in support of their higher education goals.

Professional dancers deserve more than a final bow when stepping away from their performing careers; they deserve support and community to help them succeed in their next steps.

Click here to learn more or make a contribution.

Blog Post: Introducing The Encore Fund

dawn smith-theodore

Dawn Smith-Theodore is a licensed therapist who specializes in working with ballet dancers, particularly those facing challenges related to eating disorders, body image, and performance anxiety. Drawing on her background as a former professional dancer, Dawn offers a compassionate and informed approach to mental health. She helps dancers navigate the pressures of training and performance, fostering healthier relationships with their bodies and promoting overall emotional well-being.

Podcast: Ballet Wellness Programs: The Role of Trust & Shame in Eating Disorders

Be sure to check out Dawn’s book, TuTu Thin: A Guide to Dancing Without an Eating Disorder

final bow for yellowface

Final Bow for Yellowface works to end the use of harmful stereotypes and yellowface in ballet and other performance arts. They provide education and resources to help dancers, companies, and organizations recognize and dismantle racist practices. Through advocacy, training, and collaboration with the ballet community, Final Bow for Yellowface promotes cultural sensitivity and inclusion, ensuring a more respectful and diverse future for the art form.

Learn more about the organization on their website

Podcast: Phil Chan on Orientalism in Ballet

Be sure to check out Phil’s book, Final Bow For Yellowface

danscend

Danscend provides education and resources to support the holistic well-being of ballet dancers. Through courses and coaching, they focus on mental and emotional health, mindfulness, and resilience, helping dancers navigate the challenges of a demanding art form. With expert-led content, Danscend empowers dancers to build confidence, manage stress, and cultivate a balanced approach to both their training and personal lives.

Learn more about Danscend on their website.

Podcast: Social Media’s Impact on Ballet: A Double Edged Sword

we are minding the gap

We Are Minding the Gap is dedicated to creating inclusive, supportive spaces for ballet dancers of all backgrounds. By addressing systemic inequities in the dance world, they focus on providing mentorship, resources, and advocacy to empower dancers from underrepresented communities. Their work aims to create a more diverse and equitable future for ballet, offering guidance and opportunities to help dancers thrive both on and off the stage.

Learn more about Kathleen on her website

Podcast: Mental Health Advocacy in Ballet

Ballet Scout

Have you ever felt like finding auditions for ballet schools and companies was a never ending hunt for that perfect combination of date, time and location? Never fear! There is a great service started by dancers, for dancers. Meet Ballet Scout!

Designed to empower dancers of all levels, BalletScout provides extensive resources including a comprehensive database of auditions, job listings, and training programs. We enrich our community with insightful blogs, educational videos, and interactive seminars, all crafted to help dancers achieve their full potential. Whether you’re a beginner seeking training or a professional aiming to land a job, BalletScout is your trusted partner in your dance journey. Ballet Scout offers both a free as well as a paid service. However, the pad service is well worth it in terms of time saved and opportunities unearthed.

Podcast: The Audition Blueprint: Advice From Robert Fulton, Ballet Scout