Since 2013, I’ve educated dancers about achieving a healthy lifestyle without dieting. My mission is to help dancers redefine what it means to be The Healthy Dancer®.
You’re a dancer?
Yep! For much of my childhood and adolescence, I balanced school with a full-time dance load— a hectic schedule familiar to most dancers.
After college, I danced professionally throughout my graduate and post-graduate years. Even when working clinically as a dietitian, I prioritized what made me feel best: dancing. Thanks to healing my relationship with food, I’ve continued performing in my 30’s— even as a mom of two.
Why did you become a dietitian?
When preparing for company auditions at 19, I became increasingly interested in health and nutrition— fascinated by the connection between food and performance. With a demanding dance schedule, I knew fueling was super important. What I didn’t know? My definition of health was skewed.
Innocent food rules and obsessing over “clean” ingredients became my norm. I was determined to perfect my diet. There was no room for error. I was misinformed.
Like for many dancers, good intentions to fuel for performance soon turned into obsessive tendencies. I became exhausted, injured, and CONSTANTLY thinking about food. Until it hit me…
This wasn’t sustainable. I needed to relearn how to eat not just healthfully, but also, joyfully. I needed to shift my focus.
I soon began my path toward attaining licensure as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RD/RDN). Restrictive eating is both normalized and glorified in dance. I wanted to help other dancers learn that dieting is NOT a prerequisite for success. Over the years, I’ve advanced my practice with additional certifications in Sports Nutrition (Certified Specialist of Sports Dietetics), Eating Disorders (Certified Eating Disorder Specialist), and Intuitive Eating— a combination that provides me with the tools to support dancers’ unique needs.
When did you begin To The Pointe Nutrition?
It started the day I attained licensure— May 2013. While working clinically during the day, I opened doors to my private practice in the evenings. I was finally able to balance my love for nutrition with my passion for dance.
Why a dietitian? What can you do for dancers?
With so much information flooding our media, it’s difficult to decipher the truth from trends. Dancers are not just artists, they’re also athletes. Trusting credentialed practitioners helps to maximize a dancer’s strength and endurance in a way that promotes sustainable habits without the risk of injury and burnout. Since dancers are especially vulnerable to the development of disordered eating and eating disorders, they must seek qualified advice for appropriate nutrition intervention and prevention.
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RD or RDN) or Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist (LD or LDN) can support dancers needing food and meal guidance, nutrition assessment, nutrition education, performance optimization, body image healing, and lifestyle sustainability. To help dancers rebuild their relationships with food, dietitian nutritionists are trained in listening to your story, making space for your narrative, exploring your readiness for change, and helping you identify specific goals to tailor evidence-based approaches for your journey. To learn more about why dancers benefit from working with licensed professionals, read this article.
What is your favorite breakfast?
I usually alternate between two favorites, one being: 2 slices of sourdough toasted and topped with smashed avocado, eggs, and hemp seeds. A yogurt parfait is another favorite. I layer yogurt with granola, chopped almonds, flax, and a drizzle of honey. It’s super easy, balanced, and keeps me satiated throughout the morning when I’m getting the kids to school, meeting virtually with clients, and hopping on my Pilates reformer.
How can I work with you as my nutritionist?
I might be a board-certified nutritionist, but YOU are the true expert in your body’s needs.
As a professional dancer, I get it. We balance the high demands of our art with industry pressures that promote unrealistic ideals around food, body, and work ethic. Becoming The Healthy Dancer® means SO MUCH MORE than the foods on your plate. Together, we’ll dismantle the destructive mindset surrounding “good” vs “bad” nutrition. Alongside this, you’ll discover how to support your goals in a way that feels good physically and mentally.
The Healthy Dancer® is a 6-24+ month program that includes weekly learning, and daily accountability, along with opportunities for group coaching and individualized 1:1 nutrition counseling. Additional programming is available bi-annually through The Healthy Dancer® Summer Intensive and The Healthy Dancer® Winter Intensive. These offer an ongoing community, professional masterclasses, workshops, and more.
The Healthy Dancer® offers resources to help dancers build sustainable habits. Start your journey with a free starter week of the program— we’ll dive into your nutrient needs as an artistic athlete. You can also find complementary guides covering topics like Dancing In College, Emotional Eating, Injury Recovery, and Healthy Snacking.
