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Geeky Ballerina

artistry + technique

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Finding Your Spot: Dance Journal Prompts for a Sense of Belonging

available June 2025 only

Do you have dancers who apologize for taking up space?

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You recognize them - they diminish themselves during combinations, hesitate to voice questions, and seem to be performing who they think you want them to be instead of expressing their authentic selves.

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What if those same dancers could enter class confident, genuine, and prepared to contribute their distinctive strengths?

Cultivate Confident, Authentic Artists

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Finding Your Spot provides a refined approach to fostering genuine belonging that creates enduring transformation in your studio culture - without requiring therapeutic training or crossing professional boundaries.

What's Inside This 54-Page Framework​

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11 research-based chapters that build systematically:

  1. Developing Personal Values: Guide students to discover what truly matters to them

  2. Appreciating Your Body: Shift focus from appearance to capability and function

  3. Acknowledging Your Strengths: Cultivate confidence through thoughtful self-assessment

  4. Contributing to Team Success: Transform individual strengths into collective assets

  5. Using "Three Plusses and a Wish": Establish balanced feedback practices

  6. Measuring Success: Expand definitions beyond external validation

  7. Connecting Daily Actions to Long-Term Goals: Bridge present effort with future aspirations

  8. Setting SMART Goals: Transform aspirations into actionable plans

  9. Getting Comfortable With Discomfort: Embrace productive challenge

  10. Navigating the Willpower Dip: Sustain motivation through setbacks

  11. Practicing Gratitude: Cultivate resilience and positive perspective

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Plus 44 Ready-to-Use Journal Prompts

Each chapter includes thoughtfully crafted prompts designed to help dancers process and internalize their growth. No therapeutic background required - just your teaching instincts about when the moment feels right.

Plus a Complete Implementation Guide

 

For studios of every size:

  • Monthly integration strategies

  • Weekly prompt schedules

  • Individual student adaptations

  • Clear professional boundary guidance

From the Studio: What I've Seen After Years of Implementation

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Cultivating team connection after conflict: When a group struggled to move beyond bullying behavior, traditional apologies proved insufficient. The former aggressor couldn't forgive herself and remained trapped in shame. Working through Chapter 4 (Contributing Your Strengths to Team Success) became her transformation point - she shifted from focusing on her mistakes to recognizing herself as a valuable team member, ultimately becoming one of the most supportive dancers in her group. She didn't merely make amends; she grew into a kinder, more confident person.​

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Engaging reluctant ballet students: Dancers who desire competition experience but resist ballet class consistently discover motivation through the personal values work in Chapter 1. Without directive lecturing, students uncover their own reasons to engage - whether honoring their value of dedication ("I'll work diligently regardless of my preference for the class") or integrity ("giving less than my best feels dishonest to who I am").

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Transforming body image in challenging environments: When working with groups who've experienced harsh ballet instruction or favoritism toward certain body types, Chapter 2 creates breakthrough moments. When a high school dancer becomes emotional and asks, "You mean my body can be a beautiful dancer, too?" it reminds me why this work matters so profoundly - and why I wish I could reach dancers earlier.

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Reframing competition disappointment: Perfectionistic teams, particularly during competition season, benefit tremendously from Chapter 6 (Measuring Success). Instead of becoming fixated on "unfair" judging, dancers learn to focus on personal development and progress. Competitions become learning opportunities rather than validation struggles.

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After implementing these concepts for years, I consistently observe dancers evolve from apologetic and hesitant to confident and authentic. The transformation isn't immediate, but it's profound and enduring.

Why This Works

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These aren't arbitrary journal prompts or superficial activities. This refined approach is grounded in 25+ years of dance education expertise combined with extensive research in developmental psychology, cognitive behavioral principles, and performance science.


The progression mirrors how confidence authentically develops - from internal foundation (values, body appreciation) through skill recognition (individual and team strengths) to sustainable motivation (goal-setting, resilience, gratitude). Each chapter builds systematically while remaining accessible when your teaching instincts indicate the moment is appropriate.

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It works because it's research-grounded, classroom-proven, and methodically designed.

Perfect For Educators Ready To:

 

Cultivate confident, authentic artists who contribute their distinctive strengths to your studio community.​

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Your investment: $35

Available June 2025 only

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