S2E10 The One About Parenting a Dancer

Parents... amIright? They’re always advocating for us, looking out for us, loving us, and helping us become our best... but parenting is hard (from what I hear, anyway). And parenting a preprofessional dancer today comes with its own set of challenges, family dynamics, and ups and downs. I was so thrilled to sit down with the one and only Jennifer Milner and hash it all out.
Jennifer Milner is a ballet coach and Pilates trainer specializing in dancers. After a successful dancing career, she got certified in Pilates and mentored under Marika Molnar for dance medicine. She’s trained dancers from the Royal Ballet, NYCB, ABT, San Francisco Ballet, Kirov Ballet, and more. Jennifer is passionate about shaping healthy dancers, both physically and emotionally.
Not only has Jennifer accomplished so much in the ballet world, but she is also a ballet mom. We spoke about the challenges kids face today, what choices she and her family have made, and how she helps her students and their parents navigate those challenges. She even gives some genius suggestions on how to have those uncomfortable conversations with your artistic director or teacher when you feel like something isn’t quite right.
Whether you are a parent, student, teacher, or professional dancer, this episode has something for everyone.
To Connect with Jennifer, you can find her:
IG @jennifer.milner
FB https://www.facebook.com/jennifermilnerbodiesinmotion
Website: www.jennifer-milner.com 
Stay up-to-date with her partnership with minding the gap at www.wearemindingthegap.org
Please remember that I am not a mental health professional, and anything you hear me say on the show is based on personal experience and perspectives, and should not be considered medical advice. If you are in crisis, please call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to reach a 24-hour crisis center, text MHA to 741741, call 911, or go to the nearest emergency room. To find a local MHA affiliate who can provide services, check out https://www.mhanational.org/
Theme music is, "A Journey" by Kevin Hartnell It has been edited and reproduced under the Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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