After Class: The Adult Ballet Podcast

If you've ever thought about signing up for an adult ballet retreat or intensive, you know the internal debate that comes with it: Is it worth the money? Is it worth the time off work? Will I spend the week feeling in over my head? I asked myself every one of those questions. This week, I'm handing the mic over to someone with all the answers...

I'm joined by Maria Montanez, whose adult ballet events I've personally attended and trusted for five years running. In 2022, she co-founded KM & Friends with Kathryn Morgan, and together they built one of the most beloved adult ballet retreats in this community. This past year, Maria took over LABL Active, the dancewear brand now hosting it.

We get into everything practical before summer 2027: dates, location, what a typical day looks like, and how to choose which level is right for you.

If you're on the fence about your first retreat, this episode is for you. And spots in the beginner & intermediate level are still open (as of 9/23/26)!

📣 Use code AFTERCLASS100 at checkout for $100 off when you register HERE. 

RETREAT DETAILS
📍LOCATION: Seattle, WA
📅 DATES: June 20 - 25, 2027
💳 Payment plans available if you register before October 15, 2026

QUESTIONS? CONNECT WITH MARIA 👇🏼
Instagram: @labl.active
Email: hello@lablactive.com
Follow Hannah on Instagram @thebusybunhead

Explore blog posts, merchandise & resources for adult ballet dancers like you at thebusybunhead.com

Podcast produced by Mission Bridge Media.
www.MissionBridgeMedia.com

If you're an adult dancer, chances are most of your training happens in a studio with a big mirror at the front of the room. It's easy to let that mirror become your main reference point for whether something looks right. But the mirror can only show you one flat angle of movement that's actually happening in three dimensions.
In this episode, I'm joined again by Chelsea Weidmann (also know as The Geeky Ballerina) for the next installment in our ongoing series on the elements of artistry, as she defined & explored them in her thesis on Artistry in Ballet. This time we're digging into awareness and use of three-dimensional space: what it actually means to move beyond the mirror, why relying on it too heavily can work against us, and how we can start filling the space around us with more intention & presence.
We also get into intentional mirrorless training, and why Chelsea has started shifting her own advanced classes away from the mirror entirely (a shift that can be especially meaningful for dancers navigating body image struggles). And for anyone preparing a variation, Chelsea breaks down how thinking about who else is "in the room" with you on stage can completely change how a piece reads.
If you've ever wanted to feel more present in your dancing (instead of just watching it reflected back at you in the mirror), this episode is for you! ✨
“Although we often think of sky as something above us, in fact we are standing in it, all the way to the soles of our feet.”  — Andrea Olsen, Body and Earth
CONNECT WITH CHELSEA 👇🏼
Website: geekyballerina.com
Book: Artistry Inside Ballet Technique (affiliate link)
Instagram: @geekyballerina
Follow Hannah on Instagram @thebusybunhead

Explore blog posts, merchandise & resources for adult ballet dancers like you at thebusybunhead.com

Podcast produced by Mission Bridge Media.
www.MissionBridgeMedia.com

If theraband work has been the foundation of your ankle-strengthening routine, this episode is going to change the game for you...

I'm joined again by fan-favorite guest, Allie Christensen, Founder of the Dancer Strong platform, and a strength and conditioning coach who works specifically with adult dancers. We discuss why relying on your theraband alone won't build the strength your feet and ankles actually need for ballet, including a study comparing dancers who trained with resistance bands to dancers who did loaded strength work instead. We also cover the early, easy-to-overlook signs that your feet and ankles may need more support than you realize.

This conversation also gets into what "wobbling" in a balance is actually telling you, an efficient warm-up you can start using before class, the specific cue to safegaurd how you land jumps, and a current, science-backed approach to recovering from a sprained ankle.
Whether you're working through jump anxiety, an unstable balance, recovery from an injury, or simply want to feel more grounded in class, this episode offers real, practical strength work you can start using, even with just ten minutes, twice a week.
If you're ready to bulletproof your feet & ankles for ballet, this conversation is for you!
⚠️ PLEASE NOTE: This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. If you are experiencing persistent pain or symptoms, please consult a licensed medical professional.

CONNECT WITH ALLIE 👇🏼
Book a FREE discovery call to discuss your ballet goals HERE.
Website: dancerstrongprograms.com
Instagram: @alignfitnessbyallie
Follow Hannah on Instagram @thebusybunhead

Explore blog posts, merchandise & resources for adult ballet dancers like you at thebusybunhead.com

Podcast produced by Mission Bridge Media.
www.MissionBridgeMedia.com

If you're an adult dancer, you probably know this feeling: the teacher gives the combination once, maybe twice if you're lucky, and then the music starts... and somewhere around count five, your brain goes completely blank. 
In this episode, I'm digging into something almost every single one of us has struggled with: remembering choreography. It's easy to write this off as a gift you're either born with or you're not — some people just "have a good memory" and some people don't. But I'm pushing back on that, because the research says otherwise. Memorizing choreography is a trainable skill, and it works a lot like a muscle: something you can actually strengthen with use, the same way you build strength in your body.
I'm walking through seven specific strategies (plus one bonus for performers) that have made a real difference in how fast and confident I feel picking up combinations, whether I'm at the barre, in center, or getting ready to perform.
If picking up combinations feels hard for you right now, that doesn't mean you're permanently bad at it. It probably just means it's a skill you haven't intentionally trained yet. And here's how you can start.... 
Follow Hannah on Instagram @thebusybunhead

Explore blog posts, merchandise & resources for adult ballet dancers like you at thebusybunhead.com

Podcast produced by Mission Bridge Media.
www.MissionBridgeMedia.com

Ask someone to picture a ballet dancer, and posture is probably the first thing that comes to mind — that effortless, upright poise that reads as ballerina the second you see it. But if you've ever felt like you struggle to achieve it as an adult dancer, you're not alone!
In this episode, I'm joined again by Chelsea Weidmann for the next installment in our ongoing series on the elements of artistry, as she defined & unpacked them in her thesis on artistry in ballet. This time we're digging into the fundamentals of ballet posture: what it actually is, how to work on it, and what it allows us to accomplish technically that we couldn't otherwise.
We also talk about the difference between posture that's technically correct but reads as flat, and posture that reads as intentional and alive. And for anyone who performs, Chelsea breaks down how a character's posture can shift over the course of a ballet (hello, Giselle) and how you can use those shifts to support your own artistry both onstage and in the studio. 
If you've ever wanted your posture to look more confident and effortless, or wondered how to use it to support your artistry, this episode is for you! ✨
CONNECT WITH CHELSEA 👇🏼
 Website: geekyballerina.com 
Book: Artistry Inside Ballet Technique (affiliate link) 
Instagram: @geekyballerina
Follow Hannah on Instagram @thebusybunhead

Explore blog posts, merchandise & resources for adult ballet dancers like you at thebusybunhead.com

Podcast produced by Mission Bridge Media.
www.MissionBridgeMedia.com