24. Guest: Michelle Loucadoux of Danscend
Mental wellness is fast becoming a common and necessary focus in the dance world, due in part to Danscend co-founders Michelle Loucadoux and Kristin Deiss.
Join Michelle and I as we talk about good vs bad stresses and how to work through them, ways dance educators and leaders can create a healthier environment for dancers and their mindsets and what Danscend is doing to expand the reach of their conversations regarding all things healthy mindset.
Danscend’s mission is to bring mental wellness to the forefront of dance training by providing a space for education, application, and community to dancers, educators, and professionals. Michelle Loucadoux has been a professional dancer and educator for over thirty years. She danced in 5 Broadway shows, in 4 ballet companies, and on film and television and has traveled the world empowering young dancers. Michelle is a published author (Rowman & LIttlefield), has an MBA and a BA in English, and resigned her position as the associate dean of undergraduate studies at Hussian College in 2020 to create a space for a more compassionate and inclusive dance community. In the past three years, she has worked full-time with mental health professionals to research and create dance-specific resources to support the mental wellness of the dance community and its educators.
Highlights:
- Why and how Danscend came to be
- The first step a dancer can take to improve their mental wellness
- How dance educators need to show up differently
- What it's like to start a dance business with a co-founder
Links:
Follow:
- Danscend @danscendoffical
- Michelle Loucadoux @michelleloucadoux
- Kristin Deiss @kristin.deiss
- Audra Allen-Queen @thedanceceocoach
Mentioned In This Episode:
