I have been dancing since I was 2.5 years old, and even though I had short stints with other sports like baseball & volleyball, dance has always been my number one passion.
I was never the most flexible or had the best technique, my superpower was my ability to perform. When I got on stage, I was always smiling from ear to ear. I was in my element.
After competing with my local dance studio all the way through high school, I went to George Brown College and studied acting, singing and dancing – training to be a triple threat.
My Passion Became My Career
Within 3 months of graduating, I had officially turned my passion into a career – I was hired by a major cruise line to dance in their production shows.
Although I was doing what I loved as a career, it was not all sunshine and rainbows.
I was surrounded by hundreds of cultures & languages which was simultaneously amazing, overwhelming, and eye opening.
Being only 20 years old at the time, it was the first time I had been away from home and my family for more than 5 days.
The rehearsals were relentless, lasting anywhere from 9 to 12 hours a day.
I was excited, yet homesick all at the same time.
The Dark Side of Being a Professional Dancer
I felt such pride in myself for making it as a Professional Dancer, but with pride came new levels of pressure and expectations.
I felt the pressure to be flawless not only on stage, but off stage as well. Even during my off-time, hair & makeup always needed to be done.
I felt insecure during weekly weigh-ins. I would line up with my cast as the supervisor would write down our weight to be sent to head office, knowing if my weight fluctuated too much, I would get a weight warning & be removed from shows.
I became very aware of when and what I was eating leading into shows. I started making unhealthy choices on food & workouts, punishing my body & blaming it on being the reason I didn’t get the feature roles in shows.
I started heavily comparing myself to my cast mates, sometimes even resenting them when they would get roles in the shows I wanted.
I started feeling a sense of entitlement, that I was “owed” ships I requested or parts in shows because I had been around for 5 years.
I started blaming my supervisors and felt they gave roles to other cast members because they liked them better than me.
I started doubting who I was as a performer and what I had to offer.
I was blaming everything & everyone else, not taking responsibility for my part in making the necessary consistent effort needed to be at my best.
Eventually, I got so in my head and down on myself that I walked away.
I gave up on my passion.
Hitting Rock Bottom
I was 25 years old, back home, unsure of my next move and feeling completely defeated. For the first time in my life, I wasn’t a performer.
I gained an unhealthy amount of weight until I was my heaviest and completely unmotivated to go to the gym.
I watched my friends move on to new chapters of their lives; getting married or having babies and I felt I was falling behind.
I hit rock bottom. I was unhappy, unhealthy, and still comparing myself to others.
The Moment of Realization
I was working at Lululemon during my time at home. One exercise they had us do was visualize my life in two, five, and ten years in the future. I struggled to follow that guideline.
All I wanted to do was get back to being proud of myself.
I then found a picture of myself from my favourite show on cruises and knew I wanted to build my vision for my life around the feelings it has captured.
I was enjoying the moment. I was strong & centered, confident, proud, calm, and happy.
This was my wake up call.
When I was a professional dancer, I had been so in my head & completely lost my connection to performing. When I was younger, I never worried about anyone except myself and the work I put into practices or performances. I had fun on stage.
I realized it wasn’t the environment that had needed to change, it was my mindset.
Reconnecting to My Love of Performing
I started putting myself back out there in the entertainment industry and was hired by another production company and did a couple contracts on land and close to home. I kept putting in the work for my diet & exercise in a healthy way and fell in love with going to the gym. I started to take pride in my body.
I then got back in touch with the cruise line and said I was ready to come back. When I got into rehearsals, I didn’t focus on anyone except myself. I asked questions to my supervisors to better myself and improve, but I didn’t let it affect my confidence in what I had to offer.
I fell in love with being on stage again.
I spent the next 5 years never taking a minute of rehearsals or being on stage for granted. I was not only recognized for my positive attitude and was nominated for Team Member of the Month, but also for my leadership and was offered a Cast Manager position.
A New Chapter
When I signed off my contract in March 2020, the plan was to have a few months at home and then head back to my 11th contract in May as the Cast Manager, but the pandemic had other plans.
Despite the world’s shutdown, my mindset was in the right place from falling back in love with dance, performing, and movement. I decided to start a social media account dedicated to sharing at-home workouts to keep myself motivated, but also to help others stay motivated during a challenging time.
This ultimately led me to launching a fitness business on my 30th birthday.
I then found Dr. Preston & CEP Mindset and knew that I needed to be a part of a team that helped other high-performers overcome similar mental struggles to my own.
I also found a new way to use my superpower by joining a Dance Team with the National Lacrosse League.
Now, as a part of the CEP Team, I get to help other performers develop these tools and strategies so they can achieve Consistent Elite Performance, and most importantly never lose touch with their love of performing.
Bonus you can check out my dance highlight video below.
Nicholas Santino is a Senior High-Performance Coach, PhD Candidate, and the official Mental Performance Consultant for Elite Prospects. From his specialized psychology research program, to his PhD studies, Nicholas has gained a tremendous foundation of knowledge and appreciation for the human experience. His passion for psychology has accumulated to a commitment to studying and applying positive psychology and stoicism. This commitment has led Nicholas to conduct many research studies focusing on understanding why and how some people thrive and prosper while others do not. His admiration for evidence-based solutions has propelled Nicholas to produce studies revolving around mindfulness, grit (perseverance and passion), performance, quality participation, social relationships, and well-being.
A Native of Quebec, Sara was part of the St. Lawrence University Women’s Ice Hockey team that competed in the NCAA Division 1 hockey league ECAC. During this time, Sara helped her team appear in four ECAC Hockey Tournaments and two NCAA Frozen Fours, and was a four-time member of the ECAC Hockey All-Academic Squad. Following her career at St. Lawrence University, Sara played one year of professional hockey with Lugano, where she truly honed her skills in understanding the intricate connection between mindset and performance.
Blair has over 13 years of experience as a Professional Dancer, Assistant Dance Captain & Cast Manager, as well as an additional 17 years of training. Over the last 3 decades, she has lived and experienced first hand the highest of highs & lowest of lows that come with pursuing a career in the Performing Arts.
Natasha Habert draws from her training in sport and performance psychology, personal experiences as a competitive athlete, and deep passion for consistent high performance. She is a lifelong athlete and high performer, excelling in volleyball as both a player and coach.
Luciano’s hockey career is highlighted by his time playing college at the University of Victoria and two professional seasons in Europe. Throughout his career, he struggled with performance anxiety, a lack of consistency, fluctuations in confidence, and being caught in the results trap. This eventually led him to deviate from the main reason why anyone should play sports – for the enjoyment of the game. As a former athlete, Luciano has a unique understanding of the psychological pressures and struggles that athletes experience.
Alexis Woloschuk is a name synonymous with mental fortitude in the world of professional hockey. Throughout her career originating playing boys hockey, going to an academy away from home, playing her four years at Boston University and 7+ years in pro hockey she’s learned the importance of resilience, confidence, and dismissing both fear and other’s opinions. With a blend of relatability, confidence, and an acute understanding of playing to one’s potential, Alexis helps athletes reshape the way they perceive and harness the power of their minds.
Sean Mahoney is a member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP), and a Master’s candidate in the Sport and Performance Psychology program at the University of Denver. For as long as he can remember, Sean has been fascinated by human performance and how to gain an edge over the competition. For most of his athletic career, he focused on the physical aspect of performance but neglected the mental. Because of this, he struggled with performance anxiety, focus issues, and limiting beliefs pertaining to confidence and self-doubt. His lack of focus on optimizing his mental game prevented him from reaching his full potential.
Savannah Fitzgerald is earning her M.A. in Kinesiology, Sport Psychology Option at California State University, Fresno. Possessing an internal motor that fires her rage for success, Savannah forged this attribute over five years while competing as an NCAA D-I water polo player and swimmer. Combined with her opportunity to represent and compete for the United States, she feels that sport has significantly impacted her professional development. Due to her personal experience playing at all levels, Savannah’s passion for mental performance began when she struggled to overcome pre-competition nerves and post-competition processing. When she discovered a world out there that people were referring to as ‘sport psychology,’ she felt like a piece of her brain was unlocked. Reality shifted as she stumbled into a space consisting of the most beautiful blend of elite performance, mental well-being, and athletics.
Gabe is currently completing his Master’s in Counselling Psychology at the University of Victoria. Although Gabe played several years of high-level baseball, including a stint in the British Columbia Premier Baseball League (BCPBL), he chose hockey as his sport to pursue at the highest level possible. Gabe went on to play four years of junior hockey with the Richmond Sockeyes in the Pacific Junior Hockey League (PJHL) while also coaching minor hockey. Prior to junior hockey, Gabe played 3 years in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) where he experienced the pressures and expectations of moving on to the next level. During those three years, Gabe constantly compared himself to others and struggled with coping when things did not go his way. Over time, he learned how to focus on his own process and path to the next level, while also developing strategies to improve well-being.
Louie is a mental performance coach from Toronto, Canada with a professional hockey career spanning over 14 years. Being a standout player at the University of Michigan, Louie was a Hobey Baker finalist and a 1st team All-American, which led him to getting drafted by the Ottawa Senators and playing in renowned leagues across the globe, including the DEL, SHL, and AHL.
Mia Landry is a former varsity hockey player at Brock University, where she competed at the USPORT level and was part of the 2021-22 OUA gold medal team. Mia currently represents Canada on the Women’s National Ball Hockey team and is pursuing a Master of Kinesiology Sport Psychology at her alma mater. Her research focuses on areas such as team cohesion, group dynamics, leadership styles, and sports culture.
As a former member of McMaster University’s women’s soccer team, Emilie intimately understands the demands and challenges athletes face on and off the field. Although she encountered many challenges as a high-level athlete, particularly struggling with self-doubt and overthinking, Emilie was able to make a remarkable transformation when she began to embrace the principles of sports psychology.
Max is currently attending William James College, where he is earning a Doctorate Degree in Clinical Psychology and a Masters Degree in Professional Psychology. During his time as an undergraduate student, Max was inducted into the International Honor Society in Psychology (Psi Chi), and played on the Quinnipiac University men’s club ice hockey team.
