The Brainy Ballerina Podcast

There is no one right way to build a career as a professional dancer, and Ella Titus is a perfect example of that.
After spending a decade with Miami City Ballet, Ella made the leap to New York City to pursue a freelance career, where she has since danced with Tom Gold Dance, BalletCollective, the New York Philharmonic, and more.
We talk about her journey from becoming an apprentice with Miami City Ballet at just 16 and eventually joining the corps de ballet, as well as what inspired her to leave the company and start freelancing in NYC.
Ella shares an honest look at the inconsistency of freelance life, how she structures her weeks, balancing ballet with teaching Pilates, marketing and influencer work, and how she landed a New York Fashion Week modeling opportunity simply by shooting her shot.
We also have an important conversation about dancer health, chronic illness, trusting your intuition when something feels wrong, and why dancers need to stop convincing themselves that they are invincible.
Key "Pointes" in this Episode:
Ella's decade-long career with Miami City Ballet and her favorite memories from the company
The impact of Teen Vogue's Strictly Ballet YouTube series on Ella's career and social media following
Getting started in the NYC freelance dance world without having a plan
How Ella's public relations degree has helped her build opportunities outside of dance
Why dancers often ignore warning signs and convince themselves they are invincible
Learning to trust your gut when something doesn't feel right with your health
The different paths available to dancers who want both a professional career and a college education
Connect with Ella:
Follow Ella on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellatitus/
Follow Ella on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ellatitus
Links and Resources:
Schedule a complimentary career consultation: https://www.thebrainyballerina.com/career-mentoring
ETOILE: https://www.etoilecomp.com/brainy (save 10% with code BRAINY10)
ORZA: www.orzabrand.com (use code BRAINYBALLERINA for 10% off)
Let’s connect!
MY WEBSITE: thebrainyballerina.com
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrainyballerina
Schedule your complimentary career consultation: https://www.thebrainyballerina.com/career-mentoring
Questions/comments? Email me at caitlin@thebrainyballerina.com

What does it really look like to build a career with New York City Ballet?
In this episode of The Brainy Ballerina Podcast, I’m joined by Laine Habony, a dancer in the corps de ballet at New York City Ballet, to talk about her journey from studying at the School of American Ballet to performing on one of the most prestigious stages in the ballet world.
Laine shares what it was like to move to New York at just 13 and takes us behind the scenes of her transition from student to professional dancer, including how she received her apprenticeship with NYCB and navigated the demands of company life.
We also discuss Laine’s experiences exploring choreography and serving as an apprentice repertory director, what she has learned from working on the other side of the rehearsal room, and how her relationship with ballet has evolved throughout her career.
Key “Pointes” in this episode:
Growing up studying multiple dance styles and how tap and musical theater influenced her approach to Balanchine
Moving to New York at 13 to train full-time at the School of American Ballet
The pivotal lessons she learned from her teachers at SAB
How Laine found out she had been offered an apprenticeship with New York City Ballet
The biggest adjustments she faced when transitioning from student to professional dancer
Her favorite ballets to perform, dream roles, and the joy of finding new ways to approach familiar choreography
Exploring choreography and creating work for fellow dancers
What she learned from serving as an apprentice repertory director
Developing a healthy relationship with ballet and cultivating interests outside the studio
Connect with Laine
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/lainehabony/
Links & Resources
Schedule a complimentary career consultation: https://www.thebrainyballerina.com/career-mentoring
ETOILE: https://www.etoilecomp.com/brainy (save 10% with code BRAINY10)
ORZA: www.orzabrand.com (use code BRAINYBALLERINA for 10% off)
Let’s connect!
My WEBSITE: thebrainyballerina.com
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrainyballerina
Questions/comments? Email me at caitlin@thebrainyballerina.com

What if the path to a professional ballet career doesn't look the way you think it "should"?
In this solo episode, I’m sharing the unconventional choices I made as a pre-professional dancer that ultimately still led me to a career in ballet (and helped me stay in love with dance along the way).
From staying at my home studio through high school to skipping summer intensives, scaling back my dance training during my senior year, choosing college over immediately pursuing a company contract, and even joining a college dance team, my path looked different from the traditional trajectory many young dancers are told they need to follow.
But those choices gave me something I desperately needed: balance, perspective, and the ability to build a sustainable career without burning out.
Key “pointes” in this episode:
Why I chose to stay at my home studio through high school instead of moving away to train
Choosing to spend my last two summers of high school working and being a "regular kid" instead of attending summer intensives
Recognizing burnout and scaling back my training during my senior year
Why taking a step back actually helped me become a stronger dancer
Choosing to major in dance in college instead of immediately pursuing a professional ballet company
What joining my college dance team taught me about performing outside of my comfort zone
How experiences outside of classical ballet gave me skills that later helped my professional career
Why there is no single "right" path to a professional dance career
Giving yourself permission to make choices based on what you need, not what you think you're supposed to do
You don't need to follow someone else's path to have a successful dance career. Your career is going to be uniquely yours, and staying open to unexpected opportunities can lead you places you never imagined.
Links & Resources:
Schedule a complimentary career consultation: https://www.thebrainyballerina.com/career-mentoring
ETOILE: https://www.etoilecomp.com/brainy (save 10% with code BRAINY10)
ORZA: www.orzabrand.com (use code BRAINYBALLERINA for 10% off)
Let’s connect!
My WEBSITE: thebrainyballerina.com
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrainyballerina
Questions/comments? Email me at caitlin@thebrainyballerina.com

Khi’Shawn Robinson began dancing at 14 and initially set his sights on a career in classical ballet. After studying ballet at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, he unexpectedly took a professional job with Royal Caribbean, which opened the door to a completely different side of the dance industry.
Today, Khi’Shawn is a performer and dance captain with the national tour of The Wiz. In this episode, he shares his journey to The Wiz (including auditioning multiple times before finally booking the show), proving that sometimes “no” really does mean “not right now.”
We also learn what a dance captain does, what a typical day on tour looks like for Khi’Shawn, and get some insight into the history of The Wiz!
Key “Pointes” in this Episode
Starting dance at 14 and discovering a passion for ballet
What Khi’Shawn learned from earning his degree in Classical Ballet from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts
Why he decided to make the leap from classical ballet into musical theater
His first professional job with Royal Caribbean’s Hairspray
The differences between performing on a cruise ship and touring with a national production
Auditioning for The Wiz multiple times before finally joining the cast
What The Wiz means as a celebration of African American culture and experience
What a typical day on tour looks like for Khi’Shawn
What it means to be a dance captain and how being a dance captain has changed the way he approaches his own dancing
Connect with Khi’Shawn:
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/khishawnrobinson
Links & Resources:
See The Wiz at the Overture Center in Madison, WI: https://www.overture.org/tickets-events/2026-27-season/the-wiz
(head to The Brainy Ballerina IG to enter to win two free tickets!)
REGISTER FOR SEE AND BE SEEN: https://eisenhowerdance.org/beseen
ORZA: www.orzabrand.com (use code BRAINYBALLERINA for 10% off)
Let’s connect!
My WEBSITE: thebrainyballerina.com
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrainyballerina
Questions/comments? Email me at caitlin@thebrainyballerina.com

In dance, feedback can shape much more than how you perform. It can influence how you see yourself, what you believe you’re capable of, and even the choices you make in the studio and beyond.
In this episode of The Brainy Ballerina Podcast, I’m joined by Kristin Deiss and Michelle Loucadoux, co-founders of Danscend, to talk about how feedback can affect a dancer’s confidence, identity, and sense of self-worth.
We discuss why dancers can be particularly vulnerable to internalizing what teachers say, how our own insecurities can change the way we receive feedback, and how to separate “I need to work on this” from “I’m not good enough.”
We also talk about processing conflicting corrections, deciding what feedback is actually useful, and giving yourself permission to let go of what doesn’t serve you.
For teachers, we dig into the other side of the equation: how to give feedback more intentionally, why dancers don’t need every correction we notice, and how observation, trust, and giving dancers more agency can create a healthier learning environment.
Key “Pointes” in this Episode
Why dancers can be especially vulnerable to internalizing feedback
How your own insecurities affect the way you receive feedback
Separating feedback from your identity
Practical strategies for processing difficult corrections
What to do when different teachers give conflicting feedback
Learning what feedback to keep and what to let go
Building self-worth beyond your abilities as a dancer
Connect with Danscend
WEBSITE: https://danscend.com/
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/danscendofficial
DANSCEND APP (IOS): https://apps.apple.com/us/app/danscend/id6759905827
DANSCEND APP (Android): https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.danscend.school&hl=en_US
Links & Resources:
REGISTER FOR SEE AND BE SEEN: https://eisenhowerdance.org/beseen
ORZA: www.orzabrand.com (use code BRAINYBALLERINA for 10% off)
Let’s connect!
My WEBSITE: thebrainyballerina.com
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrainyballerina
Questions/comments? Email me at caitlin@thebrainyballerina.com