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49. The Power of Self-Compassion in a Dance Career with Bodhi Core Founder Ayça Anıl
161 Plays19 days ago
In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Ayça Anıl, professional ballerina and founder of Bodhi Core, to explore the intersection of artistry, movement, and holistic wellness. From dancing principal roles at Istanbul State Opera and Ballet to becoming the first Turkish ballerina to dance professionally in the UK, Ayça’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary.
We talk about her prestigious training at the John Cranko School and Central School of Ballet, the experience of working with the iconic Alessandra Ferri, and what it means to embody strength and grace both on and off stage.
Ayça also shares how her passion for yoga, mindfulness, and Pilates led to the creation of Bodhi Core—a wellness platform designed to empower individuals through intentional movement. Tune in to hear how she blends classical technique with modern movement practices to help students move with confidence, presence, and purpose.
Highlights From This Episode:
✨Ayça’s ballet journey from Istanbul to the UK and back
✨Vulnerable stories from Ayça’s life that led her to focus on her physical and mental health
✨ The role of mindfulness and movement in injury prevention and longevity
✨ Her Why behind founding Bodhi Core and her holistic teaching philosophy
✨How yoga, Pilates, and meditation support dancers and non-dancers alike
Connect with Ayça
Check out Bodhi Core www.bodhicore.com
Check out Ayça on Instagram @aycaanil
Links & Resources
Get your copy of the International Career Handbook
Visit the Ballet Help Desk website today!: https://ballethelpdesk.com/
Let’s connect!
My WEBSITE: thebrainyballerina.com
INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrainyballerina
Questions/comments? Email me at caitlin@thebrainyballerina.com
This episode was brought to you by the Pivot Ball Change Network.
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Transcript
Introduction to Brand New Ballerina Podcast
00:00:00
Speaker
I think the more we experience life as a human, the more we can show that on stage. It's actually something that Alessandra Ferry told me when she was coaching me. She said, I don't want to see ballet dancer. I want to see a woman.
00:00:15
Speaker
I want to see a real person. and don't want to see ah ballerina doing a choreography. I'm Kaitlin, a former professional ballerina turned dance educator and career mentor, and this is the Brand New Ballerina podcast.
00:00:31
Speaker
I am here for the aspiring professional ballerina who wants to learn what it really takes to build a smart and sustainable career in the dance industry. I'm peeling back the curtain of the professional dance world with open and honest conversations about the realities of becoming a professional
Aicha Anil's Journey in Ballet
00:00:47
Speaker
dancer. Come along to gain the knowledge and inspiration you need to succeed in a dance career on your terms.
00:00:58
Speaker
Hello and welcome to the Brandy Ballerina Podcast. I'm your host, Kaitlin Sloan, and I am joined today by Aicha Anil. Aicha is the founder of Bodicor and a professional ballerina currently performing soloist and principal roles at the Istanbul State Opera and Ballet.
00:01:14
Speaker
She trained the world-renowned John Krenko School and was the first Turkish ballerina to dance professionally in the UK. I am so excited to hear your story today and I want to start from the very beginning and hear why did you take your very first dance class.
00:01:30
Speaker
Yes, of course. When I was three and a half, I was in kindergarten and we had mandatory ballet lessons there. And my teacher at the time said that I had very flexible joints and I should pursue dancing because I was very musical and disciplined.
00:01:49
Speaker
That was the reason I actually started dancing. I never really fell in love with dancing when I was a kid. It was basically because they said I was good at it.
00:02:00
Speaker
So when I was around six years old, I asked my mom to take me to ballet lessons. And that's how it all started. But it's very funny because when I was eight, when I could read and write, I actually did ah vision board, which I didn't know at the time that it was called a vision board and I wrote down every single company or school that I wanted to go to, which included John Krenko and London, Royal Opera House and all of that.
00:02:31
Speaker
And I hang that up in my bedroom and I would look at it every single day. Somehow it all happened. Not in the way that I imagined, but one way or another, did come
Challenges in Ballet Training
00:02:43
Speaker
true. And I remember my teachers laughing at me because i was seven years old and I was saying, I'm going to be ah dancer and I will dance in Europe. And they would say, okay, yeah, yeah sure you will.
00:02:58
Speaker
But I kept believing in it and somehow most of the things came true. That's amazing. Can you share more about your training growing up? You trained at so many prestigious schools. What were some of the formative lessons you learned from this pathway?
00:03:14
Speaker
My time at Junkrankow was very dark, very challenging. I wouldn't recommend a 12 year old to go to a boarding school in Germany by herself.
00:03:29
Speaker
It was very difficult. I do not regret it, but I wouldn't do that to my own child if I knew what I was going to go through. I learned a lot of things. First of all, our teachers were very strict.
00:03:42
Speaker
We had a great education. Everything was very disciplined and very on time. We would go to normal school during the day and we would dance in the evening. Everyone in the school had body image issues and some form of eating disorders because our teachers were not very well informed about human psychology and our physiology.
00:04:08
Speaker
So they would basically weight us in front of the entire school. And if you were over 50 kilograms, no matter how tall you are, you would get kicked out of the school.
00:04:19
Speaker
And they would do that every month. It was very intense. I don't think a lot of dancers talk about it, but I've seen so many dancers who won YAGP, who are incredibly talented, just get kicked out of school because they had a few extra pounds when they were growing up.
00:04:37
Speaker
And a lot of people quit dancing because of it. A lot of people stopped dancing or had eating disorders. I mean, it was very, very intense and not the way I imagined it would be.
00:04:53
Speaker
We were sharing two bathrooms, 12 girls in our floor. And there were hands in the bathroom that girls would share to make themselves throw up.
00:05:05
Speaker
And that's how insane that was. was very challenging mentally. i think the mental part was very intense. And I know that a lot of dancers are still recovering from experiences like that.
00:05:20
Speaker
but But we also had a great education. I learned the value of friendships. But in terms of the environment, it wasn't great. How has that affected you long term as a dancer?
00:05:32
Speaker
i mean, I still... go to therapy every week to process a lot of things that happened. But it did make me grow up sooner. did.
00:05:44
Speaker
pushed understand and seek out help a lot sooner than people do.
Transitioning to UK Ballet
00:05:51
Speaker
I wanted to get help and find another way of approaching things, probably when I was around 16. So I started going to meditation classes.
00:06:02
Speaker
I started practicing mindfulness and I went to dieticians and I went to all of that. A lot of those things happened early for me because of the challenges I faced and because I've seen so many people stop dancing or just be hospitalized because of the issues they've had.
00:06:24
Speaker
And I actually spoke out about this once on social media and I cannot tell you the number of dancers that reached out to me and said, no one speaks about this.
00:06:35
Speaker
No one is talking about this, but we're all experiencing the same issue. And she was actually in a hospital because of an eating disorder. And she said it really gave her hope and closure that people were starting to speak out about the things that shouldn't have happened in the first place.
00:06:55
Speaker
It did help me question things and seek out help sooner than a lot of people. How long were you at the school? Six years. And then from there, what was your next step?
00:07:08
Speaker
I got into the Academy of John Canco and my director called me in one day and he said, you are a lot shorter than the dancers we want in Germany, especially in Stuttgart Ballet.
00:07:21
Speaker
So they said they were not even going to make me audition to the company because I wasn't tall enough. We all know when we audition, we're going to join the Corte Ballet and they wanted tall dancers.
00:07:35
Speaker
who were usually blonde and I didn't fit into the stereotype. And he said, you dance like you would really fit into the companies in the UK. So he said, and you need to gain experience. Your technique is enough, but you need to open up and dance more to become a better dancer.
00:07:56
Speaker
So he contacted ENB and he arranged an audition. Without even thinking twice, I went to London and I did a few auditions and I actually got in, but because I was not European, I would have to pay twice as much to join ENB, but Central School of Ballet offered me a full scholarship. so I said, I'm just going to go there. I have a year and a half to finish school.
00:08:23
Speaker
That's how my transition happened. I'm actually very grateful to my director for saying that I wouldn't be a good fit there because I really wouldn't. And there are so many different companies and styles of dancers.
00:08:37
Speaker
I was a better fit for the companies in the UK. And that is a fact I wouldn't fit in very well Stuttgart ballet or in other companies in Germany.
00:08:48
Speaker
So it was a very good decision for me too wo to move to UK. What was your experience like training in the UK? Was it any better on the emotional mental health side than your training in Germany?
00:09:02
Speaker
Absolutely. It was like a whole new world. Yeah, nobody insulted each other. Teachers were kinder, nicer. There was no body shaming.
00:09:13
Speaker
It was more like talking one-on-one and saying, how can we help you to feel better, to be healthier? It was completely different than my experience in Germany. And I was very happy for that. And i gained a lot more confidence and I was feeling more comfortable, which led me to dance better, which led me to unlock my own potential as a dancer.
00:09:38
Speaker
So I really think that environment changes a lot. I mean, my mindset also shifted a lot when I went to u k Even just being in a positive environment, not being body shamed or criticized so harshly, really helped me become a better dancer.
00:09:57
Speaker
Crazy, right?
Founding of BodyCore and Personal Growth
00:09:59
Speaker
So crazy. What was your transition like from your training into your professional career? i was actually really, really lucky because i actually never auditioned.
00:10:12
Speaker
I didn't know anything. I was just taking a regular class at school. It wasn't even towards the end of the season. It was during October and someone came in watched class, and then the director of the school came in saying, Aicha, you got a court of ballet contract from Northern Ballet.
00:10:32
Speaker
was like, what? It was very surprising. I work hard in class every day, regardless of who is watching. So I was just doing my own regular routine class. And apparently he saw me and he really liked me and He thought I would be a good fit to the company and I didn't even get apprenticeship.
00:10:54
Speaker
He directly gave me a court of ballet contract and I was very lucky for that. That's amazing. So at that point, did that make you the first Turkish ballerina to dance professionally in the UK?
00:11:07
Speaker
Yes, to join a company and professionally, but it was also very funny because I didn't audition. He didn't know my name. He didn't know where I was from. And when I went to meet him few months later, he said he was very surprised and disappointed to hear that I was not English.
00:11:29
Speaker
Interesting. He basically said he gave me a contract because He thought I looked British and he thought I was British, but it was too late. i already got the contract.
00:11:40
Speaker
So I don't know if I actually had auditioned, would I get the contract? I have no idea. But because he didn't they didn't know anything about me, they just saw my dancing and made the decision based on that instead of my background or where I was from.
00:11:57
Speaker
So I was lucky. Did you face any challenges dancing, living so far away from home? I suppose you'd been doing it for a while. Yeah, the first years moving away from home were challenging.
00:12:11
Speaker
It was very difficult, especially because I was so young. But then i really got used to it, and I never thought I would be back in Istanbul, actually. You get used to it, I think.
00:12:22
Speaker
But I would always miss... The home family environment, because I'm a big family person, really means a lot to me. And I would miss home occasionally, but i was very focused on my work, which I don't think is very healthy now, looking back.
00:12:39
Speaker
You've worked with some really incredible choreographers. How have you been able to adapt to different choreographic styles throughout your career? i think because...
00:12:51
Speaker
I've taken so many different classes outside of my usual dance education. i went jazz classes. I did flamenco, contemporary, and all of that.
00:13:03
Speaker
Even if we didn't have those classes at school, I would just go to the dance studio in the neighborhood and take those classes just for fun. And I think that really helped me become more versatile as a dancer. I really also enjoyed jazz and musical theater and all of that. I really enjoy it.
00:13:23
Speaker
So taking classes in those lessons really helped me in ballet as well. Just adding that extra arm movements, taking something from one style of movement to another.
00:13:37
Speaker
During my education, we did have many different lessons. We did have a lot of different teachers coming in teaching different styles, especially contemporary work.
00:13:48
Speaker
So I think I was trained well in that versatility. It seems like you're very open to trying new things and getting out of your comfort zone, either in the way that you've moved somewhere new or tried new styles.
00:14:02
Speaker
Do you have any advice for dancers who find that challenging? Yeah, absolutely. I think the more we experience life as a human, the more we can show that on stage.
00:14:14
Speaker
It's actually something that Alessandra Ferry told me when she was coaching me. She said, I don't want to see ballet dancer. I want to see a woman. I want to see a real person. i don't want to see ah ballerina doing a choreography.
00:14:29
Speaker
So after that, actually, I decided that I really have to experience life, not for the sake of dancing better, but for me as well. Having a life matters and it's going to be beneficial to my performance as well. So that's I think I was a lot more confident in trying new things, trying different styles of dancing.
00:14:54
Speaker
And I fell in love with most of the things that I tried. i fell in love with contemporary. I like moving my body in different ways. I didn't know that I would really like it. But unless you try it, you never know, i guess.
00:15:08
Speaker
So not being afraid to try something new and being brave to just go out there. You only get that one life, you might as well try it, right? Yeah, absolutely.
00:15:22
Speaker
There is so much dancers need to learn as they pursue a professional dance career. It can be completely overwhelming. Where do you even start? With your intention. To me, this is the first step in defining success on your terms.
00:15:38
Speaker
Once you have an intention for your career based on your core values, you can begin to hone in on a strategy to make your goals a reality. But without it, you will always feel out of alignment, out of control, and ultimately unfulfilled in your career.
00:15:53
Speaker
So how do you figure out what success means to you? With the Brainy Ballerina Intentional Career Handbook. This is not just your ordinary book. The Intentional Career Handbook walks you through it everything you need to think about as you embark on your dance career.
00:16:07
Speaker
With over 50 guided question prompts, you will dive deep into determining what really matters to you in a dance career based on your individual core values. By the end of this handbook, you will not only be crystal clear on your goals, but in the mindset you need to make it happen.
00:16:24
Speaker
Tap the link in the show notes to download your copy today and start pursuing your dance career with intention.
00:16:32
Speaker
That's amazing that you were coached by Alessandra Fairey. Can you share any other lessons that she taught you? Of course. I mean, she coached me twice, but I still think about it every single day.
00:16:44
Speaker
She said, when you're doing a choreography, even the little in-between steps should have a meaning, should have a dialogue. I know the big moments where I have to really show emotion and put a meaning behind the step, but she said,
00:17:02
Speaker
No, every single thing, every little devlope, every little footwork, why are you doing it? What's the intention? What is it saying? So approaching choreographies with that in mind really changed my mindset. And it made me realize that we are actually communicating.
00:17:20
Speaker
And she did one simple devlope and she did it with intention and with and meaning behind. And I was just blown away. It was so simple, developer that we all do, but it looked so different.
00:17:36
Speaker
And I think that was one of the secrets. She was communicating something, communicating a message, a story, having a conversation with her feet. So thinking about that while dancing really improved the way I express myself on stage.
00:17:54
Speaker
And also she said, Every day our bodies are different, so every show is going to be different. So it's okay if you don't do the same arm or the same musicality every show.
00:18:07
Speaker
It should be different because you are different. Having that little freedom in mind actually made me approach dancing with a lot more mindfulness, a lot more body awareness, and it became more raw and real and Not just acting, but actually experiencing the emotions.
00:18:29
Speaker
And lastly, she said, if you don't experience the emotions, we are never going to see it. So
Performing Under Pressure
00:18:35
Speaker
actually believe in the character and feel those emotions so that instead of acting like, feel it and then we will see it.
00:18:43
Speaker
And then it doesn't become cheesy or fake. Then it's actually a real performance. So I think those things really made me fall in love with dancing sing again.
00:18:56
Speaker
First of all, it's storytelling part of ballet for me is the most important thing. And it's the thing that I enjoy the most and bringing meaning and intention behind every step is very meaningful and beautiful. And that's the fun part.
00:19:14
Speaker
That's the thing why I dance. Do you have a favorite role that you've performed? I really love Macmillan ballets. i was very lucky to have danced two Macmillan ballets already, one Valley of Shadows.
00:19:28
Speaker
And I would say dancing Mikol in Valley of Shadows was my favorite. I really like anything that has a deep story that has space for each dancer to bring something new.
00:19:42
Speaker
So personally, i would say either dancing Debra Macmillan or Nicole in Valley of Shadows. Because like she was saying, every show, every performance, every rehearsal was different. And there was so much meaning and intention behind the choreography that it really takes you in. I really like the Macmillan ballets because of that.
00:20:05
Speaker
Do you have a most challenging role that you've danced? I would say, Nutcracker recently. And because in the version that we did, Clara and the Sugar Plum are the same person.
00:20:17
Speaker
So one person dances both and doing all of that in the first act, the Snow Pas de Deux and everything, and then doing the Grampa in the second act was challenging. Also, probably because I had only three rehearsals with a partner.
00:20:36
Speaker
And then I just went on stage. So I guess not having enough rehearsal time also made me really nervous about the show. ah until now, I think that was the most challenging piece for me.
00:20:48
Speaker
so how did you deal with that, both the stamina and just the reality of having to do a role you didn't really get enough rehearsal for? I really closed everything. And for two weeks,
00:21:04
Speaker
I just kept rehearsing in my mind because I knew that I wasn't going to get enough rehearsal time. And up until four days before the show, I didn't know if I was for sure going on stage.
00:21:18
Speaker
They didn't actually tell me if I would perform it or not. So just in case, I did a lot of mental rehearsing. I would wake up in the middle of the night, put the music on and just imagine doing the steps, doing the choreography.
00:21:36
Speaker
And I found that to be really useful also when i did my debut in Giselle, because I was the sixth cast. So I didn't really get any rehearsal time as much as what people usually get.
00:21:52
Speaker
So I think mental rehearsing is huge for me at the moment. It really helps actually, i think, and it doesn't make you tired, but feels like very useful.
00:22:05
Speaker
Yeah, it feels like you're rehearsing. It changes a lot, but also cross training for the stamina. What brought you back to Istanbul to dance? After two years at Northern, I quit ballet completely.
00:22:20
Speaker
I stopped dancing and I wanted to pursue other things. That's when I decided to become a teacher and become an instructor. actually gave away my leotards and everything, all my pointe shoes, i threw them away.
00:22:35
Speaker
And I said, I don't want to dance anymore because going from all of that difficult period during my childhood, I wanted to be in a good place mentally and physically before I danced.
00:22:47
Speaker
So I think I was at a point where I was really burned out and I wasn't well mentally and I was very skinny. I wanted to get better and focus on my health first, which I think would be my biggest message. If we don't have our mental or physical health, we have nothing.
00:23:08
Speaker
So I decided to stop dancing. And then after that, i went to teacher training courses for Pilates, yoga, mindfulness, and
BodyCore's Role in Aicha's Career
00:23:21
Speaker
all of that. And I worked as a teacher for two years.
00:23:25
Speaker
I didn't dance at all. I didn't think I would ever go back to dancing. And I really fell in love with teaching. I really started to enjoy it and it became one of my biggest passions.
00:23:37
Speaker
That's the reason i moved to Istanbul, actually. If I didn't stop ballet, i wouldn't move back here. But because I wanted to do something else, I decided to move back home and first focus on my health and then do something else, become a teacher.
00:23:55
Speaker
and then the director here in Istanbul called saying, What are you doing here back here and you're not dancing. There's an audition coming up and you should join the company.
00:24:07
Speaker
And that was two years after I came back and I was in a better place mentally and physically. So I said, Why not? I'm not going to stop going to therapy, but probably as long as I dance. But then because I was in a better place, I said yes. And I did an audition here and I joined the company. Wow.
00:24:28
Speaker
So during this time, is this also when you started Vodicor? That was actually after I returned to dancing. I really missed teaching because I also really love teaching probably more than dancing.
00:24:42
Speaker
And I've seen that a lot of my students were very happy with the results they get. And I really like helping people in that way.
00:24:53
Speaker
So I wanted to be able to reach out to as many people as I can. And i cannot do that on one-on-one anymore. i used to teach five, six classes a day, but after becoming professional dancer again, had zero time to do that. So that's how I thought about creating Bodycore.
00:25:12
Speaker
for dancers to be able to join my classes anytime, anywhere, wherever they are in the world. Yeah, that was after I became professional. Can you explain more about what BodyCore is?
00:25:25
Speaker
and if a dancer is interested, what is the platform? What do you do specifically? So it's basically a cross-training platform where I combine different styles of exercise methods.
00:25:37
Speaker
And i created it because ah have complex anatomically challenging body and there was no one who could help me when I was growing up.
00:25:47
Speaker
I have extreme bow legs and i went to doctors when I was four years old. I was born this way and they said i wouldn't be able to walk without pain because the shape of my bones are so extreme that if I didn't have enough strength and mobility I wouldn't even be able to walk.
00:26:08
Speaker
And that's actually another reason why I got into teaching because I would ask my teachers at John Krenko, I would ask physiotherapists and they didn't have answers.
00:26:20
Speaker
They didn't have the answers I was looking for, especially as a dancer. So i decided to do my own research, decided to go to different courses, Pilates teacher training courses, yoga teacher training courses.
00:26:36
Speaker
many anatomy lessons, I tried to understand how i could fix, maybe not fix, but control the disadvantages I had in my body.
00:26:48
Speaker
So that's actually why i share a lot of exercises for dancers. I'm basically sharing everything that I wish I knew sooner, which helped me in my career because cross-training after taking yoga classes after doing the exercises I do, my dancing has completely changed.
00:27:11
Speaker
And I wish I knew all of that sooner. So that's why I created a platform to be able to help dancers access those classes, those exercises, those methods easier.
00:27:26
Speaker
to improve their performances. And I used to do live classes. I haven't been able to do that for a while, but because a lot of members are from all around the world and time zone is an issue, but i upload on-demand classes from bar fitness to yoga, to yin yoga, to fascia training, mobility training, Pilates, strength training.
00:27:53
Speaker
high intensity workouts, all of that. And I really like combining them in a strategic way for dancers. A lot of people have found that to be really useful.
00:28:05
Speaker
And from firsthand experience, I can say that that has been helpful. And I just really like to help dancers in that way because I wish I had access to all of that myself as a younger dancer.
00:28:20
Speaker
Absolutely. You're balancing this intense professional dance career and running a very successful business. How are you managing your mindset to avoid burnout? Because I know you've mentioned that has been something you've struggled with in the past. So what has gotten you here now and how are you managing to stay motivated and healthy? Actually, having another passion, pursuing something else other than dancing, keeps me grounded, keeps me sane.
00:28:49
Speaker
keeps me happy. it hasn't been a big issue in my dance career because there are always challenges in a ballet company and this really having another, another job that I'm really passionate about and I love doing keeps me grounded and takes my mind off the stress at work, but also because all the things that I'm doing, all the classes that I'm teaching,
00:29:15
Speaker
are actually really useful for a dancer. So it's actually helping me as a dancer to grow and to stay injury free, even with a difficult anatomy.
00:29:27
Speaker
So I think those things in my case go together well, but I do feel like 24 hours a day not enough a lot of time.
Emotional and Mental Wellbeing for Dancers
00:29:37
Speaker
But I also really like taking small breaks. Before, I wouldn't be able to take my mind off the rehearsal I was going to have. But now I can just watch a TV series before rehearsal and shut everything down or take a nap and then go back to work.
00:29:55
Speaker
And work mode is work mode. Rest mode is rest mode. I even schedule rest times during the day. Sometimes I have an alarm that says, stop whatever you're doing and just take five minutes.
00:30:09
Speaker
I like that. I need to do that because it's like, even if you know you need to rest, it's so easy to just keep pushing through and and telling yourself you can do one more thing. So I like that. An outside stimulus to say, hey, take a break. A scheduled rest.
00:30:25
Speaker
Yeah, that's really good.
00:30:29
Speaker
Let's pause this episode so I can tell you about one of my favorite resources for dancers, Ballet Help Desk. If you've been loving the Brainy Ballerina podcast, you'll want to add the Ballet Help Desk pod to your list.
00:30:43
Speaker
This is the premier podcast for dance parents and hosts Brett and Jenny share weekly expert insights on supporting your students' ballet education. They cover key topics like summer intensives, ballet competitions, full-time and post-grad training, health and wellness, boys in ballet, and more to help your dancer make the most informed decisions about their unique training path.
00:31:09
Speaker
Another one of my favorite resources from Ballet Help Desk is their reviews. Head to their website for over 1,400 reviews on summer intensives and year-round training programs.
00:31:20
Speaker
And while you're at it, submit your review to help other dancers and their families make important decisions about their future. The more transparency in the dance world, the better. Head to the show notes to visit the Ballet Help Desk website today.
00:31:35
Speaker
What are some of the common mindset challenges that you've seen in dancers that you've worked with? And is there anything you've been able to help them with to be able to shift into having more confidence in their dancing and more longevity in their careers?
00:31:49
Speaker
I think there are two main things that I see a lot of dancers struggle with. One is self-compassion. Dancers are very hard on themselves.
00:32:00
Speaker
And if we don't have self-compassion, We are not going to be motivated to do anything. We're not going to be motivated to work. We won't be motivated to push through.
00:32:13
Speaker
So self-compassion and approaching the body with kindness, even when we are working out, is huge for me. And I think appreciating the body that we are in really makes a huge difference, even during the workouts that I'm teaching.
00:32:32
Speaker
because then our bodies are not in that stress response, then when our bodies are a little bit calmer, a little bit more safe, then we can actually be more aware and in tune with our bodies, feel our muscles, feel the movement, and move and dance in a better way. So I think self-compassion is really big.
00:32:57
Speaker
The second thing is self-confidence, which I think comes with practice and comes with doing something even that it scares us. In terms of my classes and how dancers have benefited from that, the main thing would be approaching the body a little bit more with appreciation and kindness.
00:33:17
Speaker
And if the body says no, sometimes it's no. If something doesn't feel good, we don't need to necessarily push through it. We can stay in the modification and that's already enough.
00:33:30
Speaker
And appreciating taking the time to take care of our bodies, taking the time to appreciate the effort that goes into being a human, dancing. So yeah, I think appreciation and self-compassion is big. What are some of the tangible strategies that you use to show yourself more self-compassion. I know you said taking the modification maybe or that kind of thing. Is there any other really tangible tips we could take to be able to implement that?
00:34:03
Speaker
I think self-talk is the answer to that. Looking back, when I was in Germany, my self-talk was awful. But then When I was in a better place, professionally and mentally, my self-talk changed.
00:34:17
Speaker
And even now, sometimes I catch myself talking negatively to myself because we do it all the time. And now sometimes I verbally talk to myself.
00:34:29
Speaker
I know it's going to sound crazy. no not at all. And I try to approach myself with more compassion. And I've seen few dancers do this.
00:34:42
Speaker
which I try to do it now, is talking to myself in the third person. Instead of saying, I am feeling that, I'm thinking that, I always say, you are.
00:34:53
Speaker
You are thinking this, but it's okay. You can get through this. You've done this before. You are ready. So that tough talk really allows me to have more compassion towards myself.
00:35:07
Speaker
Even if I don't feel that, I force myself to feel more compassionate towards my body. I think self-talk is a game changer when it comes to confidence and self-compassion. For sure. I think even just noticing for dancers if they can go their next class and notice how many things they're saying to themselves.
00:35:26
Speaker
That you would never say to a friend or to someone you care about and being like, wow, I'm really not talking to myself very kindly. But I'm interested to hear how much do you think environment influences that because you mentioned when you were in Germany that your self-talk wasn't very good and then when you were in a new environment and improved. So how much of that do you think – If someone else is speaking on Kylie to us, that becomes our own internal monologue. Do you need to leave that environment to find a better internal voice? Or do you think you can find it within a more challenging environment?
00:35:59
Speaker
Absolutely. It's a great question. And now I'm not in the best environment I've been in. but I am still able to talk to myself more positively.
00:36:12
Speaker
i think because i wasn't able to deal well with the challenges I faced in Germany, the reason is because I was very young and I didn't have any experience and I didn't know.
00:36:24
Speaker
I remember before I moved to London, I said to myself, I'm going to reinvent myself. I'm going to be the person I want to be. I'm just going to pretend like I am.
00:36:38
Speaker
And I completely changed my personality. i pretended to be more confident than I actually was. And my motto was fake it till you make it.
00:36:49
Speaker
So I actually did a lot of self-talk before going into that environment. And I decided to basically reinvent myself and be the person and dancer that i wanted to be.
00:37:03
Speaker
so I think the environment does have an influence for sure, but it's more about how we approach things and how we deal with what comes up.
00:37:16
Speaker
Controlling what you can control absolutely within yourself. Are there any other practical ways that you think dancers can take care of their mental wellbeing, especially in these high pressure environments, like a ballet company or even your training?
00:37:29
Speaker
The biggest advice would be going to therapy. I think it's life changing and it's so necessary. i don't think it's even optional for dancers.
00:37:40
Speaker
I think it's a must and breath work is huge. It's very, very helpful. It's more helpful than I ever thought it would be.
00:37:50
Speaker
Meditation. I know it's really hard for dancers usually because we, are constantly moving. We love moving and just sitting there in stillness is really hard.
00:38:02
Speaker
So instead of meditation, I would recommend Yin Yoga, which is a form of meditation in a way. It's a more meditative yoga practice. It's more restorative.
00:38:14
Speaker
So if you can't do meditation, maybe doing Yin Yoga is really helpful. And in generally investing in mental and physical wellbeing, going to a dietitian, hopefully a sports dietitian would be the best or dancer dietitian doing everything that you can to invest in your emotional and physical wellbeing.
00:38:36
Speaker
Because like I said, if we don't have those, we have nothing. Taking the time and the efforts to really weekly go to therapy daily, do the meditation and learning more about all of those things.
00:38:50
Speaker
I like what you said about meditation can be a movement because I totally agree that when I had in my mind that meditation had to be sitting still, it was very challenging. And actually I would find myself moving two during it subconsciously almost.
00:39:08
Speaker
And even since retiring from dance, when I go take ballet class now, since it's more a personal endeavor. I'm not there for work. I don't have a boss who's paying me to be there. It's a personal choice.
00:39:21
Speaker
And I'm able to find almost a more meditative state at bar. Because I'm moving, because I'm so focused on one thing, my mind actually can forget about everything else and just really have those moments of clarity. So I like that you're sharing that meditation doesn't have to look like what We sometimes think of just like sitting still, clearing your mind.
00:39:45
Speaker
It can be whatever you need it to be. Absolutely. And I love that you said that because I was just thinking about exactly what you said just two days ago. And I realized how similar yoga and ballet is.
00:40:00
Speaker
in many ways, because there's always a saying in yoga, going back to the mat. And it's whatever happens during the day, you leave everything outside of your mat and your mat is your practice space. It's your sacred space.
00:40:15
Speaker
And it's the same for dancers. We go to the studio and it's our practice space. We leave everything outside and we focus on our movements.
00:40:26
Speaker
And also it's a regular practice that We do. But instead of seeing it like it's a mandatory thing that I have to do to stay in shape, I thought about what if I think that it's like yoga? What if I approach it like yoga and say, it's a time for me to tune into my body, just to wake everything up.
00:40:47
Speaker
It's a daily check in. It's a daily meditation to feel my body, to create space in my body. And that really made me feel so much more present and so much better in class.
00:41:03
Speaker
I was just thinking about this two days ago. It's so great that you said that. So I think in a lot of ways, ballet and yoga are similar in that disciplined approach. But instead of seeing it ah ballet class, like something that we have to do, and instead of making that a stress factor, we could see it as a time to tune in, a time to ground ourselves, to check in what I need today, what do I need to do, how is my body feeling, because every day is different and sometimes
00:41:37
Speaker
My glutes are sore. Sometimes my back is sore. Sometimes I need to do jumps. Sometimes I need to focus on my footwork. So I think awareness is the key in a lot of those things.
00:41:52
Speaker
And awareness in ballet class can be life-changing as well. I think that's so great for motivation, too, because it can get repetitive and you can get kind of like, oh, yeah, plies again.
00:42:04
Speaker
Or you can be like, oh, plies again. This is my
Aicha's Advice for Dancers
00:42:08
Speaker
home. This is where I feel so in tune with my body and how great I get to do this every day. And like you said, just noticing those little things.
00:42:17
Speaker
tuning in into what you need to focus on can make each day feel new and exciting instead of monotonous. Absolutely. Because otherwise i think we get stressed out and we get bored from doing the same thing.
00:42:30
Speaker
But if we approach it with a different mindset, it changes everything. So mindset is everything. Okay. Last question for you. If you had to give dancers pursuing a professional career, one piece of advice, what would you tell them?
00:42:45
Speaker
I would say ah path probably will not be what they expect, but we cannot control most of the things that happen. But how we react to certain situations change everything.
00:42:59
Speaker
So even if you don't get the contract and the first audition, even if you don't get the role, how we react to whatever happens to us can make a career or destroy a career.
00:43:12
Speaker
Whatever happens, still being self-compassionate, still believing in yourself, investing in yourself and trusting the journey. is one of the biggest lessons I've learned because there have been times that I was really disappointed about something about, you know, results about not being able to get into a company in Germany or all of that.
00:43:37
Speaker
But I realized that every rejection I got was for the better. It always ended up a lot better at the end. And even like two years after, i would always look back and say, thank God that didn't happen. Thank God I didn't get that role.
00:43:54
Speaker
Thank God I didn't get that part. So trusting that everything happens for a reason en trusting the journey is, I think, one of the biggest advice I could give any dancer at any stage.
Conclusion and Contact Information
00:44:07
Speaker
Even though we cannot control most of the things, we can control our reaction to it. So even a negative situation can become something useful and something beneficial.
00:44:21
Speaker
If any dancers listening want to learn more about you or about BodyCore, where can they go? They can check out bodycore.com or my Instagram page, Aicha Anil.
00:44:32
Speaker
Amazing. Thank you so much for this conversation, Aicha. I really enjoyed connecting with you. Thank you so much, Caitlin. Thank you for having me. Thank you for tuning into the Brainy Ballerina podcast.
00:44:44
Speaker
If you found this episode insightful, entertaining, or maybe a bit of both, I would so appreciate you taking a moment to leave a rating and hit subscribe. By subscribing, you'll never miss an episode.
00:44:55
Speaker
And you'll join our community of dancers passionate about building a smart and sustainable career in the dance industry. Plus, your reigns help others discover the show too. I'll be back with a new episode next week.
00:45:08
Speaker
In the meantime, be sure to follow along on Instagram at The Brainy Ballerina for your daily dose of dance career guidance.