After Class: The Adult Ballet Podcast

If you have hyperextended knees, you've probably spent a lot of time in class feeling like your body is working against you. You get corrections like "straighten your legs" and no matter how hard you try, nothing seems to change. Closing in fifth without bending your knees feels impossible, your standing leg feels unstable, and nobody has ever actually explained why.
In this episode, I'm joined by Shane Wuerthner, a former professional ballet dancer, who is now a ballet coach and the founder of Athletistry. And as someone with significant hypermobility in his own knees, Shane is not just talking theory here... He's lived it!
We cover:
What's actually happening in your body when you have hypermobile knees
The proprioception piece, and why you might not be able to feel when your leg is actually straight
Closing in fifth position: what's realistic, what's not, and how to find your version of it
Stability in your standing leg and what your foot connection has to do with it
Why cues like "pull up" and "engage your quads" often don't translate for hypermobile dancers
How to work with your hypermobility and maintain a healthy mindset!
If you've ever felt frustrated or discouraged by your hypermobility, this episode is for you.
CONNECT WITH SHANE👇🏼
Instagram: @athletistry
YouTube: @athletistryofficial
Website: www.athletistry.au
Workshops: www.athletistry.au/workshops
EPISODE SPONSOR ✨
ORZA - Ballet Slippers
Designed by a professional dancer, ORZA slippers feature patented shock-absorbing technology to help reduce fatigue, improve stamina, and prevent injuries. Shop at orzabrand.com | Use code AFTERCLASS5 for $5 off your order!
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

For a lot of adult dancers, a professional photoshoot feels exciting and overwhelming in equal measure. You want beautiful images that capture how far you've come. But knowing how to actually prepare and show up confidently in front of the camera? That part can feel pretty daunting.
I sat down with professional dance photographer Katie Ging, who has photographed dancers of every level and has a real gift for making everyone look and feel their absolute best. We talk about how to choose the right photographer, what to wear (including whether you need to be flexible to get good photos — spoiler: you don't), and how to prep your body and mind before your shoot.
We also get into the most common posing mistakes and how to work around them, why arabesques are basically everyone's nemesis on camera, the simple poses that photograph beautifully every time, and how to keep your facial expression relaxed and natural even when you're thinking about 25 different things (i.e. turnout more, pointe your feet, relax your shoulders, engage your core, lift your elbows, soften your hands, and oh yeah.... SMILE!) 😆
But fear not, whether you're getting your photos taken at a retreat or booking your own session, this conversation will leave you feeling prepared and ready to shine! 📸
👇🏼 CONNECT WITH KATIE:
Website: www.katiegingphotography.com
Instagram: @katiegingphotography
✨ EPISODE SPONSOR:
Frenchies Hairpins
The official brand for ballerinas who love a good hair moment! Shop premium hairpins and new luxury scrunchies in real silk and luxurious velvet.
https://frenchieshairpins.com | Code AFTERCLASS10 for 10% off!
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

You know it when you see it. That effortless, magnetic quality professional dancers have, the way their bodies seem to cut through space with clarity and length. But do you know what you're actually looking at?

In this episode, we're back with Chelsea Weidmann, aka The Geeky Ballerina, as part of our ongoing series unpacking the elements of artistry as she identified and explored them in her thesis on artistry in ballet. Today's topic: LINE. One of the most foundational and most misunderstood elements of all.

In this episode we cover:
- What line actually is (and what it's NOT)
- The different categories of line in ballet
- How your body's planes of action inform and improve your technique
- How to shape the lines between your movements
- How to create the illusion of length like a professional
- How to start training your lines no matter your current level

If you've ever watched yourself in the mirror and known something was off but couldn't name it, this episode will give you the tools to find your best lines and start enhancing your artistry. ☺️

CONNECT WITH CHELSEA 👇🏼
Website: www.geekyballerina.com
Artistry Inside Ballet Technique, Vol 1 (Amazon affiliate link)

EPISODE SPONSOR ✨
ORZA - Ballet Slippers
Designed by a professional dancer, ORZA slippers feature patented shock-absorbing technology to help reduce fatigue, improve stamina, and prevent injuries. Shop at orzabrand.com | Use code AFTERCLASS5 for $5 off your order!
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've ever walked into a dance store and been completely overwhelmed (Canvas or leather? Split sole or full sole? What size? What width? Ahhhh!!) fret no more! This episode is for you.☺️

In this episode, I'm diving deep into everything you need to know about buying ballet slippers as an adult dancer. Whether you're brand new or you've been dancing for years and still haven't found your perfect shoe, this one covers it all. 

In this episode:
- Canvas vs. leather: the key differences and when each makes sense
- Split sole vs. full sole: what teachers recommend and why it matters for your level
- How to choose the right color for a long leg line
- The truth about ballet slipper sizing (hint: it is NOT your street shoe size)
- How to determine your width and what to look for in a proper fit
- Recommendations by foot type: narrow, wide, high arch, flat feet, etc.
- My personal favorites!
👟 BRANDS MENTIONED + LINKS:
So Dança Bliss
Capezio Hanami
Bloch Performa
Gaynor Minden Liberty
ORZA Pro 2.0 | Use code AFTERCLASS5 for $5 off your order!
*A note on ORZA: This episode was created before Orza became a sponsor. My recommendation of the Pro 2.0 is entirely my own. I loved them so much that I reached out to ask if they'd like to partner with the show. The discount code is a perk that came after — the obsession came first. 😄

✨ EPISODE SPONSOR:
Frenchies Hairpins
The official brand for ballerinas who love a good hair moment! Shop premium hairpins and new luxury scrunchies in real silk and luxurious velvet.
https://frenchieshairpins.com | Code AFTERCLASS10 for 10% off!
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

What does it take to bring ballet to a place where it doesn't exist yet? Today's guest, Lauren, found herself living in Islamabad, Pakistan — a city of over a million people with no ballet studio — and decided to build one herself.
In this episode, Lauren shares how a love story brought her from Fargo, North Dakota to the capital of Pakistan, and how her lifelong connection to ballet eventually led her to found the Islamabad School of Ballet. We talk about how she got started teaching out of a converted storage room, the seminar she put together to introduce ballet to an unfamiliar audience (and the overwhelming response she didn't expect), the logistical challenges of building a school without the infrastructure most of us take for granted, and how she navigated it all with creativity, persistence, and a willingness to start imperfectly.
We also talk about her school's very first performance — a 30-minute adaptation of Swan Lake — the moment her students stepped onstage, and the way ballet is transforming confidence in dancers who are discovering it for the very first time.
In this episode, we cover:
Her non-linear ballet journey: from childhood classes in North Dakota to returning as an adult
The spark that led her to start the Islamabad School of Ballet
How she introduced ballet in a community where it doesn't really exist
The logistical challenges of building a studio without existing infrastructure
How word of mouth and Instagram grew the school to 45–50 students in less than a year!
The school's first performance: a 30-minute adaptation of Swan Lake
How ballet is impacting students who are discovering it for the first time
How she adapted classical ballets to suit her students
What she would tell anyone who wants to start something new but is held back by imposter syndrome
How she's giving back through monthly donations to children's organizations in Pakistan
👉🏼 Connect with Lauren: @islamabadschoolofballet
✨ This Episode is Sponsored By:
ORZA - Ballet Slippers 
Designed by a professional dancer, ORZA slippers feature patented shock-absorbing technology to help reduce fatigue, improve stamina, and prevent injuries. 
Shop at orzabrand.com 
Use code AFTERCLASS5 for $5 off your order!
 
LABL Active
Hosts of the 2026 Adult Ballet Retreat. Come dance with us in Seattle from June 21–26! 
Learn more here: lablactive.com 
Use code AFTERCLASS100 for $100 off your registration! 
**The deadline to register is April 15th.
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