Contributors

Kristen Gillettebiophoto

Editor

Just like many other little girls, I had a dream about being a ballerina and took ballet classes as a little girl but then I quit. About two years ago, I decided to take a ballet class randomly at Philly Dance Fitness after trying out one of their hip hop classes. To my surprise, I fell in love with ballet.

Rachel Hellwigphoto me 5

Contributor

Rachel Hellwig is dance writer and editor from Birmingham, AL. She is an assistant editor at 4dancers.org and contributor at DanceAdvantage.net. Her articles, interviews, and reviews have appeared on 4dancers, Dance Advantage, Ballet Shoes & Bobby Pins, Critical Dance, and artsBHAM. She enjoys taking ballet classes, reading about dance, watching dance videos, and attending live dance performances. She has a ballet-themed blog, Clara’s Coffee Break : http://clarascoffeebreak.wordpress.com/ .You can also follow her on Twitter @ivyalso

Helen MaoHelen_Cheng_3015265532

Contributor

Contributing to Adult Ballerina Project perfectly combines my loves of writing and ballet. Between ballet classes, I work in teacher recruitment for The New Teacher Project, as a standardized patient for medical school clinical training programs, and as freelance writer, editor and actor. Before marriage and kids, I wrote for science, math and performing arts education publications. I also taught high school and college English language and literature in the US and China. In addition to ballet, my hobbies include reading, knitting, tap dancing, watching movies and catching up with friends. For quick laughs (hopefully), please visit Only in Olney and read entries I wrote under the alias Daphne d’Olney for humorous observations of life in my small town.

Claire FarmerPurple

Contributor

Claire lives in London and is a dancer and dance teacher.  Claire trained from a young age in ballet and studied a BA (hons) Dance studies in London focusing on ballet and contemporary dance.  She is currently studying the MSc Dance Science at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London and is founder of Dance Longer, Dance Stronger, a website bringing together dancers and health practitioners.  Claire is passionate about ensuring dancers avoid injury and know how to look after their bodies in order to reach their optimal potential.  Claire would also love to make dance more accessible and encourage more people to let dance into their lives.

Joy Ann Wronajoy ann wrona ballet

Contributor
Joy Ann Wrona began ballet lessons in earnest in 2010 at 37 years old proving the old saying, you are never too old to chase your dream.  Joy has dancing in her very being. From Irish dancing as a child to swing dancing with her soon to be husband to hip hop and Zumba.  If there is music is on, she is moving to it some how.  Ballet has changed Joy’s life in so many wonderful ways and she was happy to pay it forward with her post here.  Dance on!

Lisa Blanchardpicme

Contributor

Born and raised in Chicago, I now reside in an adjacent suburb with my family of four.    My ballet journey has been short, but incredibly sweet and I’m having the best time sharing it with the on-line community.     Beyond ballet, my interests include nutrition, fitness, art and nature.

Bethany Keats20140428_203350

Contributor

Hailing from Geelong, Australia, Bethany began ballet when she was 25. With a long commute to work limiting her fitness options and sitting at a desk all day taking its toll on her posture, she turned to ballet and never looked back.

Ballet also provides a justification for her love of leg warmers. En pointe since 2014. Tweets @bethanykeats and blogs at BethanyKeats.WordPress.com

Grace OwenGrace Owen

Contributor

Grace is a dancer, blogger and filmmaker living in London. She fell in love with dance after starting ballet at 18, and has never looked back since. She takes classes regularly, mainly focusing on commercial jazz. She blogs about dance, as well as her London lifestyle adventures, at http://littleprincebilly.wordpress.com/.

__________________________________________________