Motherhood in the Wings

This week on Beyond the Pointe, we're joined by our friend Betsy Lucas, who is navigating one of the biggest transitions a dancer can experience: becoming a mother while continuing a professional ballet career.After welcoming her baby last year, Betsy has returned to the studio and the stage, discovering what it means to dance in a body, a life, and a world that have changed.We talk about motherhood, the physical and emotional journey back to ballet, identity, expectations, and the realities of balancing a demanding career with raising a little one.Because sometimes coming back isn't about returning to who you were. It's about discovering who you've become.Thanks for hanging out with us on Beyond the Pointe. If you loved this episode, share it, tag us, and tell us what you want to hear next @beyond_the_pointe_pod We’re two girls waiting in the wings — and we’re so glad you’re here. 

When we were growing up, we learned about the great ballerinas through library books, biographies, and grainy photographs. They seemed larger than life. We knew them for their artistry, their stage presence, and the magic they created onstage. We couldn't just open Instagram and see what they ate for breakfast.Today, dancers are building personal brands, becoming influencers, and sharing everything from rehearsals to their daily routines.But has all that access changed the way we see a ballerina? Has social media made ballet more accessible—or has it taken away some of the allure and mystery that made these artists so captivating?This week on Beyond the Pointe, we're looking at ballerinas then vs. now, talking about artistry, influence, and what it really means to be a star in ballet today.Have we lost a little of the magic, or are we simply experiencing it differently?Grab your coffee (or your pointe shoes) and join us for the conversation! Thanks for hanging out with us on Beyond the Pointe. If you loved this episode, share it, tag us, and tell us what you want to hear next @beyond_the_pointe_pod We’re two girls waiting in the wings — and we’re so glad you’re here. 

New season, new shoes, same old toe pain. We’re kicking off the ballet season with a little chit-chat about all the things that come with getting back into the studio—from aching toes and backstage snacks to the excitement, nerves, and fresh-start energy of a brand-new season.No big topic, just two former ballerinas catching up about life in and beyond the studio.Thanks for hanging out with us on Beyond the Pointe. If you loved this episode, share it, tag us, and tell us what you want to hear next @beyond_the_pointe_pod We’re two girls waiting in the wings — and we’re so glad you’re here. 

This week we talk about the difference between taking ballet class as a student versus as a professional. Does class change once dance becomes your career, or are we always students no matter how far we’ve come? We dive into growth, discipline, ego, curiosity, and what it really means to keep learning in an art form that never stops demanding more of you.Thanks for hanging out with us on Beyond the Pointe. If you loved this episode, share it, tag us, and tell us what you want to hear next @beyond_the_pointe_pod We’re two girls waiting in the wings — and we’re so glad you’re here. 

This week we sat down with Charlene Hannibal, who grew up dancing at the School of OBT. We talk about the beauty of dance as a community—but also the harsh reality of how quickly that belonging can disappear when a director decides you no longer “fit” the look.Charlene shares her experience navigating that loss and how it ultimately led her to create her own dance school—one built on strong training, support, and a commitment to nurturing young dancers as whole people, not just bodies on a stage.Thanks for hanging out with us on Beyond the Pointe. If you loved this episode, share it, tag us, and tell us what you want to hear next @beyond_the_pointe_pod We’re two girls waiting in the wings — and we’re so glad you’re here. 

The people pleaser.The perfectionist.The “mean girl.”This week, we break down the personalities we developed just to survive intense training, tough coaching and growing up in the 90s—and how those same traits show up in our adult lives.What once helped us succeed… might now be holding us back.If you grew up in a high-pressure environment, this one’s for you.Thanks for hanging out with us on Beyond the Pointe. If you loved this episode, share it, tag us, and tell us what you want to hear next @beyond_the_pointe_pod We’re two girls waiting in the wings — and we’re so glad you’re here. 

It’s just us this week, your two gals in the wings.After two weeks of having our best friends on, we’re back to a casual catch-up—just chatting about life, dance, and everything in between. We get into some very real (and slightly embarrassing) stories about falling on stage, and talk honestly about how weird it is trying to figure out what’s next after retirement.No big plan, no perfect answers—just us figuring it out as we go.Thanks for hanging out with us on Beyond the Pointe. If you loved this episode, share it, tag us, and tell us what you want to hear next @beyond_the_pointe_pod We’re two girls waiting in the wings — and we’re so glad you’re here. 

This week we’re joined by Amy’s best friend, Sallie—someone who’s been there since the beginning. From growing up together in New Hampshire to living side by side in New York, their shared history makes this conversation feel like home.Sallie started in ballet, but her path didn’t stay inside the traditional lines. She took that training and carried it into completely different spaces—from hip hop to cheering for the New England Patriots—proving that what we learn in the studio doesn’t just belong on stage.We talk about how discipline, musicality, body awareness, and resilience don’t disappear when you leave ballet—they evolve. They travel with you. And sometimes, they lead you exactly where you didn’t expect to go.A conversation about friendship, reinvention, and all the ways our training shapes the lives we build beyond it.Thanks for hanging out with us on Beyond the Pointe. If you loved this episode, share it, tag us, and tell us what you want to hear next @beyond_the_pointe_pod We’re two girls waiting in the wings — and we’re so glad you’re here. 

This week we’re talking with Sarah’s infamous longtime friend Jessica.We get into body image and how early those messages start, and how you learn to read yourself through other people’s eyes. Jessica talks about navigating injuries and losing her mom while still trying to keep going. We also dive into what it felt like being one of the few Black dancers in the room, and what it could look like to open the doors to more, all while growing up with parents who were also professional dancers.It’s about identity, where inclusion still has limits, and the kind of friendships that last through all of it.Thanks for hanging out with us on Beyond the Pointe. If you loved this episode, share it, tag us, and tell us what you want to hear next @beyond_the_pointe_pod We’re two girls waiting in the wings — and we’re so glad you’re here. 

This week we’re talking about Amy running her half marathon and why it meant more than just crossing the finish line.We get into what it feels like to train for something after ballet, when no one’s watching, no director’s giving notes, and the applause is replaced by early mornings and quiet miles. And how seeing friends on the sidelines — holding signs, cheering, just showing up, can hit deeper than any standing ovation ever did.It’s about endurance, identity after dance, and redefining what support looks like when the stage is gone but the drive is still there. Thanks for hanging out with us on Beyond the Pointe. If you loved this episode, share it, tag us, and tell us what you want to hear next @beyond_the_pointe_pod We’re two girls waiting in the wings — and we’re so glad you’re here.