Episode #322: Dancing for Joy and the Power to Heal with Amy Anderson

April 30, 2024
Cheryl Ilov

Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:00:51 — 55.7MB)

Amy Anderson is a Pilates Instructor, Certified Dance Medicine Specialist, founder and owner of Engage Movement Arts, and former professional ballet dancer, whose career took a dramatic turn when a devastating back injury left her unable to dance for two years. She was just 27 years old and at the peak of her career when she was told that her injury was career ending and that she would never be able to dance again.

Not only did Amy dance again, but she also created a 30 year-long career working in private practice rehabilitating injuries for both dancers and the general public, while also maintaining a professional dance career part time. She is currently working with clients, teaching adult ballet classes, and creating new works to share with the world.

Amy shares how she fell in love with ballet when she was just 3 years old after watching a performance of Swan Lake on PBS. From that moment on, she knew that she wanted to be a professional ballet dancer, starting her training when she was 9 years old. Her dream eventually came true when she was hired by a large professional ballet company in the Pacific Northwest.

Unfortunately, although Amy achieved her life’s dream, the pressure of dancing in such a large company was overwhelming. She felt like she was nothing more than a body in a costume instead of an artist. Not only did she feel like she was losing her identity, the obsessive, irrational, and constant focus on weight made her begin to worry about developing an eating disorder. She chose her health over her career, quit dancing, and walked away from her dream. Eventually, she came back to ballet, secured a position in a smaller local company with a supportive, nurturing atmosphere and no pressure. Until she was injured.

Amy shares many of the important life lessons and insights she gained from her injury and her subsequent journey of healing, which also led her to discover a new career path while also finding her path back to dance. She also shares the importance of listening to your body, finding the right path to healing that works for you, and how to pay attention to the signals that your body is sending you.

She also shares how (and why) she has embraced the power of aging well, and firmly believes that all of us can do anything we want to, at any age, and that there is always a path to healing.

Download this positive, inspirational, and engaging episode to hear Amy’s story, how to age well, dance for joy, and discover our own power to heal.