The Teaching Smarter Lab
Integrating strength, science, and seasonal structure into ballet education.
Your dancers are working hard. The question is whether the way you're training them is actually working or just repeating what was done to you. This Lab gives you the science to know the difference, and the framework to do something about it.
Payment plans available
This is for you if...
-
You've watched dancers get injured doing the same things every year and want to understand why & how to stop it
-
You know ballet training alone isn't enough to build the bodies your dancers need, but you don't know where to start
-
You're walking into Nutcracker season with no structured plan and hoping everyone holds together
-
You want to understand the science behind what you're already teaching — not just do it because tradition says so
-
You're ready to train dancers smarter, not just harder
Most ballet educators were trained in a system that treated the body as an instrument to be pushed & if it broke, that was the dancer's problem. We inherited that system, and most of us are still running it.
​
But you've probably already started to notice the cracks. The injuries that keep coming back. The Nutcracker season that leaves your dancers depleted instead of strong. The feeling that you're asking a lot of their bodies without really understanding what you're asking.
​
This Lab exists to close that gap. Not by turning you into a physical therapist or a strength coach, but by giving you the scientific literacy to train your dancers with intention, design a season that builds toward performance instead of burning out before it, and make decisions grounded in evidence rather than habit.
Your instructors
Four modules. Six weeks of live support. Built to change how you understand & train the body in your studio.
01
02
03
04
Why Different Movement Matters
Most of what traditional ballet training asks of the body was designed before sport science existed. This module builds the scientific foundation you need to evaluate those traditions & know which ones to keep. You'll learn functional anatomy, how muscles actually contract and fatigue, how common ballet injuries develop from imbalances and overuse, and how to start reading a dancer's body through a science-informed lens. You won't look at a tendu the same way after this.
The Simplified Funnel
This is the framework that makes everything else manageable. The Funnel gives you a practical system for integrating strength & conditioning into a dancer's weekly schedule alongside ballet classes without overtraining them, without guessing, and without needing a sports science degree to do it. You'll learn how to match conditioning work to the specific demands of different class types, structure recovery intentionally, and build a weekly training engine that actually supports what you're doing in the studio.
The Nutcracker Case Study
Every ballet educator knows what Nutcracker season does to dancers. This module uses it as a real-world case study in periodization — the science of structuring training over time to build toward a performance peak without burning out before you get there. You'll analyze the physical demands of the season, develop training plans that adjust intensity and volume across pre-season, performance, and recovery periods, and walk away with a seasonal planning model you can apply to any performance cycle, not just Nutcracker.
From Concept to Classroom
The final module is where everything becomes yours. You'll evaluate your existing curriculum through a dance science lens, identify where traditional training is creating risk or leaving performance on the table, and build a personalized action plan for integrating smarter training into your specific teaching context. You won't leave with a generic framework. You'll leave with a plan built for your studio, your dancers, and your season.
WHAT YOU'LL WALK AWAY WITH
By the end of the Teaching Smarter Lab, you'll have:
-
A working understanding of functional anatomy and muscle physiology applied directly to ballet
-
The Funnel Framework — a practical system for weekly strength and conditioning planning
-
A seasonal training model built around performance peaks, recovery, and injury prevention
-
A curriculum audit that identifies where your current training is working and where it isn't
-
A personalized action plan for implementing smarter training in your own studio
-
The scientific literacy to make training decisions based on evidence, not just tradition
HOW IT WORKS
Program Details
Format
Duration
Instructors
Self-paced modules with weekly live Friday check-ins
6 weeks — June 15 through July 24, 2026
Austin Crumley + Delaney Mena, NASM-certified dance specialist
Access
Immediately at the start of STL, yours to keep forever
Live calls
Weekly live check-ins every Friday · 6 total over 6 weeks
Weeks 1–3: Austin-led synthesis and application
Weeks 4–6: Delaney Mena joins as guest expert
Community
Full community access with discussion boards throughout the program
Mastery Sessions
Access to live expert sessions (+ replay) included for all participants
FAQs
I'm not a scientist or a trainer, is this too technical for me?
No, and that assumption is exactly what this Lab is designed to dismantle. You don't need a science background. You need to be curious about your dancers' bodies and willing to look at your training through a new lens. The science in this Lab is taught in plain language, applied directly to ballet movements you already know, and designed to make you more confident in the studio, not overwhelmed.
How is this different from a personal training certification?
This Lab isn't about certifying you as a strength coach. It's about giving you the dance science literacy to make smarter decisions as a ballet educator → how to structure your week, how to plan your season, and how to understand what traditional training is and isn't doing for your dancers' bodies. It's specifically designed for the ballet studio context, not the gym.
How much time will this take each week?
The Lab is self-paced, so you set the rhythm. Each lesson is designed to be around 20 minutes maximum. Most participants move through one module over 1-2 weeks alongside the live synthesis calls. Plan for roughly 2–3 hours per week, though many educators find themselves going deeper because the material connects directly to what they're already thinking about.
What if I can't make the weekly live check-ins?
All check-ins are recorded and available within 24 hours. The calls are designed for application and accountability, bringing real questions about your training context into the room. Showing up live gets you the most value, but the recordings keep you moving if your schedule doesn't allow it.
Is this relevant if my studio doesn't do Nutcracker?
Yes. The Nutcracker case study in Module 3 is a teaching model for periodization → how to structure training across any performance season. Whether you're preparing for a spring showcase, a competition season, or an end-of-year performance, the principles are the same. Nutcracker is the example, not the requirement.
INVESTMENT
$499
Payment plans available at checkout
Your dancers' bodies are absorbing everything you ask of them — every class, every rehearsal, every season. This Lab gives you the tools to make sure what you're asking is worth it. One summer to train smarter for every season after it.
Have a discount code? Apply it at checkout.
got a question?
Send an email to info@balletreeducation.com & we'll get back to you within 24 hours!