108. How the Pandemic Unexpectedly Launched Kendall Lademann's Dance Career

In this episode of The Brainy Ballerina Podcast, I'm joined by professional dancer (and one of my former students!) Kendall Lademann for a full-circle conversation on the unexpected twists and turns that have shaped her dance career. We dive into Kendall's transition from student to professional at Mareck Dance, including what it was like dancing alongside former teachers and how that environment helped her grow as both an artist and an adult. We also talk about how Kendall moved forward with her dance career after Mareck Dance unexpectedly folded, finding new opportunities at Lexington Ballet. Kendall is a true testament to the fact that dance careers never travel in a straight line. She shares so much thoughtful advice for aspiring professional dancers about taking risks, handling rejection, and treating people with kindness in the small world of dance. Key "Pointes" in this Episode: * How the teachers, choreographers and directors Kendall has worked with have grown her into the artist she is today * How the pandemic unexpectedly launched her professional dance career * Going from dancing as a student in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" to dancing the title role * Navigating the sudden closure of Mareck Dance and finding a new path * Moving away from home and starting fresh with Lexington Ballet * Unique performance experiences including dancing in a distillery, performing in a music video, and starring as Charlie Chaplin in "A Charlie Chaplin Christmas" with Lexington Ballet * Kendall's passion for adaptive dance through Danceability and why teaching became one of the most meaningful parts of her career Connect with Kendall INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/kendall_lademann [http://instagram.com/kendall_lademann] Links & Resources: SHOP MSeam Apparel: https://mseamapparel.com/ (use code BRAINY25 at checkout for 25% off all items) SHOP ORZA: www.orzabrand.com [http://www.orzabrand.com/] (use code BRAINYBALLERINA for 10% off) Let's connect! My WEBSITE: thebrainyballerina.com [http://thebrainyballerina.com/] INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrainyballerina [http://instagram.com/thebrainyballerina] Questions/comments? Email me at caitlin@thebrainyballerina.com