The Chelsea Keefer Podcast

Ep 50 Nicolo Fonte A Journey

Nicolo is a powerhouse of that deep energy.... you know what I mean, the kind of energy that transcends through your entire being, At least for me.. :) I have had the privilege of working with Nicolo Fonte most of my career, we first met in 2012 my second season with the Tulsa Ballet. Nicolo choreographed a piece called Axis Mundi, where I was fortunate to be second cast in one of his consistent jaw dropping trios. As I transitioned back to my home state of Utah joining Ballet West Nicolo had been Resident Choreographer for about two seasons already and since then we have shared the many paths of life's journey together. In this episode we dive into Nicolo's path to becoming a dancer and choreographer. His time with Nacho Duato and the space he provided for his dancers to create. We talk about how one finds their niche, and when that stamp of approval from oneself is actualized. There are many more delicious moments within this episode including how recently Nicolo became an Iyengar Yoga instructor this past November and how that has personally provided for him and his community and of course more Nicolo bits of wisdom and how one can feel more satisfied within their journey of life. I hope you enjoy this episode. All my love, From your Sister Keefer

Ep 49 Bashaun Williams From Classical to Modern & Retirement into Fatherhood

Bashaun and I go back at least thirteen years, he was one of the first dancers to welcome me into Utah Ballet and made me feel like I had every right to be there. He made the rehearsal process a light-hearted experience where the time spent was more about the journey rather than the destination. After graduating from the University of Utah Bashaun quickly joined Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company and found himself spending hours on end outside of the studio playing catch up on how to move through the floor and let it feed into his movement when approaching modern dance. Bashaun was a member of Ririe-Woodbury for a decade and has smoothly transitioned into being a husband, father, and choreographer. It felt surreal to be podcasting in person again and to be sitting down with a dear friend I have had the privilege to see through his amazing journey as a renaissance man or a jack of all trades. Keep it going B. I hope this episode offers you some wisdom. Stayed connected with Bashaun through his Instagram - bwill4realz Bashaun Williams is a native to Lubbock, Texas. He started dancing at the age of 16 with Ballet Lubbock, under the Artistic Direction of Yvonne Racz-Key. While in high school, Bashaun was the only Sophomore to play Varsity basketball for Lubbock High. He went on to become the captain of the Varsity team during his Junior and Senior years. Bashaun excelled artistically and academically while at Lubbock High school, performing numerous roles in many of Ballet Lubbock’s professional productions, and received the top honor of being named All-Westerner Boy during his Senior year. Bashaun was offered a full academic and artistic merit scholarship to attend the University of Utah. At the University of Utah, Bashaun was a member of the resident performing company, Utah Ballet. During this time, he performed numerous Principle and Soloist roles while graduating with Honors in 2011. Upon graduation, Bashaun was offered a contract to join the Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company, where he danced for an entire decade! As a member of the company, he toured extensively throughout the United States, Africa, France, Japan, Mongolia & South Korea to perform and teach master classes. He has performed the works of many renowned choreographers such as Alwin Nikolais, Murray Louis, Stevan Novakovich, Edward Truitt, Val Caniparoli, Rick Tija, Johannes Weiland, Bill T. Jones, Adam Barruch, Charlotte Boye-Christensen, Doug Varone, Yin Yue, Raja Feather Kelly and Daniel Charon, among others. Not only did his passion for performing grow during this time, but also, his passion for teaching. Bashaun has had the privilege of teaching master classes at renown universities such as Georgia University, The University of Utah, Utah Valley University, Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University, Brenau University, & Loyola Marymount University, to name a few. He has also had the privilege of setting choreography and teaching creative movement classes in over 100 Utah schools!

Ep 48 Dr. Tony Kemmochi Sports Pyschologist

Tony Kemmochi a Sports Psychologist for Intermountain Healthcare has been working with Ballet West dancers and many other athletes whether professional or pre-professional on how to master our minds and perform at the caliber we have as athletes strived to achieve. Tony shares his journey through being an athlete in Japan to shifting his focus on how athletes can succeed at their dreams with the right approach and focus on mental health. The biggest takeaway I took from our conversation is how we are just at the tip of the iceberg when it comes to mental health within the Ballet Industry. Tony mentions how ballet dancers have a harder time shifting and flowing in and out of perspectives due to the controlled environment we experience on a daily basis compared to other athletes and how we need to begin creating new habits within our minds to be less like an ice cube and more like a flowing river. I really enjoyed getting to know Tony's story and I am looking forward to seeing the growth in all of us dancers as we prioritize our mental health. Thank you to Dr. Tony Kemmochi and to Intermountain Healthcare for taking care of us Ballet West Dancers! Book: Way of the Peaceful Warrior By Dan Millman Dr. Tony Kemmochi provides psychological services to professional and student athletes in the greater Salt Lake region. His treatment approach is based on Control Mastery Theory, an innovative theoretical orientation that combines Psychodynamic, Humanistic, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. As a bilingual immigrant, he is mindful of multicultural factors that impact our experience in the world. He has worked with highly diverse clientele in terms of nationality, culture, race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender identity, religion, spirituality, age, socioeconomic status, disability, etc. He obtained his doctoral degree from the American School of Professional Psychology in the San Francisco Bay Area where he received culturally rich training and first-hand experiences in one of the most diverse communities in the world. He also possesses 2 master's degrees: Clinical Psychology and Sport Psychology. Prior to becoming a psychologist, he worked in the field of sports medicine as a certified athletic trainer, providing medical treatments in a variety of settings such as hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, orthopedic clinics, division I intercollegiate athletics, USA Track & Field Championship, etc. As a clinical psychologist, he is well versed in the treatment of a wide variety of psychological struggles. He has worked with extremely severe psychiatric disorders in clinical settings, such as inpatient hospital units and neuropsychiatric programs. As a former athlete, an athletic trainer, and now a sport psychologist, he has deep appreciation for various challenges faced by athletes. He combines his clinical knowledge and sport psychology to provide comprehensive care, from emotional struggles to performance enhancements. While he incorporates evidence-based treatments, he recognizes the importance of practice-based evidence, especially when working with under-served populations, who have been overlooked by the mainstream research. Thank you, Tony Kemmochi, Psy.D. Licensed Clinical/Sport Psychologist The Orthopedic Specialty Hospital Tel: 801-314-2221 5770 S 250 E, Suite 475 Murray, UT 84107 https://intermountainhealthcare.org/locations/the-orthopedic-specialty-hospital [https://intermountainhealthcare.org/locations/the-orthopedic-specialty-hospital]

Ep 47 Sonja McCord How to Brand and Celebrate Yourself

Breaking down branding with Sonja McCord was a great refresher for me to sit down and reassess where I can align with my values and the reason why I want to continue to dance. Sonja provides a great starter kit of these questions to give each of us an opportunity to see what aligns with our personal brand, the artist we are aiming to present ourselves as, and how to be a more well-rounded individual who participates all aspects of life. . Take a moment and answer these questions. Why do I dance? Why is it so meaningful? What am I giving to the world through my creativity and artistry? What is the mission behind what I stand for? Once you have clarified what your personal brand is we are able to value our worth and feel more empowered behind what we deserve as a professional artists when it comes to contracts, jobs, and pay within our careers. As we trust in our self-worth and allow ourselves to experience the journey of the small steps leading up to the big steps we strengthen the belief in ourself and take the pressure off of what life looks like 3 years from now. Sonja was such a joy to have on the podcast and hearing her speak on each of us needing to celebrate one another more and to look at our careers as a gift rather than a burden was a great reminder for how lucky each of us are to move our bodies on a daily basis and experience our creativity to its fullest. I hope this episode offers you some wisdom. Sonja McCord is a Dancer, Choreographer, and Artistic Director/CEO of The Sonja McCord X. She trains professional dancers to amplify their artistic brand, build independent work, elevate their talent,and monetize their art; all while increasing their marketability and visibility in the industry. A Certified Master Marketer, Sonja has worked 15+years in agency marketing and has had opportunities to perform with Pittsburgh BalletTheatre, Nashville Ballet, Alvin Ailey AmericanDance Theater, and Dance Theatre of Harlem. A former Pointe Shoe Specialist with Capezio BalletMakers, Sonja has traveled internationally to educate, lead, and advise professional dancers,artistic directors, and dance businesses on branding,visibility, marketing, and artist development. She has been featured in online magazines such asDance Informa, About.Me, BET.com, The Grio, SoulPitt Magazine, and served as a judge for DanceQuest Canada. Instagram @thesonjamccordx Website: thesonjamccordx.com

Ep 46 Cory 3Wing Thorell The Cosmic Lesson

I had the privilege to share a conversation that touches not even the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the word trauma. Cory3Wing and I have known each other for decade or two as artists of the theatre. We have shared some very special moments on and off the stage together and it has been a beautiful journey learning and growing together as well as from the sidelines of one another. Cory reminds us of the Hero's Journey by Joseph Campbell and how the human journey is common between everyone of us and how duality is a constant part in our lives. The more we can step away from the problem solving mindset and sit in the groundlessness of our journey the more we are able to separate ourselves from our ancestral trauma and our own. As we dive deeper into our conversation we resonate with looking at life as an opportunity to choose the non reaction mindset and step away from the victimization experience. Cory3Wing shares his story of growing up with a single mother as a gay boy and how he leaned on the theatre to be his magical journey. He soon realized he hadn't done his dreamwork to step into his own authenticity to fully show up for his own joy and happiness and it caused many moments of wounding, but when he found his magic again the healing began and the community he surrounds himself with grew immensely when it comes to Creative Coaching. This episode holds so many gems of wisdom and I am truly grateful to have Cory3Wing in my life. Mentors/Teachers mentioned: Gabor Mate Angeles Arrien Creativity Coach, Life Producer, Circle Facilitator When you CAN'T SAY NO, you get to say HOW, which is saying YES. cory3wing Thorell is a Certified Magnetic Mind Method Creation Coach. With training in NLP, Neuroscience, Epigenitics, the Silva Ultramind, and the Circle Way, cory3wing works one on one, in private focus groups, teaches globally, and presents workshops and online events. For the last 35 years, Cory has been creating, designing, building and touring the world with large scale professional show business, making fantastical dreams into amazing stories. The same process of creating at a massive scale applies to ourselves. Creating is what we all do non stop with every breath we take, with every thought we feel. Everyone of us is already a master of creation, as we create what has our focus. Mindset and consciousness awareness is the key to the lock on your life. Making the switch from running away from what is uncomfortable to flowing toward what you want to create is that golden key. The LEARN~DO~TEACH model is the foundation of the human journey and sets the path for making lasting change in our lives.. Dreaming the Dream is the first step. How do you know what you want to create without a good place to begin? With a clear vision of what you want, a plan of action can be made. With a good dream, and a plan, setting your values in place at a high bar will keep you in alignment to actually move toward really creating. Staying in alignment with your creator energy and perspective, especially when your old beliefs and habits pop up, is key to your success. Understanding your resistance to your desires, and removing that resistance so you can flow toward your dream coming true is the work of the Magnetic Mind Method. Everyone needs a coach, for we can not see our own blind spots. To keep yourself in alignment with your values, to replay the dreaming of the dream, to remove resistance to that dream, and to manifest your true choices, work with a certified coach. Start creating a Life you Love to Live TODAY. www.corytimeCOACHING.com [http://www.corytimeCOACHING.com]