Backstage: What Being a Professional Ballerina Taught Me That Helped Me Earn a PhD

Backstage is a Ballet Science bonus series featuring short reflections on lessons learned as a professional ballerina, and how biomechanics and research later helped explain them. Quick insights at the intersection of studio experience and science.When people hear that I was a professional ballerina and later earned a PhD in biomechanics, they often assume those worlds couldn’t be more different. But the truth is, many of the skills that helped me succeed in academia were forged long before I ever stepped into a research lab.In this video, I share five powerful lessons ballet taught me... from discipline and feedback to patience, attention to detail, and resilience... and how those same skills translated directly into surviving and thriving in higher education.I’m Caroline Simpkins, a former professional ballerina with a PhD in biomechanics and the creator of Ballet Science, where I help bring science into the studio for dancers of all ages and abilities.Whether you’re a dancer considering an academic path, a performer transitioning careers, or someone navigating a nonlinear journey, this video is a reminder that your past experiences are not a liability... they’re an asset.Follow Ballet Science:⁠Website⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠X