From Pirouettes to Presentations:The Dance that Changed Everything

In 2015, I traded sweatpants for dress pants and stepped from the studio into the boardroom.

I went from choreographer and dance educator to speaker trainer—from the arts to the business world.

It was thrilling. It was terrifying.

But, I thought:

If they know I'm a dancer, they won't take me seriously. 

So, I tried to blend in. I bought the blazer, built the “right” website, and spoke with a voice that wasn’t mine.

Spoiler alert: it didn’t work.

Two years in, I felt drained. Like I had full-time COVID before that was even a thing.

The dancer in me was never the problem. She was the power.

Embodiment, expression, story, rhythm, presence… That’s the language of dancers. That’s the language of leadership.
 

TALK TIP
Choreograph Your Message

1. Own Your Origin Story
   Your background isn’t baggage—it’s brilliance.
   Ask yourself: What part of my journey shaped how I see the world? That’s where your message begins.

2. Don’t Perform—Embody
   Great talks aren’t acts. They’re expressions.
   When you feel like you’re “playing a part,” pause and ask: Am I aligned or just meeting expectations?

3. Structure Like a Choreographer
   Opening: Set the tone
   Middle: Build the movement
   End: Land the impact
   Let your talk unfold with rhythm, intention, and emotion.

4. Let Your Body Speak
   Posture, stillness, breath—these are part of your message.
   Practice standing. Let your body support your words. A grounded speaker is a magnetic one.

So here’s to weaving it all back in.
To no longer separating the art from the audience.
To being all of who we are, on stage and off.

Here’s to the next dance.

—Barrie