{"podcast":{"title":"The Brainy Ballerina Podcast","slug":"the-brainy-ballerina-podcast-6926194","podcast_index_feed_id":6926194,"rss_url":"https://feeds.zencastr.com/f/8eetcbDq.rss","website_url":"https://thebrainyballerina.com","image_url":"https://media.zencastr.com/image-files/65e9ecbdad8337c985a311c2/c74b191a-d40c-4b25-88b6-e1e09731b3b9.png","author":"thebrainyballerina@gmail.com","episode_count":114,"summary":"The Brainy Ballerina Podcast is a podcast for aspiring professional ballet dancers who want to learn what it really takes to build a smart and sustainable career in the dance industry. Former professional ballerina turned Dance Educator and Career Mentor Caitlin Sloan peels back the curtain of the professional dance world with open and honest conversations about the realities of becoming a professional dancer. Along with sharing her industry knowledge, Caitlin interviews top dancers, educators and experts in the dance industry who share their stories to inform, motivate and inspire you to pursue your dance career with confidence. Tune in each week for actionable tips and advice to empower you with the tools and knowledge you need to succeed in a professional dance career on your terms.","last_synced_at":"2026-06-29T18:18:01.511393+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-brainy-ballerina-podcast-6926194"},"episode":{"title":"103. The Reality of Raising a Professional Dancer with My Mom, Brenda Younker","slug":"103-the-reality-of-raising-a-professional-dancer-with-my-mom-brenda-younker","published_at":"2026-05-11T09:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-brainy-ballerina-podcast-6926194/103-the-reality-of-raising-a-professional-dancer-with-my-mom-brenda-younker","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-brainy-ballerina-podcast-6926194","url":"https://zencastr.com/z/XDlCGLFP","audio_url":"https://redirect.zencastr.com/r/episode/69fa4bb362c8277b87cb5679/size/84063789/audio-files/65e9ecbdad8337c985a311c2/240d77c3-a400-47b9-bfe2-42b30ef5d73b.mp3","summary":"In this episode of The Brainy Ballerina Podcast, I'm joined by my mom, Brenda Younker, for an honest conversation about what it's really like to raise a professional dancer. After hearing from so many parents who feel overwhelmed trying to navigate the ballet world, I decided to bring my mom on the pod to share her firsthand experience. We dive into everything, including the whirlwind of pre-professional training, summer intensives, injuries, college decisions, and ultimately building a professional dance career. From backstage memories and pointe shoe fittings to navigating casting disappointments and learning how to communicate through difficult decisions, this episode is filled with insight, humor, and heartfelt advice for dancers and parents alike. Key \"Pointes\" in this Episode * My late start in ballet at the age of 10 and how quickly my training accelerated * The emotional and logistical reality of navigating summer intensives and pre-professional opportunities * How parents learn the \"language\" of the ballet world alongside their dancers * The pressure of making career-defining decisions at a very young age * Choosing between college and a direct professional path * The importance of dancers developing identities outside of ballet * Advice for parents on supporting their dancer without overstepping * Why dancers need trusted adults and mentors outside of their parents Links and Resources: Brandllet: www.brandllet.com [http://www.brandllet.com/] 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","meta_description":"In this episode of The Brainy Ballerina Podcast, I'm joined by my mom, Brenda Younker, for an honest conversation about what it's really like to raise a p…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3502,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-brainy-ballerina-podcast-6926194/episodes/103-the-reality-of-raising-a-professional-dancer-with-my-mom-brenda-younker/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-brainy-ballerina-podcast-6926194/103-the-reality-of-raising-a-professional-dancer-with-my-mom-brenda-younker.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}