We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Katrena Cohea a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Katrena, appreciate you joining us today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

My body felt like lead as I dragged it, and my huge tote back across the BART parking lot. The perpetually bright California sun shone down on me, and while normally, I’d appreciate the warmth, today it felt oppressive. I stopped my trek from the station to my car to seemingly shift my bag from one shoulder to the other, but more so because I was exhausted and needed a minute to breathe. In my professional dance career, I’d decided it was a good idea to go from classes and rehearsals in San Francisco, back to the East Bay for another 4+ hours of classes and rehearsals. This meant a car ride, a subway ride, walking 10 blocks, 2-5 hours of dancing, then reversing my commute, only to get back into my car for another drive, a short break for food, then another 4 hours of dancing before getting in my car one final time to drive home. Then do it all over again in the morning.
This had been my routine for a few years now, but my body and mind were starting to rebel. I’d been dancing since I was six; I knew it was hard work, and it was work I loved. But I wasn’t prepared for this level of pressure to always be on the go, always improve myself, and never appear to need a break. Dance is what had always made me feel free. I never expected my love of it, and drive to “make it” to weigh me down like this.
I stood under that bright sun, with my bag of honor stuffed full of things that I thought proved my dedication and worth. I stood there and wanted to dissolve into a pile, right there on the sidewalk, and sleep for days. I wanted to ignore the pressures and expectations, and I thought to myself, “I can’t do this anymore. I can’t keep this up.” Having always thought words like that meant failure, I knew that admitting them to myself meant that I really was done. It was a defining moment for my dance career, and for what would set me on the path to helping other dancers prioritize their health and wellbeing.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Katrena Cohea, and I’m the founder and CEO of Different Drummer Dance, a studio and online education platform that’s dedicated to integrating dancer wellness with dance technique.

I grew up in California, started dancing when I was six, and soon after began studying the Royal Academy of Dance syllabus, completing their student exams, and later, as an adult, I completed the RAD’s Certificate in Ballet Teaching Studies. I danced with the San Francisco Conservatory of Dance and professionally with the flamenco group, Brisas de Espana. After dancing professionally, I went back to school and graduated from Cal State University East Bay, with a degree in dance. I turned to teaching dance professionally in my 20’s, and have taught for over 15 years at private and public dance schools and programs.

As a former professional dancer, I desperately needed wellness tools on body positivity, growth mindset, and mental health. If I had had knowledge and resources on these topics as a young dancer, my career would have been totally different: longer, healthier, and way, way happier.

Once I began teaching professionally, I saw even more clearly how much my students also needed these skills. I was tired of seeing dancers be obsessed with body image and restrictive eating. Tired of seeing students plagued by self doubt, comparison and self hatred. Over the burnout, constant injuries and toxic language, habits and traditions.
So I decided to start creating the resources I had needed as a young dancer and teacher. I host in person and online dancer wellness courses, memberships, and workshops on topics such as body image resilience, mindset, and emotional wellness. I’m passionate about raising a new generation of dancers, and dance teachers who are well versed and educated in mental and emotional wellness, so they can by educating have healthy, happy, and sustainable dance lives.

I currently live in upstate New York with my husband, where we co-own a small business together. I’ll always be a California girl, but I love hiking the Adirondacks and re-creating every possible bake from the Great British Baking Show in my spare time.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

There’s so much to unlearn as a modern day dance professional. Dance culture (specifically ballet culture) has always put the dance, or the art, before the dancer or artist. Dance is rife with traditions and practices that promote unhealthy and harmful behavior in dancers. From restrictive eating to body shaming to perfectionism and power hierarchies, the dance industry has a lot of work to do to make things more inclusive, just, and kind.

So many dance practices and traditions are handed down from generation to generation, and there’s rarely any disruption of these practices. It’s not often that they’re brought into question; ideas, expectations and practices usually fall into the category of “that’s just the way it’s done”, which is not only counterintuitive to growth and creativity, but potentially harmful to the individuals in the industry.

I had to unlearn a lot of values dance instilled in me, and adjust them to not be so radical, in order to make dance fit into my life, rather than continually cutting myself down or changing myself so I could fit into dance.

If you could go back in time, do you think you would have chosen a different profession or specialty?

I wouldn’t change anything about my dance education or career. I had fantastic teachers and mentors who helped shape me to become the person, and professional I am today. I’d still choose dance over and over, because I truly believe that the work I’m doing to make dance a happier and healthier experience for future generations, and make it accessible to everyone, is work that needs to be done, and is work that the world needs right now.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.differentdrummerdance.com
• Instagram: @diffdrumdance
• Facebook: @diffdrumdance
• Youtube: @diffdrumdance
• Other: https://different-drummer-dance.teachable.com/

Image Credits
Justine Fernandez Elizabeth Preovolos Katrena Cohea School of the Arts at the National Museum of Dance