“My parents are dancers, so I literally grew up in the studio. Ballet kind of goes hand in hand with my identity—I have always been Chyrstyn the ballet dancer. I didn’t realize that until I had it taken away from me and I had to sit down and identify other things that I was interested in. Otherwise, what was I existing for? I think having the confidence of understanding a little bit more about what I want in life that’s not just ballet, or what I represent more than just being a ballet dancer or being a pretty mover on stage, was helpful.”
Chyrstyn Fentroy is a principal dancer at the Boston Ballet—a vocation that’s equal parts athletic and artistic. Dancing has been her passion since an early age, but when tendonitis in her ankles began worsening a few years ago, she found herself feeling like she was falling out of love.
As Chyrstyn explains in this week’s episode, she had to do something—and the pandemic gave her the perfect opportunity, an enforced break in which she could have surgery (which she did as soon as restrictions on elective procedures were lifted).
Recovering in a time of lockdown was challenging, especially when the nation erupted in racial protests (which hit home for Chyrstyn, who’s biracial). But with mental health support, patience, and cushy recovery footwear from Oofos—a brand she’s so passionate about, she approached them, and is now part of their OOcrew ambassador program—she found a deeper purpose to her art and a broader view of her future, and came back mentally and physically stronger.
Resources/links:
- Chyrstyn’s Instagram and her profile on the Boston Ballet website
- More of her story on the OOFOS website and in the New York Times
- More about OOFOS
Thank you so much to our sponsors for season 6:
- Fluid Running, which has revolutionized fitness by bringing running to the deep water
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- ADAM Rehabilitation, creators of the ADAM Brace System, the most stable exercise system built to save the health of your shoulders
Learn more and access exclusive discount codes for their products at buymeacoffee.com/rebound or by joining The Injured Athletes Club Facebook group.
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