I will say a lot of dancers do such beautiful things for their body and then they smoke a cigarette. I've never been a smoker, but I realized after taking yoga . . . in ballet you're not encouraged to do a lot of breathing. I think in a weird way, a lot of dancers find relief in actually breathing.
Elizabeth Berkley
No one goes unscathed, we all go through things. We just can't let people's nasty words become our beliefs about ourselves, you know?
I typically enjoy a beautiful beach destination, as I find the water and sand to be the most replenishing.
No movie influenced me more to go after my dreams than 'Flashdance.' After seeing it, I took 15 dance lessons a week. I cut all my sweatshirts. I did the 'Maniac' thing.
I tell girls, 'If you're tall and feel too tall, the answer is to be taller.'
I noticed that no matter where I went in the country, there was this group of questions that got asked. I would track them and keep them in categories. Like body image, school, family, friendship, you name it, the emotional life of a teenage girl.
You have to be a little crazy to be a dancer.
Girls are so often pitted against each other as enemies or adversaries. We even see it in 'Us' magazine: Who wore it better?
Everyone just talks about the problems our teenage girls are facing and what they're dealing with. But there was, to me, a void in how they were being served or helped. I thought, 'Wow, I'd love to create something.'
My mission is to give girls the tools to be able to blossom into their best selves.
I get enough sleep. I take very good care of myself. Growing up as a dancer, you know your body so well, you know what to do to overcome something.
I don't think people have seen yet what I can really do. Only appetizers!
I'm no expert standing at a podium giving speeches. I share heartbeats. Compassion.
I will never forget experiencing Venice for the first time. It feels like you are transported to another time - the art, music, food and pure romance in the air is like no other place.
I had to work out where I was going, what type of films I wanted to make. For that reason, I decided to choose independent productions, less important roles, and I tried theater, too.
I had to make some drastic choices to avoid losing myself.
I was raised really, really healthy, pretty much vegetarian and a very clean lifestyle, I don't smoke, I don't drink. I'm more addicted to the things that make me feel good - endorphins after working out.
For me, as an actress, being a dancer has helped me. I've done it with my feet bloody.
I just love creating an environment where people can open up and say what's on their mind and in their heart.
No one can hand you anything as a dancer. You have to earn it.
There's some great women doing TV. I would love to do a Grey's Anatomy-type show. I'm a big fan.
One thing I've learned: My intentions are clear in terms of quality.
Having gone through so many of the personal things I've gone through, its about creating an (online) space for girls to be heard. I don't profess to have all the answers. But Ask Elizabeth is a space where girls are not alone.
We're not excusing the ones who are mean, but I want girls to understand the psychology. It's not in everyone. But the bully needs to put this pain somewhere.
'Showgirls' was a critical point in my life. I had my head handed to me. At 21 years old, I had to find my self-esteem again. It was a very hard time.
I needed to find my own worth and shake the image after having done 'Showgirls' at age 21.
I love to sing. Mostly about love and sex.
In singing, there's a vibration that comes from deep down inside, literally from your sex. When you put out that vibration, people can feel it. Billie Holiday does it. Peggy Lee does it. It's very hot.
I'd love to play a rock star in a movie, but for now, I'm not performing in public.
I think often times when people choose to be part of a charity; it's usually because something is very personal.
Ask Elizabeth is a community of voices, it's not me standing on a podium telling people how to run their lives, it's girls helping each other sharing their wisdom and advice and I create a space for them to do it.
Girls' inner critics are starting to reveal themselves at a younger and younger age. And body image issues are an aspect of their lives which is causing them low self esteem and day-to-day suffering.
One of my favorite tools is 'flip it.' 'Flip it' can become your new favorite mantra when you are having one of those mean thoughts. You can choose to flip it and change how you are feeling about yourself in that moment. This is helpful at any age.
