Even if you're having a snack, enjoying it in a beautiful teacup or on a lovely plate makes it feel like more of an event.
Mary Helen Bowers
An all-white space has a purity that is refreshing and serene.
Posture has such a big impact on the way people perceive you.
It's important to remember that life is hectic and unpredictable.
Even if it's snowing or raining, I'm always wearing sunscreen.
Most of the time, even if I'm at home in my sweatpants, I probably have a pair of slippers on.
For a ballerina, the center of balance is everything - creating a strong center of balance begins with building strong abdominal muscles.
I like to think that when you take care of yourself, when you do nice things for yourself, it has a nice ripple effect on the rest of the world.
Carrying a baby is such hard work, I've found that the stronger I am, the better I feel.
Nail polish is like the icing on the beauty cake.
When you're wearing pointe shoes, honestly, they hurt - a lot - every day.
Ballet can be hard on your joints, and when you're on a movie set doing take after take, it can become really repetitive.
I'll buy a special occasion dress even if I don't know when or where I'll wear it.
To look and feel your best, it's essential to work out, eat well, and make sure that you are also drinking plenty of water and getting enough sleep.
For a ballerina, the worst thing imaginable is big thighs.
Generally speaking, I love a workout that includes stretching and toning exercises for legs and core on the mat paired with ballet-inspired cardio and Barre exercises to get the heart rate up and take the results to the next level.
A few times a week, I'll put on La Roche-Posay's Active C Facial Moisturizer. That's probably my favorite cream. It clears up my skin a bit and provides more of an anti-wrinkle element.
A simple ballet wrap sweater heats the back muscles but is easy to put on or take off without disturbing a dancer's makeup or hair before a performance or during a workout.
A lot of fitness is about contractions - you're doing squats, or you're on a bike and your knees are bending but never stretching all the way, so your muscles get strengthened but look short and thick.
Rather than thinking about what not to eat, I like to focus on what I can eat to look and feel my best.
I'm very sensitive to salt. I always see and feel a big difference in my body when I eat it, so I try to consume salt in moderation.
A lot of fitness has that very masculine energy and drive, and that never worked for me. I want to be challenged. I don't want to be told that I'm terrible and that I suck and that I'm not good enough - that's not motivating.
Ballet targets smaller muscles that you don't often use - instead of working your quads, it works the inside and the back of your leg.
The muscles that are used in Ballet Beautiful are similar to those used in classic ballet. They're also muscles that don't get used very often, which is why it burns so much.
Ballet was just something that I always wanted to do.
I train a lot of celebrities, including a lot of women who work for Victoria's Secret as Angels.
I don't believe in depriving myself; it's an unhealthy state of mind.
On weekends, I do brunch at home: whole grain bagels, lox, avocado, eggs, and organic bacon.
For ballet dancers, style is about melding personal expression with physical form.
Working out should be empowering! It should make you look and feel strong, elegant, healthy - the best possible version of you.
When you work out a lot, it's so important to eat the right foods.
I launched Ballet Beautiful not long after finishing at Columbia and met Natalie Portman shortly after. We began training and preparing her for her role in 'Black Swan.' From there, I continued to build and expand the method itself along with the business, always looking for ways to share the workout with others around the world.
I love berries, greens, and salmon.
Mid-afternoon, I snack on Greek yogurt with nuts or a green juice from Juice Press.
I had the opportunity to train with Natalie Portman for 'Black Swan,' and the program we created was intense and involved a lot of travel.
I love nuts and popcorn with olive oil and sea salt.
I'm from North Carolina, so I am really picky about my fried chicken.
Generally, I snack on lots of fresh fruit and raw nuts, such as almonds.
I like to customize my tights by cutting them myself to create a stirrup or convert the look into a capri.
I've found the entire process of being pregnant to be such a miraculous, beautiful time.
You won't find me in a sports bra and low-slung leggings.
The image of a pregnant woman embracing her figure and really putting it out there can be scary to some people, but I don't let that stand in my way, and I don't think other women should either.
Ballet Beautiful is about finding balance and making fitness a part of your life in a happy, healthy, rewarding way where you get to feel pretty and look beautiful. It's not about beating yourself up in the gym and locking yourself in a dark room with blasting music.
Ballet Beautiful is a workout that transforms the body without overtaxing the system or joints.
I love white linens and walls mixed with antique Victorian furniture.
Because I dieted so much in the past, I just can't diet again. It's something I don't want to do and I don't even know if I am capable of. I think it's a much healthier and happier way to live.
Making fitness a priority will energize you, make you look and feel better, and help diffuse stress.
I don't let my wardrobe dictate my diet.
The idea for 'Ballet Baby' started when I was going through my own pregnancy.
With ballet, you're really focused on the inner thigh and butt and just lifting and lengthening everything, including your arms. You're not using weights, but holding up the weight of your own arms is a challenge.
