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Hello beautiful,

Happy International Coaching Week! Made it back to Cologne and to classes, sessions, and celebrations this week though jetlagged and hope you are well.

Coaching the mental game of art involves a critical look a the messages you take in, whether it be self-talk, teachers, mentors, audience members or critics and reviews.

Creative people of all stripes will encounter many pieces of input and feedback along the way, from helpful concepts, tips, and tricks, to detailed commentary on one’s creative product, to harsh and even mean criticism.

Readers of my email newsletter will know that recently I shared a new workshop called “Fine Feedback: How to Give & Receive Constructive Criticism & Promote Dance in the Process” with a group of talented dancers & choreographers at West Hawai’i Dance Theatre. Content included practicing a host of powerful tools for distinguishing fact, interpretation, empowering & disempowering input about our creative work.

During the workshop, I shared examples like the ones I read off index cards in this week's video and on the blog, from fabulous to fraught, words of feedback I’ve heard and received in the context of dance technique, performance, choreography, and even publishing on YouTube:

​Read the Real Criticism – Fraught to Fabulous, Fine to Fugly Feedback Examples article here​

My other creations, recommendations, and questions for you are:

Viewing:

• In my new Fine Feedback Examples - Real Life Critique & Input - dance technique, performance, choreography video on YouTube I read cards I made for the workshop with real words I've been given, fabulous to fugly
• On a related note, Dance feedback you need to hear and Things more dancers should say out loud from Jessie Crouch
• ​This is a deep dive on Target statistics from a scientist on YouTube, but I found it relatable and absolutely fascinating
• Ela's got me into The Connors now as unwind-watching together and with 7 Seasons we have some sitcom left to enjoy
• Justine Leconte reviews the Met Gala 2025 outfits ​

Listening:

• Continuing to update my new playlist, Traveling Tunes, on YouTube and would still appreciate your suggestions for music while on the move, a great almost-summer end-of-school-year theme!
• Also cracking open my Balletlicious Summertime Dance playlist while also dipping into favorites from my
• ​Springtime Sensations Dance playlist
• "Escapade" by Janet Jackson played on the oldies radio in Kona and I was feeling it

Reading:

• Barreling through my next installment of the Flavia de Luce mysteries by Alan Bradley, #6, The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches​

Practicing:

• In honor of International Coaching Week, I created a new Coaching Toolkit YouTube Playlist featuring a growing variety of tools available for free to viewers and subscribers that you can immediately apply to your life! I also included relevant links in this week's blog
• ​Movement to resurrect your forgotten dreams from Aminah Jackson
• ​You should make art that is weird and bad from the Cozy Creative

Practicing Together LIVE / Adult Movement Classes this week:

• In-Studio Adult Beginner Ballet, 6-7:00pm CET Mondays, Tanzschule Tanzraum Nippes, Cologne, Germany creates a strong, body-friendly, and graceful foundation for dance (German) and will be led by a substitute teacher until I return to Cologne in May (in one week's time!)
• Online Yogalicious Gentle Yoga. 7-8:00pm CET Tuesdays (7-8:00am HI) provides a delicious mindful movement feast which balances strength, balance and coordination for mind, body, and spirit adaptable to all levels and conditions (English)
• Online Balletlicious Gentle Adaptive Ballet Barre+, 7:30-8:30am CET Wednesdays (Tuesday p.m. HI) consists of mostly barre with a little dancey centre work, building a strong, body-friendly, and graceful foundation for dance at home or anywhere in the world (English), moving to FRIDAYS in June

Inquiring:

• How do you distinguish fact from interpretation, empowering from disempowering critique?
• What is the most impactful feedback you have received?
• How to evaluate input to determine whether and how to apply it to your creative work?
• What is your commitment when it comes to creating and sharing work?
• How will you grow this season?

Gladly share your response to the questions above or provide other updates by replying to this email or on social media if you are active there.

Thank you for reading, for being, and for dancing with me, in spirit or in fact. Take care of yourself and keep moving mindfully!

Love, Blythe

Blythe Stephens, MFA, Bliss Catalyst
they/them or she/her
Creator of A Blythe Coach: dance through your difficulties
and take leaps of faith into a joyful, fulfilling life

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