Jewel From Jewel Ballerina and one of our cofounders Jasmine Snead had a lovely Instagram Live talking about self care, representation and feeing love for the body you were graced with.

Jewel Ellis is a dancer and a model. She is known as the ATL Flowerina, dancing in place of the flower girls at weddings for two years now. She started because of a love of dance. Jewel has been dancing from age three to seventeen. She started off going the traditional route and getting taught in a studio.

She did traditional shows like the Nutcracker and Swan Lake. She had a very rigorous routine, dancing from Monday to Saturday. She still wanted to dance but wanted to create her own lane and put less pressure on herself.

Jasmine and Jewel then began to talk about body image.  Jewel said that she felt bigger at her studio. She consistently saw a difference in the roles and costumes she was getting. She felt bigger even though she was a normal, healthy size. 

Now she realizes she was just a kid and she shouldn't have had to restrict herself like that. Restricting yourself is seen as common in the dance world. You can be so hard on yourself for not fitting in. 

Jewel is the perfect pigment to fit the Lily shade, linked here!

Jewel always had a vision for herself. She created her on classes in her basement for kids in the neighborhood. She had another dance coach, She even shouts her out, (Ms. Ellen) She took jazz modern classes. She saw dancers that didn't look typical. They weren't super petite or thin but they still danced really well. When you are in that space, you tend to think the skinnier you are, the better.

Jewel gave some great advice for older people looking to dance. She said its a form of expression and it is never too late. That is some good advice to follow for anyone. 

Jewel then said that performing at weddings are new for her. Performing at weddings has become one of her favorite things. It is because she gets to improv. She loves the practice of creating choreography, but its fun to freestyle at weddings.

A poignant point that Jewel ended on was that dancing has the ability to recharge her. She continues by saying its in the way she dances. It is meaningful for her and she guides her talent with style and grace.