Sarah- Ryerson dance major:
I really enjoyed the training provided by Monika at the DTP. She took the time to evaluate my strengths and weaknesses and developed exercises that would allow me to correct the muscular imbalances while increasing overall strength. Monika is a thorough, fun and professional trainer. I highly recommend her services to anyone!
Morgan- Ryerson dance major:
I learned so much with Monika these past three weeks [during the winter training program]. It was amazing to see how simple exercises, like lunges, can really work your core and other muscles. I improved a lot in such little time that I’m excited to being these new concepts back to class.
Renee-Claude – York dance major:
Working with Monika this summer was an extremely rewarding experience! I was afraid that by taking a break from dance class over the summer and only training at the gym would leave me at a hang point for my dance technique, but I found the opposite to be true.Now that I am back in dance class I feel stronger, more in control of my muscles, and more aware of my body.
Monika was amazing to work with, very professional, and knowledgeable. Her training style if perfect for dancers as well as anyone else looking to be more active at the gym, she also never ceased to create a safe and enjoyable environment at every session.
The Dance Training Project was the perfect training program I was looking for and I would now recommend any dancer to go train at the gym with the foundations and exercises that Monika has developed.
Samantha – Ryerson dance major:
I had such an amazing experience this past summer with Monika and The Dance Training Project. Through a combination of yoga and weight training I FINALLY began to feel what it meant to stand in proper alignment. I had been told for years to pull my shoulders down and “hold my core,” but no one ever told me how. I would forcibly pull my shoulders down and try to stand up straighter, but all that did for me was put more tension in my upper body while incorrectly stacking my torso. After working with Monika, it felt so empowering to understand what I had been told for years and years to fix. I could feel muscles working that I didn’t even know were there.
Training sessions would start off with some cardio work and yoga to warm up, and then we would progress to weights and lifting some heavy stuff (which always feels really badass). It was always hard work but never unbearable. Monika gave me lots of positive reinforcement and was always related the exercises back to dance and explained how they were important for me. She would explain to me how the muscles worked in an anatomically correct way, and if that didn’t work she would demonstrate until I got the idea. Then after all the hard work, she would do some Thai Yoga Massage stretching with me to alleviate any soreness, which was always awesome!
When I started to notice a change in my dancing, I was thrilled. I was finally on my leg, turning better, balancing better, jumping better, basically just better! Now when I am in class, I feel strong, centered, and more confident in myself. I am also able to translate my corrections into my body better because I understand how everything works. I believe the biggest gap in my training, and probably dance training in general, is that teachers never explain the how or why. Yes, I’ve been told to hold my posture, but now I know how to do it and why it is important.
Monika fills the gap in dance training in a fun and positive environment, and makes you feel smarter about your body. I am so grateful for the time I spent with her this past summer, and I will definitely continue my training with her so my improvements.
Kunal – Ryerson dance major:
As a dancer, working with Monika at the Dance Training Project will definitely benefit you, and in ways you don’t initially realize. In dance we don’t generally focus much on cross-training, and this is a problem because your body ends up imbalanced. Strength training with Monika allows you to feel new muscles, and new ways of moving.
