Meet Veronica Kotulak of Online – Ohio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Veronica Kotulak

Hi Veronica, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
When I was a young dancer, I wanted nothing more than to look like the perfect ballerina. Unfortunately, I was born with flat feet, knocked knees, and a lack of turnout at the hips. Throughout my pre=professional and professional career, I did things like force my feet into foot stretchers, perform dangerous stretches, and push myself to the limits until I would become injured. I just wanted so badly to belong as a ballet dancer. To my disappointment, I never did make a career as a professional ballet dancer but, danced professionally with Carnival Cruise Lines and other local Ohio small jazz and contemporary dance companies. It was one night on after 3 shows on Carnival I had my throbbing feet in an ice bucket and thought- this is because of the torture I put myself through trying to have the perfect ballet feet. This is so messed up and other people have had to deal with this too, right? So, I went back to school for my AAS in physical therapy. Was fortuante enough to experience a variety of settings clinically from hospital acute care to sports medicine which was highly applicable to the world of dance. After 3 years of working as a physical therapist assistant, I decided I wasn’t happy and missed my dancers. It was then I embarked on the journey of opening the Veronica K Platform and creating my Veronica K Method™ of training dancers on injury prevention and corrective exercises to improve technique. Now, I train dancers internationally to use my background of physical therapy, personal training, and dance to fix compensations in the body that could potentially lead to injuries. I also challenge old principals of training in the ballet world bringing to light the harm they have been proven to do to the human body and offer alternative methods of training dancers safer. My most recent achievement is opening my Veronica K Method™ instructor training course. This course allows instructors to learn my methodology and apply it to safely cross-training their dancers for better technique, less injuries, and longer careers.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, definitely not. As my Veronica K Platform has grown I have gotten more and more push back from various groups of people in the ballet world. Mainly, hardcore traditionalists who see bringing cross-training and injury prevention strategies as a pollution to the classical art of ballet. I get attacked often on the internet about my body not being the right type specifically my feet and turnout. It used to bother me a lot because I know it’s true- I do not have a “ballerina body,” but that exact thinking was what led me to be injured in the first place. You can still be a beautiful mover in the art of ballet and have ANY type of body- turnout, feet, big thighs – I don’t care so long as you can move safely and with passion.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
What sets me apart from other cross-training coaches that train dancers is my own unique techniques. I didn’t just become a Certified Personal Trainer and jump into opening up shop for injury prevention and cross-training dancers. I went to school for an undergraduate in dance and physical therapy. Was fortunate to practice clinically as a physical therapist assistant for 3 years learning neuromuscular techniques, manual therapy techniques, and so much more about the anatomy and kinesiology than any dance degree or class ever taught me. My favorite thing about my technique is my passion toward neuromuscular training. When I was on the neuro floor at the hopsital, I learned a ton about how the brain is incredibly adaptible. When we engage in specific exercises, it stimulates the growth of new connections in the brain. These connections improve the brain’s ability to talk to our muscles and do things like balance better or move with greater control. This is a huge component of my training method and is not something other cross-training coaches talk about. I’m very fortunate I got that experience working in an acute hospital setting because not many people can say they have done that!

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
In college, I had a wonderful mentor and professor at the University of Akron. She inspired me to really take charge of my life, be more positive, and become a self-starter in the world of dance. She kind of just fell into my life and we clicked. Now, as an adult I have had an older student who ended up turning into my mentor falling in my lap and helping guide my business to new levels of success. I honestly believe you cannot go out and FIND a mentor. It’s kind of like finding a spouse. You will meet them when the time is right and you’ll know because you will just click with that person like you’ve known them forever.

Pricing:

• The Unlimited Dancer Training Package Including ALL courses and updates $500/year
• Instructor Certification Course Continuing Education Learning my Veronica K Method™ $697 lifetime access
• Monthly Zoom live workshops for $15
• Private Movement Assessments $105 1 hour
• On demand courses single purchase start at $65

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.veronicakballet.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veronicakplatform/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/veronicakballet/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/veronicakballet/