49. Pioneering a Path with Bonnie Moore Southgate

In this episode of the Bendy Bodies podcast, Bonnie Moore Southgate, a former ballet soloist with American Ballet Theatre and the Royal Ballet, shares her personal journey with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) and hypermobility. Southgate talks about her illustrious career in ballet, marked by accolades like winning the Prix de Lausanne, and working with significant figures such as Mikhail Baryshnikov. Throughout her career, she faced injuries without knowing the underlying cause of her struggles was EDS. After her diagnosis post-retirement, she turned to Pilates and became a neurokinetic therapist, using her experiences to help others with hypermobility and pain management. Bonnie discusses how her awareness of EDS now shapes her approach to health and fitness, emphasizing the importance of strength training for hypermobile individuals. She advocates for a nuanced understanding of hypermobility in dance, urging educators to prioritize longevity and health over aesthetics. Bonnie also highlights how contemporary dance medicine has evolved, thus improving dancer support and career sustainability.