TEST Strings Story

Jaffe designed the course to help students recalibrate their perceptions and limiting beliefs — beliefs that may have been instilled in them at a young age (even inadvertently) by parents, teachers or friends. Through the lessons, she draws upon scientific research and personal experiences from her storied dance career, including serving as principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre (ABT) for 22 years.

She says that like so many other dancers and creatives who strive for excellence, she had to learn how to break free of speaking negatively to herself. But it’s not just creatives who struggle with negative self-talk. Everyone walks around with limiting beliefs, Jaffe explains. For instance, a parent may have scolded a child and in an instant, the child believes they are “bad” or “wrong,” impacting their self-esteem. If they are not addressed, these beliefs can carry on through life, impacting one’s ability to realize one’s full potential, whether on stage or off.

“Our programming literally runs the show,” Jaffe says. “The good news is that if there is programming that isn’t serving you, you actually have the ability to change your thoughts and beliefs.”

She reveals: “When I was a (beginning professional) dancer, I struggled with simple self-esteem: ‘You’re not good enough, you’re going to fall out of your pirouette.’” In the 1990s, she started to truly examine the obstacles that were holding her back — specifically her own perfectionism. She began to change her mindset by practicing meditation and affirmations.

As her spiritual practice deepened, Jaffe also worked with teachers like Juliu Horvath, the creator of the Gyrotonics movement system, who helped her learn a series of deep breathing and yoga exercises. She also pored through meditation books. The results on stage were striking.

“When I started doing this work and moving to a more life-affirming mindset, it was like Cinderella’s fairy godmother came down to help. My career took off,” Jaffe says.