If you dreamt of being a ballerina as a child raise your hand. Yep, guilty over here, too. Well, we found someone who actually kept the dream going: Miami City Ballet’s principal dancer Jennifer Kronenberg. And get this, she’s even the Sugar Plum Fairy in
The Nutcracker
! Amazing, right?
What tips do you have for eating better during this time of year?
“Don't change your regular eating habits too much during the holiday season. The holidays are full of all of these awesome foods we all love and there are more sweets around, but always remember: everything in moderation. Instead of eating 10 cookies, just have one. And don't go for 10 plates of dinner. You wouldn't have more than one plate during the rest of the year, so don't do it during the season. Fill your plate with more proteins than carbs. And exercise!”
What's your advice on working out during the holidays?
“There are a lot of adult classes out there. Here, at Miami City Ballet, we have ballet and jazz. I think the best thing to do is to mix it up, stretching, cardio, and strength training. That's the best workout, and dancing has all those elements.”
When you're not dancing, how do you work out?
“I really like kettle ball training. It keeps me going. That and yoga and Pilates.”
We know you have great willpower and discipline but what can you not resist?
“On a daily basis? Ice cream. During the holidays? Sweet potato casserole and pecan pie. That's when I have to remind myself to just have one piece.”
Where do you go out to eat?
“I love sushi, Thai, and Italian food. I love Moon Thai in Coral Gables.”
So many little girls dream of being a ballerina. You've succeeded in attaining your dream. What advice do you have for others out there on dreams and goals?
“Especially around NYE when people are making their New Year's resolutions, my advice is to either write down your goals and put them somewhere you can see them everyday or say them out loud repeatedly every day. If you keep reminding yourself of what that goal is or what that dream is, you're so much more likely to achieve it. Anything is attainable. If it's something you really want I don't see any reason why you can't go out and make it happen. But sometimes we get sidetracked. When you forget what your actual goals and dreams are, it's really easy to not make it there because you get distracted doing something else. So be aware of your dreams all the time.”