Regardless of physical talent, all dancers face struggles. The outcome depends largely on the dancer’s mindset. Authors Chelsea Butters Wooding and Ashley Coker-Cranney combine their similar backgrounds in dance with their expertise as mental performance consultants to cultivate an adaptive mindset and positive perspective to elevate a dancer’s performance as well as perspective.

Every Count Matters is unique in its appeal and relevance to every dancer, regardless of skill or style. The authors have designed strategies that can be applied at any level, in any setting. This unique approach balances theory and application, provides a foundational knowledge for mindset and mental skills training, as well as specific strategies and tips that can be immediately integrated into the dancer’s daily routine. Each lesson can be applied to new challenges as they arise, and work together to allow the dancer to overcome obstacles to reaching their full potential.

Chelsea Butters Wooding is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology, and an Associate Faculty Assistant Professor at Nation-al University in the BA in Sport Psychology and MA in Performance Psychology programs. She received her PhD in Sport and Exercise Psychology from West Virginia University; her MA in Counseling from West Virginia University; her MS in Kinesiology from California State University, Fullerton; and her BA in Psychology from California State University, Long Beach. Passionate about the applied side of performance psychology, Dr. Wooding has consulted in a variety of settings, including traditional high school and collegiate sports, and in nontraditional settings, including presentations to nursing students, musicians, dancers, and ultra-runners. 

Chelsea started dancing at the age of six, and while competing with her studio and high school dance team, she had the honor of being a part of multiple national championship routines and received numerous overall solo awards, various scholarships, and invitations to travel around the country and world. Chelsea had the honor of studying under influential industry leaders such as Kiki Lucas, Sharmila Mitra, Leslie Kenfield, Patrick McCollum, Eddie Strachan, Pam Chu, and Donna Shepherd, and took classes from Shannon Mather, Chris Judd, Eddie Garcia, Tyce Diorio, and Mandy Moore. Soon after graduating high school, she began teaching dance to all ages and various levels at studios throughout Southern California. Additionally, Chelsea was privileged to participate in charity shows that benefited the families of the victims of September 11th and breast cancer research. She also became highly involved in the high school dance world, choreographing for numerous dance teams, serving as assistant coach for her alma mater for over 5 years, and becoming a judge for high school dance competitions across Southern California. After leaving California, Chelsea gained experience working with college dance teams and continued teaching jazz, lyrical, and contemporary, and choreographing solos, duo/trios, and small and large groups. More recently, Chelsea has won various choreography awards, and her students have received scholarships at both conventions and competitions. Since graduating with her doctoral degree in Sport and Exercise Psychology, Chelsea has used her experience both in dance and in performance psychology to consult with dance teams and individual dancers. 

Ashley Coker-Cranney is an adjunct instructor at West Virginia University, teaching undergraduate and graduate coursework on a wide range of topics related to sport, exercise, and performance psychology. She is also a psychotherapist for Whole Brain Solutions, LLC. in Morgantown, WV where she sees clients for a range of clinical and applied psychology services. Dr. Cranney received her bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Physical Education from the University of Idaho, her master’s degree in Psychosocial Aspects of Sport from the University of Utah, her master’s degree in Counseling as well as her doctoral degree in Sport and Exercise Psychology from West Virginia University. Ashley is an active certified mental performance consultant, working with athletes, exercisers, military veterans/servicemembers, SWAT/police officers and performers from a wide range of backgrounds. Originally trained in cognitive behavioral therapy bases of sport psychology, Ashley has expanded her training to approach her clients from an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy approach. Her goal with her clients is to help them change their relationship with success, failure, fear, and change by working with them to expand their willingness to accept things as they are and commit to doing what matters. Growing up, Ashley was a studio dancer and dance team member from elementary school through college. When her dance career came to a close following a series of injuries, Ashley became the Spirit Squad Coordinator (coach) for the University of Idaho dance and cheer teams until she pursued her graduate education. These days, when she is not teaching, researching, or working with clients, Ashley spends her time with her husband and three young children exploring wild and wonderful West Virginia.