Isabelle Watson Seiler is the founder and creator of Belle Watson Studio, where she brings a modern, intentional approach to classical ballet training designed for the contemporary body.

What first called you to ballet, and what has kept you tethered to it? In a form so steeped in tradition, what continues to feel alive and evolving for you?

I’ve danced for as long as I can remember. Practicing ballet is about so much more than dancing. It’s a lifestyle that values drive, and works best when physical and mental wellness are prioritized. Practicing ballet taught me the value of showing up every day with the intention of trying my best. It taught me to set short-term and long-term goals, to keep track of my progress, and to accept the ebbs and flows of the journey. These values transfer into everyday life and I believe a lot of the successes I’ve achieved so far are owed to them. Ballet is an incredibly rewarding lifestyle.

How has your relationship to movement, and to your own body, shifted over time? What have you had to unlearn or reclaim?

I ended my professional career early because I was dealing with knee issues that ultimately led to ‘hitting a wall’. I couldn’t see the light at the end of the tunnel and I wasn’t enjoying the process anymore. I left the ballet world when I was 25, went to school, and dipped my toes in the fashion world and other creative endeavors. The professional ballet world can feel like a bubble, so stepping out of it was a huge period of growth. Most of my post-ballet experiences have been very positive, but after almost 3 years completely removed, I noticed my body felt different. I felt sluggish, weak, and stiff. It sounds dramatic, but throughout my entire life, I’d only known what it felt like to be in peak physical condition.

I started applying elements of my previous dancer lifestyle to my current lifestyle, and was able to re-discover my love for ballet in a digestible, realistic format that worked for me in the present. I had this new perspective on life from going to school and working in a non-dance environment, and I was eager to share how applying a ballet lifestyle to our everyday lives could be so rewarding and beneficial.

There’s something poetic about repetition — the daily refinement of form. Are there particular gestures, postures, or rituals you return to that ground your creative process or bring you back to yourself?

I have a conditioning routine that I practice almost every day. When I don’t have time for it, I’ll notice my body beginning to feel off. Stretching and strengthening is essential maintenance for the body. I prioritize proper form and technique with simple exercises that I was taught over the years by teachers and fellow dancers that I know support my lifestyle. We don’t need to practice crazy exercise routines or extreme stretching to keep our bodies healthy and happy. I do think a HIIT class is fun every once in a while though!

When I am really feeling off, the best thing I can do for myself is to spend time in an empty studio. I love open space. It helps me feel free and decompress. I’m perfectly content laying in the middle of the floor, spreading my limbs out, and just breathing. I also love exploring intuitive movement, dancing through space sans choreography.

So much of ballet is about form, but you seem equally attuned to what can’t be seen: mindset, breath, presence. What kind of inner work do you hope students begin to explore, in your studio or beyond the barre?

I think the coolest thing about practicing ballet is the body awareness you develop. You will learn a lot about your body, you’ll listen to it more, hear what it needs, and then you can help it feel its best.

Looking ahead, where do you imagine Belle Watson Studio going or growing? Are there new directions or dreams on the horizon that feel exciting to you?

I’m most excited about the opening of my boutique ballet studio this December. I’ve been quietly searching for a space for so long and finally found the perfect little ballerina jewel box studio in Flatiron. I’ve had so much fun this month making it entirely my own, and I can’t wait to share it with anyone interested in exploring the benefits of classical ballet to support their wellbeing.

---

Isabelle Watson Seiler is a lifelong ballet artist and the founder of Belle Watson Studio, where she brings a contemporary lens to classical ballet training. Her practice merges the precision of traditional technique with a holistic understanding of the body, offering dancers a way to move that is both technically refined and sustainably designed. Through her focus on alignment, breath, and thoughtful repetition, Isabelle invites dancers to rediscover ballet as a mindful, expressive discipline rather than a rigid form. With classes, workshops, and collaborative sessions, she cultivates a community built on curiosity, artistry, and care for the body in motion.

For upcoming classes, workshops, and future collaborations, please visit the Belle Watson Studio website and follow along on Instagram for new announcements.

Isabelle Watson Seiler

@BELLEWATSONSTUDIO
BELLEWATSONSTUDIO.com