A New Stage: From Professional Dance to Strength Coaching

27-03-2026

Movement has always been a central part of my life.

Before entering the fitness industry, I trained and performed as a contemporary and ballet dancer. Years on stage taught me discipline, precision, and a deep awareness of how the body moves. Dance shaped the way I understand posture, alignment, and the mechanics behind movement, lessons that continue to influence my work today.

For many years, I believed performing would remain my professional path.

Then the pandemic arrived.

Like many artists, I watched my professional assignments disappear almost overnight. The stage went quiet, and the career I had built suddenly paused. Being away from home during that period made the experience even more challenging, and it became a time of reflection about what the next chapter of my life could look like.

During that time, I found myself returning to another passion that had always been present alongside dance.

Dance had given me a strong intuitive understanding of movement, but I felt a growing curiosity to understand the body more deeply  through anatomy, biomechanics, and evidence-based training. At the same time, I realised I wanted to redirect my passion for movement toward something new. Instead of expressing it through performance for an audience, I wanted to use my knowledge, discipline, and experience to help others improve their health and achieve their goals through fitness.

That decision led me to pursue the NASM Personal Trainer certification.

I chose NASM because I was looking for a comprehensive and science-based educational framework. I wanted to build a strong foundation in anatomy, biomechanics, and program design so I could support people in a thoughtful and responsible way.

The NASM education gave me exactly that. It strengthened my understanding of biomechanics, training structure, and how to create individualised programs that support sustainable progress. Combining this knowledge with my background in movement allowed me to approach coaching with both practical experience and scientific understanding.

Like many trainers starting in the industry, one of the early challenges was building a strong clientele. Developing trust with clients takes time, consistency, and patience. Through that experience, I learned that progress, both in fitness and in life, is built on two simple but powerful principles: consistency and trusting the process.

Today I work as a Level 4 NASM Personal Trainer specialised in Sport Nutrition. Alongside this, I have expanded my expertise through Pilates and Reformer, as well as Gyrokinesis and Lagree methods. These disciplines complement my coaching by helping clients develop strength, body awareness, and efficient movement patterns.

I currently work as a freelance coach and run my own company, Exhale Studio in Amsterdam, where I offer both individual and group coaching in strength training, Pilates, and Reformer. My goal is to create a supportive environment where people can build strength, confidence, and a positive relationship with movement and nutrition.

In 2025, I decided to challenge myself by stepping onto the competitive stage as a Fit Model athlete in the NPC federation. Preparing for competition required discipline, structured training programming, and precise nutrition strategies, areas where my NASM education played a significant role.

But beyond the physical preparation, the experience also carried a personal meaning.

Standing on stage again brought back a familiar feeling from my years as a dancer. The focus,  dedication, and the quiet satisfaction of presenting the result of months of consistent work. In many ways, competing allowed me to reconnect with that sense of performance and expression, but through a new path.

That season became a meaningful milestone. I was grateful to earn four medals, including two Overall Champion titles at Siggi’s and two additional medals at the William Bonac Classic. More than the results themselves, the experience reinforced the importance of patience, education, and steady commitment.

Looking back, what initially felt like a difficult pause during the pandemic ultimately became an opportunity to grow in a different direction.

Movement is still at the center of my life, only now my role has changed. Instead of performing for an audience, I now have the privilege of guiding others as they discover their own strength, resilience, and potential through thoughtful, evidence-based training.

Marialuisa Lattene