WCW: Alexandra Elle of Healthy Ballerina
Forest fairy @healthy_ballerina in the Moonlight Mandala set
Today's Woman Crush Wednesday brings you the beautiful and inspiring Alexandra Elle, of Healthy Ballerina. On and off the mat, this lovely lady lives a holistic lifestyle and loves to educate others how to as well. She's a younger instructor, writer, student, and health activist. Keep reading to learn a bit more about Alex in our interview, and be sure you check out her website as well!
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
Hi! My name is Alex. I'm a former professional ballerina with American Ballet Theatre in New York City. Now I live in sunny LA and I'm a yoga instructor, social media specialist, influencer, writer, and part-time student. I'm kind of making it up as I go along and totally loving life! As a ballet dancer my whole life, I was in a really intense and demanding environment. I got really injured and in the process of recovery I learned how to heal my body with nutrient-dense foods. I was inspired by the instagram community and created my own health account, @healthy_ballerina. When I stopped dancing professionally, I discovered yoga to heal my physical body and fell in love with the whole practice and philosophy!
Where in the world are you currently?
I'm in Tel Aviv, Israel for two more days. Then I'm heading to Greece and Croatia! Home for me is Los Angeles, California.
Poolside yoga in the Red Flower & Mistica suits
How do you stay centered while traveling?
Bringing my yoga and meditation practice with me wherever I go is KEY. Although it's a pain to carry, I always pack my yoga mat and a block in my carry on. Even if I'm stuck in an airport for 12 hours or sleeping on the floor at a friend's house, I always carve out time to flow a little and sit and meditate for at least 5 minutes. This stabilizes and grounds me when there are all sorts of variables and many things out of my routine and control.
I also never buy an international phone plan; I only use my phone when I have wifi. This forces me to ask people for directions and interact with people that I otherwise wouldn't if I was buried in my iPhone screen. Traveling is such a richer experience when you are present.
How long have you been plant based? Do you have any tips for people just making the switch?
I've been a vegetarian for 7 years. I've gone back and forth between being vegan and veg during that time, but ultimately a mainly plant-based diet makes me feel the best. However, I'm not super strict with being vegan when traveling. Trying new foods is a part of the cultural experience, and abstaining from all animal by-products makes that difficult. I still never eat meat under any circumstances. My number one tip for eating more plant-based diet is to listen to your body and not be too hard on yourself. If you're really craving meat, maybe your body needs a little bit of it. The most important thing is to reduce meat consumption. So, even if for you it looks more like one vegan day a week, it's still making a huge difference for your health and the environment.
Harnessing the Earth's vibrations in the Moonlight Mandala set
What's your go-to meal at the moment?
Right now I'm in israel, so hummus is pretty much my main food group right now. I'm loving all of the organic fresh fruit and veggies everywhere!! They sell organic fresh fruit smoothies and juices on the street and they are so cheap! When I'm at home, normally my go-to meal is a Buddha bowl with brown rice, veggies, beans, and greens, drizzled with a tahini sauce.
What's your spirit animal and why?
Definitely a sea animal...I feel so connected to the element of water. I can spend hours in the ocean and it feels like no time has passed at all! The ocean is what grounds and recenters me when life gets crazy--so I'd go with a sea horse (because I also love horses and grew up riding my grandpa's horse, Ringo Starr).
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would choose?
I'm kind of living my traveling dreams right now, but my next dream destinations are Bali and Morocco!
Sun-soaking Eagle pose in the Red Flower suit
What's a typical morning look like for you?
Every morning I start my day with a meditation and an adaptogenic cold brew coffee that I make at home!
How do you try and stay green during your daily life?
I try and help in any small way that I can. I reuse bottles and cups, I never drink out of straws, I opt out of lids, I walk to work when possible, and I try my best to be a conscious consumer and eat and buy locally.
In the theme of WCW, is there a certain woman who inspires you most?
This question is SO hard. There are so many badass women in my life who inspire me daily. I'm inspired by women who are strong, confident, smart, and take no shit. Women supporting women is so important to me, so I look up to any woman who does that.
