Jessica Cerovic
DANCER | CHOREOGRAPHER
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FITNESS INSTRUCTOR | HOLISTIC HEALTH COACH
ABOUT ME
I am a performer, who became a dance teacher and fitness instructor, who became a holistic health coach. As a dancer there was constant pressure to remain thin without proper education on how to achieve this in a healthy manner. This in turn caused odd eating habits, insecurities of self-image, physical exhaustion, injuries and illnesses due to intense training and lack of proper nutrition.
I live in the Miami/Fort Lauderdale area, but was born and raised in the Washington, DC/Northern Virginia area where I began dancing at the age of three and now have worked as a professional dancer for over 15 years. I attended Oklahoma City University where I graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Performing Arts degree in Dance Performance and a Minor in History in 2008. I performed and traveled the world on Holland America and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines for over five years visiting over 40 countries and danced in numerous regional theatre productions in the DC area, Oklahoma City, OK and Charleston, SC. In between life on the ship, I received my certification in Pilates mat in 2012 and training in Barre fitness classes in 2013. I lived in Charleston, South Carolina for four years and was an Adjunct Professor of Dance at the College of Charleston for three years. In 2019, I completed my 200 hour Yoga certification from Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy. In 2021-2022 I was an Adjunct Professor of Dance at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fl.
My first big turning point that caused me to take charge of my health was in my last year of college after being diagnosed with vocal nodules and acid reflux disease. The ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) Doctor gave me two options: surgery and never sing again or see a speech pathologist. I had big plans to audition and perform professionally, so I chose to see a speech pathologist for a year to retrain how I speak and she had me keep a diary of how much sleep I was getting and how much water, caffeine, sugar and alcohol I was drinking on a daily basis. The ENT said acid reflux and stress was a contributing factor to the nodes so he prescribed me Prilosec for my acid reflux which I also took on and off for a year. I thought to myself "this cannot be the solution" and the idea of taking a round of Prilosec every few months for the rest of my life sounded crazy to me. There had to be another way to turn my stomach acid off. I noticed when my stress levels were high whether I was on the medicine or not, my stomach was upset. Simple changes like drinking more water, less caffeine, sugar and alcohol and getting more sleep to help me better handle stress during the day cured both ailments permanently after about six months. This was the first time I truly internalized the idea of food as medicine.
I stress to my clients and students the importance of balancing proper nutrition, mental health and physical strength in order to achieve a long, happy and successful life.
It’s rare for anyone to get an hour to explore their wellness goals with a trained professional. As a Health Coach, I create a supportive environment that enables you to articulate and achieve your goals. Throughout my education, I have been exposed to the most cutting-edge dietary theories and studied highly effective coaching techniques to help you find the right lifestyle that works best for you.
Most approaches to healthy eating dwell on calories, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Instead of creating lists of restrictions and good and bad foods, I coach my clients to explore basic improvements and implement gradual changes during our work together. As these pieces accumulate, my clients find these changes collectively creating a much larger impact than they originally anticipated. We work on what they want to improve within the circumstances of their unique situation.