CHELSEY CHARBONNEAU

CHELSEY CHARBONNEAU

• Calgary, AB
• Ballet 
• Career Pathway: physiotherapy

Chelsey Charbonneau danced with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet for ten years, always knowing that a dance career is finite. Since becoming a physiotherapist, she has focused on helping seniors improve their physical health and wellbeing. She has worked at a Day Hospital, in long term care and also as a mobile Physiotherapist working with individuals recovering from joint replacements, chronic diseases, strokes and dementia. She lives in Calgary with her husband and two sons and continues to teach dance once a week. 

CHELSEY’S STORY

“The DTRC was one of my main supports while I transitioned from being a professional ballet dancer with the RWB to a physiotherapist. My retirement from dancing was not how I had envisioned it, as I was forced to leave the stage due to a chronic foot injury.  

While still dancing, I enrolled in the University of Winnipeg as a part-time student. Being the penny pincher that I am, had it not been for the DTRC’s Skills Grant, I likely would have put off University for much longer. Fortunately for me, chipping away at an undergrad while continuing to dance was beneficial as my career came to a halt prematurely due to an injury. Upon retirement, I had already completed 2 years’ worth of courses.  

It was with the support of the DTRC’s career counsellors as well as my year-long struggle with an injury that propelled me to pursue a career in physiotherapy. I graduated from the University of Winnipeg at the top of my class and was accepted into the University of Manitoba’s Master of Physical Therapy program the following year. 

Having danced my entire life, the end of my dancing career brought with it a loss of identity and self-worth. Had it not been for the DTRC’s Skills Grant, FTS-I Grant and counselling support, I’m not sure I would have had the confidence to tackle a Bachelor’s and a Master’s program, but knowing that the DTRC was there to support me, was a boost to my confidence and allowed me to excel in my studies.  

I cannot express enough the significant impact the DTRC’s FTS-I Grant had on my ability to complete the Master’s program while also being a first-time mom to my one-year-old son. The financial burden of attending school full-time was lifted from my shoulders which allowed me to focus my energy on my studies, as well as my family and still sleep soundly at night.  

It has been fifteen years since I took my first University class, and I am so fortunate to have found a career that is even more rewarding than my time as a ballet dancer. I have focused my skills on working with seniors, as I love their wit, tenacity and resilience and appreciate their wisdom. That being said, I continue to teach ballet at a local studio, as I am still not ready to let that part of my identity go; it is so engrained in who I am.   

In short, I’m not sure that I would have been comfortable choosing such an intense program of study had it not been for the DTRC. As many can probably relate, career transitions are very stressful and caused me years of anxiety, even while dancing. I cannot thank the DTRC enough for easing those worries. They truly made a huge difference in my life, and I will forever be indebted to them. 

Having gone through the transition of leaving a dancing career to pursue something entirely different was challenging and daunting, to say the least. I would not have been as successful as I was, had it not been for the support of the DTRC, and I want other dancers to have the same opportunities as I did, which is why I have become a monthly donor.” 

DTRC’S SUPPORT 

Chelsey accessed: 

• Counselling
• Skills Grant
• FTS-I Subsistence (Post-Performance Pathway) Grant