What the Internet Taught Me from my Broadway Workout Post This Week
- Emily Dodds McKinney
- Mar 19
- 5 min read
Last weekend, I posted a video with a simple question: “Broadway workout with real choreography—would you work out to this?”
What followed was a level of attention I hadn’t experienced before. The video took off—hundreds of thousands of views, thousands of shares, hundreds of comments. And with that kind of reach comes a wide range of reactions.
Some people were excited. Some people were curious. And a lot of people were critical.
There were jokes about my hair, my dancing, my singing. Comparisons, critiques, and opinions from every angle. Some of it was genuinely funny, and I laughed along with it. But when that level of feedback comes in at that volume, it becomes overwhelming. Any normal person would feel that. I felt that.
And yet, at the same time, I found myself feeling more confident in what I’m doing than I ever have before.
Because that response clarified something for me: it showed me exactly what my work is—and what it is not.
I am not trying to be the best dancer on the internet. I am not trying to present myself as a Broadway professional. What I am doing is building a program that challenges people physically while asking them to take risks vocally, artistically, and emotionally. I am training people to move, to sing, and to perform under pressure.
That video people were reacting to? I was thirty minutes into a workout. My heart rate was at 80% max. I was fatigued. I was singing at the end of that effort. It wasn’t polished—and it wasn’t supposed to be. It was training.
And what I realized is this: the discomfort people felt watching it is the exact same discomfort people feel when they are in the process of growing.
That’s the space I work in.
What I Would Say If the Whole World Were Listening
If I had the attention of the world for just a few minutes, there are three things I would want people to understand—because I have seen firsthand how much they can change a life.
1. Move Your Body Every Day
Over the last decade, I have worked with all kinds of people—different ages, different abilities, different starting points. I have seen people with significant physical limitations find ways to move, adapt, and get stronger. I have seen people rebuild confidence, not because of how they look, but because of how they feel.
There will always be reasons not to move. You will always be busy. You will always be tired. Life will always feel full.
But the cost of not moving your body consistently is too high—physically, mentally, and emotionally.
For me, movement has been a constant. It has carried me through stressful seasons, overwhelming seasons, and moments where I could have easily put it on the back burner. I didn’t—and it made all the difference.
It’s not about perfection. It’s about consistency.
When you commit to moving your body every day, you show up differently in your life. You think more clearly. You handle stress better. You feel stronger—not just physically, but as a person.
2. Stop Letting Other People Decide Who You Get to Be
This is something I had to learn over time.
I have always had big energy. And for a long time, I tried to tone it down so that I could be more acceptable, more agreeable, more “palatable” to the people around me. I thought that was the way to fit in and be successful.
But all it did was make me feel disconnected from myself, and kept me from having truthful relationships with others.
When you live your life constantly thinking about how other people are perceiving you, you become stuck. You hesitate. You hold back. You filter yourself to the point where you can’t fully show up.
At some point, I stopped asking, “Am I good enough yet?” and started asking, “What can I do with what I already have?”
That shift changed everything.
Because when your focus moves away from proving yourself and toward serving others, you stop shrinking. You start showing up honestly. And that’s where real connection happens.
If you want to perform—whether that’s on stage, in a classroom, or just in your everyday life—you have to let go of the fear of how you’re perceived.
You cannot connect if you are constantly protecting yourself.
3. You Can Do Hard Things
This is a belief that has shaped my entire life.
My mom used to say it to me all the time: “You can do hard things.” And she lived that out in a way that made it undeniable. Raising twelve children requires a level of resilience and sacrifice that most people will never fully understand.
That example stayed with me.
Because doing hard things isn’t about being fearless or naturally strong. It’s about choosing to stay in something when it would be easier to quit.
Every time you push through something uncomfortable—whether it’s physical, emotional, or mental—you are reinforcing a belief: that you are capable.
It doesn’t happen all at once. It happens one step at a time.
One rep.
One breath.
One moment where you decide to keep going.
And over time, that builds into something powerful.
Why This Work Matters
Everything I create—my classes, my workshops, my online programs—is built around one purpose: helping people become more resilient.
I use musical theater because it brings people to life. It gives them a way to express something real. It creates energy and connection in a way that very few things can.
And I use fitness because it builds and reinforces the kind of endurance that carries over into everything else.
I’m not here because I’m the most talented person in the room.
I’m here because I understand how to guide people through challenge. I understand how to take someone from discomfort to confidence, one step at a time.
And I care deeply about helping people discover what they’re capable of.
If You’re Ready to Step Into That
If you’re someone who wants more from your workouts—more challenge, more expression, more growth—this is exactly what I offer.
You can train with me live on Zoom, where you’ll get real-time coaching, accountability, and a community that shows up with you.
Or, if you need flexibility, you can access my full library of on-demand workouts and train on your own schedule.
Either way, the goal is the same: to help you build strength, confidence, and resilience that carries into every part of your life.
But I also know many of you reading this are theater directors.
And if that’s you, then you already understand what I’m trying to build—because you care about your students in the same way I care about the people in my classes. You’re not just teaching choreography or blocking or vocal technique. You’re trying to help young people take risks. You’re trying to help them trust themselves enough to actually use the tools you’re giving them.
And that’s the hard part.
Because students don’t struggle from lack of information—they struggle with fear. Fear of how they’re perceived. Fear of getting it wrong. Fear of standing out.
And the only way through that is experience.
They need opportunities to feel that discomfort, to move through it, and to come out stronger on the other side. They need environments where they are challenged physically and artistically, but supported enough to keep going.
That’s what I create.
If you’re a director who wants to give your students an experience that builds confidence, resilience, and performance readiness—something that helps them actually apply what you’re teaching in rehearsal—then I would love to link arms with you.
I offer workshops, residencies, and training experiences designed to support what you’re already doing in your program and help your students rise to the level you know they’re capable of.
Comments