Who We Are
Lauren and Sam, who grew up dancing together in Cleveland, Ohio, both continued their dance journey into college and beyond, where they both faced challenges in regard to eating disorders and body image issues.
Sadly, their experience is all too common in the performing arts realm. Dance, in particular, emphasizes physical perfection and places high demands on its participants, often leading to heightened standards and frequent self-pushes.
Regrettably, the world of dance and other performing arts frequently serves as a breeding ground for body image issues, disordered eating behaviors, and mental health struggles, with limited resources, education, and support for those shaping the future generation of dancers.
That’s why we decided to step in.
Let’s bridge the gap together!
Meet Sam
Samantha Christy is a registered dietitian, body-neutral personal trainer, and founder of Triple A Wellness in Cleveland, Ohio whose mission is to empower people to live their best lives through movement and balanced nutritional practices.
Sam has her Master’s in Food Science and Human Nutrition and a BS in Kinesiology and Movement Studies. She has worked in the fitness industry for over 12 years in multiple modalities with hundreds of clients and coached over 2,000 classes at Orangetheory Fitness. She prides herself on creating safe and inclusive spaces for all clients, working with people of all shapes, sizes, and backgrounds. Sam offers in-person and virtual personal training in addition to nutrition coaching.
Sam has a couple of core beliefs:
Never again eat Halo Top — enjoy the foods you want free of guilt or shame.
Get Strong AF - through strength comes power which then becomes confidence.
Weight has nothing to do with health - it’s just a measure of you versus gravity.
We deserve to feel GOOD in our bodies! - Body Image is an inside job
Wear the damn shorts — it’s time to feel good in your skin!
Outside of coaching and teaching, Sam enjoys spending time with her husband James and dog Rico, in addition to traveling and seeing her favorite artists in concert.
Meet Lauren
Lauren graduated in 2014 magna cum laude with her BFA in Dance Performance. Upon graduating, Lauren went on to dance with the Charlottesville Ballet under the direction of Sara Jansen Clayborne. There, she danced both soloist and corps de ballet roles in both classical ballets; The Nutcracker, The Firebird, Sleeping Beauty, as well as other original compositions.
She also danced in several original contemporary works, most notably by Colby Damon from Ballet X, and Steven Melendez from New York Theatre Ballet, among others. Lauren went on to dance with companies and creatives around the country, including ODC in San Francisco, CA, where she had the pleasure of dancing Kate Weare's work, Giant; New Dialect in Nashville, TN under the direction of Banning Bouldin, Sidra Bell, Kun-Yang Lin/Dancers', amongst others. Lauren also had the pleasure of working as the dance captain of the Players Guild Theratre’s Chicago: The Musical, as well as working on Royal Caribbean’s Brilliance of the Seas.
Lauren's wide spectrum of experience in the dance industry shed light on mental health issues within this community and the need in which the dance industry was devoid of. This propelled her to pursue her master’s in clinical psychology from Northwestern University. Upon graduating in 2023, she has a fervent dedication to assisting individuals with eating disorders. She approaches her therapeutic relationships through a holistic framework, drawing from an integrated perspective that encompasses psychodynamic, feminist, and systems lenses.