Meet Lili Pfeifer, CEO + Founder of The Barbell Ballerina LLC

Lili Pfeifer, born in Los Angeles, is a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer, Corrective Exercise Specialist and Professional Ballerina with 15+ years of experience in the performing arts and fitness industry. She received her early training at the Pasadena Civic Ballet and Grand Rapids Ballet. Choosing to go the pre-med route in college, she attended the University of Michigan where she graduated with honors in Neuroscience and Gender and Health in 2020, dancing with their undergraduate company during her time there. Seeing her strength, flexibility, coordination, and stamina in ballet improve through cross training inspired her to start sharing her journey through her instagram page @the.barbell.ballerina. After graduation, she joined the Ballet Chicago Studio Company for two years, where she performed Balanchine and contemporary works. During this time, Lili also worked as an Expert Level Personal Trainer with Chicago Athletic Clubs while building her online training clientele concurrently. Lili has spent summers training with American Ballet Theatre, Grand Rapids Ballet, Ballet Chicago, BalletX, and Complexions Contemporary Ballet. She spent two years dancing professionally with Ballet Co.Laboratory in St. Paul, Minnesota and is now freelancing. She has worked with athletes all over the world, ranging from professional and pre-professional dancers, college dance majors, movement therapists, dance educators, dance coaches, freelance artists, recreational adult dancers, and lifestyle clients. Notably, her clients have danced with Zion Dance Project, the Joffrey Ballet, City Ballet of San Diego, the Alvin Ailey BFA Program, Towson University Department of Dance, Barnard College, University of Tampa Department of Dance, East Carolina University School of Theatre and Dance, Grand Valley State University, the University of Michigan, Boston University, Swarthmore College, and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, London. Lili approaches coaching dance athletes through her unique combination of professional dance experience, background in the health sciences, and expertise in athletic training principles. Her life mission is to revolutionize the dance industry by promoting career longevity and lifestyle optimization through her methods and programs.