The Dietitian
Emily Cook Harrison MS, RD, LD
Emily is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in nutrition from Georgia State University where she trained under one of the leading sports dietitians in the US. Her research was on elite level ballet dancers and energy balance and the relationship to injuries. Even with almost 15 years in nutrition, she continues to educate herself on cutting edge research in plant based eating, nutrition and health during menopause, nutrition for mental health and learning disabilities, and environmental nutrition. She has experience providing nutrition counseling for people with diverse needs including athletic performance, weight management, wellness, food allergies/ intolerances, celiac disease, and eating disorders. She has worked with hundreds of dancers, athletes, and other clients to encourage healthy eating and positive body image. She is a public speaker who has done nutrition workshops and food demos for some of the top dance schools, companies, and universities in the US and Canada. She is also an experienced writer who regularly contributes to print and online dance publications as well as frequently being an expert source in nutrition for journalists. She is the dietitian for the Advisory Panel for Youth Protection Advocates in Dance.
Emily received her dance training at the Rotaru Ballet School and Boston Ballet School. She danced professionally with Boston Ballet II and Ballet Internationale in Indianapolis, IN where she worked with legendary Kirov dancers Eldar Aliev and Irina Kolpakova. She also danced for Emmy award winning choreographer Michael Smuin in his San Francisco company Smuin Ballet. Emily then joined the company of Atlanta Ballet where she danced leading roles in addition to being a faculty member with the pre-professional division. She ran the Centre for Dance Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyles at AB for 6 years and now runs her private practice Nutrition for Great Performances. Emily is also the mother of two children who understands the unique challenges parents face when it comes to feeding children and teens.
Photo Credit: Charlie McCullers Atlanta Ballet’s Hamlet
