GCAA
About GCAA
The GCAA Difference
Laura Granville Odom, GCAA Owner/Trainer
-
Laura is passionate about helping artistic athletes excel and transform into stronger, more confident injury resilient athletes. As an artist herself, she understands the unique needs of performing artists.
-
Laura shares her expertise in movement analysis and optimization, exercise modification and progression, injury rehabilitation and reduction, technique and performance enhancement.
-
She is dual credentialed as a PTA and CPT and holds a certificate in Dance Medicine and Science.
Standing apart from general fitness training or private performing arts lessons
-
Education and instruction provided by a qualified professional with expertise in the fields of performing arts, physical therapy and fitness.
-
Implementing a holistic and scientific proven approach to training.
-
Exposing artists to anatomy terminology to help connect the dots with common classroom corrections so that they can move smarter and more efficiently.
-
Treating performing artists as athletes to sufficiently prepare them to meet the physiological demands of the art form.
Prioritizing safety, mind-body wellness and results
-
Safe practices always. Methods rooted in scientific principles.
-
Equipping artists with education to enhance mind-body wellness.
Advocating for positive change within the performing arts industry
-
Meeting the significant need for increased representation of artists as athletes. Providing services specifically to serve this population.
-
Speaking out against harmful mind-body practices and misinformation leading to undue injuries, sub-optimal health and lack of progression.
Investing in the performing arts community and making specialized education more accessible
-
GCAA is a local business owned and operated by Laura, a Panama City native who is actively investing back into the community she grew up dancing in.
-
GCAA brings science to the studio setting, provides free education and engagement via the online community and extends multi-tier offers to cater to performing artists’ individual budgets and needs.
Laura Granville Odom
PTA, CPT
Gulf Coast Artistic Athletics LLC
Owner, Founder and Trainer
Laura is a Florida licensed Physical Therapist Assistant, a Certified Personal Trainer and a Performing Arts/Dance Science Specialist. She holds a degree in physical therapy from Gulf Coast State College and has over 5.5 years of clinical experience as a healthcare professional practicing orthopedic and neurological rehabilitation. Laura has also completed higher and continued education in dance anatomy and kinesiology, somatic movement analysis, research in dance, pointe analysis and more. In 2023, she earned a Certificate in Dance Medicine and Science from the University of South Florida, as well as served as the principal investigator for her own original research study which assessed the effectiveness of an online, self-administered, non-clinical, educational screening and resource for dancers that Laura created, developed and trialed. Laura offers professional experience and expertise in the fitness domain, and has earned an accredited personal training certification through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. She is a life-long student of dance and has trained most heavily in ballet under the tutelage of highly esteemed professional artists. Laura has over 11 years of experience instructing beginner-advanced students in ballet, pre-pointe, pointe, contemporary, jazz, and strength and conditioning. She has merged her careers in physical therapy, dance education and fitness to pursue a path she is passionate about. Laura hopes to enhance health and wellness for artistic athletes as an advocate for safe practices, cross-training, and educating both the performing arts and healthcare communities.
GCAA Mission and Vision
Gulf Coast Artistic Athletics LLC exists to provide personal training services and education to performing artists of all ages and backgrounds. Our resolve is to develop stronger, more confident, injury resilient athletes equipped to meet the physiologic demands of the art form. Our vision is to create enhanced health, fulfillment, and career longevity for artistic athletes by educating the performing arts community on safe practices and incorporating evidence- based scientific principles to training.