DOAD #32: Is the dance studio model broken?

DOAD #32: Is the dance studio model broken?

Hello friends! We’re back from vacation. This week’s episode is a shorter one, but it’s built around a question that I think a lot of dance families quietly wonder about: is the competitive studio model actually broken, especially for kids 12 and up? 🎬 The clip that started it all * A dance educator on Instagram called heyitspickett [https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYU_eiLsh2V/] made the case that most studios fail older dancers — not because they’re bad studios, but because of a fundamental design flaw * The argument: dance has diminishing returns. By the time a “lifer” hits 12 or 13, they’ve already acquired most of the foundational skills they’re going to get * What they actually need at that stage is a shift — away from skill acquisition and toward deeper artistry: musicality, movement quality, dynamics, improvisation, choreographic thinking * When that shift doesn’t happen, dancers stagnate and burn out doing the same training they’ve done since they were four 🤔 Why this hit close to home * We stepped away from Big Studio Dance last year to go the solo free-agent route, partly because Atticus was feeling stuck and a little stale in new skills development * I’ll be honest — I thought some of that was him being a little too big for his britches. When he hears this, I think even he’ll admit I have a point * But what that clip describes maps directly onto our experience: the assembly-line solo package where the music is already chosen, the choreography is already set, and the kid just has to learn it. There’s not a lot of room for a hungry dancer to develop their own voice. 🩰 The antidote: three weeks in Phoenix * Atticus heads to the Master Ballet Academy [https://www.masterballetacademy.com/] in Phoenix in just a few days for a three-week summer intensive — check out our last episode [https://www.dadofadancer.com/p/doad-31-master-ballet-academy-a-prelude] for the full backstory * I fully expect him to come back exhausted, sore, and soaking in Epsom salts. * The plan: we’ll record check-in episodes over those three weeks so you can hear directly from him what he’s learning, whether he’s holding his own, and what you’d want to know before sending your own dancer there 💸 Solidarity for the broke dance parents * I’ll leave you with a clip from brokedadjordan [https://www.instagram.com/reel/DY5yfQqupl9/] on Instagram, who wandered into my algorithm with a very relatable take on the cost of competitive dance * His math: every additional dance costs about the same as a lightly used Honda * If you felt that in your soul, raise your hand. I’m raising mine with you. 🙋 May we all stay gainfully employed so our dancers can keep doing the thing they love. See you next week — and hopefully with our first update from Phoenix! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dadofadancer.com [https://www.dadofadancer.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

DOAD #31: Master Ballet Academy - a prelude

Hi friends, Atti’s ramping up for his upcoming three-week intensive at Master Ballet Academy [https://www.masterballetacademy.com/]. For months, his coach (as well as his mom and dad) have highly encouraged him to work more cardio into his dance diet so he doesn’t crumble into an out-of-breath pile during the first day of class! But now here we are, just a few weeks shy of the trip, and how many times do you think Atti has hit the gym? If you said zero you’d be correct! So whether you’re preparing for a big intense period of dance this summer or just taking some time off to chill: keep that cardio up to increase (or at least maintain) your stamina! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dadofadancer.com [https://www.dadofadancer.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

DOAD #30: A dancing and driving double threat!

Hello friends! Big news in the Johnson household this week — Atticus passed his driver’s permit test! 🎉 Which means my dream of having him drive himself to dance 428 times a week is one step closer to reality. (I jokingly promised to post his driving schedule online so everyone can stay safely at home…LOL) 🚗 A dancer who can (almost) drive * Atticus officially has his permit, and we celebrated with a driving session after recording this episode * We also ordered magnet bumper stickers from Amazon — a “student driver on board” set that accidentally came as a three-pack. One of the bonus magnets says something like “not drunk, just learning to drive for the first time.” If you see that on a car in Minnesota, you’ll want to keep your distance. 📖 How we studied (and actually made it fun) * The MN DMV test center staff gave us the real tip: skip the random Google study guides and just read the official state permit manual PDF cover to cover * The problem? Neither Atticus nor I are the “just scroll a PDF” type. We need something more engaging. * Solution: I uploaded the PDF into Claude and had it build a full question bank from the manual — covering all the major knowledge areas — and then asked it to re-read the PDF and double-check every question for accuracy and completeness (AI has an overconfidence problem, and I know this from running a cybersecurity company) * I also had Claude pull out a separate quiz bank just for traffic, warning, and construction signs — the visual stuff that shows up on the test 📱 Enter Quizlet * Claude spit out a file formatted for Quizlet import — boom, instant flashcard set * Our routine: a few nights in a row, we’d beam Quizlet from my iPad to the living room TV and run through 25–50 questions together * Quizlet’s smart enough to track which questions he nailed and which needed more work, so we could focus the studying where it counted * End result: he walked in and crushed it ✅ Head to dadofadancer.com [https://dadofadancer.com] for all episodes, photos, and videos (more coming soon, I promise). You can also find us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and pretty much anywhere you listen. Drop a public comment or hit the DM link on any post — both are always welcome! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dadofadancer.com [https://www.dadofadancer.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

DOAD #29: It's summer! So why are we already thinking about fall auditions?

Hello friends! Recording this one from a Caribou parking lot ☕ (medium dark hot chocolate, shot of mint — a warm milkshake masquerading as a beverage), because I just dropped Atticus off for the last half-day of freshman year and I’m feeling all the feelings. 🎭 The setup: * 🚗 On the ride to school we got to talking about how fast the year flew, and how he can’t wait to be a senior and launch into adult life — cue me doing the classic dad bit: “Don’t hurry it away! Enjoy the no-mortgage, no-car-payment years!” * 🤔 Meanwhile his brain is already living in the fall - “Which teachers are coming back? How will we move on without our seniors? Will we recruit any awesome freshmen?” * 🗓️ First things first, though: a stacked summer (more on that below) The gripe of the week: * 💃 Around here, most studios cluster their fall auditions into the same two-week window — smart, because kids can try out a bunch of places, weigh their options, and then pick one * ⏰ But ONE organization runs their auditions way early, then hands you a tight “commit or quit” deadline * 🧐 Business-hat me (I run a cybersecurity company) totally sees the play — it’s a stickiness move (even if it’s icky IMHO) * 👧 Parent me thinks it’s kinda slimy when we’re talking about little tots to teenagers. When a studio is also your kid’s core social circle, the “decision” basically gets made for you: stay put, or risk not landing anywhere for the season * 📝 I’m not saying run for the hills — just file this in the “con” column as a data point if you’re studio-shopping this fall What’s next: * 🩰 Three weeks in Phoenix at Master Ballet Academy * 🏛️ Then off to Massachusetts for a week at CLI Conservatory * 🎙️ Plus twice-a-week training with his consultant all summer long 👉 Visit dadofadancer.com to drop me a DM or comment — and catch Dad of a Dancer on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and anywhere you find podcasts. Have a wonderful week! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dadofadancer.com [https://www.dadofadancer.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

DOAD #28: A superb spring dance concert

Hello friends! We just wrapped Atticus’s first year at performing arts high school with a three-night spring dance show, and I’ve got a few highlights to share. 🎭 The lead-up: * 🎶 Atticus choreographed his own solo with help from his dance consultant — my wife and I mostly just got out of the way and let them cook * 🎧 I got to be on the audio production side — he had a 5-minute orchestral piece he wanted cut down to ~2 minutes, so we spent hours in GarageBand surgically stitching transitions until they blended like butter * ✨ One of my favorite things about this school: kids get hands-on with all of it — choreography, music edits, costume choices, lighting palettes, even backdrops. Makes for way more versatile dancers Show night: * ✈️ I caught the red-eye home from a work trip Saturday morning to make it * 🪑 Front-row seat — my toes were literally butting up against the marley floor * 📱 Photo/video was discouraged, so I may or may not have filmed it ninja-style by holding my program up as a decoy with my phone tucked behind it. (Sorry, not sorry.) * 👀 I did a terrible videography job because I kept forgetting to follow him with the camera — too busy watching with my actual eyes The moments that got me: * 🤸 A giant sideways scissor-kick leap and a set of turns that seemed to last forever — the crowd around me was audibly losing it (”Oh I see you! You brought it tonight!”) * 👏 Hearing strangers — moms, dads, grandparents — react in real time to his solo is a special kind of proud-papa treat What’s next: * 🩰 Three weeks in Phoenix at Master Ballet Academy * 🏛️ Then off to Massachusetts for the CLI Conservatory * 🎙️ Lots more to share with you soon 👉 Visit dadofadancer.com and subscribe so you never miss an episode — new ones drop every Wednesday! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.dadofadancer.com [https://www.dadofadancer.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]