Dad of a Dancer

Hello friends! This was supposed to be week two of three with Atticus joining me live from Phoenix, but a couple of things got in the way. He’d just come through a brutal day — a full day of class plus a couple of solo sessions — and my wife was basically hauling home a bag of bones. And on a much heavier note, since we last talked, my dad — Atti’s grandpa — passed away, so our minds have been all...

Hello friends! We’re doing something a little different this week — Atticus is joining me live from Scottsdale, Arizona, just three days into his summer intensive at Master Ballet Academy , and I am here for every sweaty, sun-drenched detail. This is part one of what’s shaping up to be a three-part series as we check in with him each week of his time there. Buckle up. 🌵 What is Master Ballet Acad...

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 made the case that most studios fail older dancers — not because...

Hi friends, Atti’s ramping up for his upcoming three-week intensive at Master Ballet Academy . 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...

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 w...

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 in...

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...

Hello dance friends! A fellow dance parent sent me a clip from The Jason Show where the host, Jason Matheson, shared some feedback from staff at Disney World where the theme was essentially “Dance and cheer parents are the worst.” I’ve clocked many hours at dance conventions and competitions, and after seeing and interacting with many dance parents…in some cases I agree with Jason 100%. Check out...

Hello friends! This week we’re coming off a serious post-concert high — we got to see Calum Scott live at the Fillmore in downtown Minneapolis, and I had to share some highlights about the experience. 🎤 How we ended up there: * 🎟️ Atticus has been begging for a big concert (Bruno Mars is the dream, but those tickets are $250–$300 a seat — yikes! ) * 👀 My wife spotted Calum Scott at the Fillmore...

Hi friends, two big updates for you in today’s episode: * Did Atti get accepted into the Master Ballet Academy ? * He competed at REVEL Phoenix and had, well…a little “wrinkle” in his choreography 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

Hello friends! We're back — and this time I brought Atticus with me! 🙌 Last week I teased you about our big week of competitions and auditions, and oh BOY did we have a week. Let's get into it: The competition — aka the night his music cut out mid-solo: * 🎭 Atticus hadn’t competed in two years — and he came back with a solo he choreographed himself * 😬 Before he even got on stage, they called t...

Hello friends! Big week over here — we’ve got a competition AND an audition coming up, so we’ve got a lot on our minds! 🏆 Here’s what our dance consultant has been drilling into us as we prep: Stage entrances and exits matter more than you think: * 🎭 Judging starts the second any part of you is visible on that stage — so don’t just shuffle out there! * 💪 Walk on with confidence and intention —...

Hello friends! I’m back with some real talk on getting ready for competition season — and yes, it’s almost time! 🏆 Here’s what’s been on my radar as my teen dancer preps for our first competition of 2026: Physical prep: * 💧 Hydration is everything — and no, Dr. Pepper does NOT count * 🤸 Stretch consistently (not just the night before when you suddenly want your needle back) * 🦴 Chiropractic ca...

Hey friends, we’re back from spring break in the Dominican, and our trip yielded a couple fun dance-related things: * We got to see a phenomenal dance+vocals ensemble that also had a unique stage presence (it made me giggle) * I got to take a salsa class in hopes Atti would join me. But did he? Listen to today’s episode to find out! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with...

Hello friends, today we’re talking about some tips to better secure your dancer’s social media accounts. Since I run a cybersecurity consultancy , I spend most of my waking hours trying to help companies not get hacked. A lot of the best practices they follow to protect their accounts are the same tips you and the dancers in your life should follow as well: * Pick strong passwords * Use a differen...

Here’s something that will be super obvious to some people but was a mind-breaker for me when I learned it: you can download dance choreography from the Internet. Today I talk about the first time I saw it “live” (it made my jaw drop) and how my first instinct was to call the dance police and demand some arrests. But as I’m learning years later, this practice is pretty common. This is a public epi...

Hello dance friends. Male dancers can be an afterthought at competitions — specifically when it comes to dressing room accommodations. Today I share some frustrating real-life experiences my son and I navigated, from inadequate and unmarked changing spaces to locked doors mid-costume-change. I also recount a particularly painful moment when my son was left out of a final pre-performance rehearsal...

This may seem obvious, but dance studio class size - and the expertise/education of their staff - matter! All these years at big studio dance, I figured everybody who worked for a studio had professional degrees and experience, which is not the case. So today, I encourage you to keep a close watch on your dancer to ensure they aren’t being swallowed up by large class sizes and potentially limited...

Hope you’re all having a great week! Today I sat down with Atti to hear about his experience at the National High School Dance Festival a few weeks ago. He got the opportunity to not only take a bunch of great dance classes, but learn about how to build up his social media profiles and dancer resume as well! More details in today’s show. Thanks again for listening and be sure to subscribe to our p...

Hey friends! This week I sat down with Atticus to hear more about his NUVO experience, which I talked a little bit about in episode #14 . I asked him: * What’s NUVO all about, and what parts of the nation can you find this competition/convention? * What’s it like to attend something like NUVO without representation from a dance studio? * What dance skills should you have nailed down before attendi...

Hey dance friends! This past weekend my son went to the NUVO convention as an independent, and had a wonderful time. Next week I’ll have him share some thoughts from a dancer’s perspective, but this week I want to share a few experiences from a parent POV: * Challenges applying for dance conventions/competitions as an independent * The uncomfortable feeling of dropping him off in an environment wh...

Hello friends - back in episode #11 my son and I played a game called “Dance songs I never want to hear again,” where I obnoxiously sang/scat 10 songs in his direction. If he could identify the song name and artist for all 10, I promised to buy him some disgusting drink from Starbucks the next day. Good news (for him) is that he won that round! So this week I’m back with another round, only this t...

Competitive dance teams want to win and bring home a dump truck load of trophies - and there’s nothing inherently wrong with that. But are we (studios and parents) building character in our dancers…or just teaching them to be cutthroat as they cut up the dance floor? In today’s episode, I share three ways we can help our kids develop a healthy perspective on competition while still keeping a stron...

Things are a bit heavy in the Twin Cities where we live, so we thought we’d do something a little more light and fun today! I challenge my son to name 10 dance songs I never want to hear again - by obnoxiously humming/scatting the melody of each song without the words. He has to name the song and artist. If he gets at least 8/10 right, I’ll buy him Starbucks on the way to school tomorrow. How many...

In today’s episode we discuss something that may sound simple, but isn’t obvious to everyone: dance teams aren’t always comprised of 100% females. 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