Dad of a Dancer

Hey friends, today I’m taking a bit of a break from our regular topics and spending a few minutes talking about my dad (Atti’s grandpa) John. He passed away in June, and would’ve been 90 years old today. He was a cop and pilot - about as far away from the dance world as a guy can get - yet he never stopped being curious about Atti’s passion. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss t...

This episode features a story of our studio being incredibly warm and inviting to dancers of all abilities. It also reminded me how differently our old studio handled the exact same request, and I’m still mad at myself for how I let that slide. 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

WARNING! This episode is very, very geeky and super, super nerdy. I talk about how you can use Notion , Claude and NotionToCalendar to keep your dancer’s crazy calendar up to date and synched up on everybody’s phone with ease! 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

I'm recording this one from a parking lot across the street from where my son now works as a dance coach, which makes me a dad of a dance teacher ! When Atti stepped away from studio dance and landed at a tumbling and fitness gym, he worried his skills would slide and he'd be bored out of his mind. Instead, he found a boss who is a ray of sunshine in human form, a room full of loud little kids eag...

At our new studio's kickoff meeting, one announcement made my wife and me snap our heads toward each other and gasp out loud. (If you've ever hunted for a missing sock at 6 a.m. before a competition, you'll understand why.) I also share a concept I learned about years ago called the "emotional bank account," and how it can help you figure out how your own studio relationship is really going. Check...

* A recap of week one at our new studio, plus the parent meeting I was dreading and ended up loving * The dancer/parent contract I actually read this time, including the one line that made me laugh out loud * Why you might not realize it's time to shop for a new studio until you finally step outside the old one This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or g...

A while back I griped on here ( episode #6 ) about how solos usually get built: you sign up, you get a time slot, you walk in, and a choreographer hands you a song and eight counts and off you go. This week Atti came home from his first solo rehearsal at the new studio and said five words that stopped me in my tracks. * 🎵 “We’re not done with it yet” — and why that’s the best sentence I’ve heard...

Hi friends, I’m trying to answer a question I have little experience with: what is the right balance between studio dance commitments and school dance program commitments? This week Atti walked into his sophomore year at his performing arts high school with a full studio dance card (he recently joined a new studio and has a slew of new group pieces to learn - plus some ensembles and solos) and mad...

Hello friends! Last week I told you we landed at a new studio — what I didn’t tell you is what came right behind it: a firehose of dates, deposits, Venmo requests, and travel deadlines. Then five seconds later: a big email from the high school dance director with even more logistics and details to track! The answer? I handed the whole mess to AI to organize…and it built us a dance calendar and Web...

We have giggities in this house — that’s our word for extreme hyperness and/or happiness about something. Atticus auditioned for and made the new studio he’s had his eye on for a long time! So I thought now would be a good time to compare and contrast some elements of our old studio experience with this new one. 🎟️ The audition process * Both studios run the same basic week — come in, learn a pile...

Hello friends! Atticus just got back from his second CLI Conservatory intensive, and this time he walked in knowing where everything was, who everyone was, and exactly how much a 9-to-9 schedule was going to hurt. We talk stamina, a music video that took roughly 500 takes, tumbling on a marley floor in the wrong shoes, and how much cash mom and dad would have to save up if he gets into the 10-mont...

Hello friends! This week my wife and Atticus are at the CLI Conservatory in Southampton, Massachusetts for his second week-long dance intensive. As a refresher, we welcome you to read more about the origins/history of CLI , and/or listen to episode #7 of our podcast to hear about our first experience. Sadly I couldn’t join them this time, so I’m hearing the CLI report second-hand. I also really wa...

It’s the video you’ve been waiting for (maybe?). Atti and I join forces and dance to Le Freak! And in case this song makes you want to revisit the music video: 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! Back to school is barreling toward us, and for our house that means a new studio, a new audition, and a whole lot of feelings in my stomach. This week I’m flying solo to talk about what’s coming this fall, what my wife and I are doing to keep the anxiety in check — his and ours. Deep breath. Here we go. 🕰️ How we got here * We stepped away from big studio dance in early 2025 after a...

Hello friends! We’re wrapping up our Master Ballet Academy series with this one, and this time it’s just me — no Atticus — giving you the full parental debrief on his three-week summer intensive in Phoenix, Arizona. You’ve heard his side over the last couple of weeks; now I’m here to talk about him behind his back. Lovingly, of course. 🎭 How we got here (again) * MBA was recommended by Atticus’s...

Hello friends! We’re closing out the Master Ballet Academy trilogy and I could not be more proud. In this episode, I catch up with Atticus as he wraps up his final week in Scottsdale — and the kid who dragged himself through week one is a completely different dancer heading into the finish line. We talk about his physical and mental transformation, a surprise contemporary solo opportunity, what he...

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...