Dad of a Dancer

In this week’s episode, we talk about how many studios and dance organizations use social media to promote their business and their dancers. I understand why studios want to highlight their top performers and attract new talent. However, when the same handful of dancers are featured 24/7 across social media channels, it can send the wrong message.

There are countless “unsung heroes” working in the shadows—dancers who are grinding every day to improve—and they deserve time in the social media spotlight too. I also share an example of a studio that has, in my opinion, unlocked t...

Back in episode 7 of our podcast, we talked about how my son recently completed the winter intensive at the CLI Conservatory in Massachusetts. In addition to getting a ton of dance experience, my son had the opportunity to participate in the creation of a music video. He gained a new appreciation for all the production that goes into the piece - not just from a dance perspective, but an audio/video perspective as well. He also noted they had to clean up the “snow” many times and do many takes to get the video just right. Have a look - I...

This week we talk about a new partnership we started with a dance consultant - someone who works specifically with dancers my son’s age to take their dancing to the next level. The decision to engage with a consultant came as a few different pieces were falling into place:

* My son stepped away from studio dance earlier this year and was essentially a “free agent”

* He started working with a dancer/choreographer on a new solo piece (discussed in episode #6)

* He had just wrapped up a high school dance production (discussed in episod...

This week’s episode is all about the awesome winter insensitive our son attended at the CLI Conservatory in Southampton, Massachusetts (you can read more about CLI and the origins of the studio/conservatory here). You’ll get to hear from Atticus directly as he shares his favorite moments - which include a lot of dancing, practicing mock auditions, and even filming a music video! And from a parent point of view, I’ll share some things we will do differently in the food and lodging department when we go back for the summer intensive in 2026. Next time we’ll:

In today’s episode, I’m excited to share a new adventure my son started in working with an independent dancer/choreographer. It has been a fun and collaborative project where we’ve had more input on both the music and choreography - something that wasn’t always the case in studio dance. Perhaps the best thing from my perspective is to watch my son relax into the experience, and not have a competition deadline right around the corner (we’re thinking of competing with the solo in 2026).

This week I try to answer the question “How can your dancer get to the next level?” When my son danced with a competitive studio, he was (naturally) interested in moving up to the higher-level teams. The path to get there, however, was shrouded in mystery. So we discuss:

* Insisting on feedback from teachers/coaches on specific goals your dancer should pursue

* Exploring a variety of opportunities outside your normal dance bubble/network (classes at other studios, weekend conventions, summer intensives, etc.). In other words: get your dancer in front of as many dance gurus as p...

Hello friends. Today I talk about how my son’s first high school dance production gave him several valuable experiences that he didn’t always get in the studio dance world, including:

* The opportunity to work on a project that has completely original music/choreography (the dance director and her father created the project from scratch over the summer!)

* Focusing on the acting part of dance - and understanding what is happening with his character and the story (not just the “smile big for the judges!” guidance often taught in studio dance)

* Being part of...

In today’s episode, I talk about the doubts I had when I sent my son to a performing arts high school. I walked into orientation with a bunch of questions and assumptions burning in my mind:

* What’s the schedule like here - do they toss math and science aside and it’s just “all arts classes all the time!?”

* Is there any discipline enforced, or do they let these young artists just run wild and free?

* Are there any testing standards that students are held to?

Certainly listen to the episod...

In today’s episode, we tackle the question that doesn’t have a great answer: how do you budget for a year of being a competitive dancer? It’s tricky. Yes, there’s the base cost of X dollars per month for the dance training itself, but then there’s all the extras that really gouge you:

* Costumes

* Photo shoots

* Teacher appreciation gifts

* Teammate appreciation gifts

* Senior dancer appreciation gifts

* Misc meals and snacks

* Gas/mileage

* Gifts for teammates during Valentine’s Day, Halloween, h...

Today I’m kicking off the Dad of a Dancer podcast! I’ll be sharing some of the challenges we’ve faced navigating the competitive dance world, what we’ve learned along the way, as well as ideas for how studios can better support and include all dancers.

I’ll start the podcast as an audio-only adventure, but might venture into video in the future (for example, I love the idea of interviewing people in the dance world about how they make their environments more open and inclusive). I also don’t have an exact cadence established for the podc...