Competition season is here, which means the dance calendar starts looking like a second mortgage.
Extra rehearsals.
Extra emails.
Extra “just one more run through.”
And before anyone assumes we’re casual about it — let me be clear:
We take dance seriously.
My daughter is at the studio four to five days a week. Last year she danced around twelve hours. This year it’s closer to nine. She has a solo. She has group dances. She’s the youngest in her groups.
Some weeks the studio sees her more than I do.
I am basically her Uber driver with snacks.
If she misses, it’s not a whim. It’s not casual. It’s not, “eh, whatever.”
When she’s absent:
- she’s missing choreography
- her spot may shifts
- formations may adjust
- teachers have to rework things
We know that.
Which is exactly why balance matters.
Yes, We’re Serious — Just Not Unhinged
She rarely misses.
But when she does, it’s intentional. She will miss for school programs and conferences.
We don’t enter every competition and convention. She would miss all Fridays from March to May. If we did, she’d skip school every week — and that’s not a trade we’re willing to make at nine.
That doesn’t mean dance isn’t important.
It means we’re teaching her how to prioritize.
Commitment matters.
So does discernment.
The Studio Is Her Second Home
She’s there constantly.
She practices in the kitchen.
She stretches in the hallway.
She marks choreography in the grocery store aisle.
The studio is her home away from home.
Which is exactly why she also needs time away from it.
Summer break isn’t laziness.
Rest days aren’t weakness.
Missing one class doesn’t mean she’s not dedicated.
When you’re at the studio that much, a day off isn’t slacking — it’s survival.
Health Isn’t Optional
She’s worked through Sever’s disease. Physical therapy took priority.
She was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Blood sugar doesn’t coordinate with rehearsal schedules. Some days her body simply needed stability more than studio time.
We don’t push through injury for applause.
We don’t ignore health for trophies.
Dance will still be there.
Her body won’t be if we don’t protect it.
We Don’t Chase Everything
Could she do more privates? Sure.
Could we sign up for every pop-up class? Probably.
Could we spend her college fund trying to make her “the best of the best” at age nine?
Absolutely.
But we don’t.
She’s in the middle of the pack.
She places sometimes.
She doesn’t always.
She works hard.
She loves it.
That’s enough.
We’re raising a kid who loves dance — not a brand.
Competition season can get loud.
But in our house?
She shows up.
She works hard.
She rests when needed.
She stays healthy.
She stays happy.
And sometimes I get to sit in my car in the studio parking lot with the other parents and laugh at how our lives revolve around dance — while pretending I’m not just a very committed chauffeur.
That’s the balance.
Photo by Jess Zoerb on Unsplash
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