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 dance coach months ago — you have to audition to get in, and you can do it in person or online
We went the online route, which added a layer of stress: glitchy Zoom, audio lag, and a nervous kid on pins and needles trying to follow instructions through a spotty connection
In hindsight, I’d love to have flown us out for an in-person audition — there’s an energy you just can’t replicate through a screen
He got accepted, and then came the question: three weeks minimum? Really? (Spoiler: yes, really — and it makes sense)
💪 The arc of three weeks
Week one nearly broke him. He came in thinking the days wouldn’t be as long as his CLI Conservatory experience in Massachusetts — he was, as he later admitted, “sorely mistaken, literally and figuratively”
By Wednesday of week one he was saying, “I don’t know if I can do another day of this”
His coaches had strongly recommended building up stamina beforehand — hitting the rowing machine was the big suggestion — and he passed on that. He felt it big time by day three
End of week one into week two: things started clicking — stamina, choreography, the works
Midway through week two: he hit his stride
Week three: “I can’t believe it’s over already”
The three-week minimum isn’t arbitrary. You need that first week just to survive, the second to adapt, and the third to actually thrive.
🏋️ The coaching style: tough love, emphasis on tough
Atticus is surrounded by wonderful, encouraging people in his dance world — and I love that for him
But sometimes the vibe is a little “Atticus, you can do no wrong, you’re a dancing tornado of joy”
MBA pushed these kids hard. The message was closer to: unless you’re paralyzed, it’s not rest time, it’s dance time!
As his dad, I genuinely appreciated that. I’m glad he got his butt kicked for three weeks — and I mean that in the nicest way possible
✈️ The real talk: logistics and cost
My wife and son were away for three weeks — hard on everyone at home (especially when my father passed away right before the 3-week MBA stint was set to begin)
We were lucky to have family in the Phoenix area who let them stay and use their car — but they were about 45 minutes from the academy, so it was three to four hours of driving per day - and a heck of a lot of gas money
We haven’t fully tallied the credit card damage yet, but: it’s going to be a lot
There’s an option for students to stay in dorms on-site, which could reduce some of the logistical complexity — but we weren’t quite ready for that this year
Bottom line: if you’re considering MBA, especially out of state, go in with eyes open about the financial and time commitment. It’s real, it’s significant, and you should weigh it carefully
🩰 The verdict
Would we do it again? He says absolutely — learned a ton, loved the teachers, made great friends
Next summer he wants to explore other dance styles, so the plan is probably to double-up on CLI weeks instead of returning to MBA
Ballet, as multiple smart dance people have told me, is a foundational core that everything else is built on — so the investment wasn’t wasted (even if ballet isn’t his professional destination)
🤝 The bonus win: a new solo piece
He connected with a teacher he really clicked with, and that teacher choreographed a new solo for him
That’s a tangible thing he’s bringing home for competition season
It’s also a good reminder that even if the core experience isn’t what you expect, events like this are networking gold — in dance, like in any industry, the world gets small fast, and you never know who you’ll need to know someday
