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-month program. Then I ambush him with a pop quiz he had no idea was coming.
🕺 Round two at CLI
December was the winter intensive and Atti says he was stressed the whole time — this summer he wasn’t nervous at all because he knew the teachers, the building, and what was expected
He still ended the week on the floor with a heating pad, three energy drinks, and roughly a gallon of water
His advice for anyone considering CLI is the same advice we gave for Master Ballet Academy: build your stamina before you go, because you can prepare and it still might not be enough
🎬 The photo shoot and the music video
New for the summer session: professional photo shoots, which didn’t happen at the winter intensive and which turned out great
The music video went about 500 takes — a tumbling section straight into a dance section with no cuts, over and over
Atti’s gymnastics background put him in the tumbling group, which sounds like an advantage until you’re doing standing tucks on hardwood in low-profile shoes because they looked cleaner on camera
🎯 CY9 and the 10-month plan
He’s planning to audition for CY9 — the conservatory’s 10-month program — his junior year
Going to the summer intensive isn’t technically an advantage, but as he put it, they’ve seen your face and know what you’re capable of…that can’t hurt!
Tuition is somewhere in the $28,000–$29,000 range for the year, and housing is separate — roughly $800 a month for a double and $1,300 for a single
🧠 Pop quiz: how well do you actually know CLI?
I ran a batch of research questions past him cold, covering location, faculty, styles, age requirements, and cost
He named a solid chunk of the faculty list, correctly guessed the housing range, and knew the wellness and heels classes were part of the schedule
He also closed us out with the answer he first gave back on Episode 7: CLI is Create, Learn, Inspire
💡 Fun fact to leave you with
Atti asked someone at the conservatory what the CY on the t-shirts stood for and felt dumb about it — it stands for “conservatory”
For the record, I do not think that’s a dumb question, since Y is not usually where acronyms go looking for letters(?)
Thanks for listening! You can find all our episodes and posts at dadofadancer.com, and we’re on Spotify, the Apple Podcasts app, and wherever else you get your podcasts. Follow Atticus on Instagram @theofficialatticusjohnson.
