THE JUSTIN AND INEKE PODCAST — A podcast for dance parents

Justin and Ineke
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  • Performing Arts
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We explore the dance world weekly—answering the questions you're afraid to ask and helping you make decisions with confidence. Competitions, auditions, mindset, technique, and the stuff nobody warns you about. Studio owners for 20+ years and dance parents ourselves, we bring honest conversations for parents raising the next generation of artists. This podcast is about shaping confident, resilient young dancers. Starting with you.

  1. 3d ago

    Royal Ballet School 100 Years | The Path To Becoming A Principal Dancer

    Why is one of the world's most prestigious ballet institutions slowing down its training? We reflect on the Royal Ballet School’s centenary celebration, its history and Milan’s experience dancing in the finale. We discuss the school’s changing approach to younger students’ training, the role of foundational technique, and how parents and teachers can support children through frustration and slow progress. We also consider how watching dancers at a slightly more advanced stage can make long-term development feel achievable. We break down why the Royal Ballet School decided to stop early boarding for younger years, the real danger of prioritizing flashy tricks over solid foundations, and how parents can help young dancers stay patient on the long road to mastery.

    Royal Ballet School 100 Years | The Path To Becoming A Principal Dancer

  2. Oct 14

    Stop Rescuing Your Dancer: What Actually Builds Toughness | Parenting Strategy | Becky Kennedy

    When your child has a problem, the first instinct is to take it away. In this episode, we explain why we teach dancers to solve it themselves, and why there is no shortcut to happiness. We share the class nobody wants to take, the evening text that cost a dancer her next competitions, and why we are careful with the sentence "I believe you". We also talk about mental toughness, teen stress, uniforms, the boring work outside class, and children who can run their own day. This episode was sparked by an interview with Dr Becky Kennedy of Good Inside. What is one problem you have handed back to your child? Tell us in the comments. Subscribe for more on teen stress, dance and raising young dancers. What should parents and dance teachers do when a child refuses, shuts down, or claims something is "unfair"? raising dancers, mental toughness for dancers, dance parenting advice, setting boundaries in dance, dance teacher advice Dr Becky Kennedy parenting, teaching resilience, teenage dancers discipline, dance studio culture, executive functioning for teens, coping with failure in dance 💬 Question of the day: What is one uncomfortable problem or task you recently handed back to your child to solve on their own? Let us know in the comments below! Dream it. Do it. Give it. #RaisingADancer #DanceParenting #MentalToughness #DanceTeacher #DrBeckyKennedy #YouthDance #teenstress #dance #dancemom #dancedad #parenting

    Stop Rescuing Your Dancer: What Actually Builds Toughness | Parenting Strategy | Becky Kennedy

  3. Oct 8

    Building Mental Toughness in Young Dancers

    "My teacher doesn't like me." "I can't do that trick." Many young dancers give up quickly when things get uncomfortable. The skill they are missing is mental toughness, and it can be learned. In this episode, we share the story of a teenage dancer who doesn't feel seen in class, and a nine-year-old who has decided she can't do a handstand. We talk about mental toughness and teen stress, the difference between mental health and mental toughness, the self-fulfilling prophecy that keeps a dancer in the back line, and what parents can do without fixing everything. Why science backs up what we see in class: a 2019 study in Nature with more than 12,000 students found that less than one hour of growth mindset lessons improved grades for lower-achieving students. A study that followed 422 children found that overcontrolling parenting at age two went together with weaker emotion regulation at age five.

    Building Mental Toughness in Young Dancers

  4. Oct 1

    Teen Stress and Why Dancers Quit | Handle Teenage Burnout

    Between 14 and 16, many teenagers suddenly quit the hobby they have loved for years. We call it the minefield moment: teen stress from school, friends, and phones piles up just as teenagers want more independence. We share the story of a 15-year-old dancer we have taught for ten years. She loved dance, but felt guilty about homework every time she was in class. We talk about teen stress, why dancers quit at 14–16, how AI and phones affect learning, and what parents can do when their teenager wants to stop. Why science backs up what we see in class: The OECD's PISA 2025 study tested fifteen-year-olds around the world. It found that "hasty readers", students who rush and give quick but wrong answers, almost doubled since 2018, and that students feel less family support than in 2022. Pew Research found that 68% of teens feel pressure to get good grades. 0:05 Minefield Moment 1:12 Lily’s Dilemma 5:59 School Pressure Builds 10:42 Teen Stress Data 13:24 PISA and AI 17:32 Learning by Doing 19:33 A Wider Perspective 22:25 Rethinking Priorities 25:12 Hard Decisions Ahead 26:23 When Stress Is Too Much 26:41 Lily Decides to Stop PISA 2025 Results (Volume I): https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/pisa-2025-results-volume-i_73451bc5-en.html PISA 2025 Executive Summary: https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/pisa-2025-results-volume-i_73451bc5-en/full-report/executive-summary_3701b0ef.html Pew Research, Pressures teens are facing: https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2025/03/13/pressures-teens-are-facing Pew Research, Teens, Social Media and Mental Health: https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2025/04/22/teens-social-media-and-mental-health/ Have you had this conversation with your teenager? Tell us in the comments. Subscribe for more on teen stress, dance and raising young dancers. #teenstress #dance #dancemom #dancedad #parentingteens #minefieldmoment

    Teen Stress and Why Dancers Quit | Handle Teenage Burnout

  5. Sep 23

    The Truth About YAGP & Dance Competitions

    Truth about dance competitions like YAGP. Are dance competitions helping your child grow, or are they fueling anxiety and burnout? Here is the honest, unfiltered conversations between parents and mentors about the realities of competitive dance and elite ballet—from the pressure of Youth America Grand Prix to body image comments, altered scores, and perfectionism. Discover actionable ways to protect your dancer’s mental well-being, navigate high-stress dance competition environments, and help your teen build lasting self-worth that isn't defined by a trophy or score sheet. Parent Discussion: Have you or your dancer ever experienced burnout or unfair pressure at a competition? Drop your story in the comments below—let’s build a supportive community for dance families! Don't forget to subscribe to THE JUSTIN & INEKE PODCAST for honest conversations on raising healthy, confident performers. Parent Guidance: dance parent guide, is competitive dance worth it, raising a teenage dancer, how to support a stressed dancer Culture & Competitions: truth about dance competitions, YAGP experience parents, dance competition scoring explained, elite ballet school reality Mental Health & Well-being: dancer burnout and anxiety, perfectionism in dancers, body image in ballet, handling dance competition pressure Navigating toxic pressure, bias, and harsh criticism without destroying a teen’s love for dance. Practical strategies for parents to build resilience and separate a child’s self-worth from judges’ scores. @YAGP @TheRoyalBalletSchoolUK #DanceParents #DancePodcast #CompetitiveDance #DanceMentalHealth #YAGP

    The Truth About YAGP & Dance Competitions

  6. Sep 13

    Youth America Grand Prix | Our Honest YAGP Experience: What Parents Should Know

    YAGP is often discussed online—sometimes very positively and sometimes critically. This episode is not intended to add to that debate or speak for anyone else’s experience. Instead, we share what YAGP was like for our family: why we entered, how we prepared, the atmosphere backstage, the New York Finals, the practical considerations, results and scholarships, and what we believe matters most for a young dancer’s development. Have you or your dancer taken part in YAGP or another major dance competition? Share your experience respectfully in the comments. #YAGP #DanceParents #BalletCompetition #YouthAmericaGrandPrix #DancePodcast

    Youth America Grand Prix | Our Honest YAGP Experience: What Parents Should Know

  7. Sep 3

    How Much Does a Ballet Summer Intensive ACTUALLY Cost? (Free Calculator)

    In this episode of THE JUSTIN & INEKE PODCAST, we pull back the curtain on the financial reality of elite dance training. We’re breaking down every single expense from our time at the Amsterdam International Summer School—from tuition and travel to those "hidden" costs no one tells you about. Whether your child is auditioning for London or Amsterdam, this breakdown will help you plan without the stress. Want to take the guesswork out of your planning? We’ve built a free Summer Intensive Cost Calculator for you! Just send an email to hello@justinandineke.com with the subject "Calculator" and we’ll send it over.

    How Much Does a Ballet Summer Intensive ACTUALLY Cost? (Free Calculator)

  8. Aug 28

    Why Is My Child In The Back (What Parents Don't See)

    Is your dancer struggling with being placed in the back row? In this episode of THE JUSTIN & INEKE PODCAST, we speak on how choreographers actually make placement decisions. We discuss: 1. Why is my child in the back of the dance choreography 2. How dance teachers decide stage placement for competitions 3. Dealing with disappointment in dance role assignments 4. How to talk to a dance teacher about my child's position 5. Dance competition choreography placement criteria 6. How to help my dancer overcome stage fright 7. Preparing a teenage dancer for national championships 8. Supporting your child when they don't get the lead role 9. How attendance affects dance competition placement 10. Dance teacher perspective on high-stakes vs. low-stakes shows Why your dancer's placement is never random or impulsive. How to help your teenage dancer handle disappointment with a growth mindset. The direct link between attendance, habits (referencing Atomic Habits), and stage position. Real-life examples of "too much, too soon" and how teachers manage placement criteria for high-stakes competitions. Choreography Placement Concerns Learn how to be the "chauffeur and calendar manager" your dancer needs to succeed, and how to support them when they don't get their desired role. If you found this helpful, subscribe for more honest conversations on raising elite dancers, and share this with a dance parent who needs to hear it today!

    Why Is My Child In The Back (What Parents Don't See)
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About

We explore the dance world weekly—answering the questions you're afraid to ask and helping you make decisions with confidence. Competitions, auditions, mindset, technique, and the stuff nobody warns you about. Studio owners for 20+ years and dance parents ourselves, we bring honest conversations for parents raising the next generation of artists. This podcast is about shaping confident, resilient young dancers. Starting with you.

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