At Level Up, we talk a lot about our Goldilocks philosophy—finding the level of dance that feels just right for each child and family.
I love children doing all the things! Dance, sports, theater, clubs, school activities—you name it. As a mom, I want Baylee, Brooklynne and Austyn to experience everything that lights them up, too.
You see, the mission on our website is the same one I wrote 22 years ago—and it has not changed. I want everything I learned as a child to be the backbone of what we do here.
So, yes, growing up, I did ALL. THE. THINGS.
Piano, violin, flute, band, FFA, voice lessons, karate, horseback riding, competitive dance—and the list goes on and on and on. I can carry a tune, break a board, gallop with the best, grade the dirt our building sits on—- but eventually I had to choose a path. My path. The only reason I was confident in that path though is because I had a superhero mom that was my Uber before there was Uber, and parents that took me to places that also believed in letting us experience not activities, but LIFE.
Along with that philosophy, comes the hard conversation I have with my kiddos—and the same one my parents had with me when I wanted to do all the things:
“Jennifer, you may be able to do all the things, but you won’t be able to grow equally in all the things. There is no ‘best’ choice. There is only the choice that is just right for your interests, goals, and available time at this point in your life.”
I held that message in my heart, and it is exactly why LPAC offers different levels of commitment.
This season, we added our newest program to round out the mission that began so long ago: our Community Program Sessions.
The Community Program offers shorter sessions and flexibility. Academy provides a consistent, year-round dance experience. University offers more intentional training—but even there, families have choices. Stretch and Flex is one weekly class, Uplevel is a one-semester commitment, and Beyond Ballet requires significantly more time and training.
But—and this is important—our expectations must match our commitment.
That is a lesson I heard loud and clear at a young age:
We cannot expect 100% growth from 50% attendance.
You cannot build what you do not work on.
With that said, kids get sick. Homework piles up. Family events matter. Other activities create important memories, too.
At LPAC, we tell them:
“You belong here.”
“We support all the things that matter to you.”
“You do not have to choose the biggest commitment.”
“If you want a different level of growth, it may require a different level of commitment. That is a personal choice.”
Some want ALL IN. Some want ALL THE THINGS….All things can be true at the same time.
That is the real heart of Goldilocks: not asking every child to do more, but helping every family choose honestly—and then being there for the rewarding moments and the real conversations.
It is that partnership in parenting that makes Goldilocks just right.
There is a place here for every child. We can enjoy all the things while remembering that there is no “best” choice.
We will help them find the one that feels just right, cheer them on along the way, and help them grow within it.
That is how we Build Champions together.
