As competition season ramps up, it’s easy for dancers, parents, and teachers to feel the pressure to be perfect. In this episode of Mind Juice, we’re shifting the focus back to what truly fuels growth — joy, passion, and showing up with heart.

This episode is for:

• Dancers who are learning to trust themselves

• Parents who want to support without adding pressure

• Teachers who are balancing excellence with empathy

We talk about why worth is not found in scores or trophies, how calm and encouragement build confidence, and why the experiences we gain on stage matter far beyond dance.

You don’t have to earn joy.

You’re allowed to enjoy the journey while you’re becoming better.

Because joy isn’t separate from success — it’s part of the process.

Drama doesn’t just “happen” — the brain actually gets addicted to the emotional intensity of it.

In this episode, I break down the Drama Triangle (Victim, Villain, Rescuer), why people get pulled into it, and how drama creates a dopamine loop that keeps dancers, parents, and even teachers stuck.

Most importantly, we talk about how to break the cycle, stop rescuing, protect your peace, and keep drama out of your studio.

Ages 13 and 14 are the most challenging years in a dancer’s journey, and this episode breaks down exactly why. From major emotional and physical changes to the transition into the teen room, shifting friendships, identity questions, and the pressure of suddenly becoming the youngest in the age category — this stage is overwhelming for dancers, parents, and teachers.

After years of observing this pattern, and an especially high volume of parent meetings this season, Jen takes a deeper look at why dancers feel uncomfortable at this age and why that discomfort is so often misinterpreted as a studio or training issue.

This episode offers clarity, support, and practical insight to help dancers push through this phase — because if they can make it past the 13–14 wall, they often soar.