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In This Issue:

What's poppin!

You've been telling your dancers to leave it all on the floor all season. And most of them did. Congrats! But season's over now, and one question has been sitting in my chest since I got back from Waterloo:

Did YOU leave something on the floor too?

Last month I bought my own flight to judge the Ontario Secondary School Dance Festival at Laurier University. I do it every year because this event is one of the most extraordinary things happening in Canadian dance, and I will not miss it.

Here's what makes it unlike every other competition I adjudicate: Every single piece on that stage was created entirely by the students. The teachers guide and coach, but the creativity, the vision, the execution, ALL of it comes from the teens themselves. And it is SOMETHING ELSE!

I sat at that table watching piece after piece thinking: these kids have no idea how good this is. They're so deep inside it, so focused on executing, they can't see what I'm seeing from across the room.

So when I got to present special awards, I didn't just call names. I told each choreographer exactly what I saw. Specifically. I looked them in the eye and said the thing. One of them stood on stage and legit broke down. Happy tears. The kind that only happen when someone finally names the exact thing you've been working toward and weren't sure anyone noticed.

They didn't think they'd be picked. And I'll never forget their face when I told them why I did.

That release only happens when the recognition is specific enough to prove you were actually watching.

You saw things in your dancers this season that didn't show up on any score sheet.

The kid who grew in a way that numbers can't measure. The dancer who held it together when everything around them was falling apart. The teenager who showed up to rehearsal during the hardest week of their life and gave you everything anyway. I know you saw it. The question is whether you TOLD them. Out loud. With specifics.

Because here's what I know from years of doing this: your dancers will forget the scores. They will never forget the moment someone looked them in the eye and told them exactly what they saw.

Dance parents, this goes for you too. Your kid performed all season. What did you actually notice? Did you tell them the specific thing?

Four steps. Two minutes. Changes how a dancer sees themselves.

S: Specific note. Name the one exact thing you observed. Skip "great job." Try something like: "The way you committed to that last eight count even when you were exhausted. I saw that."

E: Eye contact. Look at them directly when you say it. Eye contact is what makes recognition land in the body instead of just the ears.

E: Express why it matters. Tell them what it says about who they ARE as a performer. "That took real courage. That's a dancer who trusts themselves under pressure."

N: Name it out loud. Say it in front of people when you can. Public recognition hits differently than a private compliment. When their teammates hear it, it becomes part of how everyone sees them.

Season's done but summer isn't here yet. Reach out to one dancer this week. The one whose face keeps coming to mind. Send the text. Make the call. Send a video note on their social. Whatever it takes.

Tell them what you saw. Specifically. Out loud.

And if you want to help build a room this summer where NOTHING gets left on the floor, where every dancer leaves knowing exactly what they bring to a stage, that's what my Tap Intensive is for. Three days of tap technique, real performance tools, and the kind of specific feedback that changes how a dancer sees themselves for good.

Kingston is July 31 to August 2 with 10 spots left. Airdrie is August 7 to 9 with 2 spots left. (Airdrie is almost gone!) Tap dance families can register at ShuffleWithShawn.com.

This week's question: Who's the dancer from this season you haven't fully acknowledged yet? You already know who it is.

You can do hard things!

Shawn B

ABOUT THE SHUFFLE

Welcome to The Shuffle, where performers, teachers, leaders, and parents come to build unshakeable confidence. You're here because you care about more than just showing up; you care about showing up well.

I started this newsletter with one mission: to teach confidence like a skill. Because when people believe they can do hard things, everything changes. Their performance improves. Their leadership deepens. Their impact grows. Together, we're creating a ripple effect of confidence that extends far beyond the stage, the classroom, and the boardroom.

So if this fires you up, don't keep it to yourself. Forward these emails to someone who needs to hear it. Let's remind people everywhere that confidence isn't something you're born with, it's something you build. One hard thing at a time.