--- title: Barack Obama Tells David Letterman Why Dads Are Bad Dancers description: Barack Obama revealed to David Letterman the one thing that dads do wrong when they're dancing and a special moment with Prince. canonical: https://time.com/5098712/barack-obama-dancing-dad-moves-david-letterman/ author: Cady Lang article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2018-01-11T16:09:35.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:49:41.989Z og:title: Obama Reveals the One Thing Dads Do Wrong When Dancing og:description: So embarrassing og:url: https://time.com/5098712/barack-obama-dancing-dad-moves-david-letterman/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte37be25df5f38a7c/6988f7ee656a3f4b2dbd323e/barack-obama-dancing-dad-moves.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Introductory Session To The 7th Summit Of Les Napoleons In Paris og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Obama Reveals the One Thing Dads Do Wrong When Dancing twitter:description: So embarrassing twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blte37be25df5f38a7c/6988f7ee656a3f4b2dbd323e/barack-obama-dancing-dad-moves.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Barack Obama Reveals the One Thing Dads Do Wrong When Dancing  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Jan 11, 2018 4:09 PM UTC  Introductory session by President Barack Obama during the Napoleons 2018 at Maison de la Radio on December 2, 2017 in Paris, France. "Les Napoleons" is a professional network of more than 3000 industry and communications players. Introductory session by President Barack Obama during the Napoleons 2018 at Maison de la Radio on December 2, 2017 in Paris, France. "Les Napoleons" is a professional network of more than 3000 industry and communications players.Aurelien Morissard/IP3—Getty Images  by [Cady Lang](https://time.com/author/cady-lang/)  ## Cady Lang Jan 11, 2018 4:09 PM UTC [Barack Obama](http://time.com/barack-obama-joe-biden-friendship-photos/), the uncontested [authority in all things “Dad,”](http://time.com/4621362/barack-obama-best-dad-moments/) has some sage advice for fathers whose “dad moves” may be embarrassing their offspring. During an appearance on David Letterman’s upcoming [Netflix](http://time.com/5076892/netflix-bright-bad-critic-reviews/) show, [_My Next Guest Needs No Introduction_](http://time.com/5090142/barack-obama-david-letterman-new-talk-show/), Obama revealed that there’s one thing dads do wrong while they’re getting their groove on: they don’t keep their dad moves — you know, those freewheeling and experimental moves that are best done not in public arenas — to themselves. According to Obama, the key to keeping dad moves in check is “staying in the pocket” which means keeping moves like karate kicks to yourself, a lesson that Obama has taken to heart after dancing on-stage with his daughter Sasha during a performance of the inimitable Prince. Listen to Obama’s dancing advice below. 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