Former Green Beret ‘girl dad’ helps his daughter dance her dreams into reality
BY LA Stories Staff Santa Monica
PUBLISHED 5:00 AM PT Aug. 04, 2025
Gianna Zingone’s childhood was marked by instability and uncertainty. She often felt confused, angry, and lost, having trouble in school.
“It was very hard because I didn’t really know exactly what was going on,” Gianna said, looking back. “But I kind of learned to just focus on myself.”
Drew Zingone, a former Green Beret, took full custody at age 50 and made her future his priority.
“When Gianna proved to be mine, I just stepped up right then,” he said. “It wasn’t easy, but you just accept responsibility.”
Despite a difficult custody battle, Drew remained steadfast.
“A lot of it was so unnecessary, and just being a single dad with two dogs, just that in itself is enough to go through,” he said.
Gianna’s turning point came when Drew took her to dance class.
“She was just so focused,” he said. “Gianna was only about 8 years old when she started. And she just really, really just excelled at it.”
Gianna found her calling and a pathway to healing.
“In ballet, you can show anger and you can show sadness because in ballet, you have to tell a story,” she said. “And I think it was much easier to cope with what I was going through when I could show how I was feeling through my dancing.”
Now preparing to join the legendary Joffrey Ballet, Gianna is bursting with the joy of anticipation.
“I’m really excited to see what this year has in store for me,” she said.
Gianna is also the first to admit none of this would be possible without the help and support of her ultimate “girl dad.”
“He’s the one parent who was there for me, and he was the one person that I knew I could rely on,” she said. “He always gives great advice, especially if I’ve had a hard day at dance or my muscles are sore. He’s like, ‘You just got to push through it.”