Guests - Julie "JJ" Joseph and Khori PetinaudHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 202 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we bring on two seasoned dance industry professionals to debate the merits of the product versus the process in dance, both competitively and professionally.Topics Include: Examples of a product-focused process and why they are important Examples of a process-focused process and why they are important Personal anecdotes abou...

Guests - Dana Moore and MaryAnn LambHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 201 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we are introducing a new Spotlight Feature Episode series featuring different genres of dance. Kicking off this series is a subgenre of jazz dance - you know it when you see it - Fosse! With us today are two giants in the industry, MaryAnn Lamb and Dana Moore, to share their invaluable insights into this highly specialized style.Topics...

Guests - Tommy Scrivens, Jacqueline Baligian, Brionna Trilling, Michelle Tolson, Ashley PeterHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 200 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we are joined by some incredible IDA judges and dance educators to answer listener-submitted questions, and celebrate 200 episodes of our show live in person in New York City!Topics Include: How to handle jealousy at the studio What it takes to become a judge Tips for how to be...

Guests - Julia Galloway and Kiera LettsHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 199 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we revisit the sometimes fraught topic of levels at competition. Love them or hate them, levels generate a lot of feelings, and competition host and judge Julia Galloway and choreographer and IDA judge Kiera Letts share theirs with us on this episode!Topics Include: The trouble with in-studio levels and competition levels How to solve ...

Guest - Preston MillerHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 198 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, Preston Miller, owner of TDA Prep, gives us a crash course on the best ways to choose summer or winter dance intensives! Whether you are just starting your dance journey or have a few intensives under your belt, this episode delivers crucial information for decision-making!Topics Include: The ideal timeline for researching and choosing intensives The p...

Guests - Katie Lebron and Robert DuranHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 197 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we explore the exciting world of costuming for competitive dance with Robert Duran, costume designer and former studio owner, and IDA judge and dance educator Katie Lebron. Topics Include: How even small details in costuming can affect the way a piece of choreography is perceived Inclusive costuming and how we can continue to do be...

Guests - Cara Dixon and Megan MeierHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 196 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we explore just a taste of the exciting and educational world of anatomy and alignment for dancers! Cara Dixon of Relative Motion and Megan Meier of Oklahoma Performing Arts Collective share their expertise as we scratch the surface of this subject.Topics Include: The importance of working in parallel as well as turn out Hypermobility and ...

Guests - Alicia Mae Holloway and Peter StarkHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 195 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we explore the world of ballet competitions and discover that while there are some differences from the competition atmosphere we're used to, there are more similarities than we thought! Joining us today are professional dancer and judge Alicia Mae Holloway and director of The Rock School For Dance Education, Peter Stark.Topics...

Guests - Amira Azimi, Cayse Day, Tara IacobucciHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 194 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we are joined by dance studio director and IDA Judge Tara Iacobucci and hosts of the Two Dance Moms Podcast, Amira Azimi and Cayse Day, to talk about ways to support your dancer.Topics Include: Best practices for parents on when to intervene and when to let your dancer handle issues themselves Why communication is key for studi...

Guests - Noel Bajandas, Meghan SanettHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 193 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we are talking about the IT factor - that elusive, un-teachable element that we all strive for. Our guests Noel Bajandas and Meghan Sanett give us some insight into how to develop the IT factor and wow your audience!Topics Include: What the IT factor is and isn't Does the IT factor have anything to do with perfect technique? Tips to...

Guests: Yolanda Fernandez-Quincoces, Alexis ToledoHosted by Courtney Ortiz & Lesley MealorThe winner of the Making the Impact Award Fan Favorite Contest this summer was "Working Day and Night", a tap routine from Yolanda's Academy of Music & Dance in West New York, NJ. We are excited to share their story on our only Studio Spotlight Feature of Season 6!Follow Yolanda's Academy of Music & Dance on social media @yolandas_academy and learn more on their website: https://www.yolandasa...

Guests - Josh Bergasse, Richard J. Hinds, Sarah MeahlHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 191 of Making The Impact—A Dance Competition Podcast, we are joined by some of the top choreographers in the industry whose choreography was stolen in a scandal that went viral this summer.Topics Include:The details of how it was discovered that multiple choreographers' work was stolen and taught for profit in SpainWhat steps are being taken to raise awareness of the plagiarism problems...

Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorSeason 6 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast is finally here! Listen as Courtney and Lesley recap their very busy summers, share some highlights of season 5, and give you a sneak peek into what's in store for season 6!Topics Include: Cover art contest winners for season 6 Making the Impact Award fan favorite contest winner Upcoming episode topic teasersHelp support our podcast. Join Making The Impact's Platinum Premium ...

Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor🌟 PLATINUM PREMIUM EXCLUSIVE! 🌟 Making the Impact Live at the Capezio Flagship Store in New York City! March 2024.This is very special summer bonus episode from our very first ever LIVE Podcast event in New York City at the Capezio Flagship Store! This live event sponsored by Capezio was held in Times Square on Saturday, March 30th, 2024. We hosted a jazz class with over 40 dancers and our live podcast recording was completely SOLD OUT! We had dance...

Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorSeason 5 of Making the Impact might be over, but we have some fun things in store for you this summer and next season! Thank you for listening and supporting our podcast, and we can't wait for season 6! Mark your calendars - Season 6 launches Thursday, September 5th, 2024!Help support our podcast. Join Making The Impact's Platinum Premium Subscription today! Your membership includes:Monthly Q&A episodes released to members-onlyPriority to have y...

Guests - IDA JudgesHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 190 of Making the Impact, we hear from IDA judges around the country about the highs and lows of the 2024 competition season!Topics Include:Favorite themes at competitionTechnique issuesMusic choicesChoreography trendsHelp support our podcast. Join Making The Impact's Platinum Premium Subscription today! Your membership includes:Monthly Q&A episodes released to members-onlyPriority to have your questions answered ea...

Guests - Joshua Dawson, Mary Hondal and Laci JusticeHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 189 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we hear straight from dancers in three college dance programs - Pace University, University of Alabama, and Point Park University - about what life is like as a dance major! Topics Include: How each program is structured What each dancer wishes they knew before entering their program How their competitive dance c...

Guests - Suzanne Citere and Amanda Nicole DiTullioHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 188 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, studio owner Suzanne Citere and dance educator and IDA judge Amanda Nicole DiTullio sit down to discuss the pros and cons of using in-house choreographers versus hiring outside choreographers for your dancers. Topics Include:Best practices for hiring outside choreographers and being hired as an outside choreographer Wh...

Guest: Justin JohnsonHosted by Courtney Ortiz & Lesley MealorBeyond Belief Dance Company out of Mesquite, Texas, is known for its incredible performance quality, high level of commitment, and unique choreographic concepts. Owned and operated by Justin Johnson (who you may also know as his drag persona, Alyssa Edwards), Beyond Belief Dance Company strives to give the best instruction to each individual student that walks through the door!Follow Beyond Belief Dance Company on Instagram @bey...

Guests - Menina Fortunato and Sissa StrainHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 186 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, industry professionals Menina Fortunato and Sissa Strain give us their best advice for dancers making the transition from the competitive world to the professional world.Topics Include: Things that make you stand out as a beginner in the industry Why networking is so important at the start of your career How to navigate the fea...

Guests - Deborah Engerman and Jim NowakowskiHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 185 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, two seasoned ballet educators join us to discuss all things ballet, from the relevance of a dress code to what they think is missing in the ballet training of competitive dancers!Topics Include: Why the dress code still matters in ballet Things that are missing from the ballet training of competitive dancers A teaser of point...

Guests - Richshawna and Saliha Sims, and Emily MartinHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 184 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we hear from three perspectives - a studio owner, a dance parent, and a dancer about how to change studios and what to look for when making the decision!Topics Include: How to recognize when it may be time to change studios Best practices for researching a new studio How to address any negative repercussions of chang...

Guests - Rachel Roberts and Tommy ScrivensHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 183 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, two veteran IDA judges join us to discuss how we remain as objective as possible when judging, while also trying to stay human and enjoy the art of dance!Topics Include: The different reasons a judge may be emotionally affected by a routine Strategies for separating emotions from the work without losing the ability to take in the ar...

Guests - Madi Hicks and Doug Baum Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 182 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we talk to two contemporary concert dancers about their experiences in the company dance scene and hear advice for young dancers interested in pursuing this path! Topics Include:  The type of training needed to succeed in the concert dance world What kinds of jobs are available to concert dancers How concert dance and commercial dance are...