Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast

Send us Fan Mail Guests - Katie Kruse and Julie Kay Stallcup  Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 82 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we are exploring the differences and similarities between recreational and competitive dance with two fantastic guests, IDA judge Katie Kruse and dance educator Julie Kay Stallcup. Topics Include: Definitions of recreational da...

Send us Fan Mail In the December Edition of Q&A With Courtney LIVE, Courtney and special guest Danny Dwaine Wells II answer your questions on topics including:  Tips for new soloists  How to bring out artistry in young dancers  Ways to help dancers with expressing emotion on stage CLICK HERE to send in your questions to be answered on a future Q&A with Courtney episode. You can request to...

Send us Fan Mail Guests - Cici Kelley and Jenny Oehlwein Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 80 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, networking is the name of the game! IDA judges and dance educators Cici Kelley and Jenny Oehlwein join Courtney and Lesley in a round table discussion about why networking is one of the key skills dancers should know to find success...

Send us Fan Mail Guests - Tracey Boon and Richard Riaz Yoder Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 79 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, Courtney and Lesley are joined by dance educators Tracey Boone and Richard Riaz Yoder to have an important discussion about cultural appropriation in the competitive dance world. Topics Include:  Thoughts on reasons why we see s...

Send us Fan Mail Guests - Richard Elszy and Katia Bode Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 78 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we are talking all about the minis! Joined by two phenomenal dance educators, Richard Elszy and Katia Bode, who specialize in teaching the youngest dancers, Courtney and Lesley learn what it takes to train amazing minis! (Hint - it  m...

Send us Fan Mail Guests -  Ashley Marinelli and Amy Maze Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 77 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, Courtney and Lesley are joined by IDA judges and educators Ashley Marinelli and Amy Maze to get real about an often misunderstood category at dance competitions - the open category.  Topics Include:  What dances should (and shouldn&...

Send us Fan Mail Guests: Denise H. Latimer & Lynise M Heard Hosts: Courtney Ortiz & Lesley Mealor Dancemakers of Atlanta, an NYCDA 2021 Outstanding Studio Winner, has a simple mission - to promote creativity, diversity and innovation while building outstanding leaders with excellent characters. Owners Denise Latimer and Lynise Heard sit down with us to discuss what makes Dancemakers of Atl...

Send us Fan Mail Guests - Danielle Ardizzone and Kelly Phinney Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 75 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we sit down with real-life dance moms Danielle and Kelly to find out how they budget for their kids' busy dance lives! Topics Include:  What gets sacrificed to afford competitive dance  Tips and tricks to saving on dance...

Send us Fan Mail Guests - Colin Shea Denniston and Kaelyn Gray Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 74 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we revisit a favorite topic from Season 2! Courtney and Lesley chat with IDA judge Colin Shea Denniston and industry professional Kaelyn Gray about why the right (or wrong) music can make or break a routine! Topics Include:  O...

Send us Fan Mail Guests - Casie Goshow and Kat Martyak Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 73 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, your hosts Courtney and Lesley are joined by dance company director Kat Martyak and convention faculty member Casie Goshow to break down the ins and outs of the dance convention scene! Topics Include:  How to choose the right conventi...

Send us Fan Mail For our first Q&A with Courtney LIVE episode of Season 3, Courtney is joined by IDA Judge Joey Ortolani to sit down and answer your questions on topics including: What dance parents should know before investing in competitive dance The ingredients to a winning routine Studio habits judges see at competition How to know when it is time to change studios   Career options for Dan...

Send us Fan Mail Guests - Mary Roberts and Christine Jones Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 71 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, your hosts discuss the trends of overstretching and extreme flexibility with special guests Mary Roberts, IDA judge and jazz dance educator, and Christine Jones, owner of mUvmethod, a progressive conditioning program for dancers....

Send us Fan Mail Guests - Kausha Campbell and Nick Silverio Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 70 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, the TikTok phenomenon is the name of the game! Joined by TikTok sensations Kausha Campbell and Nick Silverio, Courtney and Lesley chat about how these two former competitive dancers transitioned into the world of social media! To...

Send us Fan Mail Guests - Angela Carter and Maddie Kurtz Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 69 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, Courtney and Lesley are joined by veteran judge and educator Maddie Kurtz and choreographer and author Angela Carter to discuss the pros, cons, and everything in between of dancing in college. Topics Include:  The best reasons to go...

Send us Fan Mail Guests - Erin Demers and Robb Gibbs Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 68 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, props are the name of the game! Courtney and Lesley kick off Season 3 with IDA judges Robb and Erin to talk about prop use, prop pet peeves, and prop no-no's at competition! Topics Include:  How to effectively use a prop  When prop...

Send us Fan Mail Season 3 of Making the Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast kicks off with our very first Studio Spotlight Feature episode, showcasing Project 21, owned and operated by Molly Long in Orange County, CA. A professional training program which aims to prepare young dancers for a career in the commercial dance world, Project 21 has been seen on World of Dance, gracing the cover of Danc...

Send us Fan Mail Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In the Season 3 Opener of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, your hosts Courtney and Lesley catch up on their summers, reminisce on Season 2, and share some fun news about the upcoming season! Topics Include:   Welp Magazine ranking as one of the Top Dance Podcasts of 2021  Recap of Season 1 and Season 2 highlights  Podcas...

Send us Fan Mail Guests - Holly Gannett and Rachel Gentry Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 66 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, co-hosts Courtney and Lesley are joined by IDA judges and teachers Holly and Rachel to discuss the upcoming summer dance season as well as the 2022 competition season, and all the emotions that come with looking ahead! Topics Inclu...

Send us Fan Mail Hosted by Courtney Ortiz & Lesley Mealor After 41 episodes, 75 guests and over 75K downloads, Season 2 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast is coming to a close! Join your hosts for a Season 2 wrap up with a look back at some favorite highlights, many shoutouts and thank you's, and a sneak peek at what's to come for S3!  Follow your Hosts Courtney @cour...

Send us Fan Mail Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 65 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we hear from over 20 IDA judges about the most common corrections judges give at competition - just in time for nationals!  Topics Include: Movement quality Technique Presentation Pirouettes + so much more! Follow your Hosts and IDA! Courtney - @courtney.ortiz Lesley - @l...

Send us Fan Mail In our final Spotlight Feature of Season 2, we sit down with the incredible Marinda Davis, an accomplished choreographer and dance educator on the convention circuit. You may know her work from World of Dance, Dancing With the Stars, or from her own company, MarInspired. Tune in to hear about Marinda's early days in dance, the struggles she faces as an immuno-compromised arti...

Send us Fan Mail Guests - Maddie Kurtz and Casey Noblett Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 63 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, Courtney and Lesley chat with industry professionals Maddie Kurtz and Casey Noblett about the many different performance pathways that exist for a professional dancer.  Topics Include:  The audition process for all types of jobs - f...

Send us Fan Mail Guests - Tracey Boon and Rachel Perlman Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 62 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, how to develop a competitive mindset is the name of the game, and IDA judges and dance educators Tracey Boon and Rachel Perlman give some excellent advice for dancers of all levels! Topics Include:  Ideas to encourage the developmen...

Send us Fan Mail Guests - Lexi Adair and Marlo Barbera Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 61 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, co-hosts Courtney and Lesley are joined by dance moms Lexi Adair and Marlo Barbera to get an inside perspective on the life of a competitive dance parent!  Topics Include:  How their dancers got involved in competitive dance  The chal...

Send us Fan Mail In the April Edition of Q&A With Courtney Live, Courtney is joined by special guest IDA Judges Michael and Dione to answer viewers questions live on the air! Topics include:   How dancers can improve their artistry  Why contemporary dances always seem to win  The title division at competition How to power through block scheduling CLICK HERE to send in your questions to be answ...