Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast
Have you ever wondered what goes on inside the mind of a dance competition judge? What does it take to impress the people behind the table?
Join your hosts Courtney Ortiz, professional dancer, educator and owner of Impact Dance Adjudicators, and Lesley Mealor, veteran performer and judge, on Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, as they dive into all things dance competition!
Each week, listen as Courtney and Lesley discuss various hot topics with members of the IDA judges’ roster and other special guests in the dance world, from technique, to costumes, to the dreaded question - “Tights…or no tights?” Stay tuned for special spotlight episodes, round table chats and so much more! Weekly episodes launch every Thursday throughout the dance season! @impactdanceadjudicators
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 64 minutes
- Episodes
- 254
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2025
Mastering Movement Quality in Dance
Guests - Chip Abbott and Summer Renner Disher
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 157 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, our spectacular guests, studio owner Summer…
The Ingredients to a Winning Routine at Competition
Guests - Jody Reynard and Andrea Tracy
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 156 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we are joined by two fantastic dance educators and…
Back to Basics - The Importance of Foundational Training
Guests - Kelin Barr and Mary Marrone
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 155 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, guests Kelin Barr, dance educator in New York, and M…
Performing Arts High Schools - The Value in Attending
Guests - Jamie Howes and James Manning
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 154 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we dive into the world of performing arts high sch…
The Dos and Don'ts of Music Editing For Competitive Dance
Guests - Amy Gibson and Morriss Partee
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 153 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we are joined by IDA judge and dance educator Amy …
Studio Spotlight - Stage Door School of Dance
Guest: Mary Giattino
Hosted by: Courtney Ortiz & Lesley Mealor
Studio Spotlight episodes continue into Season 5 of Making the Impact with Stage Door School of Dance in Long Island, NY. Owner Mary Giatt…
Lyrical vs Contemporary 2.0
Guests - Christina Belinksy and Sam Quinn
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 151 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we bring you back to one of the hottest topics …
Welcome to Season 5!
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
Welcome to Season 5 of Making the Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast! In this opening episode, your hosts recap the highlights of the first four seasons,…
Summer Bonus Episode! Live from The Muny with the Cast of West Side Story!
Guests - Yurel Echezarreta, Daniela Delahuerta, Tatiana Nuñez, Ethan Zeph, Macy McKown
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz
In this special summer bonus episode of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast…
A Conversation on Plagiarism in the Dance Industry with Jason Williams and Jared Baker - Part 2
Guests: Jason Williams and Jared Baker
Hosted by: Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
Recorded on: June 15th, 2023
SUMMER BONUS EPISODE! Season 4 of Making The Impact wrapped on June 1st, 2023 but since th…
A Conversation on Plagiarism in the Dance Industry with Jason Williams and Jared Baker - Part 1
Guests: Jason Williams and Jared Baker
Hosted by: Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
Recorded on: June 15th, 2023
SUMMER BONUS EPISODE! Season 4 of Making The Impact wrapped on June 1st, 2023 but since th…
Season 4 Wrap Up!
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
Season 4 of Making the Impact is coming to an end, but in this episode, we take just a few minutes to share some exciting news and tell you a little about …
Spotlight Feature - Cost n' Mayor
Guests: Austin and Marideth Talenko - Cost n' Mayor
Hosted by: Courtney Ortiz & Lesley Mealor
Cost n' Mayor, the TikTok duo made up of the talented Austin and Marideth Talenko, join us today to share t…
The 2023 Competition Season - Takeaways From your Judges
Guests - IDA Judges
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 147 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we asked you, our listeners, to choose the topic! The response was he…
How Studios Cast Dancers In Competitive Dance Routines
Guests - Pam Simpson and Glen Meynardie
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 146 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we get real with you about how studios cast dance…
Special Awards - Recognizing More Than Just Your Score
Guests - Emily Branigan and Amanda Trusty
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 145 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we are joined by IDA judge and dance educators …
Battling Body Image Issues in the Dance World
Guests - Katrena Cohea and Amanda LaCount
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 144 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we discuss the body image issues that affect da…
Studio Spotlight - CCJ Conservatory
Guest: Dale Lam
Hosted by: Courtney Ortiz & Lesley Mealor
CCJ Conservatory, formerly known as Columbia City Jazz, prides itself on producing well-rounded, versatile dancers. With over 35 years of exper…
Die Hard Dance Dads!
Guests - Dwayne Vincent Elliott, Kyle Fishbein, and Jamie Johnson
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 142 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we are joined by the th…
How To Avoid Burn Out During the Dance Season
Guests - Donielle Richmond and Kristi-Ann Phillips
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 141 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we are talking about burnout - the per…