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
Stage & Costume Malfunctions - What To Do During Onstage Mishaps
Guests - Halle Mastroberardino and Donna Michelle Vaughn
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 120 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we discover the many ways things…
Spotlight Feature - Stacey Tookey
Guest: Stacey Tookey
Hosted by Courtney Ortiz & Lesley Mealor
Stacey Tookey has had a long and varied career in the entertainment industry, from pro dance team work to aspiring ballerina to choreograph…
Why a Proper Warm Up is Crucial For All Dancers
Guests - Kendall Baab and Adrienne Hicks
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 118 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, dance trainer Kendall Baab and IDA judge and dan…
A Breakdown of Tap Dance Styles
Guests - Aaron Parkhurst and Jason E. Bernard
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 117 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, tap educators Aaron Parkhurst and Jason E. …
A Look At Competitive Dance in Other Countries
Guests - Jakub Dvořák and Peter Oxford
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 116 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, Czech Republic-based studio owner Jakub Dvořák and…
Making the Transition To A New Age Division At Competition
Guests - Danny Dwaine Wells II and Miranda Spada
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 115 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we are joined by IDA judges and dance ed…
Studio Spotlight - Expressenz Dance Center
Guest: Karla Curatolo
Hosted by Courtney Ortiz & Lesley Mealor
Karla Curatolo, owner of Expressenz Dance Center in Indianapolis, IN joins us for the first Studio Spotlight episode of Season 4! With rec…
Why Some Studios Don't Compete
Guests - Courtney Rottenberger and Raynor Van der Merwe
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 113 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we are debunking the stereotypes …
Elevating Your Training To a Pre-Pro Level
Guests - Ricardo Pena and Liz Schmidt
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 112 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, Courtney and Lesley are joined by Ricardo Pena of P…
Adding the Shock Value - A Discussion on Triggering and Sensitive Themes
Guests - Amanda Nicole DiTullio and Daniel Longo
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 111 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we are tackling a huge topic - shock val…
Hair & Makeup For the Competition Stage
Guests - Caroline Diamond and Lynne McNelis
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 110 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we are chatting all things hair and makeup wi…
Spotlight Feature - Rhee Gold
Hosted by Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
Guest: Rhee Gold
Kicking off the 4th season of Making the Impact, we are joined today by industry legend Rhee Gold for our first Spotlight Feature! Rhee is a …
Welcome to Season 4!
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In the Season 4 Opener of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, Courtney and Lesley discuss the exciting things that happened in Season 3 and di…
Q&A Live at Diva Dance Competition Nationals - Summer Bonus Episode!
We have another summer exclusive bonus episode coming to you LIVE from Diva Dance Competition's 10 year anniversary Nationals in Cambridge, MD. Making the Impact hosted our 2nd LIVE audience event an…
Q&A Live at Spirit of Dance Awards Nationals - Summer Bonus Episode!
We have a summer exclusive bonus episode coming to you LIVE from Spirit of Dance Awards Nationals in Hyannis, MA! Making the Impact hosted our very first ever LIVE audience event and it was a huge su…
Season 3 - Wrap Up!
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
We're wrapping up Season 3 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast! Season 3 has been full of exciting new guests, old favorites, and of course,…
What Makes the Perfect Production Number
Guests - Veronica Silk and Christina Wiginton
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 106 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we explore all the facets that make up the …
Dancing in Heels - Commercial Dance vs. Theatre Dance
Guests - Monica Giavanna and Skye Mattox
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 105 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we tackle the wonderful world of dancing in heel…
A Complete Guide to Summer Dance Intensives
Guests - Brandon Cournay and Timaree Craft
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 104 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we're diving into summer with a chat about the…
Studio Spotlight - Club Dance
Guests: Kelli Wilkins, Aly Slone, Kiley Forrest
Hosts: Courtney Ortiz & Lesley Mealor
Club Dance, located in Mesa, Arizona, provides exceptional dance training from the very basics to their pre-profess…