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
Episodes
Guests - Rayne Thiemann and Brionna Trilling
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 237 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we're exploring the ways facial expressions can inform performance quality in competitive dance. Joy, fear, sadness, curiosity and more can all be expressed through the face, and contribute to the success of a piece. IDA judges Rayne and Brionna share their tips and tri...
Guest: Samantha O'Neil
Hosted by: Courtney Ortiz
DECAdance Competition provides a totally unique competition and “un”convention experience, with genre-specific adjudicators, live music at their “un”convention, and complimentary meals for studio owners! On this week's episode of Making the Impact, Courtney sits down with DECAdance Competition owner Samantha Tirone O’Neil to learn more about this incredible company in o...
Guests - Kiyah Rush, Megan Friedman, Brandi George
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 235 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we are excited to learn more about the world of dance convention assistants. Studio owners Megan Friedman and Brandi George join us, along with professional assistant Kiyah Rush to give us the inside scoop on what it takes to land this type of opportunity!
Top...
Guests - Tracey Boon and Rachel Perlman
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
This season on Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we're throwing it back to episodes we loved from previous seasons! Today on the podcast, we are headed back in time to 2021 with a topic that is still relevant now - how to develop a competitive mindset. This episode originally aired on May 6, 2021.
Topics Include:
- Ide...
Guests - Lex Dorohoy and Amy Tully
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 233 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we tackle a tricky topic - how many solos does a dancer really need? IDA judges and dance educators Lex Dorohoy and Amy Tully join us to break it down and reveal the ideal number of solos for a successful season.
Topics Include:
- The benefits of doing multiple solos
- The ch...
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 232 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, Courtney and Lesley hosted a live Q&A in July 2025 at the Dance Teacher Web in Las Vegas!
Topics Include:
- Competition choreography do's and don'ts
- Inappropriateness at competition
- How to retain students when the grass might look greener at another studio
Guests - James Du Chateau and Lizzy Steirer
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
The winner of the Making the Impact Award fan favorite contest from 2025 was Dance Fusion Performing Arts Studio's routine "Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?" We are excited to welcome choreographer Lizzy Steirer and competition director James Du Chateau to the podcast to represent Dance Fusion in this studio spotlight episode!
...
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
Welcome to season 7 of Making the Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast! Courtney and Lesley kick off the new season with a recap of the summer and share some exciting news about what's coming up this year!
Topics Include:
- How we spent our summer months! News & Updates
- Cover art contest winners for season 7
- Making the Impact Award fan favorite contest winner
- Upco...
Guests - Maddie Marcadis & Stephani Sosa
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz
In our special summer bonus episode of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, Courtney hosted a live podcast event at Streetz Dance Convention's Nationals where parents, students, and teachers joined us for a Q&A alongside some fabulous guests! We loved connecting and meeting so many Making The Impact fans this summer!
Topics Incl...
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
Season 6 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast is a wrap! We have had such a wonderful year discussing some unique and important topics in the dance industry, and we're excited to reminisce, but also give you a sneak peek at season 7!
Topics Include:
- Favorite episodes of season 6
- Info on summer bonus episodes
- What's new for season 7
Guests - IDA Judges
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 230 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we invited our IDA judges to chime in with their takeaways from the 2025 competition season. These judges have seen it all, from coast to coast, and this season did not disappoint!
Topics Include:
- What your judges LOVED seeing on stage this season
- Headsprings - the go-to skill of 2025
- ...
Guest: Peter Chu
Hosted by Courtney Ortiz & Lesley Mealor
Contemporary dance is a genre that can be hard to define, but what everyone can agree on is that it is one of the most popular styles of dance in the industry. Peter Chu joins us on our final genre spotlight episode of season 6 to discuss the ways contemporary dance has evolved and why it will take ongoing support from the community to allow it to continue.
Follo...
Guests - Gregory Kanelos and Jenny Hogan
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 228 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, our "day in the life" series continues with a look into studio owner life! We hear from two different perspectives - Jenny Hogan, owner of Brava Dance in New York for 16 years, and Gregory Kanelos, owner of Studio G Dance Company in Massachusetts, celebrating their 5th...
Guests - Kasie Auten and Brittni Johnson
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 227 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we explore how and why dancers are susceptible to a perfectionist mindset, and discuss how to use those traits to your advantage while also staying grounded.
Topics Include:
- Strategies to focus on progress rather than perfection
- How studio culture can be a factor in...
Guests - Joey Ortolani and listener submissions
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 226 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we invited our listeners to share their experiences with toxic behaviors they've encountered at dance studios. We hear (anonymously!) from dance teachers, dance parents, and dance studio owners the things to look out for that may make your dance experience less than...
Guests - Sally Cofield, Krysten Danielle
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 225 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we're joined by two IDA judges to spill the tea on the hot topic of perfect scores in competitive dance!
Topics Include:
- Are judges even allowed to give a perfect score?
- What goes into considering giving a perfect score - technique, performance, or more?
- The be...
Guests - Ty Riley and Britney Barber
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 224 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we're debating the pros and cons of two types of dance convention experiences - intimate, in-house conventions and large-scale, big-name dance conventions. Owner of Streetz Dance Convention, Ty Riley, and studio owner Britney Barber join us to give their unique perspectives!
Guests - Mandy Yip and Malece Miller
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 223 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we are joined by two amazing acro specialists, professional dancer and educator Malece Miller, and founder of Acrobatic Arts, Mandy Yip, to discuss how to keep the artistry in acro dance.
Topics Include:
- A brief history of acro and acro-dance
- Why safety is the primary c...
Guests - Erin Marino
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 222 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, industry professional Erin Marino shares her insight about how to craft a reel that best represents you! Casting directors, agents, and choreographers look to a dance reel or video footage to find out anything from your personality to your technical ability. Having a cohesive and professional dance...
Guests - Leslie Scott Zanovitch and Dr. Christina "Dr. T." Donaldson
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor
In Episode 221 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we are shining a light on an uncomfortable topic - the over-sexualization of kids in the competitive dance world. Please take care when listening, and screen this episode before listening with children.
Topics Include:
- What coun...
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