Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast
by Impact Dance Adjudicators
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
-
Scary Skills We See On Stage at Competition
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Connor Britt-Tripp and Kamali Hill Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 278 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we're joined by two IDA judges and dance educators to talk about those scary skills we see on stage at dance competition…
more -
Spotlight Feature - 8Counts
Send us Fan Mail Guests: Josh Ellis and Neo Lynch Hosted by Courtney Ortiz & Lesley Mealor Today on Making the Impact, we’re bringing back our Spotlight episodes to feature businesses and individuals that deserve a moment in the spotlight! The 8Counts app is designed for dancers, parents and…
more -
Trends and Truths on Strength and Conditioning For Dancers
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Amber Tacy and Dr. Robert Tsai Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 276 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we are focusing on the importance of strength and conditioning for dancers. Our guests, Amber Tacy of Dancers Who Lift and Dr....
-
Throwback! S6 Ep 203 - How To Stand Out at Auditions
Send us Fan Mail Guest - DJ Smart Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor Today's throwback episode brings us back to Season 6, with guest DJ Smart, where we talked about what it takes to stand out at auditions. Good audition advice never gets old, so this conversation is worth a re-listen…
more -
A Crash Course on College Dance Program Auditions
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Lauren Gaul and Ashley Thorndike Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 274 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we're diving into the topic of dance in college, with two experts in the field. Lauren Gaul is the co-founder of the…
more -
Throwback! S2 Ep 45 - A Look At Competitive Dance Through the Years
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Clarice Ordaz and Amber Nadelkov Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor We are bringing back our Throwback episodes in Season 8 of Making the Impact, and today we're heading to 2021 to discuss what the competitive dance scene was like in the decades before! Enjoy...
-
The Dance Teachers Who Impacted Us featuring Lesley’s Teachers
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Kristen Cochran and Dawn Parker Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 272 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we honor the teachers who impacted us during our journey in the dance world. Today, Lesley's teachers Kristen Cochran and Dawn...
-
LIVE! From Dance Teacher Web Vegas 2026
Send us Fan Mail Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 271 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, Courtney and Lesley are live from Vegas, where they hosted a Q&A at Dance Teacher Web! Thanks to all of the wonderful participants for attending! Topics Include: The...
-
Studio Spotlight - Stacey's Studio of Dance Education
Send us Fan Mail Guests: Stacey Dimberio and Brooke MacIver Hosted by Courtney Ortiz & Lesley Mealor The winner of the Making the Impact Award fan favorite contest from 2026 is Stacey's Studio of Dance Education's routine "Somebody To Love"! We are excited to welcome choreographer Brooke MacIver...
-
Welcome to Season 8!
Send us Fan Mail Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor Welcome to Season 8 of Making the Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast! Courtney and Lesley have some fun news to share about this season, as well as a recap of the summer! Topics Include: New for season 8 - we're on video! 🎥 Cover…
more -
Summer Bonus Episode! - Live from The Artistry Tour Nationals 2026
Send us Fan Mail IDA Judges - Brittany Nicholas, Kyle Rostan, Sally Cofield, Marie Choate Hosted By - Holly Shipley Produced By: Making the Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast We are excited to have partnered with IDA affiliated Competition The Artistry Tour to host a live-podcast at their 2026...
-
Judging Horror Stories - Why Treatment On Events Needs an Industry-Wide Overhaul! - Part 2
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Robb Gibbs, Brittni Johnson, and Anonymous Submissions Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor To close out Season 7 of Making the Impact, we are getting real about the often unspoken truths in the dance competition judging space. Veteran IDA judges Robb Gibbs and...
-
Season 7 Wrap Up!
Send us Fan Mail Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor That's a wrap on Season 7 of Making the Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast! Thank you to all our loyal listeners who have been here since the beginning for all your support, and to our new fans who have joined us this year! We can't...
-
Judging Horror Stories - Why Treatment On Events Needs an Industry-Wide Overhaul! - Part 1
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Robb Gibbs, Brittni Johnson, and Anonymous Submissions Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor To close out Season 7 of Making the Impact, we are getting real about the often unspoken truths in the dance competition judging space. Veteran IDA judges Robb Gibbs and...
-
Throwback! - S3 EP 96 – How to NOT be a Stage Mom!
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Summer Aiello & Shannon Thomas Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor Our final throwback episode is one for the dance moms out there! Being a dance parent requires learning a lot of new information, from theatre etiquette to competition structures. But one thing...
-
Raising the New Generation - Former Dancers Who Are Now Competitive Dance Parents
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Lynne McNelis and Jennifer Lobaito Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 267 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, two former dancers join us to chat about what it's like to raise competitive dancers in this new era in the industry. From...
-
Throwback! - S1 EP 21 – Beyond the Barre - Why Ballet Matters in Competitive Dance
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Carrie Euker, Holly Gannett Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor Today's throwback episode takes us back to Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast's very first season! This episode features IDA judges Carrie Euker and Holly Gannett discussing ways to…
more -
All About Pointe For Training Dancers
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Kathryn Morgan and Tommie Lin Kesten Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 265 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, guests Kathryn Morgan and Tommie Lin Kesten join us for an eye-opening chat about pointe! From pointe-readiness to shoe...
-
IDA Competition Spotlight - Star Talent Productions
Send us Fan Mail Guests: Jennifer Armstrong, Devin Pendleton and James Murphy Hosted by: Courtney Ortiz Today's IDA Competition Spotlight episode features Star Talent Productions, based in North Carolina and celebrating their 20th season this year! Owner Jennifer Armstrong and emcees Devin...
-
Bringing Inclusivity and Diversity to Competitive Dance
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Ty Williams, Tonysha McIntosh, Haley Everett Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 263 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we are joined by studio owners Ty Williams and Tonysha McIntosh, and dance educator Haley Everett to talk about…
more -
Throwback! - S3 EP 77 - The Open Category - Expectations from Your Judges
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Ashley Marinelli and Amy Maze Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor Today's throwback episode was one of our most popular episodes in season 3 - expectations in the open category! This conversation is far from over even five years later, and IDA judges Ashley and...
-
A Day in the Life of a Competition Staff Member
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Haley Crocombe and Cat Milone Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 261 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we go backstage with the folks who keep competitions running to find out what a day in their lives look like on a busy event...
-
Throwback! - S4 EP 122 – The World of College Dance Teams - What You Need to Know
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Melissa McGhee and Carsen Rowe Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor Our next throwback episode of Making the Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast brings back a fan favorite, with more dance team talk! Our guests share what it's like to be on a college dance team,...
-
What To Expect When Transitioning From Studio Dance to Dance Team
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Erin Alvarado and Kristin Daniel Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 259 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, LSU Tiger Girls choreographer Kristin Daniel and Texas Tech dance team coach and dance faculty member Erin Alvarado school us…
more -
IDA Competition Spotlight - Elevation on Tour
Send us Fan Mail Guests: Brie Peña & Kristina Cross Hosted by Courtney Ortiz IDA affiliated-competition Elevation on Tour leads with integrity and innovation, but most of all, a heart for being of service to dancers, teachers, and families. Owners Brie Peña and Kristina Cross sit down today with...
-
Keeping the Artistry in Competitive Dance - Creating Choreography That Stands Out
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Brittany Sprung and Giovanni Allen Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 257 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we're discussing how to keep artistry at the forefront of competitive dance choreography in an arena where it can sometimes...
-
Throwback! - S5 EP 176 – Mini Dancers Who Peak Too Early
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Kate Biernat and Krysten Danielle Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor Our next throwback episode of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast takes us back in time to 2024 for a conversation about the mini dancers who peak too early. Judges and educators...
-
The Transition From Junior to Teen - Pivotal Times in a Dancer's Training
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Carlos de Barros and Krystal Madan Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 255 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, IDA judges and dance educators Carlos de Barros and Krystal Madan join us for a discussion about the junior and teen...
-
Throwback! S4 EP 111 - Adding the Shock Value - A Discussion on Triggering and Sensitive Themes
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Amanda Nicole DiTullio and Daniel Longo Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor Our next throwback episode takes us back to Season 4 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, with one of our most popular episodes about triggering and sensitive topics on...
-
What Dance Competition Judges Want To See On Stage This Season
Send us Fan Mail Guests - IDA Judges Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 253 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, IDA judges from across the country chime in to give listeners the inside scoop on what they want to see at competition this season - from…
more -
Spotlight Feature - International Competitive Dancer Registry
Send us Fan Mail Guests: Jamie Hodgins and Rebecca Brettingham-Filice Hosted by: Courtney Ortiz & Lesley Mealor The International Competitive Dancer Registry, or ICDR, is a new organization that aims to protect, verify, and safeguard competitive dancers' personal information. Today on Making the...
-
Partnering and Lifts - Tips and Tricks from the Pros
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Jonathan & Oksana Platero Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 251 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, professional dancers and educators Jonathan and Oksana Platero share their extensive experience with partnering and lifts. From…
more -
Throwback! S4 EP 120 - Stage and Costume Malfunctions - What To Do During Onstage Mishaps
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Halle Mastroberardino and Donna Michelle Vaughn Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor Our throwback episode of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast covers the many ways things can go wrong at a live dance performance, from costume malfunctions to…
more -
A Day in the Life of a Dancer on Tour
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Brion Marquis Watson and Cassidy Noblett Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 249 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, our "day in the life" series continues with a job most dancers dream of - being on tour! Broadway touring dancer Brion...
-
The 2025 A.C.E Awards Winners - Sponsored by DanceOne
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Tommy Tibball, Madi Hicks, Jason Williams, and Courtney Barclay Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 248 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, the 2025 A.C.E. Awards winners join us for a look inside the prestigious competition, which…
more -
Q&A with Courtney Live 2025 - Platinum Premium Exclusive
Send us Fan Mail Guest: Vikas Arun Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz Platinum Premium Exclusive! To end out the 2025 year strong we are bringing back our popular Q&A with Courtney LIVE episodes! Our Q&A episodes now record monthly for Platinum Premium subscribers only. Dive in to a chat about all things...
-
Throwback! S5 EP 157 - Mastering Movement Quality in Dance
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Chip Abbott and Summer Renner Disher Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor Today's throwback episode brings back an important topic - movement quality! Our spectacular guests, studio owner Summer Renner Disher and dance educator and choreographer Chip Abbott…
more -
Why Lyrical Dance Should Be a Priority in Your Weekly Training
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Jeremy Duvall and Lindsey Klein Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 245 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, Courtney and Lesley discuss lyrical dance and its importance with two dance educators known for their love of lyrical. Jeremy...
-
Throwback! S3 EP 84 - Parent Etiquette - From Studio to Stage
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Emily Branigan and Hillary Zbyszinski Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor This throwback episode takes us back to season 3 of Making the Impact, where dance educators and IDA Judges Emily Branigan and Hillary Zbyszinski shared insight about expectations for…
more -
Fundraising For Competitive Dance
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Christine Brocious and Megan Woods Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 243 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, Courtney and Lesley are joined by podcast fans, dance moms, and fundraising queens Christine Brocious and Megan Woods to…
more -
IDA Competition Spotlight - Uproar Dance Competition
Send us Fan Mail Guests: Ryland Early and Danielle Beeman Hosted by Courtney Ortiz Uproar Dance Competition might be newer to the scene, but they have years of experience in the competitive dance world and know a thing or two about what makes a great experience. From their Teacher Oasis and high...
-
A Day in the Life of a Broadway Performer
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Karli Dinardo and Tatiana Nuñez Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor In Episode 241 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we take an inside look at a day in the life of a Broadway dancer. Karli Dinardo and Tatiana Nuñez give us the scoop on…
more -
Throwback! S5 EP 175 - Perfecting the Pirouette - Tips from the Pros
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Drew Burgess and Lisa Curatolo Turpin Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor Today's throwback episode brings us back to 2024 with a conversation about pirouettes! Like we always say on the pod, good technique never goes out of style, and that goes for pirouette...
-
A Crash Course on Leaps and Jumps
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Michelle Leagans and Jessica Olinik Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz In Episode 239 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we hear from two dance educators about the technique and power behind every great jumper! From tour jetés to switch leaps to flying discs…
more -
Throwback! S4 EP 128 - Battling Stage Fright as a Performer
Send us Fan Mail Guests - Caleb Dicke and Glenn Kelich Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor This throwback episode of Making the Impact takes us back to 2023 with a conversation about stage fright. Courtney and Lesley discuss their experiences with stage fright with two wonderful guests....
-
The Power of Performance Quality
Send us Fan Mail 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,...
-
IDA Competition Spotlight - DECAdance Competition
Send us Fan Mail 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...
-
What It Takes To Become a Dance Convention Assistant
Send us Fan Mail 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...
-
Throwback! S2 EP 62 - Eye on the Prize - How to Develop a Competitive Mindset
Send us Fan Mail 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...
-
All About Solos - How Many Are Too Many?
Send us Fan Mail 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...
About this show
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
Hosted by
Impact Dance Adjudicators
Categories