Our next Spotlight Feature guest is Alex Wong, an incredibly prolific and versatile dancer with some unbelievable credits! You may know him from his many television appearances on "Smash", "Glee", and "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend", or from his time on "So You Think You Can Dance". Or, perhaps you caught him on Broadway in "Newsies", or as a principal dancer with the Miami City Ballet. Making the Impact sits down with Alex to hear about his performance career, and what he's been up to recently!

Be sure to follow Alex on social media!
Instagram: @alexdwong
TikTok: @alexdwong

and be sure to check out… his Phone, Keys, Gum commercial

Who would you like to see featured on our upcoming Spotlight Interviews? Share your recommendations by shooting us an email at [email protected].

This episode is sponsored by:
Level Up Dance Supplies - Dance gear and Dance bags!
 Receive $10 off your next order with code: bravo5678

Follow Us!

• Courtney - @courtney.ortiz
• Lesley - @lil_lez36
• Impact Dance Adjudicators - @impactdanceadjudicators

Join our NEW Facebook Group and connect with us! Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast Community 

Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! We would love to hear from you! 

Join our Newsletter for weekly episode releases straight to your inbox! 

For a list of affiliated dance competitions, visit our websitewww.impactdanceadjudicators.com

Support the show

Guests - Karla Curatolo, Troy Haywood
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor

In Episode 53 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, Courtney and Lesley are joined by IDA judge Troy Haywood, as well as Karla Curatolo, the owner of one of the top competitive dance studios in the country, Expressenz Dance Center, to get down to the bottom of the debate - tricks or technique?

Topics Include:

•  What do we mean when we say "technique"?
•  How essential is it to have solid technique when learning tricks?
•  Are tricks necessary for a winning competition routine?

Follow your Hosts & Guests!

• Courtney - @courtney.ortiz
• Lesley - @lil_lez36
• Karla - @expressenz  
• Troy - @troyeography 

This episode is sponsored by:

Dance Costumes By Urzúa - custom costumes!
Receive 15% off by using the code IDA15 at checkout!

Level Up Dance Supplies - Dance gear and Dance bags!
Receive $10 off your next order with code: bravo5678
 

Join our NEW Facebook Group and connect with us! Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast Community

Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! We would love to hear from you!

Join our Newsletter for weekly episode releases straight to your inbox! 

Follow Impact Dance Adjudicators on social media @impactdanceadjudicators and for a list of affiliated dance competitions, visit our website atwww.impactdanceadjudicators.com

Support the show

Guests - Tommy Scrivens and Christina Yoder
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor

In Episode 52 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, musicality is the name of the game. Today, co-hosts Courtney and Lesley hear from IDA judges and dance educators Tommy Scrivens and Christina Yoder about the importance of musicality in all styles of dance, and give some great advice to dancers and teachers alike about how to develop musicality skills.

Topics Include:

•  How musicality can be incorporated into all styles of dance
•  The necessity of basic music theory training for dancers
•  Why a lack of musicality may lead to lower scores at competition

Follow your Hosts & Guests!

• Courtney - @courtney.ortiz
• Lesley - @lil_lez36
• Tommy - @tommytoes7
• Christina - @christinataps2

Check out our guest’s current projects!
Dynamics in Motion Dance - Develop your curriculum and class syllabus for all age/level ranges in tap, jazz, ballet, lyrical, contemporary, and modern. 

This episode is sponsored by:
Dance Costumes By Urzúa - custom costumes!
Receive 15% off by using the code IDA15 at checkout!
 
Level Up Dance Supplies - Dance gear and Dance bags!
Receive $10 off your next order with code: bravo5678


Join our new Facebook Group! Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast Community 

Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! We would love to hear from you!

Join our Newsletter for weekly episode releases straight to your inbox! 

Follow Impact Dance Adjudicators on social media @impactdanceadjudicators and for a list of affiliated dance competitions, visit our website at www.impactdanceadjudicators.com

Support the show

In the February Edition of Q&A With Courtney LIVE, Courtney and special guest IDA Judge Sam Quinn answer your questions on topics including:

•  Special needs categories at competition
•  Costume scoring
•  Zoom audition vs video submissions for summer programs and intensives
• Contact improv & so much more!

*This episode was previously recorded on Facebook Live - 2/1/2021*

CLICK HERE to send in your questions to be answered on a future Q&A with Courtney episode. You can request to stay anonymous or have Courtney give you a shout out live on the air!

This episode is sponsored by:
Apolla Performance Wear - Compression Dance Socks!

Follow Us!

• Courtney Ortiz - @courtney.ortiz
• Impact Dance Adjudicators - @impactdanceadjudicators
• Sam Quinn - @samquinn

Join our NEW Facebook Group! Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast Community. 

Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! We would love to hear from you!

Join our Newsletter for weekly episode releases straight to your inbox! 

For a list of affiliated dance competitions, visit our website:www.impactdanceadjudicators.com

Support the show

Guests -  Colin Shea Denniston, Jesse Miller
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor

In Episode 50 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, Courtney and Lesley are joined by veteran IDA judges Colin Shea Denniston and Jesse Miller for a deep dive into one of the most burning questions in the dance competition world - what really goes into the judging process for adjudicators?

Topics Include:

•  Whether personal preferences come into play when judging
•  How judges stay consistent throughout a long weekend
•  Levels, and how they affect scoring and judging approaches

Follow your Hosts & Guests!

• Courtney - @courtney.ortiz
• Lesley - @lil_lez36
• Colin Shea - @colindenniston
• Jesse - @Jessekmiller

CLICK HERE to send in your questions to be answered on a future Q&A with Courtney episode! You can request to stay anonymous or have Courtney give you a shout out live on the air!

This episode is sponsored by:

Level Up Dance Supplies - Dance gear and Dance bags!
Receive $10 off your next order with code: bravo5678

Jake Nothing - Team Gear and Apparel!


Join our NEW Facebook Group and connect with us! Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast Community 

Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! We would love to hear from you!

Join our Newsletter for weekly episode releases straight to your inbox!

Follow Impact Dance Adjudicators on social media @impactdanceadjudicators and for a list of affiliated dance competitions, visit our website at www.impactdanceadjudicators.com

Support the show

Guests - Ashley Canterna Hardy and Joey Ortolani
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor

In Episode 49 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, Courtney and Lesley are joined by IDA judge Joey Ortolani and dance teacher Ashley Canterna Hardy for a discussion on the importance of presentation for the competitive stage.

Topics Include:

•  How proper presentation begins at the studio, from the top down
•  Barriers to proper presentation and how to overcome them
•  Strategies for costuming and presentation for a variety of body types

The blog that inspired this episode was released in March 2017, written by Joey Ortolani,  titled “Perfecting Your Presentation”. Read now!

Follow your Hosts & Guests!

• Courtney - @courtney.ortiz
• Lesley - @lil_lez36
• Joey - @joeyorto
• Ashley - @AshleyCH415

CLICK HERE to send in your questions to be answered on a future Q&A with Courtney episode! You can request to stay anonymous or have Courtney give you a shout out live on the air!

This episode is sponsored by:

Dance Costumes By Urzúa - custom costumes!
Receive 15% off by using the code IDA15 at checkout!

Level Up Dance Supplies - Dance gear and Dance bags!
Receive $10 off your next order with code: bravo5678

JOIN OUR NEW FACEBOOK GROUP! We love connecting with our fans!
Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast Community

Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! We would love to hear from you!

Join our Newsletter for weekly episode releases straight to your inbox! 

Follow Impact Dance Adjudicators on social media @impactdanceadjudicators and for a list of affiliated dance competitions, visit our website at www.impactdanceadjudicators.com

Support the show

Guests -  Lauren Manning, Susie Riefenhauser, Ryan Parma
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor

In Episode 48 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we discuss a variety of non-performance career options for dancers with three industry professionals - Lauren Manning of Dance Media, publishers of Dance Spirit and Dance Magazine; Susie Riefenhauser of OtherSpace Innovation, a dance marketing, and consulting firm; and Ryan Parma, a freelance director, and dance videographer. 

Topics Include:

•  Each individual's path from dancer to dance industry professional
•  Advice for dancers looking at future options other than performing
•  How dance training helped in their current work 

Follow your Hosts & Guests!

• Courtney - @courtney.ortiz
• Lesley - @lil_lez36
• Lauren - @stagesmithdance
• Susie - @susie.riefenhauser
• Ryan - @ryanparma

Check out our guests' current projects! 

Stagesmith Dance Training
OtherSpace Innovation
www.ryanparma.com


CLICK HERE to send in your questions to be answered on a future Q&A with Courtney episode! You can request to stay anonymous or have Courtney give you a shout out live on the air!

This episode is sponsored by:

Level Up Dance Supplies - Dance gear and Dance bags!
Receive $10 off your next order with code: bravo5678

Dance Device Lab -  High quality, dancer focused in-studio events nationwide!


Join our new Facebook Group - Making The Impact -  A Dance Competition Podcast Community!
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! We would love to hear from you!
Join our Newsletter for weekly episode releases straight to your inbox! 

Follow Impact Dance Adjudicators on social media @impactdanceadjudicators and for a list of affiliated dance competitions, visit our website at www.impactdanceadjudicators.com

Support the show

Making the Impact welcomes Sophia Lucia as our next Spotlight Feature guest! You may know her as The Guinness Book of World Records title holder for the most consecutive pirouettes (55) , or maybe you've been following her dance journey since she was featured on Lifetime's Dance Moms! Courtney and Lesley sit down and chat with Sophia about her incredible performance career as a child, her experiences in ballet school as a teen, and her dreams and goals for the future.

Stay connected and follow Sophia: @_sophialucia !
Subscribe to her YouTube Channel!

Who would you like to see featured on our upcoming Spotlight Interviews? Share your recommendations by shooting us an email at [email protected].


This episode is sponsored by:

Purple Pixies Dancewear - Trendy and Affordable Leotards, Sports Bras, & Leggings!
Use the code IMPACT at checkout to receive 15% off your order!

Follow Us!

• Courtney - @courtney.ortiz
• Lesley - @lil_lez36
• Impact Dance Adjudicators - @impactdanceadjudicators

Join our brand new Podcast Facebook Group: Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast Community!

Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! We would love to hear from you!

Join our Newsletter for weekly episode releases straight to your inbox!

For a list of affiliated dance competitions, visit our website www.impactdanceadjudicators.com

Support the show

Guests - Joshua Blake Carter and Becca Grden
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor

In Episode 46 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, the topic of conversation is improvisation - from improv in class to the professional world and everywhere in between! Joining us this week are guests Joshua Blake Carter from Giordano Dance Chicago and IDA Judge Becca Grden.

Topics Include:

•  What improv is and isn't
•  How to introduce improv at a young age in the studio 
•  Professional applications of improv
•  Tips to overcome your fear of improv

The blog that inspired this episode was released in January 2019, and titled “Finding Your Confidence Through Improv". Read now!

Follow your Hosts & Guests!

• Courtney - @courtney.ortiz
• Lesley - @lil_lez36
• Joshua - @jbcchoreography
• Becca - @Choreobybecca

Check out our guest’s current projects!
Joshua premiered his first short film for Giordano Dance Chicago in November 2020, adapting choreographer Autumn Eckman's 2012 work "JOLT" for the screen. Stream anytime for free!

This episode is sponsored by:
Level Up Dance Supplies - Dance gear and Dance bags!
Receive $10 off your next order with code: bravo5678

Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! We would love to hear from you!

Join our Newsletter for weekly episode releases straight to your inbox! 

CLICK HERE to send in your questions to be answered on a future Q&A with Courtney episode! You can request to stay anonymous or have Courtney give you a shout out live on the air!

Follow Impact Dance Adjudicators on social media @impactdanceadjudicators and for a list of affiliated dance competitions, visit our website at www.impactdanceadjudicators.com

Support the show

Guests -  Amber Nadelkov and Clarice Ordaz
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley Mealor

In Episode 45 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we go back in time to remember the "good old days" of competition as Courtney and Lesley sit down with IDA judge Amber Nadelkov and comp kid turned professional dancer and teacher Clarice Ordaz. 

Topics Include:

•  The days before levels, age groups, and platinums
•  How competition prepared our guests for their professional lives
•  The quintessential convo about how small the dance world is

The blog that inspired this episode was released in April 2017, and is titled “Three Things Dance Competitions Gave Me That Weren't Trophies”. Read now!

Follow your Hosts & Guests!

• Courtney - @courtney.ortiz
• Lesley - @lil_lez36
• Amber - @Dancinambs678
• Clarice - @d8clarice

This episode is sponsored by:

Level Up Dance Supplies - Dance Gear and Dance Bags!
Receive $10 off your next order with code: bravo5678

Jake Nothing - Team Gear and Apparel!
Check out their website for unique, customized team gear!

CLICK HERE to send in your questions to be answered on a future Q&A with Courtney episode! You can request to stay anonymous or have Courtney give you a shout out live on the air

Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! We would love to hear from you!

Join our Newsletter for weekly episode releases straight to your inbox!

Follow Impact Dance Adjudicators on social media @impactdanceadjudicators and for a list of affiliated dance competitions, visit our website at www.impactdanceadjudicators.com

Support the show