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
261 episodes
Throwback! S4 EP 128 - Battling Stage Fright as a Performer
Guests - Caleb Dicke and Glenn KelichHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorThis throwback episode of Making the Impact takes us back to 2023 with a conversation about stage fright. Courtney and Lesley discuss their...
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Season 7
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Episode 238
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58:13
The Power of Performance Quality
Guests - Rayne Thiemann and Brionna TrillingHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 237 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we're exploring the ways facial expressions can inform performan...
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Season 7
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Episode 237
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1:15:10
IDA Competition Spotlight - DECAdance Competition
Guest: Samantha O'NeilHosted 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 c...
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Season 7
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Episode 236
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1:04:37
What It Takes To Become a Dance Convention Assistant
Guests - Kiyah Rush, Megan Friedman, Brandi GeorgeHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 235 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we are excited to learn more about the world of dance conv...
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Season 7
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Episode 235
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57:53
Throwback! S2 EP 62 - Eye on the Prize - How to Develop a Competitive Mindset
Guests - Tracey Boon and Rachel PerlmanHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorThis season on Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we're throwing it back to episodes we loved from previous seasons! Today...
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Season 7
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Episode 234
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1:05:47
All About Solos - How Many Are Too Many?
Guests - Lex Dorohoy and Amy TullyHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 233 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we tackle a tricky topic - how many solos does a dancer really need? IDA j...
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Season 7
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Episode 233
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1:08:02
Live from Dance Teacher Web Conference 2025 in Las Vegas!
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn 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! <...
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Season 7
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Episode 232
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1:00:49
Studio Spotlight - Dance Fusion Performing Arts Studio
Guests - James Du Chateau and Lizzy SteirerHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorThe winner of the Making the Impact Award fan favorite contest from 2025 was Dance Fusion Performing Arts Studio's routine "Will You...
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Season 7
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Episode 231
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56:06
Welcome to Season 7!
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorWelcome 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...
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Season 7
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23:30
Summer Bonus Episode! LIVE from Streetz Dance Convention's Nationals 2025!
Guests - Maddie Marcadis & Stephani SosaHosted By - Courtney OrtizIn our special summer bonus episode of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, Courtney hosted a live podcast event at Streetz Dance Convent...
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Season 6
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57:02
Season 6 Wrap Up!
Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorSeason 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 ...
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Season 6
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34:31
The 2025 Competition Season - Takeaways From Your Judges
Guests - IDA JudgesHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn 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 seas...
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Season 6
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Episode 230
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1:58:06
Genre Spotlight - Contemporary Dance
Guest: Peter ChuHosted by Courtney Ortiz & Lesley MealorContemporary 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 ...
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Season 6
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Episode 229
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1:14:07
A Day in the Life of a Dance Studio Owner
Guests - Gregory Kanelos and Jenny HoganHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 228 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, our "day in the life" series continues with a look into studio owner...
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Season 6
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Episode 228
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1:12:49
The Perfectionist Mindset in Dance
Guests - Kasie Auten and Brittni JohnsonHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 227 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we explore how and why dancers are susceptible to a perfectionist mi...
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Season 6
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Episode 227
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1:05:03
Dance Studio Red Flags - Listeners Weigh In
Guests - Joey Ortolani and listener submissions Hosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 226 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we invited our listeners to share their experiences wit...
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Season 6
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Episode 226
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1:26:45
Is a Perfect Score Possible in Competitive Dance?
Guests - Sally Cofield, Krysten DanielleHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn 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 ...
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Season 6
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Episode 225
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1:13:15
Big Name Dance Conventions vs In-House Dance Conventions
Guests - Ty Riley and Britney BarberHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 224 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we're debating the pros and cons of two types of dance convention experi...
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Season 6
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Episode 224
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56:48
Keeping the Artistry in Acro
Guests - Mandy Yip and Malece MillerHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 223 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we are joined by two amazing acro specialists, professional dancer and e...
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Season 6
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Episode 223
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1:05:00
Dance Reels 101 - Why Quality Dance Footage is Essential
Guests - Erin MarinoHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn 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...
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1:08:22
The Over-sexualization of Kids In Competitive Dance
Guests - Leslie Scott Zanovitch and Dr. Christina "Dr. T." DonaldsonHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 221 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we are shining a light on an uncomfortab...
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Season 6
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Episode 221
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1:36:06
The Never Ending Debate - Two Shoes, One Shoe, or No Shoes?
Guests - IDA JudgesHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 220 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we devote a full episode to the conversation that seems to never end in the competitive d...
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Season 6
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Episode 220
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1:22:22
Genre Spotlight - Breaking
Guests: Bonita "Bgirl Bonita" Saldana and London "Bboy London" ReyesHosted by Courtney Ortiz & Lesley MealorOur Genre Spotlight series continues with a conversation about the history, culture, and importance of brea...
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Season 6
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Episode 219
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1:31:53
A Day in the Life of an NFL Cheerleader
Guests - Jessica Butler and Madeline MassingillHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 218 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, our "Day in the Life" series continues with a deep dive into ...
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Season 6
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Episode 218
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1:07:54
From Setback to Spotlight - Recovering From a Dance Injury
Guests - Kate Pagano and Andrew WilsonHosted By - Courtney Ortiz and Lesley MealorIn Episode 217 of Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast, we take a look at what it's like to recover from a dance injury. Guest...
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Season 6
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Episode 217
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1:17:25