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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. Robert Tsai of DancePrehab Physical Therapy and Performance, bring us expert advice on how to navigate the wide variety of options for dancers looking to get stronger.  Topics Include:  Why the viral videos featuring exercise bands and ankle weights may not be the best tools for your dancer How to find safe and effective strength training options Myths surrounding weight training for dancers Help support our podcast! Join Making The Impact's Platinum Premium Subscription today! Your membership includes: Monthly Q&A episodes released to members onlyPriority to have your questions answered each month on the live Q&A.Ad-free listening for all of Seasons 4 through 8. No sponsored ads!20% off all IDA MerchandiseExclusive bonus content released throughout the yearDiscounted IDA Online CritiqueGroup Zoom check-ins 3x per season with Courtney Ortiz!Your support helps us produce future episodes of Making The Impact for years to come! Making The Impact's Platinum Premium - Sign up now for only $5/month! Follow your Hosts & Guests! Courtney Ortiz - @courtney.ortizLesley Mealor - @miss.lesley.danceAmber Tacy - @dancerswholiftDr. Robert Tsai - @dr.robtsai.physio Check out our guest’s current projects!  DancePrehab is hosting a course for physical therapists that want to curate healing environments that make strength and conditioning make sense to the adolescent artist athlete - www.danceprehab.com/course  DancePrehab education support options: www.danceprehab.com/workshops  Dancers Who Lift is currently accepting new 1:1 artists (18+) into our coaching program - Dancers Who Lift Coaching This episode is sponsored by: Check out IDA Affiliated Competition Gems Dance Competition! View their tour dates and register now at www.dancegems.com Join our FREE Facebook Group and connect with us! Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast Community  New for Season 8! Making the Impact is now available on video! Find us wherever you watch video podcasts and on Youtube! 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 IDA Affiliated dance competitions, visit our website at  www.impactdanceadjudicators.com Support the show

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 as dancers head into convention season as well as college auditions. This episode originally aired November 28, 2024. Topics Include: Why first impressions really do countThings NOT to do at auditionsHow to get out of your head and do your best in any scenario  Help support our podcast! Join Making The Impact's Platinum Premium Subscription today! Your membership includes: Monthly Q&A episodes released to members onlyPriority to have your questions answered each month on the live Q&A.Ad-free listening for all of Seasons 4 through 8. No sponsored ads!20% off all IDA MerchandiseExclusive bonus content released throughout the yearDiscounted IDA Online CritiqueGroup Zoom check-ins 3x per season with Courtney Ortiz!Your support helps us produce future episodes of Making The Impact for years to come! Making The Impact's Platinum Premium - Sign up now for only $5/month! Follow your Hosts & Guests! Courtney Ortiz - @courtney.ortizLesley Mealor - @miss.lesley.danceDJ Smart - @djsmartjr This episode is sponsored by: Check out our service: IDA Online Judge's Critiques Send us a video of your dance and an IDA Judge will critique your routine! You can request a genre-specific specialty judge or add on 10 minutes of additional feedback. 24 hour rush delivery available! Submit your video now!  Join our FREE Facebook Group and connect with us! Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast Community  New for Season 8! Making the Impact is now available on video! Find us wherever you watch video podcasts and on Youtube! 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 IDA Affiliated dance competitions, visit our website at www.impactdanceadjudicators.com Support the show

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 commercial dance program at Pace University in New York City, and Ashley Thorndike is the owner of Dance and College Counseling, a service dedicated to helping high school dancers navigate the college application and audition process. Topics Include:  The top tips for researching and selecting your dream school The types of audition processes that exist The best advice for preparing dancers in high school for success in college dance Help support our podcast! Join Making The Impact's Platinum Premium Subscription today! Your membership includes: Monthly Q&A episodes released to members onlyPriority to have your questions answered each month on the live Q&A.Ad-free listening for all of Seasons 4 through 8. No sponsored ads!20% off all IDA MerchandiseExclusive bonus content released throughout the yearDiscounted IDA Online CritiqueGroup Zoom check-ins 3x per season with Courtney Ortiz!Your support helps us produce future episodes of Making The Impact for years to come! Making The Impact's Platinum Premium - Sign up now for only $5/month! Follow your Hosts & Guests! Courtney Ortiz - @courtney.ortizLesley Mealor - @miss.lesley.danceLauren Gaul - @lgfunk2Ashley Thorndike - @danceandcollegecounseling Check out our guest’s current projects!  Visit www.danceandcollegecounseling.com for more information on Ashley's college counseling services Find out more about Pace University's BFA in Commercial Dance here! This episode is sponsored by: YoungArts Applications are open for the 2027 National YoungArts Competition, available for artists ages 15-18 or in grades 10-12. Deadline to apply is October 6th, 2026 at 8pm. Learn more at www.YoungArts.org Check out our service: IDA Online Judge's Critiques Send us a video of your dance and an IDA Judge will critique your routine! You can request a genre-specific specialty judge or add on 10 minutes of additional feedback. 24 hour rush delivery available! Submit your video now!  Join our FREE Facebook Group and connect with us! Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast Community  New for Season 8! Making the Impact is now available on video! Find us wherever you watch video podcasts and on Youtube! 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 IDA Affiliated dance competitions, visit our website at www.impactdanceadjudicators.com Support the show

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 this look back into the past with guests Clarice Ordaz and Amber Nadelkov. This episode originally aired on January 7, 2021. 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 Help support our podcast! Join Making The Impact's Platinum Premium Subscription today! Your membership includes: Monthly Q&A episodes released to members onlyPriority to have your questions answered each month on the live Q&A.Ad-free listening for all of Seasons 4 through 8. No sponsored ads!20% off all IDA MerchandiseExclusive bonus content released throughout the yearDiscounted IDA Online CritiqueGroup Zoom check-ins 3x per season with Courtney Ortiz!Your support helps us produce future episodes of Making The Impact for years to come! Making The Impact's Platinum Premium - Sign up now for only $5/month! Follow your Hosts & Guests! Courtney Ortiz - @courtney.ortizLesley Mealor - @miss.lesley.danceClarice Ordaz - @d8clariceAmber Nadelkov - @Dancinambs678 This episode is sponsored by: YoungArts Applications are open for the 2027 National YoungArts Competition, available for artists ages 15-18 or in grades 10-12. Deadline to apply is October 6, 2026 at 8pm. Learn more at www.YoungArts.org Join our FREE Facebook Group and connect with us! Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast Community  New for Season 8! Making the Impact is now available on video! Find us wherever you watch video podcasts and on Youtube! 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 IDA Affiliated dance competitions, visit our website at www.impactdanceadjudicators.com Support the show

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 Parker join us to share their memories of teaching Lesley in the studio, and celebrate the successes she's had along the way! Topics Include: How the transition from a more relaxed studio atmosphere to a stricter approach went with Dawn at the helmKristen's memories of choreographing solos via emailThe effects both teachers had on Lesley throughout the years, not only in dance but in life Help support our podcast! Join Making The Impact's Platinum Premium Subscription today! Your membership includes: Monthly Q&A episodes released to members onlyPriority to have your questions answered each month on the live Q&A.Ad-free listening for all of Seasons 4 through 8. No sponsored ads!20% off all IDA MerchandiseExclusive bonus content released throughout the yearDiscounted IDA Online CritiqueGroup Zoom check-ins 3x per season with Courtney Ortiz!Your support helps us produce future episodes of Making The Impact for years to come! Making The Impact's Platinum Premium - Sign up now for only $5/month! Follow your Hosts & Guests! Courtney Ortiz - @courtney.ortizLesley Mealor - @miss.lesley.danceKristen Cochran - @ViamholdingsltdDawn Parker - @dancerdawn5 Check out our guest’s current projects!  Catch "Parade" at The Strand Theatre in Marietta, GA, directed by Dawn Parker, through September 20 - Tickets available here! This episode is sponsored by: YoungArts Applications are open for the 2027 National YoungArts Competition, available for artists ages 15-18 or in grades 10-12. Deadline to apply is October 6th, 2026.  Learn more at www.YoungArts.org Check out our service: IDA Online Judge's Critiques Send us a video of your dance and an IDA Judge will critique your routine! You can request a genre-specific specialty judge or add on 10 minutes of additional feedback. 24 hour rush delivery available! Submit your video now!  Check out our IDA Affiliated Competition: Axis Dance Competition! Visit their website to view their upcoming tour dates!  Join our FREE Facebook Group and connect with us! Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast Community  New for Season 8! Making the Impact is now available on video! Find us wherever you watch video podcasts and on Youtube! 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 IDA Affiliated dance competitions, visit our website at www.impactdanceadjudicators.com Support the show

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 never-ending levels discussion Lyrical vs contemporary - how to place routines in the correct category How to hold true to your values as a studio when there is so much outside influence Help support our podcast! Join Making The Impact's Platinum Premium Subscription today! Your membership includes: Monthly Q&A episodes released to members onlyPriority to have your questions answered each month on the live Q&A.Ad-free listening for all of Seasons 4 through 8. No sponsored ads!20% off all IDA MerchandiseExclusive bonus content released throughout the yearDiscounted IDA Online CritiqueGroup Zoom check-ins 3x per season with Courtney Ortiz!Your support helps us produce future episodes of Making The Impact for years to come! Making The Impact's Platinum Premium - Sign up now for only $5/month! Follow your Hosts! Courtney Ortiz - @courtney.ortizLesley Mealor - @miss.lesley.dance This episode is sponsored by: YoungArts  Applications are open for the 2027 National YoungArts Competition, available for artists ages 15-18 or in grades 10-12. Deadline to apply is October 6th, 2026. Learn more at www.YoungArts.org Dance Teacher Web Conference and Expo This summer July 27-30, 2027 in Las Vegas, NV!  140+ master classes, seminars, events, & more for continuing education and networking in the dance community!  Join our FREE Facebook Group and connect with us! Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast Community  New for Season 8! Making the Impact is now available on video! Find us wherever you watch video podcasts and on Youtube! 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 IDA Affiliated dance competitions, visit our website at www.impactdanceadjudicators.com Support the show

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 and owner Stacey Dimberio to the podcast to tell us all about Stacey's Studio of Dance Education in this studio spotlight episode! Follow Stacey's Studio of Dance Education @Staceysstudioofdance and be sure to check out their upcoming projects. Help support our podcast. Join Making The Impact's Platinum Premium Subscription today! Your membership includes: Monthly Q&A episodes released to members-onlyPriority to have your questions answered each month on the live Q&A.Ad-free listening for all of Seasons 4-8. No sponsored ads!20% off all IDA MerchandiseExclusive bonus content released throughout the yearDiscounted IDA Online CritiqueGroup Zoom check-ins 3x per season with Courtney Ortiz!Your support helps us produce future episodes of Making The Impact for years to come! Making The Impact's Platinum Premium - Sign up now for only $5/month! This episode is sponsored by: Check out our service: IDA Online Judge's Critiques Send us a video of your dance and an IDA Judge will critique your routine! You can request a genre-specific specialty judge or add on 10 minutes of additional feedback. 24 hour rush delivery available! Submit your video now!  IDA Affiliated Competition - Elevation On Tour! View their upcoming Tour Dates on their website! Follow your Hosts & Guests! Courtney Ortiz - @courtney.ortizLesley Mealor  - @miss.lesley.danceStacey's Studio of Dance Education -  @Staceysstudioofdance Join our FREE Facebook Group and connect with us! Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast Community  New for Season 8! Making the Impact is now available on video! Find us wherever you watch video podcasts and on Youtube! 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 us on social media at @impactdanceadjudicators and for a list of IDA Affiliated dance competitions, visit our website at www.impactdanceadjudicators.com Support the show

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 art contest winners Exciting opportunities at Dance Teacher Web and Dance One Summit over the summer Help support our podcast! Join Making The Impact's Platinum Premium Subscription today! Your membership includes: Monthly Q&A episodes released to members onlyPriority to have your questions answered each month on the live Q&A.Ad-free listening for all of Seasons 4 through 8. No sponsored ads!20% off all IDA MerchandiseExclusive bonus content released throughout the yearDiscounted IDA Online CritiqueGroup Zoom check-ins 3x per season with Courtney Ortiz!Your support helps us produce future episodes of Making The Impact for years to come! Making The Impact's Platinum Premium - Sign up now for only $5/month! Follow your Hosts & Guests! Courtney Ortiz - @courtney.ortizLesley Mealor - @miss.lesley.dance Join our FREE Facebook Group and connect with us! Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast Community  New for Season 8! Making the Impact is now available on video! Find us wherever you watch video podcasts and on Youtube! 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 IDA Affiliated dance competitions, visit our website at www.impactdanceadjudicators.com Support the show

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 Nationals event this summer in Michigan. The owner of The Artistry Tour Holly Shipley moderated this chat featuring 4 IDA Judges: Brittany Nicholas, Marie Choate, Kyle Rostan and Sally Cofield. Thank you to The Artistry Tour for sponsoring this episode and we hope you enjoy!  Topics Include: What stands out on stage as a judge Career paths in the arts Why networking is so important How artistry plays a role at competitionWhat truly matters to have a career in dance  Help support our podcast. Join Making The Impact's Platinum Premium Subscription today! Your membership includes: Monthly Q&A episodes released to members-onlyPriority to have your questions answered each month on the live Q&A.Ad-free listening for all of Season 4 & 5. No sponsored ads!20% off all IDA MerchandiseExclusive bonus content released throughout the yearDiscounted IDA Online CritiqueGroup Zoom check-ins 3x per season with Courtney Ortiz!Your support helps us produce future episodes of Making The Impact for years to come! Making The Impact's Platinum Premium - Sign up now for only $5/month! Follow your Hosts & Guests! The Artistry Tour - @theartistrytourBrittany Nicholas - @brittnnicholasKyle Rostan - @kylerostanMarie Choate - @marie_choateSally Cofield - @saldancer To learn more about The Artistry Tour and to register for an event in their 2027 Season, visit their website: www.theartistrytour.com  Join our FREE 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 IDA Affiliated dance competitions, visit our website at www.impactdanceadjudicators.com Support the show

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 Brittni Johnson, as well as anonymous submissions from judges around the country, share what it can really be like during those long weekends behind the table. Spoiler alert - sometimes it's not pretty.  This is part 2 of this episode. Part 1 which released back on May 28th, 2026. Click here to listen to part 1. Topics Include: Discussing the reasons we love judging - and the reasons that it becomes harder and harder each seasonTravel nightmares and lodging snafus - all to save a dollarThe realities of trying to stay true to your values while adhering to company policies Help support our podcast! Join Making The Impact's Platinum Premium Subscription today! Your membership includes: Monthly Q&A episodes released to members onlyPriority to have your questions answered each month on the live Q&A.Ad-free listening for all of Seasons 4 through 7. No sponsored ads!20% off all IDA MerchandiseExclusive bonus content released throughout the yearDiscounted IDA Online CritiqueGroup Zoom check-ins 3x per season with Courtney Ortiz!Your support helps us produce future episodes of Making The Impact for years to come! Making The Impact's Platinum Premium - Sign up now for only $5/month! Follow your Hosts & Guests! Courtney Ortiz - @courtney.ortizLesley Mealor - @miss.lesley.danceRobb Gibbs - @robb.gibbsBrittni Johnson - @being_brittni, @alignment.in.dance Check out our service: IDA Online Judge's Critiques Send us a video of your dance and an IDA Judge will critique your routine! You can request a genre-specific specialty judge or add on 10 minutes of additional feedback. 24 hour rush delivery available! Submit your video now! Join our FREE 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 IDA Affiliated dance competitions, visit our website at www.impactdanceadjudicators.com Support the show

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 wait to share season 8 with you - but for now, happy summer! MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Season 8 is scheduled to release on Thursday, September 3rd, 2026. Topics Include:  Favorite episodes of Season 7 Info on summer bonus episodes What's new for Season 8 Help support our podcast! Join Making The Impact's Platinum Premium Subscription today! Your membership includes: Monthly Q&A episodes released to members onlyPriority to have your questions answered each month on the live Q&A.Ad-free listening for all of Seasons 4 through 7. No sponsored ads!20% off all IDA MerchandiseExclusive bonus content released throughout the yearDiscounted IDA Online CritiqueGroup Zoom check-ins 3x per season with Courtney Ortiz!Your support helps us produce future episodes of Making The Impact for years to come! Making The Impact's Platinum Premium - Sign up now for only $5/month! Follow your Hosts! Courtney Ortiz - @courtney.ortizLesley Mealor - @miss.lesley.danceImpact Dance Adjudicators - @impactdanceadjudicators  Join our FREE 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 IDA Affiliated dance competitions, visit our website at www.impactdanceadjudicators.com Support the show

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 Brittni Johnson, as well as anonymous submissions from judges around the country, share what it can really be like during those long weekends behind the table. Spoiler alert - sometimes it's not pretty.  This is the first episode of a two episode series, so stay tuned for part 2 releasing as a summer bonus episode in June! Topics Include: Discussing the reasons we love judging - and the reasons that it becomes harder and harder each seasonTravel nightmares and lodging snafus - all to save a dollarThe realities of trying to stay true to your values while adhering to company policies Help support our podcast! Join Making The Impact's Platinum Premium Subscription today! Your membership includes: Monthly Q&A episodes released to members onlyPriority to have your questions answered each month on the live Q&A.Ad-free listening for all of Seasons 4 through 7. No sponsored ads!20% off all IDA MerchandiseExclusive bonus content released throughout the yearDiscounted IDA Online CritiqueGroup Zoom check-ins 3x per season with Courtney Ortiz!Your support helps us produce future episodes of Making The Impact for years to come! Making The Impact's Platinum Premium - Sign up now for only $5/month! Follow your Hosts & Guests! Courtney Ortiz - @courtney.ortizLesley Mealor - @miss.lesley.danceRobb Gibbs - @robb.gibbsBrittni Johnson - @being_brittni, @alignment.in.dance Check out our service: IDA Online Judge's Critiques Send us a video of your dance and an IDA Judge will critique your routine! You can request a genre-specific specialty judge or add on 10 minutes of additional feedback. 24 hour rush delivery available! Submit your video now! Join our FREE 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 IDA Affiliated dance competitions, visit our website at www.impactdanceadjudicators.com Support the show

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 that’s not covered in any studio handbook is how not to be a stage mom. Join studio owner Shannon Thomas and veteran dance mom Summer Aiello for this informative chat! This episode originally aired on March 24, 2022.  Topics Include: Understanding boundaries between your dancer and your studio ownerLearning what is acceptable dance parent behaviorHow to stay involved without pushing limits Help support our podcast! Join Making The Impact's Platinum Premium Subscription today! Your membership includes: Monthly Q&A episodes released to members onlyPriority to have your questions answered each month on the live Q&A.Ad-free listening for all of Seasons 4 through 7. No sponsored ads!20% off all IDA MerchandiseExclusive bonus content released throughout the yearDiscounted IDA Online CritiqueGroup Zoom check-ins 3x per season with Courtney Ortiz!Your support helps us produce future episodes of Making The Impact for years to come! Making The Impact's Platinum Premium - Sign up now for only $5/month! Follow your Hosts & Guests! Courtney Ortiz - @courtney.ortizLesley Mealor - @miss.lesley.danceSummer @SummerbelliesShannon @legacydance386 This episode is sponsored by: Check out our service: IDA Online Judge's Critiques Send us a video of your dance and an IDA Judge will critique your routine! You can request a genre-specific specialty judge or add on 10 minutes of additional feedback. 24 hour rush delivery available! Submit your video now! Join our FREE 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 IDA Affiliated dance competitions, visit our website at www.impactdanceadjudicators.com Support the show

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 memories of "the good old days" to current challenges and joys, this is an episode you don't want to miss! Topics Include:  The search for the right dance studio Differences between the old generation and the new generation of dancersSetting your dancer up for what success looks like for them using your knowledge of dance Help support our podcast! Join Making The Impact's Platinum Premium Subscription today! Your membership includes: Monthly Q&A episodes released to members onlyPriority to have your questions answered each month on the live Q&A.Ad-free listening for all of Seasons 4 through 7. No sponsored ads!20% off all IDA MerchandiseExclusive bonus content released throughout the yearDiscounted IDA Online CritiqueGroup Zoom check-ins 3x per season with Courtney Ortiz!Your support helps us produce future episodes of Making The Impact for years to come! Making The Impact's Platinum Premium - Sign up now for only $5/month! Follow your Hosts & Guests! Courtney Ortiz - @courtney.ortizLesley Mealor - @miss.lesley.danceLynne McNelis - @lynnemcnelisJennifer Lobaito - @Dancefixwithjenn  This episode is sponsored by: The DanceOne Summit The premier event for dance teachers and studio owners to unite. share. inspire! This summer in New York City - August 13-16th, 2026. Register now for $100 off using promo code: DOS26IMPACT  Check out our service: IDA Online Judge's Critiques Send us a video of your dance and an IDA Judge will critique your routine! You can request a genre-specific specialty judge or add on 10 minutes of additional feedback. 24 hour rush delivery available! Submit your video now!  Check out IDA affiliated competition True Dance Challenge! www.truedancechallenge.com Join our FREE 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 IDA Affiliated dance competitions, visit our website at www.impactdanceadjudicators.com Support the show

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 keep ballet fun, relevant and beloved in the dance competition world. This episode originally aired on March 30, 2020. Topics Include:  Ideas for keeping ballet class interesting What judges look for in a ballet competition routine How ballet can benefit other styles of dance Help support our podcast! Join Making The Impact's Platinum Premium Subscription today! Your membership includes: Monthly Q&A episodes released to members onlyPriority to have your questions answered each month on the live Q&A.Ad-free listening for all of Seasons 4 through 7. No sponsored ads!20% off all IDA MerchandiseExclusive bonus content released throughout the yearDiscounted IDA Online CritiqueGroup Zoom check-ins 3x per season with Courtney Ortiz!Your support helps us produce future episodes of Making The Impact for years to come! Making The Impact's Platinum Premium - Sign up now for only $5/month! Follow your Hosts & Guests! Courtney Ortiz - @courtney.ortizLesley Mealor - @miss.lesley.danceCarrie Euker - @CMEuker Holly Gannett - @Hollcoll77 This episode is sponsored by: The DanceOne Summit  The premier event for dance teachers and studio owners to unite. share. inspire! This summer in New York City - August 13-16th, 2026. Register now for $100 off using promo code: DOS26IMPACT  Join our FREE 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 IDA Affiliated dance competitions, visit our website at www.impactdanceadjudicators.com Support the show