Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast

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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 only
Priority 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 Merchandise
Exclusive bonus content released throughout the year
Discounted IDA Online Critique
Group 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.ortiz
Lesley Mealor - @miss.lesley.dance
Clarice Ordaz - @d8clarice
Amber 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 helm
Kristen's memories of choreographing solos via email
The 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 only
Priority 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 Merchandise
Exclusive bonus content released throughout the year
Discounted IDA Online Critique
Group 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.ortiz
Lesley Mealor - @miss.lesley.dance
Kristen Cochran - @Viamholdingsltd
Dawn 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 only
Priority 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 Merchandise
Exclusive bonus content released throughout the year
Discounted IDA Online Critique
Group 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.ortiz
Lesley 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-only
Priority 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 Merchandise
Exclusive bonus content released throughout the year
Discounted IDA Online Critique
Group 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.ortiz
Lesley Mealor  - @miss.lesley.dance
Stacey'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 only
Priority 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 Merchandise
Exclusive bonus content released throughout the year
Discounted IDA Online Critique
Group 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.ortiz
Lesley 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