Latest / Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast / From Competitive Dancer to Competition Teacher - Navigating the Other Side

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From Competitive Dancer to Competition Teacher - Navigating the Other Side · Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast

0:07
SPEAKER_00: Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the table at a dance competition?
0:10
SPEAKER_00: Exactly what are the judges looking for anyway?
0:13
SPEAKER_00: This is Making the Impact, a dance competition podcast.
0:15
SPEAKER_00: Each week we'll cover a different topic related to the world of competitive dance from the perspective of the judges behind the table.
0:23
SPEAKER_00: The dance competition world is hard to quit.
0:25
SPEAKER_00: Once you're involved, there's a high likelihood you'll always be involved.
0:28
SPEAKER_00: That's why today on Making the Impact, we're talking about the transition between being a competitive dancer to becoming a competitive teacher.
0:35
SPEAKER_00: Joining us today are seasoned comp teacher Linnea Williams and newly graduated competitive teacher Maddie Barnes to give us their insider info on how their competitive dance days led to where they are now.
0:47
SPEAKER_01: Hey listeners, welcome to this week's episode of Making the Impact.
0:52
SPEAKER_01: I'm your host, Courtney Ortiz, and I'm here with my co-host Leslie Mueller.
0:56
SPEAKER_00: Hello, Courtney Ortiz.
0:58
SPEAKER_00: How are you?
0:59
SPEAKER_01: I'm good.
0:59
SPEAKER_01: How are you?
1:01
SPEAKER_00: I'm great.
1:02
SPEAKER_00: I'm just mind-boggled that it is uh April tomorrow.
1:06
SPEAKER_00: Oh my gosh.
1:07
SPEAKER_00: What is that?
1:08
SPEAKER_01: Wow.
1:09
SPEAKER_01: I mean, comp comp season is flying, y'all.
1:12
SPEAKER_00: It is.
1:13
SPEAKER_00: We are just like in the thick of it.
1:14
SPEAKER_00: And so I hope everybody's out there having fun on stage and back to some kind of normal competition experience this year.
1:21
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think so.
1:22
SPEAKER_01: I think that um the block scheduling for most places has gone away.
1:27
SPEAKER_00: Yep.
1:27
SPEAKER_01: And I think that especially from what I can tell from the audience, just the support from everybody and being in the same space again and not just having many recitals in our block scheduling, but feeling that energy from the other team members from other studios.
1:42
SPEAKER_01: I just think we're all so grateful to be back to doing this normal competition thing again.
1:48
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
1:48
SPEAKER_00: Thank, thank goodness.
1:50
SPEAKER_00: Very pleased.
1:51
SPEAKER_01: Yes.
1:52
SPEAKER_01: So um, shout out to all of our judges who are working so hard every single weekend, judging trillions of dances week after week.
2:01
SPEAKER_01: We love you all over here at IDA.
2:04
SPEAKER_01: Shout out to all of our IDA affiliated competitions who are hosting events all around the country.
2:09
SPEAKER_01: And I want to just send a reminder to all of our listeners that we love seeing and learning what competitions that you are attending as well.
2:18
SPEAKER_01: And the a way for you to tell us is in our Facebook group, which is called Making the Impact a Dance Competition Podcast Community.
2:26
SPEAKER_01: And each week we post before the competition weekend to tell us where you're competing this weekend, which competition and which location.
2:33
SPEAKER_01: And then after the weekend's over, you have the opportunity to share photos and achievements on our group to tell us what your what your dancer achieved, what awards they may have won, what what they accomplished on stage that weekend.
2:46
SPEAKER_01: And we love seeing the support from everyone.
2:48
SPEAKER_01: So if you haven't joined our group, be sure to head over there on Facebook now and we'd love for you to join our community.
2:54
SPEAKER_00: One of my favorite parts about that, Courtney, is seeing when people post pictures or they post, you know, where they were, and then they realize that somebody else in the group was there and they were like, wait, I saw that dance.
3:05
SPEAKER_00: You guys were so good.
3:06
SPEAKER_00: Like that's my favorite.
3:07
SPEAKER_01: I know.
3:08
SPEAKER_01: I love that.
3:09
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
3:09
SPEAKER_01: And it's it is so fun.
3:11
SPEAKER_01: And I think that when we post ahead of time too, and people say where they're coming, then they're like, oh my gosh, I'm gonna be there.
3:16
SPEAKER_01: Maybe we can meet up and like meet new friends through our community at the events live in person.
3:20
SPEAKER_01: So really exciting stuff over there, y'all.
3:22
SPEAKER_01: If you haven't joined, you're missing out.
3:24
SPEAKER_00: And we couldn't do all of what we do here at Making the Impact without our amazing sponsors.
3:28
SPEAKER_00: So I'd love to tell you about one of them today.
3:31
SPEAKER_00: Dance Costumes by Urzua was founded by dance teacher and costume designer Lily Erzua with the mission to give back to her local dance community.
3:38
SPEAKER_00: By purchasing a beautiful, one-of-a-kind costume, you're helping another young dancer continue their training and live their dream.
3:43
SPEAKER_00: Each custom piece by Dance Costumes by Erzua features five variations in size slim, narrow, medium, curvy, and wide for a completely customized fit.
3:52
SPEAKER_00: Stand out on stage and in class with a totally unique piece made just for you.
3:56
SPEAKER_00: And right now you can use the code Impact 15 to receive 15% off of all dancewear and custom costumes.
4:02
SPEAKER_00: Head to their website to check them out at www.dancecostumes byerzua.com.
4:09
SPEAKER_01: And we are also excited to share a new sponsor for a brand new show that is debuting in New York City this May, 2022, which is produced and created by IDA Judge and previous podcast guest, Ashley Marinelli.
4:22
SPEAKER_01: The true and unquestionable account of Dr.
4:24
SPEAKER_01: Joseph Snoggrass is an immersive musical play about Eger Allan Poe's best friend and most terrible nemesis.
4:31
SPEAKER_01: The audience stays seated while the action takes place 360 degrees around them, while holographic projections make audience members question what is real and what is not.
4:41
SPEAKER_01: We would love for you to help support the artists performing in this show by visiting the link in our show notes and purchasing some perks.
4:47
SPEAKER_01: They are offering some great incentives, like a Hamilton Dance Masterclass, private lessons with IDA Judge Ashley, and Broadway serenades from real live Broadway performers.
4:57
SPEAKER_01: Best of all, every single dollar from your purchases of these perks will go directly towards the performers' salaries.
5:03
SPEAKER_01: Head to their website now to view all of their exciting donation perks and to learn more about how you can support our theater and arts community by visiting josephsnoggrassplay.com and be sure to follow them on Instagram at JosephSnaggrass Play.
5:17
SPEAKER_01: We wish Ashley and her entire team a wonderful and successful run of this brand new NYC show.
5:23
SPEAKER_01: Alright, everybody, I'm super, super excited to tell you about one more exciting new feature that we're adding to Making the Impact this season.
5:32
SPEAKER_01: And we are sponsoring physical awards at IDA affiliated competitions, and they are called the Making the Impact Award.
5:39
SPEAKER_01: Sponsored by Impact Dance Adjudicators and our podcast.
5:43
SPEAKER_01: This is a judge's choice award that is given out at each IDA affiliated competition with at least one IDA judge on the panel.
5:50
SPEAKER_01: And this will be selected by the IDA judge.
5:53
SPEAKER_01: It can be a dance that they are still thinking about by the very end of that long competition weekend.
5:58
SPEAKER_01: It can go to a solo through production, and all of the judges will agree and select this dance unanimously.
6:06
SPEAKER_01: And I can't wait to tell everybody, one of the one of the great things about this award is yes, you get a physical Making the Impact sign, tin sign, physical award, but the other bonus is you get a shout-out on our podcast.
6:20
SPEAKER_01: So I can't wait to share with you two of our recent winners of the Making the Impact Award.
6:26
SPEAKER_01: And first, this is from Diva Dance Competitions Denver, Massachusetts events.
6:30
SPEAKER_01: This is Carlina Osgood with her solo Finding Happiness, and she is from Wilmington Dance Academy in Wilmington, Massachusetts.
6:38
SPEAKER_01: And our second winner is from Spirit of Dance Awards Manfield, Massachusetts event.
6:42
SPEAKER_01: This is going to Dominic Heiss with his solo, The Kite, from Arts Edge Dance Company in South Yarmouth, Massachusetts.
6:49
SPEAKER_01: So congrats to our two recent winners.
6:51
SPEAKER_01: If you are the recipient of a Making the Impact Award at an IDA competition, be sure to register your award so we can give you a shout-out live on the air.
7:00
SPEAKER_01: All right, listeners, it's time to jump into this episode.
7:02
SPEAKER_01: And I didn't even tell you what we're talking about today, but we are talking about transitioning from being a competitive dancer to the other side of the table and now being a competitive teacher.
7:14
SPEAKER_01: Which I'm sure there are so many dancers out there who grew up in that competition world, who are now working with that next generation of competition dancers.
7:22
SPEAKER_01: And um I think this will be really helpful for those dancers who may want to transition in that pathway down the road, or for current and active competitive teachers to help give them a little bit more insight and perspective from two of our guests.
7:38
SPEAKER_01: So these are two brand new guests that are joining us today.
7:41
SPEAKER_01: I'm can't wait to get to know them even more, although I know one so well because this guest and I grew up together at my dance studio in Maryland, and I looked up to her my entire life.
7:54
SPEAKER_01: She was, I called her one of the older girls.
7:55
SPEAKER_01: She's a few years older than me.
7:57
SPEAKER_01: So she was, you know, in the in the senior level when I was in the junior level.
8:01
SPEAKER_01: And I just aspired to be her one day and watched her do amazing duets with another very close friend of mine.
8:08
SPEAKER_01: And I've just always looked up to this fabulous person.
8:11
SPEAKER_01: So I cannot wait to welcome Miss Linnea Williams to our podcast.
8:16
SPEAKER_01: Welcome, Linnea.
8:17
SPEAKER_04: Thank you.
8:18
SPEAKER_04: Thank you so much for having me.
8:19
SPEAKER_04: I listen to you guys all the time.
8:21
SPEAKER_04: So I feel honored to be on here and to just share my perspective of this topic.
8:27
SPEAKER_04: Thank you so much.
8:29
SPEAKER_01: Of course, yes.
8:30
SPEAKER_01: And I knew that you would be so great because obviously we grew up together, so we were comp kids together.
8:36
SPEAKER_01: But now I know that you you are a fabulous competitive teacher now working at a studio.
8:41
SPEAKER_01: And I would just love to hear about that side of things for you.
8:45
SPEAKER_01: So thank you for joining us.
8:47
SPEAKER_01: Thank you for listening.
8:48
SPEAKER_01: And if you wouldn't mind sharing with all of our listeners out there a little bit more about who you are, where you're based, and anything that you're working on now.
8:55
SPEAKER_04: Sure.
8:56
SPEAKER_04: Um, so my name is Linnea Williams.
8:59
SPEAKER_04: I'm from Baltimore, Maryland.
9:01
SPEAKER_04: I grew up dancing.
9:03
SPEAKER_04: The history of the studio, Donna Jean School of Dance, turned into dance dynamics.
9:08
SPEAKER_04: I was a part of the South studio.
9:10
SPEAKER_04: They had a North studio, which transitioned to Mid-Atlantic Center for the Performing Arts, which is an amazing place that is producing amazing talent still.
9:20
SPEAKER_04: I currently work at Spotlight Studio of Dance in Millersville, where my niece is a student.
9:27
SPEAKER_04: So that's pretty much my reason for going into becoming a competitive teacher.
9:33
SPEAKER_04: I am on the flip side of things a scientist.
9:37
SPEAKER_04: So I science full-time and then I am a competitive dance teacher part-time.
9:44
SPEAKER_04: So it's kind of the best of both of my worlds coming together.
9:47
SPEAKER_04: So a lot of my logic from science is now going into being a competitive dance teacher, which I think is helping me and the kids to some way.
9:59
SPEAKER_04: But you know, my thought process can be pretty intricate, and sometimes I have to scale it back to when I was growing up and kind of just like, you know, uh the basic building blocks of things for them.
10:12
SPEAKER_04: So that's pretty much my background.
10:15
SPEAKER_04: I love being a competitive teacher, and it could be because my niece is a part of the product and her classmates are the new generation of dancers, they are so hungry and happy, and you know, they want all the things.
10:27
SPEAKER_04: They're not as jaded as some students that I've had who have, you know, imposter syndrome from competitions and things like that.
10:37
SPEAKER_04: So the younger kids are so like they don't even understand what's really happening at comps.
10:42
SPEAKER_04: They just love to be there.
10:43
SPEAKER_04: And I like that energy uh when I'm teaching.
10:47
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
10:48
SPEAKER_01: Totally.
10:48
SPEAKER_01: I love that.
10:49
SPEAKER_01: Well, I'm super excited to have you.
10:51
SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much for joining us.
10:53
SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
10:54
SPEAKER_01: All right, and our next very special guest, who is a brand new guest to our podcast, is a dancer who I actually had the opportunity to watch when she was 12 years old on the national tour of Billy Elliott.
11:08
SPEAKER_01: So I've known her for a while and now she's an adult.
11:11
SPEAKER_01: Oh my gosh, crazy.
11:13
SPEAKER_01: And uh she is a supporter of our podcast, and we are super excited to welcome a new competitive teacher to the world.
11:21
SPEAKER_01: This is Miss Madison Barnes.
11:24
SPEAKER_02: Hello, thank you so much for having me.
11:26
SPEAKER_02: I'm so excited to be here.
11:28
SPEAKER_02: Like she said, my name is Madison Barnes.
11:30
SPEAKER_02: I am currently based in Edmund, Oklahoma.
11:33
SPEAKER_02: I'm from Des Moines, Iowa.
11:35
SPEAKER_02: Shout out to Des Moines.
11:36
SPEAKER_02: I am currently working at Block 16 Dance Company in Edmund, and it's been truly the highlight of my adult life, I think.
11:45
SPEAKER_02: It has just been so much fun.
11:46
SPEAKER_02: Some background about me.
11:48
SPEAKER_02: As she said, I did the national tour of Billy Elliott.
11:51
SPEAKER_02: I grew up from the age of four competing.
11:54
SPEAKER_02: I was competing three solos by the age of five and continued to compete all through to the time that I was 11.
12:01
SPEAKER_02: And then I booked my Broadway show of Billy Elliott, and then I did that for four years.
12:05
SPEAKER_02: I went back to high school, continued to compete.
12:08
SPEAKER_02: I graduated from Oklahoma City University with my dance performance degree in December of 2020.
12:14
SPEAKER_02: And straight out of that, I went into the competitive teaching world and the judging, uh, the judging world, adjudicating.
12:22
SPEAKER_02: That was a totally different world, which has been so much fun.
12:25
SPEAKER_02: And now currently I am getting my master's of applied physiology and kinesiology from University of Florida online, and I've been loving applying that to all of my dance kids and being able to help them further their knowledge and help me further my knowledge as well, and challenge myself and challenge them through that knowledge that I'm learning.
12:46
SPEAKER_02: So, yeah, that's just a little bit about me.
12:48
SPEAKER_02: And I'm so excited to be here.
12:50
SPEAKER_02: I love your podcast.
12:51
SPEAKER_02: You already know that.
12:52
SPEAKER_02: I love all of you.
12:54
SPEAKER_02: So I'm very excited.
12:56
SPEAKER_01: Hey, all thanks, Maddie.
12:58
SPEAKER_01: I'm super excited to have you.
13:00
SPEAKER_01: And like in your opening, I almost called you Maddie because I feel like that's how I know you.
13:04
SPEAKER_01: But do you prefer to go by Maddie or do you prefer Madison?
13:06
SPEAKER_01: You could call me Maddie.
13:07
SPEAKER_02: I introduce myself as Madison because that's like my my equity name or whatever.
13:12
SPEAKER_02: So I keep it like that, but then Maddie.
13:15
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
13:16
SPEAKER_02: Okay.
13:16
SPEAKER_01: We're on the Maddie terms.
13:18
SPEAKER_01: I can call you Maddie now.
13:20
SPEAKER_01: All right, sweet.
13:20
SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
13:21
SPEAKER_01: Awesome.
13:22
SPEAKER_01: Well, I'm pumped to dive into this topic.
13:24
SPEAKER_01: Let's do it.
13:26
SPEAKER_00: Yay.
13:27
SPEAKER_00: Well, so again, um, on behalf of myself as well, welcome, guys.
13:30
SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much for joining us today.
13:32
SPEAKER_00: I've been fitting us into your schedule.
13:34
SPEAKER_00: I want to know just quickly, Linnea, you were mentioning that you teach your niece and like her group.
13:39
SPEAKER_00: How old is that group of kids?
13:41
SPEAKER_04: They are 12 to 14.
13:43
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
13:43
SPEAKER_00: Oh man, that's such a good age if you can get them before they're jaded.
13:48
unknown: Oh my God.
13:51
SPEAKER_04: Oh man.
13:52
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, that's a really good age.
13:53
SPEAKER_04: They're like right there at that we love dance, and right there at that, I'm curious to know what goes beyond competition.
14:00
SPEAKER_04: So you can kind of start showing them all of it.
14:04
SPEAKER_04: And it's just very like, ooh, ah.
14:07
SPEAKER_04: So that's where we currently are.
14:08
SPEAKER_04: A little bit of comp, a little bit of summer programming, summer intensive training and stuff like that.
14:14
SPEAKER_04: So it's been a lot of fun.
14:16
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
14:16
SPEAKER_00: And then Maddie, what ages do you primarily work with?
14:19
SPEAKER_02: Right now, primarily it's 13 to 18.
14:22
SPEAKER_02: So the studio that I'm currently with only has 17 kids.
14:26
SPEAKER_02: There's no recreational program, and it is just competition.
14:30
SPEAKER_02: So we train from five to nine, Monday through Thursday.
14:34
SPEAKER_02: And we are we have one room.
14:36
SPEAKER_02: Everybody's together.
14:37
SPEAKER_02: We will do a day of all dances and then two days of all technique, and then a day of all combos and improv and things like that.
14:46
SPEAKER_02: Which so it's super fun.
14:48
SPEAKER_02: But 13 to 18, we kind of just have them all in that one room together, challenging the 13-year-olds and preparing those 18-year-olds to go do whatever they hope to do after.
14:58
SPEAKER_01: Wow, that's so interesting.
14:59
SPEAKER_01: What a unique studio setup.
15:01
SPEAKER_02: It's awesome.
15:02
SPEAKER_02: And actually, the owner is 20 years old.
15:05
SPEAKER_02: So really, yeah, she's my roommate.
15:09
SPEAKER_01: Oh gosh.
15:10
SPEAKER_01: Oh yes.
15:11
SPEAKER_01: That is so super cool experience.
15:14
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
15:14
SPEAKER_01: Oh my god, I love that.
15:16
SPEAKER_01: Wow.
15:16
SPEAKER_01: It's great.
15:17
SPEAKER_02: It's been such a fun experience because they all want to be there and they have the drive that I want as a teacher.
15:24
SPEAKER_02: So I'm just the I'm able to pour into them more and more every week.
15:28
SPEAKER_02: I get to challenge myself and they're just awesome.
15:31
SPEAKER_02: Everything about it is awesome.
15:33
SPEAKER_00: Nice.
15:34
SPEAKER_00: Well, so so that's a really unique experience because I feel like, you know, most people either come out of college or come out of their competitive career and maybe don't necessarily usually get to work with the the quote unquote best kids or the oldest kids at a studio, but like that's kind of what you have, it sounds like is like people who came from other places already trained.
15:54
SPEAKER_00: Is that would that be right to say?
15:56
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
15:56
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
15:56
SPEAKER_02: They opened, it's called Block 16 Dance Company, and they opened in 2016.
16:00
SPEAKER_02: Okay.
16:01
SPEAKER_02: So they're still pretty fresh, pretty new.
16:03
SPEAKER_02: It's by audition, and you have to audition, and she will make cuts should she need to.
16:09
SPEAKER_02: I did when I came out of college in 2020, I did go to a studio that had recreational programs, put like from age two to 18, but I did still primarily work with those teenagers.
16:20
SPEAKER_02: Um, I think it's because I I'm really relatable to them.
16:24
SPEAKER_02: I can really relate to them.
16:26
SPEAKER_02: I know what they what they need.
16:28
SPEAKER_02: I grew up in the time that social media was like kind of coming up.
16:33
SPEAKER_02: So I I see now, I see what's on TikTok, I see what's on Instagram, and I can relate to that and I know what I can pull from.
16:40
SPEAKER_02: So, like in a ballet class for one time for fun, you know that song that was like Megan's knees, you know, that whole thing.
16:50
SPEAKER_02: I did like a ballet combination with like randa jam on layers to that.
16:54
SPEAKER_02: You know what I mean?
16:55
SPEAKER_02: Things like that.
16:56
SPEAKER_02: I think that's why I continue to get the older kids is because I keep it fresh, I keep it interesting for them because I'm close to their age.
17:03
SPEAKER_02: I I relate to them a little bit more.
17:05
SPEAKER_01: Oh, that's a that's a good point because I feel so not that.
17:10
SPEAKER_01: Like I am, I don't have TikTok.
17:12
SPEAKER_01: I don't know what the trends are, I don't know anything.
17:16
SPEAKER_01: I feel like old.
17:18
SPEAKER_01: I just it's almost like I need to go do my my research on like how to stay up to date with like the young f the young kids because just visit urbandictionary.com.
17:29
SPEAKER_01: Make sure you get the lingo down.
17:31
SPEAKER_01: I just feel like I'm like not the the cool young teacher anymore.
17:35
SPEAKER_01: Now, Maddie, you're the cool young teacher, you know.
17:38
SPEAKER_02: Like well, I looked up to you.
17:42
SPEAKER_00: Oh, I love that.
17:43
SPEAKER_00: So that's that's an interesting, definitely an interesting perspective coming, and like you said, being sort of the closer in age.
17:51
SPEAKER_00: Linnea, when did when did you start teaching?
17:53
SPEAKER_00: So did you like go be a scientist for a while and then decide to come back to dance?
17:57
SPEAKER_00: Or like what was that history like for you?
17:59
SPEAKER_04: So my dance history started at dance dynamics.
18:03
SPEAKER_04: So we I kind of started with creative movement as like community hours.
18:07
SPEAKER_04: So I think I was like 12 and you help with like six year olds.
18:10
SPEAKER_04: And then I started choreographing solos for one of the students at Mid-Atlantic Center for the Performing Arts, her jazz solos, I did until I actually left.
18:20
SPEAKER_04: Um, so then I was like, oh, I like teaching and I like choreographing.
18:23
SPEAKER_04: She was three years younger than me at the time.
18:26
SPEAKER_04: I got my first teaching job at 16 at more of a recreational-based dance studio in Maryland.
18:33
SPEAKER_04: They had students from six to maybe 17, 18, but I taught like that seven to nine year old age.
18:41
SPEAKER_04: So it was still like, you know, a difference there.
18:44
SPEAKER_04: So it didn't seem like I was teaching kids my age and they didn't feel like I should be.
18:49
SPEAKER_04: It was still a little bit of authority there to teach them.
18:53
SPEAKER_04: I graduated from Towson University and kind of took like a hiatus from dance.
18:58
SPEAKER_04: My niece decided to love it.
19:00
SPEAKER_04: And then I came back in like 2017.
19:04
SPEAKER_04: That's actually when I started being a competitive dance teacher in 2017.
19:08
SPEAKER_04: So kind of almost like a 10-year break from dance.
19:13
SPEAKER_04: Not so much me dancing, but the teaching aspect of dancing.
19:17
SPEAKER_04: So a lot of the things for me, like hearing Maddie say they're all in one room and it's 13-year-olds and 18-year-olds.
19:26
SPEAKER_04: I've actually taught a combined class before, like if a teacher can't make it.
19:31
SPEAKER_04: And that's so interesting that you guys, that's such a good way that you guys can do that because I've noticed there's such a mental grasp that's different with 13-year-olds and like 16-year-olds.
19:43
SPEAKER_04: Like it's so different.
19:45
SPEAKER_04: Insecurities are different.
19:47
SPEAKER_04: Like you have the 13-year-olds who aren't afraid to fail in class.
19:51
SPEAKER_04: You have the 17-year-olds who like, I need to look at myself in the mirror every time to make sure.
19:56
SPEAKER_04: Like, so it's just that the pull.
19:59
SPEAKER_04: So I I like that you guys do that because you're catering to all people.
20:03
SPEAKER_04: Like, you know, for me, I can never really do it.
20:07
SPEAKER_04: I kind of need to have like that little age so I can make sure I'm catering to whoever's needs within that division.
20:15
SPEAKER_04: So my teaching is kind of a hiatus because I, you know, I do science and coming back into the into the competitive world with a very different perspective than when I was dancing.
20:27
SPEAKER_04: So my thought process is way different now.
20:30
unknown: Yeah.
20:30
SPEAKER_01: Right.
20:31
SPEAKER_01: Like that 10-year gap that you're talking about is probably so much changed in the comp world where you were probably walking back in 2017, like, what, what is this?
20:42
SPEAKER_01: Because it's not what are we doing?
20:46
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, it's it was definitely like a shock.
20:49
SPEAKER_04: Like even comps, I'm just like, oh, so we don't just have honorable mention bronze, silver for like gold.
20:55
SPEAKER_04: We have like all that, like now I have to get you to a platinum, like you know, like it's it's just very different.
21:02
SPEAKER_04: It's a very different approach.
21:04
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I'm kind of curious to hear, like, so that first year of you coming back, which it sounds like that you primarily decided to come back for your niece, but also I'm sure that passion, that you know, that drive it was inside of you was like, I I missed dance, I need to put this back in my life.
21:21
SPEAKER_01: So it was like a perfect blend of, oh now my niece is dancing.
21:24
SPEAKER_01: Well, let me let me help train her.
21:26
SPEAKER_01: But how was that first year for you getting back into it?
21:30
SPEAKER_01: Was what did you feel like that you just like walked back in and it was all good, or was like a whole new learning experience since for the 10-year hiatus?
21:38
SPEAKER_04: So, Court, you know, like when we were trained, it was like very structured.
21:42
SPEAKER_04: Like we had like all this ton of fun.
21:44
SPEAKER_04: And then when we got to like certain ages, I think I was 13 where we really got structured at MCPA.
21:50
SPEAKER_04: So it was like ballet and your assigned colors, and like all these hours of just training and then nine to nine weekend rehearsals.
21:58
SPEAKER_04: Like we we breathed daily.
22:00
SPEAKER_04: Walking into where my niece dances, it was a shock because in my mind, I looked at your class as like a gold standard, like from MCPA, of what children should be doing at seven, eight, and nine years old.
22:14
SPEAKER_04: And walking into her class and teaching, I felt like I had to scale back almost as if I was giving them things they never had.
22:24
SPEAKER_04: It was too hard, it was too fast, it was, you know.
22:27
SPEAKER_04: So then I'm like, oh my God, these kids are like crying.
22:31
SPEAKER_04: Like, you know, they I'm discouraging them and I want them to love it.
22:35
SPEAKER_04: So I had to find a balance where I can challenge them and let them still love it, but also have them grow with it.
22:47
SPEAKER_04: I feel like as studios, younger students sometimes can be babied to an extent.
22:53
SPEAKER_04: Like you don't want to give them too much.
22:55
SPEAKER_04: They're choreographed to win, not to like mess up.
22:59
SPEAKER_04: Like it's a very, let me give you this dance so you execute it well and place.
23:04
SPEAKER_04: Like, not so much, let me throw this at you.
23:06
SPEAKER_04: And if you mess up, it's whatever.
23:08
SPEAKER_04: But at least you now know how to do a double turn into an axle, whatever.
23:13
SPEAKER_04: You know, it's so I went into it with these kids have never had me.
23:18
SPEAKER_04: You know how we used to jazz back in the day.
23:21
SPEAKER_04: So it's giving them, it was giving them old school jazz, but old school jazz isn't like potabore, D D.
23:29
SPEAKER_04: Like it was still much so the core jazz with like turn and layout and stuff, you know, things that they were like, woman.
23:37
SPEAKER_04: But now, now they're like, oh my God, I love like they're the only class at the studio where it's like hard, fast stuff to them.
23:44
SPEAKER_04: It's like, you know, it's more so the slow things that they're like, okay, I can't get with it because you're, you know, now.
23:51
SPEAKER_04: So that transition of me coming in, I had a lot of parents who were just like, she's too hard.
23:57
SPEAKER_04: Why is she asking for extra rehearsals?
23:59
SPEAKER_04: We don't do extra rehearsals because that's not how the studio was set up, you know.
24:03
SPEAKER_04: So it's kind of like a me against the structure of the studio.
24:08
SPEAKER_04: And it's not that I wanted the extra rehearsals because like I felt like they were bad or whatever.
24:13
SPEAKER_04: It's just that extra rehearsals to me is repetition.
24:17
SPEAKER_04: You know, you'll it's you need it.
24:19
SPEAKER_04: You just want them to be like, oh, I'm not prepared for comp.
24:25
SPEAKER_04: You want them to be like, I'm overly prepared.
24:27
SPEAKER_04: So whatever happens, happens.
24:29
SPEAKER_04: And if your shoe falls off during the dance, just kick it or leave it there.
24:33
SPEAKER_04: You know, it's things like that.
24:35
SPEAKER_04: I was just like, we need these rehearsals.
24:37
SPEAKER_04: So it was a lot of like pulling, but eventually I'm still with this same group of kids.
24:44
SPEAKER_04: So I've just been with them this past five years.
24:48
SPEAKER_04: And so now we're good now.
24:50
SPEAKER_00: We're good.
24:50
SPEAKER_00: We're like now, but it but it how long did you think it took really for everybody to be like, all right, Miss Linnea's got our back, she she's doing these things because she believes in us, or this is the process, and we have to trust the process.
25:04
SPEAKER_00: Like, did that take a year?
25:06
SPEAKER_00: Did it take three years?
25:06
SPEAKER_00: Are you still working on that?
25:08
SPEAKER_04: I would say the parents, it didn't take long.
25:10
SPEAKER_04: I want to say maybe six months, because the parents saw such a difference in growth.
25:17
SPEAKER_04: You know, like their children or their dancer who maybe wasn't turning now knew how to turn.
25:23
SPEAKER_04: So it was kind of just like, wow, we're actually seeing something.
25:27
SPEAKER_04: And it's very different.
25:28
SPEAKER_04: And, you know, they're having fun.
25:30
SPEAKER_04: So it did with this particular group of students, it took maybe six months, and the parents were asking me for solos and private lessons, and you know, it just it was such a good relationship of parent being the parent and trusting the process of the teacher and not being such like a combative relationship where it's like, I think my child should be here.
25:50
SPEAKER_04: And you know, so it was these parents, and you don't always get such like a good environment sometimes like that.
25:58
SPEAKER_04: So I'm grateful for those parents and and their students.
26:02
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
26:02
SPEAKER_00: That's great.
26:03
SPEAKER_00: That's great to hear.
26:04
SPEAKER_01: I'm kind of curious, like with that going in the parent direction of like just, you know, that's a part of being a competitive teacher is having to also not deal with the parents, but you know, they're a part of the process in a way.
26:18
SPEAKER_01: They're sending their kids, they're paying the bills, they want to see progress, they want to see achievements.
26:23
SPEAKER_01: How has it been, Maddie, for you being a younger teacher and being on that side of things?
26:28
SPEAKER_01: Do you feel like that the parents respect you, support you, trust you, or are they like, oh, she just graduated?
26:35
SPEAKER_01: And what or you know, type of type of attitude?
26:38
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
26:39
SPEAKER_02: So I've also had a pretty good experience.
26:41
SPEAKER_02: The parents really do trust me.
26:43
SPEAKER_02: I think they know, like she's like Onea said, they saw the results that they were hoping for.
26:49
SPEAKER_02: And so they immediately started trusting me more and then asking me to do solos and things like that.
26:55
SPEAKER_02: I do have a few that will blow up my phone, you know, the typical ones.
26:59
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, you know, hey, can you work with my kid right now?
27:02
SPEAKER_02: Well, no, I am not in the state, but you know, and even though I live in Oklahoma, I still do a lot for my studio back in Des Moines, so I'll go back and forth.
27:13
SPEAKER_02: So I get to uh have relationships with both sets of parents, both students, which is really unique experience too.
27:19
SPEAKER_02: But for the most part, they do respect me a lot and they trust that what I'm giving their kid, especially as since I do have a degree in dance.
27:28
SPEAKER_02: I have taken the pedagogy classes and now I'm getting my master's in s in science, like kinesiology.
27:34
SPEAKER_02: They trust that what I'm giving their kids are are benef will be beneficial for them, will help them.
27:39
SPEAKER_02: They see the results, they see the results come through at competition.
27:43
SPEAKER_02: They don't always sit in class and things like that.
27:45
SPEAKER_02: We don't have any windows in either of the studios, so no k no parents are watching.
27:50
SPEAKER_02: And yeah, me too.
27:52
SPEAKER_02: Um, and so they're just kind of trusting the process, which is been has been really nice.
27:58
SPEAKER_02: And of course, I've seen my fair share of parents.
28:01
SPEAKER_02: And since I'm not the owner, I have not had to deal with the money side and things like that.
28:06
SPEAKER_02: So I'm sure there's things that I just have missed out on.
28:09
SPEAKER_02: But as a whole, I would say that they've all been very respectful and they trust me, they give me their full 100% approval.
28:18
SPEAKER_02: If they feel uncomfortable with something, we have a great a good enough relationship that they feel that they can come to me and then we can talk it out.
28:24
SPEAKER_02: I'll be like, Well, I did this because of this, you know?
28:27
SPEAKER_02: And I've had parents who have come to me and been like, we didn't like the way you spoke to my kid.
28:31
SPEAKER_02: My kid came home crying, whatever.
28:33
SPEAKER_02: And I'm like, Well, here's what happened that your kid probably didn't tell you because they're a teenager.
28:39
SPEAKER_02: You know what I mean?
28:40
SPEAKER_02: They just came home in tears and they're like, I understand, thank you.
28:44
SPEAKER_02: Or I've made mistakes too.
28:46
SPEAKER_02: I mean, I'm only 23, so I've made lots of mistakes.
28:50
SPEAKER_02: I have probably crossed lines that I didn't know that were even a line because I am so close to their age.
28:56
SPEAKER_02: I've probably it's hard to sometimes, especially those seniors in high school, try not to befriend them, but you want to be a mentor to them.
29:03
SPEAKER_02: How do you do that?
29:04
SPEAKER_02: Where's that line?
29:05
SPEAKER_02: You know, so that's been a challenge to figure that out.
29:08
SPEAKER_02: And there's definitely been lines crossed and then stepped back, you know, but it's a learning experience.
29:13
SPEAKER_02: Every studio I go to, I learn more.
29:15
SPEAKER_02: So it's been really, a really great experience so far.
29:18
SPEAKER_02: Fingers crossed, it's it stays that way.
29:21
SPEAKER_00: Well, so I think too, you have like a very unique experience in that you were a child professional performer before then coming back to like the dance studio world to then go to the university world to get a perfor another performance degree, right?
29:36
SPEAKER_00: And then going back to teach.
29:38
SPEAKER_00: So, like, at what point in in your in your whole span of your 23 years did you realize I want to teach?
29:45
SPEAKER_00: Was I mean, obviously you got you had a performing bug at one point, and then you had it again because OCU does offer different majors that maybe lead more into the teaching side of things.
29:54
SPEAKER_00: But so I'm so curious, like, what was that, what was that thought process like for you?
29:58
SPEAKER_00: And how did you end up where you are today in the teaching realm?
30:02
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so actually it started when I was seven-ish.
30:05
SPEAKER_02: I had a studio in my basement.
30:07
SPEAKER_02: So let me let me page you a picture.
30:09
SPEAKER_02: My mom loved to watch me dance on the stage.
30:12
SPEAKER_02: She signed me up for every group dance ever, every solo ever.
30:17
SPEAKER_02: I was doing song and dance solos.
30:19
SPEAKER_02: I was doing three solos at age five, singing and dancing with a microphone.
30:23
SPEAKER_02: Yes.
30:24
SPEAKER_01: Oh my god.
30:25
SPEAKER_02: Unfortunately, they're still out there on the internet.
30:28
SPEAKER_02: Oh my gosh.
30:29
SPEAKER_02: Can't wait to find this.
30:30
SPEAKER_02: Oh yes.
30:31
SPEAKER_02: Um, so which I'm so grateful that she did that now.
30:35
SPEAKER_02: Um, but I had the competition bug, the teaching bug.
30:39
SPEAKER_02: I would bring my friends over and make them learn dances from me when I was like seven.
30:44
SPEAKER_02: I would bring the older kids over.
30:45
SPEAKER_02: I'd be like, I have a studio at my house.
30:47
SPEAKER_02: Do you want to come learn a dance from me?
30:49
SPEAKER_02: And they'd be like, sure, okay.
30:52
SPEAKER_02: And it was all fun.
30:53
SPEAKER_02: But then once, yeah, I definitely had the performing bug.
30:56
SPEAKER_02: Um, Billy Elliott was actually my first audition ever.
30:58
SPEAKER_02: I had never auditioned before.
31:00
SPEAKER_02: So that was a great experience.
31:02
SPEAKER_02: And then with that, I definitely missed competing.
31:06
SPEAKER_02: It was such a great experience to be on the show.
31:08
SPEAKER_02: But I did that show 1100 times.
31:11
SPEAKER_02: And it got it was a lot, you know, and I missed being able to do different things.
31:17
SPEAKER_02: Well, long story short, back in high school, when I was 16, I kind of started teaching the younger kids at the studio.
31:23
SPEAKER_02: I didn't ever like teach or assist, but I just kind of took on cleaning dances.
31:29
SPEAKER_02: That was like my first thing.
31:31
SPEAKER_02: My ages were like eight to 10-ish.
31:33
SPEAKER_02: And then I did not want to be a teacher.
31:36
SPEAKER_02: I knew that it would potentially be like a side hustle if that was something that I wanted to do.
31:41
SPEAKER_02: But it was actually at OCU in my junior year, I took a ballet pedagogy class and from Jessica Fay, who is one of my most beloved professors, she inspired me so much.
31:52
SPEAKER_02: She helped me realize, like Linair was saying, the building blocks.
31:56
SPEAKER_02: And I wanted to be a part of somebody's life like that.
31:58
SPEAKER_02: I I just knew from there I wanted to make an impact on somebody else.
32:05
SPEAKER_02: I didn't even mean to do that, but I wanted to make an impact on somebody's life the way that she was telling me it can be done.
32:12
SPEAKER_02: And then I started like implementing little imagery things in my own dancing in classes, and I was like, whoa, I'm seeing huge results right now.
32:19
SPEAKER_02: So then in the summers, I would go home, teach kids, and I would see huge results in a month.
32:24
SPEAKER_02: And I was like, okay, wait, I'm kind of understanding this.
32:27
SPEAKER_02: I was fascinated with the way that the body moved, which is what led me to my master's.
32:31
SPEAKER_02: And then COVID happened.
32:32
SPEAKER_02: I graduated a semester early so I could move to New York, but there was no New York at the time.
32:37
SPEAKER_02: So I just started taking on the role of teaching, and I was like, okay, actually, yeah, this is what I'm I'm good at.
32:45
SPEAKER_02: I know what I'm talking about, I know what I'm doing.
32:47
SPEAKER_02: I'm educated, I have experience in this, I know what they want to see, I know what I want to see from my dancers.
32:55
SPEAKER_02: So that's kind of how I started and kind of where I led to today.
32:59
SPEAKER_02: I've taught at the university level just here and there, but it's nothing like the competitive world.
33:04
SPEAKER_02: I love the competitive world.
33:06
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, they are very different worlds, listeners.
33:09
SPEAKER_00: So yeah.
33:10
unknown: Yeah.
33:11
SPEAKER_00: I love it.
33:11
SPEAKER_00: Well, so that's really cool, Maddie.
33:13
SPEAKER_00: I love I love to hear that, you know, because we didn't get much ped at OCU.
33:18
SPEAKER_00: Like it's it's a semester for for each style.
33:21
SPEAKER_00: So I love that you were able to, you know, just take in all that information and realize that it was really beneficial in such a short time.
33:29
SPEAKER_00: And so, Linnea, I'm curious about you.
33:31
SPEAKER_00: When did when did you decide you wanted to teach?
33:33
SPEAKER_00: Like, did you ever as a as a kid really like think I see myself as doing this one day?
33:39
SPEAKER_00: Or really did it just happen later?
33:41
SPEAKER_04: It's so it's very hard for me to even explain it because I really for the longest time thought that I would do be a professional dancer.
33:51
SPEAKER_04: Like I joined Answers for Dancers.
33:54
SPEAKER_04: I don't know if you guys remember that, like just to like read up on the things that they were looking for in California or how I should go about an agent and all of this stuff.
34:03
SPEAKER_04: And then I was torn between commercial and like loving Alvin Ailey, and you know, just like so that's the that is already two different worlds.
34:12
SPEAKER_04: And then like comp dancing and convention dancing, it was just I was pulled in so many different directions.
34:19
SPEAKER_04: I really had no idea what I wanted to do.
34:22
SPEAKER_04: At Towson University was my very first time going to do the Ailey summer program.
34:27
SPEAKER_04: And while I was at Ailey, I had classes from like 9 a.m.
34:31
SPEAKER_04: to 6 p.m.
34:33
SPEAKER_04: And then I went to Broadway Dance Center from like 8 to 10.
34:36
SPEAKER_04: So I it was just like your structured class.
34:40
SPEAKER_04: And because it was like so monotonous Monday through Friday, I was like, I need to get in someone's hip-hop class or like a contemporary class where I can just like do whatever I feel a tap class to loosen up these ankles.
34:52
SPEAKER_04: You know, I was just like, wow, I really need to be doing like a lot of things.
34:57
SPEAKER_04: So it was really hard for me to commit to maybe a company, concert company, because I knew it would just be, you know, repetitious choreo.
35:05
SPEAKER_04: But I I love it.
35:07
SPEAKER_04: As far as the the teaching, like being the competitive teacher, I only went into it because my niece's teacher left the studio.
35:17
SPEAKER_04: And so they didn't have a teacher for her class, like for the jazz class.
35:21
SPEAKER_04: You're like, I can do it.
35:22
SPEAKER_04: So I yeah, they asked me, like, do you mind teaching?
35:26
SPEAKER_04: And it was like every other Saturday or something, and I was like, Yes, because that means like I really can like touch them and really get her and them where I need them to be.
35:37
SPEAKER_04: So it was just like as soon as the opportunity opened and I saw that I could get them somewhere in my mind of where I wanted them to be, not because it's like me and my way is the best way, but because of what I was used to seeing, and that really worked for the dancers who I grew up with, and just trying to instill that discipline, I I went for it.
35:57
SPEAKER_04: So it was mostly because the teacher quit, and I was just like the opportunity just like laid it out like that was the right place, right time.
36:06
SPEAKER_06: Yep.
36:06
SPEAKER_06: Cool.
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37:15
SPEAKER_01: I'm so glad.
37:16
SPEAKER_01: I'm I'm happy that happened because now you know you're back in this world, and yeah, not that I don't think you ever would have.
37:22
SPEAKER_01: Like I think that another time would have came and you would have been like, okay, this is my chance to get back in, like for sure.
37:28
SPEAKER_01: But um, I'm so happy because I know how talented of a dancer you are and were growing up.
37:35
SPEAKER_01: So like to see you on the other side of things now and working with dancers to be able to share that knowledge from your childhood.
37:42
SPEAKER_01: And I actually want to mention something that you talked about briefly mentioned earlier, Linnea, was and I think this is something that a lot of people, a lot of dancers transitioning into the competitive world probably experience is the difference from the structure at their studio growing up versus the structure of the studio that you're now going to work for.
38:02
SPEAKER_01: I think that's probably a huge learning curve because at that point, as teachers, we're working under a studio.
38:10
SPEAKER_01: So we they still have the final say as to, you know, how they're not going, hopefully they're not going to completely restrict you on how you handle and manage your class and what you're teaching them and the progress that you want and the skills or whatever, but they still have a little bit of, okay, this is what I hope, like this is what I want out of your jazz class by the end of this year for this level.
38:34
SPEAKER_01: Or, hey, we do peer web preparations with our heel down, y'all.
38:39
SPEAKER_01: So make sure I would not work there.
38:43
SPEAKER_01: You know, like I've actually been I've been in studio settings as even as a guest because I don't teach on the regular at a studio, but like I've gone in as a guest and then I tell them how I want something.
38:54
SPEAKER_01: And let's use the example of a a peer web preparation for jazz.
38:58
SPEAKER_01: So there have been times where they're like, well, Miss Sally tells us to put our heel up for the jazz.
39:05
SPEAKER_01: But then when I work with Miss Suzy, she says we she wants our heel down.
39:10
SPEAKER_01: And we just have to like adapt to the teacher.
39:13
SPEAKER_01: And then I start thinking to myself, okay, well, shouldn't we first, like, yes, that's great because it is important to adapt to the teachers because everybody's from different backgrounds, but shouldn't we as a CEO be on the same pla on the same page when it comes to certain things?
39:27
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, certain things.
39:28
SPEAKER_01: And I think that's probably a really hard transition for younger or even newer competitive teachers to, well, I did it this way when I was growing up, and now you want me to do it this way.
39:37
SPEAKER_01: You know, that's that's probably a hard transition.
39:39
SPEAKER_01: So have you guys experienced anything like that on your end from your training versus what you're working in now?
39:44
SPEAKER_01: And anything you want to share as helpful feedback for teachers out there who might be going through the same thing.
39:50
SPEAKER_02: Maddie, you want to go first?
39:52
SPEAKER_02: Sure, yeah.
39:53
SPEAKER_02: I mean, the prep.
39:55
SPEAKER_02: I'm not kidding.
39:56
SPEAKER_02: That has been my worst night the preparation.
40:00
SPEAKER_02: Ballet, jazz, either both, all.
40:03
SPEAKER_02: So I had a studio that did 50% in each leg for the ballet prep.
40:09
SPEAKER_02: And that's not how I have learned it.
40:11
SPEAKER_02: I learned 80-20, 80% weight in the front leg, 20% in the back leg, back leg straight, front leg bent.
40:18
SPEAKER_02: That's how I trained, and that's how it works best for me.
40:22
SPEAKER_02: I think that like physically, like physics, like when you go up, the weight should be centered over the front leg.
40:30
SPEAKER_02: I think of the back leg as like a kickstart.
40:32
SPEAKER_02: Like, you know what I'm saying?
40:33
SPEAKER_02: I don't think that it's your power because if that's your power, you're going forward because you can't, or if you don't have enough power, you're going backwards.
40:42
SPEAKER_02: I think about centering it right there.
40:43
SPEAKER_02: Anyways, that's my thought process.
40:46
SPEAKER_02: And I've had to walk into studios and my current studio, their old studio teacher had them, or their old ballet teacher had them bending both legs, didn't ever really tell them where their weight was.
40:58
SPEAKER_02: And so I've been trying to get them more forward, more forward, and it's totally thrown off their centers.
41:04
SPEAKER_02: But I my boss, and she's also my roommate and my best friend, she is allowing me to do that.
41:10
SPEAKER_02: She's allowing me to have the freedom and then the preparation.
41:14
SPEAKER_02: I've had the heel down.
41:16
SPEAKER_02: What is that?
41:17
SPEAKER_03: I don't do that.
41:19
SPEAKER_02: I can't do that.
41:21
SPEAKER_02: I can't do that.
41:21
SPEAKER_02: You can't do it.
41:22
SPEAKER_02: Remember that time I stood up and tried to do it for that was our job in the middle of a podcast.
41:26
SPEAKER_02: I was like, it's literally impossible.
41:28
SPEAKER_02: No, it's not working.
41:30
SPEAKER_02: For some reason, when I was younger, I used to turn in my front leg, my front foot before I would go.
41:36
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
41:36
SPEAKER_02: And so somebody told me to prep turned out all the time, which I don't do that anymore.
41:41
SPEAKER_02: But so then I used to have this like weird front foot parallel back leg turned out.
41:46
SPEAKER_02: It was really weird.
41:47
SPEAKER_02: But now some of the students that I would that would watch me growing up do that.
41:51
SPEAKER_02: And I'm like, no, wait, wait.
41:53
SPEAKER_02: So that was a learning.
41:55
SPEAKER_02: So we've had to like totally adjust that back leg.
41:58
SPEAKER_02: I like the back foot popped, and some of them are fully turned out on the back leg and parallel on the front.
42:04
SPEAKER_02: And I'm like, no, no.
42:06
SPEAKER_02: And so it's just it's not necessarily a fight within the studio, but it's a fight, like an internal battle for them.
42:12
SPEAKER_02: They're like, okay, here's how I know I can do a turn, but she's trying to get me to do something like this, and I know I'm not gonna do it as well because it's a totally different, you know, and it's their like internal monologue of how am I gonna do this, you know.
42:25
SPEAKER_02: And when you adjust something like that, especially for a piroit, your center of gravity is totally different.
42:30
SPEAKER_02: The way you take off is totally different, you know, that kind of a thing.
42:33
SPEAKER_02: So um I've dealt with that just a little bit, but for the most part, I've been really lucky, like I said.
42:38
SPEAKER_02: So in my two one and a half year of teaching competitively, I have been really lucky to have three rain in my classes, and they're just like, do what you want.
42:48
SPEAKER_02: It's really important, like you said, for them to be adaptable.
42:51
SPEAKER_02: So if this is the way that you want it, this is the way you're doing it, and as long as you stay consistent, that's all that matters.
42:57
SPEAKER_02: And I'm like, great.
42:58
SPEAKER_02: And so then I just continue to set my expectations, and sometimes their muscle memory takes over, they forget.
43:03
SPEAKER_02: But for the most part, they're willing to try.
43:06
SPEAKER_02: And usually after a little bit of time, we get better results than we ever had.
43:10
SPEAKER_02: So that was that's kind of my experience with it.
43:13
SPEAKER_04: I I think mine was definitely different because of the gap of me once being in dance and now I'm coming back to dance.
43:22
SPEAKER_04: Um for me, it's always just I'm I really am trying to respect the mission of the studio and the director, whatever they're trying to do for their students.
43:31
SPEAKER_04: But I think it's also one of those where if you are a teacher, like the director has to respect that you also know how to train the student.
43:43
SPEAKER_04: So you know when I first started, there was a lot of like, you know, maybe I wanted too much, and maybe I was like not trying to like, you know, you have to unlearn certain things that you've been taught, but it it was to a point where I'm like, these kids are seven.
44:00
SPEAKER_04: Eight.
44:00
SPEAKER_04: So I really do need to rectify what is happening so they don't go into these classes.
44:08
SPEAKER_04: And we had that, you know, some teachers wanted that 50% weight.
44:12
SPEAKER_04: And I'm just like, what about the child with the short Achilles tendon who really cannot do it?
44:17
SPEAKER_04: You know, they need the push, they need the push, they need the help.
44:21
SPEAKER_04: And if you have one way of doing something, I feel like it should be repeated.
44:27
SPEAKER_04: That's like science.
44:28
SPEAKER_04: If something works, it should be repeated, it should be able to be repeated.
44:34
SPEAKER_04: So if we can all come to an agreement of the proper way to turn, we can repeat it.
44:40
SPEAKER_04: And every child can turn if that is how we're teaching it.
44:44
SPEAKER_04: But because we have so many different methods and ways that might have worked for this teacher, so they're teaching the kids the way that worked for them, might not work.
44:54
SPEAKER_04: So it's just a plethora of things.
44:57
SPEAKER_04: But in terms of like the difference, I wanted these children to be dancing way more hours.
45:04
SPEAKER_04: I can we come from a lot of hours of training and they weren't dancing as many hours as I thought they should have been dancing.
45:13
SPEAKER_04: So that was kind of like a thing.
45:15
SPEAKER_04: So the only way that I could respectfully incorporate the additional training was to give those kids more of my spare time, which meant less of social life for me.
45:30
SPEAKER_04: So I would go into the studios for technique classes, random technique classes that, you know, they could come in and take with me, which was just whatever I felt like doing a ballet class that day, strength, strengthening leaps, turns, and jumps, just all of these things that I just started doing on our extra time to make up for the time I thought they weren't receiving.
45:55
SPEAKER_04: Um, but also not trying to overstep my boundaries because it's not my studio.
46:00
SPEAKER_04: So it's just trying to find a balance.
46:03
SPEAKER_04: Um, when the parents actually see results, they don't really question like what's happening.
46:08
SPEAKER_04: When the directors, I guess, see a result, they kind of are like, okay, we can do this, this, that, and the third.
46:14
SPEAKER_04: But I do feel like sometimes you might have teachers who are just very passionate about the growth of their students, and some teachers who are just teaching the classes they have to teach.
46:25
SPEAKER_04: So you'll start to see a difference in the attention that some students are getting that others might not be getting because they don't have a certain type of teacher.
46:34
SPEAKER_04: So that's a whole different, you know, situation because it's like, why aren't my my daughter and students getting that because they don't have that teacher, or maybe the other teacher doesn't have time or whatever it is.
46:46
SPEAKER_04: And I have very limited time.
46:48
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
46:49
SPEAKER_04: But the students that I have get all of my time.
46:53
SPEAKER_04: So, you know, it's it's the sacrifice that you're willing to give to the next generation of dancers.
47:00
SPEAKER_04: And, you know, they're so talented.
47:02
SPEAKER_04: My kids, I just want to give them all the stuff, right?
47:05
SPEAKER_04: Right.
47:06
SPEAKER_04: You know, if I have to be an advocate for them, and if that means that I'm gonna have some type of debate with other teachers and possibly the director, then I'm going to debate it if it's in the best interest of my students.
47:20
SPEAKER_04: So that's just where I'm at as an adult.
47:22
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
47:23
SPEAKER_00: Right.
47:23
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
47:24
SPEAKER_00: Well, and I think it's it's interesting to hear from perspectives of people who are going into a studio that they didn't grow up at.
47:31
SPEAKER_00: Like I know, Maddie, you teach a little bit at your studio at home, but you're more just coming in, you're not there as a faculty member, you know, consistently.
47:39
SPEAKER_00: And so I think I would say that that probably happens more often than not if somebody graduates and then goes right back into their own home studio where they know exactly what's expected.
47:46
SPEAKER_00: They know the training.
47:47
SPEAKER_00: They did the training, they might have assisted in the training.
47:50
SPEAKER_00: And so you can really know what to expect there.
47:52
SPEAKER_00: But I remember, you know, heading into a studio for my first year of teaching regularly at a studio, gosh, a million years ago.
48:00
SPEAKER_00: And and being kind of like annoyed that they wanted me to do it their way.
48:05
SPEAKER_00: It was just like, I mean, I see, but I also don't see because like I'm new here.
48:10
SPEAKER_00: And so, like, give me a chance to do what I do and like see if you like it.
48:14
SPEAKER_00: And, you know, I ended up being there a year or seven months, and then I went on tour.
48:18
SPEAKER_00: And God bless Rachel Pearlman for coming in and finishing my season out.
48:22
SPEAKER_00: Um when I went on Sweet Charity.
48:24
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, thanks, IDA Judges.
48:25
SPEAKER_00: Um But you know, it's I I think it could be like you're saying, Lanea, like, as a teacher who believes in what you're doing if you're going into a space where like the the sort of training processes don't line up.
48:40
SPEAKER_00: Like, you know, if you have a great relationship with that studio owner, like I think you can still sort of, like you said, have that debate of, well, I would like to do these things because A, B, and C, and the kids seem really amenable to that.
48:51
SPEAKER_00: So, like, are you okay with me doing an extra ballet class a week?
48:54
SPEAKER_00: Or like you see the results from my kids.
48:57
SPEAKER_00: Would you like to implement this?
48:59
SPEAKER_00: I'm happy to teach that class and open it up to other people who don't take this class just because the results are there, you know, and maybe they hadn't thought of it or didn't have another teacher who was willing to do it.
49:08
SPEAKER_02: My favorite thing is when a kid doesn't get something and something that I do isn't working, because then I sit there and I'm like, okay, meet with me after class for like five minutes.
49:18
SPEAKER_02: Let me see what you're doing, and then I go home.
49:20
SPEAKER_02: I'll usually ask them if I can take a video or something so I can just study it.
49:24
SPEAKER_02: And I'll be like, okay, and I'll come back and I'll have like 15 things for them to try on their bodies.
49:30
SPEAKER_02: You know what I mean?
49:31
SPEAKER_02: Because we're so invested.
49:32
SPEAKER_02: I want to spend all my spare time making them better.
49:35
SPEAKER_02: Like every single moment, I will have nightmares and dreams about them, about things that I want to do, things that I want, ideas that I have, you know, and I have to wake up, write them down, or take a video and go back to sleep.
49:47
SPEAKER_02: Like that's the kind of person that I am.
49:48
SPEAKER_02: I'm like, let me study you, let me try to make it work for you because I I'm just so invested in you, even if it's totally different.
49:56
SPEAKER_02: And especially in my situation where they're 13 to 18, they all come from different places for the most part.
50:01
SPEAKER_02: They're not getting the same training from the beginning from the ground up.
50:05
SPEAKER_02: So it's I am getting a variation of lots of different trainings.
50:09
SPEAKER_02: And luckily, there's only 17, but that's still 17 people that I have to adjust for and adapt to.
50:15
SPEAKER_02: But then I want them to all try this on.
50:17
SPEAKER_02: And then if that doesn't work for this person, well, like you said, what if her Achilles is short?
50:21
SPEAKER_02: Whatever, you know.
50:22
SPEAKER_02: So then I I study them and I'm like, okay, what can I do to make this work for you?
50:26
SPEAKER_02: What can I like change?
50:28
SPEAKER_02: Where can we maybe put your weight or not put your weight?
50:30
SPEAKER_02: You know, I don't know.
50:31
SPEAKER_02: Just things like that.
50:33
SPEAKER_02: So that's I I love when things don't happen right away because then when they do happen, it makes it like 10 times more rewarding.
50:39
SPEAKER_01: I think that like listening to this discussion and how it's going, and especially thinking about the perspective of walking into a new studio space and guiding off of their structure and things like that.
50:54
SPEAKER_01: I think that it's to kind of taking me back to our ballet program episode a little bit that we just had launched a few weeks ago.
51:02
SPEAKER_01: If you haven't listened to it, uh give a listen.
51:05
SPEAKER_01: Because in that episode, we kind of just talked about making sure that the ballet program is structured around what your studio needs, what the goals of your studio are, and making sure that all of the teachers are on the same page with that.
51:19
SPEAKER_01: And I think that can go hand in hand with just your faculty in general, and not just speaking on the ballet things, but your faculty.
51:27
SPEAKER_01: Like all of your teachers, there should be like monthly sit-down meetings with your competitive teachers talking about goals and also talking about what are we achieving in class right now?
51:37
SPEAKER_01: What are you currently working on for this age and and across the board?
51:41
SPEAKER_01: So the ballet class isn't progressing faster than the lyrical class or the jazz class, and all the teachers know exactly what's going on in each class.
51:50
SPEAKER_01: I think, like from that perspective as well.
51:53
SPEAKER_01: But also, I think it's really important for dancers to make sure that it kind of goes a little bit back to what you mentioned earlier about social media, Maddie.
52:04
SPEAKER_01: Like we were talking about that whole turn prep for a minute.
52:08
SPEAKER_01: You know, back in the day when we when I was growing up, when we were growing up, we didn't have something to watch 24-7 and see a video of first place overall winner at this competition doing a turn sequence where their foot was turned in and the back foot wasn't popped.
52:22
SPEAKER_01: And that and there's and like social media is telling me that this is correct.
52:27
SPEAKER_00: Social media, so it must be correct.
52:29
SPEAKER_00: It's not saying it's correct, but it's inferring that because this person has this giant trophy, everything she did was right.
52:35
SPEAKER_00: Right.
52:35
SPEAKER_01: So, like how Maddie, you're like, no, don't watch that one solo that I did because my prep was wrong.
52:40
SPEAKER_01: Whereas like all the kids now are seeing all of these things on social media, so they're coming to class with these bad habits, and then we have to, you know, go back and break them.
52:49
SPEAKER_01: So I think if the studio across the board is on the same page as far as what we want to achieve in our classes and the progress that we want to make for each level and age division, but also going back to basics and making sure the technique from the top, from the very top, is consistent for the studio, then all of the classes can, the teachers can have that freedom because we're not going back to fix those habits in each separate class, you know?
53:17
SPEAKER_01: Cause I feel like if I were to go to a studio and have like a regular schedule, I would have to really find a studio that I vibe with.
53:27
SPEAKER_01: Like I'd have to do a lot of research as an educator and I know what I want out of my classes.
53:32
SPEAKER_01: It would be hard to find something that like you mesh with really well because every studio is different.
53:38
SPEAKER_01: Every studio has certain things.
53:39
SPEAKER_01: Oh, you're the Acro Studio, oh, you're the Prop Studio, oh, you're the pirouette turner studio, whatever.
53:45
SPEAKER_01: So I would want to find like that perfect harmony.
53:48
SPEAKER_01: And I it sounds like you both have found that or are being able to like use your knowledge and skills and training to make the studio better.
53:57
SPEAKER_01: But I think it's probably really hard for teachers to find that perfect studio for them to like feel like, you know what, this is this is where I belong with my training.
54:06
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
54:07
SPEAKER_02: And it's not always the studio that you grew up at, right?
54:10
SPEAKER_02: Uh like uh the studio, so because my childhood, I would say, is like kind of spliced into like pre-Billy Elliott, Billy Elliott, post-Billy Elliott.
54:19
SPEAKER_02: I hate to say that, but it kind of was.
54:21
SPEAKER_02: I did not go to the same studio pre and post.
54:24
SPEAKER_02: Okay.
54:25
SPEAKER_02: I went to two different ones, yeah.
54:27
SPEAKER_02: And so then, and then my studio that I went to post uh Billy Elliott, I hate to say that, but gr closed.
54:35
SPEAKER_02: So then the teacher has her own studio.
54:37
SPEAKER_02: So that's kind of how where my like thing, my training went.
54:42
SPEAKER_02: But this teacher did train me, and she her studio and I like we get along, it's great, but I want the dancers to be very focused, wanna be professionals, you know, which is why I, like you said, found that perfect place here in Oklahoma.
54:57
SPEAKER_02: And I adore those kids in Iowa, and I want to make them the best that they're going to be while they are dancing right now.
55:04
SPEAKER_02: You know what I mean?
55:05
SPEAKER_02: But like it's not always the studio that you grew up being with and the kids that you grew up being around.
55:11
SPEAKER_02: Sometimes you have to step away from that and see where your knowledge is most utilized and most necessary, you know.
55:17
SPEAKER_04: I agree.
55:17
SPEAKER_04: And Court, I nodding, I almost nodded my head off you speaking about technique and you know, just having I I listened to the podcast with like the ballet program.
55:30
SPEAKER_04: I I really think that competitive studios should have a ballet curriculum, not to try and make every dancer Misty Copeland, but because there's a we need it.
55:42
SPEAKER_04: There's a certain discipline that comes with it, and it's the foundation of technique that takes you through every other genre that just makes you more comfortable with things.
55:52
SPEAKER_04: I think the one thing I've noticed, the studio I grew up with, MCPA, you too, I'm very uh technique biased when I watch dances, when I teach kids, when I, you know, it's it all comes down to the technique for me.
56:09
SPEAKER_04: She might be an amazing mover and I appreciate movement quality at the same time.
56:14
SPEAKER_04: Like we can do movement quality all day.
56:17
SPEAKER_04: And then if your teacher gives you a triple turn into something and I I'm just not seeing the proper shoulder policement, like your elbows aren't earrings, you know, just certain things.
56:27
SPEAKER_04: It always comes back to technique for me.
56:29
SPEAKER_04: And what I notice is that when you go to a studio as a teacher and you weren't trained at that studio, you're automatically training completely different.
56:39
SPEAKER_04: So it's already like these people who might have grew up at the studio are product of this studio and that studio's training.
56:47
SPEAKER_04: Right.
56:48
SPEAKER_04: You coming in being a product of a completely different studio training.
56:53
SPEAKER_04: And so these kids are definitely getting different trainings.
56:57
SPEAKER_04: Right.
56:57
SPEAKER_04: You're gonna have the product that always worked for the people who have been trained here, and then the product that works for what I think worked for me and everyone I was trained with.
57:10
SPEAKER_04: So currently I would say that's like my situation.
57:12
SPEAKER_04: I grew up at MCPA, we had a ton of training.
57:16
SPEAKER_04: Like we were trained.
57:18
SPEAKER_04: Okay.
57:18
SPEAKER_04: It's it's the truth.
57:20
SPEAKER_04: We we we were trained.
57:22
SPEAKER_04: Um and so I I can recognize good training.
57:25
SPEAKER_04: Right.
57:25
SPEAKER_04: Not to be like toot and horns, but you know, we were very skilled dancers.
57:30
SPEAKER_00: Well, there's a difference between people who take dance class and people who were trained.
57:35
SPEAKER_00: I mean, you can just you can just see it.
57:38
SPEAKER_00: And neither is bad or good.
57:40
SPEAKER_00: Um, I mean, one thing is very good, one thing is good, but like could have some extra help to it.
57:45
SPEAKER_00: But that's what you're that's what you're saying, is that like when y'all, I mean, it's just funny because I grew up taking dance classes.
57:51
SPEAKER_00: I didn't grow up training, I grew up taking dance classes, and somehow, because I fought my butt off, got into a school that accepted people who were trained.
58:01
SPEAKER_00: And it's just a whole different mindset when you go to a studio that has training like you guys had.
58:06
SPEAKER_00: And what like you were talking about the your technique bias.
58:11
SPEAKER_00: And, you know, I I had a decent amount of technique, I think, before I went to college, but like that's where my technique got honed.
58:17
SPEAKER_00: And then going into a studio that values performance quality over technique.
58:22
SPEAKER_00: I was like out of, I was like, why, why am I why am I teaching here?
58:26
SPEAKER_00: Why am I teaching here?
58:27
SPEAKER_00: Because nobody wants what I'm offering.
58:29
SPEAKER_00: Right.
58:29
SPEAKER_00: Because what they care about is the flash and the fun and the, you know, and and that again, it's like when we talk about judging, yes, of course.
58:37
SPEAKER_00: Oh my goodness, you must perform.
58:39
SPEAKER_00: You must have showmanship, you must have fun, but not in not in detriment to the technique, because that's what comes first.
58:47
SPEAKER_00: Because if you don't have that, all you have is jazz hands.
58:49
SPEAKER_00: And that's a little boring.
58:53
SPEAKER_04: I love a good jazz hand.
58:55
SPEAKER_00: Right.
58:56
SPEAKER_00: But but like come, you know, with uh with a jazz walk that's stylized and leads from the hip and on your balls of your feet and all the things.
59:03
SPEAKER_04: It's very, I think it's one of those things where you want to combine young competitiveness with old school competitiveness.
59:12
SPEAKER_01: Totally.
59:13
SPEAKER_04: Right.
59:13
SPEAKER_04: Like if me and Maddie worked at a studio, I would probably give Maddie the kids I've already trained because then she can just go ahead and choreograph on them.
59:25
SPEAKER_04: And hopefully the knowledge of what they've been trained with, they can apply it, go off center, come on center, you know, figure out how to turn.
59:32
SPEAKER_04: If she says fall off center here, do it.
59:35
SPEAKER_04: And then I will focus on the next level of kids to give to her.
59:39
SPEAKER_04: I think when you have that 18-year-old, 15 to 18 range and they're on TikTok, like they really don't think the old school teacher knows what they're talking about.
59:49
SPEAKER_04: Right.
59:49
SPEAKER_04: They're just like, I don't like no one does that anymore.
59:52
SPEAKER_04: And because no one does it, it's like doesn't exist.
59:55
SPEAKER_04: Right.
59:56
SPEAKER_04: But it's like I'm almost sure at 35 I can still do five turns.
1:00:00
SPEAKER_04: Right.
1:00:00
SPEAKER_04: And it's not because I'm just like looking at TikTok, it's because I really do know how to still align myself.
1:00:05
SPEAKER_04: Right.
1:00:06
SPEAKER_01: So it's and trained correctly from the beginning.
1:00:08
SPEAKER_01: Like, I think that's the thing that sometimes gets lost in our competitive world is like you said, Leslie, the example of the performance over the technique.
1:00:17
SPEAKER_01: I think that if we all just get on the same page as a studio and say, this is where we want our technique to be, we need to focus on the technique here.
1:00:26
SPEAKER_01: Then we can have the fun once the technique is clean.
1:00:30
SPEAKER_01: And like the basics from the beginning, um, across the board with all teachers, like alignment, something as simple as alignment, knowing how to align your toes and line with your heels for a parallel stance.
1:00:42
SPEAKER_01: You're gonna use it in every class.
1:00:44
SPEAKER_01: So you have to know how to do it when you're six, you know, and that's like a basic thing that we need to start working on.
1:00:50
SPEAKER_00: And you, as the jazz teacher, need to trust that the jazz choreographer who is not you is also gonna call out, hey Sally, you're not in parallel, because it doesn't matter if I'm the only one saying it, because Sally's gonna go into four other classes, and if nobody else is saying that same correction, she's not gonna remember that.
1:01:09
SPEAKER_00: And that's where like the cohesiveness of the studio comes in and like the real world application of what we're saying is if I say it, then Courtney needs to say it, then Maddie needs to say it, then Linda needs to say it, then finally three months later, Sally's gonna be in parallel every time you ask her to be.
1:01:26
SPEAKER_00: And then you don't even have to ask her and she knows what it is.
1:01:29
SPEAKER_00: But like, if it's just Miss Leslie, Sally don't care.
1:01:32
SPEAKER_02: And it's it's different ways you say it too, right?
1:01:35
SPEAKER_02: All four of us telling Sally, you know, maybe the way Courtney says it, oh, okay, got it.
1:01:41
SPEAKER_02: I mean, I'm a huge fan of like imagery.
1:01:43
SPEAKER_02: I love a good image.
1:01:45
SPEAKER_02: When I'm teaching, I will just try to use all of the imagery possible for ages two and ages 18.
1:01:51
SPEAKER_02: We had a ballet teacher, Leslie, Joe Rowan.
1:01:54
SPEAKER_02: God bless her.
1:01:54
SPEAKER_02: She loves imagery.
1:01:56
SPEAKER_02: And I will still use that to this day because it works.
1:01:58
SPEAKER_02: And so the different ways that we all say it will maybe make it click, you know.
1:02:02
SPEAKER_02: So being that like having a meeting, like you said, a monthly meeting, so beneficial, I think.
1:02:07
SPEAKER_02: That's the best part about living with my boss, is we come home and we talk about it.
1:02:10
SPEAKER_02: Your life is then we're on the same, we're on the same page.
1:02:14
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, that's definitely it's just this is like I I'm so intrigued by like where this conversation has gone because like these are all such valid points that I'm sure that some people probably haven't even thought of.
1:02:24
SPEAKER_01: And I think that it is very, very different.
1:02:27
SPEAKER_01: Like you mentioned, Leslie, uh coming from I graduated from my studio, went to college, back home, back at my studio, teaching again.
1:02:35
SPEAKER_01: That's a very different experience than graduated from my studio, went to college, moved different state, found a new studio to teach at, that hopefully it has the same kind of vibe that you grew up with, or maybe they don't, and that's who hired you.
1:02:50
SPEAKER_01: And then you have to adapt to okay, well, I grew up training to be a professional dancer in the advanced level of competition, and now I'm working with a studio that doesn't want to compete in advanced and is only training intermediate.
1:03:02
SPEAKER_01: And how do I restructure my teaching philosophy and approach in class to cater to this type of studio?
1:03:09
SPEAKER_01: And that's very hard to do, which I think like my best advice is to new like teachers or people who are hoping to become a competitive teacher one day is to just really do your research when you're selecting which studios you want to apply to and be considered for to make sure that their goals and values and teaching styles match what you're hoping to achieve as a teacher.
1:03:33
SPEAKER_01: Because if it doesn't, then it's not gonna go well.
1:03:36
SPEAKER_01: Like you're you're gonna expect too much, you're they're gonna say, you know, whatever it is.
1:03:41
SPEAKER_01: Whereas there's definitely teachers out there who are like, I just want to work with the rec kids.
1:03:46
SPEAKER_01: Like that is my jam.
1:03:47
SPEAKER_01: I love the rec kids, I'm good at it, I know what I'm doing.
1:03:50
SPEAKER_01: Then there's a studio for you.
1:03:52
SPEAKER_01: But then there's also the studio, there's somebody that's like, I want to work with the advanced level contemporary dancers.
1:03:58
SPEAKER_01: I want to bring this new fresh style to them.
1:04:00
SPEAKER_01: Like, I need somebody that really focuses on b ballet technique and has a strong foundation or whatever it is, you know.
1:04:07
SPEAKER_01: So definitely do that research to all my my aspiring competitive teachers out there.
1:04:14
SPEAKER_00: And I think also, Linea, you said something that I think is really important to point out that I think also gets pointed out like in the forums and stuff.
1:04:21
SPEAKER_00: Just because you're a teacher who has really high expectations and you go into a studio that's not necessarily asking them, asking you to lower them, but like as that teacher, I think you can always have, you can give good training no matter what level you're teaching.
1:04:37
SPEAKER_00: You can give good training no matter what studio you're at and whatever their values are.
1:04:41
SPEAKER_00: It's just gonna be a matter of what you get back.
1:04:43
SPEAKER_00: And are you okay with what you're getting back?
1:04:45
SPEAKER_00: Because if you're getting back from the kids all that they can possibly do with the values that they exist in within the studio and it's not up to your standards, then that's a different story.
1:04:55
SPEAKER_00: But like you as a teacher have to come in and say, I'm giving you my best, and no matter where we are, you know, because I think people kind of get upset when when they think about teachers possibly coming in and teaching rec kids and I'm not giving you my best training.
1:05:10
SPEAKER_00: Well, yes, I am, but I have to, I you do have to amend it to however that studio can take in the information because every, you know, like we've been saying, it's just different for everybody.
1:05:20
SPEAKER_04: It's also but I've noticed I've taught rec students and I I currently teach at like um a school where the kids aren't competitive.
1:05:28
SPEAKER_04: They do maybe two comps, but they think they're on like a rec level.
1:05:33
SPEAKER_04: So when I teach them, they have in their heads that they're they're just only good to a certain extent.
1:05:39
SPEAKER_04: So even them, they've cut themselves off to their potential of what they could be.
1:05:44
SPEAKER_04: Right.
1:05:44
SPEAKER_04: So I still like to teach to the potential that I think they could be at.
1:05:49
SPEAKER_04: So it's kind of like I'm not really concerned about what your other teachers are teaching to you or saying to you, or whatever seeds are being planted in other classes in my class.
1:06:00
SPEAKER_04: This is the standard, and this is where you have to meet.
1:06:04
SPEAKER_04: So if I am the strongest dancer in my class being the teacher, they need to meet me at my standard, pretty much.
1:06:11
SPEAKER_04: That's pretty much what I tell all of my kids.
1:06:13
SPEAKER_04: I it doesn't matter if your parent is paying$80 or your parent is paying$340, you're fitting to get the same training from me no matter what.
1:06:22
SPEAKER_04: So it's I think that's because if one day you choose to go from rec to competitive, I want you to say, Well, at least Miss Linnea gave me what I needed.
1:06:31
SPEAKER_04: If you want to go from competitive to concert, at least Miss Linnea gave me what I needed.
1:06:35
SPEAKER_04: Absolutely.
1:06:35
SPEAKER_04: Not uh, I wish she had pushed me a little harder.
1:06:38
SPEAKER_04: She never let me do turns.
1:06:39
SPEAKER_04: Right.
1:06:39
SPEAKER_04: You know what I'm saying?
1:06:40
SPEAKER_04: Like, you know, you just want to make sure you're giving equal opportunities in every class to every student, no matter what level, what intense intensity that they might have with what they want to do in the future.
1:06:54
SPEAKER_04: Just if it's all there from you, they're gonna be fine.
1:06:57
SPEAKER_02: And if you give them your everything, I mean, we all know dance training is life training.
1:07:02
SPEAKER_02: So, you know, anything that you teach them, if you challenge them and you keep setting your standards high, they will continue.
1:07:08
SPEAKER_02: I think, and I hope I'm still young, so I'm learning from all of you a lot.
1:07:13
SPEAKER_02: But I I hope that they will be like aiming higher.
1:07:17
SPEAKER_02: They'll be like, okay, this is her standard.
1:07:18
SPEAKER_02: It might be off-putting at first, it might be, whoa, what's happening?
1:07:22
SPEAKER_02: But then as time goes on, like you said, sometimes dancers will cut themselves short and sell themselves short when actually you have so much potential, and they'll just keep pushing themselves.
1:07:31
SPEAKER_02: And then 10 years later, maybe they're not professional dancers, and that's okay.
1:07:35
SPEAKER_02: And they they have higher standards for themselves because you had that faith in them.
1:07:39
SPEAKER_02: You know what I mean?
1:07:40
SPEAKER_02: We all know that there's there's things like that that happen all the time, and there's lots of lessons that are learned from teachers investing in you no matter what level you're at.
1:07:49
SPEAKER_01: Thanks for tuning in to this week's episode about transitioning from a competition dancer to a competition teacher.
1:07:55
SPEAKER_01: Be sure to follow our special guests on social media.
1:07:58
SPEAKER_01: You can find Lamea at L-EN underscore N-I-K 18 and Maddie at Maddie M Barnes.
1:08:07
SPEAKER_01: Mark your calendars.
1:08:09
SPEAKER_01: Our final QA with Courtney live episode of season three will be streaming live on Facebook next Tuesday, April 5th, from 2 to 3 p.m.
1:08:18
SPEAKER_01: Eastern Standard Time.
1:08:19
SPEAKER_01: I will be joined by two special guest IDA judges to answer all of your questions live on the air.
1:08:24
SPEAKER_01: Plus, stay tuned for an exciting giveaway from our sponsors.
1:08:28
SPEAKER_01: Hope to see you there.
1:08:30
SPEAKER_00: Don't forget to follow Making the Impact on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and pretty much everywhere you listen to podcasts.
1:08:39
SPEAKER_01: Be sure to check out IDA affiliated competition, Diva Dance Competition.
1:08:45
SPEAKER_01: Diva Dance Competition is America's live judging competition.
1:08:49
SPEAKER_01: Their live judging format is extremely unique in the industry.
1:08:53
SPEAKER_01: Dancers are asked to stay on stage following their routine.
1:08:56
SPEAKER_01: Each of the judges, provided exclusively by Impact Dance Adjudicators, will provide immediate feedback live over the microphone.
1:09:04
SPEAKER_01: This format allows for a very personalized and educational experience, where the dancers are able to apply their critiques immediately to their next routines with the purpose of improving as the day goes on.
1:09:15
SPEAKER_01: Something else that makes Diva different is that they are a competition with the calls.
1:09:19
SPEAKER_01: Diva was born as a way to raise awareness for the CDLS Foundation, a rare genetic syndrome that Jack, one of the owner's sons, was born with.
1:09:28
SPEAKER_01: Jack was the inspiration for Diva, and you may be lucky enough to meet him at one of their upcoming events.
1:09:34
SPEAKER_01: And last but not least, Diva provides all routine photos and videos absolutely free.
1:09:40
SPEAKER_01: For more information on Diva Dance Competition, head to their website now to register for an upcoming event in their 2022 season at divacomps.com.
1:09:51
SPEAKER_00: Season three is bringing you even more great topics on upcoming episodes, including the April edition of QA with Courtney Live, all about agents and casting directors, and the top 10 studio habits judges see at competition.
1:10:05
SPEAKER_01: We hope you are enjoying season three of Making the Impact.
1:10:08
SPEAKER_01: We'll see you next week.
1:10:10
SPEAKER_01: Until then, keep dancing.