Latest / Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast / How to Execute Unique Choreography Concepts at Competition

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How to Execute Unique Choreography Concepts at Competition · Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast

• 0:07
  SPEAKER_01: Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the table in a dance competition?
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_01: Exactly what are the judges looking for anyway?
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_01: This is making the impact of the dance competition podcast.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_01: Each week we'll cover a different topic related to the world of competitive dance from the perspective of the judges behind the table.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_01: The movement of water, the quality of the motion, or the excitement of a new relationship.
• 0:30
  SPEAKER_01: Coming up with the new choreography concepts can sometimes feel like a huge challenge step, especially when you've got a lot of routine budget.
• 0:37
  SPEAKER_01: On this week's episode of Making the Impact, we sit down with two veteran teachers and choreographers to hear their advice on how to dream up interesting and exciting new concepts and some parts of the trade to develop your ideas to their fullest potential.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_02: Hey everybody, it's Courtney Orksleads welcome to this week's episode of Making the Impact a Dance Competition Podcast.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_02: I'm your host, and I am here, like always, with my co-host Leslie Mueller.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_02: Hey everybody, welcome back.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_02: We're very, very, very excited for this episode topic today about unique choreography concepts.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_02: And before we jump into that beautiful discussion, we just want to kind of give you an update on what's been going on in the podcast world.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_02: It's been a blast getting season two on its feet.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_02: We had a really awesome spotlight interview episode with JT Church.
• 1:25
  SPEAKER_02: I hope that you can go check that out if you haven't yet.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_02: One of my favorite episodes to date to uh record and get to know JT and his mom Leslie.
• 1:33
  SPEAKER_02: So definitely go check that one out.
• 1:36
  SPEAKER_02: It released two weeks ago.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_02: And uh we actually just did our very first live Q ⁇ A with Courtney episode that was launched on Facebook.
• 1:45
  SPEAKER_02: So that happened a week ago, and it was a huge success.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_02: We had tons of people uh, you know, watch and participate and interact with us, where you know you can literally just write a question, type it in on Facebook Live, and we will answer it live on the air.
• 1:59
  SPEAKER_02: So it's a really fun experience.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_02: Um we're doing this this season.
• 2:03
  SPEAKER_02: Um, it's a new feature that we're adding to the podcast this season.
• 2:07
  SPEAKER_02: So we're doing it every other month.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_02: So be sure to stay connected with us on social media if you want to join in on the fun and uh participate in our live Q ⁇ A with Courtney episodes, or stay tuned for those release dates, which are typically at the on the first of the month.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_02: You can definitely find out on our social media though.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, awesome.
• 2:24
  SPEAKER_01: That was that was super fun.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_01: The whole live aspect of things just changes the vibe a little bit.
• 2:30
  SPEAKER_01: So we're excited to bring that to you every other month.
• 2:32
  SPEAKER_01: Let's give a shout out to our episode sponsor, Dance Costumes by Urzua.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_01: This is a dancewear costume company that is actually based in Queens, here where we live, Courtney and I.
• 2:43
  SPEAKER_01: So that's kind of a neat little tie-in.
• 2:45
  SPEAKER_01: But Dance Costumes by Urzua offers high-end custom dance costumes and dancewear for everybody.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_01: Because dancers come in shapes and sizes of all different kinds, they deserve high-quality performance dancewear that makes them feel good in their own skin.
• 2:57
  SPEAKER_01: Every piece of Dance Costumes by Urzua includes five variations: slim, narrow, medium, curvy, and wide for a completely customized fit.
• 3:06
  SPEAKER_01: All the profits from Dance Costumes by Urzua go to a dance fund that supports young dancers so that they can continue with their training.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_01: By purchasing a custom costume, you help another dancer live their dream.
• 3:16
  SPEAKER_01: So use the code IDA 15 to receive 15% off of all dancewear and custom costumes.
• 3:20
  SPEAKER_01: Or head to their website now to check them out at www.dancecostumes by Urzua.com.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_02: Yay! We love and support other female-owned businesses in New York City and Queens.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_02: So thank you, Dance Costumes by Urzua, for sponsoring us this season.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_02: We're so happy to have you on.
• 3:36
  SPEAKER_02: And uh I would love to meet our guests that are here to with us today.
• 3:41
  SPEAKER_02: So let's meet these lovely ladies.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_02: Uh we have two IDA judges who are going to chat all about choreography and uh the unique concepts that we have created as teachers.
• 3:52
  SPEAKER_02: So these two ladies are are definitely the right ones to be here for this discussion.
• 3:57
  SPEAKER_02: So let's meet our first guest, Samantha J.
• 4:00
  SPEAKER_03: Hi, Samantha.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_03: Hi, Courtney.
• 4:02
  SPEAKER_03: Thank you so much.
• 4:03
  SPEAKER_03: And Leslie, thank you so much for having me.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_03: I'm super excited to be here.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_03: This is my first podcast with you guys.
• 4:08
  SPEAKER_02: Yay!
• 4:09
  SPEAKER_03: So very excited.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_02: Love a first podcast, yes.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_02: And we're very happy to have you as well.
• 4:14
  SPEAKER_02: So please feel free to share with all of the listeners a little bit about who you are, where you're based, who where you teach, any credits you'd like to share and you know, let us get to know you a little bit more.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, so I'm a New Jersey native, born and raised and trained here.
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_03: Very lucky in the area to be able to train with some really wonderful people.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_03: I grew up a competitive dancer my whole life, pretty much.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_03: And then I went on to perform with Nick to Nicolangelo's hands down tap project, who they're just incredible.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_03: I gained so much from that credit just in growth, the learning, the choreography side of it.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_03: And then I went on.
• 4:54
  SPEAKER_03: I teach in Connecticut and New Jersey, so a lot of the tri-state area.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_03: And now I'm the founder and director of Mind, Body, Soul, Tap Intensive.
• 5:02
  SPEAKER_03: So lots of fun things, lots of fun training.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 5:06
  SPEAKER_02: Yay! Awesome.
• 5:08
  SPEAKER_02: So happy to have you here.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_02: Thanks for squeezing us in on your busy schedule.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_01: Miranda's ready.
• 5:12
  SPEAKER_01: She's ready to go.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_02: Miranda is so ready.
• 5:15
  SPEAKER_02: And if you are a listener from last season in season one, you may remember Miranda from our season one, episode seven, age range expectations episode, which was a really fabulous discussion.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_02: And I think one of our one of the top 10 most listened to episodes so far.
• 5:32
  SPEAKER_02: So really, really great stuff.
• 5:33
  SPEAKER_02: We have Miranda Spada in the house again.
• 5:36
  SPEAKER_02: Welcome back.
• 5:37
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, thank you so much for having me again.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_00: I really appreciate it.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_00: Funny story.
• 5:41
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, Samantha and I actually judged together with platinum.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_00: So this was a really cool, exciting when I saw who I was gonna be doing the podcast with.
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: I was really excited.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_00: But so yeah, I'm happy to be back.
• 5:50
  SPEAKER_00: So thank you for having me.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_02: Of course.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_02: I'm so happy that you know we can all connect virtually like this in so many ways.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_02: Even, you know, we were doing the podcast before the pandemic, and obviously, but it's really cool that we can literally just sit and chat with people from any place.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_02: Anywhere.
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_02: And the fact that you guys haven't seen each other in a while is great to reconnect during this this next hour.
• 6:13
  SPEAKER_02: So Miranda, can you please just share a little bit about who you are, where you're from for our new listeners out there?
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_00: Sure.
• 6:19
  SPEAKER_00: So I uh grew up in southwestern Pennsylvania, uh competitive dancer my whole life.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and then I went to the University at Buffalo to get my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in dance.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, graduated there, I had a little bit of a shift in direction, thought I was gonna move to the city and perform.
• 6:33
  SPEAKER_00: That didn't end up happening.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_00: So I stayed in Buffalo and I just found so many doors opening up to me for teaching opportunities.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_00: So I kind of switched gears and thought maybe this is sort of like the direction I should be going in.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_00: So I also run um my own mentorship program called Lead, which facilitates one-on-one growth between dancers who are looking to actively pursue like a career in dance or do something with dance or even just to really excel their training.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_00: So I have about 20 students ages eight through in college now, pursuing dance that are in the program.
• 7:04
  SPEAKER_00: So yeah, I'm excited.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_02: Awesome.
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so, so, so happy to have you back.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_02: And both of these ladies have awesome projects that they've that they've created in side businesses and side hustles.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_02: So definitely be sure to go check that out.
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_02: We will link to it in the show notes.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, love it.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_01: We again with just the female-owned businesses.
• 7:22
  SPEAKER_01: I just love it.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 7:23
  SPEAKER_01: So this topic of choreography is is always a hot topic.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_01: It was last season, it is this season.
• 7:28
  SPEAKER_01: So I just wanted to remind everybody that the IDA brand kind of has a few branches to it.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_01: So we've got what we actually do first and foremost is supply judges to competitions, but we also also have a blog and we have a podcast.
• 7:40
  SPEAKER_01: And so we actually had two blogs in the past that I just want to point your attention to regarding choreography if you want even more information.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_01: So back in November 2017, we have Getting Unstuck advice for choreographers.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_01: So you can head to our blog to look at that one.
• 7:54
  SPEAKER_01: And then also uh February of 2017, I guess earlier in that year, we had a specific episode or a specific uh podcast about choreography at competition specifically.
• 8:04
  SPEAKER_01: So um you can head to Impact Dance Adjudicators.com slash judges blog and give those a look if you're interested in even more after you listen to this episode.
• 8:12
  SPEAKER_02: But let's jump right in.
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_02: We're talking about uh choreography today for competition and not just uh regular choreography.
• 8:21
  SPEAKER_02: We're we're looking at unique choreography concepts.
• 8:24
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm sure all of us as dance educators, dance teachers, studio teachers, choreographers, and also adjudicators, uh we have probably seen so many awesome and very uh unique styles of choreography that uh, you know, have been totally original.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that's something that's extremely hard to do right now because obviously there's so many studios, there's so many people competing, but how to really truly stay original and fresh and innovative in this dance world.
• 8:55
  SPEAKER_02: So I would love to just kind of kick things off and hear what you guys both have to say about what to you makes choreography unique or original.
• 9:04
  SPEAKER_00: I think whenever I'm thinking of like something original or something that makes a choreography unique, I'm thinking of maybe we always think of something that's never been done before, but I feel like there's always this like period of like everything's already been done before.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_00: So everything's already happened, something's already been done.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_00: So maybe like how someone can take what's already been done and completely flip it 180 and completely give you a different side of things.
• 9:29
  SPEAKER_00: I think that's one thing that can make me feel like, oh, that was very unique.
• 9:33
  SPEAKER_00: And just outside the box, just thinking like completely outside the box, I think for me are both unique and different.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_00: Totally.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_03: Well, and I think the important thing that you mentioned was that especially as a judge, you in your area might not have ever seen a concept or a certain set of choreography done, but we judge all over the country.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_03: And so, you know, when you're especially when you're bringing people out to do outside stuff in your area, that might be the first time they've seen it, but it doesn't mean it's the first time we've seen it.
• 10:02
  SPEAKER_03: And so I think you don't have to reinvent the wheel, but I think giving it a different flair, giving it your own flair.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_03: Anytime it's your own, it's gonna be unique.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_03: So yeah, very true.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_03: I like that.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_03: You know, I think it's important to, you know, they always say just with outside choreographers bringing people in, giving the kids something new, it doesn't mean it's new for the judges.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_03: So putting, even if you're bringing in an outside choreographer, putting your own spin on it, putting them in a specific costume, or you know, it's important to make them stand out or to give it a different feel.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, I agree.
• 10:34
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I think, and that's something I don't think sometimes studio owners or teachers really think about, you know?
• 10:40
  SPEAKER_01: But like this is one of those scenarios where you have to know your audience.
• 10:44
  SPEAKER_01: And in the competitive dance world, your audience is the judges.
• 10:47
  SPEAKER_01: Sure, there's people in the audience physically just watching you, but like your audience is the judges because you're going to get their perspective.
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_00: Don't even think it has to be something super mind-blowing.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, think about even like in mainstream culture, like, think about all the original Disney movies that have been remade.
• 11:01
  SPEAKER_00: And it's the same idea, it's the same theme, it's the same characters, but it could just be a different kind of cast, or it could be the costumes have switched up, or maybe the choreography got a little bit spicier.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_00: So think of like, you know, maybe a theme, and instead of it being from the woman's perspective, it's all the men's perspective, or it could be so subtle, but enough to make you really think, oh, I wouldn't have thought to do it that way.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_00: And that can just turn anything on its head too.
• 11:25
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 11:26
  SPEAKER_01: Absolutely.
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_01: And I think sort of going along with that idea of changing perspectives, like when we get down into the nitty-gritty of doing the choreography, it's could be something as simple as changing the direction you're facing.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_01: Or having people mirror each other, or just changing something about the choreography to give it a different perspective will completely change what the choreography looks like.
• 11:45
  SPEAKER_01: So it like you said, it doesn't have to be mind-blowing.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_01: You don't have to do this like never before seen, you know, kind of a situation.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_01: It can be something so subtle that can definitely, you know, catch my eye as a judge.
• 11:57
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I'm I'm trying to think off the top of my head of just any, you know, specific styles or concepts that I've seen that really stuck out to me that I've sat down and and enjoyed as a judge.
• 12:09
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, initially, like what pops in my head right away, and this isn't necessarily all about the choreography, but and I think we need to do a podcast episode on this now that I'm talking thinking about it, but put it on the list.
• 12:21
  SPEAKER_02: I think of I my brain gravitates right to like a cool prop that I remember and that I've never seen before prop, like not the ones that we see all the time, which and now I'm going back to an old episode because we just did music at competition.
• 12:36
  SPEAKER_02: And if you've listened to that one, which released a few weeks ago, there was a part in that episode where we talked about the buckets and the tap dances and how we've seen everybody do a tap dance anymore.
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, I've done one.
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, yeah.
• 12:48
  SPEAKER_02: I've been involved in one.
• 12:49
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_02: We talked about that, and and in a way we were kind of like, we don't want to see a bucket top dance anymore.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_02: Don't show us a bucket top dance.
• 12:58
  SPEAKER_02: But, you know, there have been props used that I've never seen before that I'm like, oh my gosh.
• 13:05
  SPEAKER_02: I think there was one that was, I mean, I'm sure maybe you guys have seen it, but at the time I've never seen it, where they had like a crash pad behind like a beautiful thing in the front that kind of blocked the crash pad.
• 13:17
  SPEAKER_02: So I didn't know there was a crash pad there.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_02: And they would just like stand on top and just like fall backwards and into the nothings.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_02: And I was like, oh my gosh, you know, like something like that.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_02: For me, that was that I remember that.
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_02: That was unique to me because I'd never seen that done before.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_02: And it doesn't always have to be involving a prop, but you know, just off the top of my head.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_02: Was are there any off the top of your guys' heads that you specifically remember?
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_03: Yes.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_03: Oh, can I stand out for no, because it's literally it's Justin Mann.
• 13:44
  SPEAKER_03: He's based in the South.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_03: Actually, his brother is David Mann, who's a phenomenal tap dancer as well.
• 13:49
  SPEAKER_03: He years ago, this is probably 13 or 14 years ago, and I will never I talked to my kids about it.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_03: He did a Romeo and Juliet piece, and he used a giant wheel.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_03: Like huge.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_03: They could walk through it, hang on it.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_03: And I've seen wheels used since, but I had never seen it before.
• 14:08
  SPEAKER_03: I was still a competitive dancer, and he did a Romeo and Juliet number where he literally moved them around the stage, around the wheel.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_03: They used the wheel to walk people on.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_03: They used like they'd flip it and people would come over the wheel.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_03: And I remember in, you know, as like a 16-year-old dancer sitting in the audience and just being captivated by that like four minutes or whatever it was.
• 14:32
  SPEAKER_03: And so you look back at it now and you're like, I'm sure there were technical things that were wrong with it.
• 14:37
  SPEAKER_03: I'm sure you could find moments, but he was able to tell his story.
• 14:42
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, we've seen Romeo and Juliet, right?
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_03: Like we've seen those pieces, we've seen the love stories, but there was something about the way he used the prop that was like, I'll literally never forget it.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_03: It's so funny.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_03: My kids tease me all the time.
• 14:55
  SPEAKER_03: They're like, we get it, the Romeo and Juliet.
• 14:56
  SPEAKER_01: You know, he's talking about that wheel again.
• 14:58
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, but it's it really does.
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_03: I mean, it can hinder you if it's not used correctly, or you know, sometimes you see props that kind of just get left on the stage and you're like, right, but in this instance, it just completed his story.
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_03: And I think, you know, like you said, there's just moments where you don't forget because those moments take you.
• 15:19
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 15:19
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 15:20
  SPEAKER_00: I remember just growing up, right?
• 15:22
  SPEAKER_00: Like I would say, right when like it was still dance precision, Shannon Mathers choreography.
• 15:28
  SPEAKER_00: I remember watching those as like a high schooler on YouTube all the time.
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_00: And I just remember like really being like blown away by the different like concepts that she would do.
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_00: Like I'm thinking of the sweet dreams.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_00: I just watched that one the other day.
• 15:42
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my gosh.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_00: And it was like just surprise after surprise after surprise.
• 15:46
  SPEAKER_00: And it was like it wasn't too much, but it was like you just it was at that time where I was like, oh wow, like people are doing more than just like movement, like they're really telling a story.
• 15:55
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 15:55
  SPEAKER_00: Like I, and even like when you think of back to the beginning of like the So You Think You Can Dance stuff.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_00: Like I'm talking like season two, season three, when all that new stuff was coming out, and you're just like, oh my gosh, like people are doing so great, like really cool things.
• 16:09
  SPEAKER_00: That's like where it really I I just think back to those old days of like when it was really fresh, and you were like, Oh my god, never seen that done before.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, and I just think of those stuff all the time.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 16:19
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm glad you brought up So You Think You Can Dance, because I think that that really did inspire competition choreographers to think outside the box because step up their game and just yeah.
• 16:29
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, because like like you kind of mentioned earlier, Sam, you know, you kind of know I've said this on a previous episode.
• 16:36
  SPEAKER_02: Prior to social media and dance on TV, you really didn't know what else was out there unless you were at the same competition as ever you know, whoever you were at and in your region.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_02: So you didn't know what was happening in California.
• 16:52
  SPEAKER_02: Like I remember going to nationals in Ocean City, Maryland, Star Power back in the day.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_02: And that for some reason, I don't know why that was like the big nationals for Star Power.
• 17:03
  SPEAKER_02: Ocean City, Maryland, like that's the beach I grew up at.
• 17:05
  SPEAKER_02: So it to me, I was kind of like, why is everyone coming here?
• 17:07
  SPEAKER_02: This is weird.
• 17:08
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_02: But like people like studios from California become to that nationals.
• 17:12
  SPEAKER_02: And that was my first time as a young competitive dancer actually seeing other styles of dance, other, you know, West Coast jazz and concepts that I've never seen before.
• 17:23
  SPEAKER_02: And, you know, regionally, again, another podcast that we need to have, discussing the regions and how that plays into effect to dance styles, but like that that was the first glimpse for me as seeing something outside of my bubble that I've only ever seen in my region.
• 17:38
  SPEAKER_02: And uh so you thinking dance, I and now other shows as well, world world of dance, dance moms, other things have opened up the eyes to these beautiful choreographed dances on TV who those choreographers are trying to get an Emmy.
• 17:54
  SPEAKER_02: Like they their goal is I'm getting a choreography Emmy with this piece of art on television.
• 18:00
  SPEAKER_02: And hopefully that also inspires people who are watching to maybe we need to maybe I need to try a little bit harder with this comic.
• 18:08
  SPEAKER_02: Maybe that maybe what I did last year wasn't as good as I thought it was because whoa, this blew me out the water.
• 18:14
  SPEAKER_02: And look at the storytelling, and oh my gosh.
• 18:17
  SPEAKER_02: I really think it sparked uh, you know, something new for the competition world for sure.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_01: I mean it it totally changed the game.
• 18:23
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 18:24
  SPEAKER_01: Because you just and I think Miranda, you said something like this earlier about like, oh, people aren't just doing movement to music.
• 18:30
  SPEAKER_01: Like there's so much more, it necessitates a story these days.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_01: Like, I don't think you can any longer, like back in the day, you could just put some nice movement to some nice music.
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, the almighty dances were when you think about what you you know, how you grew up competing, all your competition dances were very, you know, this was my lyrical dance and it was lyrical dance and my jazz dance and it was jazz dance.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_00: And now it's like for my kids, I'm like, okay, what's our theme gonna be this year?
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_01: And the intent, what's all the things?
• 18:56
  SPEAKER_00: Totally different.
• 18:57
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and I think, you know, I I think there is there can be a little bit of mourning that because I think some people get very just exhausted and understandably so of like, God does everything have to have a reason, a theme, a concept.
• 19:09
  SPEAKER_01: And no, no, it doesn't, but I don't know how much we're gonna reward that.
• 19:14
  SPEAKER_00: But now your theme is I'm gonna my theme is gonna be a classical jazz piece.
• 19:18
  SPEAKER_00: Right, exactly this year.
• 19:20
  SPEAKER_00: What are we gonna be this year, Miss Miranda?
• 19:22
  SPEAKER_00: What are we gonna be?
• 19:23
  SPEAKER_00: We're gonna be classical jazz dancers this year, right?
• 19:26
  SPEAKER_03: But I think it's funny because I almost feel like it's reverted in some cases, where like you see just like a classically trained group and it's not over the top, and it doesn't have to be a theme, and you go back and you're like, God, that stood out to me because they just moved.
• 19:43
  SPEAKER_03: It wasn't like 15 tricks with like an umbrella, right?
• 19:46
  SPEAKER_03: It was just dancing, dancing.
• 19:49
  SPEAKER_03: And so I think we've almost reverted not backwards, but we've kind of turned a corner where sometimes that is what stands out.
• 19:56
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, that is what's memorable.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I agree.
• 19:59
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, yeah, and and that and that makes it extremely hard to know which way to go as a teacher who is mapping out your season, who is casting your dances, who says, Okay, I have a jazz, what am I going to do?
• 20:11
  SPEAKER_02: Am I going to do classic or am I going to do like this crazy theme?
• 20:14
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I think that says a lot.
• 20:16
  SPEAKER_02: I I don't think we always need a theme, but I just think we need to make sure that we're producing like a high quality dance, you know?
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_02: It needs to have a certain list of checks on my list as far as what will make that stand out in whatever way you need it to.
• 20:33
  SPEAKER_02: If it is something as simple as a classic jazz dance, you can make me remember that by just being technically clean, precise, precision, style.
• 20:42
  SPEAKER_02: Like there's so many things that can make that stand out without having to have like a gimmick attached to it.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_02: Right, right.
• 20:47
  SPEAKER_02: You know?
• 20:48
  SPEAKER_02: And I think we can think about that more as we choreograph it.
• 20:51
  SPEAKER_01: And I think in terms of like thinking about the gimmick versus no gimmick, you don't even have to have a gimmick in terms of like we're doing a creepy zombie dance.
• 20:58
  SPEAKER_01: Like that's a gimmick.
• 21:00
  SPEAKER_01: You could have a dance where the theme is circular movement.
• 21:04
  SPEAKER_01: Even in a jazz dance, you know, we we move in circles, our transitions happen in circles.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_01: Like that, even something like that would be to me a unique way of choreographing that doesn't have to rely on like shock value or you know anything else like that.
• 21:17
  SPEAKER_01: The shock value or direction.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 21:19
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, shock value.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_02: I think the shock value is interesting to discuss a little bit because I'm sure we've seen a lot of here's the thing about the shock value type of dances.
• 21:29
  SPEAKER_02: I've and I'm my brain is kind of gravitating towards slightly inappropriate shock value dances, where I think that the choreographer thinks that this is unique.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, and it's not unique.
• 21:42
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, it's unique alright.
• 21:43
  SPEAKER_02: Let me tell you.
• 21:44
  SPEAKER_02: Whoa! It's uniquely unfortunate.
• 21:46
  SPEAKER_01: No, thank you.
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, it is.
• 21:48
  SPEAKER_02: It's it's gone from like being like the teeter thinking it's unique to me just sitting and watching and saying, This is so inappropriate, this is not what you wanted me to.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_02: Or how you wanted me to react.
• 22:01
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 22:01
  SPEAKER_02: You know, like I'm uncomfortable watching this shock value piece because, you know, like it could be about drugs, it could be about suicide.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_02: It could be about health things.
• 22:12
  SPEAKER_02: You know, you know, you know, those might seem unique to the teacher, like, I oh, I've never seen this done before, or I'm gonna make this different.
• 22:23
  SPEAKER_02: And in a way, unless it's done very tastefully, I'm gonna be sitting back being like, this isn't unique.
• 22:30
  SPEAKER_02: This isn't, this isn't the way this should have gone, or this, or it in a way it just became inappropriate in in general, which that's a whole nother discussion.
• 22:38
  SPEAKER_03: But well, and I think what it all boils down to, and I am not afraid to discuss it this way on my critiques, but I know every competition is different and you have to kind of respect people's wishes.
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_03: But these are children.
• 22:50
  SPEAKER_04: Yes.
• 22:51
  SPEAKER_03: They are 18 years old and under, they are children.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_03: And even if it's an adult dance and it's in the adult category, it's a competition that's geared towards children.
• 22:59
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 23:00
  SPEAKER_03: And we ask a lot of them when we put them on stage in certain costumes and ask them to portray certain characters or dance to certain pieces of music.
• 23:09
  SPEAKER_03: And we discuss a lot about the safety of children and the direction we push them in and the direction that we want the to see the professional community to go in.
• 23:19
  SPEAKER_03: So when we as educators or choreographers are consistently putting out and rewarding certain things that maybe are not appropriate for kids, then they go to the professional world and it's kind of like anything goes because that's what they grew up with.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 23:34
  SPEAKER_03: And so I think, you know, you can you can think what you want about a dance or a piece of choreography, but what it comes down to is I've judged with people of all races, all religions.
• 23:45
  SPEAKER_03: You can't, there's someone's gonna be offended about something always.
• 23:49
  SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
• 23:49
  SPEAKER_03: And so that is life, and I understand that, but it for me, it's about protecting the kids and just making sure that they're still growing, still training.
• 23:58
  SPEAKER_03: But yeah, yeah.
• 23:59
  SPEAKER_00: And I think something too to remember is like when you're thinking about themes or you know, any kind of thing like that, if you can't really answer the question like, so let's let's say scenario A is something that you wanted to do and it really does not, I won't say affect the kids, but it's not something that they really understand.
• 24:18
  SPEAKER_00: So then it becomes a thing like you have to ask yourself, is this their story to tell or is this my story to tell?
• 24:24
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, if they can't really relate to what they're doing in any way, then it no longer becomes their story and there's not gonna be that genuine investment.
• 24:34
  SPEAKER_00: And it's more gonna be about maybe I just wanted to come up with a cool idea, or maybe I just wanted to make a statement.
• 24:41
  SPEAKER_00: Well, then that kind of reflects selfishly on my part.
• 24:43
  SPEAKER_00: And there's gonna be like, you know, there are gonna be times where you want to just put your cool idea on kids, and that's fine.
• 24:49
  SPEAKER_00: But I do think when you're dealing with stories and themes, you do have to think of what your, not your audience, just in terms of like the audience itself, but your kids, the audience, like who you're putting it on, and can that be their story too?
• 25:01
  SPEAKER_00: And I feel like a lot of times when I'm judging, I'm like, there's no way these kids, this is not their story at all, you know?
• 25:07
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's that's important in a lot of ways.
• 25:10
  SPEAKER_00: Totally.
• 25:10
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 25:10
  SPEAKER_01: And I've said I've said something like this before that, you know, it is there are two separate ways of being an artist.
• 25:17
  SPEAKER_01: There's an artist who creates a story for other people to tell, and then there's an artist who creates their own story to tell.
• 25:23
  SPEAKER_01: As a dance educator, which everybody hopefully who choreographs for 18 and under is coming at this as an educator.
• 25:30
  SPEAKER_01: That it is your responsibility to drop your ego and do what is best for the kids.
• 25:35
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 25:36
  SPEAKER_01: If you are choreographing for an adult group of people, professional or otherwise, have all the ego you want.
• 25:42
  SPEAKER_01: Put your story on these adult people who are able to handle that story or whatever heavy story that you want to put on stage.
• 25:48
  SPEAKER_01: But I I love, Samantha, what you were saying.
• 25:50
  SPEAKER_01: You're like, this is about the kids.
• 25:52
  SPEAKER_01: We have to protect the kids.
• 25:53
  SPEAKER_01: And if if we are all up in arms on every forum known to man about, you know, appropriateness and what we want the industry to look like, we can't we can't do that from the top down.
• 26:02
  SPEAKER_01: We have to do that from the bottom up.
• 26:04
  SPEAKER_01: And that starts with dance educators.
• 26:06
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 26:06
  SPEAKER_02: Couldn't agree more.
• 26:08
  SPEAKER_02: And as you were, you know, what you were saying, Miranda, it just kind of triggered me because, you know, I I think the other issue, and we're talking about this and from a judging perspective for a moment, as far as like rewarding and and things like that.
• 26:21
  SPEAKER_02: But, you know, like you said, if the kids aren't ready for that or theme or topic, maybe that's not the story they should be telling.
• 26:27
  SPEAKER_02: Or how do we as judges get that across?
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_02: Because, you know, the hard part is that a lot of uh teachers and choreographers, again, could be an ego thing, I don't know what it is, or could be afraid to receive criticism, or tell the competition companies we don't want our choreography to be critiqued or our theme or our concept or anything because it's all about the kids.
• 26:47
  SPEAKER_02: It's not the kids' fault that they put or you know, them in this costume or them in this uh outfit or or the choreography or theme or whatever it is.
• 26:54
  SPEAKER_02: We're stuck in in this spot as judges where we're like, oh, this isn't the right or this isn't right for these kids.
• 27:01
  SPEAKER_02: How do I let them know?
• 27:02
  SPEAKER_02: Or oh, I can't tell them because I'm not supposed to, I'm not allowed to, or so you know, then they're gonna just keep getting rewarded and because no matter what, you're you're winning something at a competition.
• 27:12
  SPEAKER_02: And regardless if you get silver or if you get double titanium, you're still being rewarded and saying this was okay.
• 27:19
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, I think I think that's the hard part and the fine line that we as judges and educators are trying to navigate as well in the industry.
• 27:26
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that the best advice on on RN is if you don't think these, you know, if this is a sensitive subject and you're a little bit nervous or you're pushing boundaries a little bit too much in an inappropriate way where you might offend somebody or you might, you know, upset a parent, then maybe we shouldn't do this.
• 27:42
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 27:42
  SPEAKER_00: And I always think in like as you were talking to, like, I don't know what your experiences were growing up, but growing up for me, like I never really had a guest choreographer come in and set a piece.
• 27:51
  SPEAKER_00: It was all my teachers, or it was very rarely that we did.
• 27:54
  SPEAKER_00: Now, like when you're on the circuit and you hear the choreographer's name, it's all like guest choreographers.
• 28:00
  SPEAKER_00: It's almost like to choreograph on your own studio is almost like a rarity.
• 28:04
  SPEAKER_00: And I think the problem in that lies, unless you have like a long-term partnership or like relationship with that studio, you don't really know those kids and you don't know what their backgrounds are or what they believe in or what that studio culture is.
• 28:15
  SPEAKER_00: And as a guest choreographer, you probably feel some sort of pressure to like produce something, you know.
• 28:21
  SPEAKER_00: So I feel like that's where it kind of becomes a problem too, is like everyone's using guest choreographers and not all of them know the canvas that they're working on.
• 28:30
  SPEAKER_00: Totally.
• 28:30
  SPEAKER_00: So they're just trying to throw out something that's gonna get them like a pat on the back, like we you did great for what we paid you, but now it's like this this isn't really like what we're used to.
• 28:40
  SPEAKER_00: And I don't know, you know what I mean?
• 28:41
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I think that also is a big part of it too.
• 28:44
  SPEAKER_03: But can we backtrack to because this is something that really bothers me.
• 28:48
  SPEAKER_03: This whole podcast is about unique choreography for people to go to competitions and say we don't want our choreography judged.
• 28:56
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 28:57
  SPEAKER_03: And I just it, you know what?
• 29:00
  SPEAKER_03: It gets to me because my mom was a gymnast growing up and I was a dancer, and so she tried really hard to like when I inevitably got a silver, like on a tap solo, because my upper body was horrible and like no, I hadn't learned to perform yet.
• 29:15
  SPEAKER_03: She couldn't, there was only so much direction she could give me because what she did was compulsory, and what we do is subjective.
• 29:21
  SPEAKER_03: And so there's only so many ways to describe to a child, a dance teacher, a parent, right?
• 29:26
  SPEAKER_03: At every competition you hear it, three different judges on a different day would have different opinions, but people only want the opinion if it's positive.
• 29:34
  SPEAKER_02: Right, right.
• 29:35
  SPEAKER_03: And that's not everybody, I get that.
• 29:37
  SPEAKER_03: But you know, so here we are as a community saying it's not the kids' fault, it's not the student, you know, the the we can't judge the choreography, we can't have an opinion about the choreography, but then everyone is going out to try to find the newest, the best.
• 29:51
  SPEAKER_03: So which is it?
• 29:52
  SPEAKER_03: Right, you know, because as a judge, I'm like, so am I am I judging choreography?
• 29:56
  SPEAKER_03: Am I not?
• 29:57
  SPEAKER_03: Am I not allowed to make the comment that this doesn't really have a direction or that this was so beautifully put together, but I can't reward you for that.
• 30:07
  SPEAKER_03: I can only reward you for the tricks that were in the dance because we're making it compulsory.
• 30:11
  SPEAKER_03: So I just it's interesting that you brought that up because I have a hard time with it as an educator and a choreographer, and I have a hard time with it as a judge.
• 30:19
  SPEAKER_03: And no one likes to hear negative things about themselves, right?
• 30:22
  SPEAKER_03: So we listen to like I sit with my kids as we listen to critiques, and I've had judges say to me, I don't really understand this.
• 30:28
  SPEAKER_03: This doesn't really connect.
• 30:29
  SPEAKER_03: And as a young choreographer, I remember going home and being so upset.
• 30:34
  SPEAKER_03: Yes.
• 30:34
  SPEAKER_03: Because I was like, this is my work.
• 30:36
  SPEAKER_03: You know, we put so much vulnerability into what we do.
• 30:39
  SPEAKER_03: And so I'm not saying you can't be affected or upset.
• 30:42
  SPEAKER_03: And as a judge, there are certain ways to say things because I've also, as an educator, gotten critiques where I'm like, ooh, children are listening to this, and maybe don't speak to them that way.
• 30:52
  SPEAKER_03: But we have to find that in between of understanding yes, it's subjective, and people are allowed to have an opinion about what we put out there.
• 31:01
  SPEAKER_03: It's not the end all be all, right?
• 31:03
  SPEAKER_03: So I've judged things that I thought were maybe like not super professional or not age appropriate, but I stand my ground, I say what I feel, and then I go on to continue judging the kids, the court, the technique, the dancing.
• 31:18
  SPEAKER_03: But at a certain point, we I think as a community need to come together and decide is it gonna be compulsory?
• 31:23
  SPEAKER_03: Are are we all gonna just go out and see how many fate turns your kids can do and whoever's foot is the most pointed and leg is the highest wins?
• 31:30
  SPEAKER_03: Like is that the game we play?
• 31:32
  SPEAKER_02: I think that that's such a valid point, Sam.
• 31:34
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that we should all be trying to push boundaries in in good ways as far as being original and unique with our choreography, which is what we're discussing today.
• 31:43
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that those types of like those things should be rewarded.
• 31:46
  SPEAKER_02: It shouldn't just be that memorable piece that we, you know, always remember because that dance might not win because of other factors, because of technique or because of the execution or performance, but we saw what they were trying to achieve as far as our choreography, and that should be recognized because uh I think that's that's that's a great thing and that's memorable.
• 32:04
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that that like I have said this so many times, and I hope the competitions just start doing this, or there just should be a teacher critique.
• 32:10
  SPEAKER_02: There should be one teacher critique or two critiques for the dancers, or teachers can choose to listen or not listen, who cares?
• 32:16
  SPEAKER_02: But you know, either way, at least there is that option there where we can get that those points across and maybe change Wolcom because of that.
• 32:23
  SPEAKER_02: But if if it is just about our fluff and positivity 24-7, then you know, we're never gonna be able to grow as educators as well, you know.
• 32:31
  SPEAKER_02: I've always said that about when it comes to choreography and and teaching in general.
• 32:36
  SPEAKER_02: I think that what we put up on stage as as educators is just as much able to be judged as what the what the kids are doing, you know?
• 32:43
  SPEAKER_02: And I I just I get it.
• 32:45
  SPEAKER_02: We're not uh we're not trying to upset anybody, but at the same time, I think that like, you know, the judges are are there for their opinion.
• 32:51
  SPEAKER_00: So why not hear it?
• 32:52
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and I think too, Sam, like what you were talking about, like what as a choreographer, when you kind of heard negative feedback about like what you were doing.
• 32:58
  SPEAKER_00: I think if we are gonna still like reinvent the wheel and come up with new ideas, like you have to understand that when something's new, you're gonna get some kind of feedback on it.
• 33:07
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 33:07
  SPEAKER_00: You know, not everyone's gonna love the new stuff right away.
• 33:10
  SPEAKER_00: And like there are instances like where I just know I can tell from the way that it was scored that maybe they just didn't like what I did.
• 33:16
  SPEAKER_00: And it and my kids probably danced great.
• 33:18
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe it was a me thing.
• 33:20
  SPEAKER_00: And I think it's important for like for me to be able to listen to the critique with my kids.
• 33:24
  SPEAKER_00: I do the same thing because I think a lot of teachers are worried about like if they get a choreography critique that they're now gonna be like, the kids will look at them and say, Well, what the heck?
• 33:34
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 33:34
  SPEAKER_00: I think it's important as the teacher to be in there and listen with them because you're not always gonna do things perfect either.
• 33:41
  SPEAKER_00: And I want, like, honestly, like I want my kids to look at me when I hear a critique about my choreography and say, Okay, how are we gonna fix it?
• 33:47
  SPEAKER_00: Like, okay, that is one person's opinion, but I still want to accept it and maybe it is true and like let's revisit it.
• 33:53
  SPEAKER_00: And if we agree with it, let's change it.
• 33:55
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I'm not gonna always have the perfect A answer.
• 33:58
  SPEAKER_00: We might need to go to options B, C, D, and E.
• 34:00
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 34:00
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's important.
• 34:01
  SPEAKER_00: That's hard to do as a teacher to like be vulnerable like that.
• 34:04
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 34:04
  SPEAKER_00: And like have your kids realize that, oh, maybe like what I did didn't really read the way that it read in the screen.
• 34:10
  SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
• 34:10
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, because the the this, you know, unless you use IDA's online critique service, which sounding out a blast to, unless you use a service like what we offer, your time on stage at competition might be the very first time that anybody else has seen this theme, this concept, this choreography come to life.
• 34:28
  SPEAKER_02: And only, you know, maybe you've had a few other people pop in, maybe the parents have popped in and watched in the studio, or a few other teachers in the studio, hey, can you come take an eye on the like or peek at this dance?
• 34:38
  SPEAKER_02: I need a fresh set of eyes on it.
• 34:39
  SPEAKER_02: Or, you know, but that is what the judges are receiving and receiving for the very first time, and they might interpret it or take it in differently than what you've been watching a thousand times in the studio.
• 34:48
  SPEAKER_02: So to receive some sort of uh criticism, positive or negative, whatever it is, or could be helpful.
• 34:54
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, there have been so many times where I've I've said before as a suggestion and said very politely, or paying note to the choreographer, like this transition isn't visually working.
• 35:04
  SPEAKER_02: I think if you did it like this, this, you know, why don't you try this out just for as a test in rehearsal and see if this scroll could happen this way instead of that way?
• 35:12
  SPEAKER_02: And maybe that will help you with, you know, what's coming up.
• 35:14
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 35:14
  SPEAKER_00: And if you do hear that, you know, if you are listening to your critiques with your kids and you hear that, I'm sure that there's a lot of teachers that would just want to be like, well, that's what they think, or like whatever.
• 35:24
  SPEAKER_00: But like, what are you teaching your kids?
• 35:26
  SPEAKER_00: Like, show them that, like, hey, like, let's try something else or let's try this again.
• 35:30
  SPEAKER_00: Like, show them that it's okay to make a mistake and show them that it's okay to not be perfect.
• 35:34
  SPEAKER_00: Because that's just it's it's really hard to do.
• 35:36
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 35:36
  SPEAKER_01: Well, and then not everything's set in stone, you know, like it choreography can be malleable, it can be changeable.
• 35:42
  SPEAKER_01: You can have a lot of people.
• 35:43
  SPEAKER_01: I'm known as like the tweaker.
• 35:44
  SPEAKER_00: I call it the tweaker.
• 35:46
  SPEAKER_00: Literally, I will so many times, even whole dances, they'll be on stage.
• 35:50
  SPEAKER_00: Cause I mean, who who has a studio big enough where it's like the setting in a in a ballroom where you can see it all in its entirety?
• 35:57
  SPEAKER_00: And there'll be times where I'm like, oh, we're doing, we're just changing all of this.
• 36:01
  SPEAKER_00: You know, like it just didn't, it did not read well.
• 36:03
  SPEAKER_00: It looks like it's great on the people in my head, but not on you.
• 36:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, all the time.
• 36:08
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's that's fine.
• 36:09
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's part of the creative process.
• 36:11
  SPEAKER_00: If you're gonna have a creative process, like don't be afraid to continue to be creative.
• 36:20
  SPEAKER_02: Hey listeners, I know competition season is quickly approaching.
• 36:24
  SPEAKER_02: And while we're all hard at work creating and learning our unique choreography, don't forget about your costume.
• 36:30
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• 36:35
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• 36:40
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• 36:45
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• 36:47
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• 36:54
  SPEAKER_02: And now back to the chat.
• 37:01
  SPEAKER_01: Speaking of the creative process, thank you for that amazing segue.
• 37:04
  SPEAKER_01: We didn't plan that at all.
• 37:05
  SPEAKER_01: I am curious about both of your creative processes, but I wanted to shout out Samantha because we have a really cool connection.
• 37:12
  SPEAKER_01: I taught Sam's last class before the pandemic hit.
• 37:16
  SPEAKER_01: I was stubbing for her in New Jersey, and the kids did this amazing tap dance.
• 37:21
  SPEAKER_01: I was just, I was floored.
• 37:22
  SPEAKER_01: Not only are they are they great tap dancers, shout out Dance Theater in New Jersey, but the concept was so smart and I had never seen it before.
• 37:30
  SPEAKER_01: It was executed so well, even in rehearsal.
• 37:32
  SPEAKER_01: And I want to know just specifically for that number, what your process was.
• 37:35
  SPEAKER_01: If you can explain it to us a little bit, you're gonna do a better one.
• 37:38
  SPEAKER_03: Give away your secret! Give it them all away.
• 37:41
  SPEAKER_03: No, it's actually funny because I have a few different processes.
• 37:46
  SPEAKER_03: Is that the plural?
• 37:47
  SPEAKER_03: Sure.
• 37:48
  SPEAKER_03: It's consonant, it's very fluid for me.
• 37:51
  SPEAKER_03: So with that specific number, they did winner takes it all.
• 37:55
  SPEAKER_03: But I had them dressed like they were running a race.
• 37:58
  SPEAKER_02: Cute.
• 37:58
  SPEAKER_03: So, and again, it's kind of non-traditional as well because it's a little bit slower and usually a musical theater song, and I used it for my advanced chappers.
• 38:07
  SPEAKER_03: With that, honestly, I have a playlist on Spotify that, like when I hear songs that just like click, I just throw them into that playlist.
• 38:16
  SPEAKER_03: And then as I figure out who I'm choreographing on for the new season, I go through and I'm like, oh, is there anything that I'm really wanting to use?
• 38:22
  SPEAKER_03: That group specifically, they're very beautifully trained in contemporary and ballet.
• 38:28
  SPEAKER_03: And so I knew that their upper bodies would really be able to take on kind of a challenge.
• 38:33
  SPEAKER_03: And I just wanted to give them something different, I know as a judge, and especially it gets difficult, right?
• 38:39
  SPEAKER_03: We see a lot of the same stuff.
• 38:40
  SPEAKER_02: So no more buckets.
• 38:42
  SPEAKER_02: No more buckets.
• 38:43
  SPEAKER_02: Just kidding.
• 38:44
  SPEAKER_03: But for me, I think the creative process is constantly changing.
• 38:47
  SPEAKER_03: So in that situation, that happened.
• 38:49
  SPEAKER_03: I teach and choreograph for a studio in Connecticut, and I've worked with a lot of those kids since they were little, they're teens now.
• 38:55
  SPEAKER_03: And I often find myself just in conversation with them, and music, I'll hear it and I'll think like, oh, this would be really great as like a storyline because this is where I just from talking to them, this is where they're at in their life.
• 39:09
  SPEAKER_03: So, you know, I've watched a lot of these kids from the time they were five grow up into these teenage girls, and it makes me terrified to have children.
• 39:17
  SPEAKER_03: But, you know, they went through, I watched them go through the phase of like starting to talk to boys and starting to socialize.
• 39:25
  SPEAKER_03: And so I was like, I really want to do a piece around this because they're just funny, the way they come in and chat so openly.
• 39:31
  SPEAKER_03: And so I used tears on my pillow, but I did it as a sleepover party.
• 39:36
  SPEAKER_03: And the choreography itself, I don't think there was an ounce, there was like maybe a bot ma, but the the performance every time I would like sit and laugh hysterically because they just could feel I knew they'd be able to find that connection.
• 39:50
  SPEAKER_03: So for me, the process is constantly changing and fluid depending on who I'm choreographing on.
• 39:56
  SPEAKER_03: Sometimes it's the music, and then I'm like, oh, this could be a cool way to spin this or do this.
• 40:00
  SPEAKER_03: And sometimes it's the kids.
• 40:02
  SPEAKER_03: Cool.
• 40:02
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 40:03
  SPEAKER_03: That's really cool.
• 40:04
  SPEAKER_00: I'm kind of the opposite, actually.
• 40:06
  SPEAKER_00: I'm more of a I love starting with like a noun or like a thing or anything.
• 40:13
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, I just have lists everywhere.
• 40:15
  SPEAKER_00: I'll see a quote and I'll be like, okay, I love that quote.
• 40:18
  SPEAKER_00: I can do something with that.
• 40:20
  SPEAKER_00: I love doing like uh you name it, I've probably done it.
• 40:23
  SPEAKER_00: Like Eskimos, Mermaids, the Elements.
• 40:27
  SPEAKER_00: This year we're doing, I saw The Joker, the movie, and I was like, oh my God, this movie's so good.
• 40:32
  SPEAKER_00: And I was like, Well, I want them all to be the Joker, like a contemporary piece on The Joker, like just owls, ravens, like anything.
• 40:41
  SPEAKER_00: I'll just come up with just like things that I see.
• 40:43
  SPEAKER_00: One time I was driving home to my parents' house in Pennsylvania and the moon was so bright, and I was like, I gotta do a piece about wolves, and like how like that's just how I am.
• 40:53
  SPEAKER_00: I love it.
• 40:54
  SPEAKER_00: And I just think it really challenges me a lot.
• 40:56
  SPEAKER_00: Last year I did Mother Earth and they were all connected with fabric, and they were all like, you know, red fabric was fire and ocean, and I had Mother Earth in the middle.
• 41:05
  SPEAKER_00: And I just love starting with an idea, and then I do the six-month-long search for the right music.
• 41:11
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 41:11
  SPEAKER_00: Because it has to be the right music.
• 41:13
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm kind of the opposite.
• 41:14
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I I think that everybody's how they discover and create their choreography is is very different.
• 41:21
  SPEAKER_02: I feel like I usually have to be inspired by the music first for me.
• 41:26
  SPEAKER_02: And I I personally don't feel that I get that creative as far as choreography concepts on my end, or I haven't had the m the best opportunity to as far as setting pieces.
• 41:36
  SPEAKER_02: I don't also set pieces as frequently as you guys, since you're both like in studio teachers 24-7, so you have a lot of choreography to set each year.
• 41:43
  SPEAKER_02: But I do want to mention a dance that I really loved.
• 41:47
  SPEAKER_02: And Leslie, you you can let me know if During our virtual competition, IBA's virtual comp, there was a solo that actually we ended up finding out that it was choreographed by one of our judges, which P.S.
• 41:58
  SPEAKER_02: he didn't judge it, obviously.
• 41:59
  SPEAKER_02: And it was called Hopelessly Devoted to You.
• 42:02
  SPEAKER_02: Oh obsess.
• 42:04
  SPEAKER_02: And shout out to Caleb Dickey.
• 42:06
  SPEAKER_02: Caleb Dickey killed it.
• 42:09
  SPEAKER_02: It was a solo, and it was about her love for pizza and how much she loved pizza to hopelessly devoted to you.
• 42:18
  SPEAKER_02: It was brilliant.
• 42:19
  SPEAKER_02: And I mean, honestly, the acting and I think she had a pizza box.
• 42:23
  SPEAKER_01: She had a pizza.
• 42:23
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, she came out and you didn't know what it was about.
• 42:25
  SPEAKER_01: You thought, okay, this is, you know, s uh sanding and whatever she had in the same poodle skirt kind of situation.
• 42:31
  SPEAKER_01: And then all of a sudden, out comes this pizza box.
• 42:33
  SPEAKER_01: And you, I I mean, we all just died.
• 42:35
  SPEAKER_01: We died laughing.
• 42:37
  SPEAKER_01: She was so charismatic.
• 42:38
  SPEAKER_01: It was so smart, just the way he choreographed it to her abilities.
• 42:42
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 42:43
  SPEAKER_01: It was the most brilliant thing I think I saw all pandemic.
• 42:46
  SPEAKER_02: And that says a lot about finding creativity and um being unique in a solo.
• 42:51
  SPEAKER_02: I think that in group settings, we have a little bit more flexibility as far as creating the visuals that we need and, you know, that kind of usage.
• 42:59
  SPEAKER_02: But like as a single person on stage, creating something memorable outside of just having flawless technique and and you know, is a storyline that was so well done that that fit the person so well and is something that the judges remember after that still we still talk about.
• 43:15
  SPEAKER_02: You know, like that dancer, I don't think that she like placed first a million overall.
• 43:21
  SPEAKER_02: She did very well.
• 43:22
  SPEAKER_02: Or again, you you might do well because you had such a great concept because you were memorable.
• 43:28
  SPEAKER_02: And I and I think that's that's a thing.
• 43:30
  SPEAKER_02: You want to stand out.
• 43:31
  SPEAKER_02: We all want to stand out in a competition.
• 43:33
  SPEAKER_02: It's a competition for a reason.
• 43:35
  SPEAKER_02: So it is our job as choreographers to try to figure out a way or how can I get the judges to remember me?
• 43:40
  SPEAKER_02: You know, if it is my flawless technique, great, that's awesome.
• 43:43
  SPEAKER_02: You you went that direction.
• 43:44
  SPEAKER_02: Or it could be that concept was hilarious.
• 43:47
  SPEAKER_02: I was laughing in my seat.
• 43:49
  SPEAKER_02: I can't, I will never forget that dance.
• 43:51
  SPEAKER_02: Or beautiful, it doesn't have to be funny, you know, it could be beautiful or it could be you know impactful and whatever, whatever the emotion that you feel.
• 43:58
  SPEAKER_02: But I wanted to bring that.
• 44:00
  SPEAKER_02: Up because shout out to Caleb and that beautiful dancer.
• 44:03
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, and we I mean we didn't know.
• 44:05
  SPEAKER_01: I didn't know it was like we were watching it, and then I went back to look.
• 44:07
  SPEAKER_01: I was like, who choreographed that?
• 44:08
  SPEAKER_01: I need to shout things out, and it turned out to be one of ours.
• 44:11
  SPEAKER_03: So that's really cool.
• 44:12
  SPEAKER_03: But I think that speaks to choreographing to your canvas and yelling your canvas because not every dancer would have been able to pull that off.
• 44:20
  SPEAKER_03: Also that, exactly.
• 44:21
  SPEAKER_03: You know, so I think knowing your, like you said before, Leslie, knowing your audience of the dancers, there's only certain kids that can pull off certain things.
• 44:30
  SPEAKER_03: And sometimes they need that challenge, and sometimes they need to just sit in something that I hate to use this, but feels good because that's the story that you need to get across or that they need to get across, and you know they can pull it off.
• 44:44
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 44:44
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 44:44
  SPEAKER_00: And I think as like choreographers too, like as you know, I always think that there's like inspiration for dances everywhere around us, you know, even just like what you do day to day is could be an inspiration for something.
• 44:54
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, I know all of us probably have lists or books of like ideas, even I keep emails to myself.
• 44:59
  SPEAKER_00: That's just what I do.
• 45:00
  SPEAKER_00: And there have been ideas that I've had for, you know, five years ago, but I just haven't found the right fit yet.
• 45:07
  SPEAKER_00: And that's okay.
• 45:08
  SPEAKER_00: Like you don't have to immediately like purge your idea that year on that group of dancers.
• 45:13
  SPEAKER_00: If you know it's not going to really fulfill that idea to its entirety, like it's okay to be patient, hold off, you know, not that you I want to say this in a bad way, but like you don't want to waste your creativity either if you know those dancers aren't quite ready for it.
• 45:26
  SPEAKER_00: So you have to be kind of like patient too with what you do.
• 45:30
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 45:30
  SPEAKER_00: Even if you're scrambling to find, like, you know, as dance teachers, we have deadlines.
• 45:34
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I have to have my music turned in by this date, my choreography has to be done by this date.
• 45:39
  SPEAKER_00: And even if you're like scrambling to come up with, I have this one last class, I do have that idea.
• 45:44
  SPEAKER_00: You don't want to just throw it on there because it's, I don't want to say it's my fault that I couldn't come up with something, but don't give the kids something that they can't do because you just can't think of anything else.
• 45:53
  SPEAKER_00: You know, like you have to find something that's gonna work all the way around.
• 45:57
  SPEAKER_00: But it's okay to be patient too.
• 45:58
  SPEAKER_00: I've had to remind myself that just you're so excited to do something and you're like, okay, break.
• 46:02
  SPEAKER_00: I don't think it's gonna work.
• 46:04
  SPEAKER_00: And then you're gonna regret it, you know.
• 46:05
  SPEAKER_01: So because then you but you don't don't have the uh ability to do it again.
• 46:10
  SPEAKER_01: Really.
• 46:11
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, what you you can you can probably fudge it five or six years later on a different group of people in a different state.
• 46:17
  SPEAKER_01: But like, you know, if you're if you have a home studio and and and that idea did not take off, and the reason for that was they just weren't ready for it, like then you're gonna be real sad.
• 46:26
  SPEAKER_03: Real sad.
• 46:27
  SPEAKER_03: I think sometimes too though, the patience brings growth.
• 46:31
  SPEAKER_03: So like I've same with you, Miranda.
• 46:33
  SPEAKER_03: I've had stuff on my notepad, like this song with this idea, or like, oh, I saw this costume once, and I think I, you know, could use this song.
• 46:40
  SPEAKER_03: And sometimes I do this with like my studios productions all the time where I'll just start listing songs and I'm like, oh, these songs all kind of fit together.
• 46:49
  SPEAKER_03: And then, but there's like, no, I'm like, I don't know how I'd end it, or I don't really know like how I'd start it.
• 46:54
  SPEAKER_03: And then I'm like driving in the car and I hear a song or I'm watching TV and a song comes on and I'm like, that's it.
• 47:00
  SPEAKER_03: That's you know, and I've had that on my notepad for how many years it just never really culminated.
• 47:06
  SPEAKER_03: So with that, patience can sometimes come growth where it comes together and you're like, oh, that was better than maybe I thought it would be.
• 47:13
  SPEAKER_03: Right.
• 47:13
  SPEAKER_03: Totally, exactly.
• 47:14
  SPEAKER_02: You know what something just triggered when you were speaking, Sam, in regards to like finding the costume and you and you see that costume and you're like, I want to create something that can be used with that costume.
• 47:26
  SPEAKER_02: It kind of like st starts the creation process for you, which can be another way that maybe maybe many choreographers begin.
• 47:33
  SPEAKER_02: And you know, that that could also come down to costume books.
• 47:36
  SPEAKER_02: Because I think if you aren't using a costume book, then you most likely have a costume in mind and then you're gonna find it after you've already created your thing.
• 47:45
  SPEAKER_02: But sometimes there's studios or not just studios, but there's teachers who will rely on the costume book to kind of give them the idea.
• 47:52
  SPEAKER_02: And I I'm not saying that's a bad thing at all.
• 47:55
  SPEAKER_02: However, I will say that all of those costume books, which I have one in my living room right now, all those costume books, not all of them, but there are a lot of them that give you like a song title attached to the costume.
• 48:05
  SPEAKER_02: And I just want to say stay away from using that song title to that is associated.
• 48:12
  SPEAKER_02: That doesn't mean that you have to use that.
• 48:14
  SPEAKER_02: So if it's like a party in the USA and it's like a red, white, and blue outfit, and that doesn't mean you go find the Miley Cyrus song and that's the song.
• 48:22
  SPEAKER_02: You can be inspired by the costume and find something else to make it original.
• 48:27
  SPEAKER_02: That's hopefully the goal.
• 48:28
  SPEAKER_02: And I feel like I've I actually never knew that that was a thing until I actually started looking at costume books.
• 48:33
  SPEAKER_02: Oh really.
• 48:34
  SPEAKER_02: And I was like, oh no, oh, this is bad.
• 48:36
  SPEAKER_02: Like I I I appreciate what what's happening here and I like the idea, but I feel like that people are taking this too literally and and actually using the song that you know is attached.
• 48:46
  SPEAKER_02: And I I think we need to, you know, for wreck and like maybe recital, okay, that's fine.
• 48:51
  SPEAKER_02: But as far as competition, which is what we're talking about, that's ever we're being judged for those things and we want to win in in a sense, it's what it's about.
• 48:59
  SPEAKER_02: So we have to be a little bit more creative in in that sense.
• 49:02
  SPEAKER_02: So totally just wanna such a good point.
• 49:05
  SPEAKER_01: And I mean, and sometimes like, you know, they do have those are big books.
• 49:09
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, yeah, you know, and so sometimes I do look through and I see a name of a costume and it's the name of a song, and I'm like, oh wait, I haven't heard that song in years.
• 49:17
  SPEAKER_01: And so sometimes it can work in your favor where you're like, oh, I haven't heard, and this is not a good example because I hear it all the time, but I do love it, little bitty pretty one.
• 49:24
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm like, I will never tire of that song.
• 49:27
  SPEAKER_01: So like, please use it.
• 49:28
  SPEAKER_01: But you know, just old older songs that we don't hear, which you know, we've obviously talked about in our um music episode about just finding music and finding ways of being inspired, and like, so you can use the costume book, but maybe maybe change up the costume versus the name of the song.
• 49:43
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 49:44
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, because I think that especially with music, something that I always enjoy that feels unique in the sense is when you use a song for a different genre that you wouldn't necessarily pair it with and put a cool theme attached or put it in a completely different style than you would have associated with that song.
• 49:59
  SPEAKER_02: To me, that's memorable.
• 50:00
  SPEAKER_02: I'm like, oh, I've never seen that before.
• 50:02
  SPEAKER_02: Whereas like itty bitty pretty one, you might always think of a really cute tap dance or or even a jazz dance.
• 50:08
  SPEAKER_02: But like, what if someone did something, you know, completely different?
• 50:11
  SPEAKER_02: I don't know, that's a bad example, but like you know what I mean.
• 50:13
  SPEAKER_02: No, I know what you mean, yeah.
• 50:14
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, like just flipping it 180 and taking it into a whole different genre that you would never associate with.
• 50:20
  SPEAKER_02: You're like, oh, okay, that's that's unique to me.
• 50:22
  SPEAKER_02: But another thing that I'm gonna throw out there as far as, and I think we actually talked about this uh pretty heavily in our choreography episode that was in season one.
• 50:29
  SPEAKER_02: I don't remember what number episode, but uh as far as kind of like using things as inspiration, I think that we have to remember that that as much as we were praising and loving So You Thinking You Dance and the television shows, we have to also remember that we can't just steal their ideas and duplicate them and plop them onto the competition stage because been there, done that, we've seen it.
• 50:52
  SPEAKER_02: So you can be inspired and and things, but at the same time, there are so many times on my end where I don't religiously watch those shows because I just do not have time anymore in my life.
• 51:04
  SPEAKER_02: So I don't sit down and watch So You Think are World of Dance.
• 51:06
  SPEAKER_02: So I wouldn't know necessarily if you have duplicated a dance that was on television.
• 51:11
  SPEAKER_02: And as a judge, I feel like maybe I should start watching all of these shows because I need to know those things.
• 51:16
  SPEAKER_02: But I've even had a judge before write me personally after an event that they worked and told me that there was a dance that was a hundred percent choreography from YouTube.
• 51:25
  SPEAKER_02: And they sent me the YouTube link and said, This dance, I watched this dance, I didn't even know how to judge it because I I know that this wasn't their choreography and they ripped it off from somebody, you know.
• 51:34
  SPEAKER_00: I'm not gonna say anything, but was it this season?
• 51:36
  SPEAKER_02: Um, it wasn't, but there may have been another situation.
• 51:42
  SPEAKER_00: Because I I might have to talk to you later.
• 51:47
  SPEAKER_00: Because we we might be talking about the same thing.
• 51:49
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and that shouldn't happen.
• 51:51
  SPEAKER_03: Yes.
• 51:52
  SPEAKER_03: I will say though, I have seen because I've worked at studios where they bring in outside choreographers or, you know, outside people who are working professionally on television, which is wonderful and incredible and a great experience for the kids.
• 52:05
  SPEAKER_03: I've seen almost full pieces that were set on competition kids then go to TV.
• 52:11
  SPEAKER_03: I've seen, yeah.
• 52:13
  SPEAKER_03: And I think That's interesting.
• 52:15
  SPEAKER_03: It's hard.
• 52:16
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, it's hard because it can work both ways, where you say, like, okay, well, you know, it was ripped off from TV, or did that person just not care to put something new on these kids?
• 52:27
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 52:28
  SPEAKER_03: You know, it I guess it kind of works both ways.
• 52:30
  SPEAKER_03: And that comes down, you know, some studios I know have choreography contracts, some studios don't, and that's a personal opinion.
• 52:37
  SPEAKER_03: But I I remember the kids coming into the studio the next week and being like, Did you see this?
• 52:44
  SPEAKER_03: And I was like, Yep, yes, I did.
• 52:46
  SPEAKER_03: Oh my gosh.
• 52:47
  SPEAKER_03: I can't, you know, so I think it's all kind of not but it's all relative, but it comes down to the choreographers as well.
• 52:55
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
• 52:55
  SPEAKER_02: I think the contracts is smart, and I don't think that a lot of us do that in the industry, but especially as as a guest choreographer, and all of us have guest done guest choreography, I'm sure.
• 53:05
  SPEAKER_02: You know, there's that line of who owns the choreography after that, and can is this special to my me and my dancers, or can I duplicate this elsewhere?
• 53:15
  SPEAKER_02: And I I think that that's a whole another discussion that needs to be uh addressed in the industry.
• 53:20
  SPEAKER_02: But I I think that the the moral thing to do and the right thing to do as a guest choreographer is to create like you are being created to create something for this dancer and this studio, but you shouldn't be replicating it elsewhere, or you know, in in a situation that Sam that you were kind of speaking about, it kind of sounds like you know, whoever this choreographer was like pre-pro'ed the dance on this competition studio, worked out the kinks, and then used it onto a television platform, which I don't know if that's bad.
• 53:50
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, I don't in that sense they didn't rip it off because it was done on them.
• 53:54
  SPEAKER_02: It's they know, right?
• 53:56
  SPEAKER_03: Like I just well, and it's it's hard because of course, like for TV and for stage, you're looking at different things.
• 54:02
  SPEAKER_03: So some of the choreography was switched up, some of the ideas were switched up.
• 54:06
  SPEAKER_03: I get it, but it's just I don't I don't want to go so far as to say it's an ethical thing, but it's just changes things, you know.
• 54:14
  SPEAKER_02: So I think it's it's kind of everybody's responsibility to I mean I've I've many times where a soloist had the same solo as somebody else before.
• 54:23
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, the same guest choreographer.
• 54:24
  SPEAKER_02: So that's really sad.
• 54:26
  SPEAKER_02: Same season, think that's so wrong.
• 54:28
  SPEAKER_02: So sad.
• 54:29
  SPEAKER_02: It is so wrong.
• 54:30
  SPEAKER_02: And I get it.
• 54:31
  SPEAKER_02: Like I know Miranda, you brought up guest choreography before, and we have a podcast coming up about that, actually.
• 54:37
  SPEAKER_02: Yep, in a few weeks.
• 54:38
  SPEAKER_02: Um, about guest choreography.
• 54:39
  SPEAKER_02: But you know, I I think it it it varies, it depends.
• 54:42
  SPEAKER_02: Like you said, not everybody, the guest choreographer doesn't know your dancers, like you know your dancers.
• 54:46
  SPEAKER_02: And I think if you throw in uh in one for the advanced kids to give them a challenge, great.
• 54:51
  SPEAKER_02: But I think that unless they have very specific, unique style or choreography that you can't teach your children yourself, then that to me, that's the only reason why I would feel a guest choreographer is needed because you know, you as a teacher and choreographer know your kids best and you can produce, you you just have to get a little creative, unfortunately.
• 55:11
  SPEAKER_02: You know, it it is hard.
• 55:12
  SPEAKER_02: Sometimes we, you know.
• 55:14
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, even when you're doing like guest classes or you know, you're doing any kind of workshop classes, like there's even that thought, like, I know a lot of there's I don't even think there's a right or wrong answer to this, but it'll even be like sometimes I feel it's the like you were saying, Sam, like it's ethically right to say, okay, I'm gonna teach a different combination everywhere I go instead of taking, I'm gonna make one combination this season, and everywhere I go, I'm gonna teach that same thing.
• 55:39
  SPEAKER_00: Cause sometimes I'm like, you know, you go on the convention circuit, and you know, a lot of the kids that are on the convention circuit will take the same will go to that tour, they'll tour that city, you know, or the they'll tour that convention.
• 55:51
  SPEAKER_00: And sometimes I'm like, well, is that wrong of me to like always teach the same combo even though they're different kids?
• 55:56
  SPEAKER_00: Is that like me not putting in enough work or creativity to come up with something new?
• 56:00
  SPEAKER_00: You know what I mean?
• 56:01
  SPEAKER_00: Like it's it's definitely like a hard challenge too.
• 56:03
  SPEAKER_01: Or like is that then considered your rep, you know?
• 56:06
  SPEAKER_01: And so I like I can really see both sides of it, and then yeah, it's it's a that's a really good discussion.
• 56:11
  SPEAKER_02: I I think we should definitely talk about that as well in another episode.
• 56:15
  SPEAKER_02: But I think in in that scenario, in my head, I'm like, time is money and creation takes time.
• 56:22
  SPEAKER_02: And that means if you are spending an extra two to three hours every city creating something new, then you know, do you get paid for that?
• 56:31
  SPEAKER_02: Do you not?
• 56:31
  SPEAKER_02: Either way, that's a whole nother discussion.
• 56:33
  SPEAKER_02: But either way, I always see the benefit of kids relearning the same combination again.
• 56:38
  SPEAKER_02: I see nothing wrong with that.
• 56:39
  SPEAKER_02: I think that the kids actually kind of get excited about that.
• 56:42
  SPEAKER_02: Now, for me as a professional, when I go to say class at like Broad dancer, if I've already learned this combination, I'm a little bit annoyed.
• 56:47
  SPEAKER_00: But that's just Yes, I was just gonna say it's interesting because like my kids like it too.
• 56:51
  SPEAKER_00: You know, my kids, if they've gone to a city before, they'll be like, oh, like we did this same combination, and they could be like, I actually got it, you know.
• 56:58
  SPEAKER_00: Like I was able, like I had an eye, I had an idea of what it was and I felt like I could really dance it.
• 57:02
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 57:03
  SPEAKER_00: But then for me, like if I go, like same thing.
• 57:05
  SPEAKER_00: If I go and I take another class, I'm like, I just saw you post this like on Instagram.
• 57:09
  SPEAKER_00: I could have learned it on Instagram, you know, and I just paid 50 bucks to take your class, you know.
• 57:14
  SPEAKER_00: Then it's kind of like it's definitely different to see both sides of it.
• 57:18
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 57:19
  SPEAKER_02: I know.
• 57:19
  SPEAKER_02: Interesting.
• 57:20
  SPEAKER_02: All right, ladies.
• 57:21
  SPEAKER_02: Well, this was so much fun.
• 57:23
  SPEAKER_02: I love talking choreography, and it sounds like we're gonna be doing a lot more of it soon, and our guest choreography podcast coming later, but this was all about unique choreography concepts, and uh, I hope that some teachers have found this helpful as far as you know, starting the creation process for this upcoming season.
• 57:42
  SPEAKER_02: And we we gave, you know, some tips as as far as how we approach it and ways to find original and and come up with original uh choreography concepts.
• 57:52
  SPEAKER_02: But uh I appreciate both of you ladies for joining us and in this fabulous.
• 57:57
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you so much for having us.
• 57:59
  SPEAKER_02: Oh my gosh, it was so great.
• 58:00
  SPEAKER_02: And uh, like always, we always lead out with uh a little final thought from our guests.
• 58:06
  SPEAKER_02: So uh please feel free to share anything you'd like to share with the listeners, to all of the choreographers out there, any any advice, anything to think about for the 2021 competition season.
• 58:19
  SPEAKER_00: My advice would be just use everything that happens to you.
• 58:21
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I feel like as I've had time through this whole quarantine to like really sit, I've actually felt more creative and inspired and rejuvenated than ever.
• 58:29
  SPEAKER_00: So try to really take like every situation and and find that silver lining of like how you could make this part of your creative process.
• 58:36
  SPEAKER_03: Yeah, for me, it's definitely as I've gotten back into choreography too, is just to be kind to yourself and to your kids and to understand that what we all have gone through has frankly been kind of traumatic.
• 58:48
  SPEAKER_03: We've been ripped from the studios, we've had to change up our teaching.
• 58:51
  SPEAKER_03: And so not everything is going to look in studio on the kids the way you want it to right away.
• 58:57
  SPEAKER_03: Be patient with them, be patient with yourself.
• 58:59
  SPEAKER_03: And remember that they're relearning a lot about themselves and about their commitment to dance.
• 59:05
  SPEAKER_03: So if something doesn't work, don't be afraid to switch it up and continuously switch it up kind of as we relearn what's gonna work.
• 59:16
  SPEAKER_02: Thanks so much for joining us for episode 32.
• 59:18
  SPEAKER_02: You can find our guests on social media, Samantha at Samantha J224 and Miranda at Miranda Rose Theta.
• 59:26
  SPEAKER_01: Make sure you subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Stitcher so you don't miss out on our upcoming episodes, releasing every Thursday throughout the dance season.
• 59:35
  SPEAKER_02: Hey listeners, it's Courtney, and I would love to quickly tell you about a wonderful program that is near and dear to my heart.
• 59:41
  SPEAKER_02: It's called Young Art.
• 59:43
  SPEAKER_02: If you are a dancer between the ages of 15 and 18 years old, or in grades 10 through 12, you now can apply to be considered for some fantastic opportunities from Young Arts.
• 59:53
  SPEAKER_02: Young Arts offers a national arts competition open to visual, literary, and performing artists where winners can receive scholarship opportunities, mentorship with accomplished professionals, and even potential nomination for the U.S.
• 1:00:05
  SPEAKER_02: Presidential Scholar in the Arts Award.
• 1:00:07
  SPEAKER_02: As a Young Arts alumni myself, I can absolutely vouch for how wonderful this program is, as it was such an eye-opening experience for me back in high school.
• 1:00:16
  SPEAKER_02: Their 2021 National Arts Competition is now open, but you only have one week left to register, as the deadline to submit is next Friday, October 16th, 2020.
• 1:00:26
  SPEAKER_02: Head over to their website now at youngarts.org to learn more about this great organization, and be sure to submit your application before it's too late.
• 1:00:35
  SPEAKER_01: Season two is full of new hot topics, listener questions, and interviews with the pros.
• 1:00:40
  SPEAKER_01: Coming up in the next few weeks, topics include correctly categorizing your dances, the October edition of QA with Courtney Filmed Live, and Gender in the Studio.
• 1:00:50
  SPEAKER_02: Thanks so much for tuning in to this week's episode.
• 1:00:52
  SPEAKER_02: Until next time, keep dancing.