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Q&A with Courtney & Lesley - January Edition · Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast

0:06
SPEAKER_00: Hi everyone and welcome to Making the Impact a Dance Competition Podcast.
0:10
SPEAKER_00: I'm your host, Courtney Ortiz, and we are here today for this month's episode of QA with Courtney.
0:16
SPEAKER_00: Each month I sit down to answer all of your questions that you send in about the dance competition world.
0:21
SPEAKER_00: It's January, so happy new year.
0:24
SPEAKER_00: I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday with their families and loved ones.
0:27
SPEAKER_00: But before we get into our questions, I'd like to say thank you to everyone who's been subscribing to the podcast and listening for the past few months.
0:33
SPEAKER_00: It's been a blast, and I am so proud of how far we've come, and we are so excited to continue this podcast into competition season.
0:43
SPEAKER_00: So be sure to spread the word and share with any of your dance friends who would love to listen to us talk about all these fabulous dance topics and share on social media.
0:52
SPEAKER_00: That would be awesome as well.
0:54
SPEAKER_00: If you don't follow Impact Dance Adjudicators on Instagram and Facebook, be sure to follow us.
1:00
SPEAKER_00: You will be updated on our podcast episode releases, weekly tips from our IDA judges, and you can even check out which events our judges will be attending throughout the competition season.
1:11
SPEAKER_00: We've also been hosting some really exciting giveaways from our podcast sponsors that you don't want to miss out on.
1:16
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1:19
SPEAKER_00: As we all prep for the season and are getting our checklists together for competition, why not check out our sponsor, Level Up Dance Supplies, for any of your dance bag and dance gear needs?
1:29
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1:37
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1:44
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1:51
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1:59
SPEAKER_00: If you or your dancer is in need of any dance supplies this competition season, be sure to head over to their website now at levelupdanceupplies.com.
2:06
SPEAKER_00: And don't forget, use the code impact at checkout to receive$10 off your first order.
2:12
SPEAKER_00: So I'm really excited to get into these questions, but guess what, listeners?
2:16
SPEAKER_00: I'm not alone this episode.
2:18
SPEAKER_00: I have the wonderful, the fabulous, my favorite person and co-host, Leslie Miller here.
2:24
SPEAKER_00: It's me.
2:25
SPEAKER_00: Hey guys.
2:26
SPEAKER_00: So excited to have a guest on this month's episode of QA with Courtney.
2:31
SPEAKER_00: So Leslie and I are going to answer some exciting questions that you listeners have submitted to us.
2:37
SPEAKER_02: Yep.
2:37
SPEAKER_02: Super excited to tackle all these questions, guys.
2:40
SPEAKER_02: Thanks for sending in some good ones.
2:41
SPEAKER_00: And if you have a question that you'd like for me or some of my special guests to answer on an upcoming QA with Courtney episode, head over to our website now to submit your question or visit our show notes and click the link.
2:54
SPEAKER_00: You can submit your questions anonymously, or you can share your name at studio and I'll give you a shout-out live on the air.
3:00
SPEAKER_00: We also really love audio questions.
3:02
SPEAKER_00: So if you want to share your voice on the pod, head to the website and leave us an audio recording, which is super, super cool.
3:07
SPEAKER_00: You can ask me anything relating to the dance industry, like competition preparation questions, costume help, what the judges look for, audition tips, any type of question is welcome.
3:18
SPEAKER_00: So please head over to the website now and submit.
3:21
SPEAKER_00: We've also been receiving some really great reviews from all of you listeners, and we'd love to share a few of those because they're just so fabulous and we love them so much.
3:29
SPEAKER_00: So our first review is coming from Lyden Dance Project, and they say, I've been absolutely loving this podcast.
3:36
SPEAKER_00: Highly recommend listening for a unique inside look into the world of competitive dance.
3:40
SPEAKER_00: Great tool for teachers, choreographers, dancers, and parents.
3:44
SPEAKER_02: And we have another amazing review from Sarah Hoekstra.
3:48
SPEAKER_02: She says, I am a teacher and choreographer from Canada, and I'm always eager to hear other dance professionals' opinions.
3:53
SPEAKER_02: I've recently come across Making the Impact podcast and have quickly made my way through every episode.
3:58
SPEAKER_02: The amount of knowledge and insight from the IDA judges, Courtney, and Leslie is remarkable.
4:02
SPEAKER_02: I'm learning so much and I can't wait to continue to learn and grow as a dance educator.
4:06
SPEAKER_02: This podcast is extremely beneficial, and I would highly recommend listening.
4:10
SPEAKER_00: Yes, best review ever.
4:11
SPEAKER_02: Thanks, Sarah.
4:12
SPEAKER_02: We appreciate you.
4:13
SPEAKER_00: Yay! And yay for reaching to Canada and all across different places.
4:18
SPEAKER_00: I love it.
4:18
SPEAKER_02: I know.
4:18
SPEAKER_02: We're we're around the world now, so thanks everybody around the world for listening.
4:22
SPEAKER_00: Woo! All right, let's kick it off.
4:24
SPEAKER_00: Let's head into our very first question.
4:27
SPEAKER_00: And this is coming from a dance parent in Lexington, Kentucky that wants to remain anonymous.
4:33
SPEAKER_00: Their question is if technique is clean, is there a need for Alissacon turns and aerials or tricks in routines?
4:40
SPEAKER_00: I saw many teens this weekend doing more tricks than actual dancing.
4:44
unknown: Yeah.
4:45
SPEAKER_02: So we see those too.
4:46
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, we see that a lot.
4:47
SPEAKER_02: Um, so this is a great question because let's be real.
4:51
SPEAKER_02: If you are a very technical dancer who can also do all of turns, aerials, tricks, more power to you, that's amazing.
4:59
SPEAKER_02: If you are a bomb technician and you have all this power behind you to do all these other things, that's awesome.
5:05
SPEAKER_02: I want to see all of it.
5:06
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
5:07
SPEAKER_02: What we don't want to see is things that are not technical being done poorly.
5:13
SPEAKER_02: So, you know, as we've said many times, Courtney, I feel like don't show us what you're working on.
5:18
SPEAKER_02: Don't show us what you're not quite ready to do.
5:20
SPEAKER_02: Show us what you're ready to do.
5:22
SPEAKER_02: So if you have really great technique, but your Olyssa cones aren't there yet, maybe leave them out.
5:27
SPEAKER_02: Because I want to see your beautiful PK turn.
5:28
SPEAKER_02: I want to see your beautiful PK arabesque.
5:31
SPEAKER_02: Do what you can do cleanly and then continue working on, you know, the trick.
5:35
SPEAKER_00: This is such an important topic to discuss because I think that a lot of parents also, you know, and this question is coming from a dance parent.
5:42
SPEAKER_00: I think a lot of parents see those dances that have the tricks, you know, either from their studio or other studios winning a competition.
5:50
SPEAKER_00: So as a parent, they're thinking, well, shoot, should my kid be doing the tricks?
5:53
SPEAKER_00: Is that what wins?
5:55
SPEAKER_00: And just because you're doing tons and tons of tricks doesn't necessarily mean you're going to win.
6:00
SPEAKER_00: Like Leslie just said, we want to see what you can do.
6:02
SPEAKER_00: Now, if you can do it, great, awesome, amazing.
6:05
SPEAKER_00: But something that we've also discussed on this podcast is the fact that as judges, we have to judge what you present to us.
6:11
SPEAKER_00: So I've been in situations many times where I see a studio come out and they only present tricks, like the question is describing, and that's all they do.
6:21
SPEAKER_00: And there's no actual like substance to the choreography, there's no style, there's no uh choreographic moment that has like a dance breakdown in the middle of it.
6:30
SPEAKER_00: It's just like, let's do Obama into a role, into an aerial, into a leg catch turn, and it's just trick, trick, trick.
6:36
SPEAKER_00: But as judges, if they're doing them right, then we have to score them appropriately.
6:41
SPEAKER_00: Even though if this isn't my favorite, you know, I would prefer to see more actual dancing.
6:46
SPEAKER_00: And I do mention that on my critique.
6:48
SPEAKER_00: I usually say, Absolutely, you know, this is you're really great at these tricks.
6:51
SPEAKER_00: Like, wow, I am so impressed by you.
6:53
SPEAKER_00: But I would love to see a little bit more dancing choreography and transitions to connect the tricks.
7:00
SPEAKER_00: It shouldn't just be tricks only.
7:03
SPEAKER_02: Right.
7:03
SPEAKER_02: And I think that's one of the things that can really separate dance as an art from something more like cheerleading or more like ice skating, where, you know, yes, artistry is taken into consideration, but like minutely.
7:18
SPEAKER_02: You know, when you're looking at skills, which are truly what your tricks, quote unquote, are, it's just it's a skill.
7:24
SPEAKER_02: It's something they learned, it's something that they perfected, and it's something that they've presented.
7:28
SPEAKER_02: So, you know, if you want to show me skill, skill, skill, skill, trick, trick, trick, trick with nothing in between, again, great, you learned that.
7:36
SPEAKER_02: It clearly took you time and ability and focus to learn how to do that properly.
7:41
SPEAKER_02: So, like Courtney said, you I have to score it well because there it's not, it's not poorly done, it's not poorly executed.
7:48
SPEAKER_02: However, you know, I think the smart choreographers and the smart dancers and the people that are trying to instill a more creative and artistic background into their dancers, or even if those kids or those students have those technical, amazing beast-like abilities, they're not gonna just shove it all down our throats at once.
8:07
SPEAKER_02: It's too much.
8:07
SPEAKER_02: It becomes it becomes sanitized, it becomes rote, um, it becomes like like watching, you know, just a a really clean dance team.
8:15
SPEAKER_02: Like that's great.
8:16
SPEAKER_02: But also, where's the heart?
8:18
SPEAKER_02: Where's the love?
8:19
SPEAKER_02: Where's everything else that goes into dancing?
8:21
SPEAKER_02: If I just wanted to watch trick after trick after trick, I would go to like an exhibition, you know?
8:27
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
8:27
SPEAKER_00: Let's talk about aerials for a minute because I feel like every dancer in America can do an aerial these days.
8:32
SPEAKER_00: This is not a hard skill anymore.
8:34
SPEAKER_00: I feel like when I was growing up, aerials were like kind of a cool trick.
8:38
SPEAKER_02: They were really cool.
8:38
SPEAKER_02: I can't do an aerial, please.
8:40
SPEAKER_02: What do you mean every dancer can do an aerial?
8:42
SPEAKER_02: I sure can't.
8:43
SPEAKER_00: Okay, maybe not like our generation of dancers, but like every dancer now in this upcoming generation.
8:49
SPEAKER_00: Yes, every I swear to God, every dancer has an aerial in their solo.
8:52
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
8:52
SPEAKER_00: And and it's an awesome achievement, and I'm so proud that you've done it.
8:56
SPEAKER_00: But when everyone does it, you know, it's like, okay, and we think that like, and of course, it is a really great skill that you learned how to do.
9:05
SPEAKER_00: I think that it's a great style of acro trick because it's still very beautiful in the air if it's done correctly.
9:11
SPEAKER_00: It can complement a lyrical routine, very, very beautiful.
9:15
SPEAKER_00: It can complement a jazz routine if it's like at a you know, build in the music.
9:19
SPEAKER_00: Like there's a point in time for an aerial, but at the same time, like, do we need to see it in every dance?
9:26
SPEAKER_00: There have been times when I've judged solos that have someone doing an aerial like more than two times.
9:33
SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, okay, well, you already showed it to me once, so I don't need to see it again.
9:37
SPEAKER_00: Right.
9:37
SPEAKER_00: And if this is a jazz routine, you usually there's only like a two to three acro trick limit.
9:43
SPEAKER_00: And if you're doing an aerial, you might think that I'm gonna do a back step out too, or I'm gonna do a front aerial because like front aerials are the next yeah, the next thing, the next new horizon.
9:52
SPEAKER_00: I would say that like those are the more impressive if we have to do an acro trick in a dance.
9:56
SPEAKER_00: Like that's more impressive, obviously, than in a regular aerial, but like everyone's able to do them now.
10:00
SPEAKER_00: Right.
10:01
SPEAKER_00: I and it's crazy to me.
10:02
SPEAKER_00: I mean, that's such a hard skill and it's awesome.
10:04
SPEAKER_00: But you know, as judges, we don't necessarily need to always see these acro tricks incorporated into jazz and lyrical and contemporary styles of dance.
10:13
SPEAKER_00: So, like, are aerials needed?
10:15
SPEAKER_00: No, nope, they're they're nice to look at if they're done properly, and that's the thing.
10:20
SPEAKER_00: You have to do them well.
10:22
SPEAKER_02: Well, and within a dance number, so there's a difference between an aerial in a gymnastics or an acro routine that is meant to show, okay, here's the power, here's the here's the the hurdle into it.
10:34
SPEAKER_02: Like, you know, it takes a lot of energy to get your whole body up and around and rotated and then land on your feet.
10:40
SPEAKER_02: So, first of all, most of the time at the beginning of that, it's not gonna look nice in a lyrical dance because you're just you're muscling your whole body around to get it to work.
10:50
SPEAKER_02: So, you know, I would, I would hold first of all, I would hold on to that that trick until you're able to make it look like it belongs in a lyrical dance.
10:58
SPEAKER_02: Because the last thing I want to see is a huge, giant, powerful, you know, almost it can almost look sloppy if it's that powerful within a gentle, flowy, beautiful lyrical dance.
11:08
SPEAKER_02: Like it just, it's it's shocking and jarring when I don't think it's meant to be.
11:12
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
11:13
SPEAKER_02: You know, so so choose wisely where you put it.
11:15
SPEAKER_02: Please, you know, feel free.
11:17
SPEAKER_02: If it looks right, if it feels right, put it there.
11:19
SPEAKER_02: But like if there's something in you that says, oh, this feels kind of out of place, listen to your gut because you're probably right.
11:26
SPEAKER_02: And, you know, to interrupt the flow of you know, some lovely, you know, beautiful, sweet song with just this kind of like shocking acro skill, it's it's doing more harm than good, I think.
11:36
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and I I totally agree.
11:38
SPEAKER_00: And there's so many times, like as a judge, that I'm sitting watching a routine, regardless if it's acro or any genre, and the choreographer decides to put multiple acro skills that this dancer might not be ready for yet to be doing on the stage.
11:51
SPEAKER_00: And I literally like jolt in my seat because I'm terrified for the dancer of getting hurt or falling on their head or slipping, because I can tell that even based on the preparation or how they're going into it, it's just not going to be successful and not going to be safe and clean.
12:05
SPEAKER_00: So we shouldn't be putting acro onto the stage until we are 150% solid.
12:11
SPEAKER_00: You shouldn't have just learned this a month ago.
12:12
SPEAKER_00: You should have perfected this acro skill for way over a year.
12:16
SPEAKER_00: Every time you do it, you should be able to pull it perfectly.
12:19
SPEAKER_00: There should be no question of are we are you gonna make this happen?
12:23
SPEAKER_00: Yeah because that's scary for us as an audience as well.
12:26
SPEAKER_00: So the aerial has to make sense.
12:28
SPEAKER_00: The front aerial has to make sense.
12:30
SPEAKER_00: It needs to match the style of the music, it needs to be effortless and beautiful and lyrical, it needs to be like powerful and dynamic and jazz, it just has to complement the style.
12:40
SPEAKER_00: If we're gonna have it, if we need to have it.
12:42
SPEAKER_02: Right.
12:43
SPEAKER_02: And then so if we're gonna switch gears a little bit and go more into turns, you know, again, like we were saying, all of these skills when they've been taught properly and executed properly, there's no taking away the fact that you learned that.
12:57
SPEAKER_02: You learned it, you spent time on it, you did it.
12:59
SPEAKER_02: So obviously, if it's if it's correct, uh yes, I do, I want to see it.
13:03
SPEAKER_02: But again, take into consideration does this piece of music need that turn?
13:08
SPEAKER_02: Does it need 16 of those turns?
13:10
SPEAKER_02: Maybe you could get away with three.
13:11
SPEAKER_02: Maybe you could do a nice, you know, menage sequence.
13:14
SPEAKER_02: That's like my favorite thing to put in into a dance.
13:17
SPEAKER_02: If I'm like, okay, this needs turns, but this dancer is not a fuete turn person.
13:21
SPEAKER_02: This dancer is not an all cicone person, but it needs turns.
13:23
SPEAKER_02: Like that music just says to me, you gotta do some turns here.
13:26
SPEAKER_02: And there is music that says that.
13:28
SPEAKER_02: Like, I'm not gonna say there's not, but give a nice PK turn sequence.
13:31
SPEAKER_02: Add a fuete in the PK turn sequence if you want to throw one in.
13:34
SPEAKER_02: You know, that's so much more interesting to me than either seeing just like, okay, she can do 24 fuente turns or 24 all secone turns, and cool, like what else?
13:44
SPEAKER_02: What else can you do?
13:44
SPEAKER_02: Because at that point, if you're really, really good at it, what else?
13:48
SPEAKER_02: Like now I'm a little bored because you've shown me this.
13:50
SPEAKER_02: Can you do it on the left?
13:51
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, exactly.
13:52
SPEAKER_00: And the fact that if you've done one turn sequence, that's all we need to see.
13:57
SPEAKER_00: Unless you're showing a variation of the turn sequence.
14:00
SPEAKER_00: So let's say you are a solid Alasakan turner and like great, awesome, amazing.
14:04
SPEAKER_00: You want to showcase that in your solo.
14:06
SPEAKER_00: Awesome.
14:06
SPEAKER_00: Make sure that it matches the part of the music where it belongs and it's not just like whipping out turns out of nowhere, and that you execute them properly and technically correct and beautifully.
14:15
SPEAKER_00: But if we see it once at the, you know, within 30 seconds of the routine, do I need to see it again at like the two-minute mark?
14:21
SPEAKER_00: Probably not, unless you're gonna give me a different style of turn, like a fuente turn.
14:24
SPEAKER_00: Right.
14:25
SPEAKER_00: Obviously, teachers know their students' strength, so if they're like, oh, they're a turner, I want to make sure I highlight that and showcase that.
14:30
SPEAKER_00: That's great.
14:31
SPEAKER_00: But you also have to make sure it doesn't become too repetitive.
14:34
SPEAKER_00: You as a teacher need to step back and say, Wow, you've done nothing but turns in this routine.
14:38
SPEAKER_00: Like, how can we adjust this?
14:40
SPEAKER_00: Can we do a coupe turn, a pencil turn, an inside turn?
14:42
SPEAKER_00: Can we do a front attitude, back attitude?
14:45
SPEAKER_00: I love me a back attitude.
14:46
SPEAKER_00: I love a back attitude.
14:47
SPEAKER_00: Never see enough back attitudes.
14:48
SPEAKER_00: Come on now.
14:49
SPEAKER_00: No one does back attitudes anymore because they're hard.
14:51
SPEAKER_00: Right.
14:52
SPEAKER_00: They involve technique, which yes, many dancers have, but they also involve rotation.
14:58
SPEAKER_00: Yes, and a lot of dancers do not have that because we're not properly training a ballet class the appropriate rotation that we need to execute some of these positions properly.
15:06
SPEAKER_00: Even talking about Alsacon turns, every dancer is working towards them or is able to do them now.
15:13
SPEAKER_00: But are we doing them technically correct?
15:16
SPEAKER_00: Probably not, because Alissa concerns are in a turned-out position.
15:20
SPEAKER_00: And when you plie in Alsacant, your standing legs should be turned out.
15:23
SPEAKER_00: And do we ever see that?
15:25
SPEAKER_00: Never, never do I see turn.
15:26
SPEAKER_00: I mean, I do sometimes, but like, you know, I'm gonna say 75% of the time I don't see them done in turned out positions.
15:33
SPEAKER_00: You also should be taking off from a turned out preparation.
15:36
SPEAKER_00: You also should be for all turn sequences, whether it's foite turns or Alisican turns.
15:42
SPEAKER_00: I would love to see a successful controlled pull-in at the end.
15:47
SPEAKER_00: Oh, please, a pull-in.
15:48
SPEAKER_00: A pull in to like a double.
15:50
SPEAKER_00: You're gonna have so much momentum.
15:51
SPEAKER_00: You could probably like if you're doing Alisicon turns, you probably have triple pirouettes.
15:55
SPEAKER_00: Pull into a triple pirouette.
15:57
SPEAKER_00: Maybe it's turned out.
15:58
SPEAKER_00: Oh my gosh.
15:59
SPEAKER_00: Dreams.
16:01
SPEAKER_00: This is what we want, you guys.
16:03
SPEAKER_00: We want turned out Alisic Con turns and Fuate turns.
16:06
SPEAKER_00: We love them.
16:06
SPEAKER_02: It's just, you know, and the thing about Alissa Cones that I see so often is people are doing them.
16:12
SPEAKER_02: We're getting into a whole nother conversation.
16:13
SPEAKER_02: We could have a whole podcast on just Alissa Cone turns.
16:16
SPEAKER_02: Oh my god, we should.
16:17
SPEAKER_02: Um but you know, Alissa Cone turns are way easier to fake and to muscle around and to sort of, you know, pretend like you have them done correctly.
16:30
SPEAKER_02: Because of, like Courtney said, the momentum, just the whip aspect of what that leg, you know, can do.
16:35
SPEAKER_02: More often than not, like Courtney says, we're not seeing them turned out.
16:38
SPEAKER_02: We're not seeing them with a turned out uh working leg or a turned out standing leg.
16:42
SPEAKER_02: If you press pause in the video when somebody's in the plie with that leg extended to second position, ooh, I don't want to even know what we're gonna be seeing because it's not gonna be right.
16:52
SPEAKER_00: Everything.
16:52
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, so like the thing about, you know, I would much rather see from my ladies at least, you know, working on their fuete turns because if you can master a fuete turn properly, because it's harder, your all secone turns are gonna magically automatically just work better because you've mastered the technique of a a fuete.
17:09
SPEAKER_02: Because yeah, all second turns you can just muscle around and okay, well, they rotated.
17:13
SPEAKER_02: And I think to a dance parent or to a lay person who doesn't understand the mechanics of what goes on in your body to be able to do those turns properly, if you see somebody rotating with their leg out, well, hooray, they did they they did that.
17:27
SPEAKER_02: That's awesome, yeah.
17:28
SPEAKER_02: You know, I can I can see how that would be um confusing to somebody who doesn't understand that there's a technically proper way to do those.
17:34
SPEAKER_02: Right.
17:35
SPEAKER_02: So, you know, here we are telling you, like for all the dance parents out there who maybe are confused when they see dance dances that um have all these, you know, rotations and interesting things, like remember that it's almost an optical illusion if you're looking at it and like, okay, it's happening and it looks impressive, but then if you kind of like put the magnifying glass up to it, it's actually not being done properly.
17:55
SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
17:55
SPEAKER_00: Yep, that's such a great point.
17:57
SPEAKER_00: And that's true.
17:58
SPEAKER_00: And like we have to take points off when things aren't done technically correct, no matter how many rotations you've done, no matter how many turn sequences you've done, and like then there's other, you know, elements in your routine that will not get points deducted because you are doing them technically correct.
18:12
SPEAKER_00: So it's just like it's just a balance of making sure that you're really showing us what you can do your best on stage.
18:19
SPEAKER_00: And you the goal is to not get points taken off, like right in in a routine.
18:24
SPEAKER_00: So if you are still working on something, um, you know, maybe just reconsider like, is this something that I necessarily need?
18:30
SPEAKER_00: Because this isn't as clean and solid as I'd like it to be stage ready.
18:34
SPEAKER_00: And that means that I'm probably gonna get a few technical points taken off.
18:37
SPEAKER_00: So, you know, as teachers, we have to kind of make sure that we're telling our students that, like, hey, I know you want this turn sequence, but listen, it's just not solid enough.
18:46
SPEAKER_00: And like, if you want to keep it, just know your score might get lowered a little bit because of that.
18:51
SPEAKER_00: But if you're like, no, I want to remove it, let's find something else that I'm really awesome at to replace it, then like that's not a bad idea as well.
18:59
SPEAKER_00: So we love a trick if they're clean, but is that all we need?
19:03
SPEAKER_00: No, I definitely I think we need some substance in the dancing as well.
19:06
SPEAKER_00: We need a little bit of choreography, we need some movement.
19:09
SPEAKER_00: We're looking for like that total package, and I think that that's what makes it for me is seeing tricks that are done well that complement the music that also have choreography attached to the dance.
19:19
SPEAKER_02: Right.
19:20
SPEAKER_02: And the you know, the transitions make the dance.
19:22
SPEAKER_02: Yes, you know, we hear that all the time or we preach that all the time, and it's true.
19:26
SPEAKER_02: You know, I would I would much rather see, and we've said this a million times.
19:29
SPEAKER_02: I'm just we're talking like broken records.
19:31
SPEAKER_02: Uh, but if if I can see a clean, simple dance where I can't, I physically can't take points off if your dance is clean, then that's what I'd rather see.
19:40
SPEAKER_02: Because if you're if you're showing me an all secone that's turned in, points are coming off.
19:43
SPEAKER_02: If you're showing me an aerial where your face has the look of terror before you throw it, I gotta, I mean, I'm I'm nervous.
19:50
SPEAKER_02: You're already, you know, you're putting us in a bad position because you look, you're not confident.
19:54
SPEAKER_02: And I see that more often than not, too, with with some of the more um airborne tricks that we see attempted.
20:00
SPEAKER_02: Um, is that if your face doesn't look like you're ready for it, right?
20:03
SPEAKER_02: Then I don't have much confidence that you're ready for it.
20:05
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
20:06
SPEAKER_02: Um, so you gotta also, you know, fake it till you make it on your face at least.
20:09
SPEAKER_02: So I'm not worried.
20:11
SPEAKER_00: Yep.
20:12
SPEAKER_00: Our next question is coming from a dance teacher named Sarah from Punta Gorda, Florida.
20:18
SPEAKER_00: Her question is, how do you feel about where the industry has gone as far as appropriateness?
20:23
SPEAKER_00: I feel as a more conservative studio, we struggle with competing against the studios that have gotten away from actual dance technique and do more booty shaking and dressing half naked.
20:32
SPEAKER_00: As a judge, how do you feel about where this has gone in recent years?
20:35
SPEAKER_00: Do you feel studios cannot contend unless they do as the others are doing?
20:39
SPEAKER_00: Because as a studio, we've decided that's not for us.
20:42
SPEAKER_00: Ooh, Sarah, that's a good question.
20:45
SPEAKER_00: It is.
20:46
SPEAKER_00: And we really haven't talked too much yet on any of our podcast episodes about being age appropriate and appropriateness on the competition stage much.
20:56
SPEAKER_02: So it comes up every now and then.
20:58
SPEAKER_02: Um, but we'll we're definitely gonna tackle this as a main as a main topic for a podcast next season.
21:03
SPEAKER_02: But to kind of give you of at least our two opinions um today.
21:07
SPEAKER_02: So I'm from the South, and you know, there's a big regional difference across the country um as to what is appropriate for what age and what level in terms of costuming, in terms of movement, in terms of song choice.
21:22
SPEAKER_02: And you know, there are times when as a judge, I have sat there just flabbergasted that some adult has chosen this particular song with this particular movement on these particular children in that particular outfit.
21:33
SPEAKER_02: And it's it's it just baffles me thinking about the children that I know, the children that are in my family.
21:40
SPEAKER_02: Some people make no sense.
21:41
SPEAKER_02: Um and that's you know, it is hard for me sometimes as a judge because we have so many um other rules that we have to work under depending on which competition we're working for.
21:51
SPEAKER_02: So, you know, I can always have my personal opinion and my personal thoughts, whether I'm allowed to do anything about it in terms of scoring or placement uh or even.
22:00
SPEAKER_02: Really saying too much about it.
22:02
SPEAKER_02: You know, we struggle, I think, as judges with that because we're still trying to, you know, stay employed.
22:08
SPEAKER_00: Right.
22:09
SPEAKER_00: Ugh, the appropriateness on stage.
22:11
SPEAKER_00: I mean, all right, so like Leslie said, I mean, it's definitely regional.
22:16
SPEAKER_00: Sarah, you're from Florida.
22:18
SPEAKER_00: And I know that there are some fierce dancers down in Florida.
22:22
SPEAKER_00: And, you know, you're also in the hot climate.
22:24
SPEAKER_00: So, like, as far as costuming, like, we wear bikinis all the time at the beach and stuff, you know.
22:29
SPEAKER_00: Like, I think that going on to a competition in like a two-piece isn't as big of a deal, probably depending, you know.
22:35
SPEAKER_00: And I think what's kind of interesting to me as far as costuming specifically is I've gone to judge all across the country, and in specific regions where I think that it would be more conservative, they're like not afraid to be in little tiny costumes on stage.
22:52
SPEAKER_00: And that's shocking to me.
22:54
SPEAKER_00: Some southern states that I would kind of expect a little bit more of a conservative atmosphere.
22:59
SPEAKER_00: And it's just like, no, it's this is the norm.
23:01
SPEAKER_00: And I think I don't know why that is or how that is.
23:04
SPEAKER_00: And like, you know, I know that the West Coast is very different and compared to the East Coast.
23:08
SPEAKER_00: It really depends on where you're located as far as what people feel is appropriate.
23:12
SPEAKER_00: If I have to think about like my growing up, I never felt like that I danced anything on the competition stage that felt inappropriate.
23:19
SPEAKER_00: However, like I think that a lot of young dancers are doing, you know, song choices that they shouldn't be doing that's that would feel like I should be watching a 15-year-old, but I'm watching a nine-year-old.
23:29
SPEAKER_00: And I think that teachers might not even realize that that's that's an issue.
23:33
SPEAKER_00: It is an issue.
23:34
SPEAKER_00: You know, song choice is an issue, costuming is an issue, and it's it's it's becoming a little bit abused, and I I think it's always been around.
23:42
SPEAKER_00: I don't think that, you know, this is a new thing, but I think it is getting a a little more out of hand.
23:48
SPEAKER_02: Well, and I think Courtney, you know, it's it's not new.
23:51
SPEAKER_02: It's just like with everything else in pop culture, we're just seeing it more because we have access to the internet, we have access to Instagram.
23:58
SPEAKER_02: I I remember like I'm thinking about like all of these 80s songs that to us feel very tame and very safe.
24:06
SPEAKER_02: And all you're, you know, maybe you're just thinking, like, oh, the beat is so fun and this is such a fun, you know, pop synthesis synthesizer song.
24:12
SPEAKER_02: Then you start listening to the lyrics and you're like, oh, that's what that's about.
24:15
SPEAKER_02: Right.
24:16
SPEAKER_02: And sometimes I think there's that aspect of the music choice that we don't even think about because all we're thinking of is it's a little kitsch, it's old, it's vintage, it's 80s, like you know, but I'm also thinking about like the resurgence of Missy Elliott.
24:28
SPEAKER_02: And, you know, her her songs in the late 90s and the early 2000s are very, very inappropriate.
24:34
SPEAKER_02: Now, look, I love her.
24:36
SPEAKER_02: They are so much fun for an adult.
24:38
SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
24:39
SPEAKER_02: But I think because we as adults remember that as being such a fun bop, yeah, that we're we're putting it on young kids.
24:46
SPEAKER_02: And I'm like, oh my gosh, do we know?
24:48
SPEAKER_02: Do we remember what she's singing about?
24:50
SPEAKER_02: Right.
24:50
SPEAKER_02: And we just not thinking about it because that's not what's occurring to you.
24:53
SPEAKER_02: You're like, this is the jam, this is my this is old school, this is so fun.
24:57
SPEAKER_02: And I think sometimes that happens more often than not.
25:00
SPEAKER_02: It is definitely um an oversight.
25:03
SPEAKER_02: But I am the judge who my ear is perked up.
25:07
SPEAKER_02: Every single song that comes on, I'm listening for a bad word, I'm listening for something inappropriate because it matters to me.
25:12
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
25:12
SPEAKER_02: You know, there's plenty of judges that it doesn't matter to.
25:14
SPEAKER_02: Right.
25:15
SPEAKER_02: But I think, you know, Sarah, you're saying that, you know, we we as a studio we've decided that this kind of content and movement is not for us.
25:22
SPEAKER_02: More power to you.
25:23
SPEAKER_02: Stick to what you believe because I think you can be a successful studio and a successful dancer while staying tasteful, while staying age appropriate.
25:32
SPEAKER_02: But, you know, you also have to give just a little bit in terms of when when the kids are getting older and and you know, you may end up feeling like you're gonna lose students because the other studios are doing, you know, this more trendy stuff.
25:44
SPEAKER_02: But, you know, dig deeper, find that music that maybe has some aspects of what you're looking for, but then also deviates a little bit, you know, towards feeling a little bit more mature.
25:56
SPEAKER_02: Like if you're looking for something, you know, no, maybe not cell block tango, right, but maybe fever.
26:02
SPEAKER_02: You know, I think you can you can find the balance with things like that.
26:05
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I mean, as we as we get into the teen senior, I'm okay with seeing a little bit more like salt tree, a little bit more sophisticated, mature kind of.
26:15
SPEAKER_00: I mean, I'm I'm hoping that the dancers are understanding how to dive into that style as well.
26:21
SPEAKER_00: So as choreographers, I'm okay if you go there as long as it's, you know, still appropriate for their age.
26:27
SPEAKER_00: You don't want them to be in like practically nothing and then like doing like, you know, squats and like popping it and things that you're just like, whoa, whoa, whoa, this is this this makes me uncomfortable.
26:38
SPEAKER_00: You know, we have to take a step back and be like, these are still children, they are in middle and high school.
26:42
SPEAKER_00: We have to look at it like that.
26:44
SPEAKER_00: Something that people say all the time.
26:45
SPEAKER_00: Like, there are dance dads in the audience, there are potentially grandparents in the audience.
26:50
SPEAKER_00: If the choreography would make them uncomfortable, or even if the costuming would make them uncomfortable, then maybe we should rethink it.
26:58
SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
26:59
SPEAKER_02: Um, and again, everybody is gonna, this is one of those, it's a fine line.
27:03
SPEAKER_02: Everybody has a different value system.
27:05
SPEAKER_02: Everybody was brought up and is bringing their children up with different values.
27:08
SPEAKER_02: And so, you know, I think better to err on the side of caution with this stuff because you are in mixed company um in terms of who you're performing for.
27:17
SPEAKER_02: Like you don't know who's in the audience, you know, you don't know who you're gonna offend or, you know, make upset or distress by what you're doing.
27:25
SPEAKER_02: So, you know, obviously as artists, we do want to be able to try to push the envelope in certain ways.
27:29
SPEAKER_02: But I do think also on the flip side of all of this, what I also I get a little confused sometimes when I I've seen studios before go the opposite direction with age appropriateness, and I've seen teenagers dancing to like walk the dinosaur to use like a very easily recognizable like children's song.
27:46
SPEAKER_02: Like I don't want to see a 15-year-old dancing to that because it's not appropriate for their age.
27:50
SPEAKER_02: That's a song for children.
27:52
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and so you know, you have to find those artists that speak to you.
27:56
SPEAKER_02: Like little mix is one that comes to mind that's like most of their music is extremely fun, really danceable, very clean, very appropriate, popular with with teenagers.
28:05
SPEAKER_02: Like that's that's a compromise, you know.
28:08
SPEAKER_02: That is something that I think you can let kids and students express themselves safely, and you as well as the choreographer and teacher, um, without making them feel babied or without putting them into, you know, a situation or or a costume that's uncomfortable for anybody.
28:23
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and I think that another another thing to mention that I notice at competition that I think is kind of interesting is, you know, as far as like the booty shaking and things like that that are choreographed into routines, for some odd reason, the audience, the parents and the teachers and the dads decide to like hoot and holler during those specific sections.
28:45
SPEAKER_00: Very confusing.
28:46
SPEAKER_00: They're like, Yeah, let's booty shake.
28:48
SPEAKER_00: Go, go, my little six-year-old booty shaking.
28:50
SPEAKER_00: And I'm kind of like, wait, what?
28:51
SPEAKER_00: Why are we applauding for that?
28:53
SPEAKER_00: I mean, not that it's not cute and fun sometimes for depending on the age, but like, I don't know.
28:58
SPEAKER_00: It just feels like, you know, we're supporting it.
29:01
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, like glorifying it.
29:02
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
29:02
SPEAKER_00: And I think that other studios see that and they see how amped up the crowd is, and like, oh my gosh, the crowd loves it, and you know, they're gonna get bonus points because this the crowd is cheering for them for booty shaking.
29:15
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I just I just always have thought that that's kind of weird, and I don't think that people should look at that as like something that the judges give points to.
29:22
SPEAKER_00: And the other thing that I that I think is worth mentioning, and I think is why a lot of people are confused about this age-appropriate thing and if they need to like follow the trend.
29:30
SPEAKER_00: People say this all the time like, why do the dances that are inappropriate the ones that are winning?
29:36
SPEAKER_00: And the reason that these dances win is because most of the time, and not always, but a lot of the time, these dancers who are dressing half naked and booty shaking, but also doing really great technique with unbelievable tricks.
29:52
SPEAKER_00: And, you know, when we take those inappropriate elements out of it and we look at the dance outside of that, they're actually doing technically correct things.
30:00
SPEAKER_00: And um, not always, but like a lot of the time.
30:03
SPEAKER_00: And they maybe be on their ears or they're doing very advanced moves.
30:06
SPEAKER_00: And, you know, we have to score what is in front of us.
30:09
SPEAKER_00: All we can really say is, you know, I don't feel like this costume is appropriate.
30:13
SPEAKER_00: I don't feel like this song choice is appropriate, or I don't feel like some of this movement is appropriate.
30:17
SPEAKER_00: That's really all all the judges can say.
30:20
SPEAKER_00: And there are times when we can deduct some points in the choreography score if that is allowed based on the competition we're judging for, but not all the time.
30:28
SPEAKER_00: So we have to just judge what's in front of us, and even if we feel it's inappropriate, uh, we can mention that on our critique.
30:35
SPEAKER_00: But a lot of people say don't penalize the dancer.
30:37
SPEAKER_00: That's the choreographer gave them that, and that's what they did, and they did their dance well, so we have to score based on that.
30:43
SPEAKER_00: So that's why it looks like that the, you know, those types of dance might win all the time, but that doesn't mean that we also 100% agree with what was on the stage either.
30:53
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes we're kind of in this this sticky situation for us as judges where there's not much we can do besides just say, hey, I feel like personally this is a little bit inappropriate, or you know, this isn't really age-friendly.
31:04
SPEAKER_00: Maybe we should adjust that choreography right there.
31:07
SPEAKER_00: And they can either take it and fix that for the next competition or leave it and say, no, I think it's fine.
31:12
SPEAKER_00: And they won first overall, so I'm okay with it, you know?
31:14
SPEAKER_00: Right.
31:15
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
31:15
SPEAKER_02: So I think, you know, as as hard as it is to kind of stand your ground, so to speak, in whatever you believe in when you do see all of these things happening around you.
31:26
SPEAKER_02: I think the other important thing to think about is that that other studio is holding their ground as well.
31:31
SPEAKER_02: Like Courtney says, you know, all we can really do sometimes is voice our opinion and and like you said, score appropriately if it is a technically clean sound dance.
31:40
SPEAKER_02: I gotta give you those points.
31:41
SPEAKER_02: I can't, I can't not give you those points.
31:43
SPEAKER_02: But, you know, just like we're trying to say to them, you know, I don't think this costume is appropriate, I don't think this movement is appropriate, they're gonna take it or leave it, just like you're gonna take or leave whatever we tell you.
31:53
SPEAKER_02: Um and I would, I would guess most of the time, studios that are presenting material like that, they're doing so because they've seen positive results from it.
32:02
SPEAKER_02: Right.
32:03
SPEAKER_02: Um now, does that mean that we agree with them?
32:05
SPEAKER_02: No, like Courtney said, you know, I'm scoring a routine the way that I see it, if there's, you know, technically sound material in it.
32:12
SPEAKER_02: And the other stuff is just, you know, sometimes we have to try to ignore it a little bit.
32:15
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
32:16
SPEAKER_00: I know it's it's unfortunate that it's like that.
32:19
SPEAKER_00: And I think that, you know, the industry is trying to slowly make some changes and really enforce some of these, you know, deductions and things like that.
32:28
SPEAKER_00: And um, until all competitions really get on board with that, all that we as judges can really do is just kind of speak our opinion on the critique and and just let them know, like, hey, I'm on I'm a little uncomfortable.
32:39
SPEAKER_00: I think this is inappropriate for this age, you know, maybe rework this section, maybe change the the costume.
32:45
SPEAKER_00: That's really all we can do.
32:46
SPEAKER_00: And we like a lot of the dance parents and the dance teachers request from the judges is don't penalize the dancer.
32:53
SPEAKER_00: That's what everyone kind of goes back to is don't penalize them for my mistake or my dance teacher's mistake or whatever.
33:00
SPEAKER_00: You know, it's about the dancers.
33:02
SPEAKER_00: You're right, it is about them.
33:03
SPEAKER_00: We're trying to guide you as teachers as well and inform you of hey, maybe you need to take a step back and see that this isn't maybe the best appropriate song or costume or movement for this age range.
33:16
SPEAKER_00: And, you know, we're on the judge's side, it's just an opinion, take it or leave it.
33:19
SPEAKER_00: We're trying to help you.
33:20
SPEAKER_00: It is about the dancers, and we want them to feel comfortable on stage.
33:23
SPEAKER_00: And this dance will do even better if you kind of rework this and think about it and have a different perspective sometimes, um, which is hard for a lot of people to accept and see.
33:34
SPEAKER_00: And we've talked about this on the podcast too.
33:36
SPEAKER_00: Judges come from all different regions when they're judging, they're not just down the street.
33:41
SPEAKER_00: So, what might feel normal to you know, people in Florida might feel completely different to the judge that flew all the way in from like Iowa or something.
33:49
SPEAKER_00: You know, you never know where the judge came from or their background and what their expectations are when they're, you know, judging at an event.
33:56
SPEAKER_00: So that that really matters too.
33:58
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
33:58
SPEAKER_02: And I think what what it comes down to is we we don't make the rules as judges.
34:02
SPEAKER_02: We are you know contracted employees of a company.
34:06
SPEAKER_02: So if if this is bothering you about a particular competition, speak to the competition director because they're ultimately the ones who can change and enforce their rules.
34:14
SPEAKER_02: We can't.
34:15
SPEAKER_02: So if you know, if you truly want to speak to someone, you know, who is in charge, the competition owners and directors are the people that will be able to guide you a little bit better in terms of what they expect from their um people who come to their events.
34:28
SPEAKER_00: So, overall, um, how do we feel about how this has gone in the industry?
34:33
SPEAKER_00: I I don't love it.
34:35
SPEAKER_00: I mean, I I I kind of wish that everyone would just stay appropriate and you know, ever like we've said, everyone has a different view of what is appropriate to them.
34:44
SPEAKER_00: But I just kind of think we all need to remember that this is a youth dance competition.
34:50
SPEAKER_00: Uh, there are all different ages in the audience, regardless if you are in, let's say, a teen category and you're thinking, well, these dancers are more mature, they can do something that is appropriate for their age.
35:02
SPEAKER_00: There might be a seven-year-old sitting in the audience that might feel uncomfortable, or there might be a uh dad that might say, Oh, I just don't feel feel okay watching this.
35:12
SPEAKER_00: You know, we want to make sure that the audience is always comfortable and enjoying themselves and yeah, entertained in the appropriate ways.
35:19
SPEAKER_00: Right.
35:20
SPEAKER_02: Especially at that kind of venue, because, you know, like Courtney said, most of these competitions that we're attending, judging and you know, attending as dancers and teachers, are for 18-year-olds, years old and under.
35:30
SPEAKER_02: So know your audience.
35:32
SPEAKER_02: This is not a place to showcase work that would be better showcased in a college seminar or a concert dance venue where you're trying to push the envelope, you're trying to make people uncomfortable.
35:43
SPEAKER_02: Right.
35:43
SPEAKER_02: That's you know, like Courtney said, you're gonna have a seven-year-old in the audience.
35:46
SPEAKER_02: You're gonna have people who are, you know, not expecting certain things to come at them at a youth dance competition.
35:52
SPEAKER_02: Whereas if you're going to, you know, a collegiate kind of situation or a dance concert piece, festival, recital, even.
36:00
SPEAKER_02: I mean, so like you're you're going in knowing that this is may or may not be adult content, quote unquote.
36:06
SPEAKER_02: You may or may not be triggered by something, you may or may not be made uncomfortable on purpose.
36:11
SPEAKER_02: So know your audience.
36:12
SPEAKER_02: Um, and I think, you know, coming from Sarah, you know, here, she is clearly a studio who does know her audience because she's staying within the conservative um, you know, realm of what she's presenting.
36:22
SPEAKER_02: So, you know, preaching to the choir here, Sarah.
36:24
SPEAKER_02: But for everybody else, you know, who may feel the kind of an urge to kind of fight back against these opinions.
36:30
SPEAKER_02: I mean, I would say to them, know your audience.
36:33
SPEAKER_02: Your audience is, you know, moms and dads and grandparents and other kids.
36:38
SPEAKER_02: So, you know, do you really want to make anybody that uncomfortable with your art with nine-year-olds?
36:43
SPEAKER_02: I don't know.
36:44
SPEAKER_02: Maybe you do, maybe you do, and like it's a free country, do what you want in terms of you know, personal opinions.
36:50
SPEAKER_02: I agree with Courtney.
36:51
SPEAKER_02: I would rather things, you know, keep them little as as they say.
36:55
SPEAKER_02: Keep the kids little and let them, you know, stay appropriate as long as they can, because there's there's the rest of your life to booty shake.
37:01
SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
37:02
SPEAKER_00: What a way to end it out on that on that one.
37:07
SPEAKER_00: Hey listeners, I'm sure we are all prepping and packing away for the quickly approaching competition season.
37:12
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37:20
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37:59
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38:05
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38:13
SPEAKER_00: Alright, our next question is coming from a dance parent named Heather from Rocky Hill, Connecticut.
38:18
SPEAKER_00: Her question is song meaning and connection.
38:21
SPEAKER_00: I have two young dancers, 11 and 7.
38:24
SPEAKER_00: Many songs have very adult meanings, so this can be difficult.
38:27
SPEAKER_00: I assume you have heard every song out there or at least most.
38:30
SPEAKER_00: So if there is an unfamiliar song not commonly used, how is it viewed when a child connects with most of it?
38:36
SPEAKER_00: Also, how can you tell?
38:37
SPEAKER_00: Listening to the words, watching the dancing, observing the costume while speaking or writing critiques all in a three-minute window seems crazy to me.
38:44
SPEAKER_00: But how important is this?
38:46
SPEAKER_00: Well, Heather, you're not wrong.
38:48
SPEAKER_02: It is crazy.
38:49
SPEAKER_02: Our job is really hard.
38:51
SPEAKER_02: Yes.
38:52
SPEAKER_02: You know, don't think that, you know, we have this glamorous, awesome.
38:56
SPEAKER_02: It is awesome.
38:57
SPEAKER_02: It's definitely not glamorous, but you know, we're we sit there for hours on end listening to yes, every song that you've ever heard, ever, um, over and over again.
39:05
SPEAKER_02: And so when we do hear an unfamiliar song, number one, I'm per personally very excited and very happy.
39:11
SPEAKER_02: And I will usually say, like, wow, what an interesting song choice.
39:14
SPEAKER_02: Like, I've never heard this.
39:15
SPEAKER_02: Like, and it it's a it's points, basically.
39:17
SPEAKER_02: It's like, you know, quote unquote, not real points.
39:19
SPEAKER_02: I can't give you points for a good song, but you know, it's I'm excited to hear a new song.
39:23
SPEAKER_02: Um, and yeah, like you said, we have to listen to the words of the song.
39:27
SPEAKER_02: We have to watch the dance, we have to look at the costume, we have to um give critiques and all these things.
39:32
SPEAKER_02: So there's there's, you know, probably about 10 to 15 things going on in our brains at any given time while we're watching your three-minute dance.
39:40
SPEAKER_02: Um and so, in terms of your song meaning, I'm I'm thinking mostly about lyrical right now when we're thinking this age and things like that.
39:49
SPEAKER_02: So, you know, so often, like you said, we're, you know, every Selene Dion song ever is about love or heartbreak.
39:56
SPEAKER_02: Um, you know, same thing with any popular artist, yeah.
39:58
SPEAKER_02: That's a very common theme, you know, with music.
40:00
SPEAKER_02: And so it can be really hard to find age-appropriate music for these ages that can really relate to what's going on.
40:08
SPEAKER_02: But I think of um one particular song that stands out to me that I always love to hear because it's just so perfect for a young dancer is um the Sarah McLaughlin song Uh When She Loved Me from Toy Story 2.
40:23
SPEAKER_02: That is pure, it is innocent, it is about, you know, the love between a child and her doll or her toy.
40:30
SPEAKER_02: And like, what could be more appropriate than that for a child that's 10 and under who has, you know, this thing that they love?
40:37
SPEAKER_02: That is the kind of music I would like to see children dancing to.
40:41
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
40:41
SPEAKER_02: And yes, you're gonna have to do a little digging because those songs are not on the radio, those songs are not in the forefront of what we're hearing on a daily basis as adults.
40:51
SPEAKER_02: So you are gonna have to go a little deeper into your Disney movies, into your Pixar movies, into all these, you know, other places to find music and artists that you may not listen to regularly.
41:01
SPEAKER_02: Um, but they're out there.
41:02
SPEAKER_02: So I think it, you know, you gotta you gotta dig deeper.
41:06
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and thinking about songs in general, which I think is another great topic that we should probably do next season on the podcast.
41:15
SPEAKER_00: It's just like song choice and selection and how to find songs that, you know, I as we said, we we like hearing new songs.
41:22
SPEAKER_00: We don't want to hear the same song every at every event.
41:27
SPEAKER_00: I mean, like like Heather, you said, like every we've heard so many.
41:31
SPEAKER_00: We've heard all the songs.
41:33
SPEAKER_00: And like you just said, Leslie, it is hard to find age appropriate songs that you know can connect to a dancer at such a young age as a seven-year-old.
41:43
SPEAKER_00: I mean, Heather has an 11-year-old and a seven-year-old.
41:45
SPEAKER_00: Those are those are young ages that you know, how many songs can we really find that they're going to understand what the meaning is and understand what the lyrics mean and and connect to that in some way?
41:55
SPEAKER_00: So I think that is why we do hear so many songs over and over again, is because when you do find those very few songs that are appropriate for that age level, then you're like, oh, I gotta use it.
42:07
SPEAKER_00: And I and I agree, I think that feel free to use it.
42:10
SPEAKER_00: Can we find a cover?
42:11
SPEAKER_00: Can we find a different version of it?
42:13
SPEAKER_00: Can we, you know, make it different in a new way?
42:16
SPEAKER_00: We have to kind of go in that direction because it does seem to just get completely repetitive when we see the same song, the same theme over and over and over again with some of the younger dancers.
42:28
SPEAKER_00: And I think that that's a struggle for dance teachers is finding the that music.
42:32
SPEAKER_00: But when I think about different artists, and something that I always recommend, even when just looking for songs in general for teachers, is we always tend to kind of gravitate to the songs we've heard before at competition, and you're like, oh, this is a great song.
42:47
SPEAKER_00: I love it.
42:47
SPEAKER_00: I'm gonna shazam it, or I'm gonna like, you know, put it into my Spotify playlist and I'm gonna use this next season.
42:53
SPEAKER_00: But instead of using that exact same song, why don't we get inspired by the artist and then start digging through their albums and their other songs within that album?
43:01
SPEAKER_00: You might find another song that's just as appropriate or just as great that you've not heard as frequently at competition.
43:08
SPEAKER_00: We appreciate that as judges.
43:10
SPEAKER_00: We don't want to hear those same songs all the time.
43:12
SPEAKER_00: So, you know, that means yes, you have to do a little bit more digging as a teacher.
43:15
SPEAKER_00: And that's frustrating because we don't have all the time in the world.
43:18
SPEAKER_00: As dance teachers, we do like so much homework on the back end.
43:22
SPEAKER_00: Besides just teaching your kids how to dance for those few hours that were at the studio at night, we're doing homework during the day at all hours of the night, rhinzoning costumes and looking for music that like songs that are appropriate, you know?
43:36
SPEAKER_00: It's a never-ending job as a dance teacher.
43:39
SPEAKER_00: But I think if you just go that extra mile and just a little bit further with digging for music, you'll be able to find some more choices that do work for your dancers.
43:49
SPEAKER_02: Yeah, and so you asked uh Heather, how can you tell if a child is connecting with the music?
43:54
SPEAKER_02: So I'll tell you how I can tell that they're not connecting to the music.
43:58
SPEAKER_02: Is you know, if I see a seven year old.
44:00
SPEAKER_02: old dancing to a lyrical song about heartbreak.
44:02
SPEAKER_02: And you know, my boyfriend left me and he, you know, went to be with another woman.
44:07
SPEAKER_02: And just number one, if the song is referring to anybody as a woman and you are seven and you are dancing to it, you're not connected to it.
44:16
SPEAKER_02: You can't.
44:16
SPEAKER_02: You're seven.
44:17
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
44:18
SPEAKER_02: It's your brain is not formed in that way yet.
44:20
SPEAKER_02: So that's number one.
44:21
SPEAKER_02: But number two is the coached facial expression expressions that I see.
44:26
SPEAKER_02: These the angst, the sadness, the the devastation that somehow somebody has made that child look like that while they're dancing to a specific part of the music.
44:38
SPEAKER_02: That's coached.
44:39
SPEAKER_02: And I can tell in a heartbeat that that child doesn't know why she's making that face.
44:44
SPEAKER_02: She's making that face because somebody told her to make that face.
44:46
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
44:47
SPEAKER_02: Or said, you know, your puppy dog is really sick.
44:50
SPEAKER_02: How would you feel?
44:51
SPEAKER_02: And to me that's really unfair to do to a child.
44:53
SPEAKER_02: Like we're not method actors at seven or we shouldn't be anyway.
44:57
SPEAKER_02: I think especially in the low-stakes competition world.
45:01
SPEAKER_02: You know, if you are a child actor and you are going to be in a Steven Spielberg movie and you need to cry on Q, that's a whole nother thing.
45:08
SPEAKER_02: But we're at a dance competition.
45:09
SPEAKER_02: If you're seven, you're probably in the novice category.
45:11
SPEAKER_02: You probably dance maybe two days a week.
45:13
SPEAKER_02: We don't need you to cry on stage.
45:15
SPEAKER_02: I don't need you to be that emotional.
45:16
SPEAKER_02: So yeah if if I'm seeing these sort of contorted distorted angsty facial expressions on a child, that's not connection to me.
45:25
SPEAKER_02: Which is why I would like to see you dance to a joyful song when you're seven.
45:29
SPEAKER_02: There can be happy pleasant joyful childlike lyrical dances where you can express something other than being sad.
45:38
SPEAKER_02: Because again we have our whole lives to be sad.
45:41
SPEAKER_02: There's going to be a lot of sad things that happen to everybody you know as we get older and if we can just hold on to that like joy that we have when we're seven let's just do that.
45:52
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
45:52
SPEAKER_00: Because why why put them through anything else, you know, if you don't have to and I I think that people gravitate towards these like emotional angsty songs because they think that's what wins.
46:04
SPEAKER_00: And if they you know show that emotion on stage and really dig deep and find that that you know the judgers are going to appreciate that and they're going to see that and they're going to notice how committed they are to the performance.
46:15
SPEAKER_00: And I don't really think that's always true.
46:18
SPEAKER_00: You know I think that there is a maturity level that comes attached to connecting in that way.
46:24
SPEAKER_00: And like you said Leslie you have your whole life to be sad and um not that like sad wins.
46:31
SPEAKER_00: That's not always true.
46:33
SPEAKER_00: But like I want to believe it.
46:35
SPEAKER_00: I I don't want it to feel pressured or or you know like you know yes we are actors on stage absolutely a thousand percent the moment you walk out on stage you are an actor until the moment your foot steps off of it.
46:46
SPEAKER_00: But at the same time the best kind of solo and even for groups as well is the ones that we can really connect to and relate to and understand the meaning of it.
46:56
SPEAKER_00: Oftentimes we've we've all seen you know dancers that are in group routines and maybe the choreographer has a a vision and they have an idea or a concept that is very personal to them but is not maybe appropriate for like song choice or even like the style of the dance.
47:14
SPEAKER_00: It might not be best suited for this age dancer or group of dancers and they're doing the best they can to try to make this vision come to life for the choreographer but we also have to remember like who again like we just said in the last question who our audience is and um things like that are important.
47:34
SPEAKER_00: So I don't know I I think that like teachers think that we have to always you know dig deep with those emotional songs and I think that for like the petite age category like the minis like the six and unders the eight nine ten we have to make sure that we're dancing in a pleasant uplifting happy way because those kids are amazingly happy and they're so joyful and I love seeing their smiles like not that they can't do an emotional dance but like you know I it has to be an age appropriate emotion.
48:06
SPEAKER_02: You know I lost my favorite doll.
48:08
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
48:08
SPEAKER_02: That is legitimate.
48:09
SPEAKER_00: That is something that a seven year old would cry about I cried about it and I lost my beanie baby at like the grocery store when I was eight and I like was that like devastated me like as a kid.
48:20
SPEAKER_00: You know like that's something that I can relate to.
48:22
SPEAKER_00: Right.
48:22
SPEAKER_00: Not like brokenhearted my boyfriend broke up with me and I'm eight years old.
48:26
SPEAKER_02: So like I think just for you know for the parents out there I'm not looking for your seven year old to be dancing about heartbreak.
48:33
SPEAKER_02: That's not what I want to see.
48:34
SPEAKER_02: That's not what I'm interested in.
48:35
SPEAKER_02: For the teachers out there I say this for myself as well.
48:39
SPEAKER_02: We have to drop the ego of this is my vision.
48:43
SPEAKER_02: This is the song that I want to do.
48:45
SPEAKER_02: If you don't have the kids that are going to be able to pull it off you have to be honest with yourself and and say this is not the right group for this.
48:53
SPEAKER_02: I want to do this piece so badly this is so meaningful to me I this thing has happened in my life that I want to express through dance and I have these kids.
49:01
SPEAKER_02: If if the kids that you have are not the right kids to do that, don't put that pressure on them.
49:06
SPEAKER_02: Don't put that pressure on yourself.
49:08
SPEAKER_02: Save it.
49:09
SPEAKER_02: Because eventually you will have the group of people that can pull that off emotionally technically physically everything.
49:16
SPEAKER_02: And do them the service of giving them something they're going to be good at as opposed to making it about yourself.
49:23
SPEAKER_02: And I've had to do that many times where I've just I've you know I have several ideas in the back of my head that I just don't have the people to do it yet.
49:29
SPEAKER_02: Yep.
49:30
SPEAKER_02: It's still back there.
49:31
SPEAKER_02: I'm still gonna do it one day.
49:32
SPEAKER_00: Yeah me too yeah you know I think we all probably feel that way and that's it's it's hard for us as as artists um and as choreographers to not have the you know right group to make this vision come to life.
49:46
SPEAKER_00: But every single thing and topic that we talk about on the podcast and in general at Dance Studios it's it's about the kids, right?
49:52
SPEAKER_00: It's like yes we as teachers want to be fulfilled and we are artists in ourselves as choreographers, but we also have to remember is this appropriate for the kid?
50:01
SPEAKER_00: Is the kid going to connect to this?
50:03
SPEAKER_00: Is this the best thing that I can give them that's going to help them shine on stage and help them you know achieve their goals and have success at competition or recital, whatever, whatever the the stage is yeah so I think um Heather kind of to wrap up your question, yes, please use unfamiliar songs.
50:21
SPEAKER_02: We appreciate it.
50:22
SPEAKER_02: Please have your children dance to things that they can really relate to.
50:26
SPEAKER_02: And our job is hard, you know so if you are listening to a critique and maybe you're not pleased or you you don't think there's enough in it, you know, just remember we are doing all of those things that you said and more while we're watching your three minute dance in the middle of a day that could consist of 500 dances.
50:44
SPEAKER_02: So we are doing our best, you know, which is why we are doing this podcast to give you even more because obviously you know we've been talking about this topic for what seven minutes um and it's two of us.
50:53
SPEAKER_02: So clearly we have a lot to say.
50:55
SPEAKER_02: I can't say it all in three minutes.
50:57
SPEAKER_02: So I you know I appreciate everybody uh listening and tuning in and sending in questions because we do want to help we do want these kids to succeed and to get all they can out of their critiques.
51:08
SPEAKER_02: You know so here's this podcast.
51:10
SPEAKER_02: Here's more information for you.
51:12
SPEAKER_02: So thank you for listening.
51:14
SPEAKER_00: All right we have made it to our final question of this episode and this is coming from a dance teacher who would like to remain anonymous from New Mexico.
51:22
SPEAKER_00: Their question is hello this is the second year one of my students has asked for a contemporary point solo.
51:28
SPEAKER_00: So my question is is it better to enter her in the point category or the contemporary category?
51:34
SPEAKER_00: Ooh good question and I love when people ask questions like this because I'm all about appropriate category placement.
51:42
SPEAKER_00: So thank you for asking this difficult question actually.
51:46
SPEAKER_02: It is difficult.
51:47
SPEAKER_02: Um and I like this kind of question too because it's gonna show how varied the answers are going to be and how you're not gonna please everyone with whichever choice you make.
51:57
SPEAKER_02: Somebody's gonna say it's not right.
51:59
SPEAKER_02: So my uh answer to that would be open.
52:02
SPEAKER_02: I would not put it in the point category or the contemporary category.
52:06
SPEAKER_02: And my reasoning behind that is because in the contemporary point solos that I've seen in the competitions that I've judged um over the past eight years, which are not you know it's not the Grand Prix it's not any any sort of specific ballet competition.
52:21
SPEAKER_02: These are all your general dance competitions the contemporary point solos that I've seen have included way more floor work um than point dancing and to me it would have made more sense to just do the dance barefoot because there was not enough work on point for it for me to consider it a point dance.
52:39
SPEAKER_02: When when I'm looking at point I want to see you be on those shoes, you know working in those shoes in the style of point 95% of the time.
52:48
SPEAKER_02: So that could mean a variation, a classical variation that could mean a choreography of your own uh from your own head uh that incorporates you know point in the ballet world if you're putting it at the contemporary category then you're you're kind of an anomaly it's a little shocking um you know to see especially because the contemporary category is huge these days and you know for some people it might be a breath of fresh air but for me as a judge I'd be confused.
53:13
SPEAKER_02: I would be confused.
53:14
SPEAKER_02: I I feel like if you're going into the open category it's because it's such a fusion um I would prefer to see it in open.
53:22
SPEAKER_00: Yeah I I mean the way that you explain that makes makes total sense because I do think that it really depends on the choreography.
53:31
SPEAKER_00: You know like we don't know this is just a general question.
53:33
SPEAKER_00: So like I haven't seen the contemporary point dance so I don't know how to really classify it without seeing it you know describing it in the sense of it is an actual like contemporary ballet that's done on point then I would say and if that's the case I would put it in the point category.
53:52
SPEAKER_00: But if we're doing like more of the fusion like you described Leslie where it's like competitive contemporary dance with a point shoe on then maybe it is better suited for open.
54:02
SPEAKER_00: Like you also mentioned it's we're not at YAGP but I feel like that there are dancers who do come to regular dance competitions and bring their classical variations that they're prepping for YAGP and at YAGP you usually do a classical ballet variation whether it's on flat or point usually point but depends on your age.
54:22
SPEAKER_00: And then you also have to compete a contemporary solo as well and what does that mean?
54:28
SPEAKER_00: I think that contemporary in the YAGP world is a completely different uh definition as to what we expect and what those judges expect for contemporary dance.
54:38
SPEAKER_00: And I think it's very much more you know structured in the contemporary ballet foundation with a lot of use of modern dance and uh controlled technique whereas we've kind of created our own like competitive contemporary category at competition which is like you know acro comes in I just think of acro immediately because like that's all I see like contortion and acro and and then fusing that into like contemporary movement.
55:05
SPEAKER_00: So if we're going like complexion style point which is what I envision when you describe contemporary point solo to me, then I would put that in the point category and not the open because if you're on point shoes and you're using your shoes properly and you're doing a lot of point work like Leslie mentioned you know if there is a little bit of floor work in there, whatever, but like if we're gonna be getting down and doing like chin stands with our point shoes on and like contortion with a point shoe and it's barely point and you just are wearing the shoe, then that's not point, right?
55:36
SPEAKER_00: Like that's kind of what you're saying is I need to see there needs to be a certain amount of point work being done majority point if it's going to be in the point category.
55:45
SPEAKER_02: Right.
55:46
SPEAKER_02: It would be like putting a dance in the tap category and you had like four shuffles.
55:49
SPEAKER_02: But I've seen that.
55:50
SPEAKER_02: Well yes and then then it's it's the same situation.
55:53
SPEAKER_02: It's like why are you here?
55:54
SPEAKER_02: I can't judge you because you're not doing the thing that you told me you were doing.
55:56
SPEAKER_02: Right.
55:57
SPEAKER_02: So yeah with the point I think it's definitely a case by case basis.
56:00
SPEAKER_02: So for this teacher asking you know what should I do?
56:04
SPEAKER_02: It's gonna depend on what you do as the choreographer.
56:06
SPEAKER_02: Right.
56:06
SPEAKER_02: So if you're choosing to make it a contemporary ballet solo on point, then fair.
56:12
SPEAKER_02: Yes put that in the point category.
56:14
SPEAKER_02: But if it is going to be more of a fusion more skewing towards the contemporary with a couple of point elements added, maybe stick it in open, maybe consider contemporary maybe show up one time do it contemporary see how it goes come to the next event put it in open.
56:31
SPEAKER_00: I think that it would be extremely risky to put a more contemporary than point solo with point shoes on in the contemporary category because you're already kind of like setting yourself up for failure because you have point shoes on.
56:47
SPEAKER_00: So like we're gonna judge you extra hard and we expect you to know how to use your point shoe properly if you are even coming on stage with that.
56:57
SPEAKER_00: So like there's already a higher expectation from us as judges as to what we expect with a point shoe on stage.
57:02
SPEAKER_00: Now you're putting it into a contemporary category where we're gonna see so much so many different styles of contemporary in that why not really try to stand out in something completely different and if that means that you have to make it a little bit more point than you originally intended to, that's okay because I think that it would make more sense for you to like you know go into the uh the appropriate genre instead of trying to just like be a little bit different by putting a point you want and being contemporary.
57:31
SPEAKER_00: Like if I was watching a dance that was predominantly contemporary that had a point you want I'd just be like take your point shoes off.
57:37
SPEAKER_00: I don't care.
57:38
SPEAKER_00: Right.
57:38
SPEAKER_00: You're not doing anything on point.
57:39
SPEAKER_00: So like who cares?
57:40
SPEAKER_00: Just be barefoot like everyone else.
57:41
SPEAKER_02: Yeah and that's that's my opinion too that if you know if if it's not again like I said 95% on point or working in a point shoe the way you're supposed to work in a point shoe, then why what's the point?
57:53
SPEAKER_02: Right.
57:53
SPEAKER_02: Pun intended.
57:54
SPEAKER_02: Yeah so yeah I mean definitely good good luck with that this season.
57:58
SPEAKER_02: I'm I you know hope to maybe see you one day on the stage um and maybe it'll be you.
58:03
SPEAKER_00: All right everybody thanks so much for tuning in to this month's edition of QA with Courtney and thank you to my very special guest and co-host Leslie Miller for joining in on this discussion.
58:14
SPEAKER_00: Thanks for having me Courtney this was super fun.
58:16
SPEAKER_00: If you'd like to follow us on Instagram you can follow us at Courtney.ortiz and lil underscore Les36.
58:24
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58:29
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58:34
SPEAKER_00: And if you have a question that you want answered live on the podcast on our next QA with Courtney episode send it over to us now.
58:41
SPEAKER_00: Your question can be about dance competitions, what the judges look for, studio training anything relating to the dance world.
58:47
SPEAKER_00: So head to our website at Impactdanceadjudicators dot com slash podcast.
58:52
SPEAKER_00: We have some exciting topics coming your way soon on the podcast like tech, competition kindness and an interview with Revel Dance Convention.
59:00
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59:06
SPEAKER_00: Thanks so much for tuning in to this month's QA with Courtney episode on making the impact.
59:11
SPEAKER_00: Until next time keep dancing