Latest / Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast / A Crash Course on Award Ceremonies 🏆

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A Crash Course on Award Ceremonies 🏆 · Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast

• 0:07
  SPEAKER_02: Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the table at a dance competition?
• 0:10
  SPEAKER_02: Exactly what are the judges looking for anyway?
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_02: This is Making the Impact, a dance competition podcast.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_02: Each week we'll cover a different topic related to the world of competitive dance from the perspective of the judges behind the table.
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_02: This week on Making the Impact, it's all about awards ceremonies.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_02: Even for seasoned judges and dance studio owners, competition awards ceremonies can be confusing.
• 0:34
  SPEAKER_02: We've brought in veteran studio owner and IDA judge Maria Pomerlow and Star Talent Productions MC James Murphy to give you the breakdown on how to understand the ins and outs of awards.
• 0:46
  SPEAKER_05: Hey y'all, welcome to this week's episode of Making the Impact.
• 0:50
  SPEAKER_05: I'm your host, Courtney Ortiz, and I'm here, like always, with my fabulous co-host, Leslie Mueller.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_02: Courtney, I'm back.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_02: I am so bummed that I had to miss last week's episode, but I am back.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_02: We are ready to go, and I'm so stoked about this episode.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_05: She's back, everybody.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_05: I'm not gonna lie, it felt so weird without you.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_02: I bet it did.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_02: I don't even remember why I couldn't come, but it was like a challenge.
• 1:13
  SPEAKER_02: So You are sick.
• 1:14
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, that's right.
• 1:15
  SPEAKER_02: I lost my voice.
• 1:16
  SPEAKER_02: Oh my gosh.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_02: You didn't even have a voice, and you have to have a voice for a podcast.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_02: So you do.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_02: So sorry, listeners, but I'm sure you got an excellent episode from our friends over at Steps Dance Center.
• 1:28
  SPEAKER_02: And tonight, tonight, today, this morning, whenever you listen, you're in for a treat because we have two awesome guests and we have an awesome topic with award ceremonies.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_05: Yes.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_05: If you have ever attended a dance competition award ceremony and have no idea what is going on, you are not the only person.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_05: They're not alone.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_05: You are not alone.
• 1:49
  SPEAKER_05: They are so confusing.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_05: Every competition is different.
• 1:52
  SPEAKER_05: There's so many awards being thrown out, the adjudication scales are different for each event.
• 1:58
  SPEAKER_05: It is a lot to take in, and we're gonna do a crash course on what to expect at dance competition award ceremonies today on Making the Impact with our wonderful guests.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_05: But first, before we jump into our episode and our sponsors, guess what?
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_05: What?
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_05: We have our very first Making the Impact Judges Choice award winner of the 2024 season to announce on the podcast, and I'm thrilled about it.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_02: Can you believe we are already to the point of announcing those?
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_02: Like it's solidly competition season.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_05: It is, and that also means that there have been IDA judges out at IDA affiliated dance competition events already in 2024.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_05: So I'm really excited that we're doing this again.
• 2:42
  SPEAKER_05: Um, Making the Impact sponsors a judge's choice award that is happening at every IDA affiliated competition.
• 2:48
  SPEAKER_05: So if you have IDA judges on your panel, then your dance could possibly win the Making the Impact Judge's Choice Award.
• 2:56
  SPEAKER_05: And what that means is that all of the IDA judges will collaborate to decide out of every single dance in the entire event, solos through productions, beginner to advanced, five years old to 18 years old, any age, any level, any genre, it's that one dance that they cannot stop thinking about.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_05: Something that made an impact on them, whether it was through their performance, their technique, their choreography, they loved it and they want to recognize you.
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_05: And the bonus perk about being a Making the Impact award winner is getting a shout-out live on Making the Impact this season.
• 3:29
  SPEAKER_05: So, Leslie, do you want to share our most recent winner?
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_02: I will.
• 3:34
  SPEAKER_02: I'm really excited to announce that from the Streets Dance Conventions event in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, we are awarding the Making the Impact Award, the very first one of season five of Making the Impact and the 2024 competition season.
• 3:47
  SPEAKER_02: Drum O please.
• 3:50
  SPEAKER_02: It is Jill Listy Dance Studio from Lafayette, Louisiana for their duo trio move.
• 3:55
  SPEAKER_05: Yay, congrats, y'all! I actually had the opportunity to judge that event because I will be sitting on every judging panel at the Streets Dance Convention all season long.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_05: And I loved it.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_05: It was such a fun, clean jazz routine for juniors.
• 4:10
  SPEAKER_05: It was amazing and well executed.
• 4:12
  SPEAKER_05: So congrats, y'all.
• 4:13
  SPEAKER_05: You are our very first winner of season five.
• 4:16
  SPEAKER_05: Nice.
• 4:17
  SPEAKER_05: Very cool.
• 4:18
  SPEAKER_05: Stay tuned for more award winners coming your way as the season progresses.
• 4:22
  SPEAKER_05: But before we jump into this week's episode, let's hear from our sponsors.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_05: Calling on Minis! Do you have a dancer between the ages of 7 to 10 who loves to dance?
• 4:32
  SPEAKER_05: Are you looking for additional training intensives for your mini?
• 4:35
  SPEAKER_05: Then you'll definitely want to attend Francisco Gela Dance Works Mini Mania.
• 4:40
  SPEAKER_05: The Mini Mania Dance Intensive will give young dancers a head start by providing the necessary tools to understand the fundamentals of training from a technical and artistic capacity.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_05: Dancers will participate in a variety of classes throughout the intensive, like ballet, jazz, hip-hop, musicality courses, dance history, and modern dance foundations.
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_05: And parents also have a chance to jump in on the fun with informative seminars and class observation opportunities to watch your tiny dancers blossom through their love of dance.
• 5:09
  SPEAKER_05: Choose your coast and join Francisco Gella and faculty at one of their mini mania intensives this season.
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_05: Minimania West is taking place in Los Angeles, California from March 1st through the 3rd, 2024.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_05: And Minnie Mania East is taking place in Miami, Florida, from May 31st through June 2nd, 2024.
• 5:26
  SPEAKER_05: Class sizes are limited to only 35 dancers for a personalized experience, and all interested dancers must submit an audition to be considered.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_05: Deadlines are coming up quick, so head to their website now to learn more about this exciting intensive for your dancers.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_05: Thank you to Francisco Gala Danceworks for being our season five premiere sponsor.
• 5:45
  SPEAKER_05: Alright, Dance World, we are jumping into this week's episode and we're talking all about the award ceremonies.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_05: Everyone attends them.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_05: We all want to find out who got first overall, who got a special award, what adjudication did you get?
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_05: We're gonna tell you all about what all of those things mean.
• 6:03
  SPEAKER_05: If you're a dance parent and you're like, what even is that?
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_05: What's an adjudication?
• 6:07
  SPEAKER_05: What is triple titanium?
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_05: What is a bronze mean in dance competition world?
• 6:12
  SPEAKER_05: We are gonna dive deep into a chat today with two special guests joining us here on Making the Impact.
• 6:18
  SPEAKER_05: The very first guest I'm excited to welcome is someone who I've known for many, many years, and I've had the pleasure to meet them on an IDA affiliated competition because we couldn't do an award ceremony episode without having an actual award ceremony host from a dance competition.
• 6:34
  SPEAKER_05: I am so excited to welcome the host of Star Talent Productions Award Ceremonies, James Murphy.
• 6:42
  SPEAKER_05: Welcome to the podcast, James.
• 6:44
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much, Courtney, Leslie.
• 6:46
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you so much for having me.
• 6:47
  SPEAKER_00: It is so exciting to be here finally on the podcast.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_00: It's I've dreamt of it before, and now my dreams are a reality.
• 6:55
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you for having me.
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_05: Of course.
• 6:57
  SPEAKER_05: I knew we needed to happy for this one.
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_05: I mean, you're the perfect person, and you are such a fantastic host and MC at Star Talent.
• 7:06
  SPEAKER_05: I have witnessed you in action, and you just do you make my dreams come true when it comes to being an awards host.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Courtney.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
• 7:15
  SPEAKER_05: You just you make it so fun.
• 7:17
  SPEAKER_05: You interact with the kids, you're playing games.
• 7:19
  SPEAKER_05: I remember one time you did like questions for the judges during a judges break, and you like came and down into the judges table and were asking us questions like on the fly.
• 7:27
  SPEAKER_05: You were just so, so good at your job.
• 7:29
  SPEAKER_05: And that's exactly what I think that the audience loves.
• 7:33
  SPEAKER_05: I think the kids love it.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_05: Like you are the face of Star Talent when they come to the event.
• 7:38
  SPEAKER_05: And I'm just, I'm so happy that you wanted to join us today.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, absolutely.
• 7:42
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I think it's all about the kids, right?
• 7:44
  SPEAKER_00: You have to make that experience fun and engaging and exciting.
• 7:47
  SPEAKER_00: And you know, they're there to compete, but they should also be there to have fun, make memories, make friends, right?
• 7:53
  SPEAKER_00: And so I hope that um by what I'm doing, that I'm helping to facilitate that, you know?
• 7:57
  SPEAKER_00: It's like a big party.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_05: It is, and you are doing a fantastic job.
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_05: Thank you.
• 8:03
  SPEAKER_05: James, if you wouldn't mind telling the world a little bit more about you.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, absolutely.
• 8:07
  SPEAKER_00: Uh so first in background, I was a dancer myself.
• 8:10
  SPEAKER_00: I was a competitive dancer in high school and then uh moved on and went to New York to pursue a professional career in dancing.
• 8:17
  SPEAKER_00: I was danced professionally for a while, and uh then that of course naturally translates uh into teaching.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_00: So I was teach I taught for a while as well.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_00: Um it was quite kind of interesting how I got into dance competitions on the other side, right, of the of the screen.
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_00: My friend, one of my best friends, one day we're we're sitting at a competition, and she may tell the story a little bit differently, but we were sitting at a competition and she was like, you know, I think that I could do this better.
• 8:41
  SPEAKER_00: And and I said, you know what?
• 8:43
  SPEAKER_00: I said, I think you can too.
• 8:45
  SPEAKER_00: So go ahead and do it.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_00: You know, as a joke, right?
• 8:47
  SPEAKER_00: And uh, I guess she'd been thinking about it already for a while because not even a few years later, she was doing it.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_00: And she said, Hey, you know, of course you're starting a new business, you need all hands on deck, right?
• 8:57
  SPEAKER_00: You're getting the support of your friends.
• 8:58
  SPEAKER_00: So I was there as a friend first and foremost.
• 9:00
  SPEAKER_00: I thought, absolutely, I will help out with this.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_00: And that was 17 years ago.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_05: Oh my god.
• 9:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yes.
• 9:08
  SPEAKER_05: Is your friend the owner of Star Talent?
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_00: My friend is the owner of Star Talent, yes.
• 9:14
  SPEAKER_00: Shout out to Jen.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_00: We love you, Jen.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_00: Love her so much.
• 9:18
  SPEAKER_05: Yes, she's awesome.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_05: And wow, 17 years.
• 9:21
  SPEAKER_05: You've been doing this from year one year one year one.
• 9:25
  SPEAKER_00: Now, the first year, the first year I wasn't an awards host, I was terrified of it, actually.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_00: I was just a judge.
• 9:31
  SPEAKER_00: And so year two, she says, you know, I would love to get you on the mic.
• 9:35
  SPEAKER_00: And I said, absolutely not.
• 9:39
  SPEAKER_00: I can't do this.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_00: I've never even done I've never done anything like this before.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_00: And I I did it though, you know, because I'm trying to help her out.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, next thing you know, I was like, whoa, actually, I really love this.
• 9:52
  SPEAKER_00: And I just never turned back.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_00: Been on the mic ever since.
• 9:55
  SPEAKER_05: You were meant.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_05: It was meant to be, honestly.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_05: And you know what?
• 9:59
  SPEAKER_05: Some people I will say, like, we have a lot of judges on the roster at IDA who have expressed interest in diving into the MC and hosting world.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_05: And a lot of people, once they dabble in it, they're like, wait, I love this.
• 10:11
  SPEAKER_05: I love interacting with the kids.
• 10:13
  SPEAKER_05: I love like running the room.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_05: I love, you know, being up on stage and connecting with the audience.
• 10:18
  SPEAKER_05: And but there's a lot of people who are like, never in a million years, I don't ever want to do that.
• 10:24
  unknown: Yes.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
• 10:26
  SPEAKER_05: So um, I mean, good for you for being a team player and taking the risk and trying it and then falling in love with it.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_05: And like I said, you're doing a fantastic job.
• 10:35
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Courtney.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_05: Yes, you're so welcome.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_05: Well, thanks for being here.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_05: Can't wait to chat all things award ceremonies with you.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_05: All right, our next special guest is returning to our podcast.
• 10:45
  SPEAKER_05: She is an IDA judge, and you may remember her from last season, season four, episode 126, the title division at competition.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_05: What a great episode.
• 10:57
  SPEAKER_05: She is also a former studio owner.
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_05: So I wanted to get the perspective of all the different competition events that she's attended as a studio owner, as a teacher, as a judge, and hear more from her.
• 11:08
  SPEAKER_05: So please welcome Maria Pomerlow back to the podcast.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_05: Welcome, Maria.
• 11:13
  SPEAKER_01: Thank you.
• 11:14
  SPEAKER_01: I don't think I can quite top the introduction of James.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_01: I'm not as charismatic because I'm not an MC, but I will do my best.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_05: Oh my gosh.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_05: First of all, you were gonna nail the introduction.
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_05: Secondly, I'm really, really thrilled that you wanted to join us back on the podcast for this one.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_05: I loved our episode last year, talking all things title.
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_05: You were so spectacular.
• 11:36
  SPEAKER_05: And I knew I wanted you back again for season five.
• 11:40
  SPEAKER_05: So here we are.
• 11:41
  SPEAKER_05: And if you wouldn't mind telling the world a little bit more about you, reminding them where you're based, um, how you got into dance and studio ownership and what you're currently working on now.
• 11:52
  SPEAKER_01: Sure thing.
• 11:53
  SPEAKER_01: I am like James, where I started dancing young and I was a competitive dancer.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_01: And at the risk of dating myself, that was before there were adjudications when I competed, and we can get into that later.
• 12:06
  SPEAKER_01: Um, I always taught dance since the time I graduated high school because I had a second life as a chemical engineer in corporate America.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_01: And it wasn't until about a dozen years later that I chose to make my part-time hobby, my full-time gig, and open a studio.
• 12:24
  SPEAKER_01: And I did have a studio for 15 years.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_01: We've attended many a competition.
• 12:30
  SPEAKER_01: At the last time that we spoke at our last podcast recording, I was simply a former studio owner.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_01: But since then, I'm now a full-time adjudicator.
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_01: So last year I went to 16 regionals from among five different companies and two nationals as a judge.
• 12:47
  SPEAKER_01: And then additionally, this fall, I returned to teaching part-time after a couple year hiatus.
• 12:54
  SPEAKER_01: So I'll be back on both sides, both as a client at a competition as well as an adjudicator at a competition.
• 13:01
  SPEAKER_01: It keeps me very busy, seven days a week, pretty much from this Friday until the 4th of July.
• 13:08
  unknown: Oh my God.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_02: When you put it that way, that makes a very, very long time.
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_01: It does minus a couple holidays.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_01: Yep.
• 13:17
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
• 13:18
  unknown: Wow.
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_05: You are booked and blessed, and I love hearing it.
• 13:21
  SPEAKER_05: That is spectacular.
• 13:22
  SPEAKER_05: You have a busy season ahead.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_05: Wow.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_05: But um, we're so grateful to have you here and so grateful to have you as one of our judges on the IDA roster.
• 13:31
  SPEAKER_01: Well, thank you.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_01: I'm excited to talk about all things awards ceremonies.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_02: All right, let's do it.
• 13:37
  SPEAKER_02: Man, well, here we go.
• 13:38
  SPEAKER_02: So, my first question is I think for Maria, first and foremost, because you have attended, I would say probably you've attended more as a as a client or as a judge, whereas James, you're leading one and it's pretty consistent for you.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_02: Absolutely.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_02: But Maria, why are awards ceremonies hard to follow?
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_02: Because they are, they're not just like a walk in the park.
• 13:59
  SPEAKER_05: They are confusing.
• 14:01
  SPEAKER_01: I would say there's so many reasons why they're hard to follow.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_01: One could be who you are, the first-year competitive dance parent or their first-year competitive dancer, they don't have any relativity and maybe not any education to understand what the award ceremony entails.
• 14:20
  SPEAKER_01: And just when they think they get it figured out, say by the end of an event, then they go to a new company a few weeks later and they have to learn their specific brand and their specific rules.
• 14:33
  SPEAKER_01: There can also be like other logistical reasons too.
• 14:36
  SPEAKER_01: Like sometimes they just go so fast because they know that they have to jam-pack in so many entries.
• 14:44
  SPEAKER_01: And there is like a balance between not making the award ceremony too long, but at the same time understood.
• 14:53
  SPEAKER_01: So, gosh, there's so many reasons why it can be hard to follow.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_01: Those are valid points.
• 14:59
  SPEAKER_01: Anything to add, James?
• 15:00
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, absolutely.
• 15:01
  SPEAKER_00: So, first, you know, having that balance, right?
• 15:04
  SPEAKER_00: It's like we're not auctioneers, right?
• 15:06
  SPEAKER_00: So why are we talking like we're at an auction?
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_00: And I am guilty of this as well, right?
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_00: And so it's important, right?
• 15:13
  SPEAKER_00: We have to speak evenly.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_00: We have to speak fast enough to where we're not creating a situation where it's a two-hour award session, but we have to speak slow enough to where the audience can follow along.
• 15:24
  SPEAKER_00: And I think it's it's super important.
• 15:26
  SPEAKER_00: Like you brought up a great point on they go to one event and they learn their system, right?
• 15:32
  SPEAKER_00: Then they go to another event and the system's completely different.
• 15:35
  SPEAKER_00: And then it's like, oh my gosh.
• 15:37
  SPEAKER_00: Right?
• 15:38
  SPEAKER_00: So I know one thing we try to do to kind of head that off is expl, or one thing that I try to do when I'm doing awards is I try to explain each section as I'm going along.
• 15:49
  SPEAKER_00: Because I think that's really important for them to understand the format.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 15:53
  SPEAKER_00: You go into your adjudications, and then we're going, now we're going into special awards.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_00: Now we're going into your overalls, and here's what that means.
• 16:00
  SPEAKER_00: And more than that, here are what the different levels mean, here are what the different skills mean.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_00: Here's why they would get this score or why you'd have this judication versus this judication.
• 16:11
  SPEAKER_00: I'm getting so ahead of myself.
• 16:12
  SPEAKER_00: I'm sorry, but but you you see what I'm saying?
• 16:14
  SPEAKER_00: It's important for that they are informed, right?
• 16:17
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_02: Because otherwise you're just sitting there, and like, I mean, not only is like, okay, you're talking really fast, there's a million people, it's hot or it's cold, or it's late because we ran late because we started late, because X, Y, and Z.
• 16:30
  SPEAKER_02: There's just so much happening in the moment that, like, even if you know what you're doing, you still have to sit there and like focus and pay attention.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_02: Because there's a thousand different things happening in the moment.
• 16:42
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, that's such a good point.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_05: It is, it's overwhelming.
• 16:46
  SPEAKER_05: I can only imagine what a dance parent is feeling.
• 16:49
  SPEAKER_05: I'm sure when dad shows up for awards, he's like, What is going on?
• 16:54
  SPEAKER_05: Like, you know, mom, mom might have it a little figured out at a point, you know, a certain few years in, mom knows the drill.
• 17:01
  SPEAKER_05: But dad is probably so darn confused by what's happening at the award ceremony.
• 17:07
  SPEAKER_05: And something I want to talk about when it comes to different competition companies that adds to the confusion is adjudicated awards and the titles of adjudicated awards, because I think we've seen it all at this point in the industry.
• 17:24
  SPEAKER_02: Well, first of all, can somebody explain what that word means?
• 17:27
  SPEAKER_02: Because it's a big word.
• 17:28
  SPEAKER_02: Sometimes it's, you know, you could apply it to different things in the world, you know, but in in the terms of dance competition, like what does an adjudication mean?
• 17:36
  SPEAKER_01: I'll take a stab at it.
• 17:37
  SPEAKER_01: I always try to explain to parents, including those dads, that adjudications are like a grade at school.
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_01: You can get an A plus, an A minus, a B plus, and so on.
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_01: So when they're announcing that adjudication, it's reflecting a certain range of scores, just like an A is from say a 93 to a 99.9, and the A plus means a score of 100.
• 18:04
  SPEAKER_01: So you could hear an entire page of the same adjudication because they're all falling within that range of scores.
• 18:13
  SPEAKER_01: Not that that's necessarily ideal.
• 18:16
  SPEAKER_01: I like to hear a range of names so that we know what good, better, best is per se.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_01: But that's how I try to explain it to say a non-dancer is in school terms, which are much more common.
• 18:29
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 18:30
  SPEAKER_02: And it also, I think a good point to add to that is like you said, you want to hear a range down a page.
• 18:35
  SPEAKER_02: Sometimes that's just not possible.
• 18:37
  SPEAKER_02: You might get A plus, A plus, A plus.
• 18:39
  SPEAKER_02: That's just the order those kids went in.
• 18:41
  SPEAKER_02: And they happened to be A plus, A plus, A plus, you know?
• 18:45
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 18:45
  SPEAKER_02: And that's I think that's important.
• 18:47
  SPEAKER_01: And dare I say, I'm from Minnesota and I'm biased, and we hear a lot of A pluses.
• 18:51
  SPEAKER_01: There's a lot of A pluses in M.
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_00: I'd say there, I'd say there's good reason uh to be able to stand behind that statement after this weekend.
• 18:59
  SPEAKER_03: So yes.
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_00: Wow.
• 19:02
  SPEAKER_00: Um, I I think that is a perfect definition.
• 19:05
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that that's great, Leslie, that you brought up that there may be the same adjudication that's said over and over and over again.
• 19:11
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that, you know, there are some competitions where it's, you know, it's all A pluses, and sometimes it's competitions where it's all Bs, right?
• 19:19
  SPEAKER_00: But it's regardless, it's all the same.
• 19:21
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's where you know you have categories and over and your category wins come in, right?
• 19:27
  SPEAKER_00: So let's say you have like a min uh a petite dancer, you know, competing a musical theater routine and she has five contestants in that same category.
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_00: Well, they may have all gotten gold, but she got first place, or one of them gets first place in that category.
• 19:42
  SPEAKER_00: So that's where you can kind of create some of that differential when it may seem like everything is the same.
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 19:48
  SPEAKER_02: And that's why that when when we talk about, you know, you may hear people on a dance forum or on a podcast or something talk about you don't necessarily care so much about the adjudication.
• 19:58
  SPEAKER_02: It's the overalls that matter.
• 20:00
  SPEAKER_02: Because, like we said, sure, all four of us got an A.
• 20:04
  SPEAKER_02: That's that makes me feel, you know, in that moment, like, okay, well, well, who is the best?
• 20:09
  SPEAKER_02: Somebody's gotta be the best, right?
• 20:10
  SPEAKER_02: Like we're all the best, but somebody's gotta be better than the best.
• 20:13
  SPEAKER_02: And that's when, like, we with your valedictorian or your class placement in school, you know, you don't hear that very often until you get to valedictorian level high school, you know, where it's really gets broken down.
• 20:24
  SPEAKER_02: But so that's kind of how I would compare it to overalls that it's almost like thinking about your top three in the senior class of high school.
• 20:32
  SPEAKER_01: I do, but I think that they're, especially with young dancers, some of their early goals are very focused on achieving the top adjudication level at a competition.
• 20:43
  SPEAKER_01: And that's okay.
• 20:44
  SPEAKER_01: Sometimes I tease parents because they often present their dancer as the winner because they did earn the top adjudication level, but then didn't necessarily place in the overalls.
• 20:56
  SPEAKER_01: So, on one hand, I appreciate that that's their goal, but sometimes they utilize it to like curate the way they share that information with other people.
• 21:07
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 21:08
  SPEAKER_00: And I agree to add on to that, you know, this may be where some of the different naming conventions come into play and how we've kind of transformed as an industry and how we name the different award or how we name the different adjudications.
• 21:20
  SPEAKER_00: Why instead of it just being like I see this all the time on internet forums, you know, it's silver, bronze, silver, gold, bronze, silver, gold, but it's not.
• 21:28
  SPEAKER_00: It's it's you know, diamond, it's emerald, it's you know, double platinum, right?
• 21:33
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, it's all of these things.
• 21:34
  SPEAKER_00: And and some of that I think is so that the dancer can go back and say, I got a platinum.
• 21:40
  SPEAKER_00: And a platinum may not be the diamond, right?
• 21:42
  SPEAKER_00: Or the whatever the highest, you know, I'm just speaking in generality, right?
• 21:47
  SPEAKER_00: But it's to to help uh build self esteem.
• 21:50
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that that's what dance competitions should be doing at a r at this level too, right?
• 21:55
  SPEAKER_00: It's not like collegiate level dance, right?
• 21:58
  SPEAKER_00: So um that's just my my take.
• 22:01
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
• 22:01
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
• 22:02
  SPEAKER_05: I mean, it definitely is interesting to have watched it, and all of us have been in this industry in somewhere or another for the past 20 years.
• 22:10
  SPEAKER_05: So it is really interesting to see how adjudications have shifted in the past 20 years.
• 22:17
  SPEAKER_05: I mean, I grew up as a competition dancer and I remember honorable mention.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_05: We've talked about it on the podcast many times before.
• 22:26
  SPEAKER_05: Everybody listening in 2024 is probably like, what in the world is an honorable mention?
• 22:31
  SPEAKER_05: But it existed.
• 22:33
  SPEAKER_05: Like it used to a lot of competitions used to get just it was pretty much like a participation award.
• 22:39
  SPEAKER_05: Like you you showed up and you you did you did the thing.
• 22:42
  SPEAKER_05: And good job to you.
• 22:44
  SPEAKER_05: But uh you you're not gonna rank, you don't get anything, like you find out your score and you get your critiques, but thanks for showing up today.
• 22:52
  SPEAKER_05: Good job.
• 22:53
  SPEAKER_05: And that was called honorable mention.
• 22:54
  SPEAKER_05: And then after that, it did go into bronze, silver, gold.
• 22:58
  SPEAKER_05: I'd say like in my later, like in my teens, they started introducing platinum to the competition world.
• 23:06
  SPEAKER_05: And then, as we all know, it's gone just wild and crazy after that.
• 23:10
  SPEAKER_05: I mean, you know, yeah, it's just like you said, double platinum.
• 23:14
  SPEAKER_05: Maybe we have diamonds started creeping in, titanium started creeping in, and then the other certain brands will just create whole new words and yeah, jewels, like you said, emeralds and sapphires and ruby pixie dust.
• 23:29
  SPEAKER_05: Yes.
• 23:30
  SPEAKER_02: It's just anything you want.
• 23:33
  SPEAKER_02: I will say Courtney.
• 23:35
  SPEAKER_01: I am older than you, and I grew up in the days where my very first competitions they just put a piece of paper outside the auditorium that ranked you from highest to lowest.
• 23:49
  SPEAKER_01: And so that was before the days of like having honorable mention and a say a tenth through a first, and then later they added adjudications.
• 23:59
  SPEAKER_01: So I feel especially old, but it was very humbling.
• 24:02
  SPEAKER_01: And I mean, there are moments where I think it's all a little crazy in terms of the nomenclature and the number of levels.
• 24:10
  SPEAKER_01: But then I think about when I was a child, how difficult it was to manage seeing that piece of paper and knowing you might be on the bottom half of the list.
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_01: So there is value still in doing it, just as James said, about building self-confidence in these dancers and also building loyalty in parents to continue to invest in the studio.
• 24:34
  SPEAKER_01: And then let's just talk about the whole chain.
• 24:37
  SPEAKER_01: Studios then becoming loyal to very specific competitions year over year.
• 24:43
  SPEAKER_01: So there is value to it, even if at moments we think it's all a little nut nuts.
• 24:49
  unknown: Yeah.
• 24:50
  SPEAKER_01: Very well.
• 24:52
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, it's it's it's a great point.
• 24:54
  SPEAKER_05: And it is, I'm glad that you brought that up because, like, let's be real, competitions are a business.
• 25:00
  SPEAKER_05: Dance studios are a business.
• 25:02
  SPEAKER_05: Yes, it's about the kids.
• 25:04
  SPEAKER_05: Yes, we are trying to invest in their future and their training, and we want to motivate them and we want to teach them life lessons, and we want to teach them how to lose gracefully and all of those things that come with participating in a dance competition.
• 25:16
  SPEAKER_05: But also, competitions want you to come back next year.
• 25:20
  SPEAKER_05: And they want to make sure that everyone's not walking away feeling absolutely defeated in what they got on their score.
• 25:27
  SPEAKER_05: I mean, it's gotten to a point that we don't hear the word bronze.
• 25:32
  SPEAKER_05: We don't hear the word.
• 25:34
  SPEAKER_05: Like that's how we've evolved this industry is we're gonna start the the the quote unquote one of the lower adjudications at gold for some places, and then we work our way up from there and just kind of change it up.
• 25:47
  SPEAKER_05: But everyone in the industry weirdly knows that somehow gold equals bronze now.
• 25:52
  SPEAKER_05: You know, it's just like this thing that everyone kind of knows in their head, but we're not putting that label on it.
• 25:58
  SPEAKER_05: And hopefully, or maybe you don't know that and you come back next year, you know?
• 26:02
  SPEAKER_05: Like it it is an interesting um shift.
• 26:05
  SPEAKER_05: And I also think that that shift happened due to the growth of dance competitions in the industry and trying to stay competitive and stuff, trying to stay relevant because you know, there's over 200 dance competition companies just in the United States alone.
• 26:19
  SPEAKER_05: So, you know, they everyone has to figure out a way to like make everybody happy and change it up a little bit and find something unique in their how they do adjudications.
• 26:28
  SPEAKER_05: But I do want to just like final thought on adjudications is I want everyone to know that yes, those goals that you mentioned, Maria, of dancers trying to hit the adjudications and trying to get the highest adjudication, it's so hard to set that that goal for yourself because every competition is so different.
• 26:48
  SPEAKER_05: And and truly, like the the bracket of each adjudication could be a huge spread between each competition.
• 26:55
  SPEAKER_05: And unless you're really like analyzing that and not just hearing the scale, then you're you probab you might be thinking you're not making progress.
• 27:04
  SPEAKER_05: When you actually are making great progress as a dancer, you're not going backwards if you get a quote unquote lower adjudication at your next event.
• 27:12
  SPEAKER_05: It's just a different scale.
• 27:14
  SPEAKER_05: It's also who showed up that day.
• 27:16
  SPEAKER_05: Maybe the talent was different at that event.
• 27:18
  SPEAKER_05: Like I think a lot of people get wrapped up on the scores and wrapped up in the adjudication.
• 27:22
  SPEAKER_05: And I think there's a lot more to it because we don't have a universal system at dance competitions where everything's the same.
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_05: It is very different everywhere.
• 27:30
  SPEAKER_00: Amen.
• 27:32
  SPEAKER_01: It really is just a snapshot in time.
• 27:34
  SPEAKER_01: There's been so many times where some I'll go back to a break room and a judge will comment on, like, did you see that?
• 27:42
  SPEAKER_01: And I'm like, my chin was turned the other way.
• 27:44
  SPEAKER_01: Nope.
• 27:45
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 27:46
  SPEAKER_01: And so just that three-point difference, say, between judge one, someone else, and I'm judge two, may just be because I turn my eyes to a different focus for five seconds compared to my fellow person at the table.
• 28:02
  SPEAKER_05: That's true.
• 28:03
  SPEAKER_05: That's true.
• 28:03
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, there's there's so much that goes into it.
• 28:05
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that's another just a thing to drive home, like you said, Courtney, with the last final thoughts that, you know, every every judge is different, every panel is different, every group of people judging you is different, and every experience you have on stage is different.
• 28:21
  SPEAKER_02: You know, and so if, like you said, if if the focus is on, okay, I need to get a high gold next weekend, okay.
• 28:27
  SPEAKER_02: Well, did you I would focus more on the critique because if you say, oh, I want to focus on hitting that double pirouette, you got the critique weekend one.
• 28:35
  SPEAKER_02: I need you to really h get a higher relevant on that double pirouette.
• 28:38
  SPEAKER_02: Weekend two, nobody says anything about that.
• 28:40
  SPEAKER_02: That's the goal.
• 28:41
  SPEAKER_02: Don't talk about my pirouette, because if you talked about it, that means something's wrong with it.
• 28:45
  SPEAKER_02: You know?
• 28:46
  SPEAKER_02: So and but maybe they saw something different somewhere else that skewed their score.
• 28:49
  SPEAKER_02: But so I don't know.
• 28:50
  SPEAKER_02: I'm I'm not a numbers person.
• 28:52
  SPEAKER_02: So like 93, 97, whatever.
• 28:54
  SPEAKER_02: Give me words, give me like actionable things, not numbers.
• 28:58
  SPEAKER_00: Oh yeah.
• 28:58
  SPEAKER_00: I used to keep a list when I would finish my routine and I'd have my feedback from my coach.
• 29:03
  SPEAKER_00: I'd you know, she'd tell me, or we listen to the judge's critiques.
• 29:05
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, at the time it was a lot more written, or to set or a tape.
• 29:09
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 29:09
  unknown: Yes.
• 29:10
  SPEAKER_00: And um, you know, and I would list them all out, right?
• 29:13
  SPEAKER_00: And I'd spend that next week or few weeks practicing, all okay, make sure you don't have chicken arms in your Al Sacan turns, you know, like things like that.
• 29:19
  SPEAKER_00: And that my goal for the next week was okay, how many of these was I able to correct?
• 29:24
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 29:24
  SPEAKER_00: Right?
• 29:25
  SPEAKER_00: And, you know, not here.
• 29:26
  SPEAKER_00: And so that's perfect.
• 29:27
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my gosh, you you basically just defined me when I was a kid in competition.
• 29:32
  SPEAKER_01: And there really is value in dancing for the critique because that translates to when you become a professional performer, can you take production notes?
• 29:41
  SPEAKER_01: Yes.
• 29:41
  SPEAKER_01: And that's what really matters is it doesn't matter necessarily the standing ovation at the end of your Broadway performance.
• 29:50
  SPEAKER_01: But what might matter is the next morning when you come back to rehearsal, can you take all of those notes?
• 29:56
  SPEAKER_01: And the critique is a really helpful way to train beyond the trophy that you got that day.
• 30:03
  SPEAKER_05: Oh, train that's on the right there.
• 30:06
  SPEAKER_05: That is a nugget.
• 30:07
  SPEAKER_01: And I didn't even think of it in advance.
• 30:11
  SPEAKER_01: You didn't reference your notes.
• 30:14
  SPEAKER_01: No, I didn't.
• 30:15
  SPEAKER_01: I love it.
• 30:16
  SPEAKER_05: Put that nugget in your pocket, use it again.
• 30:18
  SPEAKER_05: It's a good one.
• 30:18
  SPEAKER_05: Yep, it's gonna be a clip.
• 30:20
  unknown: Yes.
• 30:22
  SPEAKER_05: All right, so we talked about adjudications a bit, and I think that pretty much consistently at I would say the majority, if not all, dance competitions probably do announce adjudicated um scores.
• 30:36
  SPEAKER_05: They won't say the number, but they, you know, they say your gold, your platinum, whatever, the placement.
• 30:42
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
• 30:43
  SPEAKER_05: And that is kind of standard in the industry.
• 30:45
  SPEAKER_05: I know there's a lot of different competitions that have started to kind of change it up a little bit and when when they decide to announce it, if they announce it at all, um, type of things.
• 30:54
  SPEAKER_05: But let's go into the level discussion and overalls, because I think that's where it gets a little confusing.
• 31:04
  SPEAKER_05: And I will say, taking it one step back, because I'm just thinking about what you said earlier, James, I like what you mentioned about like the first overall within a genre category.
• 31:15
  SPEAKER_05: I think that that is really helpful that um when competitions do that, because like you said, if you are really studying and paying attention, and we all know that, and I used to do it, that there's the dance moms, there's the teachers, there might even be the kids that have the program, and they are following along.
• 31:32
  SPEAKER_05: They are writing that adjudicated score for each dance and they're already figuring out comparing and contrasting.
• 31:37
  SPEAKER_05: That person got the highest.
• 31:39
  SPEAKER_05: Oh, that means they're in the top 10.
• 31:40
  SPEAKER_05: Oh, uh-oh, another person came.
• 31:42
  SPEAKER_05: Now they're in the top 10.
• 31:43
  SPEAKER_05: But when you hear that first in the category, then that's another step of kind of trying to figure out who's gonna be in overalls for that division.
• 31:51
  SPEAKER_05: So I like that.
• 31:52
  SPEAKER_05: Is that something that Star Talent does?
• 31:54
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that's something that's that we do, yes.
• 31:56
  SPEAKER_00: And you're right, they are there in that dimly lit auditorium with that pen writing down those and their phone light.
• 32:02
  SPEAKER_02: With their phone light, yeah.
• 32:03
  SPEAKER_00: They just try try their best.
• 32:04
  SPEAKER_00: All they got is a pen and a hope.
• 32:14
  SPEAKER_05: Attention, all dancers.
• 32:16
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• 32:22
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• 32:25
  SPEAKER_05: Our seasoned judges will provide you with the video critique of your routine, just like you'd receive at competition.
• 32:30
  SPEAKER_05: But with IDA's online judges critiques, we take it one step further with our post-critique additional feedback.
• 32:37
  SPEAKER_05: Your judge will go through your routine again, pausing the video to give you even more detailed and personalized feedback.
• 32:43
  SPEAKER_05: You can even request a judge that specializes in your style of dance.
• 32:47
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• 32:53
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• 32:57
  SPEAKER_05: Click the link in our show notes or visit our website at Impact Dance Adjudicators.com slash online critiques to learn more and submit your dance today.
• 33:12
  SPEAKER_05: I think that something that's made it tricky in understanding how overalls work out is this beautiful new thing we call dance competition levels that exist at the end of the day.
• 33:23
  SPEAKER_05: It's not even new.
• 33:23
  SPEAKER_05: Don't even call it.
• 33:24
  SPEAKER_05: I'm sorry, it's not new anymore.
• 33:25
  SPEAKER_05: It's new to me because I'm old, but it is new, it has been around for at least 10 years now in the dance competition industry.
• 33:32
  SPEAKER_05: And I think it seems like it's here to stay.
• 33:35
  SPEAKER_05: We've talked about it a million trillion times on the podcast.
• 33:39
  SPEAKER_05: There's a whole episode.
• 33:40
  SPEAKER_05: Go listen, y'all, if you need more clarification.
• 33:43
  SPEAKER_05: But we know that a lot of competitions now have at least two to three, some have five to six levels at competitions.
• 33:52
  SPEAKER_05: And that's primarily just based on either the amount of hours that a dancer is training at the studio, maybe their experience that they've been as a competitive dancer.
• 34:02
  SPEAKER_05: And it just kind of creates a more even, quote unquote, even playing field to be competing alongside other dancers from other studios who are at the same training level as you.
• 34:14
  SPEAKER_05: And it's an another great way to um break it down, kind of like going back to the school method, is varsity versus JV.
• 34:22
  SPEAKER_05: Like a little bit of that kind of idea where you're competitive or you're recreational is is another word that we use often in our industry.
• 34:31
  SPEAKER_05: So I think that that's when it gets confusing because there ends up being a lot of first places at a dance competition.
• 34:40
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 34:42
  SPEAKER_05: Is it gonna be for you as a host?
• 34:44
  SPEAKER_00: Uh yeah.
• 34:45
  SPEAKER_00: So there is sometimes, depending on the session, I've seen anywhere from nine to 36.
• 34:50
  SPEAKER_02: Gee, woo.
• 34:52
  SPEAKER_02: First place.
• 34:53
  SPEAKER_00: First place.
• 34:54
  unknown: Yeah.
• 34:54
  SPEAKER_00: So so what really drives this, and you you are absolutely right.
• 34:58
  SPEAKER_00: So it's it's level and then it's type.
• 35:01
  SPEAKER_00: So if and it's age.
• 35:03
  SPEAKER_00: So generally, you know, you'll see in award sessions they try to group like by sessions.
• 35:08
  SPEAKER_00: So you'll have teens and seniors generally are competing in a session.
• 35:11
  SPEAKER_00: They're not usually competing with juniors or petites, sometimes they are.
• 35:14
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 35:15
  SPEAKER_00: But in your award session, so let's say you have a mini, which is like the the youngest dancers, right?
• 35:21
  SPEAKER_00: Petite, which is like your six to seven to nine, and junior, which is like, let's say, 10 to 12.
• 35:26
  SPEAKER_00: So that's three age groups.
• 35:28
  SPEAKER_00: Within each of those age groups, you have, let's say, at a minimum, three levels.
• 35:32
  SPEAKER_00: Right?
• 35:32
  SPEAKER_00: I'm just using our competition for an example, right?
• 35:34
  SPEAKER_00: Three levels.
• 35:35
  SPEAKER_00: We have, you know, your recreational, your mid-grade, and then your and your intermediate and your highest level.
• 35:40
  SPEAKER_00: So you have mini with three different levels, you have petite with three different levels, you have and your junior with three different levels.
• 35:48
  SPEAKER_00: That's nine.
• 35:49
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 35:49
  SPEAKER_00: We're already at nine.
• 35:50
  SPEAKER_00: We're already at nine.
• 35:51
  SPEAKER_00: Okay.
• 35:52
  SPEAKER_00: This is just solos.
• 35:53
  SPEAKER_00: This is just solo.
• 35:54
  SPEAKER_00: Well, no! No, but then you have no, but then you have so that's nine, and then you have, let's say, you have solos, but they're also competing duets and trios.
• 36:05
  SPEAKER_00: And they're also competing more than one solo, maybe.
• 36:08
  SPEAKER_00: So then they're in like a super solo category or a grand solo category.
• 36:12
  SPEAKER_00: So then you have your award for solo, you have your first place for solo, your first place for duet trio, and your first place for grand or double solo, whatever, right?
• 36:20
  SPEAKER_00: Times nine.
• 36:22
  SPEAKER_00: Nine times three is what?
• 36:24
  SPEAKER_00: Not 27.
• 36:24
  SPEAKER_00: That's 27 first places right there.
• 36:27
  SPEAKER_02: And that's not even until we haven't even gotten to a teenager yet.
• 36:30
  SPEAKER_00: We haven't even gotten to the teen.
• 36:31
  SPEAKER_00: No, but the teenagers, you know, it's only two ages, generally, unless you add a doll, right?
• 36:34
  SPEAKER_00: So if you have a dirt, some you won't, right?
• 36:36
  SPEAKER_00: But so teen and senior, but yes.
• 36:39
  SPEAKER_01: It gets crazy.
• 36:40
  SPEAKER_00: It hurts my brain.
• 36:41
  SPEAKER_01: It does hurt the brain because so often I remember being asked as a kid, or my dancers are asked by their non-dancer friends.
• 36:49
  SPEAKER_01: So did you win?
• 36:50
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 36:50
  SPEAKER_01: Just win.
• 36:51
  SPEAKER_01: And it's so difficult to explain because dance competitions are not, say, one versus one battles like a basketball game.
• 37:01
  SPEAKER_01: They're not even a bracketed tournament.
• 37:03
  SPEAKER_01: Nope.
• 37:04
  SPEAKER_01: So it's difficult to explain to them that it is literally, you know, three levels times four to five age groups times five to six, you know, uh group sizes that were trying to recognize the highest score within each of those combinations.
• 37:22
  SPEAKER_01: So it is a lot of math.
• 37:25
  SPEAKER_01: But when I do explain it to non-dancers, there are similar sports like that.
• 37:30
  SPEAKER_01: Wrestling is an example, Muay Thai or combat sports is an example, where they have, you know, novice fighters versus pro fighters.
• 37:39
  SPEAKER_01: Interesting.
• 37:39
  SPEAKER_01: Okay.
• 37:40
  SPEAKER_01: They have lightweight versus heavyweight, and they always try to get opponents that are of similar size and experience against each other.
• 37:49
  SPEAKER_01: And to me, that's the way I often explain to like non-dancers.
• 37:54
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, it it's like boxing where we have different weights and we have different experiences, amateurs versus professionals.
• 38:02
  SPEAKER_01: And then all of a sudden they start to understand, oh, there can be multiple champions if I equate it somehow to something non-dance.
• 38:12
  SPEAKER_02: I think the the main difference I notice with that, because I now that I'm thinking about all those examples that you said, I'm like, oh yeah, yeah, okay.
• 38:18
  SPEAKER_02: I remember in high school the wrestling and you they're weight classes or whatever.
• 38:21
  SPEAKER_02: When whenever somebody wins one of those, the verbiage always includes this division, this level, this grouping of people, as opposed to I won.
• 38:32
  SPEAKER_02: I won.
• 38:33
  SPEAKER_02: Whereas the dance competition parents, I feel like often just say, My child won first place overall.
• 38:39
  SPEAKER_02: Well, how, where, where, in what capacity?
• 38:42
  SPEAKER_02: Because I don't know whether they also maybe don't have the verbiage because it's a lot of verbiage, or if that's a dance competition central thing where like we just are gonna say she won.
• 38:52
  SPEAKER_02: Like what do we anybody think about that?
• 38:53
  SPEAKER_02: Because Maria, I know your son does Muay Thai, right?
• 38:56
  SPEAKER_02: Yes, he does.
• 38:57
  SPEAKER_00: So I would say as a dance instructor, sometimes I like to showcase my dancers' wins um, you know, on Facebook, for instance, you know.
• 39:04
  SPEAKER_00: So when I go to start typing it out, right?
• 39:06
  SPEAKER_00: Let's say they won the teen extreme small group category, right?
• 39:11
  SPEAKER_00: So when I type it out, it just seems ridiculous, right?
• 39:14
  SPEAKER_00: It's like, it's like, so my junior group or my teen group won the teen extreme da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da.
• 39:21
  SPEAKER_00: And then I'm like, my follower.
• 39:24
  SPEAKER_00: And then I hear myself.
• 39:25
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm like, no one reading that post is going to know what I'm talking about at all.
• 39:30
  SPEAKER_00: So I'm just gonna say they won first place overall.
• 39:32
  SPEAKER_05: Ah, I see.
• 39:33
  SPEAKER_05: Okay.
• 39:33
  SPEAKER_05: See you now.
• 39:34
  SPEAKER_00: In their division, or I'll say first in their division.
• 39:36
  SPEAKER_00: All right, I just kind of short up.
• 39:38
  SPEAKER_01: Go ahead, Maria.
• 39:39
  SPEAKER_01: I know you have some.
• 39:40
  SPEAKER_01: But to that end, that what as a studio owner, I started to pick competitions that recognize routines in a different overall way.
• 39:50
  SPEAKER_01: So, yes, you have tons of first places, but then you'll have something, say, like best of show.
• 39:55
  SPEAKER_01: And say, for novice, regardless of your age level, regardless of your size of group, we had the best novice routine for the entirety of the event.
• 40:07
  SPEAKER_01: To me, as a studio owner, they won.
• 40:10
  SPEAKER_01: They really won.
• 40:12
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 40:13
  SPEAKER_01: And so I tended to gravitate towards competitions that would beyond the first place recognize across all sorts of combinations of group sizes and ages and levels, what is really the creme de la creme.
• 40:29
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 40:30
  SPEAKER_01: That's a great point.
• 40:31
  SPEAKER_00: And can I add on to that, Maria?
• 40:33
  SPEAKER_00: Is that that's something that our competition does as well is the high kind of the high score of the day.
• 40:38
  SPEAKER_00: So across all of the 13 and over groups, regardless of group size, who was the first place over who is the highest scoring of all those routines?
• 40:47
  SPEAKER_00: Who is the highest scoring of the 12 and under solos, duets, and trios, right?
• 40:52
  SPEAKER_00: To give them that, right?
• 40:53
  SPEAKER_00: And that's I I love that you're saying that because it kind of just attests to like, hey, like that's that that's really cool to know that insight.
• 40:58
  SPEAKER_00: So thank you for that.
• 40:59
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, I like when they do the genre breakdowns too, like high-scoring jazz dance, high-scoring contemporary dance, like even breaking it into the genres because you might, it might be like a really tough contemporary division, and you'd be like, and and all of those dances might score high, but pending what the jazz or the tap or the hip hop looks like, they might not make overalls.
• 41:19
  SPEAKER_05: But you might find out, oh, well, I got second in contemporary.
• 41:23
  SPEAKER_05: That's really great achievement.
• 41:24
  SPEAKER_05: Like I I did really great.
• 41:26
  SPEAKER_05: So I think that's another I like when competitions do that.
• 41:30
  SPEAKER_05: But I will say when it comes down to the whole first place overall thing, and I have a lot of thoughts about what you were saying, Leslie, where how how people, you know, display that information of of winning.
• 41:44
  SPEAKER_05: And I think that everyone just wants to be able to say that they got first in some way or another, without really explaining how they got first, to use it as marketing, to use it for social media, to use it as bragging rights.
• 41:56
  SPEAKER_05: And I think that we have to be a little bit more transparent sometimes because it if I was a naive, inexperienced dance parent doing research on a dance studio to take my child, and I saw that they got first place overall, but really it was just in the recreational division.
• 42:13
  SPEAKER_05: But I wanted my kids be training at a highly competitive level, then I'd be I I'd be feeling like, well, well, I just got scammed a little bit right now in this advertisement to take my kid here because it seems like everything, oh, they're winning.
• 42:29
  SPEAKER_05: So they must be doing something right.
• 42:31
  SPEAKER_05: They're winning dance competitions.
• 42:33
  SPEAKER_05: But are you actually up against enough people where you you could have actually gotten just the designated first place overall because no one else showed up that day, and we all know that happens.
• 42:43
  SPEAKER_05: Like, you know what I mean?
• 42:45
  SPEAKER_05: Like, there's more, I think there's more to it.
• 42:47
  SPEAKER_05: And I I do think levels do need to exist in our industry, but that's why I I really respect a lot of the convention competitions that don't have levels because it just it it's just all based on age division.
• 42:58
  SPEAKER_05: That's it.
• 42:59
  SPEAKER_05: It's just broken down by age, everybody's up against everybody, and it's a good learning lesson for dancers.
• 43:04
  SPEAKER_05: It's a good way to be inspired by other dancers who might be a way beyond their level.
• 43:09
  SPEAKER_05: And it's like, oh wow, I gotta, I gotta, you know, get working.
• 43:12
  SPEAKER_05: I instead of just only watching your your level dancers and only focusing on that, and that's the end all be all.
• 43:20
  SPEAKER_05: So I know there's a lot of varying opinions on it in the industry, but I just wish that people would be honest about if how they got their first place.
• 43:27
  SPEAKER_05: Like, come on, y'all.
• 43:29
  SPEAKER_01: I would say that um it does require the parent to be super smart when they're researching for a studio, especially at the competitive level.
• 43:39
  SPEAKER_01: But in my experience, I would say to the parent when you're looking at their Facebook page, their website, their Instagram, you know, how much is not focused on that?
• 43:51
  SPEAKER_01: Because often the most elite competitors do not have time to mention each and every win.
• 43:58
  SPEAKER_01: But if you see video.
• 44:00
  SPEAKER_01: Video of their children in class, say practicing Alice Acon turns, and you see advanced skills, and they're not necessarily emphasizing the result, but they're emphasizing the training.
• 44:12
  SPEAKER_01: I would say to parents, that's where you need to focus is if they're presenting their training as part of their marketing, maybe pay a little bit more attention as opposed to simply the end result of that process.
• 44:26
  SPEAKER_05: The trophies.
• 44:27
  SPEAKER_05: If it's all about the trophies, which we love a trophy over here.
• 44:30
  SPEAKER_05: It's an award ceremony.
• 44:32
  SPEAKER_05: We love a trophy.
• 44:33
  SPEAKER_05: And speaking of trophies, I love how award ceremonies have gotten really creative and clever with all different types of physical awards that they give.
• 44:41
  SPEAKER_05: I think that everyone loves a tried and true trophy.
• 44:44
  SPEAKER_05: Kids love a trophy, and we like to display them at their uh in their room and also at the dance studio.
• 44:51
  SPEAKER_05: But we've come a long way from just the standard trophy at dance competitions, which I think is really cool.
• 44:57
  SPEAKER_05: Some of the trophies that I see, the acrylic ones that are all colorful, like I think those are really pretty.
• 45:02
  SPEAKER_05: I know for making the impact, we do like a tin sign, which I know is really popular for a lot of competitions.
• 45:08
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, the tin sign's kind of cool.
• 45:09
  SPEAKER_05: I like it.
• 45:10
  SPEAKER_05: I mean, it looks good, it's flat, it doesn't take up too much space, easy to transport.
• 45:15
  SPEAKER_05: But yeah, it's not only just about those trophies, although we love them.
• 45:19
  SPEAKER_02: We do love them.
• 45:19
  SPEAKER_02: Exactly.
• 45:21
  SPEAKER_02: Um, what should we hit on next?
• 45:24
  SPEAKER_02: So I guess my question next is for more focusing in on the dancers at awards ceremonies, and I think we can all speak to this.
• 45:33
  SPEAKER_02: What should dancers themselves know about attending an awards ceremony?
• 45:37
  SPEAKER_02: Because there's a lot of kids who've never done it before, or they don't, you know, maybe it's their first time, or they've never been told what to do.
• 45:43
  SPEAKER_02: Like what are the expectations on the stage in awards ceremonies?
• 45:47
  SPEAKER_00: I could start with from a from a host standpoint, from what I see a lot, this is probably one of the most common things I see on the stage is dancers are missing the announcement of their act or routine to receive their award.
• 46:01
  SPEAKER_00: And this is happening because there's a lot of talking going on.
• 46:05
  SPEAKER_00: Now, you know, we want the dancers to congratulate each other.
• 46:08
  SPEAKER_00: We want them to cheer each other on, we want them to say, congratulations, great job.
• 46:12
  SPEAKER_00: But what happens is they think that because they're whispering, they may be whispering to a friend, right?
• 46:17
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe they have a long time before the routine comes up.
• 46:19
  SPEAKER_00: They're whispering to their friend, well, whisper between two people is a whisper.
• 46:22
  SPEAKER_00: A whisper in a large group becomes a roar.
• 46:25
  SPEAKER_00: And so you can't really hear what's going on to hear your numbers.
• 46:29
  SPEAKER_00: So I would say that's the number one thing that I see is you know, maybe trying to stay quiet, right?
• 46:36
  SPEAKER_00: It in those moments where you're not celebrating each other.
• 46:38
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 46:39
  SPEAKER_01: As a studio owner and also as an adjudicator, I would definitely tell parents, like, wear studio apparel.
• 46:47
  SPEAKER_01: There's been times where I pass out adjudications and you as a child don't pop up fast enough because perhaps for reasons James described.
• 46:55
  SPEAKER_01: So I'm looking for you.
• 46:57
  SPEAKER_01: And so if you're all in similar apparel together, that is very helpful.
• 47:03
  SPEAKER_01: Another thing that's helpful as a studio owner and a parent is to have what I call an entry strategy and an exit strategy from the stage where the award ceremony is held.
• 47:15
  SPEAKER_01: There's always this like mad rush to the stage and these moments of like, where's the rest of my friends from my studio?
• 47:23
  SPEAKER_01: And then at the end, there's always an anxiety from parents about reconnecting with their child from the stage.
• 47:30
  SPEAKER_01: So having that well defined, perhaps if the studio owner defines it, or also the parent and the child define it, that helps make things go a lot more smoothly.
• 47:42
  SPEAKER_01: Another thing I actually do is as a studio owner, I gave always one person, one performer that was waiting for an adjudication a big bin and just set it with my studio.
• 47:53
  SPEAKER_01: And we toss in all of the ribbons, the pins, the bracelets because I feel for people like James and his staff, where once the award ceremony is over, it looks like trash all over the stage.
• 48:06
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, yep.
• 48:07
  SPEAKER_00: I've created I've actually created a game out of that.
• 48:10
  SPEAKER_00: Ooh.
• 48:11
  SPEAKER_00: So I'll I offer them and I'll offer them incentive.
• 48:13
  SPEAKER_00: Like whoever can give me the most pieces and put them in this trash can gets a free program or gets amazing.
• 48:20
  SPEAKER_00: Or a pin or something, you know, like yeah, Get fun.
• 48:24
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, absolutely.
• 48:25
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, I feel like uh oh, I'm sorry, go ahead, Maria.
• 48:28
  SPEAKER_01: I was just gonna say, lastly, my daughter has also worked for competitions more so in the production side, not as an M series and adjudicator.
• 48:35
  SPEAKER_01: And I asked her this question just in advance of the podcast, and she was always like, say thank you, no matter if it's the top adjudication and the first overall and the best of show, or it's something that you didn't necessarily want to hear.
• 48:51
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 48:52
  SPEAKER_01: Just say thank you.
• 48:53
  SPEAKER_01: And then, of course, at a later time, your feelings are valid, especially if they're disappointing ones.
• 48:58
  SPEAKER_01: You can have that with your parent or with your teacher back at the studio.
• 49:03
  SPEAKER_01: But that person handing you the award, they have no, they have nothing to do with that, likely.
• 49:08
  SPEAKER_01: And so just to say a simple thank you.
• 49:10
  SPEAKER_05: That was exactly what I was going to say.
• 49:13
  SPEAKER_05: So I'm so glad you hit on that.
• 49:15
  SPEAKER_05: It is so important to have manners while we are on stage.
• 49:20
  SPEAKER_05: It doesn't matter who's handing your award, whether it's a backstage staff member or crew member who's working 15 hours to help make this event possible for you, be be kind to them.
• 49:31
  SPEAKER_05: They are they are delivering something to you.
• 49:34
  SPEAKER_05: Don't rip it out of their hands and make eye contact and say thank you.
• 49:38
  SPEAKER_05: And especially if it is, I mean, even me as a judge, sometimes we are asked to go out on stage and hand out the trophies or the adjudicated pins or whatever it is to the dancers.
• 49:49
  SPEAKER_05: And half the time they don't even know that I was the judge that was just judging them.
• 49:53
  SPEAKER_05: They're like, Who are you?
• 49:54
  SPEAKER_05: And I thanks for my triple titanium, and they just go sit back down and stop paying attention.
• 50:00
  SPEAKER_05: Like there just needs to be a little bit more respect happening on the award stage because there is a lot going on and there are a lot of announcements, but you have to stay focused and also like know what number your dance is, because as we know and we talk about all the time on the podcast, you might have the same song as someone else.
• 50:18
  SPEAKER_05: So you hear the title and then everyone's like, ah, and then everyone, and then other people are like, that's actually my studio that one the board.
• 50:25
  SPEAKER_05: And it's that's the worst.
• 50:27
  SPEAKER_02: And then it's awkward.
• 50:28
  SPEAKER_02: So awkward to have to like change out the award or somebody is mad about it, and then there's a fight, and like it's not great.
• 50:35
  SPEAKER_02: So like the number is what matters.
• 50:37
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 50:38
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, especially in overalls.
• 50:40
  SPEAKER_00: And and so one thing I try to do is I'll say the studio name with the title.
• 50:44
  SPEAKER_02: Smart.
• 50:44
  SPEAKER_00: I appreciate that.
• 50:45
  SPEAKER_00: Especially with the little ones.
• 50:48
  SPEAKER_00: They don't know.
• 50:48
  SPEAKER_00: They don't know.
• 50:49
  SPEAKER_02: There's a thousand walk the dinosaurs, like the dinosaur?
• 50:53
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, that's me.
• 50:55
  SPEAKER_02: Three little dinosaurs coming up from alternate places.
• 50:58
  SPEAKER_02: I think my biggest thing uh from the judging perspective, and you know, I haven't hosted before, but just being a director and like sometimes having to get on stage and do something.
• 51:06
  SPEAKER_02: Please just pull your feet in.
• 51:08
  SPEAKER_02: Don't be sitting in a straddle, don't be sitting in a pike.
• 51:11
  SPEAKER_02: Christmas applesauce.
• 51:12
  SPEAKER_02: I know your knees hurt, I know you're tired, but like you're young, you can do it.
• 51:16
  SPEAKER_02: Because when once it's too crowded, like it's the stepping over the feet and the legs and that you're in the way, and just like pull it together because there's limited space, and the last thing we need is anybody tripping over anybody.
• 51:28
  SPEAKER_00: Agreed.
• 51:29
  SPEAKER_05: So I'd like to talk about some of the things that we love when it comes to award ceremonies that we've witnessed, things that competitions are doing really, really, really great.
• 51:39
  SPEAKER_05: Maybe things that bring you back as a customer or things that your kids love at their award ceremonies.
• 51:46
  SPEAKER_05: And then we can dive into the things that we could be doing better.
• 51:50
  SPEAKER_05: Some of the competitions could be doing better.
• 51:52
  SPEAKER_05: So let's start with those the things that we love at awards.
• 51:56
  SPEAKER_05: Anything come to mind?
• 51:57
  SPEAKER_05: Even just like, you know, obviously having a fantastic host is always a great one.
• 52:02
  SPEAKER_05: But also just like, you know, do they do something cool or unique that others don't do that make it interesting?
• 52:08
  SPEAKER_01: For me, I really like um special awards that are extremely individualized, and they spend a little bit of time explaining why they recognized that particular group or soloist with that person present.
• 52:25
  SPEAKER_01: So my favorite is when they say, could entry number 177 walk the dinosaur from Gina's School of Dance, please stand up.
• 52:35
  SPEAKER_01: And then that particular judge or MC explains why they're getting that reward.
• 52:41
  SPEAKER_01: It really gives time to the parent to go, oh my gosh, here they go, they're winning.
• 52:46
  SPEAKER_01: Pull out their phone, hit record so that they can memorialize that moment for them in a very individualized way, as opposed to say more generic style of special awards that are constant throughout many ceremonies.
• 53:02
  SPEAKER_01: While I appreciate that recognition, it isn't as like memory making, is what I will say.
• 53:08
  SPEAKER_05: It doesn't give the personal touch.
• 53:10
  SPEAKER_05: Like I, as much as judges hate having to go do something during awards because that is their break time, like they get to go actually relax for a minute during award ceremonies.
• 53:19
  SPEAKER_05: I do think that it's really nice when a judge has taken notes on a dance, does want to recognize a dance, after you sat and watched 200 dances in a row, you actually still remember what I was wearing and something special about that dance.
• 53:34
  SPEAKER_05: And you can go out on stage and say that.
• 53:36
  SPEAKER_05: And then if a judge is presenting it, I think it's nice that we get to hear their voice, see their energy.
• 53:42
  SPEAKER_05: They can kind of like tell the audience, like, hey, I deserve to be the judge.
• 53:46
  SPEAKER_05: I know what I'm talking about up here.
• 53:47
  SPEAKER_05: They can kind of prove themselves a little bit instead of being that mystery face behind the table.
• 53:51
  SPEAKER_05: So I I do agree.
• 53:53
  SPEAKER_05: I do like that.
• 53:54
  SPEAKER_05: Although a lot of people are like, oh God, I wish I didn't have to do that.
• 53:58
  SPEAKER_05: I do think it is a really nice personalized touch to dance competitions.
• 54:02
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, I get anxious when I'm asked to do that because I want to do right by the parent and the dancer.
• 54:09
  SPEAKER_01: I don't want to fumble my words.
• 54:11
  SPEAKER_01: I want to make sure that I can locate my notes and say things because I want to make sure that they really have their moments.
• 54:20
  SPEAKER_01: So I just feel a lot of anxiety when when I do it.
• 54:23
  SPEAKER_01: Like, don't get it wrong.
• 54:25
  SPEAKER_01: You just judged all them and asked them all to improve.
• 54:29
  SPEAKER_01: Now you have to be perfect.
• 54:31
  SPEAKER_01: Go.
• 54:32
  unknown: Right.
• 54:33
  SPEAKER_05: Um, anything, James?
• 54:35
  SPEAKER_00: I think it just to piggyback off that, and I think that's great.
• 54:38
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, that's definitely something that makes awards special.
• 54:41
  SPEAKER_00: And I think you hit it on the head to say to call it out while they're in front of you.
• 54:46
  SPEAKER_00: Like call the routine, then speak about it, right?
• 54:48
  SPEAKER_00: Gives a parent time to get their camera out, do all that.
• 54:51
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 54:51
  SPEAKER_05: That's smart.
• 54:52
  SPEAKER_00: I think another thing that I love about, you know, uh in awards is the scholarship sections.
• 54:58
  SPEAKER_00: If there's like a scholarship or there's something special that we can provide, that maybe it's for a dancer that didn't win the high high score.
• 55:06
  SPEAKER_00: Maybe they were like second or third, right?
• 55:09
  SPEAKER_00: But they like, they were just special, right?
• 55:12
  SPEAKER_00: They had that it factor and like, you know, this would be perfect for a musical theater camp in New York, or this be perfect for this LA scholarship, you know, because you're such a good commercial dancer.
• 55:22
  SPEAKER_00: And it gives an I think it gives another way to recognize dancers that may otherwise may have may not be recognized, right?
• 55:29
  SPEAKER_00: And it it it speaks more to the stylisticness of dancers.
• 55:33
  SPEAKER_00: Some dancers can be very stylized and like, I love that.
• 55:36
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I gosh, I wish I could be like, yes, I want to give you an award, just because you're not just technique, you're like, you're the whole package, right?
• 55:43
  SPEAKER_00: And so when you can provide scholarships and things like that, I think that adds to the ceremony as well.
• 55:49
  SPEAKER_01: Oh, yeah, I love the scholarships because it kind of suggests that they're a person that you want to work with all day because rehearsals are long, work days are long.
• 55:59
  SPEAKER_01: So if you get those scholarships, it's kind of cool because you're suggesting you're worth the time, not just the pin, but you're worth the time.
• 56:09
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 56:09
  SPEAKER_01: You know, and so I like them too, James.
• 56:12
  SPEAKER_01: I like them a lot.
• 56:13
  SPEAKER_02: Speaking of pins, there's many, many competitions out there that allow studios to give to donate their trophy money to a charitable organization of their choice in in lieu of receiving the trophies.
• 56:25
  SPEAKER_02: And I think for your heavy competition studios who, you know, yes, a trophy is important for a lot of people, but for a lot of people it's not.
• 56:32
  SPEAKER_02: And there's so many competitions out there that allow you to donate the money to a charitable organization.
• 56:37
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that's an excellent way to give back and to also kind of to have your students understand that like dance can be meaningful outside of just for you.
• 56:47
  SPEAKER_02: It can impact a community, it can impact, you know, a cause that's worthy.
• 56:52
  SPEAKER_02: And I think, you know, I think a lot of studios like to take advantage of that.
• 56:55
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, I love that.
• 56:57
  SPEAKER_05: I do, I think that's so great.
• 57:03
  SPEAKER_05: Hey parents, do you have a tiny dancer between the ages of seven to ten?
• 57:07
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• 57:11
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• 57:36
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• 57:46
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• 57:51
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• 58:04
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• 58:09
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• 58:13
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• 58:17
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• 58:28
  SPEAKER_05: One of the things that I love when competitions do this is when they add something personalized to the overalls, like maybe playing their music for first place overall or showing the video on the screen.
• 58:43
  SPEAKER_05: Uh so everyone in the in the audience can also have a reminder of, oh, that's the dance that won versus just having to remember, you know, the name of it, or maybe they started on their program as they watched it in live in person.
• 58:57
  SPEAKER_05: Like I think re uh come coming back to that and having that reminder and refresher of and honest, honestly, it's especially if they have the the ability to show the video.
• 59:08
  SPEAKER_05: I think that is so exciting because it just shows to everyone in the audience, like, this is what equals first place.
• 59:15
  SPEAKER_05: Like you, you now understand why.
• 59:18
  SPEAKER_05: You probably are sitting there nodding your head, you're like, Yep, I see why I got first place, versus just hearing the number called and wishing you saw the dance.
• 59:26
  SPEAKER_05: You have nothing to compare it to unless you were sitting in the audience all day long.
• 59:30
  SPEAKER_05: So I do think that with the tech side of things on the competition's ends, a lot of comps are investing more money in the presentation and the tech.
• 59:38
  SPEAKER_05: And I think that that is something that they could implement more into the award ceremony to make it more of an experience and not just uh, like you said, like an auctioneer listing out, you know, announcing things.
• 59:51
  SPEAKER_05: Because why not?
• 59:52
  SPEAKER_05: Like I that I think that that will keep more people in involved in the ceremony as well and following along easier.
• 1:00:00
  SPEAKER_00: I absolutely agree.
• 1:00:01
  SPEAKER_00: I think it makes a it's a huge impact, even just the music.
• 1:00:04
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, let's say you don't have the capabilities to do video, even just having the music builds more excitement, right?
• 1:00:08
  SPEAKER_00: But yes, absolutely.
• 1:00:09
  SPEAKER_00: If you have video capabilities, do it and extend it to photogenics.
• 1:00:13
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, nice.
• 1:00:14
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, true.
• 1:00:15
  SPEAKER_02: Nobody sees those pictures.
• 1:00:17
  SPEAKER_00: Nobody sees those, you know?
• 1:00:18
  SPEAKER_00: Like true.
• 1:00:19
  SPEAKER_05: That is such a great point.
• 1:00:21
  SPEAKER_05: Uh yeah.
• 1:00:22
  SPEAKER_05: And speaking of the techie side and if there is the ability to display anything on the projector screens, which like I will say, like, not every comp has that.
• 1:00:32
  SPEAKER_05: You know, you will go to some that are that are very bare bones and don't have that.
• 1:00:37
  SPEAKER_05: But a lot of them do.
• 1:00:38
  SPEAKER_05: And something that I've admired at it at another competition that I wish more would do is going back to something that you hinted at earlier, James, is how you actually explain what you're announcing.
• 1:00:50
  SPEAKER_05: Like, I think that more competitions need to do that better.
• 1:00:53
  SPEAKER_05: Let's be real.
• 1:00:54
  SPEAKER_05: We already know people don't read.
• 1:00:56
  SPEAKER_05: People don't read rules, people don't read the stuff in the program, people don't read.
• 1:01:01
  SPEAKER_05: They need to be told.
• 1:01:02
  SPEAKER_05: They need, they if they are sitting waiting to find out if their kid got first place, they will listen to you when you explain how they got first place and what this adjudication means and what this level means.
• 1:01:12
  SPEAKER_05: So, and even unfortunately, like sadly, having to do that probably at every award ceremony because there's different people attending at every awards.
• 1:01:20
  SPEAKER_05: You can't just assume that at the first one they heard the rules or they heard the breakdown.
• 1:01:24
  SPEAKER_05: It's like they probably didn't.
• 1:01:25
  SPEAKER_05: So let's remind them again so there's no confusion.
• 1:01:28
  SPEAKER_02: But like maybe it's a video recording that James makes once and then just plays it.
• 1:01:34
  SPEAKER_00: So we've talked about that.
• 1:01:36
  SPEAKER_00: We have talked about that.
• 1:01:37
  SPEAKER_00: So definitely, yes, that's definitely in the works.
• 1:01:40
  SPEAKER_05: Well, something that I've seen another another competition do that I think is great, and it kind of goes hand in hand of like displaying the first place video or the playing the awards music, is that there's someone else that's almost like a stage manager following along with you off, you know, on the back end with awards, where it's creating like a little show run of running show order and displaying things like a PowerPoint presentation as it's happening in the running show order.
• 1:02:07
  SPEAKER_05: So if we're talking about the breakdown of what a recreational dancer level means and you're saying the things, there could also be a pop-up on the screen that people could read that and and continue to follow along with the show.
• 1:02:21
  SPEAKER_05: And even just, you know, more interactiveness at the uh awards, just keep people understanding and following along instead of just having to just like zone in and and hope that they've heard everything.
• 1:02:34
  SPEAKER_05: Like, I don't know, I've seen comps do that and it just felt very professional.
• 1:02:38
  SPEAKER_05: And to me, I knew what I was listening to.
• 1:02:40
  SPEAKER_05: Like I was absolutely there.
• 1:02:42
  SPEAKER_05: I was following along.
• 1:02:43
  SPEAKER_05: I had zero questions by the end of it versus having all the questions at the end of award ceremony.
• 1:02:49
  unknown: Yes.
• 1:02:49
  SPEAKER_01: I will say that doing stuff like that that is a little more technologically advanced and kind of in real time, it helps me justify to parents the entry fees.
• 1:03:02
  SPEAKER_01: So one of the most common complaints as a studio owner is the entry fees associated with the competition.
• 1:03:08
  SPEAKER_01: And I've explained many times about the costs of putting on an event, but the more that you can show like a technological advancement or charisma in the MC, those things increase the production value and helps uh parents buy in to the investment that they're making.
• 1:03:29
  SPEAKER_05: Yep.
• 1:03:30
  SPEAKER_01: And so, I mean, I appreciate stuff like that as well.
• 1:03:33
  SPEAKER_01: I also appreciate when nationals' award ceremonies are, yes, partly the same as regionals, but then there's more.
• 1:03:43
  SPEAKER_01: And so I do like that they differentiate between a regional season and a national event in their award ceremonies per se.
• 1:03:52
  SPEAKER_01: I don't know if Jane Star Talent does that, but I tended to gravitate towards competitions where there was always something unique in attending their nationals.
• 1:04:03
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 1:04:04
  SPEAKER_00: We strive for that.
• 1:04:05
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, because otherwise, what are you paying for?
• 1:04:07
  SPEAKER_00: You know, if we're increasing fees to go to nationals and you're having to go and get a hotel and do all this, like, and it's gonna be the same thing you see at a regional event, why, right?
• 1:04:15
  SPEAKER_00: So it's like, yes, you know, we add more canons, we add, you know, different categories that are specific only to nationals, right?
• 1:04:21
  SPEAKER_00: To really differentiate it and give them something else to work for.
• 1:04:24
  SPEAKER_00: Because at this point, you're not working to qualify for nationals, you're at nationals, right?
• 1:04:28
  SPEAKER_00: So, what additional can we can we give you?
• 1:04:31
  SPEAKER_00: What other things can we offer?
• 1:04:32
  SPEAKER_00: So definitely something we keep in mind and you know, try to use to differentiate from that regional event.
• 1:04:38
  SPEAKER_00: Because yeah, nothing like uh regionals or nationals, it's just a regionals.
• 1:04:41
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 1:04:43
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah, yeah.
• 1:04:44
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
• 1:04:45
  SPEAKER_05: All right.
• 1:04:45
  SPEAKER_05: Well, I feel like we covered it.
• 1:04:47
  SPEAKER_05: I have a final question though.
• 1:04:49
  SPEAKER_05: Cool, you do?
• 1:04:49
  SPEAKER_05: And James has more to say.
• 1:04:50
  SPEAKER_05: Do you have a final thing to say?
• 1:04:51
  SPEAKER_05: Go ahead.
• 1:04:52
  SPEAKER_00: Wait, it's a does it have to do with third position?
• 1:04:54
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 1:04:55
  SPEAKER_02: Can I please so I I guess this was a submitted question?
• 1:05:01
  SPEAKER_02: No, it was I created it.
• 1:05:02
  SPEAKER_02: You did okay, so Courtney wants to know.
• 1:05:04
  SPEAKER_02: I want a listener wanted to know.
• 1:05:06
  SPEAKER_02: Courtney wants to know is it a requirement for dancers to stand in third position when accepting their awards?
• 1:05:12
  SPEAKER_00: The answer is no.
• 1:05:14
  SPEAKER_00: But caveat is that body language is important.
• 1:05:18
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 1:05:18
  SPEAKER_00: Right?
• 1:05:19
  SPEAKER_00: So when you're going up and you're receiving your award, the third position looks nice and professional.
• 1:05:23
  SPEAKER_00: Is it required?
• 1:05:24
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely not.
• 1:05:25
  SPEAKER_00: But regardless, it's always important to stand tall, to be proud, and really own the award that you're receiving.
• 1:05:33
  SPEAKER_00: I see a lot of times, even dancers that win first place, they come and their shoulders are like this.
• 1:05:38
  SPEAKER_00: They're like, oh, thank you.
• 1:05:39
  SPEAKER_00: They're kind of timid, right?
• 1:05:40
  SPEAKER_00: You know, shoulders are kind of pressed forward, heads down, you know.
• 1:05:43
  SPEAKER_00: And then I see this also, and it's probably uh more important is you have first through tenth place, right?
• 1:05:48
  SPEAKER_00: And you may have a dancer that gets eighth place, and you can see in their body language they are visibly not happy with this result.
• 1:05:56
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 1:05:57
  SPEAKER_00: And what that portrays to the audience and to the Dancers on stage because reminder there's probably 20 or 30 dancers sitting on the stage that would kill to be in that spot.
• 1:06:06
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 1:06:06
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 1:06:07
  SPEAKER_00: So be excited to be up there.
• 1:06:10
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 1:06:10
  SPEAKER_00: Be proud of your achievement because just to be up there is an achievement.
• 1:06:15
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 1:06:15
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and so I would say just be very aware of body language and make sure just to keep it professional.
• 1:06:20
  SPEAKER_01: Love it.
• 1:06:21
  SPEAKER_01: I would say to that end, it's not just body language, but it's also appearance.
• 1:06:25
  SPEAKER_01: Maybe I ran too tight of ship, but I did like the dance apparel.
• 1:06:29
  SPEAKER_01: I didn't like say mismatch crocs with funny socks.
• 1:06:34
  SPEAKER_01: Because you know that parent is going to take perhaps a photo or a video that might end up on social media or in some photo album years from now.
• 1:06:43
  SPEAKER_01: And you'll go back and look at yourself and wonder, what was I thinking at age 14?
• 1:06:49
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
• 1:06:49
  SPEAKER_01: Yep.
• 1:06:50
  SPEAKER_01: So it's not to me, it's also about like your appearance.
• 1:06:53
  SPEAKER_01: Even though you're done with your formal performances, now you have to present your authentic self.
• 1:07:00
  SPEAKER_01: You're no longer your musical theater character.
• 1:07:02
  SPEAKER_01: You're now Jane Joe.
• 1:07:04
  SPEAKER_01: And who is Jane Doe?
• 1:07:06
  SPEAKER_01: We want to see an authentic professional self.
• 1:07:09
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 1:07:09
  SPEAKER_02: And I think the third position kind of harkens back to like pageantry.
• 1:07:14
  SPEAKER_02: And so, like, that's how you are taught to stand when you receive an award or do your modeling walk or whatever.
• 1:07:19
  SPEAKER_02: Like it, it just pulls you together.
• 1:07:20
  SPEAKER_02: It looks nice.
• 1:07:21
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that's why you see it a lot.
• 1:07:23
  SPEAKER_02: I am personally also just as happy with a parallel first, but like anything but slumpy, anything but visibly upset about your life.
• 1:07:31
  SPEAKER_02: Like you can go be upset at home.
• 1:07:33
  SPEAKER_02: That is fine.
• 1:07:34
  SPEAKER_02: Go be so upset.
• 1:07:35
  SPEAKER_02: But like when you're there, I need you to be happy and smiley or at least like conservatively reserved.
• 1:07:41
  SPEAKER_02: I don't know.
• 1:07:42
  SPEAKER_01: You can be reserved, but it's hard because you're asking kids to be responsible for being part of the show.
• 1:07:48
  SPEAKER_01: And it's no longer just James the MC who is the show.
• 1:07:52
  SPEAKER_01: I mean, mind you, he is a big part of the show.
• 1:07:55
  SPEAKER_01: But we're asking the kids, you're also part of the show.
• 1:07:58
  SPEAKER_01: Right.
• 1:07:58
  SPEAKER_01: So at this point, yeah, right.
• 1:08:02
  SPEAKER_05: It's not rehearsed.
• 1:08:02
  SPEAKER_05: It's it's whatever happens, happens.
• 1:08:05
  SPEAKER_00: Yes.
• 1:08:06
  SPEAKER_05: Third position for me, I don't love it.
• 1:08:08
  SPEAKER_05: It it's I don't hate it, but I don't love it.
• 1:08:11
  SPEAKER_05: I guess it's better than like, you know, like we kind of talked about not doing anything and not really caring.
• 1:08:16
  SPEAKER_05: It's better than nothing.
• 1:08:17
  SPEAKER_05: But there have been you stand, you want to leave.
• 1:08:21
  SPEAKER_05: I think that I I think that it's like uh you see somebody do it and you think I'm supposed to do that, I guess.
• 1:08:28
  SPEAKER_05: And I guess I'm gonna just do that.
• 1:08:30
  SPEAKER_05: So I think that's how it and I just want to let everybody know that like it is not required to stand in third position.
• 1:08:36
  SPEAKER_05: But there have been times where I I like I'm standing on stage or I'm watching awards, and I'm like, that dancer looks awkward and uncomfortable standing in third position.
• 1:08:43
  SPEAKER_05: It's just not who they are.
• 1:08:46
  SPEAKER_02: Dancing in third position.
• 1:08:47
  SPEAKER_02: Like you kind of graduate from third after a while.
• 1:08:49
  SPEAKER_05: Let's like transition it to parallel first.
• 1:08:52
  SPEAKER_05: I'd love a cute parallel first, feet together, that's fine.
• 1:08:55
  SPEAKER_05: Like you're allowed to, you don't have to like stand stiff and like not move and you're a statue on stage.
• 1:08:59
  SPEAKER_05: Like you're a human, you're you're a regular like I I want to see their personality a little bit more when they get to go get those awards, besides feeling like they have to be like stuck in their third position awkwardly.
• 1:09:09
  SPEAKER_05: So to all the dancers out there who have to stand up and get an overall award or a special award or any type of award, you can stand however you want to stand as long as you your body language is looking good and you are saying thank you to the whoever's giving you the award with a smile on your face.
• 1:09:26
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 1:09:27
  SPEAKER_05: Because you're still on stage and we're still performers.
• 1:09:32
  SPEAKER_05: Y'all, this was so much fun.
• 1:09:34
  SPEAKER_05: I think that we really covered everything when it comes to award ceremonies.
• 1:09:38
  SPEAKER_05: I hope that all of our listeners out there got some helpful information from this chat.
• 1:09:43
  SPEAKER_05: I really think they did.
• 1:09:44
  SPEAKER_05: It was really fun talking about them, and hopefully, maybe even competition owners are listening and saying, oh, that's a great idea.
• 1:09:50
  SPEAKER_05: I'm gonna implement that.
• 1:09:52
  SPEAKER_05: Oh, maybe I should invest in a better MC this season.
• 1:09:55
  SPEAKER_05: Ooh, whatever it is.
• 1:09:56
  SPEAKER_05: I mean, you know, I mean, let's be real.
• 1:09:58
  SPEAKER_05: We've all been to events where the MC is just a like, who is that person up there?
• 1:10:03
  SPEAKER_05: Do they even know dance?
• 1:10:04
  SPEAKER_05: It's they're the most boring.
• 1:10:06
  SPEAKER_05: I mean, we've been there.
• 1:10:07
  SPEAKER_05: So it is important to have a really great MC, someone who preferably knows dance and who can also run the room, put on a show, be the face of the event, have great enthusiasm, just like the wonderful James Murphy who was here joining us.
• 1:10:22
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Courtney.
• 1:10:24
  SPEAKER_00: My head is gonna be so large, I won't be able to fit through this door for dinner time.
• 1:10:28
  SPEAKER_00: But I appreciate you.
• 1:10:30
  SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
• 1:10:30
  SPEAKER_00: And thank you, Leslie and Courtney, for having me on.
• 1:10:32
  SPEAKER_00: Also, thank you, Maria.
• 1:10:33
  SPEAKER_00: You you were such an insightful addition.
• 1:10:36
  SPEAKER_00: I've learned, I've learned a lot.
• 1:10:37
  SPEAKER_00: I wanted to take notes throughout the session.
• 1:10:39
  SPEAKER_00: So with this releases, I'm gonna listen back, listen to it again, and I'm going to be taking notes.
• 1:10:44
  SPEAKER_00: So thank you for that.
• 1:10:45
  SPEAKER_05: Just like your critique tapes from back in the day.
• 1:10:48
  SPEAKER_00: Absolutely.
• 1:10:49
  SPEAKER_00: It's a list, baby.
• 1:10:50
  SPEAKER_01: List.
• 1:10:51
  SPEAKER_01: I have learned too not to be afraid to maybe try the MC position because I can stand to get a little bolder.
• 1:11:00
  SPEAKER_01: Right now, I just prefer being in the dark beyond the stage lights with my headphones on, helping those dancers out.
• 1:11:08
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, amazing.
• 1:11:09
  SPEAKER_05: Well, how we always have our guests lead us out on making the impact is just with one final thought on the topic of today, which is award ceremony.
• 1:11:16
  SPEAKER_05: So if you want to talk to dancers out there, if you want to talk to studios, dance parents, maybe other competitions, whoever you want to talk to.
• 1:11:25
  SPEAKER_05: Any final thoughts to lead us out?
• 1:11:27
  SPEAKER_00: I do have a final thought.
• 1:11:28
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and this is for the dancers.
• 1:11:30
  SPEAKER_00: You know, competitions are a growing experience.
• 1:11:34
  SPEAKER_00: It is something that you do not just to compete, but you come to competitions to grow.
• 1:11:39
  SPEAKER_00: And part of that growth is in having fun, making friends.
• 1:11:45
  SPEAKER_00: Don't be afraid to go out there and try to make new friends, talk to other studios, cheer on other studios.
• 1:11:51
  SPEAKER_00: Yes, you're there for the trophy, but you're also there to learn, to grow, and to hopefully maybe make another friend for life.
• 1:11:59
  SPEAKER_00: You never know.
• 1:12:00
  SPEAKER_00: So that's my final thought.
• 1:12:02
  SPEAKER_00: Just make sure, whatever you're doing, that you're having fun doing it.
• 1:12:05
  SPEAKER_00: That's it.
• 1:12:06
  SPEAKER_01: I would say my final thought is more sort of towards the studio owners and the competition owners.
• 1:12:12
  SPEAKER_01: I would say to studio owners, really know what your clientele wants in a competition experience.
• 1:12:20
  SPEAKER_01: And then instead of simply picking competitions that are convenient in terms of dates, find those competitions that align with what your clients think is the most important.
• 1:12:33
  SPEAKER_01: And in that vein, then the company should really know how to concisely explain to a studio owner who might be considering them for the first time what kind of experience they're gonna have.
• 1:12:46
  SPEAKER_01: So they can make a huge investment.
• 1:12:49
  SPEAKER_01: Sometimes tens of thousands, if not hundreds, for these mega studios in Minnesota of entry fees know that it's going to reflect exactly what their parents and dancers think is important in a competition experience.
• 1:13:04
  SPEAKER_01: So just being sure about who your client is.
• 1:13:07
  SPEAKER_01: Competition sure of their studio client, and studio owners sure of their parent and dancer client.
• 1:13:15
  SPEAKER_05: We hope you enjoyed this week's episode all about award ceremonies at competition.
• 1:13:20
  SPEAKER_05: Don't forget to follow our guests on social media.
• 1:13:23
  SPEAKER_05: You can find James at Extreme Dancer and Maria at Maria Palmerlow.
• 1:13:29
  SPEAKER_02: Don't forget to follow Making the Impact on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Podcasts, and pretty much everywhere you listen to podcasts.
• 1:13:36
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• 1:13:42
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• 1:13:51
  SPEAKER_02: Join now at Impact Dance Adjudicators.com slash Platinum Premium or click the link in our show notes.
• 1:13:58
  SPEAKER_05: Be sure to check out IDA affiliated competition, Dive Dance Competition.
• 1:14:03
  SPEAKER_05: Dive produces top quality events for all levels of performers with brand new skill-based platforms.
• 1:14:09
  SPEAKER_05: Dive's regional dance competitions are held in North and South Carolina and offer an inspirational and positive atmosphere for dancers to grow and express themselves.
• 1:14:17
  SPEAKER_05: The Dive Vision challenges all dancers to be the best competitor, performer, student, and artist they can be.
• 1:14:23
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• 1:14:28
  SPEAKER_05: All soloists are automatically entered into the title competition at no additional charge.
• 1:14:32
  SPEAKER_05: One studio will be awarded the Studio of the Year at the conclusion of each regional season, and they also hold an ambassador search event each summer that offers exciting dance networking opportunities.
• 1:14:43
  SPEAKER_05: To learn more about their upcoming events, check them out online at Divedance.com and follow them on Instagram at DiveDanceComp.
• 1:14:53
  SPEAKER_02: Season five of Making the Impact continues with upcoming episodes, including what to do when the dance parent wants it more than the dancer, 10 Things Your Backstage Manager Wants You to Know, and Homeschooling and Dance.
• 1:15:06
  SPEAKER_05: We hope you're enjoying season five.
• 1:15:08
  SPEAKER_05: We'll see you next week for our next episode.
• 1:15:10
  SPEAKER_05: Until then, keep dancing.