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A Chat with Your Competition Directors - The 2021 Season · Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast

• 0:07
  SPEAKER_07: Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the table in a dance competition?
• 0:11
  SPEAKER_07: Exactly what are the judges looking for anyway?
• 0:13
  SPEAKER_07: This is making the impact of the dance competition podcast.
• 0:16
  SPEAKER_07: Each week we'll cover a different topic related to the world of competitive dance from the perspective of the judges behind the table.
• 0:23
  SPEAKER_07: The 2021 competition is just over the horizon, and we know everyone, dancers, studio owners, and teachers are looking forward to taking stage after the second time.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_07: But what does that look like moving forward?
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_07: On this week's episode of Making the Impact, we bring together a group of ideas-affiliated competition owners to give you a rundown of what they think the season will look like.
• 0:43
  SPEAKER_07: They're just as excited as you to get back to doing what they love best.
• 0:49
  SPEAKER_02: Hi everyone, it's Courtney Worth Tees, and welcome to this week's episode of Making the Impact a Dance Competition Podcast.
• 0:56
  SPEAKER_02: I'm your host, and I'm here with my co-host Leslie Mueller.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_02: Hi, everybody, and happy New Year's Eve.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_02: Oh my gosh, it's New Year's Eve.
• 1:03
  SPEAKER_02: If you are listening on our launch day, thank you for tuning in on New Year's Eve.
• 1:08
  SPEAKER_02: It's going to be a great 2021.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_02: I'm really excited for it.
• 1:11
  SPEAKER_02: I hope that we're all ready to put 2020 in the past and move on to 2021, which is going to be a wonderful year.
• 1:18
  SPEAKER_02: I can feel it.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_02: So happy New Year, everyone, and I hope that you all had a lovely holiday.
• 1:23
  SPEAKER_02: And thanks for tuning in on New Year's Eve if you're listening today.
• 1:27
  SPEAKER_02: We are super happy to be able to have a platform for some of our IDA affiliated competitions to share information about the upcoming 2021 season.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_02: And we know how important it is for everyone attending competitions, from the dancers to the parents to the staff, to feel confident in the safety of the event this upcoming year.
• 1:48
  SPEAKER_02: So we're looking forward to chatting with some IDA affiliated competition directors and owners today on the pod.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_02: But before we jump into that, we have a lot of fun things happening over here at Impact Dance Adjudicators.
• 2:01
  SPEAKER_02: And one of those things is our online judges' critiques.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_02: So if you haven't heard about our online judges' critiques service, it's a great way for dancers and teachers to get a fresh set of eyes on their dance before you hit the stage this competition season.
• 2:14
  SPEAKER_02: So one of our judges will critique your routine and there's no score involved.
• 2:18
  SPEAKER_02: It's not a competition.
• 2:20
  SPEAKER_02: It's just about getting the feedback.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_02: You can make it super personalized.
• 2:23
  SPEAKER_02: You can ask them to be on the lookout for technique, execution, performance, anything at all.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_02: And we even offer additional feedback where your judge will go back through and start and stop your dance and dig even deeper with those corrections.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_02: So it's really cool.
• 2:37
  SPEAKER_02: And with that additional feedback critique, you even get to watch your judge critique your dance, which is even like how cool is that?
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, you get to see their face and get to know them.
• 2:46
  SPEAKER_02: So super unique.
• 2:47
  SPEAKER_02: We love this service, and our judges do too.
• 2:49
  SPEAKER_02: So if you're looking for extra feedback before the season starts, send your dance our way.
• 2:54
  SPEAKER_02: And check it out on our website at ImpactDance Adjudicators.com/slash one line critiques.
• 3:00
  SPEAKER_02: Critiques start at only$35, and it's a quick four-day turnaround to get your critique back to you.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_02: So yay for that.
• 3:07
  SPEAKER_07: Yay for that, and yay for reviews.
• 3:10
  SPEAKER_02: Yay, reviews.
• 3:11
  SPEAKER_02: We love reviews.
• 3:12
  SPEAKER_02: Everybody loves us, Courtney.
• 3:13
  SPEAKER_02: Oh my god.
• 3:14
  SPEAKER_07: So reviews are a way that we know that we're doing a good job.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_07: Reviews are a way for you as a listener to, you know, show your support, tell us, give us some feedback, tell us what you like, tell us what you want to hear more of.
• 3:26
  SPEAKER_07: And we've just been getting some great ones over the past several months since we started season two.
• 3:31
  SPEAKER_07: So I wanted to shout out to Ne Not You2.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_07: This lovely user says, This podcast is awesome.
• 3:37
  SPEAKER_07: It's entertaining, and I've learned a ton.
• 3:39
  SPEAKER_07: Keep it up.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_07: I love how this podcast is not afraid to address sensitive issues in the dance world.
• 3:44
  SPEAKER_07: And so thank you, Ni Not U2.
• 3:46
  SPEAKER_07: And no, we are not afraid because we are here.
• 3:49
  SPEAKER_07: We are ready to have a conversation.
• 3:51
  SPEAKER_07: You know, Courtney wanted to start this podcast to give another platform, you know, for us to give education information and help and assistance, you know, out to the dance world.
• 4:01
  SPEAKER_07: And a lot of that sometimes can be a tough conversation.
• 4:04
  SPEAKER_07: And we're we're here for you.
• 4:05
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, we absolutely are.
• 4:07
  SPEAKER_02: So to all of our listeners out there, especially as we head into the new year, if there's any topics in the dance world or competitive dance world, but even in the professional dance world, any topics at all that you would love to hear on an upcoming episode, shoot us an email at podcast at impactdanceadjudicators.com and we will put that in the suggestion box to plan for season three.
• 4:29
  SPEAKER_02: We already have season two mapped out.
• 4:30
  SPEAKER_02: We already have all the upcoming topics for season two.
• 4:33
  SPEAKER_07: There may be a couple, you know, additions here and there, like there have been over the past few months.
• 4:37
  SPEAKER_07: Just because, you know, we we also we're very versatile and we're very we're very able to we'd be flexible just like dancers, and you know, we can turn on a dime.
• 4:47
  SPEAKER_07: So if you need if you need to hear something, we may be able to pop it into this season.
• 4:50
  SPEAKER_07: We'll see.
• 4:51
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 4:52
  SPEAKER_02: All right, everyone.
• 4:53
  SPEAKER_02: I'm so excited to introduce the panel of guests that we have today.
• 4:58
  SPEAKER_02: Normally, if you look into the podcast, we usually have one or two guests on board, but this time we have one, two, three, four, five, six, seven guests with us today joining us from different affiliated competitions that work with our IDA judges, which I've loved having a relationship with all of these guests.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_02: It's been wonderful working with them.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_02: And IDA couldn't be possible without the support from each each person here.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm so excited that they wanted to step in and join us on the podcast today and tonight.
• 5:29
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm going to introduce each of them.
• 5:31
  SPEAKER_02: And first up, I would love to welcome to the pod.
• 5:34
  SPEAKER_02: You may remember them from season one of Making the Impact.
• 5:39
  SPEAKER_02: I'd love to welcome Kelly and Natalie from High Demand Dance Competition.
• 5:43
  SPEAKER_02: Welcome.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you so much for having us.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_02: Of course.
• 5:47
  SPEAKER_02: I'm so happy to have you back on the pod.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_02: And I don't have that episode number off the top of my head, but I don't remember it either.
• 5:54
  SPEAKER_02: Pretty early on, though, I feel like it was early on.
• 5:57
  SPEAKER_02: Definitely go back and check it out in season one.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_02: We had a sit-down interview with Natalie and Kelly, and we learned all about how their competition came about, HD dance competition or high demand dance competition.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_02: So definitely go give that a listen.
• 6:10
  SPEAKER_02: And Natalie, if you wouldn't mind telling our listeners a little bit about HD.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_01: Yes, thank you again so much for having us tonight.
• 6:17
  SPEAKER_01: So, high demand, we always say, is the product of two best friends.
• 6:21
  SPEAKER_01: Kelly and I met in college.
• 6:23
  SPEAKER_01: We danced together.
• 6:24
  SPEAKER_01: And then after we were both in the competition world teaching, choreographing, working as assistant directors for studios.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_01: And we just kind of wanted to make the competition that we always wish we could have brought our teams to.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_01: So we really just focus on the experience from the beginning to the end.
• 6:40
  SPEAKER_01: So when they come into an HD event, we start every dance day with a morning stretch class on the stage so that the dancers properly warm up, feel the floor that they're going to be dancing on to start their competition day like a professional should be.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_01: We also like to include if improv competitions at all of our regionals because that's just a super important part to us, especially when if they're going out into the real world, just to learn, you know, what could be thrown at them in an audition.
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_01: We also like to do the excitement of like a nationals at every regional with our dance off.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_01: Obviously, things are a little bit different right now, but we're hoping to get back to our, you know, normal routine sooner than later.
• 7:20
  SPEAKER_01: And another thing that's super cool about HD is we always like tell our customers like our stage is your canvas.
• 7:26
  SPEAKER_01: So one thing we also do that's a little bit different is we offer all of our entries stage lighting.
• 7:31
  SPEAKER_01: So they actually pick their stage lighting for every entry.
• 7:35
  SPEAKER_01: So we always say, like, if it's like a fierce strats number, then you know, they pick like a hot pink, or if it's like a dramatic ballet or contemporary number, they might choose blue.
• 7:45
  SPEAKER_01: So it just kind of brings like a little bit more artistic flair and you know, gives them more artistic control.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_01: So to bring their number to life on the stage.
• 7:55
  SPEAKER_01: So yeah, I think that's uh Kel, you have anything else to add?
• 7:58
  SPEAKER_01: No, you hit all the points.
• 7:59
  SPEAKER_05: We just really just love having the dancers and the choreographers be able to express their creative vision.
• 8:05
  SPEAKER_05: And it's all about the experience for us at HD.
• 8:08
  SPEAKER_05: We just want everyone to come to our event, feel our energy, feel what we love to do, and just leave feeling like they experienced something different, something true to their art, and just have fun.
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_05: That's all we really, really want is everyone to walk away with a smile, feeling that they just did what they came to do and just loved every part of it.
• 8:28
  SPEAKER_02: I love that.
• 8:29
  SPEAKER_02: I want to go now.
• 8:30
  SPEAKER_02: That sounds fun.
• 8:31
  SPEAKER_02: I know, right?
• 8:32
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
• 8:33
  SPEAKER_07: Entry number one.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_07: I'm just kidding.
• 8:36
  SPEAKER_07: Pre-professional, post-professional, retired dancer.
• 8:39
  SPEAKER_07: Pro am division.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_07: Pro-am.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_02: All right.
• 8:42
  SPEAKER_02: Well, thanks, ladies from HD, for joining us.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_02: And we have a few more guests to welcome.
• 8:48
  SPEAKER_02: So, next up is Jennifer from Star Talent Productions.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_02: Hi, Jen.
• 8:53
  SPEAKER_02: Hello.
• 8:54
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you for having me.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_02: Of course.
• 8:56
  SPEAKER_02: This is your first time on the pod, and I'm really excited to have you.
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_02: This is my first time on any podcast.
• 9:01
  SPEAKER_02: Oh my gosh.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_02: I we have, we I love, I love that.
• 9:06
  SPEAKER_02: Actually, our last guests were first time podcasters, and it's just always just a fun feeling.
• 9:11
  SPEAKER_02: You'll always remember your first podcast.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_02: So I'm so happy to have you.
• 9:17
  SPEAKER_02: And feel free to share a little bit about you and Star Town Productions.
• 9:22
  SPEAKER_03: Well, thanks.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_03: And I love hearing other people's story because my start is kind of like um You just said it was high demand.
• 9:28
  SPEAKER_03: I started in the studio.
• 9:30
  SPEAKER_03: I was actually an office assistant, moved my way to the recreational dancers, to the competitive dancers, where I ended up the director of a 500 C studio or 500 students studio.
• 9:42
  SPEAKER_03: It came to the point where I decided what do I want to do now?
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_03: And the competitive side is what I love.
• 9:49
  SPEAKER_03: So I started to start college.
• 9:51
  SPEAKER_03: We are going to celebrate our 15th year in 2021.
• 9:56
  SPEAKER_03: We are mostly in the southeast.
• 9:58
  SPEAKER_03: We do go up to Ohio, down to Florida, on the East Coast, and we would love to expand when we get back to a little more normal schedule.
• 10:06
  SPEAKER_03: We do hold our nationals in Myrtle Beach.
• 10:09
  SPEAKER_03: And I guess we try to be a great experience for everybody, not just the dancers and the studio staff that's there, but the friends and family and the audience too.
• 10:19
  SPEAKER_03: I'd never like to see an empty stage.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_03: So whether it's costume changes or judges breaks, I want something entertaining happening on that stage.
• 10:27
  SPEAKER_03: And we have a great set of hosts, and that's what we like to do to stand out.
• 10:32
  unknown: Yeah.
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_07: And you do.
• 10:33
  SPEAKER_07: That's I remember judging for you and just thinking, gosh, it's so nice to not have an empty stage.
• 10:37
  SPEAKER_07: Like ever.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_07: There's always a host.
• 10:38
  SPEAKER_07: There's always something happening that's just there's a game, there's a trivia.
• 10:41
  SPEAKER_02: I remember once Yeah, like like I remember a host came to me on a judge's break and started like asking me questions, like on the mic.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_02: I'm like, oh my gosh.
• 10:51
  SPEAKER_02: Like it's just super fun, you know?
• 10:53
  SPEAKER_02: Like you never know what these hosts are gonna do.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that makes it really fun for the audience as well and the kids.
• 10:59
  SPEAKER_03: So yeah.
• 11:00
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you, Jen.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_02: Yes.
• 11:02
  SPEAKER_02: So nice to have you.
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_02: And next up, I'm excited to welcome Nicole from Gem's Dance Competition.
• 11:09
  SPEAKER_02: Hi, Nicole.
• 11:10
  SPEAKER_00: Hi.
• 11:11
  SPEAKER_00: I have to admit, I am also a first-time podcaster here.
• 11:16
  SPEAKER_00: So it's always the best.
• 11:18
  SPEAKER_00: Trying to find a comfortable seating position for this.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 11:22
  SPEAKER_00: Seems awful.
• 11:23
  SPEAKER_02: It's tough.
• 11:24
  SPEAKER_02: I'm super happy that you're joining us for your first time.
• 11:27
  SPEAKER_02: And I would love for you to tell the world a little bit about gems.
• 11:31
  SPEAKER_00: So, I mean, obviously a story that keeps repeating.
• 11:35
  SPEAKER_00: The myself and two other owners, I was the teacher for the competition team for one of my co-owner studios.
• 11:42
  SPEAKER_00: And our other owner was the person who did our website, our marketing, you know, all of the tech stuff that there's no way we would ever figure out in our life.
• 11:50
  SPEAKER_00: We went to a couple competitions that we just left feeling really negative with our students.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_00: And we just, we decided right then and there we were going to create something that we would be proud to bring our own students to, you know, an environment that is based on positivity and making everybody feel good when they leave.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, our our thing is always, you know, our big goals is always focus on the joy and the benefits of dance, support studio owners, and we like to deliver love bombs everywhere we go, is what we like to say.
• 12:20
  SPEAKER_00: So we like to focus on small things like, you know, every detail, there's a sparkle on, there's a gem on there, you know, and we just want to make sure everybody feels like they're important.
• 12:29
  SPEAKER_00: Lots of gifts, lots of extra stuff.
• 12:31
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, it's not a lot to us to do, but it means a lot to that four-year-old who maybe just left a competition where they got nothing more than a pat on the back.
• 12:39
  SPEAKER_00: And we just never want anyone leaving our competition feeling that way.
• 12:42
  SPEAKER_00: We want to make sure everyone feels good when they walk out the door.
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_00: So it's been great, luckily, because we found Courtney and she has made the judges' experience so amazing.
• 12:55
  SPEAKER_00: And they're all positive.
• 12:56
  SPEAKER_00: And you guys do such a good job of giving those dancers that same positive attributes that we want to see throughout everything.
• 13:03
  SPEAKER_00: We're in the Midwest.
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_00: So right now we're kind of just waiting to see what's gonna possibly happen with 2021.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_00: We're plowing through as of right now and hoping for the best, but we'll see what happens.
• 13:15
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_02: Awesome.
• 13:16
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I I've loved working with you and I love gems.
• 13:19
  SPEAKER_02: And I I was actually scheduled last year to finally come out and judge for you.
• 13:24
  SPEAKER_02: And that didn't happen, sadly.
• 13:26
  SPEAKER_02: But hopefully, maybe this year or next year, I can finally come experience the gems experience.
• 13:32
  SPEAKER_02: I actually I haven't done HD either.
• 13:34
  SPEAKER_02: I know I need to do that.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_02: Or I I want to experience them all.
• 13:39
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, because I love everything that you each bring to the competition world.
• 13:44
  SPEAKER_02: So I love that.
• 13:44
  SPEAKER_02: Thank you so much, Nicole, for sharing a little bit about gems.
• 13:48
  SPEAKER_02: It's so interesting to hear how everyone decided to, you know, break into this lovely industry.
• 13:53
  SPEAKER_02: So final guests that we have.
• 13:55
  SPEAKER_02: We have three guests joining us who, again, you may remember from season one because we had an episode with two of these lovely ladies last season.
• 14:03
  SPEAKER_02: So definitely go check it out.
• 14:05
  SPEAKER_02: I am so happy to welcome back Ann Kim and Stephanie with Diva Dance Competition.
• 14:10
  SPEAKER_02: Hi, ladies.
• 14:12
  SPEAKER_02: Hello.
• 14:13
  SPEAKER_02: Yay! Welcome back to the pod.
• 14:16
  SPEAKER_06: Thank you.
• 14:18
  SPEAKER_06: Great to be back.
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_02: I love you guys.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_02: I um you guys have been, you know, with IDA from the very beginning, and I think that you guys offer something different as far as the style of competition.
• 14:29
  SPEAKER_02: So, Ann, do you want to share a little bit about D.Va?
• 14:31
  SPEAKER_06: I would love to, and the ladies have designated me the person to speak.
• 14:35
  SPEAKER_06: So apologies ahead of time.
• 14:37
  SPEAKER_06: I always have something weird happen over the microphone, but if you know me and D.Va, then that's just what happens.
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_06: So we are America's live judging competition, and that means that dancers receive their feedback immediately after performing.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_06: Once they perform, they stay on stage and they will hear directly from their judges live over the microphone.
• 14:56
  SPEAKER_06: Two of the judges will provide feedback, and the third judge is doing written comments, typed comments directly to the teacher.
• 15:03
  SPEAKER_06: So the kids are hearing things they can control on stage, you know, stage presence, technique, that sort of thing.
• 15:08
  SPEAKER_06: And anything having to do with choreography or things that are out of the control of the kids, those notes are going directly to the teachers.
• 15:15
  SPEAKER_06: So they get to hear, the audience gets to hear, everybody gets to hear.
• 15:19
  SPEAKER_06: And it's a really educational experience for everyone because you know, you have dancers waiting in the wings, listening to feedback from a dancer on stage that maybe they're taking in before they go out.
• 15:30
  SPEAKER_06: And it's also really validating for the studio owners to have the parents listening in the audience too, because you know, it's like, okay, I guess my teacher does know what they're talking about.
• 15:40
  SPEAKER_06: It's always delivered in a really positive and constructive manner.
• 15:43
  SPEAKER_06: We always want the kids to feel leaving empowered and excited to come back on and perform even better the next time.
• 15:49
  SPEAKER_06: And that's something that's really great because they can apply that feedback immediately to their next routines.
• 15:54
  SPEAKER_06: So you're gonna see growth from the start of the day to the end of the day.
• 15:58
  SPEAKER_06: And our judges, because they are IDA judges exclusively, which we are so grateful for.
• 16:03
  SPEAKER_06: I don't know why every competition doesn't do it.
• 16:05
  SPEAKER_06: I'm just suggesting that they should because you it's just a guarantee you're going to get someone so vetted and so professional.
• 16:11
  SPEAKER_06: But because they're so great, they remember kids, you know, from 7 p.m.
• 16:15
  SPEAKER_06: on Friday that might be performing again at 2 p.m.
• 16:18
  SPEAKER_06: on Sunday and say, Oh my gosh, you took my correction from the other night and applied it here.
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_06: I'm so proud of you.
• 16:23
  SPEAKER_06: This is amazing.
• 16:24
  SPEAKER_06: So it really creates a nice personal rapport with the judges and they get to watch them develop over the years.
• 16:30
  SPEAKER_06: So it's it's very personalized.
• 16:32
  SPEAKER_06: So Diva is really about just building relationships with our students, with our dance studio owners.
• 16:39
  SPEAKER_06: Judges get to interact with with all of those people as well, dancers and studio owners.
• 16:44
  SPEAKER_06: So it's a very, it's a very close-knit community, and it sounds intimidating to some, but once you try it, you never go back.
• 16:51
  SPEAKER_06: You it it's everyone falls in love with it because of the way our judges are so great about giving the feedback.
• 16:57
  SPEAKER_06: So that's our format.
• 16:58
  SPEAKER_06: And also they once they get their feedback, they also get their adjudicated award right away.
• 17:02
  SPEAKER_06: So they know exactly how they did coming off stage, which is great because they kind of know where they're at and what they need to do.
• 17:09
  SPEAKER_06: And then it makes for much shorter award ceremonies because it's at the end of the day, it's just the overalls and titles, that sort of thing.
• 17:15
  SPEAKER_06: We don't have to go through the whole adjudicated awards.
• 17:18
  SPEAKER_06: And then lastly, this competition came about.
• 17:20
  SPEAKER_06: Kim and I have worked together for I forget how many years.
• 17:24
  SPEAKER_06: We figured it out.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_06: It's been a long time.
• 17:25
  SPEAKER_06: And eventually I opened my own studio where she was a teacher at my studio.
• 17:30
  SPEAKER_06: And then she was like, Hey, I'm thinking about this idea.
• 17:33
  SPEAKER_06: She has a son named Jack, who we talked about on our last podcast, born with CDLS, Cornelia Delang syndrome, a rare genetic disorder.
• 17:41
  SPEAKER_06: That she's like, we need to find a way to bring all of this together.
• 17:44
  SPEAKER_06: I really want to help this organization raise money, raise awareness.
• 17:48
  SPEAKER_06: Let's figure out how we can do this through dance.
• 17:50
  SPEAKER_06: So portion of our proceeds go to help support the CDLS Foundation.
• 17:55
  SPEAKER_06: And it's just something a little extra special.
• 17:58
  SPEAKER_06: It's it's really built around family and community and support.
• 18:01
  SPEAKER_06: And am I thinking of anything else?
• 18:02
  SPEAKER_06: And Miss Stephanie, our assistant director, who's also joining us here, she was a judge for us uh for many years.
• 18:09
  SPEAKER_06: And then we need it.
• 18:10
  SPEAKER_06: She is like, we had to snatch her up and say, You're not a judge anymore.
• 18:14
  SPEAKER_06: You're you're gonna be running this whole thing come the future.
• 18:18
  SPEAKER_06: So she's amazing.
• 18:19
  SPEAKER_06: I think we just have a great team.
• 18:21
  SPEAKER_06: We always have so much fun.
• 18:22
  SPEAKER_06: And um, I think our clients can see that too.
• 18:25
  SPEAKER_06: That it's we're very, very real people.
• 18:27
  SPEAKER_06: There's no practicing before we go out, we just go with it, and it always turns out great.
• 18:31
  SPEAKER_06: It does.
• 18:32
  SPEAKER_06: It really does.
• 18:34
  SPEAKER_02: Well, wow, this is awesome.
• 18:36
  SPEAKER_02: It's so nice to hear everyone's like start of your competition adventure.
• 18:41
  SPEAKER_02: And I am so happy that all of you have joined us tonight.
• 18:44
  SPEAKER_02: So thanks so much.
• 18:46
  SPEAKER_07: So, yes, thank you everybody for joining us today.
• 18:48
  SPEAKER_07: We're so grateful to have you all here and to just shed some light on what 2021 may look like.
• 18:54
  SPEAKER_07: And so, you know, as Impact Dance Adjudicators and Making the Impact, we'll put a caveat out there.
• 18:59
  SPEAKER_07: These are not the end-all be-all answers.
• 19:01
  SPEAKER_07: We know nothing.
• 19:03
  SPEAKER_07: Everything is ever changing.
• 19:04
  SPEAKER_07: Don't hold us to anything we're saying on this episode.
• 19:07
  SPEAKER_07: This is all just a lot of speculation, educated guesses.
• 19:10
  SPEAKER_07: But we did, we had an episode earlier in the season regarding COVID schedules and competitions, but we had kind of a little bit of feedback that people wanted more and people wanted to hear from the competitions.
• 19:20
  SPEAKER_07: And, you know, we were just we're grateful to have this opportunity to give a platform to some of these people to share with everybody, you know, some possibilities and just just maybe give, you know, the studio owners and the competitors and the parents just a little bit of peace of mind, just to have some information.
• 19:36
  SPEAKER_07: So let's jump right in.
• 19:38
  SPEAKER_07: And I would love to hear from from anybody and everybody, what are what are any new restrictions that you've put in place that maybe blanket every state?
• 19:47
  SPEAKER_07: Like I know obviously every state's gonna have different rules and regulations, but is there anything you're implementing just across the board that's new and different that people should know about?
• 19:55
  SPEAKER_05: This is Kelly from HD.
• 19:57
  SPEAKER_05: I don't necessarily think that this is something uh new, but I feel like what most competitions that I've spoken with, they are, you know, really trying to get the dancers and the studios to come to the event wearing their first costume, or they say to them, don't wear your costumes and you can all, you know, eliminate the costumes.
• 20:17
  SPEAKER_05: But I know when we had our event, we suggested and really said, you know, everyone show up with your first costume that you're gonna go performing in, have that on.
• 20:27
  SPEAKER_05: And we gave the choices to the competition uh to the studio saying, if you don't want to do any costumes, you know, you don't have to wear any costume that won't be accounted for in any of the scoring.
• 20:38
  SPEAKER_05: That it goes as well with that with hairstyles.
• 20:40
  SPEAKER_05: We know it's like super tough, you know.
• 20:42
  SPEAKER_05: I know it's so important to get your vision across.
• 20:45
  SPEAKER_05: And you're like, no, I wanted a French braid here, and no, I wanted this.
• 20:49
  SPEAKER_05: But I think we've came and we really learned from our last event, you know, one hairstyle across the board just saves so much time.
• 20:57
  SPEAKER_05: So we definitely encourage the no costumes or, you know, showing up to this the competition with your first costume ready to go, hair and makeup, and really just having that one hairstyle kind of be with you the entire day.
• 21:11
  SPEAKER_05: It eliminates a lot of.
• 21:12
  SPEAKER_05: I know my mom would have been super happy because she was always like, I can't do this breed, and you know, yelling at the teachers, like, someone take this over.
• 21:21
  SPEAKER_05: So that I definitely think the mommies were uh super stoked about that.
• 21:25
  SPEAKER_05: But you know, that's a it's I think across the board, regardless of each state, that's something that I know was implemented through a lot of competition.
• 21:33
  SPEAKER_05: But um, it helps to just save those extra seconds and extra worrying when you get to the the competition of, oh, I have to dress, I have to do this, everything is already set.
• 21:43
  SPEAKER_05: And there's just go, you know, go do your thing throughout the day, which is dancing and having your moment rather than thinking about all the extras that sometimes take away from or add that stress.
• 21:54
  SPEAKER_05: So we try to eliminate any kind of extra stresses we possibly could.
• 21:57
  SPEAKER_06: Absolutely.
• 21:58
  SPEAKER_06: I think too.
• 22:00
  SPEAKER_06: This is diva, one of the divas talking.
• 22:03
  SPEAKER_06: It's hard to say because I know we're all in in different states, at least the states we visit, which is mostly East Coast base.
• 22:09
  SPEAKER_06: We're very heavy in the northeast, but we do go down as far as Florida and we go to Pennsylvania as well.
• 22:14
  SPEAKER_06: But we are gonna have to implement block scheduling, I think, for the whole year, unless things take a real turn, which is probably very unlikely.
• 22:22
  SPEAKER_06: So we're planning for a season of block scheduling, meaning where you know you your studio comes in during your specific time and performs all of your routines at once.
• 22:32
  SPEAKER_06: You still get your adjudicated award when you finish your routine, but the the overalls will be streamed at the end of the day and recorded so you can watch.
• 22:40
  SPEAKER_06: If you have a smaller studio with maybe just five solos from one and a couple from another, you might be going in the same time block.
• 22:46
  SPEAKER_06: But generally, and I think that's probably most people here.
• 22:49
  SPEAKER_06: I know that Jen, you have sort of a hybrid model that you're working with where you are.
• 22:54
  SPEAKER_06: But for us at least, our blanket is going to be the block scheduling, and also, you know, I think masks aren't going away for a while.
• 23:02
  SPEAKER_06: So required mask wearing, it'll depend on stage, as far as dancers, what the state requirements are.
• 23:08
  SPEAKER_06: Just in Maine, and very recently they changed it where dancers had to wear masks where they were practicing without masks, but suddenly that rule changed.
• 23:17
  SPEAKER_06: So, you know, mask wearing, block scheduling, that that sort of thing is kind of a blanket for us, and also the potential for unfortunately no spectators, depending on uh gathering restrictions, which seem to kind of be going backwards again right now.
• 23:31
  SPEAKER_06: So it's really just a very fluid situation that kind of have to make the call and that on that sort of thing closer to the event in terms of spectators.
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_01: Yeah, I agree.
• 23:41
  SPEAKER_01: And I think sorry, this is Natalie from HD.
• 23:44
  SPEAKER_01: But I think another thing is like just in general, making sure that like on top of whatever venue state rules are in place, like in terms of like our high demand company roles to attend our event, is making sure that people are compliant with whatever we require for them to attend, you know, in terms of the waivers and if we're doing temperature checks, you know, that's going to be something that's just gonna kind of be like across the board what you know, high demand is requesting from anyone who chooses to come to an event versus like, all right, well, let's see what each state's doing, just to make sure we're always adding that extra layer of safety as well.
• 24:19
  unknown: Yeah.
• 24:20
  SPEAKER_07: Nicole, you had something to say.
• 24:21
  SPEAKER_00: This is Nicole.
• 24:22
  SPEAKER_00: We were, like I said, we, you know, up in the Midwest and you know, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, not a single state that's really doing great with things.
• 24:31
  SPEAKER_00: We've already decided on the block scheduling, like you said, mask requirements and temperature checks.
• 24:37
  SPEAKER_00: And we actually already gave that information to the studios that were planning or are thinking about coming because we we've already had multiples coming back and saying, you know, we have some high-risk situations.
• 24:48
  SPEAKER_00: Can we feel comfortable coming to your event?
• 24:50
  SPEAKER_00: And we would rather make those calls and say everyone has the mask.
• 24:53
  SPEAKER_00: As of right now, we're at one spectator per dancer.
• 24:59
  SPEAKER_00: That's probably not going to be what it is by the time we get to competitions, but that's that's what we're hoping for.
• 25:04
  SPEAKER_00: But same thing, you know, get everyone in at one time, get them all out, clean up everything, and then start all over again with the next studio, hoping to keep that contact as minimal as we can between groups.
• 25:15
  SPEAKER_07: Awesome.
• 25:16
  SPEAKER_07: Jen, can you speak a little bit about your hybrid uh schedule?
• 25:19
  SPEAKER_07: Because I know that you are down in the south mostly, and that has been different kind of from a lot of the rest of the country the whole time.
• 25:26
  SPEAKER_07: So I'd love to hear about that.
• 25:27
  SPEAKER_03: Sure.
• 25:28
  SPEAKER_03: We did in South Carolina and Tennessee this summer, and even since then, I know the South Carolina rules have changed, but we were at, I called it hybrid.
• 25:38
  SPEAKER_03: We were able to have a couple studios in at a time.
• 25:41
  SPEAKER_03: We did solos as quote unquote normal.
• 25:44
  SPEAKER_03: Say all came in and had to leave right away.
• 25:46
  SPEAKER_03: But when the large venue, we told them to come in, dress and ready, use your solo and leave.
• 25:51
  SPEAKER_03: If you had to be a ballet and a task, you did not have to wait the whole time just to come recheck yourself back in.
• 25:57
  SPEAKER_03: But then for our group, we had four different auditorium seating areas, four different entrances and exits, four different dressing rooms with the pathways for the dancers to come.
• 26:11
  SPEAKER_03: We went and escorted them.
• 26:13
  SPEAKER_03: All the studios knew about this ahead of time, but we did three blocks of four studios at a time to do 12 studios.
• 26:20
  SPEAKER_03: So they still had the competition atmosphere, not just the block almost recital like schedule.
• 26:28
  SPEAKER_03: And it was great.
• 26:29
  SPEAKER_03: You know, they knew about it.
• 26:30
  SPEAKER_03: We had diagrams and drawings so everybody could see.
• 26:33
  SPEAKER_03: We had all the directors come in and meet us before their students came in so that we could walk them around the venue.
• 26:40
  SPEAKER_03: We laid down color tape.
• 26:41
  SPEAKER_03: You're the Blue Studio.
• 26:42
  SPEAKER_03: This is your path to the follow that page.
• 26:44
  SPEAKER_07: That's amazing.
• 26:46
  SPEAKER_06: Take a note, Stephanie.
• 26:47
  SPEAKER_06: That's excellent.
• 26:51
  SPEAKER_03: They actually listened and they followed the directions.
• 26:54
  SPEAKER_03: If they wouldn't have, it would have never worked.
• 26:57
  SPEAKER_03: But I think everyone wanted to be on that stage so badly that they were willing to do what they needed to do.
• 27:06
  SPEAKER_03: I hope we can get to a place to do a few studios in the Northeast.
• 27:09
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, that's the idea.
• 27:12
  SPEAKER_03: Even the venue we had, we can't do that.
• 27:14
  SPEAKER_03: Right now they're they went back down.
• 27:16
  SPEAKER_05: So you know, black scheduling definitely does have its challenges, but it also does have some positives as well.
• 27:22
  SPEAKER_05: You know, the kids are with their people that they dance with, they have the camaraderie of their studio together.
• 27:28
  SPEAKER_05: It's really, it's it's there's positive and negative.
• 27:31
  SPEAKER_05: The only thing is, you know, dancers are sometimes dancing back to back.
• 27:36
  SPEAKER_05: And, you know, studio directors, it's it's definitely something that they all have to get used to.
• 27:41
  SPEAKER_05: If you do have those dancers that are in numbers back to back and they're coming across with the block scheduling, dancing literally, you know, one right after the other, because we can't put anyone intertwined in there to make it work.
• 27:55
  SPEAKER_05: You know, it becomes challenging for the dancers.
• 27:57
  SPEAKER_05: So the I think everyone has to realize with block scheduling, like the challenges that come that's that could come with within their way, they have to try to navigate a solution as a team on both sides, like as the competition directors, as the studio directors, we all have to work super closely just to make everyone have a successful day.
• 28:19
  SPEAKER_05: Because I know as a dancer, you know, it was tough when you're at rehearsal and you go back to back, you're like, oh my God, I'm so tired.
• 28:25
  SPEAKER_05: And that's like a just a rehearsal.
• 28:27
  SPEAKER_05: But then when you get on stage, you're definitely dancing full out, no mark, and putting way more energy than you thought you would you were doing at rehearsal.
• 28:36
  SPEAKER_05: But when you're on that stage between the lights and the people, things just flare up.
• 28:40
  SPEAKER_05: And, you know, it's that's the challenging part.
• 28:43
  SPEAKER_05: And a smaller studio with kids in in every number, that's a challenge I think they're gonna face.
• 28:48
  SPEAKER_05: But block scheduling does have its positives.
• 28:51
  SPEAKER_05: You know, kids seem less nervous because they're with their families, they're with their their, if you have spectators, but they're with their studios.
• 28:58
  SPEAKER_05: So they they felt, I felt at at our competition, the kids that were dancing, they was the the jitters wasn't really there so much as I saw and when they're on the stage, you know, competing against other studios at the same time.
• 29:12
  SPEAKER_05: I felt like they're they were just a little bit more cool, calm, and collected, which is which was nice to see.
• 29:16
  SPEAKER_05: But definitely block scheduling for HD will happen, like the diva said, with the masks and the, you know, from state to state deciding if you can dance with the mask or if you're allowed to take it off when you're on the stage.
• 29:28
  SPEAKER_05: But for sure, block scheduling um will be happening at HD as well.
• 29:32
  SPEAKER_06: Two points you brought up, which are really great.
• 29:34
  SPEAKER_06: One, there are positives to it.
• 29:36
  SPEAKER_06: I mean, it's definitely not ideal.
• 29:37
  SPEAKER_06: And hopefully this is a one-off this season that we're gonna have to do to get everyone dancing.
• 29:43
  SPEAKER_06: But the kids, even though it's not as not that competitive atmosphere where you get to watch people, which is why I love Jen, your hybrid model, it would that you can even do with solos, that's awesome.
• 29:54
  SPEAKER_06: But you know, the studio directors and teachers are loving it because they're in and they're out.
• 29:59
  SPEAKER_06: They don't, you know, have to come on Friday evening and then again on Sunday and then sometime on Saturday because of their categories.
• 30:06
  SPEAKER_06: So they're finding that to be a positive.
• 30:08
  SPEAKER_06: And like you said, the kids seem less worried about it because they're surrounded by their, you know, dance families and they're not thinking about the kid on stage in front of them, like, oh my god, they're just so amazing.
• 30:19
  SPEAKER_06: How am I gonna do?
• 30:20
  SPEAKER_06: Like they're just they know what they're doing, they go out and do it.
• 30:22
  SPEAKER_06: But the other thing you bring up in terms of block scheduling, that I think we've talked about this before, all of us, for the studio owners, just to help your team and your dancers, it would be a great idea to just start running those routines.
• 30:37
  SPEAKER_06: I mean, get that conditioning practice in because it is it is a quick turnaround.
• 30:41
  SPEAKER_06: We do schedule in costume changes, you know.
• 30:44
  SPEAKER_06: We're never gonna say you gotta go right off the stage and come back on, and we're not gonna give you a minute.
• 30:48
  SPEAKER_06: We're we're of course going to schedule in those minutes for you to do your quick costume change, gather a breath, but it's not gonna be like a 15-minute block.
• 30:56
  SPEAKER_06: It's gonna be it's gonna be quick.
• 30:57
  SPEAKER_06: So the kids definitely will need to get used to that fast turnaround.
• 31:01
  SPEAKER_06: So I would suggest even when you get your schedule for your block schedule, run it and run it and run it.
• 31:08
  SPEAKER_06: Do it with your costume changes, do it like it's going to be, and do it with a mask on because you don't know.
• 31:14
  SPEAKER_06: I mean, suddenly they could change the rules in any state that you're going to have to dance in a mask.
• 31:19
  SPEAKER_06: It's not everywhere right now, but it's seeming like things are kind of going backwards a little bit.
• 31:23
  SPEAKER_06: So just to help the dancers get conditioned to be able to do that quickly and get those costume changes, you know, maybe you don't put on that accessory.
• 31:31
  SPEAKER_06: But the judges, I think Courtney, you know, you guys can speak to that, but our judges, they're not expecting, we know it's different.
• 31:39
  SPEAKER_06: So if you don't have a bedazzled hair accessory that would look lovely with your rhinestone costume, no points are gonna be taken off.
• 31:46
  SPEAKER_06: And if you decide this is too quick of a change, we'd rather not wear costumes for this or the same costume just tweaked somehow for two numbers.
• 31:54
  SPEAKER_06: That's totally cool.
• 31:55
  SPEAKER_06: You know, we just want it to be non-stress for you and your dancers and to be able to have it run smoothly.
• 32:01
  SPEAKER_06: So just get that training in and know it's gonna be get those jumping jacks and uh burpees ready for those dancers.
• 32:08
  SPEAKER_02: Get their get their heart rates up and uh ready to run.
• 32:13
  SPEAKER_02: I feel like that's such a good point that you made, Anne, about the fact that like, you know, like we said, every studio and every state is different as far as what is allowed and required in your state's guidelines at this very moment, and it could change in a snap of the finger.
• 32:27
  SPEAKER_02: You have no idea what's to come as far as those those guidelines are concerned.
• 32:32
  SPEAKER_02: And you said, even if you're not dancing in a mask or don't expect to at competition, you should practice in a mask.
• 32:39
  SPEAKER_02: You know what I mean?
• 32:40
  SPEAKER_02: And that's kind of where my a little bit of my issue is with the whole the whole mask situation in the industry is because we're wearing a lot of places are wearing masks in studio, and then all of a sudden, now that we're on stage, it's different.
• 32:54
  SPEAKER_02: And I'm like, but it how is it, how is it different?
• 32:56
  SPEAKER_02: And I I just want to know like the justification for like why people think that it's a different thing.
• 33:01
  SPEAKER_02: We're still doing the same dance, we're still touching the same people, we're still rolling on the floor, we're still six feet apart, whatever.
• 33:07
  SPEAKER_02: But anyway, I feel like, like you said, I mean, there there may be studios that might be selecting competitions based on, well, this competition said that they're not gonna be requiring masks on stage, so I'm going to them.
• 33:17
  SPEAKER_02: However, you don't know if that's going to change.
• 33:20
  SPEAKER_02: And a studio owner has to be understanding in the sense that if a rule does come out last minute that actually, sorry, if you want our event to run, we're required to make people wear masks on stage.
• 33:30
  SPEAKER_02: Dancers need to be prepped and ready for that.
• 33:32
  SPEAKER_02: And I think that, you know, studio owners might be taken aback by that and say, well, I'm not coming.
• 33:37
  SPEAKER_02: I'm gonna go find a new competition.
• 33:38
  SPEAKER_02: No, we have to be understanding in this season moving into it and and know that it, you know, things can change and we should be lucky and grateful if events run.
• 33:47
  SPEAKER_02: You know what I mean?
• 33:47
  SPEAKER_02: Like we are all trying to stay positive and optimistic, and I hope that they all do, but we have to be ready to be flexible and and willing to make whatever work.
• 33:55
  SPEAKER_07: Well, back, I mean, I was just you just brought up a good point, you know, just about the mask wearing.
• 34:00
  SPEAKER_07: Just, you know, a few months ago, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree got lit, and the Roquettes were on that stage in masks, full out with feeling.
• 34:09
  SPEAKER_07: You could tell they were smiling, they you could tell they were working, and it can be done, you know.
• 34:13
  SPEAKER_07: And I think a lot of the the conversation is around, well, you know, it's just so hard and it's so much harder, and it's just so much harder.
• 34:19
  SPEAKER_07: Well, it might be harder, but we do hard things.
• 34:22
  SPEAKER_07: We're dancers, you know.
• 34:23
  SPEAKER_07: We we can do hard things, and it just is a matter, as Ann said, of just practicing with it, you know, be prepared for anything because it's 2020 slash 2021.
• 34:34
  SPEAKER_06: Yeah, I would I would just go into it assuming you're probably going to have to wear a mask because you, you know, we all see what's going on now in the numbers, and it totally can be done.
• 34:42
  SPEAKER_06: I mean, we just came off a weekend this past weekend in Maine, like I said, and it had just changed for everyone.
• 34:48
  SPEAKER_06: So some of them weren't used to it, but they did it.
• 34:51
  SPEAKER_06: And even the little itty biddies are out there with their masks on, so cute.
• 34:55
  SPEAKER_06: And you know, you just got to tell your students to smise more.
• 34:58
  SPEAKER_06: One more thing regarding the block scheduling, which I know HD ladies, you guys have implemented or talked about rather, and we've kind of done this as well with our events.
• 35:08
  SPEAKER_06: We've requested, not requested, but we've left it up to studio directors whether or not they would like to create their own block schedule because they do know which dancers are in all of the things, you know, and how how many dancers are in every routine.
• 35:22
  SPEAKER_06: For example, in Massachusetts, we're restricted to 25 people in a room.
• 35:26
  SPEAKER_06: So they know how many kids are in what, who's in what.
• 35:30
  SPEAKER_06: And it's just a lot easier, I think, for them to take on, unless it's, you know, mostly solos, duo trios, or you have kids that aren't in everything.
• 35:40
  SPEAKER_06: Totally fine.
• 35:40
  SPEAKER_06: And we're happy to do anyone's schedule, but I think it takes the weight off of studio directors just kind of figuring it out for themselves.
• 35:47
  SPEAKER_06: And it's helpful for us as well on our end, because you guys just know all of your routines so well.
• 35:53
  SPEAKER_06: And we're trying to figure it out for so many studios where you might the studio owner may have said, Well, this probably would have worked better.
• 36:00
  SPEAKER_06: So it's been most of the people we've worked with have opted to do that on their own, and it has worked out wonderfully.
• 36:07
  SPEAKER_00: I'm sure that takes a lot of the stress off, you know, taking the stress off the studio owners of waiting for the schedule that they're going to need to ask you to change.
• 36:15
  SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
• 36:15
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, one way or the other, they know they're going to have to step in with a situation like that.
• 36:20
  SPEAKER_00: You know, when you give them that option, like you're saying, they already know they've already had to run the practices when people aren't being able to be around each other.
• 36:28
  SPEAKER_00: Right.
• 36:28
  SPEAKER_05: And that's an this LA point HD.
• 36:30
  SPEAKER_05: The only thing that, you know, they ever had to wait for would be like the timing of the day or the day that they would be performing.
• 36:36
  SPEAKER_05: But again, that's just teamwork on our end, their end.
• 36:40
  SPEAKER_05: And it really was so helpful for Natalie and I because, you know, like Ann said, you know, your kids, you know who can who can handle back to back if you have to pull it.
• 36:49
  SPEAKER_05: You know, I think it's awesome to have that ability to chat with each other.
• 36:54
  SPEAKER_05: But like, you know, block scheduling, it definitely leads for you find like the leadership roles in your teachers.
• 37:00
  SPEAKER_05: You find like backstage, you know, we had teachers killing it, just being like, go, go, go with their students.
• 37:06
  SPEAKER_05: They were like literally like getting them on.
• 37:09
  SPEAKER_05: It was super cool to see teachers and directors like having such a hands-on with their students.
• 37:15
  SPEAKER_05: So that was awesome.
• 37:16
  SPEAKER_05: Like we say that, see that across the board when we do like normal competitions, but this was like enhanced, and block scheduling calls for leadership to come out in so many different ways.
• 37:26
  SPEAKER_05: And um, really knowing your children and knowing what they're capable of.
• 37:30
  SPEAKER_05: If this competition is the competition that you think would be suitable for your child, your children dancing.
• 37:37
  SPEAKER_05: You know, if you know your kids can't do back to back and you know your kids struggle, maybe you take a time out for 2021 because is a strip more stressful for environment for families, for children, for the teachers.
• 37:50
  SPEAKER_05: It's a lose-lose.
• 37:51
  SPEAKER_05: We want a win-win this year for everyone.
• 37:54
  SPEAKER_05: We want to make sure that you feel that you're going in there.
• 37:57
  SPEAKER_05: And, you know, it's so strange because I feel like block scheduling and COVID completely gives a very professional dance world for these students.
• 38:06
  SPEAKER_05: They see what it's like to, hey, so-and-so was at school, there was contact tracing, we got she can't do this number.
• 38:15
  SPEAKER_05: We have to re-block.
• 38:16
  SPEAKER_05: And I think the word re-blocking is gonna be used a lot over the this year because it's not gonna be able, in my opinion.
• 38:24
  SPEAKER_05: Natalie and I feel very strongly about, you know, we don't want to see a studio just say, I have to, because of the whoever got the trait contact tracing and all of the schools and in, you know, in your regular school.
• 38:37
  SPEAKER_05: If that happens, if you don't, someone has it and your contact tracing, you know, Natalie and I feel strong about that.
• 38:43
  SPEAKER_05: We want to be able to have an event happen and reblocking comes into play, just like the professional world.
• 38:49
  SPEAKER_05: You have understudies left and right, and you also have reblocking where five minutes before you go on, someone's rehearsing and they break their ankle.
• 38:56
  SPEAKER_05: All right, rework.
• 38:57
  SPEAKER_05: So it's a swing.
• 38:59
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, the swing.
• 39:00
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
• 39:00
  SPEAKER_05: You know, it just really brings the professional atmosphere to these itty bitty dancers, these, you know, 18-year-olds, these middle middle-aged girls and boys.
• 39:10
  SPEAKER_05: Like it just steps everyone up into leadership roles.
• 39:14
  SPEAKER_05: And I think it's a great thing.
• 39:16
  SPEAKER_05: I also think it's something to get used to, but the word re-blocking, I feel like should be ingrained in our in our minds.
• 39:22
  SPEAKER_05: Like this is potentially could happen to save an event and to have our dancers reach that stage.
• 39:28
  SPEAKER_05: And that's the most important part.
• 39:31
  SPEAKER_05: We want dancers dancing, we don't want them behind a camera dancing anymore.
• 39:36
  SPEAKER_05: Uh, we want them on stage.
• 39:38
  SPEAKER_05: I know everyone feels, you know, very true to that.
• 39:42
  SPEAKER_05: We can all say as competition owners that it broke our heart not being able to have students and dancers and and families enjoy our event and be part of the stage.
• 39:52
  SPEAKER_05: So that's the that's the the goal.
• 39:55
  SPEAKER_05: So reblock, re-block, re-block, understudy it up.
• 39:59
  SPEAKER_00: And and Kelly, speaking to like what you were saying, like the how the professional aspect of things, like the changes.
• 40:06
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, being ready, being flexible, being able to just jump from one thing to another, like those are life skills.
• 40:12
  SPEAKER_00: And I know at our studio, and we're trying to implement it into the competition more, we have taken our senior level teams who can understand it better and implementing this as a time of change and a time of challenge, not of a world that we just can't navigate.
• 40:27
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's it can be done, but like you're saying, you got to re-block it.
• 40:30
  SPEAKER_00: You know, you can't, you can't go to this thing.
• 40:32
  SPEAKER_00: We're gonna, we're gonna re-block that.
• 40:34
  SPEAKER_00: And I think as competition owners and competitions such as what I'm hearing out of you guys all sound amazing.
• 40:40
  SPEAKER_00: And everything's about those kids teaching them not only dance, but how to be good people, how to be good dancers, how to be successful in the future.
• 40:50
  SPEAKER_00: And what better opportunity for studio owners to give their kids that expectation?
• 40:55
  SPEAKER_00: Like, okay, we're going into this in a re-blocking situation, which means you may have one number to change.
• 41:01
  SPEAKER_00: Give it to the student.
• 41:03
  SPEAKER_00: Do you think you can handle that?
• 41:04
  SPEAKER_00: You know, if you can't, we can make a concession.
• 41:06
  SPEAKER_00: And I mean, it just it puts a lot of ownership on the kids and it gives them control and at the same time allows a lot of teamwork.
• 41:14
  SPEAKER_00: You're talking about the leadership roles.
• 41:16
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, we went to a competition last year where it was, it was like we had numbers where I was basically on the side, like, do you want us to move on without, you know, your number and you come in?
• 41:25
  SPEAKER_00: No, I will be right back.
• 41:26
  SPEAKER_00: And she did.
• 41:28
  SPEAKER_00: She was panting from the last standstill, but she was in a costume ready to go.
• 41:33
  SPEAKER_00: But and she felt so good about herself after that, regardless of what happened on stage.
• 41:38
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's just it's it's an opportunity to achieve something no one thought you could.
• 41:43
  SPEAKER_00: And I think that's a huge thing to give at the which isn't rewarded with a trophy.
• 41:47
  SPEAKER_07: You know, like the trophies are great, like we always say, but you know, this is that is case in point of why competition is so much more than that.
• 41:54
  SPEAKER_07: It's because there's an opportunity to have an achievement, like a personal, you know, a personal self-validation moment that you just can't get from anything else.
• 42:03
  SPEAKER_07: So I think that positive outlook for this year is such a great thing to have and like such a great thing for studio owners to hear that, you know, if you take that leadership role of coming into a situation that is challenging like this and demonstrating that positivity and that sort of like go with the flowness, it's just gonna trickle down, you know, the trickle down effect is real.
• 42:21
  SPEAKER_07: Yeah.
• 42:22
  SPEAKER_06: Right.
• 42:22
  SPEAKER_06: You guys bring up great points, Nicole.
• 42:24
  SPEAKER_06: I loved what you said about that.
• 42:26
  SPEAKER_06: It's it's empowering to be able to take control and make a decision.
• 42:29
  SPEAKER_06: Am I going to make this work or am I just going to say, forget it, it's too hard.
• 42:34
  SPEAKER_06: I think even reblocking, sometimes you don't get to do that.
• 42:37
  SPEAKER_06: For example, we were at uh an event, these last two events that we had.
• 42:41
  SPEAKER_06: The studio owner is on the phone the day of getting a call.
• 42:44
  SPEAKER_06: Her lead is out.
• 42:46
  SPEAKER_06: She has to quarantine and she's like, What do I do?
• 42:49
  SPEAKER_06: I said, the show goes on.
• 42:52
  SPEAKER_06: And the kids danced, the judges knew, you know, or down a dancer, but they understand.
• 42:58
  SPEAKER_06: There, you guys, your your judges are so professional.
• 43:01
  SPEAKER_06: We understand the world we're living in right now.
• 43:03
  SPEAKER_06: So you might not even be able to reblock, but rather than pulling it, let the kids, let the rest of the kids have their moment too, you know, because it's not about perfection.
• 43:13
  SPEAKER_06: It's about learning, it's about the the feedback, it's about the experience, it's about just being able to get out there and perform.
• 43:20
  SPEAKER_06: I mean, I feel like this season, you know, it shouldn't be so focused on trophies and what am I going to win.
• 43:26
  SPEAKER_06: It's about surviving, stepping up to the occasion, learning to learn, yeah, learning to pivot and go just go with the flow, and you'll feel so much stronger coming out the other end.
• 43:36
  SPEAKER_06: Because, you know, as competition owners, we've had to pivot, pivot, pivot.
• 43:40
  SPEAKER_06: One of our judges called it, he's like, at this point, you're just paddle turning.
• 43:43
  SPEAKER_06: We're like, that's hysterical.
• 43:46
  SPEAKER_06: That was Colin that said that.
• 43:51
  SPEAKER_06: We are paddle turning, and that's that's what it is.
• 43:54
  SPEAKER_06: And we understand that because trust me, that's all we've been doing is paddle turning in circles.
• 43:59
  SPEAKER_06: So And go the other way.
• 44:01
  SPEAKER_06: Exactly.
• 44:02
  SPEAKER_06: So we know you guys are doing the same thing.
• 44:04
  SPEAKER_06: We're just we're just here for you to make it happen.
• 44:06
  SPEAKER_06: We what let's just get it going.
• 44:09
  SPEAKER_06: It's all good.
• 44:10
  SPEAKER_05: We're rebuilding as an industry, one competition at a time.
• 44:13
  SPEAKER_05: We're one day at a time, we're rebuilding as an industry, and we only can do it together.
• 44:19
  SPEAKER_05: And these little things that we're discussing today to implement, I think we'll just make success for everyone.
• 44:26
  SPEAKER_05: And that's all I want.
• 44:27
  SPEAKER_05: For I want the divas to call us up and be like, we had the best competition, like everyone, like we want that.
• 44:33
  SPEAKER_05: We want it, we want, because that gives us hope.
• 44:35
  SPEAKER_05: You know, like when we have a sad day, because let's be honest, COVID just equals sadness sometimes.
• 44:40
  SPEAKER_05: So when we have a day where we're just like, oh my God, we need something, you know, to hear positivity from, oh wow, I just did this event, like block scheduling worked, you know, like stinging out of the box, the divas are on the road at studios.
• 44:56
  SPEAKER_05: You know, those things that we hear, we're just like, wow, like the hybrid schedule, you know, though it's hopeful.
• 45:02
  SPEAKER_05: It makes us proud to be part of this industry.
• 45:05
  SPEAKER_05: And it's one competition a day at a time, rebuilding what we love, but we got to do it together.
• 45:10
  SPEAKER_05: That's the only way it's gonna happen.
• 45:12
  SPEAKER_00: As competitions, we're showing the studio owners and the students that you can keep making those changes and you can keep paddle turning until things figured get figured out.
• 45:20
  SPEAKER_00: You know, you don't have to stop.
• 45:22
  SPEAKER_00: There's no reason to stop.
• 45:24
  SPEAKER_04: And I just wanted to say too, like as far as the the teamwork goes between like studio directors and competition owners, that teamwork is there too with the judges and just trust that they, you know, Anne was kind of saying they're on board.
• 45:39
  SPEAKER_04: We know that you as a studio director are putting a kid that's never been in a solo position before in a solo to limit how many kids are on stage.
• 45:49
  SPEAKER_04: Like we're here for it.
• 45:51
  SPEAKER_04: We understand that you're putting stuff out that you aren't super used to or comfortable with.
• 45:56
  SPEAKER_04: And, you know, the teamwork is there as well.
• 45:59
  SPEAKER_04: These judges just want your kids to get out there and they're gonna champion whatever they bring.
• 46:04
  SPEAKER_04: So the team both that way as well.
• 46:12
  SPEAKER_02: Don't forget, our fall-winter IDA virtual solo competition event is closing registration on January 10th, 2021.
• 46:20
  SPEAKER_02: You still have a few more days to enter your solo into this exciting event to receive preseason feedback before your dancers hit the stage this year.
• 46:27
  SPEAKER_02: Our top 20 challenge will stream live on Sunday, January 17th.
• 46:31
  SPEAKER_02: And we even release some new upcoming dates for our solo and group events for March and May.
• 46:35
  SPEAKER_02: Learn more and register now at Impact Dance.com slash virtual competition.
• 46:41
  SPEAKER_02: And now let's get back to the show.
• 46:48
  SPEAKER_02: I think that's a great segue into like talking about judging for a moment because I think that's a question that a lot of a lot of um studio owners probably have, a lot of dance moms probably have, you know, even what I was briefly mentioning before about like the whole mask thing.
• 47:03
  SPEAKER_02: You know, if I think a lot of people might be concerned about wearing a mask on stage, not even looking at it from the safety perspective, more so, is my performance score going to be impacted because you can't see my face and I have a mask on?
• 47:17
  SPEAKER_02: The answer is no.
• 47:18
  SPEAKER_02: But also, we can tell if you're smiling behind your mask.
• 47:21
  SPEAKER_02: So make sure you're smiling.
• 47:22
  SPEAKER_02: We talked about this.
• 47:24
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, like use your eyes.
• 47:25
  SPEAKER_02: It's a lot of eyes, it's a lot of eyebrow.
• 47:27
  SPEAKER_02: And and I really do.
• 47:28
  SPEAKER_02: I believe that you can see if someone's enjoying themselves behind the mask.
• 47:33
  SPEAKER_02: So that's not an excuse to not perform if you have to wear it, but your your performance score is, you know, not going to be impacted.
• 47:40
  SPEAKER_02: Your costume score is not going to be impacted.
• 47:43
  SPEAKER_02: I think that the other question, and I'm curious to hear if anybody has any any thoughts on this as competition owners.
• 47:48
  SPEAKER_02: I know I have my own, and as a judge, I can speak for it, but I think people are concerned, or studio owners may be concerned as to how can the judges judge fairly in a block scheduling format.
• 47:59
  SPEAKER_02: Does anybody have any, you know, thoughts on that, Anne?
• 48:02
  SPEAKER_02: And Diva, yeah, this is why we come to you, Courtney.
• 48:07
  SPEAKER_06: This is why we have been with I IDA since the very beginning.
• 48:11
  SPEAKER_06: And then shortly after that, we just exclusively went IDA because I and I still can't believe that all competitions aren't doing this yet.
• 48:19
  SPEAKER_06: Not to put down any other other judges because I know there are fabulous judges out there, but we just know and are so confident every time we have a panel that they are going to be the best possible panel of judges who are just so well-versed in all styles.
• 48:34
  SPEAKER_06: They've been vetted, they're working professionals, they're teachers.
• 48:37
  SPEAKER_06: They they're just so well-rounded and and they they just know, you know, it's not, and I and we were talking a little bit about this earlier.
• 48:45
  SPEAKER_06: You know, I think we're gonna rely on this season more of our more experienced judges to be able to handle this kind of weird COVID times, and they have a sense of really how things work.
• 48:57
  SPEAKER_06: And so I think being part of IDA is such a benefit for for those associated with IDA, us competitions, because we know the judging quality is going to be excellent and they will know how to navigate this.
• 49:10
  SPEAKER_06: So maybe Court and Leslie, you guys as judges can kind of talk on that because we're getting our judges from you, and we've had a few events already with this block scheduling style, but in studio, and it it's worked out fabulously.
• 49:23
  SPEAKER_06: Everyone's been so over the top happy with the judging and the scoring, and it's worked out great.
• 49:28
  SPEAKER_06: So I'm personally not super nervous about it because I know we're going to get quality judges who know what they're doing.
• 49:34
  SPEAKER_00: I have to speak to the same with Anne on that.
• 49:36
  SPEAKER_00: We haven't even actually thought of that as an issue at this point because we've never had any critiques that have come by that didn't speak to what the score was.
• 49:46
  SPEAKER_00: You know, we never had critiques come through that you're like, well, I get what they're saying, but why does this score not reflect that?
• 49:54
  SPEAKER_00: The the judges that we've gotten from IDA are consistent and they're always on that.
• 49:59
  SPEAKER_00: Like, I don't know how they're so great, but they are.
• 50:02
  SPEAKER_00: And every time, I mean, we just haven't had any no complaints and nothing but compliments on, you know, there's all that good information and the critiques and the changes, but so positive too.
• 50:13
  SPEAKER_00: I just I feel like as long as you have those good judges, they can can make the case for how to score those numbers.
• 50:20
  SPEAKER_00: But like you were saying, and obviously those who have judged multiple times before will have a better time gauging from person to person.
• 50:27
  SPEAKER_07: Well, and as a veteran judge, you understand what it was pre-COVID.
• 50:31
  SPEAKER_07: You understand what that schedule looks like, what the what the rubric is, what you know, what what the levels are and what that means.
• 50:37
  SPEAKER_07: And I mean, there's so many things that go into it.
• 50:39
  SPEAKER_07: So that, you know, we are already vetted and well-versed in how to do it regularly, that this shift is not that much more difficult.
• 50:48
  SPEAKER_07: What is more difficult is yes, we are having to watch 30 to 40 numbers from the same studio with potentially the same choreographer, which happens.
• 50:56
  SPEAKER_07: I mean, that that's plenty of studios.
• 50:58
  SPEAKER_07: That's not that's not not normal.
• 50:59
  SPEAKER_07: That is normal.
• 51:00
  SPEAKER_07: The the difference here is that when you are hearing your scores in your adjudications as a studio owner, you're hearing just your studio.
• 51:08
  SPEAKER_07: So it perhaps could be a harder pill to swallow when when you're hearing something similar back to back to back to back to back.
• 51:15
  SPEAKER_07: When you're hearing your scores compared with other people's scores, it it's a little, it's just a different way of absorbing the information.
• 51:22
  SPEAKER_07: It's still the same information.
• 51:23
  SPEAKER_07: I'm not scoring you any differently because I saw another studio before and after you.
• 51:28
  SPEAKER_07: Right.
• 51:28
  SPEAKER_07: Because our job as a judge, truly, and I I understand that it can seem hard to do this, but we try our best to do this, is to put on blinders and look at your dance as if I've never seen another dance before.
• 51:39
  SPEAKER_07: Right.
• 51:40
  SPEAKER_07: And I'm supposed to judge your dance as it is.
• 51:42
  SPEAKER_07: And, you know, it is difficult, but that's why we do our job well, because we can do that that difficult task.
• 51:48
  SPEAKER_07: So there's nothing has really changed.
• 51:50
  SPEAKER_07: What has changed is how the information's being presented to you at the end.
• 51:54
  SPEAKER_07: And it's the same information you'd be getting otherwise.
• 51:56
  SPEAKER_07: It's just in this chunk where it could be, it could be an eye-opener for some studios who say, Oh, maybe I need to work on this style a little more at my studio, or maybe I need to branch out and hire a new teacher at this, you know, for this class.
• 52:11
  SPEAKER_07: So I I think it'll be a learning year for everybody.
• 52:15
  SPEAKER_00: On the other side of that, too, I mean, you could have studios who will have a much more positive experience with the announcement of the scores and of the adjudications based on what side they're usually on.
• 52:27
  SPEAKER_00: You know, if if they're getting their silvers and golds and they're surrounded at a competition by platinums or by diamonds or, you know, that really brings down that morale.
• 52:37
  SPEAKER_00: And there's a lot of studios that probably would see a better experience out of that.
• 52:42
  SPEAKER_00: That's so true.
• 52:43
  SPEAKER_00: Aside from watching everyone else.
• 52:45
  SPEAKER_05: To circle back to the to the judging, this is Kelly at HD.
• 52:48
  SPEAKER_05: I think one of the things that gave Natalie and I like just a come a very we just felt very comfortable knowing that we are always talking and communicating with our judges the entire competition.
• 53:00
  SPEAKER_05: And, you know, just making sure that we are all on the same page, that we understand what's happening throughout the day.
• 53:07
  SPEAKER_05: I think every competition director, you're always checking in with, you know, your tabulator, making sure things aren't in like the red zone, and we're just like making sure there is a constant communication throughout the day.
• 53:19
  SPEAKER_05: I think more so than ever, this competition that Natalie and I did, it was just like a serious touch base with our, with our with our judges.
• 53:27
  SPEAKER_05: Let them know that like you can always ask and say, wait a minute, I I need to discuss this routine, I need to go back.
• 53:35
  SPEAKER_05: There was a lot of moments of communication that were just heightened with our judges to make sure that they all understood what was going on and how they felt for every block from block to block.
• 53:48
  SPEAKER_05: Because, like we all said, sitting, seeing the same, you know, dancers and really getting a vibe of what this studio is about through their choreography, through the vision of the dance.
• 53:59
  SPEAKER_05: You know, it could be harder for the judges, but then it also could be like, wow, I understand where this studio lies and I understand this studio completely.
• 54:08
  SPEAKER_05: So I think there's negative and positives across the board of everything that's going to come our way, but just communication with the judges was so on par.
• 54:16
  SPEAKER_05: And I will say that IDA, their judges are able to communicate so nicely with us and with the director, uh, with the students and the dancers.
• 54:28
  SPEAKER_05: There's just something about that flair that IDA has that we've worked with judges and we've loved them, but we saw a change in our anxiety level.
• 54:38
  SPEAKER_05: Once we joined fully exclusively with IDA, we knew that these judges were going to communicate, verbalize, put in input, be creative, not just do their job.
• 54:49
  SPEAKER_05: They went above and beyond.
• 54:51
  SPEAKER_05: And that's what judging has to be.
• 54:53
  SPEAKER_05: It's always the core of a competition, judging.
• 54:56
  SPEAKER_05: You're you put your people invest their money into a dance competition for judging.
• 55:02
  SPEAKER_05: You know, there, of course, is the experience, but the judges hold that experience in the palms of their hands.
• 55:08
  SPEAKER_05: So for us, judges, judging has always been, you know, let's make sure everything's fair, everything's appropriate, and we want to give the the critiques necessary to make people have success, you know, for teachers, for dancers, for choreographers, for across the board who, you know, are at a dance dance studio.
• 55:29
  SPEAKER_05: So I think just communication is key, and IDA judges really are able to express themselves and help out every way they can.
• 55:37
  SPEAKER_05: And positivity from judges is incredible because you can be at an outdoor event and it could be raining on your toes.
• 55:45
  SPEAKER_05: And as a judge, you're shivering, but you're delivering and you are positive.
• 55:50
  SPEAKER_05: And that happened to Natalie and I, you know, it was a storm in November and it was tragic the weather.
• 55:57
  SPEAKER_05: But these judges smile on their face, they were so positive.
• 56:01
  SPEAKER_05: Every time I turned around, they said, Thank you.
• 56:04
  SPEAKER_05: I'm so excited to see dancers on stage.
• 56:06
  SPEAKER_05: I'm so excited to be here.
• 56:07
  SPEAKER_05: And that feeling was incredible.
• 56:10
  SPEAKER_05: So, you know, if you if you are a competition listening to this, just check out IDA.
• 56:16
  SPEAKER_05: Just honestly, and I'm not, I'm not just being whatever.
• 56:18
  SPEAKER_07: Like just we did not ask them to say these things, didn't ask for the endorsement.
• 56:23
  SPEAKER_05: No, it just just take it because judging can can make or break your competition regularly.
• 56:29
  SPEAKER_05: And with COVID, it could really make or break if you have inexperienced judges, judges who aren't in it to win it.
• 56:35
  SPEAKER_05: Natalie and I, that's our famous famous line: in it to win it.
• 56:38
  SPEAKER_05: Like you gotta do anything that you gotta do to make these events happen.
• 56:42
  SPEAKER_05: And uh judging, you know, communication is key.
• 56:45
  SPEAKER_05: So that's what we're seeing this.
• 56:47
  SPEAKER_06: I yeah, not I mean, Kelly, totally agree.
• 56:50
  SPEAKER_06: And no, they're not paying us to say this.
• 56:52
  SPEAKER_06: We've been so passionate about it.
• 56:54
  SPEAKER_06: But that's that is the thing, and that's what I think makes our competitions stand out among others.
• 57:00
  SPEAKER_06: It it's because our competitions are nothing without our judges.
• 57:04
  SPEAKER_06: You you are our competition, you represent us, our ideals, our you know, mottos, all of it.
• 57:12
  SPEAKER_06: And your IDA judges are so invested and all in a hundred percent with the kids.
• 57:18
  SPEAKER_06: They're not just seat fillers, they are there to do a job that they absolutely love.
• 57:23
  SPEAKER_06: And it it shines through a hundred percent in their feedback.
• 57:26
  SPEAKER_06: And oh God, am I gonna get emotional right now?
• 57:29
  SPEAKER_06: I know.
• 57:30
  SPEAKER_06: But I mean, it we we just we love them so much.
• 57:34
  SPEAKER_06: And for them to be able, like you said, smile through the the storm you had in our main event when we were driving through a blizzard and they couldn't be more happy to just be able to embrace these dancers and give love to them.
• 57:46
  SPEAKER_06: That's that's why I think we all probably here have the same feel at all of our events because that's the vibe our judges are, you know, giving off.
• 57:54
  SPEAKER_06: It's it's about just investing in the kids and giving education and positivity and making them feel seen.
• 58:00
  SPEAKER_06: And that's what IDA does.
• 58:01
  SPEAKER_06: And I gotta stop because I'm gonna tear up.
• 58:03
  SPEAKER_06: Oh, I really do.
• 58:06
  SPEAKER_06: That's all.
• 58:07
  SPEAKER_02: Well, I oh my gosh.
• 58:08
  SPEAKER_02: Well, y'all just are way too sweet.
• 58:10
  SPEAKER_02: And thank you for the kind words.
• 58:12
  SPEAKER_02: And I I feel like that's I mean, honestly, going to the judging talk, I mean, that's really why I created IDA to be able to bring people to this job opportunity that love and care about it.
• 58:24
  SPEAKER_02: And I and the word seat filler, I mean, that's a very the very true and honest word in this industry.
• 58:29
  SPEAKER_02: And it's it's too real because that's what so many I I throughout my entire professional career, not even just as a competition judge, but like I've seen it, I've witnessed it, I've been it.
• 58:39
  SPEAKER_02: Like, I don't like that.
• 58:40
  SPEAKER_02: You know, we want and especially I think that this year in particular, I can't tell you how eager the judges are to get back to doing what they want to do.
• 58:49
  SPEAKER_02: You know, like, and I think we all are.
• 58:51
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, everywhere, but and I think that's why they're so passionate about it.
• 58:55
  SPEAKER_02: But I feel like going back to like the expectations for this season, and I and I'm kind of talking to a lot of the competitions out there that may be listening that need to hear it.
• 59:04
  SPEAKER_02: You have to have experienced judges this year.
• 59:06
  SPEAKER_02: It's really gonna make or break your event.
• 59:08
  SPEAKER_02: They cannot be seat fillers.
• 59:10
  SPEAKER_02: They're they can't.
• 59:10
  SPEAKER_02: And they may be an easy person to just call because they're down the street and they're local, but they have to know what they're doing because they're not gonna be able to do their job properly in a block scheduling format if they're getting thrown into something so different.
• 59:22
  SPEAKER_02: Then, you know, this isn't how competitions are supposed to be done in this format.
• 59:26
  SPEAKER_02: So they really have to know, like kind of like what Leslie said, they need to know what the level ranges are supposed to look like.
• 59:32
  SPEAKER_02: They need to have experience in the classroom and know that difference because that's gonna be a deal breaker when it comes down to scoring.
• 59:37
  SPEAKER_02: I think the scoring is what's gonna be the hardest part.
• 59:40
  SPEAKER_02: Critiques, great, awesome, but your critique needs to back up your score.
• 59:43
  SPEAKER_02: And if your score's all over the place, then then people are gonna be upset and nobody wants you to be upset.
• 59:48
  SPEAKER_02: Right.
• 59:48
  SPEAKER_02: So I think that the the studios as well need to make sure that you're attending competitions that have experienced judges and you know that they are.
• 59:55
  SPEAKER_02: Like at least you know with IDA competitions that they are.
• 59:59
  SPEAKER_02: You don't know if they are at other competitions.
• 1:00:02
  SPEAKER_02: So that's the other benefit as well, with the service that we provide.
• 1:00:05
  SPEAKER_02: So I think that's the best advice.
• 1:00:06
  SPEAKER_02: And I think us as jud judges, you know, I was I can't, I'm not gonna lie, I was nervous the first time that I had to judge post-pandemic, like during the pandemic, because it's so different.
• 1:00:16
  SPEAKER_02: I've been doing this for almost 10 years now, and it it's just a whole new thing for me.
• 1:00:20
  SPEAKER_02: You know, I I it wasn't like, oh yeah, block scheduling judging is gonna be so easy.
• 1:00:24
  SPEAKER_02: I'm gonna be able to find the range effortlessly.
• 1:00:26
  SPEAKER_02: Like, no, I was nervous.
• 1:00:28
  SPEAKER_02: It was scary.
• 1:00:29
  SPEAKER_02: I don't get my age 13 contemporary category all in a row.
• 1:00:32
  SPEAKER_02: I don't get that.
• 1:00:33
  SPEAKER_02: And you know what I mean?
• 1:00:34
  SPEAKER_02: Like, and it's different.
• 1:00:35
  SPEAKER_02: So it's more work.
• 1:00:37
  SPEAKER_07: I mean, I'm take I take notes anyway, generally for myself in a normal competition.
• 1:00:41
  SPEAKER_07: But I mean, I was writing this time because I was like, I'm I have to back up what I'm saying.
• 1:00:46
  SPEAKER_07: And if somebody comes to me the next day after the 15th studio we've seen or whatever, I mean, I wish we would seen 15 studios, uh, that would it's a pipe dream for the past couple months.
• 1:00:56
  SPEAKER_07: But you know, I'm taking notes.
• 1:00:57
  SPEAKER_07: We're doing extra work to back ourselves up to know and to guarantee that we've done this right.
• 1:01:03
  SPEAKER_07: And so again, that's another thing that an experienced judge will think to do.
• 1:01:08
  SPEAKER_07: Whereas somebody knew, it wouldn't even occur to them, oh, maybe I need to take a note on like, oh, this girl had, you know, the blue fringe costume on.
• 1:01:15
  SPEAKER_07: That it would just something to trigger your memory if you if you were ever confronted, you know, with a problem.
• 1:01:19
  SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think I think that's important.
• 1:01:21
  SPEAKER_02: And I would say like be transparent to all of the studio owners out there and directors, like when you're going to an event and if something happens, like Anne saying, like the lead is out.
• 1:01:31
  SPEAKER_02: Oh my gosh, what are we gonna do?
• 1:01:32
  SPEAKER_02: Like, tell the competition and the and um tell the competition, you know, if if they insist that like we didn't have time to re-block, can you let them know that the judges know that there's one or two dancers missing?
• 1:01:43
  SPEAKER_02: It is helpful for us to just have that information so we can do our judge job properly and say, oh, why is there a gap in the spacing?
• 1:01:50
  SPEAKER_02: Watch your spacing right there.
• 1:01:51
  SPEAKER_02: Like we wouldn't even say that if we're if our brain's like, oh yeah, there's someone missing.
• 1:01:54
  SPEAKER_02: And we're understanding about that.
• 1:01:56
  SPEAKER_02: We're not going to deduct points because someone's missing, especially this year, but even years prior.
• 1:02:01
  SPEAKER_02: I remember when like when I've judged at certain competitions, they'll make an announcement, FYI judges, there's one dancer missing from this dance.
• 1:02:08
  SPEAKER_02: And it's just like a heads up for everyone.
• 1:02:09
  SPEAKER_02: Like, cool, awesome.
• 1:02:10
  SPEAKER_02: That's why there's a gap there, or whatever it is.
• 1:02:13
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, we're not saying like, you know, there's certain things that there's only certain things that you really need to tell us to be able to do our job.
• 1:02:20
  SPEAKER_02: But, you know, I feel like it's you can easily tell, talk to the competition owners, all of these lovely owners here.
• 1:02:26
  SPEAKER_02: We're here to help.
• 1:02:27
  SPEAKER_02: We're here to do this together.
• 1:02:28
  SPEAKER_08: And I think also, uh, Courtney, this is Kim from Diva.
• 1:02:31
  SPEAKER_08: Hey Kim.
• 1:02:32
  SPEAKER_08: Popping in, chiming in for the first time.
• 1:02:35
  SPEAKER_08: No, I just think that 99% of the time when that has happened, you know, the judges will give the kids high praise for actually re-blocking themselves or watching their spacing that they would say, I wouldn't even have known there was a dancer missing from this routine.
• 1:02:51
  SPEAKER_08: You did such a great job.
• 1:02:53
  SPEAKER_08: So the kids go into it maybe a little nervous.
• 1:02:55
  SPEAKER_08: Oh no, we're missing, you know, Sheila's out.
• 1:02:58
  SPEAKER_08: What are we gonna do?
• 1:02:59
  SPEAKER_08: And then they they do it and they come out great on the other side and they're proud of themselves, and their teacher is proud of them.
• 1:03:05
  SPEAKER_08: So it's a great, it ends up being what what they thought would have been a negative experience ends up being more of a positive.
• 1:03:11
  SPEAKER_08: So, and and it's the IDA judges that make that happen.
• 1:03:15
  SPEAKER_08: They say it for us at Diva, they'll say it right out loud, right there over the microphone.
• 1:03:20
  SPEAKER_08: Makes everybody feel good about themselves, proud of themselves.
• 1:03:24
  SPEAKER_02: You know what I'm that just kind of like brought my brought up as you were saying that.
• 1:03:27
  SPEAKER_02: I was thinking of like the understudy discussion or like the swing discussion, right?
• 1:03:32
  SPEAKER_02: And you think about a Broadway show, you know if an understudy's on.
• 1:03:37
  SPEAKER_02: Typically.
• 1:03:38
  SPEAKER_07: It's listed in the program.
• 1:03:39
  SPEAKER_02: It's listed in the program.
• 1:03:40
  SPEAKER_02: So you have a heads up.
• 1:03:41
  SPEAKER_02: That could be something, you know, if if a studio owner had an understudy that is going in to the competition, tell the competition, hey, our understudy's on.
• 1:03:50
  SPEAKER_02: And it is helpful.
• 1:03:51
  SPEAKER_02: We don't have to know exactly who's the understudy, but like, hey, there's somebody that's new that's jumping in.
• 1:03:56
  SPEAKER_02: Like, good job.
• 1:03:57
  SPEAKER_02: And you know what, maybe we might mention that in our critique.
• 1:04:00
  SPEAKER_02: Good job to the understudy.
• 1:04:01
  SPEAKER_02: I didn't even notice that there was anybody new to this dance.
• 1:04:04
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, that's just professionalism.
• 1:04:06
  SPEAKER_02: And and like we said at the beginning of this discussion, that's going to be coming, reblock is going to be the word of 2021.
• 1:04:12
  SPEAKER_02: Understudy, swing, replacement.
• 1:04:15
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, it's it's gonna happen.
• 1:04:17
  SPEAKER_02: And it's just teaching us on how to be more professional and prepare even more for the professional world.
• 1:04:23
  SPEAKER_06: 100%.
• 1:04:24
  SPEAKER_06: And that's not to say that every studio needs to all of a sudden right out understudies.
• 1:04:28
  SPEAKER_06: Like, like, don't freak out, everybody.
• 1:04:30
  SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
• 1:04:31
  SPEAKER_06: I mean, if you're down a dancer and you gotta go out down a dancer, go out and do it.
• 1:04:36
  SPEAKER_06: It's just a great lesson for the kids to persevere, you know.
• 1:04:38
  SPEAKER_06: I mean, it it's it's just a lesson, not give up, just go do your best.
• 1:04:43
  SPEAKER_06: Because God, we had to really do some weird things to make our event happen this last week in Maine.
• 1:04:48
  SPEAKER_06: We're like, there's no choice.
• 1:04:50
  SPEAKER_06: We've got to make it happen.
• 1:04:51
  SPEAKER_06: And you do it, and then you feel so good at the end when you just went for it and you didn't fail.
• 1:04:57
  SPEAKER_06: And even if you did, you tried, and now you learned and you know for the future how to handle it.
• 1:05:03
  SPEAKER_06: So it's just a great lesson in general in life to just listen, not everything goes perfectly all the time.
• 1:05:10
  SPEAKER_06: You're going to have something pop up last minute completely unexpectedly the day of, and just you gotta roll with it.
• 1:05:15
  SPEAKER_06: And it I think it's gonna make just all of us stronger, better people for it.
• 1:05:20
  SPEAKER_07: Really quickly, because I think people will be asking, what are your sanitary measures that you're taking at your competition?
• 1:05:26
  SPEAKER_07: How much time are you building in between schedules?
• 1:05:28
  SPEAKER_07: What are you cleaning?
• 1:05:29
  SPEAKER_07: Where are you cleaning?
• 1:05:30
  SPEAKER_07: What are you using?
• 1:05:30
  SPEAKER_07: How are we how are we being safe?
• 1:05:32
  SPEAKER_06: We are following, you know, I mean, it's pretty much across the country now guidelines regarding sanitation stations, sanitation everywhere, everywhere, everywhere.
• 1:05:43
  SPEAKER_06: Temperature checks, mask mandates, cleaning between blocks schedules.
• 1:05:47
  SPEAKER_06: You know, you've never seen such a clean marley floor in your life.
• 1:05:51
  SPEAKER_06: Not a bad thing.
• 1:05:53
  SPEAKER_06: It's a great thing.
• 1:05:54
  SPEAKER_06: So, as far as us, what I think we are going to do once we finish a Set for the studios.
• 1:06:02
  SPEAKER_06: We'll have a little mini awards for that studio where the judges will give out their specials and any kind of you know little things we normally do, go for it with style or whatever it may be.
• 1:06:11
  SPEAKER_06: While that studio is in getting their awards, then we'll be cleaning the dressing area.
• 1:06:18
  SPEAKER_06: Or if we have two dressing areas, we'll kind of rotate between you know the flow between dressing areas.
• 1:06:23
  SPEAKER_06: Then once we're finished cleaning and those kids are out, our next studio will come in and they'll have we want we understand that it's hard.
• 1:06:31
  SPEAKER_06: Kids need to stretch before hitting the stage.
• 1:06:34
  SPEAKER_06: We don't want them to walk in the door and just go right onto the stage.
• 1:06:37
  SPEAKER_06: So we're trying our best to give a half an hour time for kids to be in, stretched, warm up before they hit the stage.
• 1:06:43
  SPEAKER_06: So it's all kind of it's very logistical and it depends location to location.
• 1:06:48
  SPEAKER_06: If we have a smaller event, we can build in more time for that.
• 1:06:51
  SPEAKER_06: But if it's a sold-out event, you know, we might have to minimize that a little bit.
• 1:06:55
  SPEAKER_06: But we do recognize that we need you to be able to get in, get settled, get warmed up.
• 1:06:59
  SPEAKER_06: And it goes to Kelly's point where if you can arrive in your first costume ready to go, that'll cut down on that time that you know you need to prep.
• 1:07:07
  SPEAKER_06: So we do understand that these kids need to get in the right mental space before they go on because there's nothing more stressful than just being walking in the building.
• 1:07:14
  SPEAKER_06: It's like, you're on in two minutes.
• 1:07:16
  SPEAKER_06: Ah, freak out.
• 1:07:18
  SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
• 1:07:18
  SPEAKER_06: So we're conscious of that.
• 1:07:19
  SPEAKER_06: So we're building a time to get in, get warmed up.
• 1:07:22
  SPEAKER_06: But it would be helpful if your students are ready to go, prepared in their first costume, makeup done.
• 1:07:27
  SPEAKER_06: So it's just, you know, a lot of rotating, cleaning, rotating dressing rooms.
• 1:07:31
  SPEAKER_06: It works.
• 1:07:32
  SPEAKER_06: I'm it it can run smoothly, just as long as you know, and our studios will be aware of the process.
• 1:07:39
  SPEAKER_06: But as long as everyone expects it and and is on board, then it'd be totally great.
• 1:07:43
  SPEAKER_05: This is Kelly from HD.
• 1:07:44
  SPEAKER_05: The ping-ponging of like this dressing room's open, clean it while this one's on stage, like the rotation for sure happens consistently.
• 1:07:52
  SPEAKER_05: You know, if there's any spectators, we're gonna clean the spectator area as well.
• 1:07:58
  SPEAKER_05: You know, obviously the stage in between blocks.
• 1:08:01
  SPEAKER_05: If we have, which I'm pretty sure the way it's going looking at it now, it's going to be studio by studio.
• 1:08:07
  SPEAKER_05: But let's just say we're guidelines open up and restrictions and we're able to have combined studios.
• 1:08:13
  SPEAKER_05: Natal and I believe to have the event, we're not going, if you're comfortable intertwining with a studio, we're not going to sanitize in between every routine.
• 1:08:23
  SPEAKER_05: So if you're if you're in that block, but Natal and I, you know, it's just more comfortable for everyone if they're in their own block.
• 1:08:29
  SPEAKER_05: And we realize that asking our studio directors.
• 1:08:32
  SPEAKER_05: But if there comes a time where restrictions open up, I think the only way to make it happen successfully, if we have a block that has multiple studios in it, cleaning after every every routine, it wouldn't be feasible.
• 1:08:45
  SPEAKER_05: So yeah, it would be every block will be cleaned a hundred percent.
• 1:08:49
  SPEAKER_05: But when you have a shared block, I think the everyone has to expect not the cleaning to happen after every single routine, but every block for sure.
• 1:08:58
  SPEAKER_00: I was just gonna say base, I mean, basically where we are, all the restrictions are the same with your guys' events to mass being required and bringing in a studio, cleaning the entire area.
• 1:09:08
  SPEAKER_00: We have purchased the sit like the fogging things too.
• 1:09:11
  SPEAKER_00: Like they look super fancy and fun.
• 1:09:14
  SPEAKER_00: You know, basically just bringing in a group, bringing them out, and then sanitizing everything.
• 1:09:19
  SPEAKER_00: And I think studio owners just need to prepare their studios for that flexibility and being really fluid with that schedule.
• 1:09:26
  SPEAKER_00: Like we might have a half hour to clean up, we might have 15 minutes, you know, and that warm-up time, like you were talking about, will will obviously be something that is going to be affected by that because we have to get the cleaning done.
• 1:09:39
  SPEAKER_00: And you may unfortunately have to, you know, do some jumping jacks in the parking lot to, you know, just try to get creative with your team and see if you can at least warm them up before getting in there.
• 1:09:48
  SPEAKER_06: Yeah, because we want to make sure we're providing the safest environment for everyone.
• 1:09:52
  SPEAKER_06: And also, you know, people want to compete.
• 1:09:55
  SPEAKER_06: So we want to be able to accommodate as many clients as we can in a weekend.
• 1:09:59
  SPEAKER_06: And also for us on the business end, to be honest, we we need to be able to afford to put these events on as well if we want to keep the competition industry alive.
• 1:10:08
  SPEAKER_06: So it is important that that comes into effect where, you know, like you guys were saying, if you have a studio with only five routines, it's very hard to block for a studio with only five or not saying only five, because we value everyone like you guys do.
• 1:10:22
  SPEAKER_06: But I'm saying if you have five routines to schedule in the cleaning before, after the and and your stretching, it just adds that much more time onto a day where we don't want to have kids dancing till midnight either.
• 1:10:34
  SPEAKER_06: You know, we at Diva and I think you guys are probably similar, we we cap it.
• 1:10:38
  SPEAKER_06: We cut it off at by, you know, our last dancer doesn't go on past 10 p.m.
• 1:10:42
  SPEAKER_06: because who wants to do that?
• 1:10:44
  SPEAKER_06: None of us.
• 1:10:45
  SPEAKER_06: So we need to kind of all work together to make us all thrive and survive the season so we can continue on and be able to provide these services for your kids.
• 1:10:54
  SPEAKER_05: Yeah, and if we're gonna get super creative and if we have to bring, you know, if the venue allows us to go in early and do that small chunk of the smaller studios, and we can get there like 12 p.m.
• 1:11:06
  SPEAKER_05: in the afternoon on a Friday and make it happen.
• 1:11:09
  SPEAKER_05: We will do what we have to do for the small studios if we have to, but you know, it's just block scheduling does not allow because we won't go like Diva said, we don't want to be there until midnight.
• 1:11:19
  SPEAKER_05: It's scary worlds when it happens at midnight.
• 1:11:22
  SPEAKER_05: So our brains shut off at 10 p.m.
• 1:11:25
  SPEAKER_08: too.
• 1:11:25
  SPEAKER_09: Yeah.
• 1:11:26
  SPEAKER_08: I also wanted to say, too, that coming in diva is still offering we're selling limited quantities of merchandise.
• 1:11:33
  SPEAKER_08: However, we're doing contactless payments now.
• 1:11:37
  SPEAKER_08: Uh, we have stopped selling uh food and water because you know, we want to keep things sanitary.
• 1:11:44
  SPEAKER_08: Don't really want people eating, taking their masks off.
• 1:11:47
  SPEAKER_08: So we're trying to keep things safe out at the merchandise area as well.
• 1:11:50
  SPEAKER_08: We're displaying one item of clothing, we're not really letting people try things on and off anymore.
• 1:11:56
  SPEAKER_08: So we're just trying to keep things safe, less hands touching this or that to keep people safe as well.
• 1:12:02
  SPEAKER_02: And the other thing that's important to mention that we didn't really touch on at all in this conversation is the fact that majority of competitions are probably using live stream this year.
• 1:12:12
  SPEAKER_02: And and that's another important thing to remember, and that is really down to safety because that means that especially, well, it depends on each state and how many people you're allowed in a room.
• 1:12:23
  SPEAKER_02: But let's be real, y'all.
• 1:12:24
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, Broadway is not coming back anytime soon.
• 1:12:28
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, fingers crossed.
• 1:12:29
  SPEAKER_02: We hope.
• 1:12:30
  SPEAKER_02: But that is live entertainment, that is live theater, just like a live dance competition.
• 1:12:34
  SPEAKER_02: If Broadway is not back, why is a dance competition going to have a jam-packed room?
• 1:12:39
  SPEAKER_02: It's not.
• 1:12:39
  SPEAKER_02: So don't expect to be able to go and have grandma and grandpa and my uncles and my little brothers sitting next to me watching competition this year.
• 1:12:48
  SPEAKER_02: Probably not happening.
• 1:12:50
  SPEAKER_02: So the alternative option to that is to walk to the live stream, which doesn't feel like the same experience.
• 1:12:56
  SPEAKER_02: And we all know we don't, we are so over this digital world right now that we have had to live in.
• 1:13:01
  SPEAKER_02: But it's better than nothing.
• 1:13:03
  SPEAKER_02: And it's a way to keep us all safe and still be able to tune in and watch from anywhere.
• 1:13:07
  SPEAKER_02: The great thing is that anyone can tune in, give them the code, give them the pass.
• 1:13:11
  SPEAKER_02: Oh, oh, my friends from California are watching me, or oh, I'm gonna tune in at 502, whatever it is.
• 1:13:16
  SPEAKER_02: I mean, I think that we have to think of, we have to look at it as a positive.
• 1:13:19
  SPEAKER_02: And a lot of competitions who never had live live stream before are now getting it because of, you know, what's going on and the limited capacity.
• 1:13:26
  SPEAKER_02: So that's another thing to keep, you know, our our spaces safe and also to get rid of that element of having to sanitize the auditorium in between like crazy, you know, if there's not as many spectators in the house.
• 1:13:39
  SPEAKER_02: It's just a whole nother layer.
• 1:13:41
  SPEAKER_02: And it's just what needs to happen to be able to make these events run.
• 1:13:44
  SPEAKER_06: Yeah.
• 1:13:44
  SPEAKER_06: I think uh especially in the northeast, you we just have to brace ourselves for a season with no spectators and to expect live stream, which we will do at all of our events.
• 1:13:54
  SPEAKER_06: And the most recent event, most recent events we've been doing, we've live streamed everything and everyone loves it.
• 1:14:00
  SPEAKER_06: And you can be anywhere.
• 1:14:01
  SPEAKER_06: Some people are out in the parking lot, some people are at home.
• 1:14:04
  SPEAKER_06: You know, it's been really great.
• 1:14:07
  SPEAKER_06: And something that makes us a little different is our live judging.
• 1:14:11
  SPEAKER_06: So we've implemented a judge's camera.
• 1:14:13
  SPEAKER_07: Oh, cool.
• 1:14:14
  SPEAKER_06: So you get to watch the judges, I mean the dancers perform on stage, and then we flip the feed so that you can see the judges' faces on the camera, and then there's a little box in the bottom where you can watch your dancers react to the judges' comments.
• 1:14:27
  SPEAKER_06: So it's super, it's very interactive.
• 1:14:30
  SPEAKER_06: So you feel like you're still part of it and you're you're hearing what the dancers are hearing.
• 1:14:35
  SPEAKER_06: So, you know, it's it it's fun.
• 1:14:37
  SPEAKER_06: It's made it not so odd.
• 1:14:38
  SPEAKER_06: It's like you're just sitting watching a show, the same show, but you're in your living room.
• 1:14:42
  SPEAKER_06: You're getting the same exact experience without the the stage and the lighting.
• 1:14:47
  SPEAKER_06: But I mean, yeah.
• 1:14:48
  SPEAKER_02: Cool.
• 1:14:49
  SPEAKER_02: This was such a great discussion, and I think this was so needed.
• 1:14:52
  SPEAKER_02: And it I'm just so happy to have fantastic competitions like yourself, a part of IDA, but also wanting and willing to speak up and out about this discussion that not really anyone else has talked about, at least like coming directly from the owners themselves, from the directors who are hosting your events.
• 1:15:12
  SPEAKER_02: All of you are willing to talk about this in full detail.
• 1:15:15
  SPEAKER_02: And I hope that it really did shed some light as to, you know, how we're approaching the season and ease everybody that's listening to the parents, to the studio owners, to the dancers themselves, and to just give you a little bit of a heads up as to what maybe look different, what we're expecting, how we're all navigating this together.
• 1:15:33
  SPEAKER_02: And like, like you heard for the past hour or so, you know, it's gonna be different, but it's gonna be great.
• 1:15:38
  SPEAKER_02: And we're all in this together, and we all can't wait to get back to doing what we love.
• 1:15:45
  SPEAKER_02: Thanks so much for joining us for episode 44 with our fabulous IBA affiliated competition.
• 1:15:50
  SPEAKER_02: Be sure to head to their website now to learn more about their upcoming 2021 events and register for their season.
• 1:15:56
  SPEAKER_02: David Dance Competition has live judging events and in-studio event options for their 2021 season, with 20 scheduled dates all across the East Coast.
• 1:16:05
  SPEAKER_02: Learn more at ThivaCompet.com.
• 1:16:07
  SPEAKER_02: I Demand Dance Competition is hosting nine events in their 2021 season throughout the East Coast region.
• 1:16:13
  SPEAKER_02: Visit HDdance Competition.com to learn more and register now.
• 1:16:17
  SPEAKER_02: StarTalent Productions will be hosting 15 events this upcoming season with locations in the southern region, plus a national event in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
• 1:16:26
  SPEAKER_02: Head to their website at Startalon Productions.com to view all of their dates and learn more.
• 1:16:31
  SPEAKER_02: MGMs Dance Competition has events located in the Midwest region, including South Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.
• 1:16:38
  SPEAKER_02: Check them out now at DanceGems.com to learn more and register for one of their 2021 season events.
• 1:16:44
  SPEAKER_02: Impact Dance Adjudicators provides judging panels to each IBA affiliated competition.
• 1:16:49
  SPEAKER_02: Head to our website now to view a list of other IDA affiliated competitions to find out which competition events our pre-screen judges will be at this season.
• 1:16:57
  SPEAKER_07: We're headed into the second half of season two, and you don't want to miss out on our upcoming episodes.
• 1:17:02
  SPEAKER_07: Make sure you subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and Amazon Podcasts.
• 1:17:08
  SPEAKER_07: Up next in the new year, we have some great topics coming your way.
• 1:17:11
  SPEAKER_07: Reminiscing on the old competition days, improv, and our next Spotlight episode with a very special guest.
• 1:17:17
  SPEAKER_02: We would like to wish everyone a happy and healthy new year.
• 1:17:20
  SPEAKER_02: Thanks for making the impact.
• 1:17:22
  SPEAKER_02: See you in 2021.
• 1:17:23
  SPEAKER_02: Keep dancing.