Latest / Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast / Keeping Dances Fresh Throughout the Season

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Keeping Dances Fresh Throughout the Season · Making The Impact - A Dance Competition Podcast

0:07
SPEAKER_03: Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the table at a dance competition?
0:10
SPEAKER_03: Exactly what are the judges looking for anyway?
0:13
SPEAKER_03: This is Making the Impact, a dance competition podcast.
0:15
SPEAKER_03: 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_03: For some studios, March is the beginning of competition season.
0:26
SPEAKER_03: But for many dancers, the routines being performed on stage have been rehearsing since August or earlier.
0:32
SPEAKER_03: Joining us today are dance studio owner Justin Clark and IDA judge and teacher Rachel Gentry to share some helpful tips and tricks to keeping competition dances fresh throughout the year.
0:44
SPEAKER_05: Hey dance world, welcome to this week's episode of Making the Impact.
0:48
SPEAKER_05: I'm your host, Courtney Ortiz, and I am here with my fabulous, wonderful co-host Leslie Miller.
0:54
SPEAKER_05: Hi Courtney, how are you?
0:55
SPEAKER_05: I'm good.
0:55
SPEAKER_05: Happy St.
0:56
SPEAKER_05: Patrick's Day.
0:57
SPEAKER_05: Happy St.
0:58
SPEAKER_05: Patrick's Day.
0:58
SPEAKER_05: What a fun day.
0:59
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
1:00
SPEAKER_05: I mean, it's always wild and crazy in New York City today.
1:04
SPEAKER_03: Yes, for sure.
1:05
SPEAKER_03: So I hope I hope all our listeners can go out and celebrate and wear some green and don't get pinched.
1:10
SPEAKER_03: Oh my gosh, yes.
1:11
SPEAKER_03: So, so great.
1:12
SPEAKER_05: And um we're in the heat of competition season.
1:15
SPEAKER_05: It is March, middle of March, everyone.
1:18
SPEAKER_05: So I hope that all of our our listeners out there have had a chance to attend a competition or convention at this point in your dance season.
1:25
SPEAKER_05: And today we are talking about how to keep those dances that you do week after week in rehearsal nice and fresh.
1:32
SPEAKER_05: Because maybe you've been rehearsing that same dance for a very long time at this point in the season.
1:37
SPEAKER_05: So I can't wait to dive deep into this discussion with our guests that are joining us today.
1:43
SPEAKER_05: But before we get into that, I want to tell you what's going on over here in IDA World, like always.
1:48
SPEAKER_05: And first up is all about our virtual competition.
1:51
SPEAKER_05: We decided to relaunch our virtual competition and it's in full swing.
1:55
SPEAKER_05: So if you have a solo that you would like to submit to IDA's virtual competition, head on over to our website now at ImpactDance Adjudicators.com slash virtual competition and register your solo.
2:05
SPEAKER_05: Entries cost$55 and you'll get up to 15 to 20 minutes of feedback from an IDA judge.
2:12
SPEAKER_05: It's a wonderful opportunity, and we would love for you to participate with contestants around the world.
2:17
SPEAKER_05: And if you haven't already joined our Facebook group, why haven't you?
2:20
SPEAKER_05: I want I want to know why you haven't because we are friends.
2:23
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, we have so many friends over there now.
2:26
SPEAKER_05: I think we have close to like 1300 people.
2:28
SPEAKER_05: I think you're right.
2:29
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
2:29
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
2:30
SPEAKER_05: There's a lot of a lot of dance teachers, dancers, dance parents, studio owners, judges, professional dancers hanging out with us over here on Making the Impact a Dance Competition Podcast community.
2:42
SPEAKER_05: So if you'd like to join our community, you just have to answer a few questions and we will let you in and get in with the discussion, y'all.
2:50
SPEAKER_05: We're doing a lot of fun things over there.
2:51
SPEAKER_05: We're talking about a lot of things.
2:52
SPEAKER_05: You get to post all your achievements and accomplishments from uh the and the awards that you've won from competition season and where you're competing.
2:59
SPEAKER_05: It's been a lot of fun.
3:00
SPEAKER_05: So be sure to check the link in our show notes now and join us.
3:05
SPEAKER_03: And we couldn't do all that we do here at Making the Impact without our amazing sponsors.
3:09
SPEAKER_03: And so I'm gonna tell you about one of them today.
3:11
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3:19
SPEAKER_03: Courtney, they really do have everything, don't they?
3:21
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3:43
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3:48
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3:51
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3:58
SPEAKER_05: All right, and something new that we've added to season three of Making the Impact is the opportunity to support our podcast.
4:05
SPEAKER_05: All of the fans out there, you can buy us a coffee now on Kofi.com.
4:10
SPEAKER_05: And we've been receiving so many generous donations onto our Kofi account.
4:14
SPEAKER_05: So thank you to every single person that has sent us a review and donation.
4:19
SPEAKER_05: And we are so grateful for everyone and all of the funds that you donate to us goes directly back into producing future episodes and seasons of Making the Impact.
4:29
SPEAKER_05: So if you'd like to sh show your support, show us some love, head on over to Kofi.com slash making the impact now and buy us a coffee.
4:37
SPEAKER_05: And we'd like to give a shout out to one of our most recent Kofi donors.
4:41
SPEAKER_05: It's Cal Tav, and they said, Thank you so much for your amazing podcast.
4:46
SPEAKER_05: I have been listening since the very beginning when my daughter was a mini, a little over six, and now she listens with me in the car and loves all the great advice that you and your guests provide.
4:55
SPEAKER_05: We are big fans.
4:56
SPEAKER_05: Keep dancing.
4:58
SPEAKER_05: Aw, I love that.
4:59
SPEAKER_05: That's so great.
4:59
SPEAKER_05: I love when I hear fans are listening with their dancers.
5:02
SPEAKER_05: That makes me so happy.
5:03
SPEAKER_05: So thank you, Caltav, for your support.
5:06
SPEAKER_05: All right, everybody.
5:07
SPEAKER_05: It's time to meet our special guests for this episode.
5:10
SPEAKER_05: And I'm very excited to welcome a new guest to the podcast.
5:13
SPEAKER_05: I had the pleasure of actually meeting him in person this summer and working with his dancers on some guest choreography and classes.
5:20
SPEAKER_05: And I'm excited to welcome studio owner Justin Quant to the podcast.
5:24
SPEAKER_05: Welcome, Justin.
5:25
SPEAKER_00: Hi, thank you.
5:26
SPEAKER_00: I'm excited to be here.
5:27
SPEAKER_05: Yes, I'm super excited to have you.
5:29
SPEAKER_05: And I definitely knew that when we were casting in this episode, I wanted to have a studio owner perspective on the episode, as well as a studio that I know brings in guest choreographers, because I think that that is definitely an important side of how we keep dances fresh, not only in choreography for a studio, but also depending on when that dance was set from a guest, how to keep the guest's vision alive throughout the season as well.
5:56
SPEAKER_05: So I'm very happy to have you.
5:58
SPEAKER_05: And if you wouldn't mind sharing a little bit more with all of our fans and listeners out there about who you are, where you're based, where you're originally from, any career credits you like to share, and give a shout out to your studio.
6:08
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, of course.
6:09
SPEAKER_00: So my name is Justin Quant, like you said, and I started dancing when I was three.
6:14
SPEAKER_00: So I know a lot of you out there are probably the same, same boat, and we're still doing it because we love it.
6:18
SPEAKER_00: So I I started my mom was my teacher, my mom was a studio owner, so I kind of grew up in the in the business of dance.
6:24
SPEAKER_00: So it was awesome.
6:25
SPEAKER_00: And then I went to I got a BFA from University of Arizona in their dance department, and then after that, I kind of danced all around from rural Caribbean to I spent most of my time in Paris, about five years dancing at the Lido.
6:40
SPEAKER_00: And then I moved to Australia and I did a lot of judging and teaching on convention in Australia, New Zealand, and then I moved back to the US about seven years ago where I was judging, teaching, all that stuff.
6:52
SPEAKER_00: And just I'm on year four of owning my studio, which has been the best and like brightest thing I've ever done.
6:59
SPEAKER_00: So it excites me every single day.
7:00
SPEAKER_00: So I'm happy to be here and share hopefully a little bit of knowledge and help as much as I can.
7:06
SPEAKER_03: Awesome.
7:07
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
7:08
SPEAKER_03: Justin, you're another roll Kirby and baby.
7:09
SPEAKER_03: Courtney and I met doing our first contract on Royal.
7:12
SPEAKER_03: So you're in good company.
7:13
SPEAKER_00: Amazing.
7:14
SPEAKER_00: I love it.
7:15
SPEAKER_05: Yes, we love Royal over here.
7:17
SPEAKER_05: They should sponsor us.
7:19
SPEAKER_03: They should.
7:20
SPEAKER_00: Agreed.
7:22
SPEAKER_05: Maybe I'll hit them up.
7:23
SPEAKER_05: You never know.
7:24
SPEAKER_03: Stranger things have happened.
7:26
SPEAKER_05: Well, thank you, Justin, for squeezing us into your busy schedule and joining us on this episode.
7:32
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
7:32
SPEAKER_05: I'm very excited to welcome back a returning guest to the pod, also an IDA judge, and you may remember her from season two, episode 66, Looking Ahead, Prepping for Nationals.
7:43
SPEAKER_05: I'm very excited to welcome back Miss Rachel Gentry to the podcast.
7:47
SPEAKER_05: Welcome, Rachel.
7:48
SPEAKER_04: Hey you guys.
7:48
SPEAKER_04: Thank you, Courtney.
7:49
SPEAKER_04: Excited to be back.
7:50
SPEAKER_05: Yay.
7:51
SPEAKER_05: I also just want to compliment that I love your recording studio.
7:56
SPEAKER_05: It's a closet.
7:57
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
7:58
SPEAKER_05: So perfect.
7:59
SPEAKER_05: You know what?
7:59
SPEAKER_05: A lot of people record podcasts in their closet because it's the it's the most like sound absorbing space to record.
8:05
SPEAKER_04: It really is.
8:06
SPEAKER_04: I mean, I just think it's the most, yeah, sound absorbing and it's like a little narrow and no one will bother me in here.
8:12
SPEAKER_04: So it's good.
8:12
SPEAKER_05: There you go.
8:13
SPEAKER_05: It's great.
8:14
SPEAKER_05: It's so great.
8:15
SPEAKER_05: Well, thank you for coming back onto the podcast and joining us today.
8:19
SPEAKER_05: And if you could remind the listeners a little bit more about you.
8:22
SPEAKER_04: Sure.
8:23
SPEAKER_04: So again, my name is Rachel Gentry.
8:25
SPEAKER_04: I was born and raised in um Raleigh, North Carolina.
8:29
SPEAKER_04: I'm currently living in Jacksonville, North Carolina.
8:31
SPEAKER_04: Um, like Justin, I danced all growing up, my whole life.
8:35
SPEAKER_04: I have my DFA from Elon University in dance.
8:38
SPEAKER_04: Performance and choreography.
8:40
SPEAKER_04: And when I graduated, I knew that teaching was my passion.
8:43
SPEAKER_04: So I really dove headfirst into teaching.
8:46
SPEAKER_04: Um, I taught at a bunch of different really competitive dance studios in North Carolina and some in South Carolina.
8:52
SPEAKER_04: And just really love sharing my passion with the next generation of dancers in studios and have had opportunities to clean a lot of competition routines and, you know, serve as competition director at a few other studios.
9:04
SPEAKER_04: I've also been I was the assistant director of the North Carolina Youth Cap Ensemble for about nine seasons with that company.
9:13
SPEAKER_04: And I've also worked at a charter school as a dance instructor.
9:16
SPEAKER_04: So just a lot of avenues of dance education in my career.
9:20
SPEAKER_04: I just have a big passion for it and I love uh continuing to guest teach when I can and just taking my passion for education into the judging seat and just giving back that knowledge to other dancers that I have the chance to adjudicate.
9:33
SPEAKER_04: So excited to be here and dive into this exciting topic.
9:38
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
9:38
SPEAKER_05: Awesome.
9:39
SPEAKER_05: Thanks so much, Rachel.
9:41
SPEAKER_05: Let's jump on in and talk about how we can keep those dances fresh.
9:47
SPEAKER_03: Oh, because yeah, I mean, uh Justin, tell me about how your studio's competition team does their rehearsals.
9:52
SPEAKER_03: Do you guys start learning new choreography in the summer before the season or do you start later?
9:57
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, we usually do um in August, we'll do a choreography boot camp.
10:02
SPEAKER_00: So that the kids will start to learn pieces of it, you know, not not not the whole thing.
10:07
SPEAKER_00: I usually have the teachers, it depends how packed the schedule is.
10:11
SPEAKER_00: I always have them get at least 30 seconds done.
10:13
SPEAKER_00: The kids can get a feel for what's happening, and then it gets them excited for the season.
10:16
SPEAKER_00: So and then that burnout doesn't happen quite as fast because they're still learning choreography as the season goes on.
10:23
SPEAKER_00: So yeah, we do that.
10:24
SPEAKER_00: And then our once our season starts, they go into weekly 45-minute rehearsals for each dance they do.
10:31
SPEAKER_03: Okay.
10:31
SPEAKER_03: That's nice.
10:32
SPEAKER_03: So they don't, they're not just like cramming the entire choreography into that one week and then just over and over and over, they're still learning kind of throughout the fall.
10:41
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
10:41
SPEAKER_00: Yep, yep.
10:42
SPEAKER_00: Unless we have unless we have a guest choreographer, that'll happen, obviously, you know, in like a six-hour period altogether, six to eight hours, something like that.
10:50
SPEAKER_00: But that's that'll be handled yeah, a little differently.
10:53
SPEAKER_03: Right.
10:53
SPEAKER_03: And then do you ever is there ever an occasion where you start learning choreography any later?
10:59
SPEAKER_03: Like in December, you're like, ooh, maybe we should do another dance.
11:01
SPEAKER_03: Like, has that ever happened?
11:04
SPEAKER_00: The idea comes around, that's 100% for sure.
11:07
SPEAKER_00: Um we're I'm pretty square and narrow with everything.
11:11
SPEAKER_00: And like, and if if something can be added and it makes sense, our schedule's so packed tight.
11:17
SPEAKER_00: We're open seven days a week and the the studio space is filled, but it's you know, if it's a solo and we know that the the student could handle another solo added on, we're happy to open that door up.
11:28
SPEAKER_00: But um, so far as groups go, we haven't, but we're toying around with throwing together a production, which uh like a production now?
11:38
SPEAKER_00: Production, yes.
11:41
SPEAKER_00: So that was that was that just that just happened.
11:45
SPEAKER_00: That just that we just all you know when all the you know when teachers get together, we get so excited about something.
11:50
SPEAKER_00: Ideas.
11:51
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and every so now it's logistics.
11:54
SPEAKER_00: We'll see what we'll see what happens.
11:55
SPEAKER_03: Okay, so that'll be like the last comp of the season.
11:58
SPEAKER_03: You're like, we'll bring the production number in May.
12:00
SPEAKER_00: Exactly, exactly.
12:02
SPEAKER_00: Yep.
12:02
SPEAKER_03: Got it.
12:03
SPEAKER_03: Rachel, are you at a you're at a studio currently right now?
12:06
SPEAKER_03: I'm just like guest teaching when I'm guesting.
12:08
SPEAKER_03: Right.
12:09
SPEAKER_03: Good.
12:10
SPEAKER_04: So I think in my well, I can speak to like by experience as like a Yes, please.
12:15
SPEAKER_04: Yeah.
12:17
SPEAKER_04: It's very similar to Justin's, except I've done both ways.
12:20
SPEAKER_04: I've done where we've uh been in a studio and we've learned the whole piece at the in the summer.
12:25
SPEAKER_04: And then I've also done it where we're like, okay, we'll give you like a little bit of it, and then we continue the choreography through the fall.
12:32
SPEAKER_04: And it's worked both ways where you don't get burnt out learning all of it, but then I also like kind of checking it off and saying, like, this was like the bones of the dance, and then we can kind of take it through the cleaning process and continue to like mold it and change it.
12:45
SPEAKER_04: And then for guest artists, it's kind of funny because I actually have had, I mean, years ago, but a guest artist that couldn't come until December.
12:53
SPEAKER_04: And it was a very group piece, but we made sure that it was the older dancers that had danced together for a long time.
12:59
SPEAKER_04: The cast wasn't very big, and we made sure that we knew that they would pick up the choreography quickly and that they could get through like the expedited cleaning process.
13:08
SPEAKER_04: And it ended up being really great.
13:10
SPEAKER_04: I mean, the choreographer had videos of them, knew like what they could do coming in.
13:13
SPEAKER_04: So I feel like we were really prepared, but yes, that can happen too with the different situations and scheduling and stuff like that.
13:20
SPEAKER_04: So that's been my kind of overall experience, very similar to Justin's.
13:24
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
13:24
SPEAKER_05: So I want to just throw this in the mix because I think it's so interesting to hear how the dance studio like scheduling has kind of shifted since I was a competitive dancer.
13:37
SPEAKER_05: And I also think that like maybe not everybody was doing what my studio was doing either.
13:42
SPEAKER_05: But the way that I did it when I was growing up was we would only we wouldn't start any dance for competition until after the new year.
13:50
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
13:51
SPEAKER_05: So I know crazy.
13:53
SPEAKER_05: So we would just like, you know, the start of the season, we'd have like intensives in the summer, and then the fall goes, and then we're we're in our technique classes.
14:01
SPEAKER_05: And I think like I can't remember actually, but maybe we started some solos, like, or maybe do our trios before.
14:08
SPEAKER_05: But groups, specifically groups, were not even started ever until the weekends after the new year, because we would have like a a Christmas show or a winter show or a nutcracker, and like that was the focus in the fall.
14:20
SPEAKER_05: And then, like, okay, now let's shift gears.
14:22
SPEAKER_05: It's competition season now, which we also never brought in any guest artists or anything.
14:26
SPEAKER_05: So it was all in-house choreographers anyway.
14:28
SPEAKER_05: But we would learn them between like January, February, clean them in March, go to competitions, April and May.
14:34
SPEAKER_05: Oh, you were a late season competition studio.
14:37
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
14:37
SPEAKER_05: And then we go to nationals.
14:38
SPEAKER_05: So like I never felt like I got sick of my dances because so I don't know what this feeling would feel like for dancers who who have been doing the same dance since August or something.
14:47
SPEAKER_05: I actually am going to a studio in May to start setting dances for 2023.
14:53
SPEAKER_05: Like, what?
14:56
SPEAKER_05: What?
14:57
SPEAKER_05: So early.
14:58
SPEAKER_05: It's so early.
14:59
SPEAKER_05: I'm like stressed about it.
15:00
SPEAKER_05: I'm like, you haven't even finished, I haven't even finished my comp season yet.
15:04
SPEAKER_05: Like, is my choreography gonna even be relevant in a year?
15:07
SPEAKER_03: Right.
15:07
SPEAKER_03: Like, I'm trying to do new cool stuff right now in May, but then like by August, it'll be have been done, you know.
15:12
SPEAKER_00: No, that's interesting.
15:13
SPEAKER_00: Is does the studio normally do that?
15:16
SPEAKER_00: Because it would get the kids excited for the next year and then they would be committed to the full next year.
15:20
SPEAKER_00: And so you have your team because you know how summer goes, it's like it's yeah, it could be a free-for-all.
15:26
SPEAKER_00: You know, kids are going to camps and intensives and stuff like that, and like that could be like a little a look a little hook for the the kids to commit to their team and be ready to go.
15:36
SPEAKER_00: Right for the next I don't know, that's just a you know, I don't know.
15:39
SPEAKER_00: That's a good thought.
15:40
SPEAKER_03: That could totally be a hook up early.
15:43
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
15:44
SPEAKER_05: Studios do like auditions for the team sometimes in like June, like even before like nationals has happened.
15:50
SPEAKER_05: So like we're still in the current season, but we're all thinking about next season in June.
15:55
SPEAKER_05: That way you can get them hooked in and like be able to know how to cast your dances by the time choreography week comes, like you know, your situation, Justin, and it's like, okay, here's August, and we need to know who our team who's on our team at that point.
16:08
SPEAKER_05: It's so interesting how everyone kind of structures this differently.
16:13
SPEAKER_03: I don't know what's best.
16:14
SPEAKER_03: Well, I mean, I think what's best is figuring out, no matter how you do it, how to keep keep it fet fresh and fun, which is what we're talking about.
16:21
SPEAKER_03: Right.
16:21
SPEAKER_03: And so to that end, you know, so we've learned to dance.
16:25
SPEAKER_03: Even if you've learned to dance and you're done with it by December, you still have months to continue to work on that dance.
16:32
SPEAKER_03: And so have y'all found any helpful just exercises or activities to do to keep those dances fresh, while also like, you know, it's that fine line of like feed them some spinach in a smoothie that tastes like, you know, strawberries.
16:47
SPEAKER_03: Like, how do you how do you balance it out so that they're actually learning and improving, but having fun and not being like this dance again?
16:53
SPEAKER_03: I have a specific, a really specific example for I've taught a lot of tap.
16:58
SPEAKER_04: And so I have a specific example of where I have had a lot of tap routines.
17:02
SPEAKER_04: We were at a convention competition a couple of seasons back, and we had some really strong tap dancers, and they were scoring pretty well, you know, like kind of like top echelon, but not quite like at the very top score, which is totally fine.
17:17
SPEAKER_04: And the owner of the convention was actually a tap dancer and came up to us and said, here is a little bit of advice because they're great tap dancers, but I think one thing that you could do to continue to like improve the routine, because he's like the routines are great.
17:32
SPEAKER_04: He said, You need to do rehearsal without their tap shoes on.
17:35
SPEAKER_04: And so he said that he said that because he could see that we were had focused so much on the like lower half of the body, right?
17:43
SPEAKER_04: Like the hips down, which I I think can happen so much.
17:47
SPEAKER_04: Like when I teach tap, I'm like, don't I call it like the stalker sphere in the mirror?
17:51
SPEAKER_04: I'm like, don't have the stalker sphere like on your feet because you're so focused on like what your feet are doing and getting the steps right that you forget about the upper body using your center and using your portable.
18:01
SPEAKER_04: So I started to do that in a few of the tap rehearsals.
18:04
SPEAKER_04: Like we still wear shoes for some of them, but you know, for the majority of it, they would wear beer, they would be beer foot or have you know, like a jaw shoe on or something.
18:12
SPEAKER_04: And we would just say, you know, we feel really confident about like our sounds and our timing and the technique of our lower half of our body.
18:19
SPEAKER_04: Now let's like integrate the upper body a little bit more.
18:22
SPEAKER_04: So I think that kind of they, you know, when you come into a tap rehearsal and you're like, don't put your shoes on, that's very surprising and it and the exciting thing.
18:29
SPEAKER_04: So I can't take credit for the idea, but it is something that has definitely worked in changing up like a tap rehearsal, which can feel kind of monotonous, like let's run the piece again, like get on your the balls of your feet, you know, etc.
18:41
SPEAKER_04: So that's a rehearsal where they're just focusing on like the dance part of it, right?
18:45
SPEAKER_04: Because it's tap dance, it's head to toe, it's not just hit to toe.
18:49
SPEAKER_04: So that's been a really um helpful tip specifically for like a tap routine.
18:54
SPEAKER_05: Cool.
18:55
SPEAKER_05: I think that can be applied to other styles too.
18:58
SPEAKER_05: For sure.
18:58
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, you know, like I feel like that there were so many times in cleaning rehearsals, it's like you can mark, but make sure your upper body is like your arms are still clean, you know, strong or whatever.
19:07
SPEAKER_05: And it's like yeah, it's like okay, we could we could definitely just be like, all right, let's stop focusing on whacking our legs in our bot malls, and let's make sure the the arm line for the drag is nice and clean, or our arms are are clean and are pirouette if you're not doing the rotations.
19:22
SPEAKER_05: Like breaking it down like that, I think is a great tool for all styles.
19:26
SPEAKER_05: Great, great advice.
19:27
SPEAKER_00: I love that.
19:28
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and even like separating the body parts, right?
19:30
SPEAKER_00: Um, I know I know what helps me when I'm cleaning dances is if you know, if the girls or dancers say girls were they were all in a skirt, I I would love for them to have a skirt on for some of the rehearsals so I can see what's happening because it's such a different image, or if they're in, if they're in like shorts or leggings, or just so that they all match.
19:49
SPEAKER_00: And then I mean, you know how it is, your eyes feel like they're going like this all the time.
19:52
SPEAKER_00: So having them match their costume, because then you'll get their true lines of what's happening on stage is always that's I I know for myself that helps.
20:01
SPEAKER_00: The the video, the cameras that go.5 are like a life changer.
20:05
SPEAKER_00: We used to use GoPros to like clean, but now it's like the the iPhones, like in getting in like for personal cleaning uh for teachers, I guess, would be to do different angles.
20:16
SPEAKER_00: Like have all the kids have phones, right?
20:18
SPEAKER_00: Like just get three, four cameras, put them up, and then you can see because we're always I always get either middle front or middle back.
20:26
SPEAKER_00: That's tends to be where I stand as normal.
20:29
SPEAKER_00: But um, and I get that same perspective all the time.
20:31
SPEAKER_00: But there's a judge on the right and the judge on the left that they're seeing these five people that I'm not seeing.
20:36
SPEAKER_00: So that's true.
20:36
SPEAKER_00: Um that's something to kind of to kind of uh change it up on the teacher's part.
20:41
SPEAKER_00: Um on the kids' part, I guess.
20:42
SPEAKER_00: I mean, obviously like changing direction, changing studios, switching up, getting new energy in there.
20:48
SPEAKER_00: Like I love to have like another teacher come clean my dances because we're gonna see 10 other things that I won't see.
20:55
SPEAKER_00: Or um that's always that's always super fun.
20:58
SPEAKER_00: I always give our kids, I tell them a lot, like I did the I did the same show for four and a half years, six nights a week, two shows a night.
21:05
SPEAKER_00: So I was like, you guys, you guys can't get sick of this dance because it's already been a couple months.
21:10
SPEAKER_00: So and if they want to be, you know, if they want to maybe move on into the professional world, you don't get a dance for six months and then you leave it, or you don't get a dance, you get sick of it in six months.
21:20
SPEAKER_00: You figure you you have to be creative on how this is brand new because it's you're performing it to a brand new audience, so you need to find those ways to refresh and rejuvenate it.
21:30
SPEAKER_00: So yeah, there's always a way.
21:33
SPEAKER_04: I was finding myself nodding in agreement with the different angles of it because I know that I always had like my favorite spot to go stand and like watch TV.
21:43
SPEAKER_04: And I would remember having other, like you said, other instructors come into the room and they were like, Well I'm gonna sit here, and they felt totally different picture.
21:50
SPEAKER_04: So I I love that advice.
21:52
SPEAKER_04: That was great.
21:52
SPEAKER_00: A good one is, and I don't do it enough, is lie on the floor because that's the judge's view half the time.
22:00
SPEAKER_00: It's a fun way to watch the dance.
22:04
SPEAKER_03: It's a different story from down there.
22:06
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, because they never get us, they never get the kids face on.
22:09
SPEAKER_00: And the minute you lie down, you're like, oh, right.
22:12
SPEAKER_00: This is this is they're looking up all the time.
22:15
SPEAKER_00: So it's just another perspective.
22:17
SPEAKER_05: I think that's I love this discussion on angles and not even just like observer angles.
22:24
SPEAKER_05: But but actually I guess it does go hand in hand.
22:26
SPEAKER_05: I mean, even flipping the dance around to face away from the mirror obviously is a something that every studio needs to do before they hit the stage.
22:35
SPEAKER_05: I can tell as a judge if they've never practiced without a mirror and it's their first time doing it, like it should never be your first time practicing without a mirror when you hit the stage at competition.
22:45
SPEAKER_05: Let's be real.
22:46
SPEAKER_05: Like, if whatever we need to do with the studio, if that means we need to flip the dance to face 180 opposite wall where there's no mirrors, or we need to cover the mirrors with curtains or something, we need to figure something out because that is crucial for dancers to be able to succeed without wandering eyeballs the entire time they're dancing on stage.
23:03
SPEAKER_05: But the angles thing I want to talk about, and I love the whole lay on the floor and be at the judge's view because that is very true, and we kind of forget about that.
23:13
SPEAKER_05: And it really depends on the venue, obviously.
23:15
SPEAKER_05: Which I have said before on the podcast, but I wish judges didn't sit up front.
23:20
SPEAKER_05: I hate sitting up front.
23:21
SPEAKER_05: I feel like I can't see the full picture.
23:23
SPEAKER_05: And I and I literally, my head is like up like I don't want to be on the same level as their feet.
23:28
SPEAKER_05: I want to like take it in from a little bit further back.
23:31
SPEAKER_05: If we're supposed to be all the way up to the front, then that's what it is, and we have to make it work.
23:35
SPEAKER_05: And that also means that like as choreographers, you have to put that into perspective and remember some of these angles that we're choreographing into dances because they can be a little inappropriate, I guess is the word.
23:48
SPEAKER_05: Questionable.
23:49
SPEAKER_05: Questionable, yeah.
23:50
SPEAKER_05: I mean, I've seen some things up close and personal that I wish I never saw, um, with no tights on and lack of butt glue and whatever it may be.
24:00
SPEAKER_05: You know what I'm saying?
24:01
SPEAKER_03: Like, well, and not even like, you know, so as of this recording, it was just the Super Bowl.
24:06
SPEAKER_03: So obviously most dancers watched the Super Bowl halftime show.
24:09
SPEAKER_03: And when you when I think about shows like that, it's like, okay, the those choreographers are having to choreograph for a television audience and a a big stadium audience.
24:19
SPEAKER_03: So why are studio choreographers also not thinking about their audience?
24:23
SPEAKER_03: You know, like as the viewer of the Super Bowl, I loved what they were doing in those little boxes, those little cars or whatever, you know, it was tight and close.
24:31
SPEAKER_03: And I was like, yes, they clearly knew who they were performing for.
24:34
SPEAKER_03: But then you looked at the people on the floor and they were performing for the people in the stadium, you know.
24:38
SPEAKER_03: So, like as a choreographer, I think even in the smaller non-Super Bowl scheme of competitions, you know, think about where your audience is looking at.
24:47
SPEAKER_03: Like, we're not looking at you from the balcony.
24:49
SPEAKER_03: Like, I would love to see your beautiful lines and formations, but like I'm looking at you from straightforward and from down here.
24:56
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, I want to see every teacher with their camera laying on their stomach, like you just described, Justin, you know, video recording it from that angle and sharing it with the dancers.
25:07
SPEAKER_00: Um another another angle is to like don't even flip it.
25:11
SPEAKER_00: I mean, if the studio can handle it, I've I flipped it to the other side, like, okay.
25:17
SPEAKER_00: I was like, okay, turn to the right, everybody go.
25:19
SPEAKER_00: And they're like, it's not big enough.
25:21
SPEAKER_00: We can't do it.
25:21
SPEAKER_00: I was like, well, we're gonna have to what if it happens on stage.
25:24
SPEAKER_00: What if your stage is right?
25:25
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
25:26
SPEAKER_00: Exactly.
25:26
SPEAKER_00: So it's yeah, it was kind of I mean, it is a little treacherous sometimes because it's tight, you know, for the big group.
25:34
SPEAKER_00: But it's it's all like, I mean, you know how TV works, right?
25:37
SPEAKER_00: The stages are big.
25:38
SPEAKER_00: You get on there and you're like, oh, we have to dance on this tiny stage, but they make it look big.
25:43
SPEAKER_00: So it's it's just a little learning lesson, I guess.
25:46
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
25:47
SPEAKER_05: And I think that's important to remember for like all studios.
25:50
SPEAKER_05: I've I've actually witnessed studios who are over dancing for the space because they are so used to having that space in rehearsal.
25:58
SPEAKER_05: Like you might be blessed and have this giant long, wide studio space.
26:03
SPEAKER_05: And like you said, Justin, that might not be what you get in competition.
26:06
SPEAKER_05: Like, you know, usually you know, you have an idea of the size, especially if you've been to the venue before, you know what the stage is going to be.
26:13
SPEAKER_05: Okay, it's gonna be four panels of Marley and this this width.
26:16
SPEAKER_05: But sometimes it might not be.
26:18
SPEAKER_05: And there are dancers who don't know how to contain the movement to adapt to the space that they are given because they're so used to overdancing in this beautiful space.
26:27
SPEAKER_05: And then there is the opposite too.
26:28
SPEAKER_05: Like there's many studios that I've been at that have huge, like the the amount of dancers is large as far as like they have 50 kids, but their studio space can't hold 50 kids.
26:39
SPEAKER_05: So they never even get a chance to like really dance it full out until they get to competition.
26:46
SPEAKER_03: Like it's just as disappointing for them and just like generally that like, oh, look at all the space you have, and you just don't even realize you have the room because your your body's not used to it.
26:54
SPEAKER_05: Or like not knowing how to travel properly in their transitions sometimes because of depending on what their studio space is, if they don't have a long room to do across the floor, then they're never really understanding like how to find that grounded travel.
27:08
SPEAKER_05: And then it I see that on stage as well.
27:10
SPEAKER_05: So I mean, I don't know best advice on how to adapt to that because you know, it's just depending on our space restrictions.
27:17
SPEAKER_03: But I love that idea of just flipping it a 90 degree and well, and even if you have a big group, you can flip it 90 degrees and say half the group goes, you know, just so you have the room to do it to you know, just mess with your perception.
27:31
SPEAKER_04: I think some advice like with that, if you know that your space is smaller than what like the stage is gonna be, if you have the ability to do it, to find a bigger space and to like measure out what like a normal theater stage would be and like to at least even if you have to go outside in your parking lot, like if you can't afford to like you know rent out a bigger space, like go and measure it out, have the kids put their speakers on and at least walk through the formation.
27:55
SPEAKER_04: Because that way it gives them like a a chance to kind of feel the bigger space and like face if you're in the center, like that's kind of the easy spot, like find center stage, but like it's harder for like the kids on the end to know like how far like they're going to have to spread out.
28:10
SPEAKER_04: And so I know that I know that like having done productions with like 70 plus kids in the past, like that our room, like our biggest studio, is like never like enough space.
28:20
SPEAKER_04: So we did we did have to like go and it was you know, sometimes it was like a gym, like a middle school gym that we like here are the codes or like here like you know invade your wings and stuff, but we had to do that to give them that experience before they went on stage.
28:34
SPEAKER_04: So I think like you have to, you know, be creative, go outside, parking lot, or like rent out another space at least if that's not their if it's not gonna be like the the consistent rehearsal space, at least give them the opportunity before they do that.
28:46
SPEAKER_04: Right.
28:47
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
28:47
SPEAKER_03: And just and talk it out.
28:48
SPEAKER_03: I mean, even even hearing, okay, Sally, look, you have to get all the way over there on your Chasse Step Soda Shah.
28:55
SPEAKER_03: Oh my gosh.
28:56
SPEAKER_03: Don't do it now because we're on concrete.
28:57
SPEAKER_03: But like just know, like in your mind, you gotta get that far.
29:01
SPEAKER_03: So like figure it out.
29:02
SPEAKER_01: Yeah.
29:07
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30:04
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30:14
SPEAKER_05: And I actually really love how you uh I wanted to bring this up and it's almost kind of like just a reminder, I guess, for studios and dancers out there, especially while we're in the heat of competition season and there's still more months coming, that transitions on stage and offstage are super important, especially when we're cleaning.
30:31
SPEAKER_05: So if you're so focused on, oh, well, we gotta get this leg up and oh, that count is off for the leap or whatever.
30:38
SPEAKER_05: I care just as much as to if you're committing all the way offstage into the wing and also knowing which wing to go off.
30:45
SPEAKER_05: Because let's be real, we don't have wings in our dance studios, right?
30:49
SPEAKER_05: Unless we have them taped out on the floor, which is a good idea.
30:52
SPEAKER_05: Put get some spike tape, put them, map it out, just create wing one, two, three, because there's usually always three wings on a s on a theater, sometimes four.
31:00
SPEAKER_05: And dancers need to know, okay, I exit downstage wing right or upstage wing two, or whatever it is, so there's not traffic pattern, uh traffic collisions with entrances and exits.
31:10
SPEAKER_05: Because I see it happen all the time.
31:11
SPEAKER_05: I see dancers literally like run off a different wing than what's closest to them.
31:16
SPEAKER_05: Like, why?
31:17
SPEAKER_05: So they can do like get closer to their entrance wing.
31:20
SPEAKER_05: And I'm like, what's going on?
31:23
SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Courtney.
31:24
SPEAKER_00: I wrote that down.
31:24
SPEAKER_00: I'm I'm gonna be taping our wings out in our studio when I get back.
31:28
SPEAKER_05: So well, Justin, you already have the number line, so that's just another, you know, that's just another extra bonus.
31:34
SPEAKER_05: Yes, yes.
31:35
SPEAKER_05: Yes, Justin's studio.
31:36
SPEAKER_05: If anybody saw my post on Dance Teacher Network for all my dance teachers out there, so when I went to Justin's studio, he had the number line in his rehearsal space, and I filmed it and I posted it, and everybody was like, What is this madness?
31:49
SPEAKER_05: What's a number line?
31:51
SPEAKER_05: Like so many teachers weren't aware, and I think that's something that would be so refreshing for studio dancers to start learning and their training is the number line.
32:00
SPEAKER_05: That could be a whole nother podcast.
32:02
SPEAKER_05: Just the number line.
32:05
SPEAKER_05: Everyone's like, what are we talking about?
32:07
SPEAKER_05: But it's essentially numbers at the edge of your stage that go from zero center, and then it's two feet apart.
32:14
SPEAKER_05: Is that right, Justin?
32:15
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
32:16
SPEAKER_03: If you have a good space, yeah.
32:18
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
32:18
SPEAKER_05: Right.
32:18
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
32:19
SPEAKER_05: Two feet apart.
32:20
SPEAKER_05: And it's essentially there to help you guide as a reference when you're doing transitions and formations.
32:25
SPEAKER_05: So your formations can always be seamless and the same no matter what space and floor you're on, if the number line exists.
32:30
SPEAKER_05: And that's how they do it on Broadway.
32:32
SPEAKER_05: That's how they do it in on every professional job that I work.
32:35
SPEAKER_03: Even on my busted Music Man non-equity tour, where I performed at a rodeo once, which was huge.
32:43
SPEAKER_03: Oh my god.
32:44
SPEAKER_03: And then I performed at a middle school auditorium, which was not huge, and we didn't have a set, but we had a number line.
32:49
SPEAKER_03: And so we went from being able to have a full two feet apart number line to do all this choreography to middle school in Alabama, no set.
32:58
SPEAKER_03: We still had a number line.
32:59
SPEAKER_03: Those numbers were half a foot apart.
33:01
SPEAKER_05: Right.
33:01
SPEAKER_03: But I still knew where I could go and where I had to end up, which was, you know, truncated.
33:07
SPEAKER_03: But like that would also be helpful, I think, yeah, in in visualizing where you're like, okay, this weekend we're at X convention where we have this giant ballroom.
33:15
SPEAKER_03: And then this weekend, they could only get the middle school auditorium.
33:18
SPEAKER_03: Right.
33:18
SPEAKER_03: Right.
33:19
SPEAKER_03: You just you gotta figure the number line, guys.
33:21
SPEAKER_03: I guess that's season four.
33:22
SPEAKER_03: Season four.
33:23
SPEAKER_03: We'll talk about we'll talk about all the things in season four.
33:26
SPEAKER_03: We have a whole list ready.
33:27
SPEAKER_03: So ready.
33:28
SPEAKER_03: Justin, how many competitions does your studio do per season?
33:32
SPEAKER_00: We do four, uh, four mandatory, and then we'll do a nationals.
33:38
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
33:38
SPEAKER_00: Um, and then we we have some optionals if if students want to go to those as well.
33:43
SPEAKER_03: Nice.
33:43
SPEAKER_03: And so your choreography is done by like January, except for that production number that you're working on.
33:49
SPEAKER_03: Uh um for for your first competition, I I would love to hear about, you know, because we're thinking about the whole season, do your goals for your dancers or do your dancers' goals change from competition one to competition four?
34:07
SPEAKER_03: And what how do you guys go about sort of navigating that?
34:10
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, a hundred percent.
34:11
SPEAKER_00: Some some change and some some remain because they haven't reached them yet, which is which I think is always good.
34:17
SPEAKER_00: There's always something to strive for.
34:19
SPEAKER_00: I do with my soloist and my groups and my duets, I the week of it was actually just last week.
34:25
SPEAKER_00: So it was before our first competition, we set three goals a small goal, a medium-sized goal, and a large goal.
34:31
SPEAKER_00: So it's not like and they have to be pretty specific with it.
34:34
SPEAKER_00: So I don't want to be like, I want to perform, or I want to emote, or you know, or like I want to have great technique.
34:41
SPEAKER_00: Well, they have to be like, hey, on this pipe, I I want my relevant to be as high as it can go, and that's my goal number one.
34:49
SPEAKER_00: So the small one's obviously pretty achievable, and then you know, it builds up from there.
34:54
SPEAKER_00: And the the it's great because the kids' love for their biggest goal is to walk off stage and feel it's the best they've ever done.
35:00
SPEAKER_00: And like it makes my heart so happy.
35:02
SPEAKER_00: They're saying, like, I want first.
35:04
SPEAKER_00: It's not that, it's like yeah, I want to feel amazing after I walk off the stage because that's hard.
35:08
SPEAKER_00: We're so hard on ourselves.
35:10
SPEAKER_00: Dancers are hard on themselves.
35:11
SPEAKER_00: With you know, we're our biggest critique.
35:13
SPEAKER_00: So to get that, we all know as performers, we know what that feeling is like when you walk off, you're like, Oh, that was the best ever.
35:19
SPEAKER_00: There's like it's such a rush.
35:20
SPEAKER_00: So uh, so that's kind of how we set our goals, and they and we revisit, you know, next this week.
35:25
SPEAKER_00: So we'll go through, they bring me back the goals in and we'll cross it off if we feel like they achieved them, and if they don't, we'll keep it there and add another one onto it so they have more to look forward to.
35:35
SPEAKER_00: And I I tell them to pull them out before, you know, that during the week, before they go on stage, have a little look, just a reminder, because at the end of the day, that's you know, that's what we're that's why we're doing these competitions is to improve and you know to attain goals and like grow and all that stuff.
35:50
SPEAKER_00: So that's yeah, that's kind of how we do the goals.
35:52
SPEAKER_04: I love that moment.
35:53
SPEAKER_04: Yeah, I love how like their personal, you know, their feeling of like their personal performance is more important than you know, like did I win?
36:02
SPEAKER_04: Because I feel like we can get so consumed with winning at competition.
36:07
SPEAKER_04: And so I like something that I thought of like it's always like you want to see a personal thing, like even if it's one thing, like I I didn't relevant for my troubled hair with the whole time with time.
36:17
SPEAKER_04: That was like the one thing you can take away and say, like, I did that.
36:20
SPEAKER_04: Like that's so much better than like your score being higher.
36:23
SPEAKER_04: Because judging is subjective and like you might face a different panel of judges one week into the next, and you know, you have to kind of take it with a grain of salt.
36:32
SPEAKER_04: So I would always encourage like the personal growth like you are talking about rather than like your score growing.
36:37
SPEAKER_04: You have to kind of understand that like taking like one little thing away is better than like taking the big trophy home as well.
36:42
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
36:43
SPEAKER_05: I mean, we all want to progress, obviously, through the season.
36:46
SPEAKER_05: And I think that a lot of people tie that progression with is my score getting higher?
36:52
SPEAKER_05: Is my adjudication getting higher?
36:55
SPEAKER_05: And we can't look at it in that way because every competition is different, like you said, Rachel.
37:00
SPEAKER_05: And every single scoring bracket and breakdown is completely different.
37:05
SPEAKER_05: And every single adjudication label is completely different.
37:09
SPEAKER_05: So you can't I I've heard a lot of teachers complain, even this season already.
37:14
SPEAKER_05: Well, we won triple titanium at this competition.
37:17
SPEAKER_05: So how are we not placing first here?
37:19
SPEAKER_05: And it's like, you can't look at it like that because if you put the scores next to it, is it the same breakdown of scores?
37:26
SPEAKER_05: If it is, okay.
37:27
SPEAKER_05: Maybe there was a different competition at this one.
37:30
SPEAKER_03: Sorry about it.
37:30
SPEAKER_03: Like, or the 97 at X competition is the highest, the highest level of whatever.
37:36
SPEAKER_03: A 97 over here is not.
37:39
SPEAKER_03: It's the second highest.
37:40
SPEAKER_03: So like you still got the same score.
37:42
SPEAKER_03: Like, I think that probably happens more often than not, where like the labels of whatever the highest award is happen to be the same number, but they're not the same award level.
37:51
SPEAKER_03: Yeah.
37:52
SPEAKER_03: And like that is can that is confusing.
37:54
SPEAKER_03: Like I think, you know.
37:56
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, no, it's so confusing.
37:57
SPEAKER_04: It's like why we need a universal like scoring system accomplished.
38:01
SPEAKER_05: I think everybody would love that.
38:03
SPEAKER_05: And even like the parents.
38:04
SPEAKER_05: I think the competitions wouldn't love that, which is why it doesn't exist.
38:09
SPEAKER_05: So yeah, it would just make our lives easier.
38:13
SPEAKER_03: It really would.
38:14
SPEAKER_03: But yeah, those, I mean, I I totally agree with all of what y'all just said, you know, the personal goals being the ones that you should be on the lookout for.
38:21
SPEAKER_03: And and I think I think that just starts with everybody on the top, from the top, agreeing that that is what we're looking for, not a trophy and not a score.
38:32
SPEAKER_03: Because I think, you know, kids understand what is expected of them if you're giving them mixed messages about let's win versus let's have some personal improvement, like they're gonna be like, well, winning is clear clearly better.
38:44
SPEAKER_05: Right.
38:45
SPEAKER_03: So I I think that's good advice, you know, for for parents and you know, other teachers to hear that like that's what we're looking for, hopefully.
38:52
SPEAKER_05: The trophy is like the bonus.
38:54
SPEAKER_05: The trophy is like, you know, if that happens, awesome, that's great.
38:58
SPEAKER_05: But we also can't let the trophy have it be the end of our progress.
39:04
SPEAKER_05: Like, I think that there that also happens sometimes too, is well, I won.
39:08
SPEAKER_05: So what what else do I think why should I work any harder?
39:10
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, and it's like, okay, well, you don't know what's coming at your next competition, and you don't know who's gonna be there, and you don't know what the scoring brackets are like, and you might not win this time.
39:19
SPEAKER_05: That might have been your great day.
39:21
SPEAKER_05: You might not have a good day the next time, you don't know.
39:24
SPEAKER_05: So I think that those personal goals are so great, and that really takes me back to our competitive mindset episode again that we did in season two.
39:32
SPEAKER_05: That was just such a breath of fresh air to have that episode if listeners want to go back and listen to it.
39:37
SPEAKER_03: Tracy and Rachel.
39:38
SPEAKER_05: Yep, Tracy and Rachel.
39:39
SPEAKER_05: Not this Rachel, Rachel Perl.
39:40
SPEAKER_05: Oh my god, sorry, different Rachel is your best friend.
39:43
unknown: That's right.
39:45
SPEAKER_03: I forgot about that.
39:48
SPEAKER_03: Close enough.
39:49
SPEAKER_03: Do you want to talk about over-rehearsal?
39:51
SPEAKER_03: Because I don't know that I ever see that.
39:53
SPEAKER_05: So I would love to I would talk, I would love to talk about that because I do feel like that I've seen dances that are over-rehearsed where the dancers aren't even it's almost like it's too robotic and they're not dancing anymore.
40:09
SPEAKER_05: Like, which let's be real, I love a clean dance.
40:12
SPEAKER_05: Like I I would rather see a clean dance than a sloppy dance, but then I want to see you dance.
40:17
SPEAKER_05: Like if you're this clean, then and the passion is gone and the performance is lacking because you're you're so clean.
40:25
SPEAKER_05: Like, there has to be a point in rehearsal where we have cleaned it so much that they know the count's like the back of their hand, and then we have to add that next layer of let's become dancers.
40:38
SPEAKER_05: Because I don't know, I just feel like that you can overclean a dance sometimes and it'll like just look a little bit like too like too robotic on stage, and I'm just left wanting like there's more.
40:50
SPEAKER_05: There's more there that I need.
40:52
SPEAKER_04: Like good job cleaning, but yeah, I think you can tell as a judge, well, when I judge like the dancers who are like sitting in like the movement and the pocket of the music, and the dancers who are just like going through the motions or even right, like they know the dance so well that they're starting to rush the music, you know, in any style.
41:12
SPEAKER_04: So you can you can kind of be like, okay, are you rushing because you're nervous or because you're bored?
41:17
SPEAKER_04: Like, are you like exactly through it?
41:19
SPEAKER_04: Or are you like are you like milking every like movement for what it's worth?
41:24
SPEAKER_04: You know, I've gotten like critiques on things I've heard about for like my dancers before where they're like you need to like extend that line for like two more milliseconds to like take up all the space.
41:34
SPEAKER_04: And so maybe that's good advice for teachers to like continue to like hey, we're like a we're like getting in front of the music a little bit because we know it so well, like that's to be commended, but at the same time, you want to make sure that that's not like a detriment to your performance as well.
41:51
SPEAKER_03: Right.
41:51
SPEAKER_03: That is a really, really good point.
41:52
SPEAKER_03: I didn't even think of that.
41:54
SPEAKER_05: Musicality is key.
41:55
SPEAKER_05: Yeah.
41:55
SPEAKER_00: There's a fine line, it's hard because you know, we train and we're like technique, technique, technique, clean, clean, clean, and then all of a sudden that performance quality can kind of go like that.
42:04
SPEAKER_00: And it's uh and I'm sure you guys all know exactly what I'm talking about.
42:07
SPEAKER_00: It's but it's a hard time to get them both to keep going together.
42:11
SPEAKER_00: And I know as a judge, like I love, love technique, love it, love it, love it, love it, love it.
42:16
SPEAKER_00: Like, can't speak enough about it.
42:17
SPEAKER_00: But if they're not dancing, like you said, Courtney, and letting go and enjoying and like feeling the moment, you're on stage, right?
42:24
SPEAKER_00: This is like you work so hard, and if you're not having like the best time, like some of the some of the best dances I can remember.
42:30
SPEAKER_00: I we were just at a competition last weekend.
42:33
SPEAKER_00: There was a group that did this hip hop dance.
42:35
SPEAKER_00: They were their energy and their fire and their flair, it was just like the audience was like everybody like from all different studios were like cheering them on.
42:43
SPEAKER_00: It was like the best.
42:44
SPEAKER_00: Like that's what you want.
42:45
SPEAKER_00: It needs to they need to match each other.
42:48
SPEAKER_00: But yeah, I think over-rehearsing could could kill the kill the emotion of it and in the excitement maybe of it a little bit.
42:55
SPEAKER_03: Yeah, and I mean the thing I didn't even think about was like you become so comfortable with it and you know it like the back of your hand, and then you're rushing.
43:01
SPEAKER_03: And like I think we see that in tap a lot, but like I totally agree now that we're talking about it, like, oh yeah, that definitely happens.
43:07
SPEAKER_03: And that is a product of over-rehearsal, right?
43:09
SPEAKER_03: As opposed to like them not knowing what the musicality is.
43:14
SPEAKER_03: Like they know it, it's just that they're bored.
43:16
SPEAKER_03: So they're just like, can we just be done?
43:18
SPEAKER_05: But the other thing that I think is important to think about in this perspective is I'm almost even speaking to like maybe there's studios out there who focus so much on their routines in their season instead of like the training and the technique.
43:32
SPEAKER_05: Like you're just saying, Justin, like, technique, technique, technique.
43:35
SPEAKER_05: Like, I want to see that technique.
43:36
SPEAKER_05: I want to see a clean routine with strong technique.
43:39
SPEAKER_05: But then there's there has to be a point when we can trust the technique and let the performance come alive.
43:45
SPEAKER_05: And I think you know, I think that when I see a lot of these studios that come out and they just have these like crisp, clean, drilled dances, but we've but technique technical flaws are there, lack of performance sometimes.
44:00
SPEAKER_05: You know, I'm looking for like the total package.
44:03
SPEAKER_05: And I actually, while we were talking about this, it made me think of our Project 21 episode at the top of the season with Molly Long.
44:11
SPEAKER_05: And she made a perfect example of like, we only rehearse on the weekends and we train during the week.
44:17
SPEAKER_05: And my dancers, like everyone's like, How do you do that?
44:19
SPEAKER_05: How are your dancers so clean?
44:20
SPEAKER_05: And she's like, Well, they're training together.
44:22
SPEAKER_05: So why wouldn't they be clean when I put choreography on them?
44:25
SPEAKER_05: And it's like, our priorities in rehearsals and at the studio need to be do we care about a clean routine or do we care about like working on the technique throughout the year?
44:36
SPEAKER_05: So our dance will automatically be clean because your technique is so on point.
44:41
SPEAKER_05: We're trusting the technique enough so we don't have to spend hour after hour after hour cleaning.
44:46
SPEAKER_03: Putting skills that you've been working on all week into the dance, not skills that you're like, maybe we could do this skill that you haven't been working on all year.
44:55
SPEAKER_03: Right.
44:56
SPEAKER_03: We recently had a comment from a listener kind of suggesting that one of the things we say many times in the podcast for years and have said previous to the podcast as educators and judges, don't show me what you can't do, show me what you can do.
45:10
SPEAKER_03: And this is a perfect scenario that, like, if your concern is a clean dance, the skills you put into that dance should already be clean before you put them in the dance.
45:19
SPEAKER_03: So you don't have to rehearse them for hours and hours every week.
45:22
SPEAKER_03: They should just be it should just be clean.
45:24
SPEAKER_03: Because you've been working on them all week.
45:25
SPEAKER_03: Like it just sort of makes sense when you put it that way.
45:29
SPEAKER_03: Yep.
45:29
SPEAKER_05: Yep.
45:30
SPEAKER_03: It does.
45:31
SPEAKER_00: I just had a conversation with one of my dancers.
45:33
SPEAKER_00: We're doing, I think it was her first it's her first solo.
45:36
SPEAKER_00: She's 15 years old.
45:37
SPEAKER_00: Ooh, exciting.
45:38
SPEAKER_00: There's there's a triple turn in her dance, and she's just she's not she can't get it.
45:42
SPEAKER_00: She's she can do it in class.
45:43
SPEAKER_00: She's it's just, you know, there's a there's it happens every so often.
45:47
SPEAKER_00: And before we go, I was like, you know, two weeks ago before first competition, I was like, hey, I'm like, let's change it to a double turn.
45:53
SPEAKER_00: And she felt so defeated because she felt like that might have been the the thing to help her out was that triple turn.
46:00
SPEAKER_00: I was like, I don't think you understand.
46:01
SPEAKER_00: They want to see a clean double turn, whether you whatever it is, it just needs to be clean and be good.
46:06
SPEAKER_00: Like the the judges are gonna go, oh, she didn't do that triple turn, you know, at this we don't know how much people do it.
46:12
SPEAKER_03: Right.
46:12
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, the music calls for a double, do a double, and that's that's what it is.
46:16
SPEAKER_00: And there's no, you know, you don't have to go go big or go home.
46:20
SPEAKER_00: It's be clean.
46:21
SPEAKER_03: Well, and don't be a girlfriend from center stage.
46:23
SPEAKER_03: I think we could all do a triple.
46:25
SPEAKER_03: Like, no, you can do a double because I asked for a clean level.
46:32
SPEAKER_03: And I and I also like Justin, as you said, like, you know, if the music calls for it, like there the music can call for many things.
46:39
SPEAKER_03: You can make that a lovely slow clean table.
46:41
SPEAKER_03: You can make it a single and hold it.
46:43
SPEAKER_03: You could you can do whatever you can do.
46:45
SPEAKER_03: I'm gonna look at what you're doing.
46:47
SPEAKER_03: I'm not gonna look at your past six months of what you are trying to do because I don't know that.
46:52
SPEAKER_03: You know, I'm sitting here for three minutes watching you dance.
46:54
SPEAKER_03: I don't know your history.
46:55
SPEAKER_03: I wish I did.
46:56
SPEAKER_03: Your history's probably lovely.
46:57
SPEAKER_03: Good for you, 15-year-old with the the first time solo, but I don't know that.
47:01
SPEAKER_03: So show me something I can know, which is you can do a clean double.
47:04
SPEAKER_05: Yeah, and like finish it strong and like have a suspension out of the double.
47:09
SPEAKER_05: Like it's gonna be rather see like a suspended double pirouette than like a thrown together, sloppy, unfinished triple pirouette.
47:16
SPEAKER_05: Like, I don't know how many times we have to say it on the podcast as teachers, as judges.
47:21
SPEAKER_05: Like we say it all the time, but yet I still think I feel like there might be like the pressure of the parents thinking that's what needs to happen, then the pressure of the parents telling the teachers, well, she needs her double and the solo won't succeed, and then the kids can't nail the double, so then they're putting sloppy technique on stage, and it's like, y'all, listen to the podcast.
47:39
SPEAKER_05: Okay.
47:40
SPEAKER_05: We we preach this a lot over here, it's what we want.
47:43
SPEAKER_04: Right.
47:43
SPEAKER_04: I feel like I feel like parents are always like, challenge them, like challenge them.
47:47
SPEAKER_04: And yes, like we should be challenging them, like in the classroom.
47:50
SPEAKER_04: I think we said earlier, like work on those things in the classroom, like fight for the double or the quad and the or the triple and the quad in the classroom.
47:57
SPEAKER_04: But if like the clean double is what needs to go on stage, you're doing yourself a disservice if you're putting sloppy triple in.
48:04
SPEAKER_04: Because as we said before, it's not about scoring.
48:06
SPEAKER_04: But if we're like trying to put our best foot forward and your best foot forward is the clean double, then put the clean double on stage and wait until the triple is it's time for the triple or any other kind of skill.
48:18
SPEAKER_04: It's not just a pirouette situation.
48:20
SPEAKER_05: Acro, especially, say right.
48:22
SPEAKER_05: Acro, cone turns, whatever.
48:24
SPEAKER_05: Yes, all of that.
48:25
SPEAKER_03: Well, and that's also part of keeping dances fresh throughout the season is reevaluating, you know, like Justin, you were saying, your kids have goals each competition.
48:34
SPEAKER_03: So listen, if you nailed that double the first two, you know what?
48:37
SPEAKER_03: Maybe it is time to try the triple now.
48:39
SPEAKER_03: Right.
48:39
SPEAKER_03: And you gotta practice your butt off, and that is the goal for the next month is that we are gonna drill the pirouettes, we're gonna drill releves, we're gonna drill spots, and that triple's gonna go in.
48:48
SPEAKER_03: And listen, if you fall out of it, that's fine.
48:50
SPEAKER_03: But like you've you've had that as a goal throughout the whole six months, and that it like that kind of not pressure, but like challenge is also part of rehearsing and making sure that nobody's getting bored because we are complacent with our sing, you know, our double.
49:05
SPEAKER_03: Like, don't get complacent.
49:06
SPEAKER_03: That's a fine line, y'all.
49:08
SPEAKER_00: I I love that because you made you made a pathway as well for the dancer, the way you explained it.
49:12
SPEAKER_00: And it like, you know, they can connect those steps together, and it's you know, there's a start point, there's a not really there's never really an end point in dance.
49:20
SPEAKER_00: You know, if if you make it nice and clear for the dancer, it's uh it's so clear.
49:24
SPEAKER_00: I think it's great.
49:24
SPEAKER_00: I'm I'm stealing that from you.
49:26
SPEAKER_00: So thank you.
49:27
SPEAKER_05: No taking.
49:30
SPEAKER_05: And like I think that's important kind of and we've we've definitely touched on this, but I do think it's important that especially for studios who start dances so early in the season, that there is a there you can have the dance evolve throughout the season.
49:44
SPEAKER_05: Like, don't feel like I I mean I always feel, especially as a guest choreographer, first it's tricky as a guest because I don't know these dancers.
49:51
SPEAKER_05: So I'm not working with them in class.
49:53
SPEAKER_05: I don't know what they're they are working on in class, and I'm just kind of getting some information here and there and it's like, okay, and I kind of like audition them on the spot.
50:01
SPEAKER_05: Like, you know, that's always not the best scenario either, but your teachers know you best.
50:06
SPEAKER_05: So I think that it's important to know, like, we're gonna, it's either we're gonna put this in and hope that it gets clean by the time we get to competition, and if it doesn't, we pull it, or maybe when you choreograph the dance back in August, this is way too easy for them at this point.
50:19
SPEAKER_05: They have progressed so much by the time we've gotten to March, which is eight months later, that they can do their switch tilt now and they could, and it was just a tilt before, or whatever it is, you know, that like there is you are that's the goal is to progress and keep evolving over time.
50:37
SPEAKER_05: So I think it's definitely smart for studios to like re-re look at those dances and make sure that yes, they're clean, but do we need to crank it up a notch with some of these skills that this dancer is just succeeding at so well and she can do this now.
50:50
SPEAKER_05: She's at this point in in her training that she can handle this.
50:54
SPEAKER_05: But another thing that I want to just touch on as a judge is right now we're talking we're in March.
51:00
SPEAKER_05: And I will say that when I am judging when it comes to the top of the season, let's say January, February, I'm a little bit more lenient with the with the lack of cleanliness on stage.
51:12
SPEAKER_05: But I will let you know, everyone, that by the time April and May come around, I better see a clean dance on stage.
51:19
SPEAKER_05: Like I will always comment, like, okay, it's a little bit sloppy, I think this needs a little bit of a rehearsal.
51:24
SPEAKER_05: It's February, I understand.
51:26
SPEAKER_05: But in May, I have very different expectations for what I'm seeing.
51:30
SPEAKER_05: And I again don't know the history.
51:31
SPEAKER_05: I don't know if this, you know, maybe you're like my studio was and we you started your dances later and you haven't been competing them since the fall.
51:39
SPEAKER_05: Or maybe you have been competing them again since the fall and they're that sloppy still, you know.
51:44
SPEAKER_05: So like I don't know your history, but I do know that this is the end of the season technically, and we're about to go to nationals and your dance still looks a hot mess.
51:50
SPEAKER_05: So why?
51:51
SPEAKER_05: You know, that's as for me, and then obviously things aren't aren't working in your cleaning rehearsal, so we have to figure out and tons of awesome recommendations in this podcast to help you.
52:01
SPEAKER_05: So by the time you get to April and May, it's nice and clean, y'all.
52:07
SPEAKER_05: That's the future right now is the end of competition season.
52:12
SPEAKER_05: Crazy to think.
52:13
SPEAKER_04: I also think like going back to goal setting and keeping a dance fresh, how those can connect.
52:20
SPEAKER_04: Like, say that you do want this.
52:22
SPEAKER_04: I mean, okay, speaking from experience, having a production number, you know, you want this to maybe a big turn section.
52:28
SPEAKER_04: You have a lot of like strong turners, okay?
52:31
SPEAKER_04: So we would always start with saying, like, okay, we're gonna give the people that we choose, obviously, that we know that we can get it, a chance to nail the skill.
52:40
SPEAKER_04: And so we'll put you in a formation, you know, we'll give you until X amount of time.
52:45
SPEAKER_04: We kind of set a date, you know.
52:46
SPEAKER_04: Are you gonna work hard in class to get this?
52:48
SPEAKER_04: We would love to have like, you know, eight to ten answers.
52:51
SPEAKER_04: But if we have to, we'll narrow it down to three people, like you, the skills on the page.
52:55
SPEAKER_04: So it can give give them a goal like in rehearsal.
52:58
SPEAKER_04: Like, I'm gonna fight for like a thought in that part.
53:01
SPEAKER_04: And then and that way, like, you know, you're setting you're being really clear and you're saying like up front, like, hey, this could be you or it couldn't be you, like you want to work hard for it.
53:10
SPEAKER_04: And so I think that that is another good motivator for them to come into rehearsal and be like, I have to like earn my thought and I have to to like earn the chance to do that on stage.
53:20
SPEAKER_04: Totally.
53:20
SPEAKER_04: That's a great idea.
53:21
SPEAKER_03: That's awesome.
53:22
SPEAKER_04: Love it.
53:23
SPEAKER_05: Well, y'all, feeling good?
53:25
SPEAKER_05: Feeling good.
53:26
SPEAKER_05: This was so great, everybody.
53:28
SPEAKER_05: And I think we all just needed to hear some of these helpful tips and advice and tricks from studio owners, from dance teachers, and from your friendly judges over here at IDA.
53:39
SPEAKER_05: Because we are in the middle of the season and we want to make sure that your dances are looking real good by the time we get to the end of the season.
53:46
SPEAKER_05: So take some of this advice, use it in rehearsal, try it out, uh, keep those goals alive for all of my dancers out there.
53:53
SPEAKER_05: I love all the goal setting that we discussed in this episode today.
53:57
SPEAKER_05: And I hope everyone's having a great, great competition season.
54:01
SPEAKER_05: To our fabulous guests, thank you so much for joining us on this episode.
54:05
SPEAKER_05: And I'd love to have you both lead us out with any final thoughts on how to keep your dances fresh this season.
54:12
SPEAKER_04: I think that it is just important to continue.
54:15
SPEAKER_04: Like we said earlier, put on page what looks best on your dancers and what your dancers feel confident and comfortable doing.
54:24
SPEAKER_04: Not just what you think is gonna score well and not just the fancy tricks or whatever that you think are popular, but put on page what is clean, what is looking good, and making sure that your dancers feel confident and make the changes that you need to to get the dances to where they need to be.
54:43
SPEAKER_04: Um, don't just let the dances kind of fizzle out, but keep rehearsals exciting, change it up, and make sure that you're just continuing to inspire and encourage the dancers to reach that personal growth.
54:55
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I 100% agree with you on that.
54:58
SPEAKER_00: All that was great.
54:59
SPEAKER_00: It was like took some of the words out of my mouth.
55:00
SPEAKER_00: I love all that.
55:01
SPEAKER_00: And and I I just to tag on a little bit to that, I would just say make sure as if you're on the teacher end or um the choreographer end, make sure you're having fun, make sure you're enjoying the process, because if you're not, they're not.
55:17
SPEAKER_00: And if they're not, reevaluate what's going on because it needs to, at the end of the day, like this is dance, we love it.
55:23
SPEAKER_00: We it's gotta be fun and it's gotta be um energizing and stuff like that.
55:27
SPEAKER_00: So I would just make sure that you know that you get you're feeling that going in because we talked about over-rehearsing and you know, kind of killing the mood of the dance.
55:35
SPEAKER_00: So I would just make sure, kind of recheck back in and make sure I love talking to the kids.
55:40
SPEAKER_00: How you guys feeling?
55:40
SPEAKER_00: How you know, some weeks are great, some weeks are not.
55:42
SPEAKER_00: And we we evaluate in the rehearsal what's what's gonna happen.
55:46
SPEAKER_00: I've I've even stopped a rehearsal and been like, let's just sit down and talk today.
55:50
SPEAKER_00: Like, you guys clearly need to like, we just need to chat, let's let's hang out and and talk about life and whatnot and school and all that stuff.
55:57
SPEAKER_00: But yeah, just keeping it light and fun, but also um giving them that really strong work ethic, which is what we always strive to do.
56:06
SPEAKER_05: We hope you enjoyed this week's episode all about keeping dances fresh throughout the season.
56:11
SPEAKER_05: Be sure to follow our guests on social media.
56:14
SPEAKER_05: You can find Justin at JustinQonk Dance and Rachel at Rach Dentry.
56:20
SPEAKER_02: Make sure to follow Making the Impact on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and pretty much everywhere you listen to podcasts.
56:28
SPEAKER_05: Be sure to check out IBA Affiliated Competition, Diva Dance Competition.
56:34
SPEAKER_05: Diva Dance Competition is America's live judging competition.
56:38
SPEAKER_05: Their live judging format is extremely unique in the industry.
56:42
SPEAKER_05: Dancers are asked to stay on stage following their routine.
56:45
SPEAKER_05: Each of the judges, provided exclusively by Impact Dance Adjudicators, will provide an immediate feedback live over the microphone.
56:53
SPEAKER_05: This format allows for a very personalized and educational experience with the purpose of improving as the day goes on.
57:00
SPEAKER_05: Something else that makes Diva different is that they are a competition with the cause.
57:04
SPEAKER_05: Diva was born as a way to raise awareness for the TVLS Foundation, a rare genetic syndrome that Jack, one of the owner's sons, was born with.
57:13
SPEAKER_05: Jack was the inspiration for Diva, and you may be lucky enough to meet him at one of their upcoming events.
57:19
SPEAKER_05: And last but not least, Diva provides all routine photos and videos absolutely free.
57:25
SPEAKER_05: For more information on D.Va Dance Competition, head to their website now to register for an upcoming event in their 2022 season at divaComps.com.
57:35
SPEAKER_02: Season three is going strong with some excellent episodes coming your way.
57:39
SPEAKER_03: Stay tuned for how not to be a stage mom, transitioning from comp dancer to comp teacher, and the April edition of QA with Courtney Live.
57:47
SPEAKER_05: Thanks so much for tuning into this week's episode.
57:50
SPEAKER_05: We'll see you next week.
57:51
SPEAKER_05: Until then, keep dancing.