Author: IDA Judge Teddy As regional competition season comes to a close—insert sad face here—I decided to take a moment to consider the amazing talent I’ve had the pleasure of viewing across the country, as well as how I communicate as an adjudicator. In my reflections, I realized that no matter where in the country I found myself, I tended to repeat certain corrections and ideas over and over during my weekends at the judges’ table. I’ve compiled two lists, one for students

Check out our podcast episode on this topic! Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts! As dancers, we’re constantly looking to improve our technique and artistry. There are always areas in which to grow, and competitions provide excellent opportunities to gain critical feedback from experts in the field who aren’t already familiar with your strengths and weaknesses. But as humans—and especially as dancers—we want to be our absolute best all the time, so it can be hard to hear judges t

Check out our Podcast Episode on this hot topic! Subscribe now on Apple Podcasts! “Back in my day, we tap danced on concrete, in the snow, uphill both ways! And we never complained!” How many times have we heard something similar from our seasoned teachers? While conditions for dance training may have changed for the better, there are a lot of lessons to be learned from our teachers who grew up dancing in a different time. Since their inception in the 1970s, dance competition

The clock strikes midnight on December 31, and suddenly, it’s January and we’ve hit the ‘reset’ button on our lives. In addition to being my favorite time of year—hello, competition season!—the new year is marked by a fresh start and, with that, a chance to create exciting resolutions. These resolutions range from personal to professional, so what better place to set new goals than in the dance studio? Goals can be big or small, short or long term, but it’s important that we

Check out our podcast episode on this topic! Choreography can make or break a competition routine. No matter how precisely a dancer executes a technical step, or how well a group dances in unison, if the choreography is uninspiring or confusing, chances are the routine will not score the top award. Featured on the IDA Blog this week are IDA judges Kelly, Patch, KT, and James, chiming in with their opinions and thoughts about choreography for competitions. The vote was unanimo