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

Higher. Faster. More. Stronger. Better. Those are the words we use when asking our bodies to dance - higher battements, faster shuffles, more pirouettes, stronger arms, better focus. 15 competition dances? No problem. 21 credit hours, 18 of which are dance? Sure, I got this. We ask so much of our bodies, and often, we neglect to give them the proper fuel to achieve the results we’re looking for. Dancers lead a rigorous life, whether going between school and the studio, or reh

Dance competitions, whether for a new competitor or a veteran of the stage, can be exciting and nerve-wracking weekends! “Did I remember all my shoes?” “What if my hairpiece falls off?” “I have finals next week and 16 routines to perform and haven’t even cracked a book!” Never fear! In this week’s blog, we are sharing some tried and true ways to lessen anxiety, prepare for a fun weekend, and help others in the process! No doubt - competition can be stressful! Even the word “c

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

Author: IDA Judge Ashley This morning, I woke up at 3:00am. After a punishingly early taxi ride to the airport and a long wait at my gate, I was seated next to a gentleman who snored like a chainsaw and refused to share the armrest. I spent the majority of my flight trying to push the man’s arm back to his side of the partition. No such luck. But now here I am, in your city, and despite my hectic morning, I am really happy to be here. Honestly, I love judging dance competitio