Lights, Lines, and Leadership: The Podcast for Dance & Drill Team

Host: Kelli Woodruff

Guest: Regan Jackson Jurick

Contemporary dance is all about creativity, innovation, and freedom of movement—but what really makes a piece contemporary? And how do we move beyond simply putting steps together to create something meaningful?

In this episode of Genre Focus, I'm joined by Regan Jackson Jurick, owner of The Woodlands Dance Center, for an in-depth conversation about the many layers of contemporary dance. We explore the influences that shape this ever-evolving genre and discuss how technique, movement quality, musicality, and personal expression come together to create choreography that connects with an audience.

We take a closer look at the importance of a strong technical foundation, the role of improvisation, and how dancers can explore movement through texture, intention, resistance, and breath. Regan also shares insight into making intentional choreographic choices, listening beyond the lyrics, using space effectively, and developing movement that serves a purpose rather than simply checking off a list of tricks or skills.

Whether you're a director, dancer, choreographer, or dance educator, this episode will give you new ways to think about contemporary dance and ideas to take straight back to the studio or rehearsal room.

Connect with Regan:
Website: https://www.twdfdance.com/
Instagram: @regjack

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Host: Kelli Woodruff

Guest: Taylor Chatfield Martin & Taylor Lansford Tucker

What does dance team teach you that lasts long after the final performance?

In this episode, I’m joined by two former Colleyville Heritage Panteras, Taylor Lansford Tucker and Taylor Chatfield Martin, to reflect on their experiences and the lessons they still carry today.

Through stories, laughter, and honest reflection, we explore what it really means to be part of a dance team—from navigating the disappointment of not making the team to leading your friends, staying motivated during contest season, and learning to appreciate the people behind the program.

We discuss how dancers can respond to setbacks, how officers can lead with both confidence and compassion, how parents can support their dancers through difficult moments, and why understanding a director’s many responsibilities can change the way we view the experience.

Whether you’re a dancer, officer, director, or parent, this conversation offers valuable reminders about resilience, responsibility, teamwork, and making the most of the opportunities dance team provides.

In this episode, we discuss:

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Handling disappointment when you don’t make the team

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Supporting dancers through setbacks and helping them move forward

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Balancing friendship and leadership as a team officer

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Building motivation and a positive team culture during contest season

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Appreciating the director’s role and everything that happens behind the scenes

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Finding joy in the day-to-day moments that make the experience meaningful

Join us for a conversation about the lessons that shape stronger dancers, stronger leaders, and stronger teams.

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Host: Kelli Woodruff

Guest: Angela Hayes and Betsy Heathcock

What is DTAC, and how is it shaping the future of dance and drill teams in Texas?

In this episode, Kelli sits down with Angela Hayes and Betsy Heathcock, two educators instrumental in developing DTAC (Dance Team Assessment and Competition), to explore how an idea became a growing statewide assessment program.

From the creation of standards-based rubrics to extensive adjudicator training, discover how DTAC is providing meaningful feedback, measuring growth, and creating new opportunities for Texas dance teams.

In this episode, we discuss:

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How DTAC began and its rapid growth across Texas

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What makes its educational assessment model unique

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The training and preparation behind the judges' table

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What directors and dancers can expect at a DTAC event

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The future of DTAC and the vision for a statewide championship

Whether you're considering participating for the first time or want to better understand the process, this conversation offers valuable insight into an exciting new chapter for Texas dance and drill teams.

Learn More About DTAC

Interested in participating in a DTAC assessment, exploring the rubrics, or learning about adjudicator training and professional development opportunities?

Visit the DTAC website for additional information:

https://tdeacompetitions.my.canva.site/

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Host: Kelli Woodruff

Guests: Shannon Dunham

We're kicking off our new Genre Focus series with JAZZ!

Joining me is Shannon Reznick Dunham—professional dancer, former dance team director, choreographer, and judge—to explore what makes great dance team jazz go beyond turns and leaps.

From the football field to the contest floor, we're talking about:

• Building strong technical foundations while developing jazz style, power, and musicality
• Creating choreography that translates to the football field
• What judges look for in contest jazz—and why more difficulty isn't always better
• Making routines memorable through creativity, showmanship, and performance
• Practical ways to strengthen your team's jazz skills and bring the joy back into dancing

Whether you're preparing for contest season or looking for fresh ideas to bring into practice, this episode is full of insights you can take back to your team.

Connect with Shannon on Instagram: @reznickdunham

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Host: Kelli Woodruff

Guests: Jed Weeks

What happens when the band director and dance team director truly work as partners?

In this episode of Lights, Lines, & Leadership, Kelli sits down with former Colleyville Heritage High School Band Director, Jed Weeks, to talk about what made their band and dance team partnership work—and the lessons they've learned through the years.

From summer trips to choose music together to preparing long before the first joint rehearsal, Kelli and Jed share practical strategies that can make halftime smoother, strengthen relationships between programs, and create a better experience for everyone involved.

In this episode:

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How preparation, communication, and mutual respect build a strong partnership

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Practical ways to choose music, communicate tempo and cuts, and make joint rehearsals more efficient

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How to balance dance-team halftime needs during the busy marching-band competition season

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Why the relationship between directors helps set the tone for both programs

Plus, Jed shares a simple game-day “pro tip” that can help dancers feel more confident before they ever step onto the field.

At the heart of it all: when directors prepare, communicate, respect each other's time, and genuinely support one another, both programs are stronger.

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Host: Kelli Woodruff

Guests: Donna Mastandrea Haas, Kelly Patterson, and Esther Pae

We’re kicking off a brand-new series, Spotlight on College Dance Teams, with a program that holds a very special place in my heart—the TCU Showgirls!

As the Showgirls celebrate their 50th anniversary, I’m joined by three women who represent different generations of this incredible program: founding director Donna Mastandrea Haas, Showgirl alum and alumni organizer Kelly Patterson, and current director and former Showgirl Esther Pae.

In this episode, we talk about:

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How the TCU Showgirls began in 1976—and what those early years looked like

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How the program has evolved from marching with the band to today’s game-day experience

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The traditions, performances, friendships, and opportunities that have shaped generations of Showgirls

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What it takes to be a TCU Showgirl today—from rehearsals and game days to travel, appearances, and academics

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What dancers need to know about clinics, auditions, technique, and preparing to become a Showgirl

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How Kelly helped reconnect generations of alumni and build the Showgirl alumni community

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What’s ahead as Showgirls from across the decades come together for the 50th anniversary Homecoming celebration

This one is especially meaningful to me as a former TCU Showgirl, and I loved getting to look back at where the program began, celebrate how far it has come, and hear where it is headed next.

Go Frogs! 💜🐸

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Host: Kelli Woodruff

Guest: Stacy Lansford

A strong booster club can be one of a dance team director’s greatest sources of support—but what does a healthy director–parent partnership really look like?

In this episode, I sit down with former booster club president Stacy Lansford, whose daughter graduated from Colleyville Heritage High School in 2008. Stacy served in multiple booster leadership roles and became an integral part of the program during my early years as a director.

Together, we look back on what made our director–booster relationship work and share practical advice for building trust, supporting the team, navigating parent personalities, and keeping the experience positive and fun.

With almost 20 years of perspective, Stacy also shares what she wishes parents understood about getting involved, supporting their dancer through disappointments, and remembering what really matters when these years are over.

Directors, this is a great episode to share with your booster club and parents!

🎧 In this episode:

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Building a healthy booster club–director relationship

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Navigating parent concerns, personalities, and politics

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Fundraising and getting parents involved

•

Supporting dancers through disappointments

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Creating a positive parent culture—and having fun along the way

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Instagram: @LightsLinesLeadershipPodcast

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Host: Kelli Woodruff

Guest: Erica Hood

Today’s dancers are being asked to perform more advanced skills than ever—and technique alone isn’t enough. They need the strength, stability, and stamina to support it.

I sit down with Erica Hood, founder of Hoodfit, to talk about practical strength training for dancers and how directors can make the most of limited practice time.

In this episode:

• Strengthening the core, glutes, feet & ankles, and upper body
• Practical exercises that directors can incorporate into practice
• Making 10–15 minutes of strength and conditioning count
• Fueling and hydrating for demanding dance schedules
• Recovery, sleep, and learning to listen to your body

It’s a practical conversation about building stronger, more resilient dancers who are better prepared for the physical demands of a dance team.

Connect with Erica & Hoodfit:

Website:http://www.hoodfitlife.com/

YouTube - Free workouts: https://www.youtube.com/@hoodfitlife

Digital Studio - Access 500+ workouts, specialized programs, community, fitness challenges & more: https://hoodfitlife.studio/catalog

Instagram: @hoodfit_ & @ericahoodfit

Personalized training & coaching: contact erica@hoodfitlife.com

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Guest: Kaylynn Renfro
Hosted by: Kelli Woodruff

Homecoming is more than a football game—it’s a week filled with school spirit, special performances, meaningful moments, and memories that can last long after the final whistle.

In this episode, I sit down with my longtime friend and former Grapevine High School dance team director, Kaylynn, who spent more than 30 years at Grapevine. Together, we look back on Homecoming over the years and share ideas that directors can bring to their own programs.

In this episode, we talk about:

• The dance team’s role in making Homecoming week special
• Pep rallies, parades, special performances, and family involvement
• Favorite traditions and how they evolved over the years
• Bringing alumni back and keeping former dancers connected
• How to start building an alumni network for your program
• Creating experiences that dancers will remember long after graduation

Whether your school has decades of Homecoming history or you’re just beginning to create your own, this episode is full of stories, practical ideas, and inspiration for making Homecoming something your dancers will want to come home to years later.

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Guest: Sara Kercho
Hosted by: Kelli Woodruff

Great dance teams are built on more than technique, choreography, and clean routines. They’re built by developing the whole dancer.

In this episode, Kelli sits down with Sara Kercho, Licensed Professional Counselor Associate under the supervision of Laura Wright, LPC-S, and the founder of Mentally Here. We talk about the things happening beyond the eight counts—team connection, confidence, leadership, performance pressure, and preventing burnout.

With a background as a dancer, former dance team director, TCU Showgirl, and MA Dance staff member, Sara understands the unique demands of the dance and drill team world. She now brings that experience, along with her counseling background, to help dancers and teams grow from the inside out.

In this episode:

• Why developing the person behind the dancer matters
• Simple, tangible team-building activities directors can use
• Creating connection and a positive team culture
• Developing officers and social officers into stronger leaders
• Helping dancers navigate pressure, comparison, and self-doubt
• Practical tools for building confidence and handling mistakes
• Recognizing burnout in dancers—and directors
• Knowing when to push, when to mix things up, and when everyone may just need a break

Connect with Sara & Mentally Here

Website:https://www.mentallyherecommunity.com/Instagram: @mentallyherecommunity
Email: mentallyherecommunity@gmail.com

As a new season gets underway, there’s no better time to be intentional about the culture you’re creating and the dancers you’re developing—both on and off the floor.

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Instagram: @LightsLinesLeadershipPodcast

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Guest: Miranda Richter
Hosted by: Kelli Woodruff

Game day is about so much more than the few minutes a dance team spends performing on the field.

In this episode, I’m joined by longtime dance team director Miranda Richter to talk about everything that happens beyond the halftime performance—from the final school bell to the ride home.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Preparing, packing, and organizing before the buses roll
• Delegating responsibilities to officers, managers, parents, and other game-day helpers
• Pregame logistics and those little details directors have to remember
• Stand etiquette, stand dances, and keeping dancers engaged throughout the game
• Third-quarter breaks, away games, and game-day procedures
• The traditions and little moments dancers remember long after the season is over
• Miranda’s tech tip for using Google Keep to make game-day organization easier

Whether you’re heading into your first football season or your fifteenth, this episode is full of practical ideas to help game day run a little smoother—and a reminder that some of the best memories happen beyond the 50-yard line.

BONUS RESOURCE: Miranda generously shared some of the actual checklists and resources she uses with her team. You’ll find them linked below in the show notes!

SAMPLE Football Itineraries

SAMPLE Checklists

SAMPLE Game Day Responsibilities

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Guest: Kim Cardwell
Hosted by: Kelli Woodruff

Learning the choreography is just the beginning. The real work comes when you start turning a group of individual dancers into a clean, polished team moving together with precision and uniformity.

In this episode of Lights, Lines, & Leadership, I’m joined by my longtime friend, former colleague, and THE cleaning queen, Kim Cardwell, for a practical conversation about the cleaning process. We share strategies directors can use throughout football season, along with a few contest-cleaning tips that take the details to another level.

Whether you’re a first-year director or a seasoned veteran, you’ll walk away with practical ideas you can take straight back to your next practice.

In This Episode

• Making sure dancers know the choreography before cleaning begins
• Preparing officers to effectively lead cleaning groups
• Using cleaning rotations to give dancers more individualized feedback
• Auditioning, setting spacing, and moving into detailed team cleaning
• Cleaning head-to-toe and hand-to-hand—including focus, body angles, pathways, and timing
• Changing your perspective to catch details you may be missing
• Cleaning entrances, exits, victory lines, fight song, and other football details
• A few contest-cleaning strategies to take the details one step further

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Instagram: @LightsLinesLeadershipPodcast

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Guest: Melissa Page

Hosted by: Kelli Woodruff

Football choreography is its own art form. What looks great in the studio or gym doesn't always translate when your audience is watching from across a football field.

In this episode of Lights, Lines, & Leadership, Southlake Carroll Emerald Belles director Melissa Page joins me to talk about creating football routines that are visual, entertaining, and memorable. We discuss what styles work best on the field, how to use formations, spacing, transitions, pathways, musicality, and other choreographic elements to create more impact—without simply adding more steps.

Whether you're creating choreography from scratch or looking at a routine and wondering why it isn't quite working, this conversation is packed with practical ideas you can take straight into rehearsal.

In This Episode

• What makes football choreography different from contest choreography
• What dancers love to perform versus what audiences love to watch
• Technical skills that don't always translate well from the stands
• Using spacing, formations, transitions, pathways, levels, parts, ripples, and musicality to create stronger visual impact
• Balancing degree of difficulty with cleanliness, confidence, and projection
• Creating memorable moments, traditions, and performances your audience will remember
• Practical ways to manipulate choreography when a routine just isn't working

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Guest: Allie Hudak

Hosted by: Kelli Woodruff

Strong technique isn't built by spending hours in ballet class—it's built through consistency, intentional teaching, and making every minute count.

In this episode, I sit down with veteran dance team director and consultant Allie Hudak to discuss how directors can build stronger dancers by focusing on the fundamentals. From foot articulation and pliés to pirouettes, leaps, and strength training, we explore practical ways to incorporate technique into just 20–30 minutes of practice each week.

We also discuss how strong technical foundations not only improve performance quality but can help reduce injuries, build confidence, and create dancers who are prepared for every style of choreography—from football season to contest season.

Whether you're a first-year director looking for a place to start or a veteran searching for fresh ideas, you'll leave this episode with practical strategies you can implement at your very next practice.

In This Episode

• Why fundamentals still matter—and why they often get overlooked
• Building an intentional 20–30 minute technique block
• Teaching ballet fundamentals that transfer to kicks, pirouettes, leaps, and turns
• Helping dancers understand the why behind each exercise
• Breaking bad technical habits and replacing them with good ones
• Practical advice directors can implement immediately

Connect with Today's Guest: Allie Hudak

Website: Allie Hudak Dance Website

Instagram: @AllieHudak

Facebook: Allie Hudak Facebook

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Follow the Podcast
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If you enjoyed today's conversation, please follow the podcast, leave a review, and share this episode with another dance team director, dancer, parent, or industry professional.

Hosted by: Kelli Woodruff

Welcome to the very first episode of Lights, Lines, & Leadership! In this introductory episode, I share the story behind the podcast, the experiences that shaped my career, and my vision for creating a place where the dance/drill team community can learn, connect, and grow together.

Whether you're a director, dancer, parent, judge, or industry professional, my hope is that you'll leave each episode with practical ideas, fresh perspectives, and encouragement for the journey ahead.

In This Episode

• Why I created Lights, Lines, & Leadership
• The mission and vision behind the podcast
• Who this podcast is for—and how it serves everyone who makes the dance/drill team community stronger
• What you can expect from future episodes and guests
• My vision for building a stronger, more connected dance/drill team community

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Instagram: @LightsLinesLeadershipPodcast

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Guest: Julie Stralow

Hosted by: Kelli Woodruff

The first 30 days of the season can shape everything that follows.

In this episode of Lights, Lines, & Leadership, veteran dance team director Julie Stralow joins me for a conversation about one of the most important—and often most overwhelming—times of the year. Together, we share practical strategies for establishing expectations, building a positive team culture, creating organizational systems, and planning ahead so you can lead your team with confidence instead of simply reacting to each new challenge.

Whether you're a first-year director or a seasoned veteran, you'll walk away with practical ideas to help you create a strong foundation, reduce stress throughout the year, and set your team up for a successful season.

In This Episode

• Why the first 30 days set the tone for your entire season
• Establishing expectations, routines, and accountability from day one
• Building a positive team culture through intentional leadership
• Planning your year before it begins—from calendars and facilities to family communication
• Organizational systems and leadership lessons that reduce stress throughout the season

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Instagram: @LightsLinesLeadershipPodcast

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