Podcast
8 juin 2026
An update on ICDR's progress, addressing industry questions while advancing a safer, fairer, and verified dance ecosystem.
In a June 2026 episode of the No Starving Artist Podcast, host Jason Pickett welcomed back Jamie Hodgins, Executive Director of the International Competitive Dancer Registry (ICDR). Joining the episode directly from the International Association of Child Development Programs (IACDP) conference– where global leaders from sports, dance, and youth activities gather to exchange best practices–Jamie shared major updates on ICDR’s rapid scaling, clarified data ownership, and explored the evolving needs of youth dance.
A primary focus of the follow-up discussion centered on protecting youth information and performance media. Jamie described ICDR as a verified registry for dancers and guardians that provides a unique participant ID through a simple, one-time verification process.
He clarified a common point of confusion regarding how the technology handles data:
What ICDR is NOT: It does not store competition photos or videos, nor does it replace existing event registration software.
What ICDR IS: It serves as a secure verification layer between existing platforms, verifying user identities on the back end while handing families complete control over their digital footprint.
The panel discussed how traditional registration methods rely heavily on exposed names and birthdates, which creates massive security vulnerabilities and duplicate profile errors. Utilizing a verified participant ID instead integrates seamlessly into existing competition workflows, radically improving data consistency and age/level tracking without disrupting the software tools producers already use..
Because digital safety is a fundamental right and not a privilege, ICDR provides these critical baseline protections entirely for free. By removing financial barriers, the registry ensures that every single family can navigate the competitive landscape safely.
Addressing modern tech anxieties, Jason raised pressing concerns regarding the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and the widespread misuse of publicly available images online. The conversation highlighted why the dance sector must fortify its media access pipelines.
Jamie reiterated that while ICDR has zero intention of storing media, its secure verification layer ensures that only verified guardians and authorized individuals can view or download a young dancer’s performance content..
Jamie identified five primary stakeholders who hold a collective responsibility within the competitive dance ecosystem: dancers, parents, studios, events, and technology providers. Noting that "we're all responsible" for protecting youth data, he praised the community’s intent, stating that "everyone is doing the best they can with the tools they have".
To expand ICDR's perspective, Jamie highlighted insights gathered from recent parent and dancer roundtable discussions hosted by safety advocate Tara Pickford, alongside industry frameworks championed by leaders like Misty Lown and Melanie Gibbs (More Than Just Great Dancing). He also referenced vital project feedback from high-profile commercial dance professionals and performers, including:Brian Friedman, Sofia Lucia, Alex Wong, Tara Jean Popowich, Caroline Torti, JT Shramik, and Jerome Bobb.
Jamie also took a moment to recognize Steve and Angela Sirico of Dance Teacher Web for their recent lifetime achievement award, noting that their historic contributions and annual Summit have consistently pushed educators to become the best versions of themselves.
In response to common industry questions regarding data privacy, Jamie explicitly clarified that participant information remains completely owned by the individuals it represents. Users retain full sovereignty to manage their data and delete it at any time..
Looking past immediate safety, the conversation explored how this identity layer allows dancers to construct a trusted, unalterable history of formal certifications. Referencing standard-setting organizations and leaders such as Acrobatic Arts, Mandy Yip, RAD, ADAPT, and Ryan Foley, Jamie illustrated how technical accomplishments earned across entirely separate organizations can remain permanently connected to a single dancer's lifetime record over time.
Reflecting massive industry demand, Jamie announced that since its launch, ICDR has already surpassed a milestone of over 35,000 verified profiles. He credited this rapid scalability to continuous community feedback and the engineering work of ICDR's tech team, spearheaded by Chief Technology Officer Bryce Hunter.
The episode concluded by reinforcing ICDR's definitive, guiding framework: Safe. Fair. Verified. By focusing heavily on building institutional trust, ICDR is successfully providing the practical tools required for the competitive dance community to unite, collaborate, and protect its own.
Listen to the full episode here.
