Groove Therapy: Overcoming Insecurities One Dance at a Time

00:00:00:00 - 00:00:08:20
Unknown
How does it feel to be a master at dance? Oh, damn. I'm.

00:00:08:22 - 00:00:33:20
Unknown
The beautiful thing about solo dancing. Especially if you're somebody who has a lot of stuff that you want to work out internally. It's just you and your feeling the magic of the dance is in the follow up. It's 100% a conversation, and I find that in life, too. A lot of times we just got to listen more. When I look at my my friends group, who are very great dancers, they all have this increased level of empathy.

00:00:34:01 - 00:00:50:00
Unknown
Some people have some really complex life situations going on outside of the dance that I've seen them navigate with such grace, such attention. I believe dance to be one of those ways that they've practiced and cultivated that type of tenacity, the type of grit and integrity. Dance is so wonderful. I'm so glad I found it. I love it.

00:00:50:01 - 00:01:15:13
Unknown
Thank you very much for that. Welcome everyone to the Teevee Show Podcast. Once again, my name is Teevee and this is my good friend Chris. Chris back in the house? Or in the hotel room in Austin today. Today we're going to talk about how we met, which was through dance, because today we actually this weekend we drove down here for the New York Kids Festival, which I think is the ninth annual edition.

00:01:15:15 - 00:01:39:06
Unknown
Woo! And, it's your first time, right? So this is my first time here at Neo Kiss. Yes, yes. I'm actually good friends with the organizer. I've known him since the very beginning of my dance kizomba urban kids journey. And we shout out Charles, Charles Ogar, neo Kiss and Jarius. Who? Gary's. Oh, yeah. Yeah. Oh, he's in.

00:01:39:08 - 00:01:58:20
Unknown
We haven't done one of these in a while, so pardon the awkwardness and foolishness before we even get into the real material, we're going to talk about dance and what it means for us, how we got into it, why it's important. Because it's only right, given that we are here for a dance festival. So I'll start with this question.

00:01:58:20 - 00:02:25:09
Unknown
Chris, how does it feel to be a master at dance? Oh, damn. Wow. You're too kind, my good sir. It feels amazing to have an art form that allows me to leverage my body. And for me, dance is a very spiritual thing. So I, you ask the question, and it's really. I wasn't. Yeah. It was. We didn't plan it.

00:02:25:09 - 00:02:47:22
Unknown
So this is the point I want. I want to I want to rehearse conversation. Yeah. Wow. So dance means a lot for me to me. And, but we're going to get into it. But for me, it really just means a lot of freedom to explore myself, to explore rhythmically with my dance partner, and to have fun, to be creative.

00:02:48:00 - 00:03:04:07
Unknown
And dance has given me a lot of wonderful moments in life. I've met a lot of amazing people. I've visited a lot of different places because of dance, and it's just the gift that keeps on giving. This dude is traveling internationally to dance. I've yet I've been in Mexico, but outside of that, it's not like I've done that.

00:03:04:09 - 00:03:36:02
Unknown
This guys have been all over the world. I haven't been to Asia yet, so look out Asia. Yeah. So what about you? Well, I'll say that for me. I started dancing in 2009, after a breakup and, and organizing events now and being an event person kind of thing, and promoting it, I realized that that's actually the impetus for a lot of people to start dancing, especially for dudes, is after a breakup, they go to take dance classes because they figure they can.

00:03:36:04 - 00:04:01:17
Unknown
This will help, right? They hear about it. And it was true for me. I started dancing salsa. Then I danced much at those 2009 a, happy shoulder's love salsa love song. That's right. We and I want to get into that, actually. But I remember my ex-girlfriend used to say to me, hey, we went to this event and at the event, everyone was dancing really well, and she wanted me to go out and dance.

00:04:01:17 - 00:04:17:00
Unknown
I'm like, I can't do that. It was really intimidating. People were doing all types of crazy things. And she said, you just have to feel it. You just have to feel it. And it was crazy to me because I'm like, no, not just feeling it. There's no way that they're just feeling all those complicated steps and patterns.

00:04:17:00 - 00:04:37:19
Unknown
That's just a feeling that's like, they're they're professional. Dance with the stars. Spring training week class athletes had never been in the dance. Just feel it. I was like, no, that can't be true. And so we got into it. It was it was a bad breakup in that regard because I really felt intimidated. I wanted to dance and I was encouraging her to dance.

00:04:37:21 - 00:04:52:17
Unknown
But we did break up, for a handful of other reasons, which you find we're good friends now. I started taking dance classes, and when I went to dance class, I'm like, damn it, I was right. Look at all these, like, do one, two, three, four, five, six, seven. There was it for two. Whatever the number the counting is.

00:04:52:18 - 00:05:16:08
Unknown
But in salsa, like, there is no there is some feeling. But, I validated that point for myself, and I did fall in love with the idea of dance. I never really got good at salsa. I did enjoy the people, and that's one of the biggest things that, snapped right away. Some of my closest friends still to this day are from those original, classes that I took.

00:05:16:08 - 00:05:36:18
Unknown
It's a community thing. It's it's social. And it was a beautiful thing that continued to inspire me to show up because I didn't want to go to dance class. I did, but I used to get crazy story. I didn't have a lot of money and classes where in North Dallas, I lived in Oak Cliff and I had a really, crappy car at the time.

00:05:37:00 - 00:05:55:19
Unknown
So when it came to actually going to classes sometimes or going to socials, when I found out with socials, which are what our socials social is a social gathering of dancers or people who just like to move their body to music is essentially a party. It's essentially essentially a party at a club, at a bar, or a dance studio where you you don't teach.

00:05:55:19 - 00:06:14:22
Unknown
You're there to actually dance without, people teaching you how to dance. But, went to socials. They would encourage me to go. And the only way I would go is if I had committed to a friend or two in class that I was going to be there. If I did not, I would get diarrhea. It was my body trying to keep me home and keep me safe.

00:06:15:00 - 00:06:32:09
Unknown
So what I ended up figuring out I would literally get like, tummy aches are so bad and I get are you for real? I am not bullshitting you. And it was the craziest thing after about the fourth or fifth time, like, oh, I didn't have diarrhea yesterday and I didn't have the dairy. Was it like nervousness, nervousness? Okay, it was anxiety.

00:06:32:09 - 00:06:52:02
Unknown
I get that, I get that, yeah, I get that, I get it okay. I get I didn't get diarrhea, but I did I get that, I get intimidated. Well I didn't grow up dancing and it was actually frowned upon in my household by my father to dance because, you know, only gay men, gay people dance. Only he wasn't so kind in his verbiage at the time.

00:06:52:04 - 00:07:11:11
Unknown
So I didn't dance, but I felt it always felt that I wanted to took the classes, started growing in. It didn't really, get good, but I fucking love the people. And when I did show up, when I got over my anxiety, I'm in a room. Sorry. People have might have been a little too much, but when I got over it, not just show up.

00:07:11:11 - 00:07:40:03
Unknown
I always had a good time. Every single time I just like I just it was it felt like an amazing feeling. I'm like, this is insane. So like a drug. I actually just as this, this, I don't know. I can't even describe it just so good. There's actually, a New York Times article and the several neuro studies that show about the link between dancing and movement based, like aerobics and stuff like that, and the, dopamine, serotonin.

00:07:40:05 - 00:08:02:16
Unknown
And then, like, all the different reward centers of the brain and also on longevity, on health and mood, there's a whole plethora of benefits to something like dancing. So, yeah, you're not too off base with that, which makes sense because I'm 15 years later. Look at me. I'm so damn young. Yeah. That makes sense. Why? It looks so amazing?

00:08:02:18 - 00:08:24:23
Unknown
I'm kidding. Guys, I don't look that amazing. Just a little. But that's how I got started into it. To follow that up, though, for you was, dance a part of your culture? A party upbringing? Yeah. So, I'm West African, I'm from Ghana. And my culture, dancing is a big thing. A lot of hips, a lot of movement.

00:08:25:01 - 00:08:44:19
Unknown
But, unlike you, dancing wasn't frowned in my household. It was encouraged. However, as a child, I was definitely insecure of dancing. I was like, I had a growth spurt really young. I just was not comfortable dancing. So I actually wrote, I wrote a thread about this. Okay. I don't have my phone of us.

00:08:44:19 - 00:09:04:03
Unknown
I read about it. Yeah. I mean, there was a quote that I really like, but either way, so, like, my aunts, uncles, my mom, they'd be dancing to a lot of the highlife music, getting down. And, you know, they kind of beckoned. Different cousins and nieces would run and dance and stuff, and I'm just like, no, not me.

00:09:04:03 - 00:09:21:19
Unknown
I'm going to sit here and eat my food and just, you know, can I ask why you think that you were intimidated or what? What was it that prevented you from jumping out there? Because apparently your whole family's doing it? What kept you? I don't know, just I guess for some reason, at that age, I just felt uncomfortable.

00:09:21:19 - 00:09:41:08
Unknown
I just felt not at ease. And it's something that eat away at me for a lot of years in my adolescence. To the point where getting to the start of how I started dancing, I had graduated high school, and at this time I'm like, yo, I'm done. Maybe I go to college, maybe I don't. Maybe I start working.

00:09:41:13 - 00:09:59:03
Unknown
Life's like, this is the first time in life I create my own schedule, right? You know, because you got you got all grown up. You're a man now. Yeah. Clearly not. But but but but this was the first time that I had a choice. And I sat down one day and I said, wow. You know, you know, I'm glad I graduated high school.

00:09:59:03 - 00:10:22:14
Unknown
I had an IEP, ADHD, so individualized educational plan. So thank you. Because I was like, there's way too many. Yeah, yeah. Acronyms there. Yeah. Yeah. So so I sat down after after that and I was like, wow. You know, took a lot for me to graduate. What do I want to do with my life now? If I was to die tomorrow, what would I regret was the question I asked myself, you're 18, whatever.

00:10:22:14 - 00:10:43:18
Unknown
You know, I was whatever. You graduate high school at 18, 19, 17. Something something there. And I said, that's a great question. Yeah, that's what I ask myself. If I was to die to day, what would I regret? And the answer that came to me was out of regret, not dancing. So from that moment on, I started, dancing.

00:10:43:20 - 00:11:02:20
Unknown
So how I started was YouTube videos. Kind of like tutorials, like back in the day when you first started horrible format. And I had seen in high school right before I graduated in the Heights. Beautiful play In the Heights. You actually seen that's on Broadway? Yeah. Oh my God. Okay. Because I was, because I did just did a movie recently.

00:11:02:23 - 00:11:19:13
Unknown
Yeah, yeah, many years later. So that's what inspired me. And, then I started, like, I'd go to, like, they would have, like, these Broadway, dance classes in New York City. And I would go there and I spent some week instead. And I got into, like, street dance. So I started off street dancing. You can say street gangs.

00:11:19:13 - 00:11:47:12
Unknown
I'm like, damn, bro, I didn't know you went there. Explains a lot of things were like, there was, Nah. Stop it. I'm already wearing all red statue. Anyway, so. Damn. So yeah, I would do, I would, I would go to New York and I would go and, do all those dance classes, and I started getting into, like, poppin house, breakin, going to gyms, competing, ended up getting into, like an international dance crew.

00:11:47:13 - 00:12:09:08
Unknown
So it was it was really dope time for me and a lot of solo dancing. And I was doing a lot of like, pop and competition, so waving and stuff like that and like, you know, hitting and, the beautiful thing about solo dancing, especially if you're somebody who has a lot of stuff that you want to work out internally is just you, and the music is just you and your feelings.

00:12:09:08 - 00:12:36:13
Unknown
So for me, during that time period, you know, you're maturing from a young adolescence into a young man and or even a young woman, like a young person. Right. And it gave me the tools to rhythmically and meditatively go inside and assign maybe feelings. I couldn't process movement, action and then explore that action while simultaneously exploring that emotion, exploring that.

00:12:36:15 - 00:12:56:01
Unknown
Surely you didn't know that as you were doing it. No. I'm okay. I'm like, oh no. Like, you're you're analyzing it now and yeah. Post mortem. Okay. Yeah. Like there's no way in hell you that you were like, oh, this is what I'm doing. No, but what I didn't know at the time is, hey, I have an insecurity around this or I don't feel comfortable in this.

00:12:56:01 - 00:13:17:02
Unknown
If I'm in a battle and somebody starts waving, how am I going to respond to that? If they start banging, if they start, and how am I going to respond to that? I'm uncomfortable here. I need to get some comfort there and have something to respond with that's unique to me. That's at my own level with my own body mechanics, that I can do that maybe somebody else can't do right.

00:13:17:04 - 00:13:34:18
Unknown
So it forces me to explore different aspects of myself, forces you to explore the insecurities, the the the elements of the dance. Like you were saying that maybe you were not as good or incompetent, insecure. You knew there they were. There was going to come up at some point. You had to work. So that means you have to be something.

00:13:34:19 - 00:13:49:18
Unknown
You have to be introspective because again, it's like, this is a battle. It's like, if I know you're going to talk about my mama, I'm going to have her ass in my I'm going to have some. Yeah. Oh, yeah. My mama. This your mama. So like, I got, I gotta have your. Yeah. Like. Yeah. And in the East coast we will be gunning you have you.

00:13:49:18 - 00:14:10:20
Unknown
So you got to be quick with it. Yeah I get it. Yeah. That's funny you bringing that up. Not funny. But it's it's a perfect segue way for, like, the benefits of it. For me, I can say that until I started dancing, obviously the, the biggest component to dancing and learning wasn't even about the moving is it was the social component.

00:14:10:22 - 00:14:37:19
Unknown
It was the meeting of other humans that are out there also moving, also dancing and exploring their bodies in that space and dancing to the rhythm. But internally and personally, it was until I started dancing I was still very, very uncomfortable in my own body, as many people are. It's just a natural thing. And unless you grew up in a, in a, in a family or in a culture that just that's just what you do.

00:14:37:21 - 00:14:54:20
Unknown
And I've seen those cultures and I've seen those individuals, and it's a beautiful thing to witness because they literally walk with a sense of confidence, and they don't think it's confidence. They're just being, but for me, when being able to dance at a later age, I was able to acquire that, that confidence. And that's to say that I'm, I'm great and by no means.

00:14:54:20 - 00:15:13:21
Unknown
And my great at dancing, but I don't care. I am good enough. And that in itself has fed my my ego to where I can stand in my, my own body, I can move. It has helped me so much, has changed my entire life, as a result of it. And I'll, I'll, I'll fast forward and I'll give you the timeline.

00:15:13:21 - 00:15:41:17
Unknown
I started dancing kizomba, urban Kids in like 2004, 2013. And that's when I really, really fell in love with dancing because unlike the others, I liked them bachata. I liked it a little more than salsa when I started dancing is owned by and understanding the, the general concepts of it and the idea of being able to dance on any rhythm, to any tempo, and being creative, outside of the basic steps that are being taught, I'm like, oh crap, I really like this.

00:15:41:18 - 00:15:56:12
Unknown
But once I started finding that comfort and really growing in it, I did look forward to going to classes. I did look forward to learning things. I still get nervous, by the way. I show up to classes and I'm like, just freaking out. Last night we're in class and I'm freaking out, but I'm having a good time.

00:15:56:13 - 00:16:16:23
Unknown
But eventually I it became such a part of my identity. I actually started saying, I am a dancer, and I think that's one of the big things that, we as humans have to overcome is saying that I am a thing. If I actually remember a quote that I think about is from Talib Kweli, old school rappers, as if you can walk, you can dance.

00:16:16:23 - 00:16:49:18
Unknown
If you can talk, you can sing, be familiar. And that really stuck with me because the truth is, we can all dance. We can all sing. But we had to allow ourselves to do so. So once I started really exploring that and becoming so familiar with it, getting comfortable, I started becoming someone that people recognized. In the scene, people looked to dance with, people like to chat with, and over the years, I ended up this man organized some of the best parties in the DFW metroplex area.

00:16:49:18 - 00:17:20:03
Unknown
So he his passions, he he he's done a lot for the community. He he yeah. You just underplayed your entire like what you've done. The point is I went from having diarrhea to go to go to dance classes to organizing events. I never planned on doing that. The reason I did is because I felt like dance and kizomba and urban kids gave me something, gave me access to a part of myself that I didn't have access to before, gave me a sense of self-confidence, a sense of community.

00:17:20:05 - 00:17:44:20
Unknown
And to this day, I do organize. I helped this more, so I helped market an event that I used to run, Monday, Nike Zumba in Dallas. I still I'm involved in it, even though I'm in the back end, because I want to continue to give this gift to others. If I can bring some people in, get the place, hop in and help make sure that it's fun, then others can possibly find this in themselves.

00:17:44:20 - 00:18:05:06
Unknown
And it's been it for me is just the gifts that I can, I can give to the community, I can give to the world and hopefully change some lives. I will say that some people have met at Monday night, December and Monday night. Keys on with another one of his events that he started and they ended up matching up and they got married.

00:18:05:08 - 00:18:24:23
Unknown
And I like to say that you might meet your match there and I'll take all the credit, but if y'all break up, that's on y'all. Are you tired of burning through your marketing budget faster than you can say, ROI? Posting on social media, crickets? Running ads, more crickets, watching your marketing strategy flop like a fish out of water while you quietly sob into your coffee.

00:18:25:01 - 00:18:43:04
Unknown
Fear not. This episode of the Teevee show Podcast, brought to you by, well, me Teevee, the marketer founder, Rockstar Marketing here to stop the madness. We take your marketing dollars and actually make them do something like work well, video content and as a stop your audience from scrolling faster than they start for a baby panda video. Yeah, we do that.

00:18:43:04 - 00:19:03:05
Unknown
So if you don't setting your marketing dollars on fire, there's a rockstar marketing. And let's turn those crickets into cash. But that's what this does for me. It's my big point. It's something that I truly love. I don't dance as much anymore as guys dancing all over the place. So I have to ask you, what is still motivating you?

00:19:03:05 - 00:19:27:22
Unknown
What is still pushing you to continue to do everything that you've been doing since you're already a master? That question really makes me smile. I think of my father. So growing up my father was an avid martial artist, and anybody who had any of those types of relatives that really had a craft that really have something, they have their day job, and then they have their art.

00:19:28:00 - 00:19:46:22
Unknown
From my father, it was martial art, and I would see how much time he dedicated. That's where you get that from. I talk about that in a second. I see how much he dedicated to his art and the discipline especially. He's raising kids, he's doing all the stuff, but he's making time to do these things and he's also teaching in Chinatown.

00:19:46:22 - 00:20:01:22
Unknown
Right. It's he was an instructor. He still is teaching in Chinatown. Oh, I didn't know this. Okay. Wow. Okay, okay, okay. I thought he was just a student. No, no no no, he. Yeah, he's been teaching. He's been teaching longer than I've been alive. Oh, yeah. Shaolin and Tai chi. Yeah. So I learned kung fu and teach here.

00:20:02:00 - 00:20:24:16
Unknown
Okay. Carry on. I'm sorry. This is a lot more things are making sense about me. Yeah, okay. I understand this man a little more so. And it's before I found dances, like video games and stuff, but, as I kind of aforementioned about, like, solo dancing and kind of that journey with him after I graduated college and I was, I was, I was playing out in California.

00:20:24:18 - 00:20:44:15
Unknown
That's when I, that's when I really discovered, songs that like Partner Dancing and the marked difference between some of dancing. This is all to your question about what it gave me or what it what what motivates me to get into that? Yes. Definitely is. There's a difference between doing work on oneself for oneself, to understand oneself. It's a whole nother thing to now actualize that.

00:20:44:17 - 00:21:07:04
Unknown
All this work you're doing, people call it shadow work, people call it inner work. All the stuff you're doing. How can you now push that to the forefront in your connections with the universe at large, with other people, with your job, with the world, with life and partner dancing for me was that frontier again, this is me analyzing it now, right?

00:21:07:06 - 00:21:24:13
Unknown
Nothing. Not then. Right? You're just moving this room. I got I got, you know what I mean? Just go. Well, I also had a break a no, but this is partner dancing. This is not solo dancing, but this. Yeah. So what happened? What had happened was I was in I was I was in California. I'm used to be East Coast.

00:21:24:13 - 00:21:51:18
Unknown
We go to Jamaican parties. We wine, we do these things. You walk in with a white shirt, leave blue because all the jeans. Yeah. Okay. They know what I'm talking about. Okay. I was wanting that sample anyway. Wasn't me. That's. No, that's people. They caught that on camera. Wow. Anyway, so, so when I was in college, I didn't I didn't kind of find like that same because, like, in New York, you got the Jamaicans, you got the haze, you got like, they throwing a back and doing like s.

00:21:51:20 - 00:22:11:05
Unknown
And so when I was there, I didn't, I don't, you know, you didn't get as much, so yeah. But then I found salsa and salsa was just a totally different flavor. And man, it was amazing. Like, people were smiling. People were doing these beautiful, like, just figures and stuff like that. And I said, I want to try that.

00:22:11:05 - 00:22:31:07
Unknown
I want to at least just be competent. What do we call California style at the time? Cali style is just I mean, this is salsa. Salsa, right? Well, Edmundo, the salsa. Yes. But is this different than Cuban, which is what you ended up grabbing? I don't I don't want to get into. The point is, I do want to get to that point where you you gravitated to the more like grounded.

00:22:31:09 - 00:22:53:02
Unknown
I love, I love, I love it, I love it all. But yeah I don't want yeah. Because then yeah, yeah, yeah. We start getting into this. Differences between salsa on one, salsa on two, timba salsa Cuban like there's a whole bunch of. But salsa. Salsa. Yeah. Sorry. No worries. Me. So, and then from salsa kizomba and then from kizomba.

00:22:53:04 - 00:23:12:06
Unknown
Zouk. But what do I. I had to give zouk a little extra love. But why do I still dance? Why do I still? Because for me, at this point, when you reach a level of mastery, what's the point? It's right virtual. It's like. It's not like it's. We have hard days. We we we go through things in life.

00:23:12:06 - 00:23:28:12
Unknown
And I would hope that everybody this I use this quote, everybody should have three hobbies is what this quote says. One that makes them money, one that keeps them fit, one that keeps them creative. Dance for me is definitely one that keeps me creative. It also helps keep me fit. And you know, in some cases I've made some coins off of it.

00:23:28:12 - 00:23:55:10
Unknown
But really it's a very spiritual thing because it's the so much lessons I get for myself that I utilize in life. Like, I can't, I can't imagine, like not dancing to particular, like I just, I don't know how he would live and tell stories without dance, because inevitably every story ends up in a dance metaphor. So I don't know what metaphors you would be using.

00:23:55:10 - 00:24:12:19
Unknown
So, you know, it's just like dance. Like in dance, you know, you have to, like, go inside. So what would you be doing? I'm just kidding you. If we were in California. I'm sorry. I totally derailed you. You were in California. You found your thing there? No, I think I kind of tied that knot off, just like.

00:24:12:21 - 00:24:41:03
Unknown
Because the question was, what? What is dance given me? And why do you keep so motivated? Because it's a spiritual thing. Me dancing is me connecting with myself. And I when I have the very great privilege to then social dance like we're here at Neo Kids and dance with a partner. You know, I get to share myself with somebody who's bringing themselves with hopefully full presence and connectivity to me and to the music, and just get down and have a party.

00:24:41:03 - 00:25:01:07
Unknown
Yeah. You know, like there was some lady yesterday, I was there just smiling and we just grooving. It was such a good time. Fantastic experience. It's so cathartic, man. It's. Yeah, it's a good point. Yeah. So just for context, the reason I kind of made a big deal about his, his diligence is, this man can practice by himself for hours on end.

00:25:01:07 - 00:25:22:19
Unknown
I'll call him. Like, what you doing? Just been practicing for, like, three hours. With you by myself. And it makes sense that because of your background and what you. The way you saw your father, I'm sure it's similar to, like, how, you know, people may not spy, but they'll shadowbox or they'll go through the forms like in this thing called the Guardian, which is basically them just doing it in the same forms, but just in the slowed down version.

00:25:22:19 - 00:25:47:09
Unknown
But it explains a lot about yourself that I had not really pieced together. You never shared that that information. I'm saving that for you. Okay. So this big reveal here, well, you mentioned that you're not dancing as much these days. Yeah. How? And you just mentioned how dance gave you so much. So why is dance kind of moving off the back burner or what's causing the answer shifting priority.

00:25:47:09 - 00:26:04:21
Unknown
And what does it dance mean to you at this point in your life? And that's like 3 or 4 questions. That is 3 or 4 questions. What does dance mean to you at this particular stage in your life? And there's a follow up question, okay, okay, okay, I like this. And how does one how does it feel to pass that on to your family.

00:26:04:23 - 00:26:25:18
Unknown
Oh yes. Because you know you know, I'm talking about a specific. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So as I was learning to dance, I was fresh out of a divorce. And I was taking classes, my daughters would come over and I started teaching them what I was learning. I have all videos of them just dancing in an empty apartment that I had at the time.

00:26:25:18 - 00:26:50:08
Unknown
Just living it up and being completely confident and doing so. It was a beautiful thing to to see. So for me, it was something that I could give them as well to have access to, to that part of themselves. I think it's very important that we, we understand our bodies. We understand how to move it. We are I, I'm convinced after experiencing it enough and reading enough about it that we're meant to dance.

00:26:50:08 - 00:27:07:17
Unknown
I actually told my daughter this the other day, we're meant to dance. We're given legs. We're meant to move. I like all our ancient ancestors. They danced in some form or another. Right? Now we live in a society where we, for the most part, just sit and work. Or maybe stand and work, but you don't move as much.

00:27:07:17 - 00:27:24:20
Unknown
We used to have to move to go get our food. We have to do all these types of things. You, you know, pray to the gods and dance to try to get rain and whatnot. Right. But it was it was a movement. And it's something that's kind of been stripped from society for the most part. Unless you proactively go look at look for it, it's not something that's built into our day to day.

00:27:24:22 - 00:27:42:03
Unknown
So I always try to encourage them to do it. They've had access to it. Both girls can dance, although now they fall into a more timid, you know, just not as open to it because life has kind of happened to them. Yes. I just want to put a pin. I just want to say something about that point.

00:27:42:05 - 00:28:01:04
Unknown
It's amazing how as children, we have reckless inhibition to dance to, movement to all these things. Even though I had my own stuff when I was a child, but is a good example. But as an adult, having access to my body to be able to do things, and I feel like a lot of people who do yoga or advanced practitioners have this kind of thing.

00:28:01:06 - 00:28:19:14
Unknown
Freedom of the body allows freedom of the mind or helps to induce freedom of the mind. Yeah, energy flows throughout the entire body. Doesn't get locked. It doesn't work. Correct? Correct. So I pelvis. Yeah. So anyway, continue about what dance means to you at this point in time. So at this point in time it means a lot because it also still means so much to me.

00:28:19:20 - 00:28:41:15
Unknown
My partner, my beautiful, partner girlfriend is I'm met through through dance, through just hosting events. She walked in the door, at one of the events I hosted, and she said, oh, him, I want him. And I said, me, I like you too. No. Is that what happened? Sort of. No. But now really, I'm exaggerating.

00:28:41:17 - 00:28:57:14
Unknown
But it's a good story. Let's let's tell it that way. But I met her there. We've been almost inseparable since we met. And dance. We still dance? Not near as much. Once again, life has gotten in the way, but I still value it. And whenever we get a chance, I try to grab her. Will dance in the kitchen.

00:28:57:14 - 00:29:23:12
Unknown
We'll dance wherever we dance. Sometimes I'll grab her. I'm thinking of a step like, oh, I wonder if that would work. I'll grab her in the grocery store and we'll like in the middle of produce. I'll, do a quick step because I'm really curious. But dance still means a lot to me. And although I don't do the partner dance as much, and go out as much, I still am involved because I know that it's my way to kind of be involved from a distance.

00:29:23:13 - 00:29:45:11
Unknown
Is that is your question? Yes, yes it does. And how is it now seeing one of your daughters? Oh, yes. I really want you to just like, oh, you really want me to. So but just speaking because each dance is a gift you've now given. Yes. To your daughters. Yeah. So, my oldest daughter, she stopped dancing, and I can still see her wiggle from time to time.

00:29:45:13 - 00:30:06:15
Unknown
And I recently told her, like, baby, you don't dance much anymore. And she just. She can flow. She's got this, like, hip hop, flowy. Just thing that she has, and she's. She's beautiful and swaggy about it. And, I recently told her that, and something happened and something clicked in her head at the house, and she just started feeling herself.

00:30:06:15 - 00:30:27:12
Unknown
Music was vibe and she was into it. And I love watching her just be just there's no steps. There's no like, oh, I had to. Although she did dance some bachata, she did, request watch other because that was goes back to the the dancing that we did when she was I mean she must have been like ten at the time or nine.

00:30:27:14 - 00:30:46:00
Unknown
And just watching her just be so comfortable and and find access, that part of her made me extremely happy because, I mean, it starts inside, right? It starts in our body. And we live our in our mind. Then we live our outwardly, wherever, whatever we're feeling inside is, is the way we're going to show up in the world.

00:30:46:00 - 00:31:02:13
Unknown
And for me, it was important that she remembers that and comes back to that. And she promised that she's going to start doing it again and dancing more comfortably because she she's amazing. She's beautiful. Why? She does it too. It was for me, it was almost, tear inducing kind of moment. Thank you for sharing that story on my behalf.

00:31:02:15 - 00:31:29:00
Unknown
And, while we're continuing the theme, one dance you mentioned you haven't danced in a while. Yes. So we have just concluded our first 24 hours of the neo kiss. You don't have to keep doing that. I think they get it. Okay? They get, well, of the kids on with us. How are you feeling? I mean, because yesterday was your first time kind of getting back into the groove after a while.

00:31:29:02 - 00:31:49:12
Unknown
Well, I did have one other instance in Mexico. Oh, yeah? Yeah. That's right. Yes. Revenue in Mexico. So this is the second time this year, where I've been dancing quite a bit cathartic. Was the word you use which I feel is appropriate? I it just feels. It feels nice to be to move. And now I don't get the diarrhea.

00:31:49:14 - 00:32:09:14
Unknown
Do get nervous. But, just knowing that I can show up and not have to be a stressed about knowing all the steps, that I can show up late to class and pick up what's happening and and learn the things, that they're teaching, and then just just meeting people. I really enjoy the meeting part.

00:32:09:16 - 00:32:29:17
Unknown
Life is a social. And for me, this is one of the most social things that that you can do. Some of my best friends. And let me tell you how I met this guy. Some of my best friends I met through dance, including this dude right here. We keep talking about dance. This is how we met. So let's rewind to, I don't know, 2017 2018, 2018.

00:32:29:18 - 00:32:42:15
Unknown
Next girlfriend of mine and I went when I was going to class and she decided I wanted to go back to class because it was a lot. This has been all my life, on and off, on and off, on and off. I had been off and I wanted to go back. I go to class and she comes with me.

00:32:42:17 - 00:33:02:11
Unknown
In the class there is a shortage of fellows and they ask quite common which. But no, no, it's actually not leads to sort of a leads leads. There's a shortage of follows. And you know, I was I'm competent enough and I had actually been curious about learning how to follow so I can understand how to lead. And that was now it's great.

00:33:02:12 - 00:33:21:18
Unknown
That one sentence has profound volumes, because they say you can't be a good leader unless you know how to follow. Right. And that day I was like, you know what? Screw it, I'll do it. So I became a follow in that instance because that your first day following, I think I had practice with my ex girlfriend at the time because I was trying to learn how to lead.

00:33:21:18 - 00:33:43:21
Unknown
Okay. So I wasn't 100% like new first time. Okay. The first time I had done it, like, outside of that, it was in a public forum. Got it. So they do these roundabout things, these circles where you kind of cycle through for a little five minutes, three minutes, practicing a move in a step. And I'm the follow and I end up partnering up with wood dudes for the most part.

00:33:43:23 - 00:34:04:15
Unknown
And they have to embrace me and they have to, you know, get into the the frame. And for the most part, the fellows were they're kind, but there's a little awkwardness, which I get no big deal. So they kept me at a distance. Right. There's this there's room for me and Jesus. Fantastic. I eventually get around to Chris and I.

00:34:04:17 - 00:34:26:17
Unknown
I've never met you up until that moment. I don't think we had not spoken. We'd never spoken. And he locks me in. He's got me church, the church, and know, like. Oh, hello. There's no room for Jesus. Don't make the don't make no mistake about it, but. So we're dancing. He's moving around like, oh, snap. This is what the ladies feel.

00:34:26:19 - 00:34:43:17
Unknown
It's pretty damn cool. So he's moved me and I think I'm following pretty well. And then he asked me, he said, is there you have any feedback? He's always like that. He's really, receptive to feedback. Feedback is a gift. Yes. And he asked for it. And I was like, you know, this is what I, I've learned.

00:34:43:18 - 00:35:03:03
Unknown
Maybe you can consider. And he's like, oh, okay, okay. Teacher comes around later or after my, my cycle. I guess with him he's like, hey, please share. You know what, some feedback for your partner and, what what did you learn? You know, like, oh, I get something and I, I volunteer and I said, look, I get it, ladies.

00:35:03:03 - 00:35:22:19
Unknown
I understand now why we why you dance is why you put so much time into it. It is a beautiful feeling. Is there's nothing sexual about it. It's a hug, essentially a moving hug for the most part. And it was just this connection. I'm like, Jesus, this is really neat. And I can see the, intoxication behind it.

00:35:22:21 - 00:35:38:14
Unknown
And I said, and by the way, ladies, if you get a chance to dance with this dude, make sure to make it happen, because this guy's awesome. And that's how we met. Hey, remember earlier when I told you about Rockstar marketing, how we could stop your marketing strategy from flopping around like a fish in the desert? Yeah, that's so true.

00:35:38:14 - 00:36:00:13
Unknown
But maybe you didn't catch that. Maybe you're thinking, oh, I'll just keep throwing money at random ads, I'm sure. Something to say eventually, right? Wrong. Spoiler alert it won't. Look, you don't want to be that business owner that keeps trying to solve their marketing woes or duct tape and wishful thinking. You need results, need rockstar marketing. So if you're finally ready to stop a slow motion train wreck, that is your current marketing plan.

00:36:00:18 - 00:36:27:11
Unknown
There's a rockstar marketing. Let's make your business the rockstar it deserves to be. Otherwise, enjoy those crickets. And now back to our show. Thank you. You said something important that I also want to double piggy back for. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Man, the dance connection. Right? And everything I'm saying, I feel like this parallels to other areas of life.

00:36:27:13 - 00:36:55:01
Unknown
So metaphor. It's a metaphor. Because it's dance, right? You're allowed to do all that you want. Go right back. So you were just talking about connection. You were talking about feeling frames and just understanding. And one thing that I've come to realize in my own dance, I'd like to say this, is that the magic of the dance is in the follow because it's a follow you just you don't really turn your brain off.

00:36:55:01 - 00:37:13:21
Unknown
What? You you're listening. You're flowing. All this stuff you're receiving, but the power of the dance is in the lead. So the magic of the dancer or the follow is in the. The magic of the dance is in the follow. Okay? Yeah. The power of the dance is in the lead. Okay. Got you. I'm. You lost me for a second, right?

00:37:13:23 - 00:37:35:12
Unknown
But the it comes this special moment now, like, because I've been doing a lot of zouk where I can, I can follow the, the follow even though I'm leading. She's she is communicating back. She's communicating back. So giving you information. So it's almost like I'm suggesting something a conversation. It's a conversation. It's 100% a conversation.

00:37:35:14 - 00:37:55:18
Unknown
And I find that in life too a lot of times we just gotta listen more. You know like people are communicating like, okay, I really but sometimes they're not saying words. Yes or no. Communicate. Yeah. Yeah. Like it's it's like it's subtle. But the energetic thing. Yeah there's a communication. There's sometimes it's not words. Words. Yeah. Or they're, there's unfortunately meanings under the words.

00:37:55:22 - 00:38:16:03
Unknown
Yeah. But you're right I see where you're going with that. Yeah. And like, I feel like dance has really, especially when I look around my friendship group who are very great dancers, they all have this increased level of empathy, and they've all also tried following at the same site. So now they see things from different side so they understand.

00:38:16:05 - 00:38:49:13
Unknown
Hey, you know, it's not it's hard. You know it's not as easy. But we commend you for trying to that level of consideration of grace, even right, allows them to tackle very hard because some people have some really complex life situations going on outside of the dance that I've seen them navigate with such grace, such attention and, I believe, dance to be one of those ways that they've practiced and cultivated that type of tenacity, the type of grit and integrity, which is very I don't think people would put it into the same context.

00:38:49:13 - 00:39:09:14
Unknown
I think that's one of the things about like why we there's a shortage of leads, males who are and lead leads doesn't necessarily reflect just males. Right. But just to make that leads the dance. Correct? Correct. It's because they look at dancing like, oh, that's very like, yeah, I just yeah. Right. I want to do me, I want to do and.

00:39:09:14 - 00:39:28:21
Unknown
Yeah. But yeah, to be able to, to show up and dance, you have to have a sensitivity or a willingness to, to touch because there's nothing wrong with wanting to fight and wanting to, to train that part of yourself. But I think everybody should know how to defend yourself. But now there's this other part of you that also needs to be nurtured.

00:39:28:21 - 00:39:55:16
Unknown
And this is sensitivity in this communication. In one sense, you're trying to beat the other person, to submission and the other one, you're trying to communicate with them without words, and it pushes your body, your stamina, your flexibility, your strength, your presence, your focus. It pushes multiple quadrants of your being to the limit. I mean, how long was the party going on until like four or 5 or 6 and like, yeah, you know, I I'm not saying that though.

00:39:55:16 - 00:40:16:00
Unknown
And I don't have that stamina. I'll never have this done. But it's just yeah, I dance is so wonderful. I'm so glad I found it I love it. Thank you very much for that. Chris is actually going to read the essay that he was talking about earlier because I think it is useful. For context, I feel like I'm in kindergarten and like, yeah, please present to the class.

00:40:16:02 - 00:40:33:02
Unknown
Mr.. Chris, do you have something to say? But no, I like to encapsulate and crystallize some of my thoughts and just things like atomic essays and stuff. He's really gotten me into the habit of journaling and writing things down, and I wasn't a big believer of it. But I'm beginning to see the power the more I do it.

00:40:33:02 - 00:40:47:10
Unknown
So this is a shameless plug to anybody who's considering it try. But one of the things I wrote, obviously, is about dance, which is a very special topic to me. So I just would like to take a few minutes to read this to you and I think it's going to answer and share more insight and how I feel about dancing.

00:40:47:10 - 00:41:16:11
Unknown
It's more context. It's more context, said. I probably already said so. Yeah, yeah, but dance is one of the things I love most about existing as a human. Dance is the intersectionality of health and fitness, sensuality, mindfulness, spirituality, community. Dance especially means so much to me because I was deathly insecure about growing up dancing. I vividly remember the human hot days growing up in Ghana, where my mother and aunties would blast highlife music and get the fuck down.

00:41:16:17 - 00:41:47:16
Unknown
You got to play some highlife music for a minute later because I'm really curious. Now I ask you, yeah, I would marvel in awe. As the African rhythms move, their bodies spread, smiles across their faces as the community would buzz vibrantly as they lost themselves to the spirit of the drums, percussions and vocals. Other kids my age would then jump in and become possessed by the same spirit as they bounced around gleefully in unison ecstatically, my mother would call for me and I would run away, all the while yearning to be held by her side amongst the community.

00:41:47:18 - 00:42:07:00
Unknown
This left the scar on my spirit for many years, until I decided to allow that version of me to die so that I could conceive a new sense of self that would profoundly boogie woogie on down with them. I'm proud to say that I'm here now, and that dance has rewarded my life so unequivocally. It seems unfair. Yeah, a lot of I'm sorry I'm interrupting your essay.

00:42:07:02 - 00:42:31:01
Unknown
That's I'm a terrible. Becoming a dancer has allowed me to continually reach into the depths of my soul and become comfortable expressing the imperfections of my spirit, blissfully. Freedom and liberation at its finest. Commonly, in my conversations with other dancers, I find that many arrive at dance for many different reasons, but we all have the same artistic struggles.

00:42:31:03 - 00:42:53:09
Unknown
For me, dance has been a potent gateway into myself. Now, for me, it's dance. For you it might be video games, tennis, MPC, bikini competitions, or even bodybuilding. Whatever it is, I hope you allow yourself to venture as deeply into the rabbit hole as you can, because at the bottom you will only discover yourself. And how wonderful is that?

00:42:53:11 - 00:43:22:10
Unknown
Dancers are the athletes of God. We dance for laughter. We dance for tears. We dance for madness. We dance for fears. We dance for hopes. We dance with screams. We are the dancers. We create dreams. Albert Einstein. No, Albert Einstein. Is that one of those misquoted? Like he's been quoted as like he supposedly said that I don't know.

00:43:22:12 - 00:43:47:11
Unknown
He's been given to me. That's who I. But that is a beautiful quote. Like, I love that you actually make me remember something. And specifically about he's on the he's on booze and, a traditional dance that comes out of Angola. And from what I understand, one of the reasons that it's, it's held so, so closely to the heart of the country and its citizens and it's, it's people is because during their war, they're civil war.

00:43:47:11 - 00:44:14:06
Unknown
I want to say in the 70s, a lot of bad things were happening. A lot of people were dying, but they still danced. Dancing was what allowed them to survive it and make sense of it, and to know that it it also fills me with incredible amount of drive to make sure to nurture, the foundational components of kizomba, because it comes from a place of love.

00:44:14:06 - 00:44:36:16
Unknown
It comes from a place of survival. And I think you'll find that in all the traditional dances, if you trace them back far enough, salsa and bachata, it goes back to the people, to the poor people, to the indigenous people, to to just make sense of their world, make sense of life, and just try to enjoy the moments that they have with their families and with their community.

00:44:36:18 - 00:44:55:21
Unknown
So I think that you really triggered that memory. It is really, really important. Now we we we kind of, glamorize dance a little more than I think it used to be. But almost every one of these dances that are really popular now has origins or has, as a part of their origin story where it was shunned, it was dismissed.

00:44:55:21 - 00:45:14:11
Unknown
It was it was said that it was the, the dance of the the poor people. It was terrible. But now it is actually almost all of them, like, glamorized in a way that you even have ballroom versions of it, overly glamorized versions of it. And it's it's a beautiful thing. And I want to make sure to say that because it is important.

00:45:14:11 - 00:45:38:03
Unknown
It is. I love that that quote. I'm sorry. Are you gonna say something? No. No need for apologies. And thank you. When you mentioned the glamorized version of dance, one thing that I'd be remiss if I didn't call out, like, you know, a lot of times I'm seeing a lot of people anxious and nervous because they're not getting steps, because they don't look picture perfect, because they don't look like somebody they saw on a YouTube video.

00:45:38:03 - 00:46:00:20
Unknown
Or don't you know, it's one of those things where it's a feeling, literally. It's it's like it's like house and Jack's house. House. Yeah. It's like a house culture. Okay, I you lost me there. Yeah, yeah. It's like house dancing. It's full on looking at it. But. Yeah. So remember, it's nobody came out here to be professional.

00:46:00:22 - 00:46:16:11
Unknown
Some did some. Okay. Some friends. I'm not talking to you. Your master. I'm. I'm not. Yeah. I'm not, I'm not talking. I'm not talking to you. Yeah, yeah. Do like y'all keep doing what you're doing because we love to see it. It's inspiring. It's beautiful the way you push your body and the technique to the utmost limit.

00:46:16:13 - 00:46:39:20
Unknown
So. Good. Thank you, thank you. But for most people, for the rest of us, sorry for the rest of us. You know, you came down here to just have fun. Remember that? Remember that? Too many nights I see different people just getting in their heads, myself included. I'm not, you know, I'm not, immune to this.

00:46:39:22 - 00:47:03:02
Unknown
But I got to remember, like, we're here to have fun, enjoy life, celebrate life, give to life through this art form of dance. Right? So don't worry if you don't get the steps right. Don't worry if you feel like you look foolish. How do you feel? Yeah, you having fun? So to piggyback off of that, I. We used I used to teach classes and I remember I had this one class once a long time ago.

00:47:03:07 - 00:47:22:23
Unknown
Oh, no. I'm. Oh. Okay. Like I thought. You look surprised. No. I'm just. So we were teaching dance classes, ex girlfriend and I. And there was this individual in the class who was struggling, and he really was struggling. But it was a beginner class. And at some point he basically starts to get up and leave, and I'm like, what?

00:47:23:00 - 00:47:44:19
Unknown
What's happening? I want to say, let's just say his name is Thomas. Thomas, what's going on? Why are you leaving him? You're like, man, I don't get it. I can't get the steps. I, I just, I suck. I'm like, dude, it's not that serious. One, two. I get it though, I get it, I get it. Leaving. He left his follow right in the middle of a of a of a thing we were doing.

00:47:44:19 - 00:48:05:07
Unknown
And it was like, was happening. I just didn't understand. And I had seen. Okay, so he's frustrated and I get the frustration, but I'm like, why are you leaving? I mean, he's like and he explains and I'm like, man, do you not understand that? Before I introduce this to you, let's say 30 minutes ago, you probably have never done this right.

00:48:05:09 - 00:48:30:13
Unknown
You've never done this movement, you never done this step. And he's like, no, no. You're like. So I was thinking quickly, would you slap a kid if they couldn't couldn't pronounce water right away? Like you don't give yourself the same grace. You've never done this before. It's okay. Remember, we're here to have fun. We're here to have a good time.

00:48:30:13 - 00:48:51:21
Unknown
We're here to connect and become community. I get it, we all want to be good. But that's when for me, I think when I started to understand that I'm not ever going to be a performer. I'm never going to compete. People keep on trying to get me on these. Jack and Jill, I get that it does push you to get better, but, you know, it also stresses me the hell out.

00:48:51:21 - 00:49:08:17
Unknown
And I just want to move. I just want to dance. So for me, it's just not that big a deal. But for those that are, like I said, continue doing that. But most of us, it's just something to have fun and connect and to become more in touch with our own bodies.

00:49:08:19 - 00:49:38:13
Unknown
So on that note there, there is a line from a movie that I love that I want to share. Oh, it's called Love Jones. Oh yeah, because I'm the blues. And you left like, no, that's not the quote. Spit poet. Any. So, in the movie, it features a very prominent poet in the community. And in this song, that young lady comes up and she's like, oh, I could never be as good as you.

00:49:38:13 - 00:49:58:06
Unknown
You know, my poems suck and and blah, blah. And he turns to her and he says, hey, it's not about. It's about reaching your own level, not about reaching his level or their level. It's about your own level. So have grace with yourself, right? Just like you said, that was a good you're not going to slap a child for not pronouncing water correctly, right?

00:49:58:06 - 00:50:20:22
Unknown
Like, you know, we're going to applaud him when he says Wawa. Oh my god. Yeah. So do this and just chunk it down. Just try to get a step. Just have fun. Like, I feel like we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to, to be perfect, to to reach these highlights where it's like, but are you enjoying it?

00:50:21:00 - 00:50:40:18
Unknown
Right. You're not enjoying and then what's the point? Just just call it a day. Go home. I wanted to wrap up this conversation, by bringing it back around to when I met him. And I think I want to hit a hit a point here at the end, which is so dance has given me the opportunity to meet a lot of people.

00:50:40:20 - 00:51:05:23
Unknown
And most of the time it's females because the followers are the people I dance with. But, I've also made it a point to to find friendships in the fellas because they're in the room with us. We can share, we can talk. And I literally have done that numerous occasions because I see guys in the room, and at some point it's like I just walk over to them because it gives you the opportunity to just easily say, hi, I keep seeing you.

00:51:05:23 - 00:51:25:10
Unknown
What's your name? And some of my best friends have come through those engagements because we're everyone's awkward, we're awkward, we're in our corners, you know, like, oh, man, that guy's really good. Or that guy probably thinks he's all that. But if we just make that connect that line, connect the dots, you're in the same room. You know, I thought you were Indian when I first met you.

00:51:25:12 - 00:51:41:04
Unknown
You and everyone else. It's fine. It's probably everyone watching this video. Probably still thinks I'm Indian. Never mind the Mexico shirt I'm wearing. Go. Mexico. Right. Assumptions and trying. I talk to you, but it's fine, I don't know. Yeah. I love Indian people. I love my people. I love the worldly people. I love the worldly people. Yeah.

00:51:41:06 - 00:52:00:02
Unknown
But to him, after that class, I'm like, man, something about him. And I think this is why dance also helps nurture some relationships. Because if you're in the room and you're doing this type of work, chances are that there is some, some commonalities. And after I dance with him, I'm like, he seems like a cool ass dude.

00:52:00:04 - 00:52:20:07
Unknown
He didn't feel weird. He didn't act all awkward. And it wasn't it wasn't weird at all. So afterwards I'm like, I want to be his friend. And this is I'm over 40 now. And my big point is here is that we have to there's there's just this, cry everywhere about how we're lacking friendships and connections. And it's true.

00:52:20:11 - 00:52:35:19
Unknown
However, whose fault is it, if not our own? We can blame social media. We can blame the world. But if you're not looking for opportunities to connect, then it's our own fault at some point. Another we have to blame ourselves and hold ourselves accountable. And I try to do that as much as I can. I'm in the room.

00:52:35:19 - 00:52:56:12
Unknown
This dude, he seems comfortable. He seems cool. I run into him at another event and I say to him, we're chatting and I'm like, keep in mind he's I'll tell you in a second. So I like, hey man, I want to be your friend. Will you be my friend? And you say, bro, he's already friends. Like talking about what are you talking about?

00:52:56:13 - 00:53:20:18
Unknown
Oh yeah. Yeah, yeah. No, man, I really want to be friends, though. Like hang out, chat, have drinks, whatever. Like do do do do do do do guy things. That was a horrible sentence. And he's like, sure, whatever. Of course. And it seems so blah. But the reality is it needed that conversation needed to be had. We do this as kids.

00:53:20:18 - 00:53:39:21
Unknown
Hey, you want to be my friend Tommy? Like, this is the same thing, guys, we have to do better. We have to create opportunities and then connect the dots. And despite our own awkwardness, I'm Eddie. Shout out to you. It looked like we were never going to be friends with this guy. Shout out to Eddie, right? This guy right here says you need to meet him.

00:53:39:21 - 00:54:08:16
Unknown
I'm like, I tried. He's just. And we're both awkward. We tend to be awkward because unless you just really grew up in a cool family, or you just have this natural predisposition to to being open to meeting people anywhere and everywhere. A lot of us are just awkward, though. But if you find yourself in opportunities, if you're networking, like connect those dots when you can and take accountability and responsibility for the friendships, instead of waiting for them to magically show up, we need a community.

00:54:08:16 - 00:54:31:03
Unknown
We need people in our lives. And this is for me, outside of the dance, which is fantastic. It is the community, and it is the people. Yeah, like. The dance community is awesome. You can. I will say there are some creeps in the dance community. I mean, so, like, I don't want to dismiss that. There are some weird ones, but we have to filter them out.

00:54:31:03 - 00:54:57:15
Unknown
Outside of that, there is creeps. There are some bad people, some bad characters who take advantage of the fact that people are more open in the community. Having said that, the dance community is such a welcoming, awesome community and like any other community, has its ups and downs. I'm tired of just different things, but overwhelmingly some of the warmest, some of the most cultured, some of the most diverse.

00:54:57:18 - 00:55:27:12
Unknown
Oh my goodness, neurosurgeons, dentists, engineers, cooks, chefs, teachers, nannies or like ethnic multi-ethnic. It's not I'm not like some people who bought bitcoin at like $20. Like you meet so many. Yeah. I mean, just but, I just put that in there to say that, like, you meet so many different people, in the community of communities, your thing and I truly, I don't care if it's dance.

00:55:27:12 - 00:55:47:04
Unknown
I love dance, but. Oh, I love this. Okay. You know, if you're somebody who's been craving community, if you're somebody who's been craving a third place, there's a reason to report that a lot of people are depressed because they don't have a third place. They go to work, they go home. They don't have that place where they can have fun, creative, and, you know, an outlet, an outlet.

00:55:47:06 - 00:56:03:04
Unknown
So that to me, they have it always on. Yeah. So if you're somebody who's craving a third place, I highly encourage you to find something that you enjoy. And if you don't know what you enjoy, please try out everything until you find something that you want to just continue to investigate. It may be may be in somebody's face.

00:56:03:08 - 00:56:22:06
Unknown
It may be that it may be basket weaving and may be crocheting. I wanted to look into basket weaving. It may be something else, but I can tell you, as somebody who loves dance and who loves the dance community, that the dance community is awesome. And, you're going to be nervous. You're going to be anxious. Welcome it.

00:56:22:12 - 00:56:42:09
Unknown
It's a part of life. Continue to grow through it. And for me, it's been one of the most rewarding things I've been able to dance with my family. My father started dancing. You know, there's like, yeah, that bring it back home. I love them. Yeah. I had had like, he gave me life. Yeah. So I got to share that with me.

00:56:42:09 - 00:57:04:19
Unknown
He still takes lessons to this day when I'm not in New York and I'm not put on blast. But anyway. Yeah. Yeah, but but but I just I love it so much. I had a friend. She took him out dancing and he. It's like, it's just, you know, my sister dances a bit, like, just so we should all be moving in some way or another.

00:57:04:19 - 00:57:22:09
Unknown
I hope so, he still does. He still does his martial arts. But my my point, my point being, is I am very fortunate to have found something that I love so immensely that I get to now also share with the people that I love and brings me so many benefits. And I hope for you out there. It may not be dance, but I hope you find something that you love as well that you can.

00:57:22:09 - 00:57:52:14
Unknown
Then build your community, build your own sense of spiritual attachment to it, and grow and and make your life even more fun and amazing than it already is. There you have it, ladies and gentlemen. That's today's episode on Dance Community love connection. Find your thing. Find your friendships, find your community. I appreciate you for watching. I appreciate Chris here for allowing this to happen.

00:57:52:16 - 00:58:16:18
Unknown
We will be recording more and more and more, because I'm determined to tell more stories, share more conversations, and connect more people virtually doing this thing because we're all human, after all. And also when whatever platform that you happen to watch this on, if there's some kind of topic or some type of thing that maybe you've heard us reference in the past or something you want to hear, perspective on refer to drop a note.

00:58:16:19 - 00:58:35:14
Unknown
I'm not saying we'll get to everything, but take a look and see what's interesting. Yes we will. We might bring you into the quiet storm. He dropped into his radio voice there for a second as he was signing off for the day. Thank you very much. And until next time. Like, share, comment, do all the internet things and I'll see you there.

00:58:35:14 - 00:58:36:16
Unknown
Bye.