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Welcome to the Two Tooth In podcast.
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My name is Dawn Smith Theodore and thank you for all the listeners.
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Today I feel so excited.
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We have a person who is here by the name of Gus Bemberry, and he is a hip hop dancer and a choreographer and dance teacher, educator.
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So I'm happy to have him here.
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And his introduction to dance is interesting.
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So I'm gonna let him talk a little bit about how he got into dance and and about his story.
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So welcome, Gus.
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Thank you so much for joining us.
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Hi, my pleasure.
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Thanks for having me.
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So tell us a little bit about your journey to dancing and you know how how you got into it.
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And because your your way was not the traditional way.
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No, not at all.
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Uh so as I mentioned before, I was born in the 60s and I grew up in Boston or just south of Boston.
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And um, there were no dance studios.
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That wasn't an option.
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But I was just the kid that was just always bouncing around around the house dancing.
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And I had uh cousins, my my aunt, uncle, cousins.
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I used to go visit them downtown Boston on the weekends as a child, five years old.
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And every time we would visit, we'd open the door, there was a dance party going on inside, every time without fail.
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My aunt always had the best music.
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In fact, to this day, I think of her when I consider my music, and I often bring back music that she introduced to me back in the day.
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And she used to dance, she used to love to dance too.
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But um, and so that was the beginning of my love for dance.
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And then I just was always the dancing kid.
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I was the kid at the party dancing, I was at entering all the dance contests, I was at the high school dance, like this is the dancing kid, but it was all just for fun, it was just for love because I went through the traditional education system of high school, college, never picking a major, never knowing what to do, but always dancing without realizing that it could have been a career.
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And um, and so while I was in college, I had a boy band that I was the choreographer for.
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And uh, but um, I didn't know what I was doing, just throwing my arms around.
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And uh, but someone who owned a dance studio in Boston had seen us rehearsing and asked me to teach it because back then this was like, let's see, 1990.
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So there were no hip-hop classes back then.
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Um, the closest that they had come to it was funky, they were calling it funky jazz.
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I don't know if you remember that term.
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And so I was the first hip-hop class in Boston, I love to, I love to say.
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And so um, I remember it was the first class I had never taken a class or been in a class or taught a class.
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So when I first came in, I told you I uh was like, okay, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, fifteen.
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I just kept on counting until one of the students came up behind me and she was like, Stop at eight.
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And I said, Okay.
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And so that was my first day teaching.
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And because I wasn't so sure of how to count, I was teaching with sound effects for a long time.
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In fact, I still to this day teach with sound effects, except I also know how to count as well.
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So that's how I got my start.
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Tell us about the sound effects, because you know, I told you that I um I danced for a gentleman by the name of Henry Letang.
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He did the choreography for sophisticated ladies, cotton club, tap.
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Um, and he only he didn't count either.
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He just, you know, beep, da-doop, bop, bop, bop, you know, and so that was how he counted for us.
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And um, so tell us about your counting.
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Yeah, my counting with sound effects is just like I like to create a melody that you will remember, you know what I mean?
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Like here's the part, you know, even with, I mean, it's maybe the three or the three and boom, it's the five and six, you know what I mean?
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And so people tend to gravitate towards the sounds that are arriving instead of counts.
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But I did find that dancers who grew up traditionally with counting also require some counting as well.
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So I remember it was important to me to know how to count for the people who preferred the counts instead of me smashing and banging all along.
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But the sound effects come from um my love of superhero comic books and fantasy novels and cartoons.
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Like everything is action-packed and powerful and you know what I mean?
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Like everything is smashing and kicking through walls and making you feel the verberations when I stomp my foot on the ground.
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And I always come from a place of power.
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So everything is like you're like you're, I don't know, like you've got your adversary in front of you and you're showing them who you are.
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You know what I mean?
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And everything that you are, you're showing them your power.
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So it's boom, boom, boom, you know what I mean?
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It's like something to be taken seriously when you're dancing.
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So I want people to become a character when I'm doing my sound effects, and that's why I try to make it so heavy.
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That's very, that's very fun.
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What?
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Um, so you came to Los Angeles without ever really having a dance class.
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No, I'd never taken a class before.
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I came here, I was 22 or 23 years old, maybe 23.
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And um, the first class I took, I was like, okay, I got to LA, and I was like, okay, now what?
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Like, I had no idea what I mean.
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I really we didn't have internet.
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You know what I mean?
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So there was like no research.
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I was just like, I think they're dancing in Los Angeles.
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So I got in a car and I drove across the country with my best friend, and we got there, and then we were literally like, okay, well, what do we do now?
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And I had gone to this party and I met a dancer.
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This is my first week there.
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My my Los Angeles story is a whole nother crazy adventure, you know what I mean?
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But as far as being a dancer, I ran into a dancer at a party and I was like, What do I do?
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And he said, You need an agent.
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And I was like, What's that?
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He was like, Okay, these are the people that we represent you, and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
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So, I mean, I was really a novice.
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When I walked into Los Angeles, I was really as clueless as they come.
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And so I was like, okay, maybe I should take a dance class.
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And I just so happened that there's a studio called Tremaine, Joe Tremaine, was right across the street from this apartment that I ended up being in randomly in North Hollywood.
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I could, I could cross the street on foot, and I was at that studio.
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And the first class I took was with Oliver Crooms, who danced with Madonna.
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He was the blonde guy.
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And I was so bad.
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I didn't get a single step, but I had the time of my life.
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It was crazy.
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Like I was in the back, I couldn't do a single, I couldn't do a single thing, but I knew that I was gonna be able to.
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You know what I mean?
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Like I was like, this is it, this is for me.
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And I wasn't discouraged at all.
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I wasn't discouraged at all.
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In fact, I became very encouraged by that class and kind of uh went for it after that.
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That's pretty cool.
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Did you I mean that's a that's a story that is important for dancers to not give up, you know?
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Don't give up because there's you know, so many times I feel like I don't have the right body, I I can't find the right job.
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And to me, it's like don't quit.
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Just don't quit.
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Never, never, never.
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Yeah, that's the secret.
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That's the secret for sure.
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Another thing I discovered was the secret was uh confidence, not cockiness, confidence.
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You know what I mean?
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That believing in yourself type of thing.
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Where did it matter what others thought of you?
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You know what I mean?
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I was dancing for me.
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Do you know what I'm saying?
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Like, I didn't care at all what was going on around me.
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I was a maniac when I came to class.
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And it wasn't to show off and it wasn't to get work, it was just because I was like, this is what I want to give my all to.
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You know what I mean?
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And so when you come in like that and you're like, okay, I'm gonna give it everything, you become confident in that.
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And I think because of that, people start to notice you.
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You know, it was a byproduct of the passion that I was just releasing, no matter who liked it or who didn't.
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I think that is such an important piece because it is about the passion you feel for what you do, and people see that and they feel that.
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You know, it's like with a dancer, it's you can have the best technique in the world, but if you don't, if you can't share the emotion, the passion with the audience, they're not gonna connect, they're not gonna get it.
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Yeah, yeah, exactly.
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So so you went on to teach, right?
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At well, yeah, so so you know, I had come to Los Angeles with the intention of performing.
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I wanted to dance with Janet Jackson.
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That was the dream.
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I think it was like most of our dreams.
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And it was funny because what the my timing was so good.
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I never danced with Janet, by the way, but that's not a sad story at all.
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But my timing was so good because I came in, it was like it was kind of like the heyday.
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Do you know what I mean?
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When the Janet dances and the Britney dances, and you know what I mean?
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It was it was in hip-hop.
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The agents, I I went to that agent audition, by the way, and I got it.
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And it was, they were looking for hip-hop people, you know what I mean?
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Like I had driven into Los Angeles right on time.
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They were waiting for me.
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It was awesome.
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And so I started to perform, and my first big gig was with Shakira, worked with a big choreographer too.
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And I was like, just you know, I was just honored, you know, to have been chosen.
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I was like, how did this guy who hadn't, I mean, no training, none, no training, hanging out with these dudes who can do like 15 pirouettes without blinking.
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You know what I'm saying?
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Like, I'm like, why am I even in the same room?
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And we had this, we had the experience of the Grammys, and I found out that it wasn't for me.
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I got on stage and I found that I was just waiting for the time when I could be done so I could go home.
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Which was not at all what I had pictured.
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And but the problem was for me, is that, you know, when you have no access to what it's really like, you know, we're back in the 80s, we everything was limited, information.
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So you imagine this job as the dream job, but for me, it wasn't because it was rehearsals, and then you have to go to tech rehearsal, and then you sit around for eight hours while everybody goes on stage and you sit around, and I was like, oh my God.
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So I felt like a lot of my time was being wasted, and I didn't appreciate that.
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So I was sad because I was like, I can't do that again, I can't do it again.
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But I was teaching at the same time and loving teaching, right?
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But that's not anyone's goal, not back in the 90s.
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We all came there to be professional dancers and dance with somebody, and so I had, and I wasn't happy.
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And but I was teaching, but here was the good part is that people came from around the world to the edge to take classes, and then they found me and then invited me back to their countries to teach for them over there, which I didn't know was a thing.
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And so this woman from Italy came over and she said, Hey, can you come to Italy for three months?
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I'll take you on a tour of all of Italy and please teach what you're teaching over here over there.
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I was like, sure.
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Had the time of my life, I speak fluent Italian, by the way.
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That was a great experience for me.
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Wow, yeah.
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I spent many years in Italy, actually.
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It was my great, great, great friends are there.
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For my 50th birthday, I went back to Rome and all of my Italian friends came there.
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We rented out a penthouse over the old city, and it's a special place for me.
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And then someone from Japan came and then they invited me, and then Switzerland, and then my name just spread, and then suddenly I was the guy that they were flying around.
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So I was doing all the conventions and all the fitness things and all the dance things.
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And um, I was like, oh, this is a job.
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Like I didn't know that this was a thing.
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And then just because I, like you said, not giving up, like I realized that I didn't want to perform, but that wasn't, I didn't say, okay, well, that's it for dancing.
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I kept teaching because I loved to do it.
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So I always tell people, do what you love.
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Like, do what you love, and the rest will follow.
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I know it's cliche, we've heard it all before, but that's what happened to me is that I kept dancing.
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I kept doing what I loved, and then these other things showed up, and I was like, oh, I guess I can do that instead.
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And then I made a career out of flying around the world and teaching.
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So I've been to 60 countries at this point, and I've been teaching for 35 years, and it's been wonderful.
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I have my own time, my own boss.
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I have, you know, I work very smart in terms of how much time is used towards business and pleasure.
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I read books and I I travel the world and it's it's uh it's been a wonderful life.
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So I'm I'm very lucky to be here.
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And none of it was expected?
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No, none whatsoever.
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It was just all of a sudden in my lap.
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That's amazing.
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Yeah, I was that's amazing.
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Do you still travel to a lot of countries to teach?
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I do, less since COVID.
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But I still travel.
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In fact, um at the end of March, I'll be gone for five weeks.
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Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, Greece, Italy trip, and I'll teach in all of those places.
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Wow, that's amazing.
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Yeah.
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Thanks.
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What what do you do find it um like with students?
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What do you what kind of messages do you want to send to dancers today?
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Because it is very different today than it was.
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Um, and I think harder actually, uh, but maybe I'm wrong.
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But you know, you came with no internet, no social media, no anything like that.
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And today it's all about social media, it's all about the internet, uh, it's all about how many followers you have.
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And so I'm curious what you know, do dancers ask you?
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Like, do they ask for advice?
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Well, yes, but you know, what I grew up with and what they're growing up with now are two completely different things, like you just said.
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And so I mean, what can you even say at this point, except like I said before, which is just do what you love, you know, and you'll do whatever it takes.
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You'll do whatever it takes.
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Like if this is what you want to do, then you'll find a way.
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You know, yeah, it's it's interesting because you know, my path was completely different.
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I grew up in a dancing school.
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Literally, the dancing school was on the first floor, we lived above it.
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And um, and then when I I went to I did the traditional, like you go to college, you know, it wasn't like dance was a thing in college at all at that time.
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It was like modern dance.
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And then uh I was a flight attendant.
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And then when I I was laid off and I moved to New York and started dancing, and you know, it's like I taught New York and then I would get jobs out of New York, and um but it was part of the whole thing was that I could never get dance out of my system because I loved it so much.
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And it was like because I'd grown up with it, and I thought I kind of like I used to say to my mom, I never want a dance studio, ugh, you know, and um, but you know, having gone to New York and danced professionally, and then I moved to Los Angeles and opened a dancing school and had it for 25 years.
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And so the time that you were coming out was when I had my dancing school, and so um when you were coming out to Los Angeles, uh because I opened it in 1989, and and then I went back to school and got my degree in as a therapist and thought I was my dancing partner died of AIDS back in the 80s, and so I thought I was going to work with AIDS patients, but I ended up in a class about eating disorders, which I had had anorexia when I was 16, and ended up going to um work at an eating disorder treatment center, and then I would take them to my dance studio and dance with them, and and now I treat dancers with eating disorders.
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And so, you know, it's like it's interesting how dance has wit woven through my life throughout my whole life.
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And so it is, it's about a passion and it shows up in different ways, and so I just think it's so important that people don't, yes, that people don't give up, yeah, you know.
00:18:55.680 --> 00:19:15.839
Don't give up, don't give up because that's you know, I mean, it's not, you don't have to dance, you know, if it's I mean, even if it doesn't lead to anything professional where you're getting money for it, it's something that you've got to keep for your soul and for your mind and your just wellness, and it's great exercise for your brain and your body.
00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:21.920
There's so many reasons to do it besides being a financial success.
00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:26.159
You know, it's something that you should never get rid of.
00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:30.079
It's the best way to show your gratitude, you know what I mean?
00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:35.680
Moving your body, be thankful for crying out loud and show it.
00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:38.079
Yeah, that's so true.
00:19:38.319 --> 00:19:45.200
And um, do you have um and now you still teach in Los Angeles, besides around the world?
00:19:45.519 --> 00:19:46.000
I do.
00:19:46.159 --> 00:19:55.759
I teach at like maybe three different schools, and um yes, and then I fly around, but now I just started doing dance retreats.
00:19:55.839 --> 00:20:06.879
I had my first dance retreat in Mexico last year, which was amazing because I think I I'm not sure if I mentioned this to you, but I wake up every morning and I dance for the sunrise.
00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:18.559
I'm a real big sun worshiper kind of guy, and that's where I show my gratitude, and all my choreography comes in those moments when I'm out being grateful.
00:20:18.879 --> 00:20:21.039
And they're beautiful moments, you know.
00:20:21.119 --> 00:20:26.639
I'm off I'm often out there just like laughing, crying, having the just the best time out there, you know?
00:20:26.879 --> 00:20:29.440
And then I was like, well, why am I the only one doing this?
00:20:29.599 --> 00:20:31.119
Like, why am I the only one?
00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:39.519
Because I I I'm up on this seventh floor roof and I can see all the rooftops of LA, and I'm the only one up there.
00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:42.240
And I was like, okay, I want to share this.
00:20:42.559 --> 00:20:51.440
So I found this resort in Mexico, beautiful place where we danced for the sunrise on the beach or the poolside.
00:20:51.680 --> 00:20:56.000
We danced for the sunset in the jungle at my friend's compound.
00:20:56.639 --> 00:20:58.879
And uh it was a beautiful situation.
00:20:59.039 --> 00:21:04.879
Like for me nowadays, dancing outside is what I want to bring to the world.
00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:06.639
And I call it soul tribe.
00:21:06.799 --> 00:21:09.119
Soul is spelled like S-O-L like the sun.
00:21:09.599 --> 00:21:10.000
Uh-huh.
00:21:10.399 --> 00:21:14.159
And um, yeah, that's my that's my goal is to show people.
00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:17.599
My intention was to be grateful.
00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:19.519
That's why I started dancing outside.
00:21:19.680 --> 00:21:26.639
Then it became, oh, this is where I'm I can also create my work because I was just all of a sudden I was just making choreography.
00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:28.559
I was like, oh, this is a great time to do it.
00:21:28.720 --> 00:21:36.639
Let's be grateful and get the job done at the same time, you know, and so uh it's such a beautiful moment.
00:21:36.720 --> 00:21:38.639
It's something that everybody should do.
00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:42.159
I feel like, you know, you see how ugly the world is right now.
00:21:42.240 --> 00:21:43.359
You see what's going on.
00:21:43.519 --> 00:21:48.480
Like I jokingly say, but like seriously say, I want to save the world with dance.
00:21:48.639 --> 00:22:00.799
You know, I think that if everybody would just like cut it out, you know, just dance and celebrate each other and help each other, and we can be so much better, so much more.
00:22:01.519 --> 00:22:12.559
And I think maybe dance is the key to that, and dancing outside, even more so, because I think a lot of people are afraid to step in studios, they don't want to see themselves in the mirror.
00:22:12.799 --> 00:22:15.200
Oh, I look bad, and that's none of that.
00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:16.000
None of that.
00:22:16.079 --> 00:22:24.720
We're out on the beach, and I would turn around to see how everybody was doing, and just the biggest smiles on everybody's face because you're just looking at God, you know what I mean?
00:22:24.799 --> 00:22:31.519
It's just like the ocean and the clouds are doing amazing things, the sun's coming up, and we all had our headphones on because it's like 6 a.m.
00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:34.240
We didn't want to bother the rest of the resort.
00:22:34.399 --> 00:22:41.680
So we I had headphones and we're all listening to the same music, and just, you know, and I always have beautiful music.
00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:46.399
I'm it's like highly curated the stuff that I put in people's ears.
00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:48.480
I make sure you're all listening to great stuff.
00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:51.759
And so, yeah, so that's the next thing in my life.
00:22:51.839 --> 00:22:56.480
My next the next trip is going to be in September in Mykonos, but more on that later.
00:22:56.799 --> 00:22:58.079
Oh, that's very cool.
00:22:58.319 --> 00:23:04.559
And so, where do you um get the dancers or get the people to come?
00:23:05.200 --> 00:23:10.159
Oh, well, because I've been teaching for 35 years, I've got clients all over the world.
00:23:10.399 --> 00:23:10.720
Okay.
00:23:10.879 --> 00:23:11.680
You know what I mean?
00:23:11.839 --> 00:23:18.720
But I I I was I'm one of these Gen Xers who just wasn't able to keep up with social.
00:23:19.119 --> 00:23:23.039
I mean, I can keep up if I wanted to, but I have no desire.
00:23:23.279 --> 00:23:27.599
Social media is just like, oh, it's such a brain killer.
00:23:27.839 --> 00:23:29.440
It just makes me so sad.
00:23:30.319 --> 00:23:31.759
I I can't do it.
00:23:31.839 --> 00:23:33.119
I don't have time for it.
00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:34.960
I don't have the energy for it.
00:23:35.119 --> 00:23:39.440
But luckily, I made a name for myself back before.
00:23:39.759 --> 00:23:44.879
So I have a group, I have a large number of people that I still haven't in contact with.
00:23:45.039 --> 00:23:47.599
I have their numbers, I have their emails.
00:23:47.759 --> 00:23:51.440
I had I'm doing the old-fashioned way of communicating with people.
00:23:51.920 --> 00:23:55.599
But yeah, they all know when I'm doing things and what I'm up to.
00:23:55.680 --> 00:23:59.759
So I was able to get, I was looking for 20 people to come with me to Mexico.
00:23:59.920 --> 00:24:04.000
They flew from Italy, from Sweden, and from Los Angeles.
00:24:05.039 --> 00:24:06.399
Wow, that's very cool.
00:24:06.639 --> 00:24:06.879
Yeah.
00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:08.720
And is it for how long?
00:24:09.200 --> 00:24:11.359
This last one was for five nights.
00:24:11.599 --> 00:24:12.319
That's great.
00:24:12.559 --> 00:24:12.799
Yeah.
00:24:12.879 --> 00:24:21.920
And so we had the resort, but I I went two weeks earlier and I did some scouting and I found other places for us.
00:24:22.079 --> 00:24:24.480
So we danced in the resort in several places.
00:24:24.639 --> 00:24:30.639
And then I took them to a beach club that had an open-air dance studio with a view of the water, no walls.
00:24:30.879 --> 00:24:31.599
Amazing.
00:24:31.759 --> 00:24:37.039
Then I took them to the Hyatt rooftop and we watched the sun come down up on the rooftop with the Hyatt and we danced up there.
00:24:37.119 --> 00:24:39.759
We did this partner stuff that was super easy and fun.
00:24:40.079 --> 00:24:54.240
And everything is for like it's geared for Generation X's, you know, these, or you know, people around us and friends of us who have established themselves as adults, you know what I mean?
00:24:54.399 --> 00:25:06.000
And now really want to go on into the next part with a healthy mindset, healthy body with joy leading the way instead of fear and stress and anxiety.
00:25:06.319 --> 00:25:15.440
Well, it's what I was thinking when you were talking about it is like I I'm not a Gen Xer, I'm a baby boomer.
00:25:15.759 --> 00:25:36.240
And uh so, but the thing is, is that I'm towards the end of the baby boomers, but it's like, you know, I was trained to go into a dance studio, you know, and when you stare into a mirror and it all of the I I think, at least for me, all of the insecurities come out.
00:25:36.319 --> 00:25:44.079
And I'm just thinking how beautiful it must be to just be outside, listen to music and move your body because there's nothing better.
00:25:44.319 --> 00:25:45.680
You know, there's nothing better.
00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:50.559
There's nothing better, and it helps it, it's it's a lifesaver.
00:25:50.639 --> 00:25:51.680
Let's just put it that way.
00:25:51.839 --> 00:25:52.480
You know what I mean?
00:25:52.559 --> 00:25:55.920
It just it's it saves your life constantly.
00:25:56.159 --> 00:25:58.399
For like, for example, heartbreak, you know.
00:25:58.480 --> 00:26:02.720
I remember because you know, as a dance teacher, we have to keep coming up with the goods.
00:26:02.799 --> 00:26:08.639
I create something new every week, every week, all the weeks of the year, something new every week.
00:26:08.720 --> 00:26:10.639
So I don't have time to be sad.
00:26:11.359 --> 00:26:12.159
You know what I mean?
00:26:12.240 --> 00:26:14.480
I gotta create, I gotta do stuff, but guess what?
00:26:14.559 --> 00:26:16.319
You're gonna be sad sometimes.
00:26:16.480 --> 00:26:27.839
And so, even I remember during heartbreak, I was able to get up and I didn't want to dance, but I put the music on and I started moving, and like five seconds later, I forgot everything.
00:26:28.000 --> 00:26:28.799
You know what I mean?
00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:31.359
All of a sudden I was just like, oh yeah.
00:26:32.159 --> 00:26:45.680
Oh yeah, it's all good, it's okay, you know, and I feel like so many people could use this type of therapy in their lives and would avoid having to take whatever medicinal assistance they need to, you know what I mean?
00:26:45.839 --> 00:26:46.960
Just dance it out.
00:26:47.680 --> 00:27:01.599
Well, and you know, I I treat eating disorders, and I always say there's like a blockage between the brain and the body, which if you are self-cont self-conscious in your brain as a dancer, it's gonna affect the way you move your body.
00:27:01.839 --> 00:27:10.799
And you know, and so it's that it's that piece of not um like the the elevator's gotta stop at all the floors, yeah.
00:27:11.359 --> 00:27:13.359
And you gotta be able to enjoy doing it.
00:27:13.519 --> 00:27:14.960
So very cool.
00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:26.159
You know, if people are interested in your retreats or t taking hip hop from you, how do they find you on Instagram or yeah?
00:27:26.319 --> 00:27:31.279
Shockingly, I do have an Instagram page, and it's the best way to get in contact with me now.
00:27:31.440 --> 00:27:38.639
I do have um a site for my soul tribe, it's actually called mysoultribe.com.
00:27:42.639 --> 00:27:43.200
I do.
00:27:43.440 --> 00:27:45.359
Okay, I do, yeah.
00:27:45.519 --> 00:27:56.079
And so, but also my Instagram is Gus, and then the letter B for Benberry, and then my soul tribe, Gus B, My Soul Tribe.
00:27:56.240 --> 00:27:58.399
And so you can get in contact with me there.
00:27:58.480 --> 00:28:05.599
The site will go up as soon as the video footage is finished, edited, finished editing from Mexico.
00:28:05.839 --> 00:28:07.119
He just sent me the video.
00:28:07.200 --> 00:28:16.079
I just sent him back my notes, and then once I have this video footage, which is just beautiful, that's gonna be the splash page for the website.
00:28:16.319 --> 00:28:19.359
So that'll launch, I'm gonna say, within the next couple of weeks.
00:28:20.079 --> 00:28:46.559
I mean, so for the listeners, I went and took a hip-hop class from Gusp to the and I am not a hip hopper, I really have never taken hip hop, and so but it was but it was fun, and so to me, it was about stepping out of my comfort zone and doing something that is not in my wheelhouse at all, and I think everybody needs to do that, you know.
00:28:47.119 --> 00:28:49.119
So thank you.
00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:52.159
So it was a blessing for me to come to your class.
00:28:52.399 --> 00:29:02.639
Um I appreciate it, and you know, look up my soul tribe, but make sure you spell it with an SOL.
00:29:02.879 --> 00:29:04.639
Yeah, that's smart, thank you.
00:29:05.039 --> 00:29:13.119
Yeah, and um I'm so to the listeners of Tutu Thin, thank you so much for always listening.
00:29:13.359 --> 00:29:27.200
And um, as always, if you need to reach me, you can reach me at um don theodore.com, tutothin.com, or mothermen and be.com or at my Instagram, which is dawn.smith.theodore.
00:29:27.359 --> 00:29:29.279
Thank you and have a wonderful day.
00:00:49.119 --> 00:00:50.960
Welcome to the Two Tooth In podcast.
00:00:51.039 --> 00:00:55.439
My name is Dawn Smith Theodore and thank you for all the listeners.
00:00:55.679 --> 00:00:58.000
Today I feel so excited.
00:00:58.320 --> 00:01:10.640
We have a person who is here by the name of Gus Bemberry, and he is a hip hop dancer and a choreographer and dance teacher, educator.
00:01:10.960 --> 00:01:13.039
So I'm happy to have him here.
00:01:13.280 --> 00:01:17.359
And his introduction to dance is interesting.
00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:23.759
So I'm gonna let him talk a little bit about how he got into dance and and about his story.
00:01:23.920 --> 00:01:25.359
So welcome, Gus.
00:01:25.519 --> 00:01:27.840
Thank you so much for joining us.
00:01:28.240 --> 00:01:29.439
Hi, my pleasure.
00:01:29.680 --> 00:01:30.799
Thanks for having me.
00:01:31.039 --> 00:01:38.799
So tell us a little bit about your journey to dancing and you know how how you got into it.
00:01:38.960 --> 00:01:42.000
And because your your way was not the traditional way.
00:01:42.400 --> 00:01:43.759
No, not at all.
00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:51.199
Uh so as I mentioned before, I was born in the 60s and I grew up in Boston or just south of Boston.
00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:53.199
And um, there were no dance studios.
00:01:53.359 --> 00:01:54.719
That wasn't an option.
00:01:55.039 --> 00:01:59.520
But I was just the kid that was just always bouncing around around the house dancing.
00:01:59.759 --> 00:02:03.280
And I had uh cousins, my my aunt, uncle, cousins.
00:02:03.359 --> 00:02:08.800
I used to go visit them downtown Boston on the weekends as a child, five years old.
00:02:09.039 --> 00:02:15.280
And every time we would visit, we'd open the door, there was a dance party going on inside, every time without fail.
00:02:15.439 --> 00:02:17.680
My aunt always had the best music.
00:02:17.840 --> 00:02:26.240
In fact, to this day, I think of her when I consider my music, and I often bring back music that she introduced to me back in the day.
00:02:26.400 --> 00:02:28.879
And she used to dance, she used to love to dance too.
00:02:29.039 --> 00:02:33.120
But um, and so that was the beginning of my love for dance.
00:02:33.280 --> 00:02:36.479
And then I just was always the dancing kid.
00:02:36.560 --> 00:02:58.079
I was the kid at the party dancing, I was at entering all the dance contests, I was at the high school dance, like this is the dancing kid, but it was all just for fun, it was just for love because I went through the traditional education system of high school, college, never picking a major, never knowing what to do, but always dancing without realizing that it could have been a career.
00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:05.759
And um, and so while I was in college, I had a boy band that I was the choreographer for.
00:03:06.239 --> 00:03:11.120
And uh, but um, I didn't know what I was doing, just throwing my arms around.
00:03:11.359 --> 00:03:23.120
And uh, but someone who owned a dance studio in Boston had seen us rehearsing and asked me to teach it because back then this was like, let's see, 1990.
00:03:23.519 --> 00:03:25.919
So there were no hip-hop classes back then.
00:03:26.079 --> 00:03:30.639
Um, the closest that they had come to it was funky, they were calling it funky jazz.
00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:32.479
I don't know if you remember that term.
00:03:33.120 --> 00:03:38.159
And so I was the first hip-hop class in Boston, I love to, I love to say.
00:03:39.519 --> 00:03:45.919
And so um, I remember it was the first class I had never taken a class or been in a class or taught a class.
00:03:46.000 --> 00:03:54.319
So when I first came in, I told you I uh was like, okay, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, fifteen.
00:03:54.879 --> 00:04:00.000
I just kept on counting until one of the students came up behind me and she was like, Stop at eight.
00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:01.519
And I said, Okay.
00:04:01.679 --> 00:04:05.919
And so that was my first day teaching.
00:04:06.159 --> 00:04:13.439
And because I wasn't so sure of how to count, I was teaching with sound effects for a long time.
00:04:13.599 --> 00:04:18.959
In fact, I still to this day teach with sound effects, except I also know how to count as well.
00:04:19.199 --> 00:04:21.360
So that's how I got my start.
00:04:21.680 --> 00:04:31.280
Tell us about the sound effects, because you know, I told you that I um I danced for a gentleman by the name of Henry Letang.
00:04:31.360 --> 00:04:35.600
He did the choreography for sophisticated ladies, cotton club, tap.
00:04:36.400 --> 00:04:39.600
Um, and he only he didn't count either.
00:04:39.840 --> 00:04:47.040
He just, you know, beep, da-doop, bop, bop, bop, you know, and so that was how he counted for us.
00:04:47.280 --> 00:04:49.600
And um, so tell us about your counting.
00:04:49.840 --> 00:04:56.400
Yeah, my counting with sound effects is just like I like to create a melody that you will remember, you know what I mean?
00:04:56.480 --> 00:05:05.200
Like here's the part, you know, even with, I mean, it's maybe the three or the three and boom, it's the five and six, you know what I mean?
00:05:05.360 --> 00:05:11.600
And so people tend to gravitate towards the sounds that are arriving instead of counts.
00:05:11.760 --> 00:05:18.800
But I did find that dancers who grew up traditionally with counting also require some counting as well.
00:05:18.960 --> 00:05:28.560
So I remember it was important to me to know how to count for the people who preferred the counts instead of me smashing and banging all along.
00:05:28.720 --> 00:05:36.720
But the sound effects come from um my love of superhero comic books and fantasy novels and cartoons.
00:05:36.879 --> 00:05:41.600
Like everything is action-packed and powerful and you know what I mean?
00:05:41.760 --> 00:05:49.120
Like everything is smashing and kicking through walls and making you feel the verberations when I stomp my foot on the ground.
00:05:49.200 --> 00:05:51.760
And I always come from a place of power.
00:05:51.840 --> 00:05:59.840
So everything is like you're like you're, I don't know, like you've got your adversary in front of you and you're showing them who you are.
00:05:59.920 --> 00:06:00.640
You know what I mean?
00:06:00.720 --> 00:06:03.680
And everything that you are, you're showing them your power.
00:06:03.760 --> 00:06:07.439
So it's boom, boom, boom, you know what I mean?
00:06:07.600 --> 00:06:10.800
It's like something to be taken seriously when you're dancing.
00:06:10.879 --> 00:06:17.680
So I want people to become a character when I'm doing my sound effects, and that's why I try to make it so heavy.
00:06:18.000 --> 00:06:20.000
That's very, that's very fun.
00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:20.560
What?
00:06:20.640 --> 00:06:26.879
Um, so you came to Los Angeles without ever really having a dance class.
00:06:27.200 --> 00:06:28.879
No, I'd never taken a class before.
00:06:28.960 --> 00:06:34.560
I came here, I was 22 or 23 years old, maybe 23.
00:06:35.040 --> 00:06:41.360
And um, the first class I took, I was like, okay, I got to LA, and I was like, okay, now what?
00:06:41.439 --> 00:06:42.960
Like, I had no idea what I mean.
00:06:43.040 --> 00:06:44.960
I really we didn't have internet.
00:06:45.120 --> 00:06:45.840
You know what I mean?
00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:47.439
So there was like no research.
00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:49.760
I was just like, I think they're dancing in Los Angeles.
00:06:49.920 --> 00:06:57.840
So I got in a car and I drove across the country with my best friend, and we got there, and then we were literally like, okay, well, what do we do now?
00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:01.520
And I had gone to this party and I met a dancer.
00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:03.439
This is my first week there.
00:07:03.760 --> 00:07:09.040
My my Los Angeles story is a whole nother crazy adventure, you know what I mean?
00:07:09.200 --> 00:07:14.319
But as far as being a dancer, I ran into a dancer at a party and I was like, What do I do?
00:07:14.480 --> 00:07:15.920
And he said, You need an agent.
00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:17.680
And I was like, What's that?
00:07:18.000 --> 00:07:22.160
He was like, Okay, these are the people that we represent you, and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
00:07:22.480 --> 00:07:26.160
So, I mean, I was really a novice.
00:07:26.240 --> 00:07:31.439
When I walked into Los Angeles, I was really as clueless as they come.
00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:33.840
And so I was like, okay, maybe I should take a dance class.
00:07:33.920 --> 00:07:44.000
And I just so happened that there's a studio called Tremaine, Joe Tremaine, was right across the street from this apartment that I ended up being in randomly in North Hollywood.
00:07:44.080 --> 00:07:48.480
I could, I could cross the street on foot, and I was at that studio.
00:07:48.640 --> 00:07:54.160
And the first class I took was with Oliver Crooms, who danced with Madonna.
00:07:54.879 --> 00:07:57.200
He was the blonde guy.
00:07:57.520 --> 00:08:00.400
And I was so bad.
00:08:00.640 --> 00:08:04.480
I didn't get a single step, but I had the time of my life.
00:08:04.560 --> 00:08:05.280
It was crazy.
00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:12.720
Like I was in the back, I couldn't do a single, I couldn't do a single thing, but I knew that I was gonna be able to.
00:08:12.879 --> 00:08:13.600
You know what I mean?
00:08:13.760 --> 00:08:16.160
Like I was like, this is it, this is for me.
00:08:16.319 --> 00:08:17.840
And I wasn't discouraged at all.
00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:19.040
I wasn't discouraged at all.
00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:26.319
In fact, I became very encouraged by that class and kind of uh went for it after that.
00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:27.600
That's pretty cool.
00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:35.279
Did you I mean that's a that's a story that is important for dancers to not give up, you know?
00:08:35.679 --> 00:08:44.080
Don't give up because there's you know, so many times I feel like I don't have the right body, I I can't find the right job.
00:08:44.319 --> 00:08:46.319
And to me, it's like don't quit.
00:08:46.559 --> 00:08:47.600
Just don't quit.
00:08:48.399 --> 00:08:49.600
Never, never, never.
00:08:49.679 --> 00:08:51.200
Yeah, that's the secret.
00:08:51.519 --> 00:08:52.879
That's the secret for sure.
00:08:53.039 --> 00:09:00.240
Another thing I discovered was the secret was uh confidence, not cockiness, confidence.
00:09:00.319 --> 00:09:00.960
You know what I mean?
00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:03.439
That believing in yourself type of thing.
00:09:03.679 --> 00:09:08.159
Where did it matter what others thought of you?
00:09:08.240 --> 00:09:09.039
You know what I mean?
00:09:09.200 --> 00:09:11.039
I was dancing for me.
00:09:11.519 --> 00:09:12.480
Do you know what I'm saying?
00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:16.720
Like, I didn't care at all what was going on around me.
00:09:16.879 --> 00:09:19.519
I was a maniac when I came to class.
00:09:19.679 --> 00:09:26.959
And it wasn't to show off and it wasn't to get work, it was just because I was like, this is what I want to give my all to.
00:09:27.120 --> 00:09:28.079
You know what I mean?
00:09:28.319 --> 00:09:33.839
And so when you come in like that and you're like, okay, I'm gonna give it everything, you become confident in that.
00:09:34.000 --> 00:09:38.319
And I think because of that, people start to notice you.
00:09:38.480 --> 00:09:46.480
You know, it was a byproduct of the passion that I was just releasing, no matter who liked it or who didn't.
00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:55.039
I think that is such an important piece because it is about the passion you feel for what you do, and people see that and they feel that.
00:09:55.199 --> 00:10:08.959
You know, it's like with a dancer, it's you can have the best technique in the world, but if you don't, if you can't share the emotion, the passion with the audience, they're not gonna connect, they're not gonna get it.
00:10:09.279 --> 00:10:11.279
Yeah, yeah, exactly.
00:10:11.599 --> 00:10:14.319
So so you went on to teach, right?
00:10:14.399 --> 00:10:20.079
At well, yeah, so so you know, I had come to Los Angeles with the intention of performing.
00:10:20.240 --> 00:10:21.919
I wanted to dance with Janet Jackson.
00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:22.639
That was the dream.
00:10:22.719 --> 00:10:24.719
I think it was like most of our dreams.
00:10:24.959 --> 00:10:28.639
And it was funny because what the my timing was so good.
00:10:28.959 --> 00:10:32.719
I never danced with Janet, by the way, but that's not a sad story at all.
00:10:32.879 --> 00:10:37.839
But my timing was so good because I came in, it was like it was kind of like the heyday.
00:10:37.919 --> 00:10:38.719
Do you know what I mean?
00:10:38.879 --> 00:10:41.919
When the Janet dances and the Britney dances, and you know what I mean?
00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:43.439
It was it was in hip-hop.
00:10:43.599 --> 00:10:47.679
The agents, I I went to that agent audition, by the way, and I got it.
00:10:47.839 --> 00:10:51.919
And it was, they were looking for hip-hop people, you know what I mean?
00:10:52.079 --> 00:10:55.279
Like I had driven into Los Angeles right on time.
00:10:55.360 --> 00:10:56.639
They were waiting for me.
00:10:56.799 --> 00:10:58.159
It was awesome.
00:10:58.639 --> 00:11:08.000
And so I started to perform, and my first big gig was with Shakira, worked with a big choreographer too.
00:11:08.240 --> 00:11:12.079
And I was like, just you know, I was just honored, you know, to have been chosen.
00:11:12.240 --> 00:11:21.519
I was like, how did this guy who hadn't, I mean, no training, none, no training, hanging out with these dudes who can do like 15 pirouettes without blinking.
00:11:21.599 --> 00:11:22.319
You know what I'm saying?
00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:25.360
Like, I'm like, why am I even in the same room?
00:11:25.679 --> 00:11:34.959
And we had this, we had the experience of the Grammys, and I found out that it wasn't for me.
00:11:35.360 --> 00:11:43.120
I got on stage and I found that I was just waiting for the time when I could be done so I could go home.
00:11:44.480 --> 00:11:47.759
Which was not at all what I had pictured.
00:11:47.839 --> 00:11:58.959
And but the problem was for me, is that, you know, when you have no access to what it's really like, you know, we're back in the 80s, we everything was limited, information.
00:11:59.199 --> 00:12:13.599
So you imagine this job as the dream job, but for me, it wasn't because it was rehearsals, and then you have to go to tech rehearsal, and then you sit around for eight hours while everybody goes on stage and you sit around, and I was like, oh my God.
00:12:14.000 --> 00:12:17.439
So I felt like a lot of my time was being wasted, and I didn't appreciate that.
00:12:17.599 --> 00:12:22.799
So I was sad because I was like, I can't do that again, I can't do it again.
00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:28.639
But I was teaching at the same time and loving teaching, right?
00:12:28.879 --> 00:12:32.399
But that's not anyone's goal, not back in the 90s.
00:12:32.480 --> 00:12:37.839
We all came there to be professional dancers and dance with somebody, and so I had, and I wasn't happy.
00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:53.279
And but I was teaching, but here was the good part is that people came from around the world to the edge to take classes, and then they found me and then invited me back to their countries to teach for them over there, which I didn't know was a thing.
00:12:53.439 --> 00:12:58.480
And so this woman from Italy came over and she said, Hey, can you come to Italy for three months?
00:12:58.559 --> 00:13:03.679
I'll take you on a tour of all of Italy and please teach what you're teaching over here over there.
00:13:03.919 --> 00:13:04.879
I was like, sure.
00:13:05.120 --> 00:13:08.159
Had the time of my life, I speak fluent Italian, by the way.
00:13:08.319 --> 00:13:09.679
That was a great experience for me.
00:13:10.879 --> 00:13:11.519
Wow, yeah.
00:13:11.759 --> 00:13:13.599
I spent many years in Italy, actually.
00:13:13.679 --> 00:13:15.759
It was my great, great, great friends are there.
00:13:15.839 --> 00:13:20.559
For my 50th birthday, I went back to Rome and all of my Italian friends came there.
00:13:20.719 --> 00:13:25.839
We rented out a penthouse over the old city, and it's a special place for me.
00:13:26.159 --> 00:13:36.559
And then someone from Japan came and then they invited me, and then Switzerland, and then my name just spread, and then suddenly I was the guy that they were flying around.
00:13:36.719 --> 00:13:42.319
So I was doing all the conventions and all the fitness things and all the dance things.
00:13:42.799 --> 00:13:46.240
And um, I was like, oh, this is a job.
00:13:46.399 --> 00:13:49.199
Like I didn't know that this was a thing.
00:13:49.360 --> 00:13:59.039
And then just because I, like you said, not giving up, like I realized that I didn't want to perform, but that wasn't, I didn't say, okay, well, that's it for dancing.
00:13:59.199 --> 00:14:01.439
I kept teaching because I loved to do it.
00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:03.919
So I always tell people, do what you love.
00:14:04.079 --> 00:14:06.480
Like, do what you love, and the rest will follow.
00:14:06.639 --> 00:14:12.000
I know it's cliche, we've heard it all before, but that's what happened to me is that I kept dancing.
00:14:12.079 --> 00:14:18.879
I kept doing what I loved, and then these other things showed up, and I was like, oh, I guess I can do that instead.
00:14:18.959 --> 00:14:22.159
And then I made a career out of flying around the world and teaching.
00:14:22.319 --> 00:14:30.000
So I've been to 60 countries at this point, and I've been teaching for 35 years, and it's been wonderful.
00:14:30.159 --> 00:14:33.199
I have my own time, my own boss.
00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:42.719
I have, you know, I work very smart in terms of how much time is used towards business and pleasure.
00:14:43.039 --> 00:14:49.199
I read books and I I travel the world and it's it's uh it's been a wonderful life.
00:14:49.279 --> 00:14:51.439
So I'm I'm very lucky to be here.
00:14:51.839 --> 00:14:54.159
And none of it was expected?
00:14:54.639 --> 00:14:56.079
No, none whatsoever.
00:14:56.159 --> 00:14:58.240
It was just all of a sudden in my lap.
00:14:59.279 --> 00:15:00.000
That's amazing.
00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:01.839
Yeah, I was that's amazing.
00:15:02.079 --> 00:15:04.559
Do you still travel to a lot of countries to teach?
00:15:04.879 --> 00:15:07.039
I do, less since COVID.
00:15:08.000 --> 00:15:10.000
But I still travel.
00:15:10.159 --> 00:15:14.079
In fact, um at the end of March, I'll be gone for five weeks.
00:15:14.959 --> 00:15:21.679
Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, Greece, Italy trip, and I'll teach in all of those places.
00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:23.279
Wow, that's amazing.
00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:23.759
Yeah.
00:15:24.399 --> 00:15:24.719
Thanks.
00:15:24.959 --> 00:15:32.079
What what do you do find it um like with students?
00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:38.399
What do you what kind of messages do you want to send to dancers today?
00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:41.839
Because it is very different today than it was.
00:15:42.319 --> 00:15:46.639
Um, and I think harder actually, uh, but maybe I'm wrong.
00:15:46.799 --> 00:15:52.719
But you know, you came with no internet, no social media, no anything like that.
00:15:53.039 --> 00:15:59.279
And today it's all about social media, it's all about the internet, uh, it's all about how many followers you have.
00:15:59.439 --> 00:16:03.599
And so I'm curious what you know, do dancers ask you?
00:16:03.839 --> 00:16:06.240
Like, do they ask for advice?
00:16:06.639 --> 00:16:13.519
Well, yes, but you know, what I grew up with and what they're growing up with now are two completely different things, like you just said.
00:16:14.319 --> 00:16:25.839
And so I mean, what can you even say at this point, except like I said before, which is just do what you love, you know, and you'll do whatever it takes.
00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:27.599
You'll do whatever it takes.
00:16:27.759 --> 00:16:33.439
Like if this is what you want to do, then you'll find a way.
00:16:34.240 --> 00:16:40.959
You know, yeah, it's it's interesting because you know, my path was completely different.
00:16:41.039 --> 00:16:43.039
I grew up in a dancing school.
00:16:44.319 --> 00:16:48.319
Literally, the dancing school was on the first floor, we lived above it.
00:16:48.559 --> 00:17:00.159
And um, and then when I I went to I did the traditional, like you go to college, you know, it wasn't like dance was a thing in college at all at that time.
00:17:00.319 --> 00:17:02.240
It was like modern dance.
00:17:02.559 --> 00:17:05.200
And then uh I was a flight attendant.
00:17:05.599 --> 00:17:27.120
And then when I I was laid off and I moved to New York and started dancing, and you know, it's like I taught New York and then I would get jobs out of New York, and um but it was part of the whole thing was that I could never get dance out of my system because I loved it so much.
00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:48.480
And it was like because I'd grown up with it, and I thought I kind of like I used to say to my mom, I never want a dance studio, ugh, you know, and um, but you know, having gone to New York and danced professionally, and then I moved to Los Angeles and opened a dancing school and had it for 25 years.
00:17:48.640 --> 00:18:36.720
And so the time that you were coming out was when I had my dancing school, and so um when you were coming out to Los Angeles, uh because I opened it in 1989, and and then I went back to school and got my degree in as a therapist and thought I was my dancing partner died of AIDS back in the 80s, and so I thought I was going to work with AIDS patients, but I ended up in a class about eating disorders, which I had had anorexia when I was 16, and ended up going to um work at an eating disorder treatment center, and then I would take them to my dance studio and dance with them, and and now I treat dancers with eating disorders.
00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:43.920
And so, you know, it's like it's interesting how dance has wit woven through my life throughout my whole life.
00:18:44.079 --> 00:18:55.279
And so it is, it's about a passion and it shows up in different ways, and so I just think it's so important that people don't, yes, that people don't give up, yeah, you know.
00:18:55.680 --> 00:19:15.839
Don't give up, don't give up because that's you know, I mean, it's not, you don't have to dance, you know, if it's I mean, even if it doesn't lead to anything professional where you're getting money for it, it's something that you've got to keep for your soul and for your mind and your just wellness, and it's great exercise for your brain and your body.
00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:21.920
There's so many reasons to do it besides being a financial success.
00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:26.159
You know, it's something that you should never get rid of.
00:19:26.319 --> 00:19:30.079
It's the best way to show your gratitude, you know what I mean?
00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:35.680
Moving your body, be thankful for crying out loud and show it.
00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:38.079
Yeah, that's so true.
00:19:38.319 --> 00:19:45.200
And um, do you have um and now you still teach in Los Angeles, besides around the world?
00:19:45.519 --> 00:19:46.000
I do.
00:19:46.159 --> 00:19:55.759
I teach at like maybe three different schools, and um yes, and then I fly around, but now I just started doing dance retreats.
00:19:55.839 --> 00:20:06.879
I had my first dance retreat in Mexico last year, which was amazing because I think I I'm not sure if I mentioned this to you, but I wake up every morning and I dance for the sunrise.
00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:18.559
I'm a real big sun worshiper kind of guy, and that's where I show my gratitude, and all my choreography comes in those moments when I'm out being grateful.
00:20:18.879 --> 00:20:21.039
And they're beautiful moments, you know.
00:20:21.119 --> 00:20:26.639
I'm off I'm often out there just like laughing, crying, having the just the best time out there, you know?
00:20:26.879 --> 00:20:29.440
And then I was like, well, why am I the only one doing this?
00:20:29.599 --> 00:20:31.119
Like, why am I the only one?
00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:39.519
Because I I I'm up on this seventh floor roof and I can see all the rooftops of LA, and I'm the only one up there.
00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:42.240
And I was like, okay, I want to share this.
00:20:42.559 --> 00:20:51.440
So I found this resort in Mexico, beautiful place where we danced for the sunrise on the beach or the poolside.
00:20:51.680 --> 00:20:56.000
We danced for the sunset in the jungle at my friend's compound.
00:20:56.639 --> 00:20:58.879
And uh it was a beautiful situation.
00:20:59.039 --> 00:21:04.879
Like for me nowadays, dancing outside is what I want to bring to the world.
00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:06.639
And I call it soul tribe.
00:21:06.799 --> 00:21:09.119
Soul is spelled like S-O-L like the sun.
00:21:09.599 --> 00:21:10.000
Uh-huh.
00:21:10.399 --> 00:21:14.159
And um, yeah, that's my that's my goal is to show people.
00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:17.599
My intention was to be grateful.
00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:19.519
That's why I started dancing outside.
00:21:19.680 --> 00:21:26.639
Then it became, oh, this is where I'm I can also create my work because I was just all of a sudden I was just making choreography.
00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:28.559
I was like, oh, this is a great time to do it.
00:21:28.720 --> 00:21:36.639
Let's be grateful and get the job done at the same time, you know, and so uh it's such a beautiful moment.
00:21:36.720 --> 00:21:38.639
It's something that everybody should do.
00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:42.159
I feel like, you know, you see how ugly the world is right now.
00:21:42.240 --> 00:21:43.359
You see what's going on.
00:21:43.519 --> 00:21:48.480
Like I jokingly say, but like seriously say, I want to save the world with dance.
00:21:48.639 --> 00:22:00.799
You know, I think that if everybody would just like cut it out, you know, just dance and celebrate each other and help each other, and we can be so much better, so much more.
00:22:01.519 --> 00:22:12.559
And I think maybe dance is the key to that, and dancing outside, even more so, because I think a lot of people are afraid to step in studios, they don't want to see themselves in the mirror.
00:22:12.799 --> 00:22:15.200
Oh, I look bad, and that's none of that.
00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:16.000
None of that.
00:22:16.079 --> 00:22:24.720
We're out on the beach, and I would turn around to see how everybody was doing, and just the biggest smiles on everybody's face because you're just looking at God, you know what I mean?
00:22:24.799 --> 00:22:31.519
It's just like the ocean and the clouds are doing amazing things, the sun's coming up, and we all had our headphones on because it's like 6 a.m.
00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:34.240
We didn't want to bother the rest of the resort.
00:22:34.399 --> 00:22:41.680
So we I had headphones and we're all listening to the same music, and just, you know, and I always have beautiful music.
00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:46.399
I'm it's like highly curated the stuff that I put in people's ears.
00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:48.480
I make sure you're all listening to great stuff.
00:22:49.359 --> 00:22:51.759
And so, yeah, so that's the next thing in my life.
00:22:51.839 --> 00:22:56.480
My next the next trip is going to be in September in Mykonos, but more on that later.
00:22:56.799 --> 00:22:58.079
Oh, that's very cool.
00:22:58.319 --> 00:23:04.559
And so, where do you um get the dancers or get the people to come?
00:23:05.200 --> 00:23:10.159
Oh, well, because I've been teaching for 35 years, I've got clients all over the world.
00:23:10.399 --> 00:23:10.720
Okay.
00:23:10.879 --> 00:23:11.680
You know what I mean?
00:23:11.839 --> 00:23:18.720
But I I I was I'm one of these Gen Xers who just wasn't able to keep up with social.
00:23:19.119 --> 00:23:23.039
I mean, I can keep up if I wanted to, but I have no desire.
00:23:23.279 --> 00:23:27.599
Social media is just like, oh, it's such a brain killer.
00:23:27.839 --> 00:23:29.440
It just makes me so sad.
00:23:30.319 --> 00:23:31.759
I I can't do it.
00:23:31.839 --> 00:23:33.119
I don't have time for it.
00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:34.960
I don't have the energy for it.
00:23:35.119 --> 00:23:39.440
But luckily, I made a name for myself back before.
00:23:39.759 --> 00:23:44.879
So I have a group, I have a large number of people that I still haven't in contact with.
00:23:45.039 --> 00:23:47.599
I have their numbers, I have their emails.
00:23:47.759 --> 00:23:51.440
I had I'm doing the old-fashioned way of communicating with people.
00:23:51.920 --> 00:23:55.599
But yeah, they all know when I'm doing things and what I'm up to.
00:23:55.680 --> 00:23:59.759
So I was able to get, I was looking for 20 people to come with me to Mexico.
00:23:59.920 --> 00:24:04.000
They flew from Italy, from Sweden, and from Los Angeles.
00:24:05.039 --> 00:24:06.399
Wow, that's very cool.
00:24:06.639 --> 00:24:06.879
Yeah.
00:24:07.279 --> 00:24:08.720
And is it for how long?
00:24:09.200 --> 00:24:11.359
This last one was for five nights.
00:24:11.599 --> 00:24:12.319
That's great.
00:24:12.559 --> 00:24:12.799
Yeah.
00:24:12.879 --> 00:24:21.920
And so we had the resort, but I I went two weeks earlier and I did some scouting and I found other places for us.
00:24:22.079 --> 00:24:24.480
So we danced in the resort in several places.
00:24:24.639 --> 00:24:30.639
And then I took them to a beach club that had an open-air dance studio with a view of the water, no walls.
00:24:30.879 --> 00:24:31.599
Amazing.
00:24:31.759 --> 00:24:37.039
Then I took them to the Hyatt rooftop and we watched the sun come down up on the rooftop with the Hyatt and we danced up there.
00:24:37.119 --> 00:24:39.759
We did this partner stuff that was super easy and fun.
00:24:40.079 --> 00:24:54.240
And everything is for like it's geared for Generation X's, you know, these, or you know, people around us and friends of us who have established themselves as adults, you know what I mean?
00:24:54.399 --> 00:25:06.000
And now really want to go on into the next part with a healthy mindset, healthy body with joy leading the way instead of fear and stress and anxiety.
00:25:06.319 --> 00:25:15.440
Well, it's what I was thinking when you were talking about it is like I I'm not a Gen Xer, I'm a baby boomer.
00:25:15.759 --> 00:25:36.240
And uh so, but the thing is, is that I'm towards the end of the baby boomers, but it's like, you know, I was trained to go into a dance studio, you know, and when you stare into a mirror and it all of the I I think, at least for me, all of the insecurities come out.
00:25:36.319 --> 00:25:44.079
And I'm just thinking how beautiful it must be to just be outside, listen to music and move your body because there's nothing better.
00:25:44.319 --> 00:25:45.680
You know, there's nothing better.
00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:50.559
There's nothing better, and it helps it, it's it's a lifesaver.
00:25:50.639 --> 00:25:51.680
Let's just put it that way.
00:25:51.839 --> 00:25:52.480
You know what I mean?
00:25:52.559 --> 00:25:55.920
It just it's it saves your life constantly.
00:25:56.159 --> 00:25:58.399
For like, for example, heartbreak, you know.
00:25:58.480 --> 00:26:02.720
I remember because you know, as a dance teacher, we have to keep coming up with the goods.
00:26:02.799 --> 00:26:08.639
I create something new every week, every week, all the weeks of the year, something new every week.
00:26:08.720 --> 00:26:10.639
So I don't have time to be sad.
00:26:11.359 --> 00:26:12.159
You know what I mean?
00:26:12.240 --> 00:26:14.480
I gotta create, I gotta do stuff, but guess what?
00:26:14.559 --> 00:26:16.319
You're gonna be sad sometimes.
00:26:16.480 --> 00:26:27.839
And so, even I remember during heartbreak, I was able to get up and I didn't want to dance, but I put the music on and I started moving, and like five seconds later, I forgot everything.
00:26:28.000 --> 00:26:28.799
You know what I mean?
00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:31.359
All of a sudden I was just like, oh yeah.
00:26:32.159 --> 00:26:45.680
Oh yeah, it's all good, it's okay, you know, and I feel like so many people could use this type of therapy in their lives and would avoid having to take whatever medicinal assistance they need to, you know what I mean?
00:26:45.839 --> 00:26:46.960
Just dance it out.
00:26:47.680 --> 00:27:01.599
Well, and you know, I I treat eating disorders, and I always say there's like a blockage between the brain and the body, which if you are self-cont self-conscious in your brain as a dancer, it's gonna affect the way you move your body.
00:27:01.839 --> 00:27:10.799
And you know, and so it's that it's that piece of not um like the the elevator's gotta stop at all the floors, yeah.
00:27:11.359 --> 00:27:13.359
And you gotta be able to enjoy doing it.
00:27:13.519 --> 00:27:14.960
So very cool.
00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:26.159
You know, if people are interested in your retreats or t taking hip hop from you, how do they find you on Instagram or yeah?
00:27:26.319 --> 00:27:31.279
Shockingly, I do have an Instagram page, and it's the best way to get in contact with me now.
00:27:31.440 --> 00:27:38.639
I do have um a site for my soul tribe, it's actually called mysoultribe.com.
00:27:42.639 --> 00:27:43.200
I do.
00:27:43.440 --> 00:27:45.359
Okay, I do, yeah.
00:27:45.519 --> 00:27:56.079
And so, but also my Instagram is Gus, and then the letter B for Benberry, and then my soul tribe, Gus B, My Soul Tribe.
00:27:56.240 --> 00:27:58.399
And so you can get in contact with me there.
00:27:58.480 --> 00:28:05.599
The site will go up as soon as the video footage is finished, edited, finished editing from Mexico.
00:28:05.839 --> 00:28:07.119
He just sent me the video.
00:28:07.200 --> 00:28:16.079
I just sent him back my notes, and then once I have this video footage, which is just beautiful, that's gonna be the splash page for the website.
00:28:16.319 --> 00:28:19.359
So that'll launch, I'm gonna say, within the next couple of weeks.
00:28:20.079 --> 00:28:46.559
I mean, so for the listeners, I went and took a hip-hop class from Gusp to the and I am not a hip hopper, I really have never taken hip hop, and so but it was but it was fun, and so to me, it was about stepping out of my comfort zone and doing something that is not in my wheelhouse at all, and I think everybody needs to do that, you know.
00:28:47.119 --> 00:28:49.119
So thank you.
00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:52.159
So it was a blessing for me to come to your class.
00:28:52.399 --> 00:29:02.639
Um I appreciate it, and you know, look up my soul tribe, but make sure you spell it with an SOL.
00:29:02.879 --> 00:29:04.639
Yeah, that's smart, thank you.
00:29:05.039 --> 00:29:13.119
Yeah, and um I'm so to the listeners of Tutu Thin, thank you so much for always listening.
00:29:13.359 --> 00:29:27.200
And um, as always, if you need to reach me, you can reach me at um don theodore.com, tutothin.com, or mothermen and be.com or at my Instagram, which is dawn.smith.theodore.
00:29:27.359 --> 00:29:29.279
Thank you and have a wonderful day.
