In this episode, we sit down with Erik Molina, a humble yet highly accomplished and talented dancer who has dedicated his academic and professional career to mastering his craft. Erik sits down with us to talk about his pursuit for a Bachelor’s in dance, the challenges of being casted at Disney World, and his pivot into the corporate world. Devin & Erik reminisce on times with Kinections and the three of us recollect memories at The BOX. Erik shares his opinion on how the dance community has evolved, shares his insights on self awareness and intuition and we find ourselves in an endless circle of “Thank yous”. Erik shares his passions outside of dance, gives us his binge-worthy show recommendations, and makes us incredibly hungry. It’s an episode full of memories, self exploration and endless gratitude. In this episode, we explore:
00:25 Introduction 03:31 Name dropping “Erik Molina” 04:08 Let’s start at the very beginning 04:30 Confusing Hula Hoop with dance 06:09 The origin of Kinections 07:48 The first hip hop studio in South Bay SD 13:42 Trendsetter! 14:15 Fueling the creativity and passion 17:22 Fake it ‘til you make it 18:30 The foundation of Erik’s character 20:12 Pursuing a Bachelor’s in Dance 26:52 Erik’s dance style 30:37 The evolution of Erik’s dance style 33:17 How the dance community has evolved 37:59 Erik’s passions outside of dance 42:32 Transition from dance to corporate life & finding balance 47:25 Self awareness & intuition 50:42 A moment of gratitude 56:15 Rapid Fire Questions 59:46 Finding inspiration for movement 1:01:37 Rapid Fire, part 2 1:04:12 Erik’s binge-worth recommendations 1:10:51 Finding creativity in cooking 1:15:57 Closing remarks This episode’s guest:
Music by Sam Stan - Das Boo - https://thmatc.co/?l=997FC418 Music by SkeetOnTheBeat - Late Night - https://thmatc.co/?l=E76B5749 The conversation continues over on Instagram and TikTok
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We sit down with a “triple threat” Chavia Blankenship in this episode. A truly inspirational, and hard-working dancer, choreographer and actor, Chavia has transitioned from community icon to industry professional. Chavia sits down with us for a virtual conversation about auditioning for Badgirl Rhi Rhi, dancing on a team versus actually directing the team, and the burden of always having confidence. We also reminisce on our time together at The BOX, the origins of Impulse junior dance team and coping with self doubt. Chavia shares his tips on preparing for an industry audition and hopes for change in the industry. We talk about donuts, Power Rangers, and Rick & Morty. We wrap up and talk about the best Haunted House in South Bay San Diego and share our love and eternal gratitude to Chavia for being a guiding light in our dance journey. In this episode, we explore: 00:25 Introduction 03:32 Let’s start at the very beginning 04:39 The origins of Impulse 09:07 Chavia’s experience dancing on competitive teams 09:47 Dancing on a team vs. Directing a team 11:33 Which came first, the chicken or the egg? 13:14 Having confidence is exhausting 14:59 The path to industry 15:41 Finding inspiration in Miss Jackson 17:38 Chavia and The BOX 20:34 Training as an industry dancer 21:42 Transitioning from Community to Industry 24:29 First industry audition (for Badgirl Rhi-Rhi) 29:06 Tips to prepare for an industry audition 32:13 Coping with self-doubt in an industry of confidence 35:15 Transition from dancing to acting 36:46 Chavia’s favorite gig and current projects 39:00 Changes in the industry, post pandemic 42:45 A day in the of Chavia Blankenship 43:53 Let’s talk donuts 48:56 Chavia’s obsession with Power Rangers 55:16 Rapid fire questions 57:24 Rick and Morty 1:00:00 The freedom of dance 1:01:24 What’s next for Chavia? 1:02:26 The Haunted House in South Bay SD 1:08:41 What’s good in the dance community? 1:10:43 Closing remarks This episode’s guest:
Music by Sam Stan - Das Boo - https://thmatc.co/?l=997FC418 Music by SkeetOnTheBeat - Late Night - https://thmatc.co/?l=E76B5749 The conversation continues over on Instagram and TikTok *Heads up for our listeners, this episode was recorded pre-pandemic* In this episode, we sit down with a highly accomplished dancer who has found the perfect balance between becoming a successful industry dancer and pouring back into the dance community. Juju, a true master in his craft, sits down with us for a virtual conversation about living in New York, being part of the Beyond Babel cast, and eating all of the colors of the rainbow. Juju shares his philosophy on dancers as athletes and we also discuss the loss of NBA legend: Kobe Bryant. Juju reminisces on his once in a lifetime experience performing in front of 60,000 screaming fans. We also talk about super powers, professional gaming and what’s good in the dance community. It’s an episode full of insight, reflection and inspiration. In this episode, we explore:
00:25 Introduction 02:39 How to stay focused 03:46 A Master in his craft 04:38 The loss of a legend, Kobe Bryant 08:27 Being part of the Beyond Babel cast 12:07 Living in New York 13:31 Preparing for Beyond Babel: A Physically demanding endeavor 18:34 A well-balanced diet: The rule of 5 colors 20:28 Platform Showcase: How to run a successful show from afar 23:16 Juju’s philosophy on dancers as athletes 26:47 E-Sports and Marketing 27:32 The K-Pop experience: Performing with BTS 31:43 Walking the line between Industry and Community dance 37:43 If Juju had a “quirk” (that’s anime for “superpower”) 40:54 Strategy gaming 43:15 Pursuing dance in a traditional Filipino household 46:04 Doubting dance as a profession and finding guidance in God 50:47 Rapid Fire Questions 52:22 What’s the best part of dance? 53:35 Juju’s generosity 55:15 Remember us when you’re famous 56:35 Not phased by the followers 59:01 Going back in time and giving advice to yourself 1:03:00 What’s good in the dance community? 1:05:00 Closing remarks This episode’s guest:
Special thanks to Jane Banares for creating our Co-Lab Podcast artwork! Music by Sam Stan - Das Boo - https://thmatc.co/?l=997FC418 Music by SkeetOnTheBeat - Late Night - https://thmatc.co/?l=E76B5749 The conversation continues over on Instagram and TikTok *Heads up for our listeners, this episode was recorded pre-pandemic* In this episode, we sit down with an icon in the making, Isidro Rafael. Isidro dedicated most of his life to sports, but later transitioned into dance. In his short 8 years of dance, Isidro has some significantly notable accomplishments on his dance resume and has spent more than 7,000 hours (and counting) perfecting his craft. We talk with Isidro about what it means to become a community icon, directing 220, his love for Selene, and meeting Keone Madrid. We also reflect back on Isidro’s first class at the BOX Dance studio, hear from a 220 dancer on the evolution of the team, and discuss Isidro’s concept on the “colors of dance”. Isidro reminds us to kiss our mom and dads and talks about his almost becoming “Chef Isidro”. It’s an episode full of deep insights, reflections and full-circle moments. In this episode, we explore:
00:25 Introduction 02:30 Sitting down with a Community Icon 03:09 Special Co-Host: Dylan Banares 03:25 A lesson in pronunciation 05:10 An Instagram Flashback 08:17 “How come I wasn’t in that piece”? 08:40 Directing 220 (Second to None) and using a different approach 14:07 220’s Director Trinity 15:18 Isidro’s self-evolution 19:43 #bestdayofmylife 22:13 Isidro & Selene: 5 years in the making 25:56 An evolving relationship with Keone Madrid: a true mentor 27:32 IsidroRafael1: An homage to Keone 28:57 Isidro means Intimidation 29:35 Isidro’s Master Class at The BOX 31:11 Some of Isidro’s mentors 32:37 The Colors of Dance 33:36 Finding inspiration abroad 35:09 220: From the perspective of a team member 40:16 Connecting the dots 40:41 Surrounding yourself with positive people 42:11 The origins of Meraki 44:03 A day in the life of Isidro Rafael 45:05 A professional dance career & traditional Filipino parents 49:21 Self doubt: Human Nature 52:19 Chef Isidro 55:45 Isidro’s obsession with Nike (“Yo Nike- Hit me up!”) 58:23 Rapid Fire Questions 1:00:25 What’s next for Isidro? 1:02:16 What’s good in the dance community? 1:04:42 Closing remarks This episode's guest:
Special thanks to Jane Banares for creating our Co-Lab Podcast artwork! Music by Sam Stan - Das Boo - https://thmatc.co/?l=997FC418 Music by SkeetOnTheBeat - Late Night - https://thmatc.co/?l=E76B5749 The conversation continues over on Instagram and TikTok |