The Real Future

My guest today is Shantel Ureña. Shantel is one of the first dancers I photographed and has experienced incredible growth during her 10 years in Los Angeles. As a dance artist, she’s choreographed her own stage pieces, created films, taught classes, and competed in the battle scene, all while expanding the range and foundation of her expre    ssive movement. We talked about her upbringing in Tampa...

My guest today is Hans Pierre. I met Hans at one of the legendary Battle Games, introducing myself after I saw him perform a headspin in exuberant fashion. After I met him, it confirmed my instincts that his infectious energy is   very much for real. Hans is not only a dancer, but an educator, the producer of Thesis Dance Festival, and in recent times has been the hardest working DJ in street danc...

My guest today is Madaline Riley . Like most people in the street dance community, I first knew her as Mad Linez, the angular mover who constantly challenged herself to integrate new foundations into her ever-evolving style. Over time I learned that Madaline is a multi-disciplinary artist who works in both visual arts and performance production. She creates and collaborates on works that blend cho...

My guest today is Keumsae Pae, one of the world’s best robot dancers. The robot style is not simply about imitating mechanical movement; rather, it embodies a philosophy of a robot trying to become human. This implies an emotional struggle, and Keumsae, with her subtle, detailed, movement,  creates narrative arcs that bring this struggle to the surface. She is, quite honestly, the rare dancer who...

My guest today is Darrel “Friidom” Dunn . Friidom is a dancer, and we’ll discuss how he got started in the Dallas-area krump scene.  Friidom is a choreographer, and he’s in his first year as a MFA candidate at The California Institute of the Arts. Friidom is a philosopher, and he’s innovated a movement philosophy he calls Epiic. Friidom is a producer - he has produced countless improvisational nar...

My guest today is Dustin Payne, aka DPayne. You might know him from SYTYCD15 where he made the Top 20, or from music videos with DaBaby, Kid Cudi, or Kurtis Blow. If you participate in the LA dance scene you DEFinitely know D Payne, and near the end of 2024 you might have seen him win the hip hop category of Versa-Style’s 18th LTMMY battle. CREDITS: Production, Writing, Concept, Design, Video, Aud...

Son Lam Nguyen happened to be in town just as I was launching this podcast, and I was lucky enough to be able to book him as my first guest! 0:00 - 2:00 Introduction 2:01-49:14 Conversation 49:15 Drum/Dance Improvisation  Son Lam came to Los Angeles in 2017 on the heels of winning So You Think You Can Dance Vietnam. His talent, commitment, and open personality have earned him a lot of love and res...