Austin Gutierrez - Jabbawockeez, Dougie & Smeeze 101 & Señorita Bread | It Can't Be That Bad Podcast

I feel like we've always had music in

us. Um I forgot where I've heard this

before, but um like when when we're in

our mother's wombs, like she has a

heartbeat

>> and like you hear the heartbeat and like

>> you probably hear the blood swishing

through her veins like

or like you know things happening in

there. I feel like music is ingrained in

our bodies.

>> You know what I mean? So like maybe

that's where our kind of um

not need but like wants for rhythm or

music kind of comes from like it's like

primal in a sense like that. That's kind

of what I've

>> I forgot where I heard it but that's

something I've thought about a lot.

>> I've never thought about it that way.

>> There must be something about like uh

white people wombs then that you don't

hear the blood flow as much. That's

crazy.

Cuz when they come out to the world,

they're just like, "What's rhythm?"

>> That's crazy.

>> No comment.

>> It can't be that bad. It can't be that

bad. Oh, it can't be that bad. Oh, it

can't be that bad. It can't be that bad.

>> Focus, focus, focus, focus, focus,

focus. No, you're good, dude. It's just

like I said, it's just conversation. I

I'll ask questions here and there. It's

>> okay. Okay. I'm just having

conversations. Just

>> just a conversation. It's just a

conversation.

>> Just a conversation, you know. Just

don't

>> When you get nervous, do you get cold or

you get hot?

>> Uh I feel cold now.

>> Really?

>> But I sweat a lot. But I think, you

know, I don't know.

>> It's uh right before you dance, do you

get cold or hot? Uh,

I guess if I had to pick, maybe maybe

hot.

>> Maybe hot. Okay.

>> But I'm not

>> And you just burn up more because you're

moving your body so much.

>> But I'm just also a sweaty person. So

>> really?

>> Yeah.

>> Where what are the areas in which you

sweat the most?

>> Uh,

definitely my head. Like I just like

just pores and then like

>> Yeah. And like my chest area.

>> Chest. Your chest gets sweaty.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But not your

pits or not your

>> I mean those two but like that's where I

notice it like when I dance it's like

and you the sweat starts to drip. It's

like mainly here

>> you know. Yeah.

>> Damn. And then how far into performing

do the nerves finally go away?

>> Uh honestly as soon as I get on stage

it's like oh okay

>> yeah it's fine. Like just the

anticipation leading up is always like

>> like [ __ ] [ __ ] [ __ ] [ __ ] [ __ ] I'm about

to be in front of people. They're going

to perceive me. And then like after that

it's like, "Oh, that wasn't bad,

>> dude." I mean, like cuz I connect with

that right before I I get on stage,

whether it's singing or like comedy

related, I'm freaking out,

>> but right when you get up there and like

you kind of It's like really just

getting up is the the hardest part.

>> Mhm.

>> Dude, it's uh You're so good. It makes

me so mad.

>> It makes me so mad, dude.

>> Thanks. I just don't understand because

I've for like the past 10 or 15 years

and having been with uh Melissa for like

12 years now and she's a dancer and

being like uh integrated into this dance

world and knowing who dancers are. I

can't fathom the way you guys move your

bodies. Like I when I try to dance,

>> the brain signals that go from my brain

to my limbs get lost in translation by

the time like cuz I could close my eyes

and I could see it. So, well,

>> yeah. Yeah.

>> How does it work for you?

>> I mean, honestly, it's kind of similar.

Like, I always can visualize dance.

Sometimes it doesn't come out the way I

want it to,

>> but um I think it's just a lot of

practice. Like,

>> I I think when I first started out, it

was the same. Like, I just like I see

all these dance moves. I hear the music

a certain way, but um it didn't start

coming out until like the way I wanted

it to

>> until like way later in my career, I

would say.

>> Wow. Why? Cuz like how old were you when

you first started?

>> Uh well, like when I first started being

interested in dance was like around 12,

like around ABDC time. Like

>> Gotcha.

>> I watched like Stomp the Yard and stuff.

So like all that stuff got me into it.

And my dad actually used to dance.

>> Really?

>> Like he was like a B boy in the '8s.

Wow.

>> And he would do like this move like this

like wave move and I was like

>> it didn't look real. So,

>> and now you could do that.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

>> You could do it really well. I know

exactly what you're talking about.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Better than him now.

>> Damn.

>> But yeah, him and and my cousin also

used to break dance and like he would

bring me around to his practices and

stuff. So, I started really being

interested in it super young. And then I

got like my mom put me in a dance team

when I was like 14, 13ish.

>> Yeah. So since then like

>> Wow, dude. And was your pickup really

fast or was it difficult for you at

first?

>> I couldn't walk in a straight line.

>> Really? Yeah.

>> What do you mean? That's not even

dancing.

>> Yeah. No, like those um we used to do

exercises in our dance team and my

friends would always tell me you're like

walking like crooked. So I wasn't

natural at all, but it's like I was just

so into it

>> that I just kept trying.

>> You got obsessed, huh?

>> Yeah. Yeah. I wasn't like But like I was

not natural at all. Like it took a lot

of like work to get where I'm at. Yeah.

>> And was it something that So, right when

you started, were you immediately

obsessed?

>> Yeah. Oh, yeah. For sure. Like I wanted

to like do all the kumos and like I just

wanted to be cool. I just thought

dancers look so cool.

>> Yeah, dude.

>> So, I just wanted to be cool, too.

>> I mean, that's exactly what it comes off

as because whenever I see dancers dance,

I'm like, "This is the coolest thing

I've ever seen in the world. I wish I

could do it." And there's this like

dancer language that only dancers know.

How you guys like look at each other uh

silly on the dance floor and just try

silly ass moves

>> where like a a normie like me wouldn't

be able to execute it in the same f I

could. Sure, I'm a silly guy, but like

there's something different that you

guys do when it's like something so

exaggerated that I'm like I wish I

could.

>> I don't know. I mean um cuz you're you

do so many different facets of dance,

dude. you do like um yeah you you you

battle, you freestyle, and you also do

coro. Of all three of those, which is

the one that you love the most?

>> Oh man. Um

I'm let me think

>> right now for me is battling. that's

like super fun and it's kind of like a

newer path for me right now

>> cuz like I've mainly done coro and that

was like the thing I first fell in love

with

>> coro and just like trying to look clean

and look the same and that's like um how

I just like really got deep into it. But

yeah, lately, maybe the past like five

years, it's been all freestyle because

it's just so free and like I could just

express me, you know, and it that's like

something I like about it.

>> I can't fathom uh how quick you could

come up with moves on the spot when

you're freestyling and to do it so

confidently. Like uh something that I've

learned is that execution and just being

confident in that move

>> can make something look so sloppy.

>> Mhm. uh could make something go from

looking sloppy to making something look

so clean.

>> Yeah,

>> dude. Austin, shout out to you. What I

if there's anything creative that I wish

I could do in a new life would be it

would be dancing.

>> Like um cuz now if you are if you

started when you were like 12ish, this

means you've been doing like 18ish

years, man.

>> Yeah. 18. Yeah. Going on like 20, I

think. Yeah.

>> Does it feel like it?

>> Yeah. Uh, no. Honestly, I feel better

than ever with it. Like now.

>> Wow. What is it? Why?

>> Um, well, one, I've been like focusing

more on like physical health.

>> Mhm.

>> Like before as when I was a young

dancer, it's like I would just use dance

as like my exercise,

>> you know? But like now that I'm older

and like my knees crack and stuff, you

know, I'm not as flexible.

>> Like working on my physical body has

been making dance a lot easier. Uh-huh.

>> So, I think like I feel strongest now as

opposed to like when I was younger.

>> The Did you ever have a six-pack?

>> No. No.

>> No. Even through all the dancing, the

thousands of calories.

>> Maybe at one point cuz there was a time

like when I was living in Vegas, I was

like performing like

>> 10 times a week. So, like I was probably

the most fit.

>> Like I guess I had a six-pack back then.

Um, but that was through like like

sweating and like just performing so

often.

>> Um, but no, no,

>> I mean living in the desert, you're

going to be sweating off anything you

eat and drink, right?

>> Oh, yeah. True. If you go outside

>> and you never went outside when you're

>> vacation, it's like all AC. You just

Thank goodness for AC.

>> Dude, welcome back to the Bay Area, by

the way. Thank you.

>> It's been about a year since you moved

back to Valo. Yeah.

>> Yeah. Last January.

>> Well, we missed you. I mean, do and you

were telling me downstairs that you as

much as you did like your time in Vegas,

you missed the Bay Area.

>> Oh, yeah.

>> What is it about the Bay that you

missed?

>> I mean, my whole family was here. Like,

when I moved to Vegas, I was like on my

own, you know, and it's just nice to be

around like my immediate family. Um, my

girlfriend lives out here, too, so we

were doing long distance while I was

there. So, like that's like another big

plus. And

>> really just the community. I didn't

realize how much of a community I had

here until I like left.

>> Yeah.

>> You know, so like coming back now, it's

really nice to like immerse myself and

like reconnect with old friends. Like

I've been like seeing a lot of old

friends. So it's been cool,

>> dude. Yeah, that's awesome. For the

listeners out there, uh Austin and I

have known of each other for about uh 13

years now.

>> Dude.

>> Yeah, dude. For a long ass time. And uh

what's funny is that even though we've

known each other for that long, we don't

really know each other, right? You you

knew my fiance cuz she was in the dance

world and I knew of you because we had

both performed at Six Flags

>> and everyone uh kept telling me that,

"Oh my gosh, you remind me so much of

Austin." And what do you think it is

that about us that people see the

connection with? I mean, honestly, when

I met you, I I see it. Like, I don't

know. Like, we're just We were talking

about it earlier, but like super smiley

Filipino guy.

>> Just happy to be here.

>> And I I mean, I think being creatives as

well, like I know you like to sing and

stuff. So, me dancing, it's like two

sides of the Filipino

>> guy coin. You know what I'm saying?

>> You're right. You're right.

>> So, I feel like we're just kind Maybe we

had like a similar upbringing or

>> dude. Yeah, we are covering the

stereotypes of Filipinos minus being a

nurse,

>> you know.

>> Well, we just have to wear scrubs and

then we're we're filling up the

stereotype.

>> Yeah, we need like a third one of us.

>> Yeah, dude. There's someone else that's

just a nurse.

>> Um what do you call it, dude? It's uh

you've been doing this for so long and

you left the Bay Area. Was it because of

the Jabockis?

>> Yeah.

>> What was that opportunity like? Like did

they How does that even work? They just

hit you up, they send you a mask in the

mail, and it's just like,

>> oh man. Well, uh, back before I moved, I

was dancing in a group, uh, dancing in a

group called Press Play. They're based

in Sacramento,

>> and one of the original members of Jaba

founded that group.

>> Wow. So, I was dancing with them with

the intention of eventually dancing with

the Jabawakis,

>> but as I was there, they were like

looking for a person and I guess my name

got thrown out there and like they hit

me up um and asked if I wanted to move

to Vegas and you have two weeks and I'm

like, "Okay, let's go."

>> It was that soon decision.

>> It was super quick. Yeah.

>> Uh-huh. And how old were you at that

time?

>> Uh 19.

>> Dude, that's the perfect time to be

offered that. It was 11 years ago that

you were offered that.

>> Yeah. Very blessed.

>> [ __ ]

>> Very super blessed. Yeah.

>> Oh my god. Because that's like on the

bucket list for so many dancers to be

able to have danced for such a

prestigious like uh crew, you know? I

mean, we all grew up watching ABCDC,

seeing Jabawakis on there. They got to

put like Filipinos on the map.

>> And it's uh And what like a genius idea

of just like if you throw everyone in

masks and gloves, like you could have uh

as many as you want. Oh yeah.

>> Throw them in multiple areas and then

that's just how it is.

>> Yeah. I mean that's pretty much how they

run it. Like it was when I was still

there like when I first started the OGs

like the original guys from ABDC were

still performing.

>> But as the years went on it's like it

just got passed on to us like the newer

generation of guys. So

>> Wow. Quick question. Do you know any

dancers with gout? Because there's so

many dancers that are Filipino.

>> Uh no. What is gout?

>> You don't know what gout is? I mean, I'm

not a nurse, so I don't I don't know.

>> Does no one in your family have gout?

>> I don't think so. Oh, maybe. No,

actually, maybe my grandparents did, but

>> that makes sense.

>> Yeah,

>> it's like a buildup of uh uric acid in

your joints and you get it from like

drinking too much alcohol or eating too

much red meat,

>> which is what Filipinos always do. And

>> that's like our two favorite things.

>> Yeah, exactly. So, I'm just curious if

like someone just gets gout like mid-

performance or mid flare and uh you just

have to deal with it.

>> Yeah, that sounds painful. But

>> like have you ever suffered an injury

from dance?

>> Um the most would be like uh I pulled a

muscle or something like I feel very

lucky to not have like broken anything.

Um, but I have had to perform injured

sometimes. Like my back was hurting one

time

>> on stage and like the in the middle of a

number.

>> No way.

>> And I was like, I have to keep going. So

like until I like got off. It was maybe

like a minute or like two minutes of

dancing and then I go backstage and I'm

like, yeah, I can't keep going.

>> Was this recently?

>> Uh, this was when I was still performing

in Vegas, but um

>> Okay. Okay. Are you suffering? Like do

you feel ailments of being older now?

Yeah.

>> Is it your knees mostly? You said

>> knees? My lower back.

>> Wow.

>> And it's like I'm just not a flexible

guy. Even though like I'm a dancer. Like

I'm just not the most flexible. And I

think that's my downfall right now.

>> Really? Cuz you seem like you're

flexible. You're doing all these jumps

and kicks and you would think that like

it's a prerequisite to be flexible to

dance. Well,

>> Mhm. I guess it depends on the style.

Like my style doesn't really call for

flexibility. Like it's like popping and

>> tutuing hip-hop. It's really like strong

staccato type movement.

>> So it doesn't I don't need to like

stretch super far like a ballet dancer

or anything. But

>> um that's why I was saying like physical

health and like focusing on like working

out and that's like kind of been my

thing like making sure I can keep

dancing, you know.

>> Wow. Were you tutting in high school?

>> Oh yeah.

>> Okay.

>> It's like the easiest style to practice

cuz you could just do it at your desk.

You could do

>> anywhere.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

>> And were you gliding to class? Uh, not

to I was super shy in high school, so I

didn't like to dance in front of people

like that back then.

>> Um, but I mean, no, I wouldn't.

>> Would you say because you're shy uh is

one of the reasons uh you joined dance

as a form of expression because you

didn't really express yourself uh

socially as a kid?

>> Oh, yeah. I I mean, it's the one thing

that like resonated. I wasn't like

naturally good, but um it's like just

the one thing I liked. I tried a bunch

of different stuff growing up, like

taekwond do and like I tried to learn

guitar and like it's the one thing I

like stuck with.

>> Wow, dude. It's so cool and it's so

impressive and I wish it was something

that was that I took up earlier on in

life cuz I get like so jealous like

seeing people like really [ __ ] do

some moves like on a casual dance floor.

Mhm.

>> It's uh I mean it's cool because all I

could really do is just the Filipino

chaa and that's about it.

>> Hey, that's I mean you're a dancer. Like

if you can do that, you're you're in my

opinion, you're a dancer.

>> Yeah. What what is the definition of a d

I'm like not a I cuz I can't do much

>> cory cuz whenever Melissa tries to teach

me an eight count, she just says, "Why

are you so heavy on your feet?" And I

tell her, "It's because I'm heavy.

That's why." Like I don't know how you

guys are so light on your feet cuz I've

seen you do some footwork that is nuts.

Mhm.

>> I don't know how you squeeze in that

many beats into like uh uh into like a

second, but it's crazy.

>> I mean, I don't I'm It's like at this

point, I don't even think about it.

>> Mhm.

>> It's like it's not very helpful, but

like it's just it just takes time. Like

if you wanted to like I would like the

heel toe, like things like that, I would

just sit there and just keep doing it

>> until I felt like I had it.

>> Oh, you did it while sitting down. just

you just kept going.

>> Oh, I not even said that like any moment

I can like I mean it I did it a lot like

in the dance studio because when you see

yourself it helps a lot like doing it in

front of a mirror.

>> There's mirrors everywhere, dude.

>> So like the more you practice in front

of a mirror like you can visually see

like oh it doesn't look right. So like I

just keep trying it until it like looks

correct

>> or like looks right to me, you know?

Mhm.

>> And you got it down to this point where

like

>> how does it feel that you've gone pretty

viral for just doing these like what I'm

sure you consider like silly videos cuz

you're just [ __ ] around. You're

making your own coro to like these uh

popping songs. For example, when

Kendrick dropped Not Like Us and at the

end with the outro it was like squabble,

right?

>> You were and you had this whole trend on

TikTok saying like day whatever until

Kendrick drops this song.

>> Mhm.

>> And that really started to pop off. What

did that feel like for you?

>> I mean, it was unexpected cuz like it

was just kind of like

>> I know that he's kind of known for like,

you know, having like snippets of songs

and like not dropping it. So, I just

thought it'd be funny um to just

>> dance to it every day like or even just

say that as a caption. Like I just did

it a few times and then I just started

seeing the traffic towards it.

>> So, I was like, "Okay, let me just do

this every day." Like, it's not hard.

It's like 15 seconds. Like,

>> and even when I did it the first few

times, like I didn't have the trend

figured out,

>> like I was just kind of freestyling to

it. And then there was one that people

started copying

>> and that's when you locked in on.

>> Yeah. And that was like the version I

was like, "Oh, okay. This is the one

that is like a dance trend, you know."

>> It's so cool because you started off

with this high jump and then it goes

into footwork. And that's one of those

examples of like when I close my eyes, I

could imagine my body doing it. But when

I've tried and I jump and I land, my

feet don't move. I just I just stay

stuck. So, dude, yeah, that [ __ ] like

popped off.

>> Yeah, it was kind of it was super

unexpected. Um I feel very lucky. Like

people just know me as like, "Oh, you're

that guy on TikTok. You're the Kendrick

guy." I'm like, "Yeah, that's me.

>> Yeah, here I am.

>> I'm the Kendrick." Do you get flattered

or do you wish they knew you more

specifically for other things?

>> I mean, I don't mind. Like it's nice

that like my art can reach so many

people. So it's like it it's cool. I

just think it's funny cuz like when it

did actually drop, people like thought

of me. Like some people messaged me

like, "Oh, I thought of you." Like this.

I'm like, "Bro, listen to the whole

thing." Like don't don't worry about me

>> because your caption on those uh videos

said uh day whatever until Kendrick

drops this song, he probably won't in

parenthesis.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

>> And then he finally did, dude.

>> Yeah. And then it became this whole like

like album and like all the disc stuff.

I was like, "Whoa, this is crazy."

>> Yeah. And and what's crazy is that

that's not even the only Kendrick thing

that you've danced to that went viral.

>> You have that whole um you and some

other dancers all up in your circus gear

>> dance to TV off.

>> Oh yeah. Yeah.

>> And that is another example of just like

how does the human body do that?

>> Uh practice.

>> Yeah. I know. I know the answer is

always going to be practice.

>> It's just like I don't cuz the move

where you go were you just

>> I had the high hats. Yeah.

>> Yeah. Well, even you doing that right

now, I feel like if I blink, I missed

like a few beats. You do it so fast.

>> Oh, thank you, man.

>> Um Yeah. So, that also went uh that also

popped off. Does that lead for dancers

when you pop off on social media? Is

that another window of opportunity for

for people to like offer you [ __ ] Oh

yeah, for sure. Like um

I I've seen like a Oh, sorry. A lot of

like dancers go viral and they'll

capitalize by like teaching workshops

after and like you could really like

take it far. Depends on like you as like

a dancer business entrepreneur. You know

what I'm saying? Like for me, I didn't

>> I did it mainly on like social media. I

was like working a job at the time, too.

So, I couldn't really go out and teach

workshops or like

>> really totally capitalize, but there's

definitely opportunity there if you can

take it, you know?

>> Yeah. And now you're doing the damn

thing. Now you get to do what you love

as work,

>> which is truly a big dream for any

creative all across the world, you know?

And so, I think it's just a really cool

example. And what's dope, dude, is that

all of my suspicions about you were

confirmed about you being such a dope

guy. You know, I was like, uh, you know,

we prefaced earlier on in today's

episode that people always said that,

"Oh, Christian, you remind me so much of

Austin." And what would break my heart

is if I met you and you were just not as

cool. And it' be like, this is what

people think of me. It's

>> like, oh, subdue.

Well, because I know without any

dropping without dropping any names, I

know that something as cool as the dance

world where you look suave and you and

you look cool and you are like dripped

out in fashion

>> that it comes with ego and that there's

some characters in the dance community

that are egotistical or will teach a

class that they charge hella money for

and don't even say what's up to the

dancers afterwards. That [ __ ] breaks my

heart, man. But you definitely seem like

the type that like you'll you'll teach

the class and then you'll go get some

boba with the people dancing afterwards.

>> Oh, yeah. I've done that. That's so

funny.

>> What are some uh typical dancer tropes

that dancers do?

>> H typical dancer tropes. Let me think. I

mean, there is the thing. I mean, this

doesn't seem exclusive to dancers, but

after dancers are done hanging out after

an event, we'll just be sticking around.

Like, we'll be like, "All right, see you

later." And then we'll just be chatting

with like another person for like

another two hours, like after getting

done with like a session at a battle

event or

>> That's cuz you guys are Filipino.

>> Yeah. I mean, family party.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We're like all

catching up like, "Oh, it's great to see

you. You killed it." Blah blah blah.

Like, "All right, later." And then

you'll still see them chatting with like

someone else. So, I feel like that's one

I would think.

>> Um, I feel like dancers are surprisingly

like loud people like

>> really

>> like I mean like I feel like when we're

dancing you're quiet cuz you're all like

>> focused on expressing through your body

body language, you know, your body's

talking and then as soon as you're done

like we're all like, "Oh, that like

we're all yelling or I don't know." Like

I get that vibe.

>> But you could also see it in uh Sorry to

interrupt. No, no, no.

>> You could also see it mid performance

because all the dancers watching the

dancers in the middle are screaming.

>> Yeah. Yeah.

>> Tell me one thing. Why do dancers throw

shoes at other dancers?

>> Honestly, I've always seen that and I

wasn't sure. I feel like it's because

maybe it's like a thing. is like, "Oh,

we're not worthy." Like, like here,

like, you know, like,

>> "Take my shoe."

>> Cuz they just like it used to be a thing

that like after a dance, like let's say

it's a dance class and the teacher is

doing their solo at the end

>> and um they like kill it per like

perform their coro that they taught and

everyone just throws their shoes at

them.

>> I feel like that's just a tradition of I

don't know where it comes from,

honestly.

>> And does it ever actually hit you?

>> Yeah. Yeah. You'll throw it at people

>> and you just keep dancing.

>> No, no, they they'll be done already.

Like they they'll be polite about it and

wait till they're done.

>> So it doesn't happen mid dance.

>> No. No.

>> Maybe. I'm sure it's happened, but Yeah,

>> dude. Cuz like what if someone's wearing

some Tims and throws a heavy ass Tim and

it hits me in the head while I'm trying

to like douge or glide, I would be so

thrown off.

>> Yeah. I mean, it's a compliment.

>> It is definitely a compliment cuz when I

first saw it, when Melissa was showing

me videos, I was just like, why? Why are

they doing that?

>> I mean, it's not logical. It's like it's

a almost like primal instinct to be like

I don't know what to do with myself like

here let me throw you a shoe and then

you have to like wobble back one in one

shoe back to your other shoe and kind

>> we're not cuz we're not worthy.

>> Wow. There's something about the dance

community that is just so supportive, so

free, so silly that

>> I wish to see in other communities. And

I think it has something to do with you

are so vulnerable up there and when you

let go that's kind of representative of

who you are as a person. If you're

willing to be vulnerable up there with

your body, do silly crazy moves.

>> Um then you are almost like building

friends and community immediately cuz

you guys are on the same page.

>> Like it's so cool, dude.

>> Yeah. I mean, I resonate with that

because I mean, even in the just

creative industry in general, like

dancers are kind of like at the bottom

of the totem pole. So, all we really

have Yeah, I think so. Like, we

typically get paid the least. Like

>> unlike jobs, it's like always about the

artist, you know, like like musicians or

even like Cirus Sole, like they have the

acrobats, they're kind of like the main

attraction and the dancers are kind of

like extra.

>> But, um, I feel like that's why we're so

supportive. It's like we have to like

have each other,

>> you know, in this world of like dance

and art and stuff. It's like that's all

we can really count on

>> cuz there's an ugly side of the industry

where it's not fair to you guys.

>> I didn't realize you guys were

underpaid. Because what I see is this

from the outside looking in. I see this

like glamorous lifestyle of just like oh

my god I know so many people that went

to Chap Kiss that moved to LA and now

they're like dancing with uh with Usher

on some roller skates or some [ __ ] like

that, you know, and I'm just like that's

dope. So, but I didn't realize that that

there was a darker side or that you guys

feel like you are at the bottom of the

creative totem pole.

>> Yeah. I mean, yeah, it's like what you

see online isn't always like I feel like

accurate. Like a lot of dancers I know

really hustle like a lot work like two

or three jobs like in order to like be

able to perform or maintain that

lifestyle.

>> Um but yeah, I mean it's

there's just so many dancers too like

and there's only so many jobs to hand

out. So it's like

>> is it something that floats in the back

of your mind that dancing being such a

physical sport that time to excel in

that is finite because we are aging.

>> Mhm.

>> How does and how do you cope with that?

>> Uh working out. No, I mean I I've

thought about this a lot actually cuz I

mean I'm fortunate enough to have like

had like a full dance career where

honestly I could retire tomorrow and

like I checked everything off my bucket

list.

>> But um

>> I think yeah like you definitely should

like try to pursue it while you have

those younger years. Like now that I'm

on jobs and stuff it's everyone's

younger, you know? everyone's like like

in their early 20s and like that's like

really a good prime like yeah as you get

older it's like athletes too like there

are like the

strong prime years I guess you could say

I feel like I don't even feel like I'm

there yet personally but I know like

>> it would be hard to see like a

50-year-old Filipino dude dancing on

stage with everyone but I mean it's

possible probably maybe

>> yeah I mean we there's

Wait you feel like you're not in your

there yet as in your prime prime. You're

not in your prime yet.

>> I I I I feel like no. Like I feel like

there's still so much to improve on, so

much to learn about. Like I only know

like I feel like I don't know

half of like there's just so much out

there. There's a lot of game out there.

>> There's so much dance different dance

styles. There's always new dance moves,

dance styles coming. So it's like I feel

like I'm always like learning or like

trying to keep up with what's next.

>> What dance style do you want to master

next?

>> Ooh, they're crumping.

Crumping is so dope. And there's like a

really cool crump community out here

that I've been meaning to like go meet

that I'm going to like go to. Like they

have like sessions here in like Oakland.

>> Um so that's like one. Um and turfing.

>> Wow.

>> Yeah. Turfing.

>> So you didn't really turf too much. That

was just something

>> uh cuz tutting is part of turfing,

right?

>> Yeah. I think it's like a newer It's

like one of like the new gen things

about turfing. like it started off more

as like I don't even know the history. I

don't want to speak on it. Like I do

want to learn from the because they're

still around like all the people who

kind of like started it and like there's

like a whole community around it.

>> Um so I can't really speak on the

origins of it but I know tutting and is

like kind of a newer aspect of it.

>> Wow. Okay. Gotcha. And so

>> t uh turfing crumping uh was bone

breaking part of turfing?

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. people who like

there's turfers who bone break as well.

>> That's so crazy that uh to excel in one

genre of dance, you have to learn how to

get so flexible to the point where your

shoulders almost misplaced.

>> Oh yeah,

>> that's nuts.

>> It does not look real. It's so crazy to

see. I don't even know how you practice

that. Like, how do you practice that?

>> I think you just keep stretching your

shoulder. You ask your homie to grab

your wrist and pull as hard as you can.

>> Yeah. Yeah. It's like, "All right,

perfect. Great. It's dislocated. So,

>> I am halfway there.

>> Um,

>> let's see.

>> Other dancing uh misconceptions about

dancers.

>> Okay.

>> What What are there uh do you do you

often get Do you hate it when people

just tell you to dance?

>> Oh, yeah.

>> Like, do something for me right now.

>> I feel like Yeah. When I tell people,

"Oh, I'm a dancer, professional dancer."

Well, one the first thing I I said I

said this earlier like the cafe I went

to. I told someone I was like, "Oh, I'm

a dancer." And the first thing they say

is, "Oh, you're a stripper."

>> What?

>> That's what they thought immediately.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Which is like It makes

sense. Like that's like

>> Oh, here in uh the Bay. I

>> I mean,

>> not in Vegas, right?

>> Well, in Vegas, I got that a lot more.

>> Okay.

>> But um out here I I'm just used to that

joke. Like that's just something um

people just immediately think of, I

guess.

>> Tripper. Really? Wow. That's crazy. Um,

what was your what you were saying?

>> Oh, yeah. Mis other misconceptions about

dancers.

>> Uh, I mean definitely the Oh, yeah. You

said um anytime I tell people that I

dance, they'll be like, "Oh, like show

me something like right now." I'm like,

"Right now?" Like

>> it's I don't know. I feel like that's

kind of awkward for me. I don't know

why. Like I I could dance, but there's

like no music. I'm not in like the

context of

>> time and place, dude.

>> Dance. Yeah. Yeah.

>> I can connect.

>> And like you got to like Where's the

money?

I'm not doing this for free, man.

>> I'm professional. No.

>> Yeah. I'm not working a 9 to5, so you

better pay up for now.

>> No, I'm kidding.

>> No, I connect to that because me being a

singer and if someone finds out I'm a

singer, they're just like, "Do it right

now."

>> And like I'll be at work at like my

corporate job and it's just like a bunch

of people looking at me. I'm like, "No

way. I'm not going to Why would I do

that?" And there's something that feels

so like uh

>> in my brain at least, it feels like so

egotistical. If I were to immediately

just say yes and like show, you know,

show off. Mhm.

>> But I feel like with dancers, you guys

can get away with that more often

because it's like it's expressive in

this sense where it's like community, I

feel.

>> Yeah. No, that's so true. Like um

anytime I go out dancing in a club and

stuff and like people see me do

something cool, like it just kind of

brings people together. Like I mean I

guess I wouldn't mind hitting a little

douge like in front of you if I had to.

If like if I had to

>> at gunpoint.

>> Yeah. Do it now. But um yeah like I I do

think there is like an aspect like dance

is very social I would say like it's a

social I think that's the origins of it.

It comes from like that social

environment like from clubs and like

parties like you know

>> if there's anything that I learned about

being with a dancer for as long as I

have been is to just stop giving a [ __ ]

>> that it's okay to look goofy

>> because I think when I first started uh

dating Melissa, I was just so robotic

and rigid and like just I guess afraid

to

>> to physically express myself. But after

being with her, I get it. I get it where

like you go there, you just want to be

silly with your friends. For example, I

went to this event in the city a few

weeks ago and uh I went to the emporium

in San Francisco and it's not really a

dance floor, but there was like a DJ

spinning and there was like open space

and I'd gone with uh someone that we

mutually know, Gio, the harpist.

>> Oh yeah.

>> Who she can dance like she could she

could hit a clean ass duggeie. She could

get real silly on the dance floor. and

being around that energy. Uh, me not

even being a dancer and like me just

like saying, "Oh, what? Let me just stop

giving a fuck." And just like dancing so

much [ __ ] fun, dude. I mean, I can't

hit it the same way you guys do, but

>> uh it's it's something that like I don't

know. I suggest people try out more

often.

>> Yeah. I mean, that's the beauty of

dance. It's like you don't have to be

like on the professional level level to

consider yourself a dancer. Like, if you

move your body to music, you're dancing.

You know what I mean?

There's no And like what's cool is like

>> at least for me anytime I see people

dancing no matter what level you could

be beginner you could like not know

anything like and it's just there's

something endearing about like seeing

people be vulnerable and just go for it

and like they feel the music so much

they're just having so much fun like you

know like I love that like that's like

what it's all about at the end of the

day you know

>> I feel like dancing silly at the club

with dancers and like just letting free

like what's analogous to that for

singing is like going to a karaoke room

with your friends and you don't have to

be good at singing to be able to have a

good time singing karaoke.

>> And so like once I kind of like put that

in my brain because there were

definitely even with what I said

>> uh of me getting more comfortable

dancing on the dance floor,

>> there were times where I would get in my

head just like, "Oh, but I'm dancing

with dancers. I don't like I don't want

to embarrass myself in front of a

professional, you know?"

>> Uhhuh. Uhhuh. So, I mean, I've gotten

out of that that space, though. Um, with

with dancing though, like what's what's

the main goal? What was the goal growing

up when you first got into this?

>> Um, I remember that was something I told

myself. Uh, after I got that job with

Six Flags, like doing the costume

characters and being able to perform and

dance, like even in like maybe not the

style I like, I was like, "Ooh, I just

only want to have jobs that are

dancing." M

>> like if I could do this. It's like maybe

I could just only that was like my first

job. So I was like I don't want a job

that's not dancing. So that's kind of

like what really that was like a dream I

had when I was younger that really

pushed me to where I am now.

>> Yeah. Oh, and for context for the

listeners out there that don't know,

when we did perform at Six Flags, we

didn't perform together. You had

performed the season prior to me as a

dancer and I joined right after you left

as a singer. So we just missed each

other. But yeah, so that started all

off.

>> Yeah. Yeah. That was kind of like the

point where I was like, "Oo, I can make

money out this. I can make this a

career."

>> So that's kind of like what pushed me to

like look for opportunities, dance for

different teams, and then eventually got

me to Vegas and now I dance with like

Cirus Sole.

>> Yeah.

>> And Yeah. It's funny though cuz like

that dream's kind of been changing

lately.

>> Like I'm like being more open to be like

if I need a day job like it's fine. Like

I really Yeah. Like I'm I think it's

like kind of more realistic. Like that

was kind of like a young dream

>> to have. But like being in like the real

world and like even now it's like the

Bay Area doesn't have the most dance

opportunities. Like I mainly had to

travel. So like in the meantime like

what am I doing with my time? Like I

have all this

>> I see

>> energy. I have like you know I'm

physically able like I I feel like I'm

more open to like other things.

>> Yeah. Would you say like having been

immersed in these dream jobs and like

dancing as work, has that made the

normal kind of life a little more

enticing? Like you wonder what it's

like?

>> Yeah. Honestly, yeah. Like I I'm very

grateful like I got to experience so

much. I've traveled the world doing this

stuff and um like you know people dream

like you said people dream of doing it

but yeah now it's like I wouldn't mind

like I've always dreamed of like working

at a coffee shop or like

>> being like my dad worked at Costco for

30 years like I feel like I have that in

me like maybe I could work at a grocery

store.

>> Good benefits.

>> Yeah, exactly. Dude, Costco has great

benefits.

>> Yeah, because like dance it's like hard.

like there's only like the top 10% who

really can make it like strictly off

dance, you know? It's very rare. So,

>> I feel like you've paved your way as,

>> you know, someone in the history books

as a Bay Area dancer for sure.

>> Does that ever strike your mind that

there are, like I told you, like there

have been multiple requests to have you

on this podcast and which is crazy

because I've known of you for so long.

Does it ever blow your mind that there

are people out there that you can't see

because you're posting videos on on uh

social media? Uh that there are people

looking up to you and like you're

inspiring other people to dance. Like

that shit's dope.

>> Oh yeah. It's a trip every time. Like

anyone any time someone comes up to me

and be like, "Oh, I seen your videos."

Or even if they mention the stuff

before, the Tik Tok viral virality viral

stuff.

>> Um it just always I don't know. It

really reassures me that everything I've

been doing up until this point meant

something like you know like if you're

like ever thinking about putting that

video out there just do it cuz you just

don't know who's watching out there.

Like we have these platforms. So um yeah

I just feel very grateful to like be on

people's minds when they think of dance

and like even like to consider myself a

Bay Area dancer like I feel like there's

still so much I can do here. Mhm.

>> Like I do want to build more community

here now that I'm back, you know? Like

I've always admired the Bay Area and

like the style of it and everything. We

have like a different way of dancing and

I've never really been in it

>> until the past couple years,

>> you know? I've been away so it's like

nice to Yeah. I feel like I I feel like

I'm still getting there, like getting my

name out there and like letting people

know who I am out here.

>> Yeah.

>> Wow. No, and it's uh it's beautiful that

you've come back and that there's I feel

like with uh with dancers and especi

especially with your skill level, like

they're going to welcome you back with

open arms. So, I'm excited to see what

you do while you're here for the next uh

however many years. Is this like a place

where you'd want to settle down?

>> Oh, yeah. I mean, yeah. If it's

possible. It's expensive, but it's

possible.

>> So, so [ __ ] expensive.

>> Yeah.

>> It's It's tough, dude. But and then but

and you were telling me that you have to

travel everywhere. Uh you have to go to

sack, you have to go to the city, you

have to cross the bridge multiple times

to teach classes.

>> Like um when when co hit,

>> what was that like for a dancer?

>> Wow. Okay. So um when I I was in Vegas

dancing with the Jabockis at the time

and

>> they had to downsize the company like

extremely. So there was only like maybe

14 of us left. I was fortunate enough to

keep working during that time.

>> Yeah.

>> But like even then like out of that the

whole company there was maybe like four

or five dancers.

>> Whoa.

>> Yeah. So we were like doing a lot of

like social media stuff and like just

like trying to do like you know adapt to

what was happening.

>> Yeah.

>> Um so I was lucky I kept working. It was

it was kind of crazy like

>> I mean you guys are already wearing

masks. You guys are masked up.

>> Yeah. Yeah. We're a little ahead of the

curve there. We're just like yeah we're

fine. I mean, we've just been breathing

in our own stuff anyway.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Um Yeah. So, I I was working

at the time. It was very different to

what like we typically did. Um but yeah,

like I mean I I was very very lucky to

like have that.

>> How long did you dance with them for?

>> Uh 10 years.

>> 10 years with the Jabawakis.

>> And um why did you leave if that's

something you're comfortable talking

about?

>> No, it's fine. There's I mean I think I

was doing it for so long that like I

just started feeling like I kind of want

to see what else is out there

>> you know like I feel like there I I mean

I learned so much like I would I

wouldn't be who I am today without that

experience

>> but I think as time went on I started to

>> see myself get stagnant

>> you know

>> and I mean it was very comfortable like

I had my own place like I I had pretty

much like a 9 to5 like I would perform

like weekly. I I mean I performed for

most of that time like five six days a

week.

>> Yeah.

>> So after a while it's like I feel like I

was losing that maybe passion for it. I

always tried to keep it alive like doing

my own thing. Yeah. And it became work.

So I think like towards the end I was

like seeking out other opportunities and

like trying to see what else is out

there and that's when I like audition

for CIRC and like found

>> like that as a new avenue you know

>> and I mean I've been wearing a mask too

for so long like I've always wanted to

be like even my family whenever they

would watch me perform it's like we

can't tell who you are. I would I was

going to ask that. I was going to say,

does it as dope as it is to dance for

the Jabawakis, does it strip away your

sense of individuality

>> because you look like everyone else?

>> Yeah. Oh, for sure. I mean, that was

kind of the goal with the mask. They

always kind of um

the uh idea was that it's like people

focus on the art.

>> Yeah.

>> Not the individual. Which I mean, I

really appreciated that. I feel like it

helped me stay humble and like

>> um just kind of kept me focused on the

craft, but I think um I don't know after

a while I was like I I kind of felt like

uh I would always tell people like I

feel like Peter Parker

>> like I can't tell tell people I'm

Spider-Man, but it's like they don't

realize like I just performed in front

of you. I'm like taking their picture in

front of like the theater and they don't

realize like I was literally like

hitting the dugge in front of you. So,

like there's like kind of like a

satisfaction in that for myself.

>> But now that I'm like older and like I

want to like build my own thing like I

feel like I would want to see what I can

do with this skill that I've built

>> like the community I can create or you

know so that's kind of like where I was

leaning to and that that's why I even

wanted to move back home and like

>> cultivate the community here.

>> Yeah. you know, like and like give back.

Like I've learned so much and I want to

share with like the next generation like

that.

>> Dude, that's dope because I know there's

a lot of people that want to gatekeep

their skills and don't want to once

again it's like it could be this whole

>> ego thing, right? Where they don't feel

like they need to give back to the

community because they're all about like

self

>> uh progression, which is fine, too, but

like the fact that you're doing both is

great.

>> Um, and what made you want to do uh the

CIRC audition? Well, I had friends um

who had done the show before. The show

is called TW the Night Before Christmas

or TW the Night Before

>> and it's based on like the um the poem

TW the Night Before Christmas and I had

friends doing it and the choreographer

for it is Ving Win from the Kindas.

>> So, um it it seemed like something I

could like do and resonate with. So, I

saw they were holding auditions in Vegas

and I was like, let me go for it.

>> Yeah.

>> And yeah, the rest was history. cuz I've

been doing that for like 2 years now.

And

>> And what part of your creative bucket

does that fill as opposed to the other

styles of dance you've been doing?

>> Um I mean honestly it's

it's very similar to what I do already.

Um it the coro is a lot maybe faster

like jab is like typically like kind of

slower maybe more smooth and swaggy and

this one's a lot more strong and

staccato

>> and I just think it's like it's really

good training for myself and I get to

show my face and you know like

>> and um we like wear makeup in the show

so it's like

>> the facial expressions and everything

like really come out more on stage.

>> Super theatrical.

>> Yeah, very theatrical. And it's funny

cuz I've been wearing a mask for so

long. Like that was kind of like a a

thing that I had to get used to again

was like showing my face and be like uh

like people would tell me I have like

this like thinking face when I'm

dancing. Like I'm just like it's like

bro relax. Yeah. Because facials are

important in dance, right?

>> That makes me think about like when

you're just masked up being a jabawagi

for 10 years.

>> It's kind of hard to remember that

that's part of it, right? Yeah. Like I

mean it happens naturally. Like anytime

we do meet and greets like I would be

posing for a picture and I would still

smile under there.

>> Uhhuh.

>> And like so there's things that happen

naturally but I think yeah like you kind

of uh forget about like that part of the

performance. Like like there would be

times where I'm performing and I'm just

like thinking about like okay what I'm

going to make for dinner. It's like oh I

got to go home and feed my cat. You

know,

like that's kind of like the like that's

like a a benefit to like wearing a mask.

You don't have to really you you can

like express anything on your face but

like still perform like

>> Yeah.

>> But like that's like a secret. Don't

people don't know about that.

>> Everyone's just thinking about their

laundry back behind the mask.

>> Dude, I got to do my laundry. Oh gosh.

>> Uhhuh. Wow. Dude, that's so funny.

>> Yeah. Yeah.

>> Um you said you wanted to build

something of your own in the future.

What does that look like? If you could

close your eyes and envision what Austin

is doing and like this is this is

everything that you wanted as a dancer,

what is that?

>> H I I'm still kind of in that phase of

figuring it out. Like I imagine it could

be something like having my own dance

space where I can host things like

classes, public or private, and like

events. Like I feel like just like those

are the kind of things that kind of like

build a strong community in the dance

world. I' I've seen like if dancers have

things to go to like it will just help

build the craft, build um you know buzz

around it I guess you could say.

>> Um but I mean I'm still figuring it out.

Like I don't know like I could imagine

like yeah just having like maybe a dance

space or like where I can like just have

control over like what we produce, what

we create, what you know

>> your own little dance dojo.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Little dance dojo. And like

I like Douggee.

>> All right Douggee go one.

>> That's 10 Duggies.

>> I'm like oh man

dude. No, I'm done.

>> Okay, for the people that don't know how

to douge, uh,

>> I'm dead.

>> What are the What's the secret to a good

duggeie?

>> I mean, that is so funny. That is

something that people like in a lot of

my private classes and things, that's

like the one thing I like to teach. It's

like my favorite thing.

>> Um,

I there's like multiple factors. So,

there's the feet. Like, you have to have

the timing. This is what helps you stay

with the timing of the song. Yeah. And I

think like having like there's like a

secret to it. I like to call like the

there's like a body roll in it

>> and it's not like very obvious when you

see it, but like if you break let's say

the douge is like this complete thing

and you take apart the Lego pieces of

it. Like you can break down every

aspect. So there's like the shoulders

like they go back and forth.

>> There's like the chest that like rolls

and then the feet and then you add and

then the little sauce is like whatever

you want to do with your hands. Yeah.

>> So, there's like many even like as

simple as the douge, like there's just

so many aspects you could focus on like

>> with just that one move.

>> How do you know when to repeat the step?

You know how like you do it?

>> Oh, like the sing I I call it um in my

classes it's like the single single

double double

>> like single single double double animal

style.

>> Yeah. Yeah. I say it every time. We're

going to single single double double

animal style. But like you just it's all

like timing. Like you could say one,

two, double, you know, like single,

single, double, double. So,

>> and but that's like more like creative

uh expression, you know what I mean?

Like the very basic you could just go

back and forth, you know,

>> but um that's more of like a creative

choice, I would say. If you want to go

double, you could go triple, quadruple,

like however,

>> just keep going on your left foot. Yeah.

Yeah. Yeah,

>> dude. I didn't. I mean, that's the cool

thing about the Douggee is that it is

very uniform in the sense that the steps

are basic.

>> Yeah.

>> But the sauce, it's about the sauce that

makes it different.

>> And I've seen so many different douge.

And I try so hard. There's this

>> I got this story about like me trying to

practice uh the douge by myself

downstairs cuz Melissa had just given me

like her version of her master class.

But since I'm just once again the brain

signals from my brain to my limbs lost

in translation by the time it gets

there.

>> I'm practicing by myself in front of

like the reflection of the my backyard

window and she is she is at work, right?

And I was just like this is a safe space

for me to mess up without her making fun

of me

>> around. Right.

our so we have like a security camera

like a blink camera and it was kind of

turned facing the reflection.

>> Okay.

>> And she recorded me and was just making

not making fun of me but laughing at

like how much I was really trying to

learn how to duggey by myself.

>> That's Here's another thing. What makes

a good sneeze?

>> Oh man. I mean

that is so fun. I love that we're just

talking. Like these are like the two

moves that I do the most. That's that's

my emotes. Like I spam these emotes. My

even my family is like, "Bro, do some

new moves."

But this me I have trouble even teaching

that one. Like that one's like I had it

took me a long time to do it good. Like

I remember I did it in a performance

once with my old crew oneup and watching

it back. It's like crazy how it just

didn't look like what it looks like now.

like it it looks so crazy but

>> it's evolved.

>> Yeah, it's evolved. And I think um I

don't know what makes a good sneeze

there. It has to have a good bounce.

>> Like I think the bounce is like really

important and that timing of it. Um

and I don't know like

yeah I I would say the bounce is the

most important I would say.

>> What's a different kind of sauces you

could add to a good SME?

>> Um probably soy

uh sesame. Chick-fil-A. Chick-fil-A.

Polynesian. No. Um I don't know. Like

you could like play with the arms.

People like to shake.

>> Yeah, dude. I see the shake. That one's

crazy.

>> Yeah. I mean, there it's really any It's

almost like the toppings on ice cream.

Like you have like the vanilla scoop is

the sme and then you could just put nuts

on it. You could put fudge on it, you

know?

>> Wow.

>> Sprinkles. Like it really That's like

what I like about dance. It's like

>> you can make it yours. Like there's no

right way to do it technically like you

know what I mean

>> and a lot of it is confidence.

>> Mhm.

>> Did you notice that when you started

dancing that you became more confident?

>> Yeah. Oh yeah for sure. Like I was like

like I said I was like super shy as a

kid and it wasn't even until like

recently I feel very com even like this

doing something like this

>> like I wouldn't be talking or like I I

don't know like I I do feel nervous but

>> yeah like as the years went on and like

I realized how much work I've put into

my craft. It's like that kind of like

imposttor syndrome started to like

disappear a little more

>> and I'm like okay I've actually done

stuff.

>> Yeah. You've earned this.

>> Yeah. I know what I'm doing. So, like

now it's like I can confidently speak on

like certain things like the douge and

like things like that, but um I mean

even then there's still so much I can

learn and I wouldn't speak on like

turfing for example like what we talked

about. So uh yeah, I mean I think it

just takes time practice.

>> Yeah, dude. It's something that they say

it takes 10,000 hours which I don't know

the math in how many days

>> or how many months or years that

>> I can only count to eight. So

Oh, by the time you get to your your

third finger,

>> eight counts is 10,000 hours.

>> Yeah, dude.

>> Do the math.

>> No, I'm playing,

>> dude. The eight count. Like, how many

eight counts do you think you've counted

in your life?

>> I don't even know. I didn't even It's

funny cuz there's like a whole thing

with dancers. Maybe this could be one of

those like uh thing about dancers is

like there's people who don't count and

there's people who do. Mhm.

>> There's people who just do the sounds

like boom tat skiing

bop boom boom pow. And then there's

people who can do one and a two, three

and a four, you know, like. So I think

it just depends on the person. Like for

me, I didn't get confident counting

maybe like

>> until like five, six years ago

>> until I realized oh like oh it's just

the timing with the music.

>> Why prior to that were you the person

that went botto?

>> Yeah. Yeah. like all the sound effects.

Skitty bot giddy got bop bop bean bop.

Yeah. Like that was me. And then now

it's like especially with teaching I

think it's

it's not like the most important thing

but if you can count I feel like you can

translate the dance to a broader scope

of people. It helps because you know

where to place it because I used to do I

used to do band and drum line. So when

Melissa's trying to teach me like an

eight count I'm like oh it's on the and

four that I do that.

>> Yes.

>> Oh. Oh, this is just a 16th note. Like

one and a two and you know, I'm just

like I get it.

>> Wait, 16?

>> I know.

>> I thought there was only eight.

>> There's only eight. What are you saying?

Um, yeah, dude. So, like I like that

there's so many connections of the

musicality in dance that I've found some

sort of like common ground language to

communicate with dancers to make it make

sense in my brain.

>> I still haven't gotten to the point

where it looks good in the mirror. Mhm.

>> If there's anything that I'm confident

in doing, it's the Milly Rock.

>> Oh, yeah. I love the Milly Rock.

>> Oh, dude, this movie is crazy.

I ain't never done that.

>> Yeah, that that I mean, I've seen people

do. It's so funny cuz I did it once in a

video and people were grilling me in the

comments saying like, "He Milly Rock

with two arms. You can't Milly rock with

It's like, bro, you can do whatever the

freak you want." Like, but yeah, like

that's just like a little That's like

maybe my sauce I like to use, too.

>> That's cool. That looked great. Wait, I

might have to try that.

>> Yeah, try it. We'll do it later.

>> We'll do it after this. No.

>> Um, how about the woe? How long does the

woe stay in the air before you catch it?

>> Uh,

I mean, okay. So, the trajectory of the

woe has to be a 45° angle and then like

once you throw it, the arc of it is the

sign of the tangent sign. The coign

>> and then you get cosigned by like an OG

of the dance. No, I'm sorry. Uh, like I

said, there's no right. You could like

throw it like and it's like short. Like

there I used to do this one where I

would throw it and then like I would

just fake it out and just like

>> not catch it.

>> Oh, and everyone was expecting it.

>> Yeah. And then you do it later and then

just like

>> dang, dude. Another dance move that I

have trouble uh computing in my brain

>> is uh the jerk.

>> Oh yeah. Wait. Okay. So the jerk as in

like the jerk

>> that.

>> Okay. Yeah. Cuz like I could compute the

the the the backwards skip

>> the reject. Yes,

>> I could compute that. But the

>> according to my calculations that that

worked for me,

>> but this part I tried doing it at the

club and Melissa and Juliet both looked

at me like, "THE [ __ ] IS HE DOING? WHY

DOES IT LOOK like scissors?"

>> Hey, there's no wrong way. No, no, I'm

joking. You know what's so funny? I

think like with all these dances that

we're talking about like the most basic

of it is the bounce

>> really like like this is like a hip-hop

dance fundamental like having a bounce

cuz there's different ways to bounce

depending on the move like uh the jerk

has like a up bounce

>> so there's like a up bounce maybe the uh

the smee is like down

>> you know what I mean so like the

direction of your bounce can like change

the dance like just like a simple thing

as changing that direction like

completely changes the dance.

>> Wow.

>> Yeah,

>> dude.

>> So like that's like the scientific like

breakdown of those, you know?

>> I never thought about it that way.

>> Yeah. So like let's say you want to

jerk.

>> It almost has like a out to it as well,

but like essentially you're going up

with it. So like next time you do it

like try to bounce up every time you

like open. You know what I mean?

>> You're such a good teacher. This makes

sense, dude. for like my fetal dance

brain. You're making it make so much

sense. I don't know if I can execute it,

but once again, I'm computing it.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Save it

for later. Save to my heart. And we're

good to go.

>> Okay.

>> Um, what else? What are other popular

dance moves out the Bay Area?

>> Out of the Bay Area. Um, let me think

with my brain. Um,

>> brain blast.

>> Brain blast. Um, out of the Bay Area.

Let's see. I mean, there's I like one

I'm like super into that like I can't

get over is like the heel toe.

>> I don't know where originally it comes

from.

>> Yeah.

>> But um I mean that's a fun one. Like I

remember like Seawalk videos like I

don't know if you ever like done one

when you were younger, but like those

where it's just the feet like you just

see the feet and like

>> like that's like a dance style that I

like.

>> So cool.

>> Um what else?

Man, it's like now that I'm on the spot,

it's like uh what are all my moves?

Um I don't I love light feet. I mean,

this is more like dance styles. Like I

can't think of like specific dance

moves. Yeah.

>> But like light feet is one that comes

out of New York and like it's like super

fun. Like

>> what is light feet? What is that?

>> Light feet.

>> Or just having light feet.

>> No, no, it's like it's like li feet.

>> Oh, okay.

>> So it's like it's kind of like it's a

style that comes out of New York. It's

like a newer gener I mean it's been

around for a while now but like it's

like a newer generation of like hip-hop

dance like I mean all these styles like

jerking even like turfing crumping it's

all kind of like derivatives of like

hip-hop dance like they're just branches

of the same family tree. So like live

feet's one that's like really fun and

like that's where like kind of the

Harlem shake

>> it's like in that not like the do the

Harlem shake but like

>> yeah with the shoulders.

>> That one's tough. I don't understand how

that works.

>> No, that one took me a long time to

figure out too. And I mean I've never

learned from like a real like New York

lighty dancer. I just a lot of the stuff

I learned is selftaught. Like I just

watch it on YouTube and like even with

like turfing or sme everything. It's

like you kind of just I taught it

myself.

>> Wow. you know,

>> was there a moment where you realized,

damn, I'm pretty good at this?

>> Um,

I mean, I think once like I started

getting hired to work, I'm like, okay,

like this is like something like I've

it's like, dang, that was pretty good.

Or, you know what I mean? Like,

>> post Six Flags.

>> Uh, yeah. I feel like that like cuz I

was still like learning and growing

during that time, like figuring out my

voice as an artist.

I think once I left even like while I

was in Vegas like

>> the confidence kind of built over time I

I can't think of like this is when I

knew

>> um I just think like I just found myself

one day like whoa like

>> I have all this skill you know like it's

kind of crazy like all that time paid

off like yeah you don't think about it

in the moment or like sometimes I think

like where's this going to go like but

now it's like oh wow like I can like

>> I'm doing it you know

>> was there a specific specific

performance that you hold near and dear

to your heart.

>> Specific performance

>> like one where like I don't know it

could just one like where it's just like

it means so much to you regardless of

like if it is it the piece is it like

the people that were there or is it just

like the

>> the the the gravity of what's happening

you know

>> I could think of a few. So like maybe

when I was younger like before I moved

to Vegas I was in a crew a crew called

OneUp Crew

>> and it was like a small crew. There was

only six of us.

>> You, Hollis, who else is it?

>> Hollis, Tariq.

>> Uhhuh.

>> X, Alton, Brandon.

>> Yeah. Alton, and Brandon. I already

>> So, um, I did I It's my one and only

performance with them and I like

reference it. I watch it like every year

at least once

>> and it's like one of my favorite

performances just because like

>> creating it was so much fun.

>> Like I feel like that's what like all

these dance crews felt when they like

made dances together. Like we would be

like at the studio super late just like

joking around, [ __ ] around. Like

that's where even why I like love the

Douggee. Me and Tariq did like a Douggee

battle one time like where we were just

doing the Douggee, but like that's like

I I just hold that time very dear. And

like we're I feel like we're also pretty

cool to this day. Like I we don't always

see each other, but you know, like I'm

still connected with a lot of these

guys. So

>> like that's like one of my like personal

favorite performances. Um, and then like

being able to perform in front of my

family. I feel like just being able to

make them proud even though they

couldn't see my face for some of these

performances. Like the fact that they

came and knew I was there and

>> they went to Vegas to see you perform.

>> Yeah, they've done it like I think

they've seen me maybe once or twice

during that whole time. Um, but yeah,

that that meant a lot to me, too.

>> Wow, dude. Yeah, there's something

different when the closest people in

your life watch you do the thing you

love the most in the world. something so

emotional about that kind of support

because it feels great to get

>> the gratification and validation from

strangers whether it be from social

media or like the thousands of people

you've performed in front of. But when

you see those familiar faces that you

grew up with that have supported you in

this dream like all the way up until

like where you're doing it now, that is

some irreplaceable [ __ ]

>> Oh yeah. It's funny cuz um my mom told

me one time like this was back when I

was watching ABCDC. I told her like I

want to do that one day. Like I want to

be a jab walking one day and like you

know like it's like a passing like oh

yeah like yeah that's so sweet honey

like okay do your homework now. Um but

like she told me like you told me that

one time and now like you are doing that

like and it made me think like wo that's

so crazy you don't realize like even

them they probably didn't realize how

much impact they had on the world like

doing that stuff. So like us as artists

like you just don't realize how much of

an impact you can have like you could

change people's lives and

>> yeah so I'm very yeah I mean I'm happy

that my family got to see that and like

they were around for it all and

supported it. I think having that

support system really helped a lot. I'm

very lucky. Not many people have parents

who support like artistic careers or

anything like that.

>> To this degree, especially, and I've

talked about this before, but if you

grew up in a Asian, specifically a

Filipino household, there are a few

occupations that you that your parents

want to olly you up to be, right?

>> Yeah. Like a nurse,

>> nurse, doctor, lawyer, something in like

biotech.

>> My brother was like he graduated like

engineering. Like he was an engineer.

>> My brother's an engineer, too. Oh wow.

>> So like we have the same brother.

>> Yeah. No, actually it's funny. He

graduated engineer but totally like

>> um like took a left turn and like now he

sells vintage clothing.

>> What?

>> Yeah. And I actually work for him.

>> Oh, that's what um Let's talk about

that. It's a Jug. What is it?

>> Jug Plus Goods.

>> Jug Plus Goods here in Valo.

>> In Valo. Yeah. He has like a warehouse

now. So he started it out. Well, I

remember I went with him to his first

event in UC San Diego. He was he was

going to school at the time. he like

started selling clothes and um it was

like just a market at at school

>> and like we had one rack and now he has

like a warehouse in Valo where he does

work with different clients from like

all over the world. Like he sells um his

biggest clients are typically like

Japanese thrift store owners.

>> Wow.

>> So he like sells to these Japanese

thrift store owners. They bring it back

to Japan and like sell his clothing like

that he finds. Yeah. It's crazy. So,

it's like I like to just joke around

like you're just changing the fashion

over there. Like he's like

>> that's so cool.

>> Yeah. It's like a And but it's cool cuz

he's like super like

>> down low about it. It's not like open to

the public. It's like appointment only.

>> Mhm.

>> So that's like kind of like how he likes

to run his business. But it's cool. Like

since I've been back, that's like

another thing why I wanted to move back.

I wanted to help him

>> cuz it's like I've been working for this

big company for so long and like my

brother, my own family like has this

small business. like I would love to

give my energy and help him

>> build his business up and not like he's

doing really well so I'm like

>> grateful and like he's my boss so it's

kind of it's kind of funny

>> you'll tell me what to do but like I

don't mind like like I said like I we

were talking earlier too like I do kind

of like yearn for like the normal life.

It's cool to just have like a normal job

even though it's like still not normal.

It's it's fun. Yeah.

>> It's something outside of what you've

only known throughout your entire life

which is dance. So, it's kind of nice to

have that contrast sometimes. If

anything, it makes you appreciate dance

more, right?

>> Oh, yeah. Yeah, for sure. I'm like,

"Wow, I don't have to do this. Like, I'm

choosing to do it." Like, some people

have to.

>> Oh my gosh. Yeah. The power of choice is

something we forget about pretty often.

And it's something that you get you

choose to do, bro.

>> And um uh what I was going to bring up

obviously like you, uh are into fashion.

I mean, you were one of the first people

that I was that I saw rock some

Sketchers like do it. Wow,

>> that's crazy. That's so funny. I

remember those.

>> The One Piece One Piece Sketchers.

>> Exactly. And I was just like, "Whoa,

he's pulling off Sketchers. I can't pull

off Sketchers."

>> You don't know that.

>> You got to pull off Healy's next.

>> Heelies? Oh, dude. Yeah. I They make

adultsiz Healies. It's

>> I've done the research.

>> You know, I never had them as a kid.

>> Same.

>> Yeah. Okay, cool, cool, cool.

>> Yeah. I've always would look at the

floors of Costco and be like, "You know

what' be nice?

>> Some Healies."

>> Yeah. If mom bought me some Healy's,

dude.

>> I'm not going to lie though, me and

wheeled objects don't mix. Like I can't

skate. Like anytime I get on a

skateboard, I bust my ass. So

>> that's so crazy.

>> Yeah. I'm not very coordinated when it

comes to like wheels, you know?

>> But everywhere else you're coordinated.

>> Yeah.

>> Like your the act you're actual person,

you're coordinated like foot to ground.

you know where you're stepping, how

you're doing it.

>> For sure. Yeah. Yeah.

>> But once you add any sort of whe

like bikes like bikes I get control like

there's more control there.

>> But yeah, like cuz there's handles like

it's like more of my body is like

activated. But like just the board like

I don't know I become like you know like

a deer like or like a deer on like ice

or something like

>> where the skinny legs kind of trying to

balance.

>> Yeah.

>> I'm like I'm the same way cuz I'm really

good at uh or I'm really bad at

skateboarding.

>> Okay.

>> The furthest I could go is from my

driveway down. And that's if I have the

courage to do that.

>> Yeah. Yeah. With all the equipment you

got to have everything on like

>> shoulder pads, knee pads, helmet just

cuz I know I'm going to fall.

>> Yeah. Yeah. That's funny.

>> Do you know how to ollie? Have you ever

ollied before?

>> I don't think so. I've always tried and

like Yeah, I just can't. I'm not I'm not

a skater. I just Yeah, I think they're

so cool, but I can't.

>> So cool. There should be some skateboard

coro. Can you imagine like three people

doing a super clean kick flip in the

same fashion?

>> Probably in Japan.

>> No, I'm joking.

>> They have it. Did you used to do

kandama?

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

>> Yeah. I I feel like that's part of your

brand.

>> Yeah. Yeah, I used to do that like um

back when it was like super trendy. I

actually uh there's this guy Dave Mateo.

RIP Dave Mateo, but he

>> actually worked with Jaba and like

>> Oh, he's the guy. Is he the creator?

>> Not creator, but he kind of like

revolutionized it and like kind of added

dance cuz he was a dancer.

>> Like he break dance and stuff and like

he's just super cool dude. He had like

dreads and like but he would do these

like kandama edits where like he would

like finish with like a little dance

spin or something. And um that inspired

me a lot.

>> Wow.

>> To do it and like I got to work with him

like he was in Vegas doing it

>> for the job walk is like performing it.

>> Oh dude, you've got to perform like who

are some like these big dogs in the

industry that you've gotten to meet

because of these dance opportunities.

>> Man, so many like it it's kind of wild.

Like one of my favorites I got to

perform and like work with very closely

is Tony Tran.

>> I don't know if you remember him. He's

from Caba Modern.

>> Yeah. the thingy. The finger thingy.

Yeah. See,

you can dance, bro. Hell no. Don't tell

me I could Don't tell me I could dance,

man.

>> You got dance? No. Anyway. Yeah. Like I

Yeah, I got to work with him and like

picking his brain on dance. It's so It

was like

>> I felt like a kid. Like I was like,

"This guy's my hero and like he's we're

right here like all right 5, six, seven,

eight, like right next to each other,

you know?" Um that's so cool.

>> He was one. Um I've got to work with

like La Beniga before. He's like another

like big choreographer that's masked up

with us.

>> Um trying to think who else.

>> That's so cool. So sometimes you get

like little cameos, but they don't even

know that that's the person behind the

mask.

>> Yeah. Yeah. It It's rare, but like at

least Tony, he left for a while, but

then came back.

>> So like now he's with them and like um

performs regularly and stuff and creates

for them a lot.

>> Okay.

>> Um but yeah, the other people, yeah, you

just never know who's under there. like

we've had some like maybe some of your

favorite dancers you just don't know.

>> Wow, dude. That's so cool. You've

accomplished a lot in this life, man.

>> Mhm.

>> Um, let's see. If there was one dance

move that and only one dance move that

you could take with you into the

afterlife, what would it be?

>> I mean, I'm sure like Jesus would like

to see a doggy. I'm not playing. Um,

yeah. I mean, h I guess I feel like it's

a I feel like I'm known for that for

some reason. Like that's just kind of

like it's like like I said it's my

emote. I do it. I spam it.

>> It's your stem.

>> Yeah. Yeah. And it's funny like um

there's this thing with B boys are

called power moves, right? Like so like

a head spin or like a flare or whatever

like anything with like

>> big um

no pun intended flare or like you know

very dynamic

>> and like gets the crowd like woo you

know. I feel like dancers who are on

their feet have power grooves. So like

grooves like the douge, the sme. It's

like it's a powerful thing that like

engages the audience. Yeah.

>> You know, like it really brings people

together and has the same power as like

a headspin in a way. Like, you know,

>> I do notice that when I'm watching some

uh coro videos and people going nuts, or

even if it's a freestyle, it's usually

like when it goes from something super

intricate to something very small and

groovy when everyone's just like, "Oh

shit."

>> It's almost like what I like to say,

what what I think about that, it's like

the contrast. People like contrast like

you go from big crazy fast and then just

slow it down like to something. It's

like so I uh eye-catching.

>> You're dude, I've I have this not

theory, but like I've it's it's with

everything. Life is let me This is my

hypothesis.

>> Um it's life is all about conflict and

resolution.

>> Whether it's music, whether it's work,

whether it's dance. with music in a in a

four chord song, by the time you get to

the third chord, we're waiting for that

uh resolving chord.

>> Or if it's jazz and something crazy,

we're waiting for the resolve.

>> Yeah.

>> If it's at work, the only reason why we

have to work is because there's a

conflict. There's supply and demand. The

society needs this. They need people to

make it. We made it. Resolution with

dance. When it gets to this moment where

like the moves are so big, so flashy,

and the musicality is is like every

syllable, and then it just goes into

this nice little groove that feels like

the resolution to the conflict.

>> Oh yeah. Like that's it's so funny how

dance like it just transcends life. Like

dance is just dance is just life, bro.

>> Like you just

>> No, I'm kid. Like No, that's so true.

that philosophy just like applies to so

many different like it's just what life

is ups and downs you know

>> dude it and it's a universal language

since the dawn of time

>> people have been dancing

>> what do you think came first singing or

dancing

>> I think singing

>> because I think as a dancer we love

music so much we have to move our bodies

>> you know like of course you could

probably have dance before music But I

think you can't have dance without

music.

>> You know what I'm saying?

>> I might think it might be the other way

around.

>> Really?

>> I feel like dance came first because

imagine caveman next to a crackling fire

and the crackle is a perfect eight

count.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Okay.

>> And then maybe there's a caveman Ukbar.

>> Ukbar is like Yeah.

Bro, you know what's so funny? I've

talked about this with my friend. I

think humans have always been the same.

>> What do you mean? Like there's probably

cavemen who just sit around like us just

think about life and they're just like

that'd be funny if you

>> like, you know, imagine monkeys if they

had a fire and like you know

>> Yeah.

>> Like I don't think I think humans have

always been the same.

>> Wow. They've always grunted at each

other in a comedic fashion. They've

always built chemistry.

>> We like they probably all laughed at

farts.

>> They did.

>> Yeah. Like imagine hearing the first

fart or something like

and then they do it through like you

know

>> like Yeah. So anyway, like side tangent,

but yeah.

>> No, that is so You have a point. When

was the first fart? And did they laugh

at it? Did

>> did someone hear the first fart? You

know, if you fart in the middle of a

forest, does it make a No. Okay.

>> What were we talking about? Does it make

a sound?

>> I don't even know, dude. I think Yeah.

If there was one

>> Oh, the fire and then the dancing. You

said you say dance comes before music.

>> Dance came before Yeah. music or

singing.

>> Okay.

>> Because they didn't have instruments,

but they had their bodies.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Fair. Fair. Unless I also

have this other theory, this other

hypothesis um where uh uh one caveman

like had dropped a rock on his foot and

like he grunted and it was so beautiful.

He was just like

>> he was like oh my gosh

whoa

>> they're like do that again

>> one more time and they dropped another

rock on his other foot

>> with vibrto and everything. He's going

like this.

>> And then as he was singing, another

caveman was just like, "Wait a minute. I

feel like my limbs moving."

>> Yeah. Do that again.

>> That's so funny,

>> dude. That's hilarious.

>> Yeah.

>> I guess we'll never know. I mean,

>> maybe it's just, you know, there's

another thing that I've I feel like

we've always had music in us. Um I

forgot where I've heard this before, but

um like when when we're in our mother's

wombs, like she has a heartbeat

>> and like you hear the heartbeat and like

you probably hear the blood swishing

through her veins like

or like you know things happening in

there. I feel like music is ingrained in

our bodies,

>> you know what I mean? So like maybe

that's where our kind of um

not need but like wants for rhythm or

music kind of comes from like it's like

primal in a sense like that that's kind

of what I've

>> I forgot where I heard it but that's

something I've thought about a lot.

>> I've never thought about it that way.

>> Dude, that's so crazy because Yeah. Even

like when you put your finger to your

pulsters like that you you feel that

BPM.

>> Mhm.

>> Uh even when like you lay your head

against someone's chest, you hear the

>> d. Even when you give CPR, you like

>> stay

Yeah. Like it's like, you know, I mean,

>> you're right, dude. There must be

something about like uh white people

wombs then that you don't hear the blood

flow as much.

>> That's crazy.

Cuz when they come out to the world,

they're just like, "What's rhythm?"

That's crazy.

>> No comment.

Maybe it's like they didn't season. I

don't dude

>> that's crazy.

>> Just eating bland chicken while

>> like their blood just doesn't like flow

like No, that's

>> Well, you know, I speak from experience

cuz when I was singing at Six Flags

>> and they would try to clap.

>> They're clapping on one and three and

not two and four.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

>> Now, if there's one way to really out

yourself as someone that doesn't

understand like rhythm or like

>> that's it's when you clap on one and

three.

>> Mhm.

>> Yeah.

>> How do you tell someone when they're

clapping on one and three to change it

to two and four?

>> I have no clue. Like

>> just clap louder than them.

>> Yeah. Like like just look at them like

bro.

I don't know. I mean I I'm just always

around dancers. Like it's like I don't

know. I don't I I've never had that

problem.

>> You don't have that issue?

>> Not really. And no, actually I've seen

audience members like clapping off beat

and like you just kind of let them.

>> You just Yeah. You can't clap at them.

>> Really control. It's like I'm just sorry

you you hear it that way.

>> Can you imagine stopping your choreo

just to get them on it?

>> All right, everyone. Repeat after me.

>> Um dude, because uh I grew up with it

because I went to Benicia.

>> Okay. And that's about it. That's all I

have to say, dude. That's all I have to

That's all I have to say.

>> So funny. Shout out Benia.

>> Shout out Benisha. The talented for many

other things, but not clapping on two

and four.

>> Hey, there are the Williams brothers. I

used to dance. Do you know that?

>> Yeah. They come from Venicia.

>> They

>> shout out.

>> They were like, you know, the the saving

grace of Venicia.

>> They're the the hope the

>> dude. And there's so many of them. I

didn't realize dancing was genetic like

that.

>> Oh, yeah. There's they have another

brother that doesn't really dance. He

used to, though. Uh-huh.

>> And he used to be Well, yeah, they Man,

they're It's so funny just um growing up

with those guys and seeing where they're

at now. I'm just very happy for their

journey.

>> Yeah, dude. They really popped off. And

so like that's incredible. So like Yeah.

Gage, uh Keenag

Tag

>> Rab.

>> Rab the What's the sister's name?

>> Uh Remy.

>> Remy.

>> Look at that. What do we name? Five

dancers already.

>> Yeah.

>> That's crazy. And they're all so good.

>> I remember.

>> I'm so tall.

>> So tall, dude.

>> Be tall. I remember I did a talent show

with them at Benishia with Keen and

>> maybe it was Tag. No, Keen and Gage.

>> Oh, nice.

>> Keen and Gage had done something at uh

the Benanishia talent show and I I

remember that was the first time I'd

seen them dance and I was just like

these guys

>> make me so mad.

>> Yeah.

>> So good. I I agree. Like when when I

joined Chapas um they were like in it

already

>> and like those guys inspired me like bro

I need to get better. Like I want to

dance with them. like you know like I

was telling you when I first started I

couldn't walk in a straight line. They

were like the guys telling meow

>> but not like but

talent like it pushes you to be like it

pushed me to really like I want to be on

their level. I want to dance next to

them and

>> you have to be around people that are

not only as good as you but better than

you if you want to excel.

>> Otherwise you're just going to feel like

a big fish in a small pond

>> and you have to throw yourself into the

[ __ ] ocean to be able to grow. Right.

M for sure.

>> Damn, dude.

>> That conflict and resolution like the

contrast. You need to have that like

>> need that contrast, man. Wow. Austin,

this has been so much fun, dude.

>> Oh, yeah. I didn't realize we started

>> and hit record right now. Uh, dude, that

>> is funny.

>> Uh, do you know how these episodes end?

>> No.

>> I have a background in comedy improv.

>> Okay.

>> So, I do an improv scene with my guests.

>> Okay, sure.

>> Uh, before that, I'm going to take a

starbread break. Do you want to eat a

star bread with me?

>> Sure. Shout out star bread. Shout out

Starbread. Thank you for bringing this.

>> Valo staple.

>> Did it start off in Valo? Starbread.

>> I like to tell people that, but don't

quote me on it.

>> But it Yeah, I know. Yeah, this is just

how I know Valo. So,

>> it is so good. If this is Cheers to you,

brother.

>> Um,

oh my god.

If this makes me feel like when my HP is

low

>> and you want to replenish your health

baring,

>> did you play a lot of games growing up?

>> Oh, yeah.

>> I I used to

>> Sorry, mom, but like I could only play

video games on the weekends.

>> Mhm.

>> I would like hide under my sheets and

like pull out the Game Boy and play like

>> You snuck it out.

>> Was it really Pokemon? Mo mostly

Pokemon.

>> Pokemon. Are you playing video games

recently or you don't have the time for

it?

>> Oh yeah. What are you playing?

>> I've kind of got in touch with gaming

again, but um I play a lot of rogue

likes.

>> So you're playing like 2. I I finished

Hades one and then Hades 2 was so good

too.

>> That's what I hear.

>> And then um Slay the Spire. I'm super

obsessed with it. Like I played it

before and then I saw Moist Critical

play it.

>> I was like let me hop back on it. And

>> is that a streamer?

>> Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Moist Critical

Charlie. You you ever heard? I don't

watch

>> Penguin Zero.

>> I know Penguin Zero. Yeah.

>> Yeah, that's him.

>> Oh,

>> yeah. He's He has many names. I don't

know why.

>> Oh my gosh.

>> Yeah, I know Penguin Zero. I I mean, I

don't watch too many streamers cuz I

just play I just play the game.

>> Yeah.

>> Yeah, it's so funny. Yeah, I I normally

just watch people play.

>> Uhhuh. But now you're like playing

again.

>> Yeah, at least that game. Like I'm super

into that.

>> They say uh Melissa just got a PS5 and a

PC and she said this beautiful thing

about it. She says that like playing

video games after taking a long break of

being an adult

>> it heals your inner child.

>> Yes.

>> It heals and like we we grow up maybe in

our 20s feeling this guilt of playing

video games.

>> But if you position the thought in this

way where it's like therapeutic and like

it reminds you of your innocence,

>> then it's a beautiful thing.

>> Mhm.

>> So yeah, shout out to video games, dude.

>> Yeah, video games.

>> What are you playing on? PC?

>> Uh PS5?

>> I play on my iPad.

>> You're playing on iPad. that adult

>> in Roblox and Roblox. Minecraft.

>> No, no, I have a PS5,

>> but I'm not on it that much. I'm like a

Switch guy. Like, I like playing Switch.

>> Trying to get the new Pokemon. That's

what I want to get.

>> Ooh, yeah. Wait, which one is it?

>> It's uh not Scarlet. Scarlet and V or Z.

Yeah. Yeah.

>> Yeah, that one looks fun.

>> Yeah, it looks cool.

>> Um, okay. So, we're going to do an

improphy. The way that this works is

that it could be based off of anything

and everything that we talked about in

today's episode or it could be based off

of nothing at all. Do you want to start

it? You want me to start it?

>> You start.