WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:01:43.000 Foreign. Welcome to dance, my friend. That was sharp. Welcome to dance. Who says that? All right, my friend. Welcome to Dance Plus. This is Dana. Today, the plus in Dance plus is Dance plus lifelong friendship. Today, I'm joined by the one and only Nick Drago, who happens to be words that move me. Podcast guest number one. Nick Draco was my guest before I decided to really commit to doing a podcast. It was my audition episode. We call it episode 0.5. You can go listen to that episode right now, and I suggest that you do, because so much has changed, and so much is exactly the same as it was 270 some episodes ago. So I'm stoked that Nick came back, graced us with his presence, his humor, and his physique you're about to see in this episode. Ow. Now I'm injured. Nick and I talk about a lot of many things. Our favorite gigs, our favorite people, our favorite gym techniques and supplements. So you don't want to miss this episode. Please don't go anywhere. But first, we're doing wins. Today I am celebrating being an associate choreographer for the first time in a long time and loving the freedom that that affords, loving the challenge of working in a new team, loving the music and the work itself, and loving my friend, Will Loftus. I cannot wa tell you more about this some later time, but for now, you go tell me what's going well in your world. 2 00:01:43.000 --> 00:01:44.000 Great. 3 00:01:43.000 --> 00:02:36.000 Good job. Great job. Actually. Proud of you. So glad that you're winning. Let's get into this episode, shall we? Nick Drago, podcast guest number one, Longtime friend. At least top ten. I mean, no offense, Nick Drago, but, like, Jillian and Megan have got to be in there in the top. So you're not one or two, Nick, but you are 0.5. Enjoy this conversation with the one and only Nick Drago. Welcome to the podcast, Nick Drago. We're back. We. For a second, as we were setting up, we were toying with finding our. Finding our angles and finding our looks. And then Nick coached me through the actual way, the actual pose of a bicep flex. Could you tell us tell the good people what we're doing wrong with our flex? 4 00:02:36.000 --> 00:02:39.000 Yeah. My friend Ally is a fitness posing coach. 5 00:02:39.000 --> 00:02:46.000 Wow. First of all, what you did with your chest just now, when you sat up straight, you were like, I saw your whole self buff. 6 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:47.000 Okay. 7 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:48.000 And then. Okay, back to you. 8 00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:50.000 So you don't want to bring it all the way in because it shortens 9 00:02:50.000 --> 00:02:53.000 everything, which is exactly what I did when I was trying to show you my Bicep, but you. 10 00:02:53.000 --> 00:02:57.000 But it still looks good. But then when you bring it out so, you know, it kind of creates that space. 11 00:02:57.000 --> 00:03:00.000 That space between bicep and elbow pit. 12 00:03:00.000 --> 00:03:01.000 Yeah. Yeah. An elbow pit. 13 00:03:01.000 --> 00:03:02.000 Yeah. 14 00:03:01.000 --> 00:03:02.000 Oh, that's what it's called. 15 00:03:02.000 --> 00:03:03.000 It is. It must be. 16 00:03:03.000 --> 00:03:09.000 I'm. And I'm probably not even pitching it. Right. She's probably gonna watch this and be like, that is wrong. But, you know, there's a whole art to it. 17 00:03:09.000 --> 00:03:15.000 Right. It's felt right. I want to know all of the posing secrets that bodybuilders have. 18 00:03:15.000 --> 00:03:17.000 Well, okay. 19 00:03:17.000 --> 00:03:18.000 Now we're really in it. 20 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:19.000 Okay. 21 00:03:19.000 --> 00:04:09.000 Okay. So here's what the good people of America don't know about you, Nick Drago, is that you're my first podcast guest ever. Nick holds the coveted spot of episode 05. This was the audition episode where I was finding out if I could even do this, and I was like, you know who would be a great audition episode is somebody that I enjoy talking to, somebody that also could talk unsolicited on their own for a long time. You made it very easy for me, and you might have even given me a little false confidence that I could really do this. But then it turned out I can actually do this, and I have been doing this for 270 some episodes since then. 22 00:04:09.000 --> 00:04:10.000 Oh, it's incredible. 23 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:11.000 Is incredible. 24 00:04:11.000 --> 00:04:18.000 But I also knew, like, you're. You're kind of the queen of banter. Like, anytime I'm in a conversation with you, I don't ever worry that, like, oh, it's gonna get awkward. 25 00:04:18.000 --> 00:04:22.000 It's not gonna fall flat. Well, it is gonna get awkward for sure. Awkward. It's not gonna fall flat. 26 00:04:22.000 --> 00:04:28.000 Yeah, but we're not. Neither of us are gonna be like, I don't know what to say next, because we're like, we're on that. Yes. And Tip. You know what I'm saying that. 27 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:29.000 Yes. 28 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:44.000 And I think you've done a great job because, you know, I think a lot of people. We get scared as artists, I think. And this is something that I wanted to talk to you about, is that, like, a lot of us, you know, we'll go, I have that. And a lot of people have the. I can't focus either because you're so cute. Tiny. 29 00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:45.000 Come. 30 00:04:45.000 --> 00:04:52.000 Because the imposter syndrome. Right. We think I'm going to try something new, and then what? What's going to happen if it sucks? 31 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:53.000 Yes. 32 00:04:52.000 --> 00:04:55.000 And the fact of the matter is, sometimes it does suck. 33 00:04:55.000 --> 00:04:56.000 Sometimes it does. 34 00:04:56.000 --> 00:04:57.000 Yeah. 35 00:04:56.000 --> 00:04:57.000 Enter learning. 36 00:04:57.000 --> 00:04:58.000 Interlearning. 37 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:00.000 Enter sucking less. 38 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:01.000 Right. 39 00:05:00.000 --> 00:05:02.000 Enter eventually becoming good at a thing. 40 00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:11.000 Yes. And you did it in. That's. That's all you can do, is just try to do stuff. And now that I'm back in la, I'm like, I'm just gonna do stuff. That's my mantra now. Yeah, just do stuff. 41 00:05:11.000 --> 00:05:15.000 Just do stuff. Yeah. Not just do it, but just do stuff. 42 00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:16.000 Just do stuff. 43 00:05:16.000 --> 00:05:18.000 Any variety of stuff. What kind of stuff you doing these days? 44 00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:24.000 Oh, just like all kinds of stuff I'm doing. I'm in, you know, I'm doing fitness stuff. 45 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:25.000 Yeah, you are. 46 00:05:25.000 --> 00:05:29.000 I'm writing. Writing with Scott Hislop and Mike Riccio. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 47 00:05:29.000 --> 00:05:30.000 And Mike. 48 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:34.000 And Mike Reach. He's back, baby. So back. 49 00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:35.000 So glad to hear this. 50 00:05:35.000 --> 00:05:40.000 Yeah, man. And I'm acting. I got an acting manager. I'm like, I'm training, I'm filming, I'm shooting stuff. 51 00:05:40.000 --> 00:05:41.000 I'm bunch of stuff. 52 00:05:41.000 --> 00:05:43.000 I say yes to everything. I go see shows. 53 00:05:43.000 --> 00:05:44.000 Yep. 54 00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:45.000 I didn't do that before you came 55 00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:46.000 and saw the Seaweed sister show. 56 00:05:46.000 --> 00:05:49.000 Oh, you know why I'm wearing the shirt, right? 57 00:05:49.000 --> 00:05:50.000 What? 58 00:05:50.000 --> 00:05:53.000 Cuz blue. 59 00:05:53.000 --> 00:05:56.000 Nick, you're really showing up for team blue. 60 00:05:56.000 --> 00:05:58.000 Team blue. Even though you're real mean. 61 00:05:58.000 --> 00:06:05.000 You know? You know, it's funny. I was super mean to Green and that's not cool. But it just. Because I as a middle was trying to assert my power. 62 00:06:05.000 --> 00:06:06.000 Yeah. 63 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:09.000 And I can only do that when pink isn't there. Because pink has the power. 64 00:06:09.000 --> 00:06:15.000 Right. And also pink didn't. Yeah. But Pink, I feel like she should have done something about this. 65 00:06:15.000 --> 00:06:16.000 She. 66 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:17.000 She know. Yeah, she knows. 67 00:06:17.000 --> 00:06:21.000 Yeah, that is fully true. Which knows a lot, but usually is wrong. 68 00:06:21.000 --> 00:06:22.000 She knows a lot. 69 00:06:22.000 --> 00:06:23.000 She's wrong a lot also. 70 00:06:23.000 --> 00:06:26.000 Well, that's. That's what I like about the dynamic of it. And I think the show. 71 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:35.000 None of us know anything except for green. Ironically, Green knows a lot. Green is always. Green's finger is firmly on the pulse of what is going on, which is 72 00:06:35.000 --> 00:06:36.000 perhaps why she's most sensitive. 73 00:06:36.000 --> 00:06:37.000 100. 74 00:06:37.000 --> 00:06:49.000 So that's what I loved about the show is that I thought there was texture, there's layers. I especially. I always love watching you perform. I always love watching you for all. All you guys together have great chemistry. But you know, we've been on set together. 75 00:06:49.000 --> 00:06:50.000 Yes. 76 00:06:50.000 --> 00:06:51.000 Three times. We've done movies. I looked this up. 77 00:06:51.000 --> 00:06:52.000 What movies have we done? 78 00:06:52.000 --> 00:07:00.000 We've done oh La La Land, Vice and Yo, Valley Girl. 79 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:02.000 God bless Valley Girl. 80 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:03.000 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 81 00:07:03.000 --> 00:07:05.000 Yo. That was a tough. That was tough. 82 00:07:05.000 --> 00:07:06.000 That was a tough one. 83 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:20.000 It was A tough one. Mandy crushed it. But the. But the odds were stacked against that project, unfortunately. I think when you're remaking a thing that's as coveted as Valley Girl, the original Valley Girl, Nicholas Cage. 84 00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:25.000 Absolutely. And you know. And I think so. Those three films are all completely different. 85 00:07:25.000 --> 00:07:27.000 Totally. That's true. And so we are pretty versatile a 86 00:07:27.000 --> 00:07:29.000 lot, you and I. Yeah, 100%. 87 00:07:29.000 --> 00:07:30.000 Is it a lot if there's only two? 88 00:07:30.000 --> 00:07:31.000 Heyo. 89 00:07:31.000 --> 00:07:32.000 Pretty versatile duo. 90 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:34.000 I say we are. I like that. 91 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:35.000 Yeah. 92 00:07:34.000 --> 00:07:47.000 Yeah. And I think that that's the. I think that that's the most important thing that I want to just highlight is that, like, we. The two of us are different dancers, but we all. We adjust to what comes up. Right. 93 00:07:47.000 --> 00:07:48.000 The needs of the gig. 94 00:07:48.000 --> 00:08:04.000 Needs of the gig. It's the nuance. And that's one thing I noticed you did in the show is like. I noticed a lot of your nuanced characterizations. I was like, oh, that was dope. That was a great choice because we know that you know this. We know that it is not the choreography, it is the story. That's it. 95 00:08:04.000 --> 00:08:10.000 That's interesting you should say that, Nick, because story was not in the room with us when we made this show. 96 00:08:10.000 --> 00:08:11.000 Oh, interesting. 97 00:08:11.000 --> 00:08:57.000 Yeah. We deliberately chose against a narrative linear structure when building the show because we weren't sure what it would become or where it would go. And we wanted it to be kind of modular in that we could lift sections out and they could be freestanding and totally make sense. Like, we could take out the smoothie section. We could do tickle trunks somewhere. We could do a funny bit with the fridge. We could just do the last three numbers of the show and it wouldn't feel like it needed explaining. So we don't have a beginning, middle, end, but the bits conflict, setting, but our characters are clear. And so if you put clear characters in any circumstance, it kind of Story happens. Story happens. Even though story wasn't our North Star. 98 00:08:57.000 --> 00:09:00.000 Well, but also your. The bits all had beginning, middle and end. 99 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:01.000 That's true. 100 00:09:00.000 --> 00:09:10.000 So, you know, because that's, you know, that's how it naturally. How it works. And I think that you guys really achieved that. And it's also, like, fun. Like, I'm a kind of guy that's like. I'm also looking at the audience too, because. 101 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:11.000 What did you learn from the audience? 102 00:09:11.000 --> 00:09:19.000 Oh, I just. I loved it. I saw, like, grown men, like, geeky. Yeah. Like, looking like crazy idiots. And it was. Which is the point, right? Like, to be, like. 103 00:09:19.000 --> 00:09:22.000 To make grown men idiots. Yes. That was it. That was our North Star. 104 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:36.000 Right. And I. And look, I'm not judging anybody. I watch pro wrestling, so I have to suspend my disbelief quite a bit as well. So. I love stuff like this because it's. It's for everyone. And I like that it was clean. I liked it. There wasn't like, yeah, these easy, cheap jokes. 105 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:37.000 Well, except for the fart section. Well. 106 00:09:37.000 --> 00:09:44.000 But yeah, you know, throw one in there. You know, it was like six minutes long. 107 00:09:44.000 --> 00:10:11.000 We, you know, it's funny. Farts specifically. We. Yeah, we didn't want to do a lot of low hanging fruit stuff, but we also, you know, we can't ignore what's funny and what's human. And even though we. We have positioned the Seaweed sisters as something other than human, we definitely position ourselves as being relatable. So if. If you don't think farts are funny, I don't. I can't relate. 108 00:10:11.000 --> 00:10:25.000 Right. Yeah, well, exactly. And. Well, and also, I mean, your character, I think, really lended itself to, like, the big sister that's like, take my shoe off for me. I'm gonna do it. You know, that kind of thing. I think there's. Since there's three of you, everybody can kind of relate to one of us 109 00:10:25.000 --> 00:10:26.000 at any given moment. 110 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:30.000 Yeah, yeah, yeah. And we've all had friendships like that, too. 111 00:10:30.000 --> 00:10:50.000 Somebody told us they were like, you made a show about friendship and your friendship is so exposed in it. So vulnerable. To do that to. To show people your friendship and your creative work together. Ship. Whoa. Yeah, it is. That was a brave. It was a. It was a brave. Brave that we did. 112 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:53.000 Well, dude, 100. And also, it is hard to put a show together. 113 00:10:53.000 --> 00:10:54.000 That part. 114 00:10:54.000 --> 00:11:01.000 It's easy to, like, armchair quarterback it on Monday or Monday morning quarterback and be like, this could happen. This should happen. But like, dude, try to put a show together. 115 00:11:01.000 --> 00:11:38.000 Go for it. Go. Yeah, go for it. Go. Take on 80 minutes in the role of directors, co producers and choreographers and the talent. That was an epic lift. Thank you for acknowledging that. I do. It was. It's hard to make anything. It's hard to make an Instagram reel that has the right caption at the right moment and the right. You know, it's hard to make stuff. It's not cheap to make stuff. I'm very proud that we did it and I'm very grateful to have people like you in the audience and champions like you like, cheering us on, on from every step of the way. You've been. 116 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:39.000 Oh, yeah. 117 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:40.000 You've been fans of the three of us. And I'm very. 118 00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:47.000 Oh, my gosh. Well, it's my pleasure. I mean, like. Well, I mean, look, I've d you. You're an incredible dancer, incredible performer. And when. When I. Oh, stop, stop. 119 00:11:47.000 --> 00:11:48.000 Keep going. 120 00:11:48.000 --> 00:12:03.000 Yeah, keep going. But, you know, when I. When I'm on set and I get to look over and I see a Dana Wilson, I see a Tracy Phillips, I see a Scott Hislop, I'm like, dude, I can't believe that I'm here. These are my friends. Like, my friends are so. I have the most talented friends on earth. 121 00:12:03.000 --> 00:12:04.000 Feel the same, dude. 122 00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:17.000 Doesn't it make you just emotional? Like, I get emotional when I look around, and I'm like, these are my people. What? Yeah, like my. And when we did La La Land, like, Carol Connors, the woman who taught everyone how to use style, like, she is dancing next to me. 123 00:12:17.000 --> 00:12:18.000 Cool. 124 00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:19.000 What? 125 00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:19.000 What? 126 00:12:19.000 --> 00:12:20.000 Dude, it's not real. 127 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:36.000 Okay, so first of all, we've kind of abandoned the format of Words that Move Me episodes because you haven't introduced yourself. So I introduce yourself. Tell the listener, viewer, what you want us to know about you. And then I want to hear a couple other, like, career defining moments that you've had on set. Being like, what is this? My life with. 128 00:12:36.000 --> 00:12:37.000 Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, what's up, everybody? 129 00:12:37.000 --> 00:12:38.000 Hi. 130 00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:39.000 This camera. 131 00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:39.000 Sure. 132 00:12:39.000 --> 00:12:40.000 Okay. 133 00:12:39.000 --> 00:12:44.000 All right. And flex while you do it. 134 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:45.000 These are my profiles. 135 00:12:45.000 --> 00:12:49.000 These are my interior deltoids. 136 00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:56.000 Okay, what's up, everybody? My name is Nick Drago. I'm a dancer, and I'm a writer. I'm a producer, and I'm a doer of stuff. 137 00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:59.000 Doer of stuff. Stuff. Doer of stuff. Doer. 138 00:12:59.000 --> 00:13:01.000 Yeah. And what. What is the other question? What do I need to do? 139 00:13:01.000 --> 00:13:04.000 Just what. What you want people to know about you getting into this conversation? 140 00:13:04.000 --> 00:13:26.000 Oh, man. Well, I've just. I've been a dancer my entire career. I' lucky enough to not have, like, a real job ever. You know, I think being on television and being in film is, like, kind of a dream that I always had. And it's a dream that's still going, and I can't. I just can't believe it. You know, I love telling stories. I love training. I love, like, appreciating the moment. 141 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:27.000 Yeah. 142 00:13:27.000 --> 00:13:45.000 You know, and that's the kind of performer I am. I've never been the kind of guy. It's like I could do, like, five pirouettes, and I can jump the high. I mean, I can jump, I can turn, I can do all that. So Anyway, so, yeah, so I don't know. I've worked in television and film my entire career and, you know, some of the things that, you know, we talked about. La La Land. I was most notably Theodore and Alvin and the Chipmunks in the first one. 143 00:13:45.000 --> 00:13:46.000 That's correct. 144 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:50.000 Just his dance moves. And then worked a lot of Glee. 145 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:51.000 Yeah. 146 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:58.000 I've worked with, you know, My Chemical Romance. I did the, the video. I just watched Tracy's episode and I was in that, which was awesome. 147 00:13:58.000 --> 00:14:00.000 I need to rewatch that immediately. 148 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:03.000 You'll see my. My sideburns, my chops. 149 00:14:03.000 --> 00:14:08.000 How many of the gigs that you have done were also Michael Rooney gigs? 150 00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:09.000 Many. 151 00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:09.000 Many. 152 00:14:09.000 --> 00:14:10.000 Right. 153 00:14:09.000 --> 00:14:11.000 You're kind of a Michael Rooney. 154 00:14:11.000 --> 00:14:12.000 I was a Michael Rooney guy. 155 00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:16.000 Is that who you would say is the person you've worked for the most? Maybe Mandy. Huh? 156 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:19.000 Yeah, Mandy, Michael and. And Cat Burns now. 157 00:14:19.000 --> 00:14:20.000 Nice. 158 00:14:19.000 --> 00:14:20.000 Yeah, those are kind of my. 159 00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:22.000 Oh, that's a nice. That trifecta. 160 00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:36.000 Dude. Dude, I. Anytime I get to work with any of them, I'm just, I am in absolute awe. And you know, and Rooney's interesting because his approach to creation, he'll. I remember being in rehearsals, it was for the pilot for Crazy Ex Girlfriend. 161 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:37.000 Yeah. 162 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:41.000 Is before Kat took over. So he's stepped. He's took a step. Skeleton proof. 163 00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:46.000 No, no left foot. No, no, no right foot. Oh, that's it. 164 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:48.000 You know, and you're just like, my God. 165 00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:50.000 Every step belabored. 166 00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:54.000 Every step. And dude, I'm like, what are we doing? And then how are we going to 167 00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:55.000 get through this day? 168 00:14:55.000 --> 00:14:59.000 But then we did. And you just, you realize he builds it brick by brick. 169 00:14:59.000 --> 00:15:00.000 Yeah. 170 00:14:59.000 --> 00:15:04.000 And I, I respect that about him. Some people don't, you know, some people don't think like that. 171 00:15:04.000 --> 00:15:05.000 Yeah. 172 00:15:05.000 --> 00:15:07.000 But. And I. That's a challenge of. 173 00:15:07.000 --> 00:15:09.000 There's so many different ways to make the sausage friends. 174 00:15:09.000 --> 00:15:10.000 Yeah. 175 00:15:09.000 --> 00:15:25.000 Some people paint with broad strokes first. These are brick by brick. It's very cool. Yeah. Art. I love, I love our time. And when we came up, the way we. The, the, the, the time and place that we were training and the time and place that we were like getting in the workforce. 176 00:15:25.000 --> 00:15:26.000 Oh, yeah. 177 00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:46.000 I think we have a good experience of the. The old school way, the Michael Rooney way, the brick by brick way, and this bridge of the new way today, which is hard and fast and sometimes exactly what it needs to be. Nothing more, nothing less. Yeah. I don't know if that. There's no point to what I'm saying. 178 00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:53.000 But there is a point because also, like, then you look at, like, Kat Burns, and she's very story driven. She's like, what's the bit? Yeah, let's find it. Yeah, let's find. And it's funny. 179 00:15:53.000 --> 00:15:55.000 Where's the funny? What's the. What's the most important thing? 180 00:15:55.000 --> 00:15:56.000 Yeah, yeah. 181 00:15:56.000 --> 00:15:59.000 And that makes the rest fall out 100%. 182 00:15:59.000 --> 00:16:04.000 And then you got Mandy, who already kind of like, comes in with this vision. You're just like. Do you just step back and let her do her thing? 183 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:05.000 Yeah. 184 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:13.000 You know what I'm saying? So I think there's. There's merit to all approaches. And in being a versatile dancer, you just have to be like, okay, I just got to prepare myself for whatever. 185 00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:14.000 Yeah. 186 00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:14.000 Because, you know, you just. 187 00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:15.000 We get to. This is. 188 00:16:15.000 --> 00:16:17.000 I can't believe. Is our job. 189 00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:18.000 Isn't that cool? 190 00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:19.000 I cannot believe. 191 00:16:19.000 --> 00:16:21.000 Yo, this is fucked. It's so fucked. 192 00:16:21.000 --> 00:16:26.000 It's crazy, dude. So I will dress up like a hot dog and dance around like, what's 193 00:16:26.000 --> 00:16:32.000 your favorite character that you've ever played? Have you ever hot dogged? Are you fireman? And copped? A thousand times. 194 00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:34.000 I'm a cop. I am a construction worker. 195 00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:35.000 Yeah, you are. 196 00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:44.000 I am, dude. I'm. I've been a cowboy. A lot of cowboys. I'm a lot of blue collar, like, rough and gritty kind of guys. And I'll take it because those guys never do, like, floor work. 197 00:16:44.000 --> 00:16:53.000 Take it and run. You know what? I remember the day I went from being a Disney kid to a mom. Young mom. But I'll take young mom all the way to the bank. 198 00:16:53.000 --> 00:16:54.000 All the way. 199 00:16:54.000 --> 00:16:56.000 Go, young moms. 200 00:16:56.000 --> 00:17:05.000 I. I remember that. That too. I had the same moment because it was during Glee. I said to Brooke, I go, rook, why have you called me on Glee lately? You know, what's up? You know, she was like, brother, you 201 00:17:05.000 --> 00:17:06.000 look like you're in college now. 202 00:17:06.000 --> 00:17:07.000 Yeah, bro. I was like, oh, damn. 203 00:17:07.000 --> 00:17:08.000 Really? 204 00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:10.000 Yeah. Yeah. So then I started using snail serum. 205 00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:12.000 So we're good now, right on. You on the mucin? 206 00:17:12.000 --> 00:17:13.000 Yeah. 207 00:17:13.000 --> 00:17:14.000 Yes. Me too. 208 00:17:13.000 --> 00:17:15.000 It works. I think it works. 209 00:17:15.000 --> 00:17:16.000 Are you. How old are you? 210 00:17:16.000 --> 00:17:17.000 I'm like 40 something. 211 00:17:17.000 --> 00:17:18.000 Don't you dare. 212 00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:19.000 45 or so. 213 00:17:19.000 --> 00:17:20.000 You do look good. 214 00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:21.000 Thanks. 215 00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:21.000 You look really good. 216 00:17:21.000 --> 00:17:22.000 I'm trying. 217 00:17:21.000 --> 00:17:24.000 You do, but you feel good, and that's the more important part. 218 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:28.000 I feel great, dude. I lost. Last year. I lost £55. You believe that? Yeah. Yeah, Dude, I was getting big, man. 219 00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:29.000 Whoa. 220 00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:30.000 I was getting big. 221 00:17:30.000 --> 00:17:38.000 Okay, talk to me. Talk to me about. Okay, you're in la, you're doing cool Gigs. And then what happens? You move. I didn't. 222 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:40.000 I was. You know, I took a little side quest. 223 00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:41.000 Side quest? 224 00:17:41.000 --> 00:17:49.000 Yeah. Took a little side quest. And. And we moved to Oklahoma City, built a house, did all that. And it was. 225 00:17:49.000 --> 00:17:52.000 Wait, what? So you play a construction worker on tv and also you built. 226 00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:57.000 And I build my house. I just sent the emails on this one. I just. We didn't. I didn't actually build it. 227 00:17:57.000 --> 00:18:00.000 Okay, got it. But I could just send the email. 228 00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:22.000 I just sent the emails on what to do. Not like the measurements and stuff, but, you know, not like Nathan Prevost over here. So I went there and, you know, just to get out of the bubble, because I was really in a bad. I had been out in LA for 20 years, and I was in a bad headspace. Just kind of bitter, you know, you can get. And just, why am I not working? This and that and the other thing. It was after Covid and so. 229 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:24.000 And the answer is, because nobody is working. 230 00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:25.000 Right? 231 00:18:25.000 --> 00:18:28.000 I mean, sometimes. But also there. There are other factors. 232 00:18:28.000 --> 00:19:02.000 And I struggle with that because it's like. It's like a. What have you done for me lately? Business. And if you and I. I put my value in my resume at that time and I shouldn't have. You know, And I'm okay saying that because I think we all tend to want to, like, feel like my stock is up. Right. I'm still worth of something. Yes, but our worth doesn't come from that. Our worth comes from, like, living a real life that we can put into art when. When the time comes. Right. So got out of the bubble. I loved it in Oklahoma City, I became the alumni advisor at my old fraternity. It was dope. I loved. And they were all like, actors and dancers. 233 00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:03.000 Amazing. 234 00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:05.000 So I got to be like, so they were jacked. They were jacked. 235 00:19:05.000 --> 00:19:06.000 Yeah. 236 00:19:05.000 --> 00:19:30.000 And I am like, I am Joe Lambda Kai. Like, I'm the guy shout out to my boys at Oklahoma City University. What's up? They're the best. And they were with me because soon after I moved down there, I went through a pretty big life change, and I needed them. And here I am. And I've said this to them before, but here I am thinking I'm gonna come in and help them. Turns out I needed them more than they needed me. These 18 to 23 year old guys were like, drago, we're here for you, bro. 237 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:31.000 Rocked your world, dude. 238 00:19:31.000 --> 00:19:32.000 It was amazing. 239 00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:33.000 Showed you unconditional love. 240 00:19:33.000 --> 00:19:34.000 Unconditional love. 241 00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:39.000 And you were like, oh, copy that. Copy. Paste onto self onto Self. I can do that. Yeah. Yeah. 242 00:19:39.000 --> 00:19:49.000 I need. And so at the time, like, I was doing a few films down there, I was still flying back and forth, working like Mass Singer and a few. Few other jobs, but I loved being outside the bubble, and it was amazing. 243 00:19:49.000 --> 00:19:50.000 Yeah. 244 00:19:50.000 --> 00:20:00.000 And during that time, I. I got healthy. I got in. And I'm okay to say it. Like, you know, dudes need to go get your testosterone checked when you hit, you know, 30. Say it, dude. 245 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:02.000 I would have never said that ever, on this podcast. 246 00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:03.000 Yeah. 247 00:20:03.000 --> 00:20:04.000 Thank you for saying that. 248 00:20:03.000 --> 00:20:11.000 All. All of my guys out there that watch the dancers, especially athletes, you know, we, you know, females that talk about their hormones all the time. We should. We should do that too. 249 00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:12.000 Go for it. 250 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:14.000 You know? And as you get older, you got to do body maintenance. 251 00:20:14.000 --> 00:20:15.000 Yeah. 252 00:20:14.000 --> 00:20:26.000 You know, we got to take the creatine like we were talking about before the show. You got to. You have to take care of yourself. And I. I caught the bug and I just started being kinder to myself, being healthy. And now I'm where I'm at today, and I feel so good. 253 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:27.000 Yeah. 254 00:20:27.000 --> 00:20:30.000 And then a couple of months ago, I woke up and I was like, I got to get out of here. 255 00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:35.000 I'm. I'm. And was that I'm coming back. Yeah. Or did you just know you needed to get out? 256 00:20:35.000 --> 00:20:39.000 I knew. Well, I knew I need to get out. And then Deirdre Barnes posted this thing, you know Deirdre? Yeah. 257 00:20:39.000 --> 00:20:43.000 In the Cirque show that I assisted Wade Robson on in 2009. 258 00:20:43.000 --> 00:20:44.000 Oh, yeah. 259 00:20:44.000 --> 00:20:47.000 She was maybe 18. Oh, like fresh 18. 260 00:20:47.000 --> 00:20:49.000 First gig, amazing human. 261 00:20:49.000 --> 00:20:50.000 Sweetest, sweetest pee. 262 00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:55.000 She was like, I'm going on tour. J. Balvin. Can somebody look out for my cat? I'm like, I'll be a cat guy. 263 00:20:55.000 --> 00:21:00.000 So I was like, for you, Deirdre. Yeah. I'd be a cat lady, too. 264 00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:06.000 Oh, yeah, I know. Oh, I know it. I know. So I threw a duffel bag and a bottle of tequila in my car and just drove on out. 265 00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:07.000 Amazing. 266 00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:07.000 And now I'm here. 267 00:21:07.000 --> 00:21:08.000 Amazing. 268 00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:09.000 I didn't bring anything. 269 00:21:09.000 --> 00:21:12.000 When does your. When does your timeline expire at Deirdre's place? 270 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:15.000 It already has. I just moved down the. 271 00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:16.000 Down the street. 272 00:21:15.000 --> 00:21:19.000 Yeah, well, like, I stayed in the same apartment complex. I was like, I like it here. I think I'm just going to move here. 273 00:21:19.000 --> 00:21:20.000 Amazing. 274 00:21:19.000 --> 00:21:21.000 Cuz whatever. 275 00:21:21.000 --> 00:21:22.000 Find it. It works. It's. It's fine. 276 00:21:22.000 --> 00:21:27.000 I have a bed and a folding table and a folding chair. That's it. And I love it. 277 00:21:27.000 --> 00:21:28.000 Wow. 278 00:21:27.000 --> 00:21:28.000 I'm in my 20s again. 279 00:21:28.000 --> 00:21:51.000 Yo, you are. I was just saying, like, keep it extended. You are having your. A new honeymoon phase with la. It's your, like, it's your. My sister used to call it the cookie phase. The Oreo. Like in a new relationship, the get to know you is really fun. It's like the cookie phase. Yeah. Nice. And then there's a not so fun phase that comes. 280 00:21:51.000 --> 00:21:53.000 I never get to that phase. 281 00:21:53.000 --> 00:21:57.000 That's true. Your life is pretty fun. Yeah. I mean, you make fun. 282 00:21:57.000 --> 00:22:06.000 Oh, dude, I. Well, I'm trying. It's not always easy. I think, I think that's the thing that we don't ever talk about too, is like, it's sometimes there's some dark days here in la. Yeah, it's hard. 283 00:22:06.000 --> 00:22:08.000 I think we do talk about those. Do you know? 284 00:22:08.000 --> 00:22:09.000 Okay. 285 00:22:08.000 --> 00:22:09.000 I don't. 286 00:22:08.000 --> 00:22:09.000 I'm learning to. 287 00:22:09.000 --> 00:22:36.000 Okay, cool, cool, cool. Yeah, Yeah. I think I. Rejection happened before I even got here and I knew that was just the tip of the iceberg because I. Because I was experiencing it. I was like, oh, okay. Yeah, there was a. I. I grew up with Tony Testa, Misha Gabriel, Randy Kemper. Oh. And we were kind of this quad fector. 288 00:22:36.000 --> 00:22:39.000 Well, you, 289 00:22:39.000 --> 00:22:55.000 Testa, Misha, Randy and myself. The four of us, like, we, we were kind of inseparable for, for like the last two years. Like junior, senior year in high school. And then Brian Friedman was choreographing Aaron Carter's world tour. 290 00:22:55.000 --> 00:22:56.000 Oh. 291 00:22:56.000 --> 00:23:15.000 And hired Tony, Misha, Randy and a different white, brunette, curly headed lady. I. That was before I decided to move to la. Had this example of, you're not good enough, you are not the one. And it's not a look thing. 292 00:23:15.000 --> 00:23:16.000 Right. 293 00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:17.000 Because she looked like me. 294 00:23:17.000 --> 00:23:18.000 Right. 295 00:23:18.000 --> 00:24:10.000 So that was tough. But I felt singular in my vision and purpose and destination. It couldn't be rattled. Knew that rejection would come and knew what it felt like because I felt it early. So I don't know. There was definitely. The darkness came in several forms after that. Like, there's definitely projects that I really thought I was right for that I really didn't get or that I had and lost. But I think the bigger heartbreaks in my life have been personal relationships and friendships. And those will happen anywhere no matter what you choose to do. Yeah. You're gonna have a life half of the time and you're gonna have a great life half the time. So if that's the bargain, if, if it's gonna be 50, 50, I want to at least be doing stuff that lights me up. 296 00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:11.000 Oh, absolutely. 297 00:24:11.000 --> 00:24:12.000 Well, while I'm at it. 298 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:26.000 So here I stay here, you know, and that's. That's that. That would be one thing I would, you know, warn my younger self about is. Is heartbreak, because. Yeah, but, but, but I will say, like, all this life stuff that we're talking about, it goes into what we do. We're able to. 299 00:24:26.000 --> 00:24:29.000 There's a ingest it, there's a destination. 300 00:24:29.000 --> 00:25:10.000 There's a destination for it. And that's it. That's the exciting thing, man. And, you know, we talk about all these. The training that we've had and all these people. Like, we're not unique in the sense that we've had heartbreak or we've had rejection or we've had all these people before us, you know, that we talk about the Nathan Prevost, like the Jerry Evans, like these guys that you see on set that are still working and they're like, you know, a little older than us. Yeah, I won't say how much older, but they're still working, you know? And I don't know, man, we just have such a great community. Like, I love. Now that I'm back, I'm just like, oh, my God, Mrs. Community so much, you know? And I feel that. I mean, dude, to be around like the caliber of people, like, like, man, that's. That's what dance is all about. It's much more than just the steps. 301 00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:11.000 Yeah. It's people. 302 00:25:11.000 --> 00:25:12.000 It's people. 303 00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:26.000 It's relationships, it's stories. It's our. It does come back to story in this case. Our histories. Our dancing would be. Might as well be those robots if. If it weren't for all the history that we bring to it. 304 00:25:26.000 --> 00:25:27.000 Oh, man. 305 00:25:26.000 --> 00:25:33.000 And the humanity. And I do think that is your superpower. Whether you're playing a cop or a fireman or a construction worker. 306 00:25:33.000 --> 00:25:34.000 Human. You. 307 00:25:34.000 --> 00:25:35.000 You bring humanity. 308 00:25:35.000 --> 00:25:36.000 Oh, my God. 309 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:47.000 Right? You were never. You were never cast as like, like some steely, non feeler, automaton type. No. You are fucking heart embodied. 310 00:25:47.000 --> 00:25:49.000 Thank you. I appreciate that. I appreciate that. 311 00:25:49.000 --> 00:25:51.000 I back that up. 10 toes down. 312 00:25:51.000 --> 00:25:52.000 Oh, 10 toes. 313 00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:53.000 Yeah, 10 toes. 314 00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:53.000 Amazing, dude. 315 00:25:53.000 --> 00:25:54.000 And rizzes. 316 00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:55.000 Yeah. 317 00:25:55.000 --> 00:25:56.000 Wrist roll with it. You ready? 318 00:25:56.000 --> 00:25:57.000 Oh, yeah. 319 00:25:56.000 --> 00:25:57.000 Rapid fire. 320 00:25:57.000 --> 00:25:59.000 I don't have. Is this the question? Oh, is a rapid fire. 321 00:25:59.000 --> 00:26:00.000 Rapid fire. Rapid fire. 322 00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:01.000 Okay. 323 00:26:01.000 --> 00:26:02.000 What is it? Yes. Coffee or tea? 324 00:26:02.000 --> 00:26:04.000 Coffee. Black. 325 00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:05.000 No way. 326 00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:07.000 I do a little collagen protein in there, too. 327 00:26:07.000 --> 00:26:09.000 Flavored or not flavored? Collagen. 328 00:26:09.000 --> 00:26:10.000 Chocolate. 329 00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:17.000 Chocolate, yeah. That's great. Will you send me a photo of whatever you use I'm going to send you my stack. I want to be on what you're on. 330 00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:19.000 Let's go. 331 00:26:19.000 --> 00:26:20.000 Dogs or cats? 332 00:26:19.000 --> 00:26:23.000 Dogs, obviously. Except for Deirdre's cat. I love Mila. 333 00:26:23.000 --> 00:26:25.000 Morning rehearsal or nighttime rehearsal? 334 00:26:25.000 --> 00:26:26.000 Oh, morning. Let's get it out of the way. 335 00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:28.000 Okay. Legs day or upper body? 336 00:26:28.000 --> 00:26:30.000 Upper body all day long. I don't do legs. 337 00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:33.000 You're one of those. Well, they're skinny. Ass, calves. 338 00:26:33.000 --> 00:26:34.000 No, girl, you want to see him? 339 00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:39.000 Yeah. Okay. Okay. Oh, do a releve. 340 00:26:39.000 --> 00:26:44.000 Get that. What's up, bro? 341 00:26:44.000 --> 00:26:51.000 Hasn't taken a ballet class in a while. Oh, that's the pose. Good job. Oh, shit. Come on. What was your friend's name again? Lindsay. 342 00:26:51.000 --> 00:26:52.000 Lindsey? 343 00:26:52.000 --> 00:26:59.000 Ally. Okay, so great. What's your favorite exercise to do at the gym? 344 00:26:59.000 --> 00:27:07.000 Oh, favorite exercise. Right. Well, right now I'm into drag curls for biceps, where you stand up and you just do it. You get the easy curl bar and you just drag it straight up your body. 345 00:27:07.000 --> 00:27:08.000 Cool. 346 00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:11.000 Gives you that nice little round thing. Cool situation there. Yeah. 347 00:27:11.000 --> 00:27:13.000 Drag curls, curls. 348 00:27:13.000 --> 00:27:14.000 Does it straight up. 349 00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:28.000 I mean, honestly, that is an oxymoron. If you're dragging it, it feels linear, but you're dragging. And then eventually you're in a curl. Oof. Stranded on a desert island. You get one album. What is it? 350 00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:29.000 One album? 351 00:27:29.000 --> 00:27:31.000 Yeah. 352 00:27:31.000 --> 00:27:36.000 I don't know how to answer that. The first album that came to mind was Guns N Roses, Appetite for Destruction, 353 00:27:36.000 --> 00:27:40.000 and that is very on brand. That makes a lot of sense. 354 00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:41.000 Love rock and roll, dude. 355 00:27:41.000 --> 00:27:46.000 Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Is there a music video that you really, really wish you were in? 356 00:27:46.000 --> 00:28:01.000 Oh, that you wish I was in and I wasn't? Yeah. God, this. This is. This is a real hard one, because I honestly have done. I'm happy with the music videos I've done, which has been great. Okay. But if I had to choose one more. Oh, you know, of any era. 357 00:28:01.000 --> 00:28:02.000 Yeah. 358 00:28:01.000 --> 00:28:03.000 You know what? I wish I would have. 359 00:28:03.000 --> 00:28:04.000 Could have been in Smooth Criminal. 360 00:28:04.000 --> 00:28:05.000 Rhythm Nation. 361 00:28:05.000 --> 00:28:06.000 Oh, God. 362 00:28:06.000 --> 00:28:10.000 And I know there's like, a thousand. Oh, Smooth Criminal would have been a dope. 363 00:28:10.000 --> 00:28:11.000 You would have been in it. 364 00:28:11.000 --> 00:28:12.000 Oh, dude. 365 00:28:12.000 --> 00:28:13.000 You would have been in Smooth Criminal. 366 00:28:13.000 --> 00:28:15.000 I think I gotta switch to Smooth Criminal. That would have been amazing. 367 00:28:15.000 --> 00:28:18.000 The suits. The. It just really would suit you. 368 00:28:18.000 --> 00:28:19.000 Hurt me, dude. 369 00:28:19.000 --> 00:28:21.000 Yeah, hurt me. Okay, favorite move. 370 00:28:21.000 --> 00:28:28.000 If I like to act like you're stretching, but then you really put. 371 00:28:28.000 --> 00:28:30.000 I meant dance move. But that is a good one. 372 00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:37.000 I mean, I'm a big fan of a shuffle off the Buffalo. 373 00:28:37.000 --> 00:28:45.000 Can we circle back to the. You're stretching with them. That's a good move. You know what my favorite move is? Moving into the HOV lane on the 134. 374 00:28:45.000 --> 00:28:47.000 Oh, that's a good one. 375 00:28:47.000 --> 00:28:59.000 Yeah, don't cross after the 101 when the 101 turns into the 134 if you go left, left, left, left, hov all the way to Pasadena. Love that. What about a move that shows up on a job that you're like, no, 376 00:28:59.000 --> 00:29:08.000 no, no, no, no. Oh, anything with like extensions, like legs, like, I, I, I don't really, I don't really bought my past 90 degrees anymore. 377 00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:09.000 So. 378 00:29:09.000 --> 00:29:10.000 Yeah, I don't want that. 379 00:29:09.000 --> 00:29:10.000 Got that. 380 00:29:10.000 --> 00:29:11.000 I don't need anything. 381 00:29:10.000 --> 00:29:13.000 But relevant is obviously not an issue for you. Yeah. 382 00:29:13.000 --> 00:29:16.000 These shoes on this furry rug. Yeah. 383 00:29:16.000 --> 00:29:20.000 Three dimensional service that wasn't set up. Sorry about that. Final question. 384 00:29:20.000 --> 00:29:21.000 Okay. 385 00:29:21.000 --> 00:29:27.000 Words that move you. A quote, a mantra, a North star guiding principle man. 386 00:29:27.000 --> 00:29:40.000 Henley writes this, wrote this poem. Invictus. Out of the dark that covers me, black as a pit from pole to pole. I thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul. You know, the master of my own fate. That poem. 387 00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:42.000 Why do I know that so well? 388 00:29:42.000 --> 00:29:46.000 Captain of my. I'm the captain of my soul. Captain of my fate. 389 00:29:46.000 --> 00:29:52.000 Yeah. Why do. Is it, what, what film is this? Like the, the. I feel like I know this and I don't know this. 390 00:29:52.000 --> 00:29:55.000 I don't know exactly where it's from. I just know it as a poem. 391 00:29:55.000 --> 00:29:56.000 Okay. 392 00:29:55.000 --> 00:29:56.000 And when I'm going through kind of 393 00:29:56.000 --> 00:30:01.000 like the pledge of Allegiance a little bit, like, I know that, like it feels like a part of my life. 394 00:30:01.000 --> 00:30:35.000 It talks about how we're going to go through rough waters and, and we are going to be covered by night and. But out of our night comes our unconquerable soul. Like I am the master of my fate, you know? And, and no matter what happens, we will be. We will be okay. You know, And I think that's something that always, like, I, I have to constantly remind myself because, hey, man, I'm at a certain age and I just moved back out to la. I'm like, I don't really exactly know what the plan is. I'm just doing it. And so that poem to me, helps me find the ground. 395 00:30:35.000 --> 00:30:36.000 Nice. 396 00:30:35.000 --> 00:30:38.000 And maybe, maybe, just maybe, it'll be okay. 397 00:30:38.000 --> 00:30:39.000 Okay. 398 00:30:39.000 --> 00:30:40.000 You know? 399 00:30:39.000 --> 00:30:45.000 O. Thank you so much for sharing, my friend. Thank you for sharing all of this. Dude, I. There's never enough time to chat with you. 400 00:30:45.000 --> 00:30:46.000 There's never enough time. 401 00:30:46.000 --> 00:30:49.000