Bloggers & Friends Podcast X Durante Lambert

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On this episode we are joined by Dancer, Choreographer, Artist Developer, Mentor, Producer, Durante Lambert. We are talking about his recent Legends Award as well as his journey as a creative and the endeavors that are ahead. Tune in and join the conversation!

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:03):
Hey y'all.
I'm Janelle Yarbrough andwelcome to Bloggers and Friends.
This is your podcast fordiscussions around relevant
topics and experiences thatresonate with the culture.
For those of you who roll withme, you know we talk a lot about
embracing the possibility ofchange.
We'll continue to touch on thatand lots more.
Sound good Word.

(00:24):
Let's get into it.
Hey, hey y'all.
Thank you so much for joiningus here today.
I am super excited.
I know it's been a minute sinceI've been here recording Not
too much on me today.
We'll talk about that later.
Today we are joined by a veryspecial guest, and not just

(00:48):
special because of his talent,not just special because of his
creativity, but special becausehe is a whole friend of mine
that over time became family,and I'm super excited to have
him with us here today.
We are joined today by dancer,choreographer, talent developer,

(01:09):
producer, director Portland'svery own Durante Lambert.

Speaker 2 (01:15):
Hello, hello, what's up y'all?
I'm sure I missed some boxes.

Speaker 1 (01:19):
I missed some boxes.
What else did I miss?
Let's just for the funsies.
What did I anything?

Speaker 2 (01:24):
I think you've done a lot, uh, choreographer, dancer,
artistic director, uh, career,career man, I mean I got a job
too come on um mentor.
Uh, yes, overall just awell-rounded person period, so
yeah, yeah, grateful.
Period, yeah, grateful.

Speaker 1 (01:44):
All the things.

Speaker 2 (01:45):
All the things.

Speaker 1 (01:47):
Well, I'm excited to have you here today, and I'm
going to tell you what sparkedme to invite you.

Speaker 2 (01:55):
Okay.

Speaker 1 (01:56):
Not just because I love you, but we both received
an award.
There is an event in Portland,an annual event.
Shout out to DJ OG1, portland'spremier DJ.
Shout out to him Right.
He has an event that heco-founded and it's PDX Hip Hop

(02:21):
Week Within that week, which hasa ton of awesome events in and
around Portland.
He has an event called the StarAwards, where he acknowledges
different artists and talentwaymakers, business owners,
entrepreneurs in this event, andDurante and I were privileged

(02:45):
enough, along with our greatfriend Dana Fuller-Shepard, to
receive an award called theLegends Award.

Speaker 2 (02:54):
Yes, yes.
Very exciting, right, becausenot often we get flowers for the
things that we get to do.

Speaker 1 (03:01):
Right.

Speaker 2 (03:01):
And it's been this long.

Speaker 1 (03:03):
I was going to say we've been in the game now a
long time, over 25, over 25years over 25 years.
For, for the record, let's,let's, let's tell the people um
how old were you when we firstmet?

Speaker 2 (03:16):
I was a teen yeah, so I think when I first met you, I
was 13.

Speaker 1 (03:22):
Right 13.

Speaker 2 (03:24):
Yeah, 13.
Because I had auditioned forNorthwest African American
Ballet at the age of 13.

Speaker 1 (03:32):
Were you doing OBT?
I was going to say, were youdoing the old?

Speaker 2 (03:34):
OBT, yeah, me and Jonte, yeah, and he was one year
older than me and I was 13years old.
I had no business, I had noidea Nothing about what a
professional company is oranything, but I just loved to
dance and I knew I was good atdoing African dance.
So I threw myself into thisaudition with no expectation and
I got in as an apprentice.

(03:55):
And that's when I first met you.
It was like this girl's bomb.
The first connection was there.
So, yes, I've known you for along time.

Speaker 1 (04:06):
It's crazy We've grown up together essentially.
Even though there's like a gapin our age like we essentially
were both, I mean I think youwere so you were an early teen
and I was a late teen, for sure,and and we've been doing this

(04:30):
dance thing togetherindividually for some years, and
I'll just say that it's beenSuch an honor.
I always I'm a watcher and I'man observer, and just watching
people and how they flourish andgrow and plant their seeds is
such a beautiful thing to me.
So that award really was fullcircle for both of us to be

(04:52):
there.
And even though Dana wasn'table to be there, having her
nominate I mean having her as arecipient also was just a
beautiful thing.
And so what made me, what mademe say we've got to get on,
we've got to get on, we've gotto get on and record right, yeah
, um was first of all.
I felt so like big sisterly inthe moment, because I was like

(05:15):
is he?
Is he nervous, is he gonna beall right up there?
Because we each had to get upthere and do a stage right, I
was like, is he gonna be?
I just wanted to be thereholding your hand, and I don't
know why I could not, for thelife of you, tell me why I felt
so protective of you in thatmoment.

Speaker 2 (05:30):
But you always been like that though.
So like that's why I love you,because you're a big sis, you
know.
So, for so long, like you said,we grew up together and I've
always looked up to you andfollowed you, helped me, lead
the way to where I am now, beingso young and getting into this
game.
So, yeah, of course you havethose same tendencies there and
that's why I think, that's whywe're so close and we, even
though we, you know we might notsee each other, blah blah, blah

(05:52):
that love and unity and familyis still there all the time.
So, of course, you should feelthat way.
I love that.
I felt that, so I appreciatethat.

Speaker 1 (05:59):
Yes.
So you got up there and youtalked about two things that had
me melting in my seat.
I know, I know, no, I'm asoftie.
My eyes are sweating right now.
I know, gosh, why am I madethis way, but I love it about me
and also can't stand it.
You talked about yourgrandmother and the role that

(06:24):
she played in your craft and andhow you know she motivates you
and inspires you, and this isthe one that got me, though.
This is the one that got me,though.
You talked about your mom, andyou thanked her.
You thanked her for letting yoube a little boy that dances,

(06:48):
yeah and my heart melted becauseI know right, I know, um, I'm
not even gonna speak to to tolargely, but within the black
right, the way that we raisesons, the old school way of

(07:10):
raising sons, is very specificright Don't touch a dog, don't
you, don't.

Speaker 2 (07:18):
Lots of don'ts.

Speaker 1 (07:19):
Move your neck, don't .
Dancing is not for boys.

Speaker 2 (07:22):
Stop hanging out with all those.

Speaker 1 (07:24):
Don't write all the things, and so when you said
that, my heart just melted.
Can you talk about that alittle more, what that's meant
for you and even some of likethe challenges that you and
y'all shout out to young Fifi?
Okay, shout out to Fifi.

Speaker 2 (07:44):
We come over here in a minute anyway.
Oh my gosh, I hope sheaccidentally gets to pop in over
here.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 1 (07:50):
But but right, like shout out to, to to.
I call her Fifi y'all, butshout out to her for for, for
giving you that lane.
Talk about what that was likefor you, what that's meant for
you and maybe even some of thelessons learned through you for
her in letting you be justexactly who you are.

Speaker 2 (08:09):
Yeah, I would just say, you know, being young I
grew up with a single mom, mymom's a single mom, so I didn't
have a father or dad in thehousehold since such a young age
.
So I only grew up with my mom,my grandmother, my aunt.
That was my.
You know my intermediate family, those with my mom, my
grandmother, my aunt, that wasmy.
You know my intermediate family.
Those were my mom, my dads, myuncles and stuff like that.

(08:29):
So I think for me the creativejuices started really young and
I just say because my mom'sstrength and my grandmother's
strength and allowing me to justbe who I am and not putting a,
I would say, like a title on methat I need to play sports or I
need to do that, which a lot of,I would say, fathers or
sometimes mothers, especially inthe.

(08:50):
Black community would put thaton young Black boys or whatever,
but I would say getting mycreative juices so young and
then my mom just allowed me.
You do you whatever makes youhappy.
I'm happy for you and I supportthat.
And being grown up in that kindof household and family, such a
young age, I was able to, youknow, explore different things
that made me happy.
And what made me happy stuck tome was dance.

(09:11):
I started dancing, I think myfirst.

Speaker 1 (09:14):
you know we would always dance around the house
and do this, and I was alwaysdancing at the you know the
family gatherings and do this,do that move, stop acting up.
You know how we were acting up.

Speaker 2 (09:28):
So like then, that was just being freestyle and
just playing around and likelike watching the music, the
Michael Jackson videos andmimicking the moves and things
like that, and so I think that'swhere I started finding my love
, that I I was maybe good atthat and then so I got my first
love at.
I started taking professionalclasses at Beaumont Middle
School at like six and thenJonte we all love Jonte.
That was my mentor becauseJonte was been doing it, doing,

(09:52):
it, doing it, I wanted to followthe footsteps of Jonte.

Speaker 1 (09:56):
And y'all were brotherly.
We were, y'all are, yeah, westill are, yep.

Speaker 2 (10:00):
That's my godbrother and Louise, my godmom.
So being around that and themallowing us to just be wild, we
were just wild.
We were really just wild, justdancing and dancing.
My mom always said you know, ifthat's what you want to do, do
it.
So she allowed me to take danceclasses.
From there on I started taking,like going to Matt Dishman
Community Center and takingAfrican classes and things like
that.
So, honestly, that was my prideand joy.

(10:22):
My mom let me go full forcewith that, not knowing what the
really reality was going to benow, that I still would be doing
this where I'm at now, and shejust gave me love, love.
My grandmother, my aunt Cynthiaand gave me love, allowed me to
just do that and be free andnot have a label or feel bad of
what people may think or sayabout me.
And I took that full force andstill keep that to my heart and
that's what I think keepsletting me thrive, you know, to

(10:44):
this day Like that.
So I really honestly, my mom iseverything she really is.
She still is everything andstill supports me to this day
and comes to all my shows and mybiggest fan is, I would say, my
mom, my Aunt Cynthia, and mygrandmother and my sister and
brother.
You know all y'all yes.

Speaker 1 (11:05):
Anything I got going on y'all.
They move, thick they move,they don't play they don't play
about it.
They don't play about him letme tell y'all something they.
They showed up to this um awardceremony.
They showed up to this event,honey in in in shirts with his
face plastered on it all of themsame shirt all of them same
shirt in unison lockstep honey,they did not come to play about

(11:28):
you and they've always been thatway and I love that so much
like so grateful y'all y'allhave.
Y'all have gatherings togetherand it's all y'all.
Y'all y'all you do a show.
You have something going on.
It's all up, right, like Y'allyou do a show you have something
going on.
It's all up, right, likeshowing up.

(11:48):
I love that so much because Ithink that that story is
somewhat unique, right, and whatI actually wish Fifi was here
so she could answer thisquestion, but I'm going to ask
you, just in being the person onthe other end of it what advice

(12:13):
would you give?
I'm going to ask two questionswho has a son that is looking to
explore the arts?
And two, what encouragementwould you give a son, a young

(12:33):
man, who is looking to explorethe arts and not sure about what
that means for them in terms ofhow people will see them, what
support they will get?
And this is regardless ofidentity, right.
This is regardless because onedoesn't equal the other, right?
And so, like, what advice wouldyou give a parent who may, be

(12:56):
like, struggling to figure outhow to support their son, based
on, you know, the stereotypesthat they have come into, or
into, um, or just the old schoolways with which they're
parenting and what did?
What encouragement would yougive um, a young man who is like
I'm creative as hell, I'm goodat this and I want to do it, but
I'm worried about what peoplewill say or think, or maybe I

(13:18):
don't have the support of ofpeople.

Speaker 2 (13:20):
I would say for the parent.
I think times are so differentnow.
I would say times are differentnow.
Listen, I think it's importantto support what your child wants
to do, like, let your child bewho they want to be.
Let them do what they want todo and not worry about the
stigma of what people may thinkaround you.

(13:41):
And times are so different, sopeople are doing all kinds of
things these days.
This is your child.
If they want to dance, theywant to sing, let them allow
them to do that, because youhave to support them as a parent
.
Like that's your job as aparent is to support and love
them and support what they wantto do, whether you like it,
because that's their life.
That's what I would say that.
So you have to take you as theparent out of it and just be

(14:02):
there.
You might not agree or whatever, but still love and support
them.
And I think that's what myfamily did.
Not everything they agreed towhat I was doing, but the love
and the support was there andthat's what kept me thriving.
So let them be, let them be.
Love is everything and we feelthat.
We accept all that.
We feel that when we get thatsupport in the household.
That's what I would say to aparent and then for the son or
the daughter who wants to godance, explore that, do that,

(14:25):
don't worry again.
I it wasn't always easy for me Iwill tell you that I got I got
not bullied but talked about.
And this dad, he's runningaround and I just got like
through middle school andthrough high school but you
can't allow that noise to get inyour ear.
You got to just do you and dowhat makes you happy and not
worry about that, because at theend of the day, at the end of
of the tunnel, there is a lightat the end of the tunnel and
look where I am now.

(14:45):
I did not allow all the outsidenoise to affect me and how I
felt and what made me happy.
So explore those options andthose opportunities that you
want to do and you feel and doit and do it.
Like I said, everyone,especially when it comes to
dance now, is different.
Men are dancing, women aredancing is everywhere, singing
is everywhere.
So just you have to be who youare, because if it makes you

(15:07):
happy, that's you got to do that.
So that's what I would say.
Like little Durante, I'm proudof little Durante, because
little Durante did not, like Isaid, did not listen to all the
people talking and doing thisand doing that, and because of
that is where my success istoday.

Speaker 1 (15:28):
So that's my advice to you is go and do it and be
your best life for real.
Yeah, yeah, be you, be you, Itell people all the time like I
was just today's.
Today it's Kennedy's birthdayand but I was telling her in my,
in my birthday message, becauseI messaged her before I call
her, because I got to get allthe all the fuzzy things out,

(15:51):
you know, and I like it toalways be something they can go
back and read whenever they needto for encouragement and just
like confirmation.
But I was telling her likethere's only one of you right,
that there's only one of you,like there is no competition.
And that's not to say you know,or to tell people you're better

(16:15):
than everybody is to say youare unique and perfect in who
you are Right.
That doesn't mean we don'tevolve, that doesn't mean that
there's zero growth required ofus in our behaviors, our
aspirations or whatever it isright.
But you are uniquely perfectand there is no other right, and

(16:37):
so the only competition in thisworld you have is you.
And really that's up here,that's in your head, right and
so.
And not that she's strugglingwith that.
But I like to confirm that inmy kids, like you, you are, you
are her, you are it, you areexcellent, you are everything
like.
Don't you, don't you, don't youever forget it.
What would adult dorante tell?

(16:59):
Little dorante, you ain't gonnashoot me, as you, mister and
actor, we left actor, oh yeah weforgot about that.
I love it, though, but what?
What would Durante, knowingwhat he knows now right about
life, um, and about how he'sbeen able to come to the other

(17:23):
side of so many things, whatwould, what would, what would
grown Durante turn back aroundand tell?

Speaker 2 (17:28):
Durante.
Yeah, I would say grown Durantewould tell little Durante.
The road is not going to beeasy.
You are going to go throughobstacles.
You're going to go through upsand downs.
You're going to have people wholike what you do.
You're going to have people whodon't like what you do, but
continue to be who you arebecause at the end of the day,
when you get older, you're goingto be loved, you're going to be

(17:50):
supported, you're going to be amentor and you're going to
inspire others to be somebody.
So go through those trenches andthose roads and the leaps and
bounds and the trials andtribulations, because at the end
of the day, when you get older,it's all going to make sense
and it's all going to be worthit and you are going to be an
inspiration to others yes, andthere's that and there's that,

(18:14):
but that's true, though, like Imean, that has honestly have
been my journey for real, likeit's been trials, and
tribulations like ups and downsand leaps and bounds, and yeah,
I mean it's been trials andtribulations like ups and downs
and leaps, and bounds, and yeah,I mean it's like that.
Now it's still kind of sort ofyou know, in your adult life you
still kind of go through thosethings, but you know it's life,
right it's life, life would belife, but you can maneuver and

(18:35):
manage it different because youhave more wisdom.
I would say Tools, the toolsyou pick up over time.
Yes, and the tools?

Speaker 1 (18:42):
you pick up over time , yes, and once you've gotten to
the other side of a hard thing,it tells you that you're
capable of doing that in thefuture, right?
So how you navigate, you buildwisdom and endurance and
knowledge about how to navigatecertain things so that when you
are going through life's normalups and downs, you are able to

(19:03):
dig into that tool belt, honey,and say got it, hammered that
shit out, right?

Speaker 2 (19:09):
Exactly so.
That's I mean.
I think that's the best, that'swhat I mean.
I think that's exactlyeverything.
Like I'm very proud of myself,I'll say I'm very proud of
myself, of where I am now.
Like I'm very I'm, I'm veryhappy.
Like I'm very happy.
I wouldn't do anythingdifferent as a child up, leading
to where I am now any different.

Speaker 1 (19:30):
It's all been worth it for real then I would have
done this differently, but Ialso wouldn't have had this
wisdom that I have now, hadthings been differently, right,
I mean, had things gonedifferently.
I have this unique set ofwisdom.

(19:51):
We all have this unique set ofwisdom that is granted to us by
way of the things that weexperience, good or bad, or
tough or unsavory, whateverright we have.
Our tool belt is filled withthe things that we've gathered
via those experiences, and so Isay I never wish like certain

(20:13):
things of my growing up, mychildhood.
I don't wish it on anybody else.
However, I'm grateful for how Icame to the other side of those
things, because my tool belt ishealthy.
Honey we got.
We got all the tools over here,all the tools.

Speaker 2 (20:27):
We're gathering, right still gathering the tools
for one.

Speaker 1 (20:33):
I love it yeah, I love that.
I love that.
What, um?
There's something that you saidwhen you're like I'm happy, I'm
happy today, and I love that.
And I think people sometimesmisinterpret that happy days

(20:55):
versus happiness, right, likepeople sometimes can have happy
moments, happy days, man, youknow, which is very different to
me than living in a state ofhappiness, for sure.
And so one of the things that Ithink of when I think of
happiness is our ability to tapinto joy, right, and no dance is

(21:15):
joy for you because it'spassion.
Work, right, you love itbecause you're passionate about
it, it, it.
You know, sometimes it can feelthankless, other times it's
like these highs and lows, rightyeah, yeah you, you, you.
You tap into those euphoricmoments where it's just like ah
right, and you do these creativeprojects, you do these things.
It's like ah right, and you dothese creative projects, you do
these things.

(21:36):
It's like it's amazing.
But then you also hit thesespots where it's like ah,
Exactly, exactly Like why aren'tthings adding up the way I want
them to?
Why aren't I getting this forthat?
What is you know the struggle?
What, besides dance, brings youjoy?

Speaker 2 (21:59):
It's a good question.
Um, you know, I think, besidesdance, everything that I want to
do, I'm able, I'm doing rightnow.
I would say um, I'm helped, I'mhealthy, um, I feel young hold
on, let's pause right there.

Speaker 1 (22:09):
I'm healthy.
I'm healthy.
No, I'm serious.
Yeah, people't have, peopledon't have the luxury of good
health sometimes, and I'm notsaying it to smash it in their
face.
I'm saying it because we oftentake it for granted, right and
so being able to wake up everyday and be thankful for waking
up, being thankful for yourhealth, like that's a big deal.

(22:32):
So I have to pause on that oneand say that's a big deal.
So I have to pause on that oneand say shout out to good health
.

Speaker 2 (22:37):
Come on, I'm healthy, I have family, I got family.
I would say that family and weare a tight unit.
Family brings me joy.
We don't have I mean, I didn'tgrow up in a huge, huge family
my intermediate family.
It literally is just like myaunt and my mom, my brother, my
sister.
I mean we're in my, in mygrandmother, who's passed,
passed away almost a year ago.

(22:57):
But like we are a unit and so Igrew up in a very tight unit
and I would say, since thepassing of my grandmother, my
family have gotten even closerand that brings me joy.
Like you, like you mentionedearlier, we're always together.
Like I don't.
It's family is everything to me.
So we're cooking, we'repartying, we're coming over on
the phone, we're on a group chat, where that brings me a lot of

(23:19):
joy.
And then also my partner,marcus, shout out to Marcus,
marcus, and they're listeningsomewhere.
We've been together 19 years, sohe brings a lot of joy and
stability in my life too, andthe fact that my family has
brought him in and he's now partof that in all the good things

(23:41):
and everything, I sometimes feelthat they love him more than
they love me.
I'll tell my mom all the timeshe goes we're my best friends.
They got their own relationship, but that brings joy too being
able to come home and share allthese things I've been able to
do in life with a partner andfamily.
That all brings me joy besidesdan, so I couldn't ask for

(24:02):
anything else.
And then also, like my friendsand outside of my family, that
that love and support and, youknow, pull up and pull up for me
on events and things like thatall that stuff brings me joy.
Um, besides health and, like Isaid, I wouldn't be I'm happy of
everything I'm doing in themoment.
For the past I'm good.
I wouldn't ask for anythingdifferent, so that all puts a
smile and a little fuzzies in meevery day, being able to wake

(24:23):
up and have all that all thetime.
You know, because I think noteveryone's fortunate to have
that.
Not everyone has family and hasgood health, big or small.
Big.
All they were small a lot ofpeople don't, yeah.
So I I'm grateful, like,honestly, just like, and just
just like we just did the awardsand our wmba family just came
like, yes, the, the friendships,the long-term friendships that

(24:46):
we've, I've had, we've got hadthat come around like that
brings me joy, too, being ableto still connect with people
that have seen me grow, grow.

Speaker 1 (24:53):
And I think it says so much.
Okay, so a little backstory.
We prior to the awards, we areleading up to the awards.
I guess I should say we hadsome friends come in town.
Additional background Duranteand I both dance for the WNBA
and the NBA, but this particulargroup, we danced with most of

(25:15):
them in the WNBA team and shoutout to Portland Fire, shout out
to the return of the Portland.

Speaker 2 (25:22):
Fire.
Ok, we're so excited.

Speaker 1 (25:24):
We love women's sports, we love, we love the NBA
, we love the WNBA, ok, and sowe're super excited to have them
back in Portland.
But we gained.
So we were so young and we gotonto this team and there was
such a range of talent on thisteam right, a diverse

(25:45):
backgrounds of people, right andso we came into this team and
we got our whole life lesson ongetting right in the studio.

Speaker 2 (26:00):
We were in there, we got, we got in trouble listen
day one.

Speaker 1 (26:03):
They was telling us quick yeah, yeah, for real right
like we learned a differentdiscipline, I think, in a space
outside of the spaces that wewere used to being in.
And so, anywho, we, we dancedsome seasons with this team, we
grew these relationships and Ithink we are both you and I,

(26:24):
very much relationshiporientated, invested people.
I think we love people deep andhard and I think that that
shows in the relationships thatwe've been able to keep with
people over the years, despite,like, we don't talk to people
every day, right, and especiallythe folks from those groups,
because we're talking about manyyears ago, right, but we kept

(26:47):
in touch in different ways.
We've, you know, we, we showlove to each other, we show love
to each other and I think thestars just aligned for this
particular time in life, becauseit wasn't an official reunion,
it was some friends that gottogether.
The stars aligned for people tocome into town that live out of

(27:10):
town and, oh my heavens, y'all,we had a time.

Speaker 2 (27:13):
That time was had for real.
It was so awesome.

Speaker 1 (27:16):
It was so awesome and they were able to join us at
the awards and that felt reallyspecial.

Speaker 2 (27:23):
It did.
Yeah, Over what?
Was it 20 years?
Has it been 20 years?

Speaker 1 (27:28):
Yes, or longer?
Yeah, it's been longer than 20years.

Speaker 2 (27:32):
Yeah, yeah.
And so that was a reallyspecial moment that they were
down to come and support you andI getting that award and just
and just, also just reconnectfor the weekend.
I think that was really, reallyawesome because, again, those
people have also seen, met mewhen I was 15, 16 years old, so
they've along like you, havewatched me grow up and help
mentor and make it who I amtoday, so that was a great

(27:52):
moment.
So, like all those types ofthings is what brings joy to
life other than dance.
You know life, friendships andthings like that, support and
all that.
So I'm very grateful.

Speaker 1 (28:04):
I'm grateful yeah yeah, what, um?
what is something that I thinkpeople feel like, um, when the
dance world is just reallyinteresting, because people,
when they connect to you, theyconnect to you Right.
And when you start working inthese spaces, like people want
to know you, they want to knowall the things about you.

(28:25):
They feel like they know you ifthey've danced with you for a
while or even for a moment,right, and and, and I think even
people who feel like, oh,that's my friend, because you've
danced with them for a minuteor here or there, what is
something about you that peopledon't know about you that might

(28:45):
be surprising to them Fun fact,what's a good fun fact about
Durante that's a hard question,because I feel like I'm an open
book all the time.

Speaker 2 (28:58):
You are like Leo Leo, energy Leo, you, I mean I'm.
I feel like I'm an open book.
Um one thing about me hmm,there's a I mean I'm trying to,
I'm being, we might have to askMarcus yeah, you might have to
ask yeah, because I feel like Ifeel like, like I said, I'm an
open book, I'm the same all thetime.
I don't have anything like, oh,like I'm not an introvert, I
don't like to do this.
Like I feel like, like I said,I'm an open book, I'm the same
all the time.
I don't have anything like, ooh, like I'm not an introvert, I
don't like to do this.

(29:19):
I feel like I'm just open allthe time.
So, yeah, that might be aquestion.
Honestly, I don't even know, Ican't even answer that.

Speaker 1 (29:26):
I'm trying to think that's funny.
I don't have downtime.

Speaker 2 (29:27):
Like I don't.
I'm always.
I love being around people allthe time.
You know, I like to be outoutside, in terms of not going
in the clubs, but just like outdoing things yeah, doing things.
And dancing, so I'm alwaysaround people all the time, and
so I don't know.
I honestly don't know.

Speaker 1 (29:46):
Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

Speaker 2 (29:48):
Mm-hmm.
Um, I don't know, I don't know.

Speaker 1 (29:57):
I don't know.
I don't have no answer to that,so I feel like I'm just asking.
I'm gonna tell you you saidthere are no secrets.

Speaker 2 (30:00):
I think that for me, I know something about me.

Speaker 1 (30:02):
No, I don't know things about you that somebody
else would be surprised.
Yeah, right, like I don't think.
I think you're, you're rightthere, you're very transparent,
very open.
You're, you're right there,you're very transparent, very
open, and and I am the same way.
I think that for me, though Ithink people are surprised to
know that I am, um, oh, what dothey call it?

(30:26):
They call it an ambivert umthat you're both um oh,
introvert and extrovert.
Yeah, um, I love people.
You know when I get outside.

Speaker 2 (30:35):
I'm outside, yeah, I'm with you, right?
Yeah, yeah, for real, I'moutside.

Speaker 1 (30:41):
It's gonna be a time it's gonna be a vibe 100.
Yeah, it just will be right forsure.
Um, but I also really love umthe recharge, like.
I really love like Sundays Iused to be very, very strict
about.
I don't know if you recall thatI used to be very strict, um

(31:03):
about my Sundays.
I'm not doing anything onSunday.
I'm washing my girlfriends, I'mdoing my self care, I'm getting
ready for the week.
I'm doing nothing on Sunday.
I don't want to, I don't like to, right right um and part of
that was because Sunday was likemy recharge day and so I think
that, for as extroverted as I amand as much of a people person

(31:24):
as I am, I think people might belike right you have introverted
ways also, like yeah, I can seeyeah, yeah, yeah because.
I'm so right Like.

Speaker 2 (31:37):
I'm so expressive.

Speaker 1 (31:38):
I'm so, you know, trying to get into people's
souls all the time I'm so, butthat could be exhausting because
I'm that way, right.

Speaker 2 (31:45):
You're getting so much out all the time.
Yeah, yeah, you're not gettingthe receipt.
But I think Marcus and I wasjust talking about this the
other day I don't have anydowntime and I don't even feel
like I even require it.
It's so.
It's so bad Cause I'm and andthat could be bad, though, too,
because I'm always giving,pouring out to other people but
there are times I'm like if wehad a conversation, if we had a

(32:09):
conversation and theconversation was dang, I'm all.
I think I was like dang.
I'm always reaching out topeople like, oh, let's go do
this or let's do that, I said,but dang, no one actually asked,
set the tone or set the planfor me to be like Durante, come
over and do like.
No one ever checks on me, andthat was interesting for me to
know.
I'm like I don't know when.

(32:29):
The last time, someone was justlike hey, just checking in to
see how you're doing, or meet mehere.
So I get how I'm a giver, giver, giver, giver, but sometimes I
don't.
I've noticed that I don't getthat back from a lot of people.

Speaker 1 (32:43):
That's why I like digging into you when we're
together.
That's why I be asking all the5,000 questions Exactly Y'all.
I'll be listening.

Speaker 2 (32:51):
Channel 6.

Speaker 1 (32:52):
News.

Speaker 2 (32:53):
Here we go.
Okay, team z.
Yeah, that's, that's you forsure all the time, okay.

Speaker 1 (33:01):
One because I love you, right, but also also
because, um, I just love gettinginto people's souls.
But two, we don't get a lot oftime you and I to um, because
we're both like doing our thingsright, and so when we do get
together like I, I value thattime spent so much that it's

(33:25):
like let me get in his soul andI love it, I love it and marcus,
I'll be trying to get into hissoul too, marcus, low-key,
scared when he come around youbecause he, he know he the skill
about to be exposed no breath.

Speaker 2 (33:37):
No breath like oh, we're gonna see janelle, uh-huh,
get it together, figure it outI love him, I'm kidding, he
loves you down.
Like, yeah, we love you so much.
We literally all the friendssay you're all of our therapists
, literally me, madora and I,we're all talking about that.
We're like you're like all yourour friends therapists, like

(33:58):
you know how we go to you, andthat's true.
We go to you because you havewisdom, you're, you're such a
good person to talk to.
You understand, you're notbiased, you just you just say
how it is and try to give uswhat you feel and what you think
, and still lets us be who weare, make our own decisions, but
you're just such a good personto talk to, so you're definitely
the one to go to when it's whenyou got something going on, to
see your perspective of things,and and I think that's why I

(34:20):
resonate and love you so much isbecause of that.

Speaker 1 (34:22):
So like, yeah, get into our solo we love, we love a
good dig, yeah, I just.
I like to make sure people aregood, right, and anyone but the
people I love, I like to justlike.
I like to.
First of all, I'm a hugger andso like my hugging and I've said

(34:43):
this before like it's theenergy reader, like I'm reading
people through that and and sosometimes also those hugs tell
me things, and so sometimes I'vebeen needing to like.

Speaker 2 (34:56):
Wait sums up.

Speaker 1 (35:00):
You know I'm side eyeing that energy.
But but yeah, I, I know whatyou, I know how you.
I can relate.
I don't know how you feel.
I can relate to how you feelbecause I am also a person that
I say so like I have to checkmyself because it makes me feel
like a brat sometimes, but I'mlike, so just ain't nobody out

(35:21):
here checking on me, huh, right,right right, right, exactly
like you're.
You're a person to others thatchecks on others, or exactly or.
Or.
You know people are used to youbeing good.
Like you're good, they're fine,like there's nothing that that.
That that says to a person letme check on them because we walk
around good you know what Imean, even if we're juggling

(35:44):
something people don'tnecessarily know, because I'm
not going to wear it.
It's not for me to abuse youwith.
I'm not going to put my stuffon you, however I mean, you know
yeah, that's facts right there.

Speaker 2 (35:56):
That's true.
Like I always walk around, Ifeel like I'm always on, if that
makes sense, like I'm always on.
So even if there's somethinggoing on, you would know and,
like you said, that's not my jobto put that on you and I'm not
that person.
I don't pour my things that aregoing on to other people.
So, even if something's goingon, you're gonna get the same
durante.

Speaker 1 (36:15):
Yes, so, yes, because I'm gonna, I'm gonna consider
you, I'm gonna think of you, I'mgonna say let me shake this off
.
So that I'm not going in therelike this or well, weird energy,
yeah, it's just not now.
I may be a little bit like ohyeah, no, I'm fine, I'm good,
yeah, give me a second.
I'm gonna get there right, um,but I'm not gonna put it on a
person, but I'm going to getthere, right, but I'm not going

(36:35):
to put it on a person, but Ithink, because we're people that
carry it well, like peopledon't think, and we're also
surrounded by not not everyone,but a lot of the people we're
surrounded by are busy shakersand movers also, right.
And so it's like I thinksometimes people can't see past
themselves themselves to thinkabout or consider like.

(36:58):
Let me check on Durante.
Let me check on Janelle, youknow what I mean, like anything
like that, and so I don't holdit against anybody Me either,
but have two clocked it.

Speaker 2 (37:08):
If it happens, it's nice.
But have two clocked it Rightand it's nice and it feels good
when it happens.
But I mean, I don't hold itagainst anybody, it is what it
is, whatever.

Speaker 1 (37:22):
We see y'all.

Speaker 2 (37:23):
We see y'all.

Speaker 1 (37:23):
No, I'm kidding.

Speaker 2 (37:27):
Right, right, right, not calling nobody out.

Speaker 1 (37:29):
Not calling anybody out.

Speaker 2 (37:30):
Just calling the thing a thing.

Speaker 1 (37:32):
We love y'all Every now and then hey, girl, hey,
even if it's this fat, I willsay this though I, I, I, I will
admit, um, I will admit that Iprobably also don't give people
a ton of room to to um, everyoneknows I hate talking on the

(37:54):
phone, um, I hate it.
I don't want to pick, likeyesterday I called you and that
was a big deal for me.
If you ever see me call you,you answer, cause I don't call
people, I don't like the phone,and again it's.
It goes back to the um givingregularly so much of myself that

(38:17):
I cannot imagine sitting with aphone to my ear.
To kiki, no, no, no, guess what?
Though?
I'll meet you for happy hourand we could do it real time, in
real life, and we could.
You know what I mean.
That's how I flow, like I'm areal time energy person.
I'm not about to sit on thephone, but we can get in person

(38:38):
and the time will be had.

Speaker 2 (38:39):
In the same way.
And then also, which isinteresting, is that I'm a voice
texter all day, every day.

Speaker 1 (38:45):
I will text I will voice text.

Speaker 2 (38:46):
I don't know, I just feel like that's more personal.
I don't want to be on the phone.
You will never, probably.
I don't know when the last timeI actually called other than my
mom I think my mom's the onlyone I actually, and Marcus is
the only one I actually talk onthe phone with, but I'll sit all
day and voice text somebody.
Isn't that ridiculous?
That's ridiculous Because Ifeel like that's even better
than texting, because texting Ican't interpret what you're, I

(39:08):
can't interpret what you'resaying.
I mean, like things can bedifferent in energy and verbiage
tone.

Speaker 1 (39:16):
So at least with a voice I can hear your voice and
though if it's you, give me oneshort period, or you give me one
extra exclamation mark and I'mexclamation mark.
I'm saying who are you talkingto Exactly?
Why are you?

Speaker 2 (39:26):
yelling Like.
Why are you?

Speaker 1 (39:28):
yelling.

Speaker 2 (39:30):
Exactly.
So, yeah, but I think the onlyperson I'm talking on the phone
to is my mom like seriously, andso yeah, but I think the only
person I'm talking on the phoneto is my mom like seriously, and
even that is short and she,she'll test for that.
Like I'll just be I'm get tothe point type of guy like I
used to me.
My girl used to laugh at my mombecause my mom goes miles in
tribulations when the dog needsa haircut, but she gonna go to
New York and Africa and NewZealand, take the extended route

(39:54):
to get to the point, Just tosay oh, I dropped off a dog to
get groomed and I'm like I don'tmy, when are we trying to get
to?
I'm literally on the other sideof the phone for some people
going yeah, it just drives mecrazy.
You know what I mean.
For anybody, it's like what arewe?
Who, what, when, what, what arewe that?
I mean that and that's reallymessed up as a person, but I've

(40:17):
always been.
No, it's not messed up.
I think that's because, also,my mind's always on.
I'm always thinking like I feellike I'm always on go mode in
my mind, no matter what, likeI'm planning this, I'm doing
this.
I'm thinking like my mind'salways that like always, you
know, to be honest.
But I'm always like okay, Ihave that class, I got to
choreograph that, but stilltrying to have a conversation
with you.
So I feel like I'm all over theplace, but I'm not ADD or

(40:39):
nothing, but it's just likewhere are we?
What is the problem or what'sthe?
Where are we?

Speaker 1 (40:44):
What do you want?
What do you want?
What do you want?
What do you want?
What do you without saying whyare you calling me?
Because everyone knows I hatethe phone, so you're calling me.
You're calling me for somethingI don't.
I'm not a small talker.
I'm not a small talker.
Um, what do you want?

(41:05):
Please tell me in the beginning, quickly, I'm the same way,
quickly I'll.
And there's a few like I.
There's.
I have a short list of peoplewho I will entertain on the
phone, and two of them are mychildren.
Right, my children.
They can get me.
However, whenever they can talk, and I'm fine with it.
My kids can call me aboutwhatever, whenever I'm fine with

(41:28):
it.
Anybody else, though I meanthere's a couple, right, but I'm
like even my sister, um, one ofmy sisters will call me and
she'll will.
She'll be like I'm not gonna.
Everyone who calls me this is,except my kids.
This is what they say.
Just, really quick, this isgonna be really quick, that's
the first thing.
Or, or nothing's wrong.

(41:49):
They'll say nothing's wrong,right, right, um, but there is
this short list of of of peoplethat I will be on the phone with
and she will say we'll get youknow.
The conversation will startgoing and then I'll say, ok, I'm
getting off the phone.
Like I have to end abruptly,I'm getting off the phone, I
don't want to talk.

Speaker 2 (42:08):
I don't want to talk.
I don't want to talk.
But yeah, like meeting up withsomeone is very different.
One is very different, likethat's.
That's a whole experience.
At that point, you know, I meanso it should.
And I'm about experiences inlike meaningful conversations,
like, like you said, one-on-oneand with a cocktail and some
food, like that's love.

Speaker 1 (42:25):
But that's love that is a love language of mine,
right like I like.
Yes, let's.
Let's break bread together likebecause that's where all the
good stuff happens in my opinionRight, I don't want to sit on
the phone.
That makes me feel like agossiper.
I don't want to sit on thephone.

Speaker 2 (42:40):
Yeah, I don't know when was the last time I had a
long conversation on the phone.
It might have been a long time.
My kids are it, and I ain't gotnone, none of mom, you couldn't
just text me, but I love her todeath.

Speaker 1 (43:00):
But I love her to death, yes yes, yes, yes, yes,
and grateful to have the rightright, exactly, exactly, um what
um uh in I talk um.
I have a lot of conversationswith people who um have
experienced loss, right um Iknow your grandmother played a

(43:26):
very prominent role in your life, in your upbringing center of
your family, matriarch, rightlike 100 um what?
What has her passing taught you?

Speaker 2 (43:44):
I would say her passing has taught me to live
life every day like it's yourlast.
No day is promised to you Imean, I've always known that but
all the things that you want todo and accomplish.
The time is now, because thingscan happen unexpectedly.

(44:05):
I would say and yeah, I wouldsay that's probably the biggest
thing.
All the things, the list ofthings that I want to do and
accomplish in this lifetime thatI've been putting in on the
back burner, you know I'll do.
That is like, do that now, likemake the progress and get some
plans to do, do those things,because you never know when what

(44:28):
can happen.
I would say that, um, and alsolove, love more, even more.
I would say that you know, like, because you, the I love you
could be the last time you seesay that to somebody you know I
mean last time you see say thatto somebody you know I mean so,
like I would say that.
But other than that, yeah, it'sdefinitely been hard, but you
know, I am proud of myself, of Ifeel like I've been coping it
well, more than you, more thanusual, because I would say me

(44:51):
and her were very, very, veryclose and people would, if you
know her or know us, you wouldsay I was her favorite, I, I was
her favorite.
I shouldn't say that my brotherand sister are going to kill me
, but they know that.

Speaker 1 (45:02):
The truth is the truth.

Speaker 2 (45:04):
Yeah, like I was always at her house, I was
always spending time as a kid, Iwas always, you know, grandma's
kid, like she was like mysecond mom, so, and we were very
close, like she wouldn't evencome to function unless she knew
that me and Marcus was gonna bethere.
Like, like, honestly, like isGeronte and Marcus gonna?

Speaker 1 (45:20):
be there, not gravy, and like who all gonna be there?
Or yeah, who all gonna be?

Speaker 2 (45:24):
there, or like literally, like my mom would
call and be like yourgrandmother's here and she's
asking where you at, like stufflike that.
But it's just like so we werevery very close.

Speaker 1 (45:31):
Because where are you ?
Yeah, because I'm here and Idon't come outside.
What you thought this was, yeah.

Speaker 2 (45:36):
So we were very, very , very close and so I would say
I've been handling it more wellthan usual.
And the crazy thing is whenthat happened, I was in the
middle of a show, producing ashow Ecstasy so that definitely
threw a left curveball in themiddle of producing and

(45:58):
directing and choreographing abig show.
So, um, but also because ofthat show that got to help me
get my mind off of that and stayproductive, because that's kind
of what she would want me to do.
Like she was probably mybiggest fan, especially when it
came to like dance and the artand the movies.
Like when I was doing like themovies and tv shows, she was on
set with me, with my mom, solike she was literally our

(46:20):
everything.
So I would say our family hasdefinitely gotten much closer in
a good way.
We were already close, butwe're much more closer now and I
would say live your life justlike it's your last day.
So I try to wake up and be verygrateful for having breath in
my lungs every day.
I mean, I always look like that, but even more, you know, like
all those things going off anddoing the things I want to do,

(46:41):
like so I've been in progress oflike doing all, like the list
of, like check marks, and tryingto accomplish it now, because
you never know.
Like I said when she passedaway, that was very, very, very
unexpected.
Like that wasn't you know,sometimes with family members
you can kind of see a decline ofhealth or things like that.
But preparing yourself.
But no, we had no idea, youknow.
And in the end but the glory ofit is I was able to spend the

(47:04):
the day before with her doingthe things that we love to do
cooking and kiki and gossiping.
My grandmother was spicy, spicyand shady shady and we love we
love her for it.
All this, all that and she wasall that until the day that that
happened.
So I'm glad I got to have thatlast little kiki moment.
She literally told me I wascooking some stir fry for her,

(47:28):
for the family, because we werekind of all over there, and she
literally told me I didn't putenough seasoning in my food.
I said, oh, pull up, she goes.
No, you cook good, but todayyou forgot but on today you yeah
, okay so the shade again.
So, and you she's so on andspicy.
So I love that woman to deathand miss her every day, and I
would say I still feel herpresence, energy around me today

(47:50):
, still um, in the most good andamazing sense, and I think
having that around me and littlesigns in here, that still keeps
me thriving and going today,because I know she wants me to
be the best that I could and canbe, even as a little kid.
So, yeah, I love her.
Shout out to grandmother, yeah.

Speaker 1 (48:09):
Yeah, and I think it's important in moments like
this and other moments whereverlike, um keeping her memory and
her spirit in the now right.
Like like to to feel like no inthis moment.
She was very much with me inthis moment.

Speaker 2 (48:28):
When I did that.

Speaker 1 (48:29):
I very much felt her on my shoulder.
I very much, you know, I thinkbeing being able to be in a
present space where you can feellike and I tell people, don't
think past those thoughts right,like, if you feel her, that's
her.
You know what I mean.
Like, like, like, feel that inwhatever way you think, whatever
you think, that means right.

(48:50):
I'm not saying that somebodygonna float down and part the
clouds and but I'm saying likeit's the gift that she is
continuing to give her, um, giveyou is is her presence in the
things you do, the things thatyou feel, the thoughts that you
have.
Um, so I, um.

Speaker 2 (49:08):
What a gift you know, yeah, yeah, so I'm very
grateful, I'm very grateful.
I feel that I feel the love andthe energy still around, um, so
that's, i'm'm grateful for thatyou know and I think that still
helps me with the grievingprocess.
I guess you always grieveforever, I guess, and and I've
also had no one pass away thatclose to me ever, you know.

(49:29):
So that was a different typesof feels and energies that I was
coping with, but like I thinkfor the most part, I'm doing
okay, I'm doing okay, I thinkthe family's doing okay.
You never forget and you neverstop grieving.
But I think for the most partthat has helped me on the
artistic side still to this day,but more so to push me and
motivate me more to do thethings and be great.

(49:51):
I always wanted that, so Icarry that here.
Yeah, I love it, I love it.
I, I love it.
Shout out to her.

Speaker 1 (50:01):
She's listen.
So og, oh, so og, in a way thatI think like um, a lot of, um,
a lot of people, communities, umare missing, right In that we
are missing our elders, who arereally elders, right right right

(50:25):
.
Sorry, I don't know if you canhear that that was me.

Speaker 2 (50:28):
No, I can.
That was good.
I don't know, like grandmothersand moms and stuff are built
different, we don't got themlike the old, old Gs, the ones
you used to be scared to go totheir house.

Speaker 1 (50:40):
You know what I mean listen, that you are getting
your get right, that you aremaking sure that you're
approaching things respectfully,responsibly.
I mean, when you know thepeople who earn the right to
gather folks in the neighborhood, like you know, the the, the
people who earn the right togather folks in the neighborhood

(51:01):
, like you know.
We're missing that.
So I think that anyone who hasa granny that's like you know or
has been able to experiencehaving a granny through their
adulthood, you know what I mean.
Like I think that's that's sodope yeah, yeah, for sure, right
, right because it's reallymissing and I'm not talking

(51:26):
about, I mean, shout out to theyoung grant.
Well, they're probably notcalled grannies at that point,
but shout out to the young, uh,the, the young grandmothers, but
they have different names.
Now, my sisters, um, they'reboth grandparents.
Shout out to them and they,they, um, their grandparent name
is nani both that's cool nani,it's cute, I love it.

(51:50):
It's cute and my mom's, my nieceand nephew call my mom nana we
have a nana yeah we have a nanaalso, and then, um, my kids, uh,
so one one of my kidsgrandmothers is nana.

Speaker 2 (52:06):
The other grandmother is grandma so they say grandma,
grandma, grandma, grandma,g-r-a-m-o honey grandma my
grandmother said do not call meliterally when we were kids.
Don't call me grandma.
Grandma, nothing, nothing.
Grandmother.

Speaker 1 (52:25):
Period.
Give me my respect.
Yeah, say the whole thing,grandmother.

Speaker 2 (52:31):
That was it.
I'm not answering nothing elsebut that.
So we Grandmother Missed, callher.

Speaker 1 (52:45):
That's because she was of age to be a grandmother,
right, right.
But when you start, you know wehave these, we have younger
grandmothers, and and and.
No, nothing wrong with it, I'mnot saying that because I'm
saying that because of that.
You see, like, hold on, grandmafeels older than what I'm
prepared to be right now.

Speaker 2 (52:58):
Let Let me get something cute here.

Speaker 1 (53:00):
Right, and so you see like I think that's where you
start to see like the you knowthe creative names for grandma
or you know, grandmother thatpeople are comfortable with,
right?
Yeah, there's a lot of them outthere.
There is, there is, there is.

Speaker 2 (53:16):
Shout out to y'all, shout out to them.
yeah, right, right you had anevent last night yes talk a
little bit about it yeah, sofusion um is a event that I
produce and direct um, and it'sbeen going on oh, oh, my God, I

(53:38):
was talking with someone, Ithink, almost 20 years now,
almost coming up, 20 years andwhat it is?
It is a community.
It's an event that I put onthat, you know, local or
whatever choreographers, dancers, people of art can come under
one roof and showcase what theywant to do.
So they come and theychoreograph pieces, dancers,

(54:00):
dance, sometimes there's musicalartists like singers and yeah,
and this is a big communityevent we do like kind of every
quarterly and it's just such agreat event to see all the local
talent come under one roof andcelebrate the art and support
each other and dance and it'sjust such a good time and a good
vibe and it's awesome.
So I try to do that every once,every three months or so, and we

(54:23):
had a lot of seattle come uplast night and we had some
spokane and eugene.
So this is basically at thepacific northwest comes under
one roof.
Um, it's very piggybacked on,like carnival in california and
la and club jeté, so it's likethat in portland that wanted to.
I think Portland needed that.
We needed to have a space wherepeople can come under one roof

(54:43):
and celebrate dance andchoreography, art and all the
vibes and all the good things.
And so it's just been such agreat thing that Portland has,
you know, accepted, embraced,and it's almost been 20 years,
and so it's great, it's awesome,and people just submit like
anyone can be a part of it.

Speaker 1 (54:59):
You just submit your work online and, um, we go
through it and make sure it'saligned with the values and and
not value values yeah, um, andthings that's acceptable and
it's aligned with the spirit ofthe event there you go, yeah and
so, but for the most part it'scelebrated.

Speaker 2 (55:18):
I mean we get to celebrate each other and support
each other and do all thewonderful things, and so it's
great it's called fusion.

Speaker 1 (55:24):
Yeah, so we're grateful that he made it to this
recording today.
I know it was a time I've beento.
I've been to a show before andwe have a time, and it's always
the time, so I know that lastnight was nothing short of that,
so super exciting.

(55:46):
What, what is in the future foryou?
What is the next project?
What is the next?

Speaker 2 (55:54):
I think I, man, that's a good loaded question.
So I'm gearing up to do a danceintensive program, so almost
like a mentorship program.
But I've done a mentorshipprogram before in the past but I
kind of revamped it andreprogrammed it to what I think
the needs are that people neednow, and it's going to be like a

(56:15):
six week program, danceintensive program for people who
want to like really elevatetheir dance technique and
performance quality and thingslike that.
So I'm going to gear up forsomething like that in the fall,
but like a six-week program.
I haven't been teaching aconsistent class yet in Portland
for it's been a couple ofmonths, so I may dibble and

(56:35):
dabble and maybe start puttingmy foot in the studio a little
bit more on a consistent basis,maybe like a drop.

Speaker 1 (56:43):
Oh, consistent Okay.

Speaker 2 (56:45):
And consistent, not weekly, because I think for me,
in the space that I'm in now, Ithink weekly doesn't align well
with what I want to do.
For me, I think, when dance andteaching starts to become work
and it's just where I'm havingto be forced to choreograph and
do things that does not bring mejoy and it's not good for me.
And it's not good for mystudents either, because it's
not.

(57:05):
I don't become the best teacherfor them.

Speaker 1 (57:09):
You say you're going to teach a little bit more.
Do you have any productionscoming up here soon?

Speaker 2 (57:13):
Not, at the time, I think I kind of took a look, put
the productions on a backburner.
Yeah, at the time I think Ikind of took a look at, put the
productions on a back burner.
Um, you know, I've been doingit for so long and it's I think
now I'm just trying to reallysee whatever is next for me.
Like I, I, like I wouldn't.
I would love to do more.

Speaker 1 (57:30):
Bring back concept videos you know like I would
love.

Speaker 2 (57:34):
I like to be on the.
I like to be on the directorside and more.

Speaker 1 (57:37):
I want to really learn more on the camera side
yeah, like more what that feelslike and I mean, I would love
that for you yeah, like I directshows and all that stuff.

Speaker 2 (57:47):
But yeah, I do like what that looks like to be on
the camera side and more on,like the director, on that type
stuff like cinema, like yeah,you know that type bad if I'm,
yeah, I'm ready for the nextthing and I'm gonna.
I want to learn.
I'm in a learning state rightnow.
Like I want to love that moreabout that, like invest in

(58:08):
getting a camera, so even if I'mfilming things on my own maybe
that's what people don't knowabout you and and maybe that see
how that came out.
Yeah, yeah, like, because I Ithink I want to get like, get a
camera and start you startdirecting and filming my own and
editing my own stuff.
Cause if I can get that, alongwith all the other stuff, if I
can direct, choreograph, castfilm and edit all that like, I

(58:32):
think that's what will level meup more.
So and I'm willing to learnfrom, yes, what that feels like
and look like and invest in that.
So I think that's probably thenext thing that I want.

Speaker 1 (58:42):
I don't think so much more production of like dance
production, I think it's morelike concept videos and that
stuff full, full, and and it'snot that you you're not in full
artistry now, but like um awider range, a wider range.

Speaker 2 (58:55):
A wider range of things.

Speaker 1 (58:56):
You're expanding yeah .

Speaker 2 (58:59):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (59:00):
Evolving in your artistry.
That's it.
I like that word expanding.

Speaker 2 (59:03):
So I think I'm on that.

Speaker 1 (59:05):
Come on, level up, level up, because you got to.
We don't grow as people.
We don't level up.

Speaker 2 (59:10):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, you can't stay, you can't stay.

Speaker 1 (59:19):
I stay here like right I got in, which we should
all.

Speaker 2 (59:20):
I think people get married to the idea of like this
is my, this is what I'mstriving for this.

Speaker 1 (59:22):
Once I accomplish this, I'm successful.
And I'm like, well, thatdepends on your definition of
success.
Like, yeah, you, you, yousuccessfully reach that place.
Are you happy in that space?
Because happiness is the truedefinition of success for me,
right, and you can be over heremaking a shitload of money and

(59:42):
be unhappy, but you're makingall the money, you're getting to
do some of the things, butyou're miserable.
But over here you could bedoing something you love and not
making a shitload of money, butyou're the happiest, right,
you're the happiest in thisspace, which I think a lot of
artists and creatives strugglewith.
That because you know, in yourpassion, work, that's really

(01:00:03):
where your happiness lies, right, and so, anywho, I say all that
to say like, your career canevolve, evolve, evolve, evolve.
You don't have to stick to onething your whole life Right.

Speaker 2 (01:00:17):
I think people get caught up in that.

Speaker 1 (01:00:18):
Yeah, yeah, I love that.
I up in that.
Yeah, yeah, I love that.

Speaker 2 (01:00:21):
I gotta, I gotta keep it.
I gotta, I gotta do it like forme.
You know it makes sense as thenext.

Speaker 1 (01:00:26):
It makes sense as the next step and I and I love that
it is related to, um, you know,or can be related to dance and
movement, but it could also openyou up to lots of different
opportunities, right?
So?

Speaker 2 (01:00:43):
I love that a lot for you, exactly so I think that's
what I do Investment, investing,investing in that, yeah, that's
the next thing, yeah, so yeah,let's see.

Speaker 1 (01:00:52):
Yeah, okay, I'm going to.
I'm going to wrap this up,because I know you're on a
timetable here and you know Ican just sit here and talk
forever.

Speaker 2 (01:00:59):
We're not even on camera Low key.
I kind of forgot.
I feel like you're sitting here.

Speaker 1 (01:01:05):
Yeah, we really wanted to do this in person and
I'm going to try to get themback when we can do it in person
.
But yeah, it will be a wholeother vibe in that situation Put
a little something cute.

Speaker 2 (01:01:19):
Put a little something cute on your
charcuterie board, then you'rereally going to get some tea.

Speaker 1 (01:01:24):
Listen, let me tell you something okay.

Speaker 2 (01:01:27):
Let me tell you something.

Speaker 1 (01:01:29):
We might open it up and answer questions from people
.

Speaker 2 (01:01:33):
That's actually dope, dope and scary, but dope, yeah,
yeah.

Speaker 1 (01:01:40):
Funny, it'll be funny .

Speaker 2 (01:01:41):
Fun, fun and funny what what?

Speaker 1 (01:01:48):
what do you hope to be remembered by in?
This in this, in this work thatyou do what, what, what is the
stamp that you, that you hopeyou, have placed?

Speaker 2 (01:02:03):
in this work, in this work, so I would say like my
main or in life.

Speaker 1 (01:02:09):
Let's open it up it doesn't have to be about dance,
just in life.
What do you hope you stamped onthe universe kindness period.

Speaker 2 (01:02:17):
Kindness, um, I feel like I'm I'm a very kind person,
kind and respectful toeverybody, regardless of
whatever.
Um kindness, um hard work.
Yeah, I'm just naming thingsthat I could, yeah, relate to
that I would think that peoplewould let's talk legacy though.
Legacy.

Speaker 1 (01:02:38):
What do you want Durante Lambert to be remembered
for?
Mr Durante, mr Durante Lambert.

Speaker 2 (01:02:49):
I would say someone oh man, there's just so many
things.
Oh man, that's such a.
I would say, ooh, I've neverbeen asked this before.
I would want to be rememberedas, or my.

Speaker 1 (01:03:11):
my stamp would be um, there's just things, um this is
why good conversations areimportant, because I love
getting asked these questionsand I'm not even talking about
for recording purposes, I'msaying I love being asked

(01:03:33):
questions that I would not havethought of.

Speaker 2 (01:03:35):
Yeah, for myself I would say like a visionary, like
I'm a visionary, come on, avisionary, like a visionary,
everything, like when it comesto the arts and the art, the
form of art, I'm a visionary andI've left that.
I think that's stamp here.
I've left that.

(01:03:57):
I think that, stamp here.
I've done classes, I've doneproductions, I've done, think
quality, vision like a visionaryperson like I think that's what
real rounds me up to whatpeople would remember me by here
.
He was a visionary and Ibrought to life so much art in
this, in this city, you know, soI think that's the only thing I
can think of.
You know all the communitybuilder yep um bridging the gap.
I mean within the same thingcommunity, community builder

(01:04:19):
yeah, yeah um that's what Ithink about when I think about
you.

Speaker 1 (01:04:22):
Like you, I think you created like a good community
yeah of people and I thinkthere's multiple communities
within the community.
Right and not to silo off orclick you know, make it sound
clicky but I think there'smultiple communities within the
community.
Right and not to silo off orclick you know make it sound
clicky, but I think there'svarious parts of of the dance
world here and I think you'vedone a good job of showing or

(01:04:46):
creating a pathway for people tosee what's possible for
themselves.
Now, that's not guaranteeingsomebody any level of success in
it, but showing them.
Here's a door, here's a pathway.
And even if someone says, okay,performance isn't for me, maybe
it's just class or performanceisn't for me, but I'm gonna

(01:05:08):
support all of the thingsbecause I love it and I think we
see a lot of that in the danceworld is maybe people who are
not about like life outside ofclass, or even some people who
aren't.
They're not even here for class, but they want to be a part of
the community, of supportingthat community.
Sorry, I keep getting stuck.

Speaker 2 (01:05:27):
I'm not sure why I'm freezing here.

Speaker 1 (01:05:30):
Anywho, that's probably my cue to wrap this
thing up.
Last question OK, it's not adeep one, it's an easy one,
because I love the one of thethings that I love about the
dance world and just individualsand their connection to music
is like all of the differentthings that we're inspired by,
all of the different artistswe're inspired by in the way

(01:05:53):
with which we hear music andlisten to music.
Right, what do I like to listento when I'm needing to pick me
up?
What do I like to listen to atthe top of the morning?
What gets me in my creative bag?
What is going to get me out myseat?
What is the turn up that I wantto hear when I'm out?
What are a couple of songs thatthat that are moving you, a
couple songs about artists,whatever, um, that that move,

(01:06:13):
that are moving you right now.
Um, I think music, for rightnow, music is.
I have this conversation.
I'm always having aconversation.

Speaker 2 (01:06:22):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
But, um, I was talking to thecoach of the Washington Wizards
NBA team.
Um, I'm actually going outthere to DC in a week and a half
to choreograph on them.
But we were talking about, yeah, love the Wizards.
Shout out to Derek and theWizards Come on.
We were talking about music andtrying to find music for the
team and we were just sayingmusic right now is not for me in

(01:06:44):
the moment.
Nothing's motivating me.
Music is in a weird space rightnow.
I think there's not any goodmusic out right now.
But I would say my artist forall time and you probably know
the answer for this, but thatfor different genres and things
that gets me when I'm sad, getsme going, that I hear any of the
songs I'm going to get up andgets my creative juices going.

(01:07:05):
My artist of all time isBeyonce.

Speaker 1 (01:07:06):
Period.

Speaker 2 (01:07:07):
Honestly, come on.

Speaker 1 (01:07:15):
Beyonce is, and for so long anyone who knows me you
know, durante, the president ofthe beehive, is right here, the
CEO.
So okay, well, I guess I'lltake BP.

Speaker 2 (01:07:21):
I'll take BP yeah, yeah, um, but I would say, right
, her music, even her music isso timeless to me, even her old
stuff up until now, like it justgets me together.
And you can ask marcus, everysingle day I wake up, I do my
little prayer, do my littlestuff, but you're gonna have
beyonce on the live room, on thesurround town period, some
beyonce station, but it justgets.

(01:07:42):
She brings so much joy to me,like to me as a person, for just
so many reasons, and she justhas great music.
I mean, yes, a lot of peoplecan argue me down that, but I
think she gets me going, shegets my creative juices going.
For any project that I havegoing on, I'm playing her in the
background or in the car, but Ithink that is my artist, that
kind of thrives, my passion fordance and art.

(01:08:03):
So, yeah, so there's no song inparticular.
I think all her, all her songsget me together and whatever,
different times, differentreasons.

Speaker 1 (01:08:13):
Listen, she's one of those artists that any year, any
day, you can pluck a song ormix a song, whatever, and it can
inspire a whole thing.
Her and Rihanna is another onewho.
I feel like their music isdifferent in in terms of like,

(01:08:34):
their, um different right, yeah,different very different, um,
but in terms of their musicthough, like rihanna makes
timeless music like for sure, Ican pull from any one of her
albums something, somethingright when I get into a space of

(01:08:56):
like dang.

Speaker 2 (01:08:57):
What am I?

Speaker 1 (01:08:57):
what do I want to?
Yeah, yeah, you know, I can.
I can listen to either one ofthem and pull something from it.

Speaker 2 (01:09:04):
that makes me want to move, or yeah, I love it.

Speaker 1 (01:09:08):
Yeah, there's, there's I.
People aren't making full,thoughtful, intentional albums,
something that I really miss.
I think a lot of people andit's probably industry driven
where they're they're making aviral hit, right, like, what's
going to make TikTok?
What can we put on TikTok?

(01:09:28):
That's going to be what can wecreate a viral dance to?
What can we do Like Right, yeah.
So when we're talking aboutintentionality, beyonce don't
got to sell another record inher life.
Rihanna don't got to sellanother record in her life.

Speaker 2 (01:09:42):
Right.

Speaker 1 (01:09:42):
Like their their their portfolio is deep.
Right but they do it becausethey love it.
Rihanna hasn't done it and Ithink that's telling right.
I think it's telling Like Ihaven't done it because it's not
on my spirit to do, becauseit's not Right right.
You have to have a level ofintentionality, right.
Beyonce, she's a machine, right.

(01:10:04):
Like I enjoy more as much as Ienjoy her music, any glimpse
that she's given us into herprocess is a blessing.

Speaker 2 (01:10:14):
It's a blessing.

Speaker 1 (01:10:14):
Right Like her process is crazy and inspiring
and always leaves me feelinglike shit, girl, you ain't doing
enough.

Speaker 2 (01:10:23):
I'll be feeling literally.

Speaker 1 (01:10:25):
Whatever it is, I'm not even talking about it.
You know, being a dancer, orcreative or anything, life in
general talking about it, youknow, being a, a dancer or
creative or anything like like.
Like thinking about what'spossible for you, and it's not
about comparing yourself tosomebody else.
We're talking just possibility.
I think we limit our me tothink about what's possible, not

(01:10:58):
in comparison, but for me, forwhat is possible.
Take that ceiling off right.
I see the ceiling in my wholelife Shout out blue, right, no,
but, um, but, but things likethat.
So that's dope.
Yeah, I miss the days of ofbeing able to shout out like, oh

(01:11:19):
, this artist, this artist, thisartist, this artist it hasn't
been like that for a while.

Speaker 2 (01:11:23):
Yeah, for me at least .

Speaker 1 (01:11:24):
You know what I do, I find and I'm I am gonna wrap it
up, I promise find artists onTikTok, underground artists or
like not you know who I loveright now, and it's not.
It's not for, for dance is formy spirit more than.

Speaker 2 (01:11:39):
I love.

Speaker 1 (01:11:45):
Oh, what is her last name?
Her first name is Jazz.
Hold on Now.
I got to look, I got to look.

Speaker 2 (01:11:53):
Hold on Now.
I got to look, I got to look.

Speaker 1 (01:11:55):
Isaiah Falls.
These are like.
This isn't about like dance,right.
Like this is about just artistswho I like to hear.
Hold on, I'm about to find itJazz Karras.

Speaker 2 (01:12:10):
Never heard, never heard.
She Like G-A-Z-Z on I'm aboutto find it um jazz caris never
heard.
Never heard she um like g, a, ja, z, z or j a z j a z caris k
a r I s um.

Speaker 1 (01:12:21):
I'll post her to my stories and I'll tell you in it
um but um, I listened to thatalbum, no joke, just because the
smoothness of it, and I did getdance vibes off of this one
because you hear, like you hear,the inspiration in her music.
Um but um, I listened to thatalbum straight for at least four
months every day, every day,yeah, every day, the whole album

(01:12:45):
wow the entire album and it'srare that you're not skipping
through.
Oh, I like four songs.
Oh, I like the few songs.
All right, oh, and chris brownoh, chris brown forever oh, yeah
, again you don't think you'reworking hard enough, you don't
think you could, uh, come to theother side of adversity.

(01:13:05):
Chris brown, I'm not.
I'm not talking perfection.
Don't nobody come for me.
I don't care what opinion youhave on this him whatever.
I'm not judge, I'm not sayingany of that.
I'm saying he's an artist also.
Let's also take intoconsideration our life is not on
the public stage for ridicule,so we don't know what it's like
to go through those thingspublicly in that way, so then

(01:13:26):
I'm gonna leave it there rightum not justifying right
justifying.

Speaker 2 (01:13:32):
I'll be having to make it clear not justifying
anything.

Speaker 1 (01:13:34):
I'm saying that I'm yeah, I'll leave it there but
he's another one, rihanna chrisbrown, um beyonce but, isaiah
falls um jazz caris, um, thoseare two, two like low-key
artists that I can just play.
And let play not for dance-bysbut just for like.

Speaker 2 (01:13:58):
I like what y'all doing here, yeah, yeah so I'm
gonna wrap this up here, but.

Speaker 1 (01:14:04):
I because if I don't, you ain't never gonna make it
to where you got to go but Ilove you so much and.
I'm so grateful for you joiningme here today, and we are going
to have to do this again whenwe can sit on the couch and do
it in the same space and place,and I'm just really thankful for
, you know, the relationshipthat we've been able to maintain

(01:14:25):
over the years.
It's been such a privilege tohave a front row seat to your
life and just watching you growand develop and continue
becoming as an artist, as acreative, you know, exploring
many different endeavors, stillcontinuing to explore for
yourself, and, and love, love,love that you are looking at

(01:14:47):
like the next level of thingsfor yourself, and, and and I
just think that that's soamazing so thanks for having me.

Speaker 2 (01:14:59):
I love you too.

Speaker 1 (01:15:00):
This was fun, yes tell folks, I mean, we, we have
a lot of listeners, um, um,overseas, um and within the
states, and so, um, shout out tolook germany, hey y'all,
because, yeah, shout out toy'all, we have a ton of
listeners from there and um, Idon't know how we got there, but

(01:15:22):
thankful for it.
Um, but uh, in in a lot ofother places, that's just um,
outside of the states.

Speaker 2 (01:15:28):
That's our, our highest um it's because of you,
it's's what you do, your voiceit's you.

Speaker 1 (01:15:35):
I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, but we love
it, we love all the people fromall the places that tune in,
but tell them how they can reachyou and where they can find you
.
Shoot them your handles,Facebook, IG.

Speaker 2 (01:15:46):
Yeah, so my website.
I got a website too.
Yeah, so my website is just uh,durante lambertcom.
Um, you'll find all kinds ofthings about me video, class
videos, a lot of thechoreography jobs likea
collection of things, noteverything, but a collection of
my classes, my choreography, umand productions and things I've

(01:16:07):
done.
My Instagram handle is DuranteLambert and then my choreography
handle is Durante LambertChoreography, and then on there
you can see all my other sideprojects at Fusion and my
mentorship program and any otherthings I have going on there.
But for the main part, you canjust go to my website.
Everything's on there and youcan learn about me, my journey

(01:16:28):
and all the fun things thatI've'm doing and my process and
all that stuff.
So come check me out.

Speaker 1 (01:16:33):
And you heard about what he's, he's, he's looking
into doing next.
So we've heard it here, and sofigure out or connect, right,
they connected to him.
Don't just be an observer.
A lot of times people willobserve you but they won't go on
and click that follow button.
Y'all gone and click the likebutton and the follow button,
the subscribe button to hiswebsite.

(01:16:56):
Um, make sure to do all ofthose things, um, the support um
is, um is is so important, sovaluable um in in these spaces,
right?
So, um Durante, thank you somuch Y'all.
I'll be back and we'll talkabout where I've been for the
last year.

(01:17:16):
It's just another topic.

Speaker 2 (01:17:20):
We definitely want to know, so we're going to hold
you to that.

Speaker 1 (01:17:24):
Yes, yes, yes, but y'all be well and we will be
back to do it again.
Sounds good.
Thanks y'all If and we will beback to do it again.

Speaker 2 (01:17:30):
Sounds good.
Thanks y'all.

Speaker 1 (01:17:32):
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(01:17:55):
wwwfearnotthejourneycom.
Thank you for joining us forthis episode and until next time
be well.