In our Season 3 finale, we sit down and have an intimate conversation with award winning choreographer and our brother, Dylan Banares.  We seize the opportunity to talk with him about how he really feels about dance and he answers a question that’s been on our minds ever since he started dancing, “did you feel pressured by us to become a dancer?”.  Dylan reflects on his time as the youngest dancer amidst a team of older, more experienced dancers and we examine the origin of the competitive spirit between two brothers and overcoming the shadows of older siblings.  We reminisce on our encounter with Filipino comedian Jo Koy, the Jabbawockeez, and that “kendama life”.  We take a “detour” from the episode and use the podcast as a chance to reflect (and cry a little) about the loss of our studio and the effect it had on our bond as siblings.  Dylan talks candidly about how the pandemic has compromised his dance goals and how he used this time to get in touch with his body and mind. He also shares his predictions on how the current pandemic will change the way we move forward with dance training.  Devin and Michelle share their proudest moments of Dylan’s accomplishments, we talk about making it into the top 10 wearing pajamas, and proclaim that you’re never too old for dance.   Dylan demonstrates some of his signature dance moves and shares his impression of the “quiet storm”.   We do a round of rapid fire (or as Dylan calls it “medium fire”), we put the pressure on Dylan to tell us who his favorite sister is and he reveals his opinion on who is the favorite Banares child. We wrap the episode with Dylan’s take on what’s good in the dance community and we gush about how “especially special” this episode is.
 
In this episode, we explore:
00:32 Introduction
03:52 The truth comes out
05:43 A moment of realization
07:05Bond as siblings
08:45The serious side of Dylan
10:01 A competitive spirit among brothers
13:54 Shout out to Jo Koy and the Jabbawockeez
19:30A moment to reflect (and cry)
29:40Dancing during a pandemic
40:16The definition of “stagger” 
47:16 Proceed with caution 
1:05:56Making it into the finals wearing pajamas
1:10:34 Dylan’s signature dance moves
1:16:17Rapid Fire 
1:23:19What’s good in the dance community? 
1:26:05 Closing remarks
1:26:24Season 4 Coming April 28th!

This episode’s guest:
Follow Dylan on Instagram
Mountains, by Dylan Banares
Sharpest Edges, by Dylan Banares
Freestyle, by Dylan Banares
Purity, by Dylan Banares
Got Muscle, by Dylan Banares 

Special thanks to: 
-Jane Banares for creating our Co-Lab Podcast artwork 

Music by Sam Stan - Das Boo - https://thmatc.co/?l=997FC418
Music by SkeetOnTheBeat - Late Night - https://thmatc.co/?l=E76B5749 

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The conversation continues over on Instagram and TikTok
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In today’s episode we sit down with an aspiring entrepreneur and our first ever guest from the East Coast, James Chaplin.   We talk with James about his start as a dancer, graduating college during a pandemic and he declares this episode as a celebratory milestone (thanks James!)  James shares his experience on how he became immersed in the global dance community and tells us that his desire to travel abroad was because of his love for Naruto.  James’ experience in Japan allowed him to be exposed to a broader community and he shares his thoughts on what the dancers here can borrow from the Japanese dance community.  We talk with James about DownKore  and the inspiration behind it.  He shares his process on the evolution of DownKore and gives us insight to his vision of what DownKore can become.  We take a slight detour in our conversation about DownKore to talk about dancers and their love for anime. We even go as far as to “trademark” the idea to create an anime revolved around dancers.  James candidly talks to us about his love for dance and the motivation for maintaining his path of entrepreneurship.  James shares his inspirations and tells us that the DownKore team needs help! We wrap the episode with a round of rapid fire, take another anime detour and he shares what’s good in the dance community.

In this episode, we explore: 

00:32 Introduction
02:29 Dancing since the age of 3
06:23  Engaging in a global dance community
11:46 Dance Culture in Japan
15:29 DownKore
22:00 Connecting the dance community 
24:17 Dancers and anime
26:12 Maintaining the motivation
29:09 The user experience of DownKore
35:00 Mentors and inspiration
39:00 Help Wanted!
41:37 Rapid Fire
48:00 Maintaining the creativity
51:03 What’s good in the dance community?
54:00 Closing remarks

This episode’s guest:
Follow James on Instagram
Apply for DownKore’s Web Developer position here

Special thanks to:
-Jane Banares for creating our Co-Lab Podcast artwork 

Music by Sam Stan - Das Boo - https://thmatc.co/?l=997FC418
Music by SkeetOnTheBeat - Late Night - https://thmatc.co/?l=E76B5749 

Catch up on all the Co-Lab Podcast episodes here!
The conversation continues over on Instagram and TikTok
Have a guest suggestion or just want to say hello? Drop us a line at [email protected]
Sign up for exclusive updates and subscribe to our Newsletter

*This episode contains reference to religion and the views expressed in this episode are not meant to offend any party. Additionally, we discuss the sexual misconduct and social injustice that surrounds the dance community.  Parental discretion is advised. 

In today’s episode we sit down with BOX Dance Studio alumni, Kiara Pornan.   We reminisce about meeting Kiara for the very first time, we lovingly share about what it was like watching Kiara grow as a person and a dancer.  We half cringe and half laugh about past memories.  We reflect deeply and thoughtfully about setting a baseline for expectations in dance and maintaining a leadership role while also trying to work with peers. Kiara talks about her transition away from dance and reflects on why she felt it was the right time to take a pause.  We ask Kiara about what dance means to her now and she shares her thoughts on taking what she learned at Brown and applying it to being an artist.  Kiara opens up about her fear of coming back to dance after being away for so long and having a sense of ownership over her own body.  Kiara talks openly about finding herself during quarantine and making the decision to pursue life as an artist.  We talk about our favorite times together at The BOX and Kiara shows off her sharp memory by recreating old choreography for us.  We wrap the episode with a round of rapid fire, Kiara talks about her desire to pursue stand up comedy and she tries to bring back the “Dougie”.

In this episode, we explore: 

00:29   Introduction
03:09   Meeting Kiara for the first time
08:17   Setting baseline expectations in dance 
12:12   Leader vs. Peer
21:57   What does dance mean to you now? 
26:06   Applying academics to artistry
32:17   Having a sense of ownership over your body
40:52   Finding yourself during quarantine 
45:37   Pursuing a path of creativity
1:04:59   Reminiscing on favorite memories at The BOX 
1:07:59   Kiara dances for us
1:11:14   Rapid Fire
1:20:04   Examining the current state of the dance community
1:27:05   What’s good in the dance community?
1:31:19   Closing remarks

This episode’s guest:
Follow Kiara on Instagram
Get It Together, by Kiara Pornan
MaxtOut 2014, Choreography project by Dylan Banares & Kiara Pornan
Art, by Kiara Pornan
More Art, by Kiara Pornan
Kiara Sings

Special thanks to: 
-Jane Banares for creating our Co-Lab Podcast artwork 

Music by Sam Stan - Das Boo - https://thmatc.co/?l=997FC418
Music by SkeetOnTheBeat - Late Night - https://thmatc.co/?l=E76B5749 

Catch up on all the Co-Lab Podcast episodes here!
The conversation continues over on Instagram and TikTok
Have a guest suggestion or just want to say hello? Drop us a line at [email protected]
Sign up for exclusive updates and subscribe to our Newsletter

In today’s episode we sit down and chat with self made entrepreneur, creator of the Co-Lab Podcast logo and artwork and our beautiful sister in law, Jane Banares.   Jane shares her experience dancing with Philippine Folk Dance group: Pasacat,  walks us through the progression of a timeless and classic artform and tells us about her favorite costumes to wear while performing.  Jane then talks with us about her journey as a freelance graphic design artist and starting a business by taking a chance on her own craft. She opens up about her obstacles with feeling uninspired and trying to find motivation in a foreign place far from home; but finds inspiration in asking herself “why not?”.  We talk to Jane about what it was like working with us on the Co-Lab Podcast logo and artwork and she chats with us about her process for creating the perfect vision for her clients.  Jane gives her advice for creatives to get started on their projects and reminds us that there’s no time limit when pursuing something you’re passionate about.  We talk with Jane about the start of one of her newer endeavors, Lux and Lia and being in business with your sister.  We wrap the episode with a round of rapid fire, Michelle puts Jane on the spot and she shares her opinion on what’s good in the dance community. 

In this episode, we explore: 

00:32   Introduction
04:00   Philippine Folk Dance
21:30   Life as an entrepreneur
34:15   Finding motivation far from home
38:40   Feeling uninspired 
44:25   Creating the Co-Lab Podcast logo and artwork
50:25   Advice for getting started 
56:37   Lux and Lia
1:07:35   Rapid Fire
1:11:14   What’s good in the dance community?
1:17:35   Closing remarks

This episode’s guest:
Follow Jane on Instagram
Follow Lux and Lia on Instagram
Shop Lux and Lia on Etsy
Shop Jane’s handmade crafts
Learn more about San Diego’s Premier Philippine Dance Company: Pasacat

Special thanks to: 
-Jane Banares for creating our Co-Lab Podcast artwork (and being our guest today!)

Music by Sam Stan - Das Boo - https://thmatc.co/?l=997FC418
Music by SkeetOnTheBeat - Late Night - https://thmatc.co/?l=E76B5749 

Catch up on all the Co-Lab Podcast episodes here!
The conversation continues over on Instagram and TikTok
Have a guest suggestion or just want to say hello? Drop us a line at [email protected]
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In today’s episode we sit down with multi-faced and extremely talented Mitch Villareal.  We jump right in and talk about the origins of Mitch’s dance career and he shares his latest endeavors with Floor Movement and the launch of his self-produced album, Dystopia- Side A.   We discuss what it feels like to be the “black sheep” or an outcast and dissect the idea of creators as “neurotics”.  Mitch shares what a day in his life is like and gives sound advice for forming good habits by implementing a morning routine.  Mitch also shares his list of things to avoid while trying to form sustainable habits.  He reflects on how life as a creator is during COVID and the challenges he faced trying to find himself during trying times.  We talk about Mitch’s unique dance style which is very intentional and he provides insights on how upcoming dancers can find their own identity through dance.  Mitch opens up about his dance goals and we get an exclusive from Mitch on a future album. We transition into a round of Rapid Fire questions, Mitch gives us another exclusive, talks about what age he’d love to be the rest of his life and shares the intimate details of what he likes on his bagels. We wrap the episode with Mitch’s goals for 2021, his take on what’s good in the dance community, and challenge our listeners to reach out to someone (anyone) just to say hello and check in.

In this episode, we explore: 

00:31   Introduction
02:54   The origins of Mitch’s dance career
07:14   Dystopia- Side A by Mitch Villareal
09:38   First Floor, a movement coaching program
11:47   Feeling like a “black sheep” 
12:49   Creating “neurotically”
15:28   A day in the life of Mitch Villareal
21:34   Mitch’s advice on forming good habits
28:47   Living as a creator during COVID 
36:34   Mitch’s unique dance style
42:45   Mitch’s dance goals
47:54   Dystopia- Side B, coming soon!
53:06   Rapid Fire 
55:55   How do you write a book about movement? 
1:00:39   Goals for 2021
1:02:48   What’s good in the dance community?
1:05:32   Closing remarks

This episode’s guest:
Follow Mitch on Instagram
Listen to Dystopia- Side A by Mitch Villareal
Follow First Floor Movement on Instagram: a Movement and Presence Coaching program founded by Mitch Villareal

Special thanks to: 
-Jane Banares for creating our Co-Lab Podcast artwork 

Music by Sam Stan - Das Boo - https://thmatc.co/?l=997FC418
Music by SkeetOnTheBeat - Late Night - https://thmatc.co/?l=E76B5749 

Catch up on all the Co-Lab Podcast episodes here!
The conversation continues over on Instagram and TikTok
Have a guest suggestion or just want to say hello? Drop us a line at [email protected]
Sign up for exclusive updates and subscribe to our Newsletter

In today’s episode we sit down and chat with a long time friend and world renowned entertainer Raul “RJ Kool” Navalta.  We kick off the episode and unintentionally make RJ tear up and he shares stories from his successful career as an in-line skater.   We dive deep into RJ’s childhood where he talks about growing up as a Filipino in midwest, Missouri. He shares his struggles with trying to find his ethnic identity, living life constantly on the defense, and we tie it into the current climate of social injustice. RJ shares his code of conduct for living as a human being and we reminisce on our time together when he was last in San Diego. RJ shares his life-changing experience of competing in an internationally acclaimed dance competition and debunks a myth about Supreme Soul’s portrayal on the show. We talk about RJ’s life after America’s Best Dance Crew and are joined by a special furry guest.  Throughout the episode, RJ gives many shoutouts to friends, colleagues, and acquaintances; further substantiating that RJ is truly a “supreme soul”.  We wrap the episode with a fun round of Rapid Fire, he shares his opinion on what's good in the dance community and he encourages us to try okra and bitter melon.

In this episode, we explore: 

00:28  Introduction
02:09  “You’re making me tear up”
03:55   A career as an in-line skater 
11:24  A “brown kid” in Missouri
17:18  The Four Agreements; a code of conduct for humans
21:28  “Kuya” RJ
25:27  MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew
34:00  The origins of “Supreme Soul”
37:37  Special guest “Jo-jo”
39:00  Life after ABDC
42:25   Maintaining the athleticism during COVID
44:16  Surviving a zombie apocalypse
46:36   RJ’s current projects
57:21  Goals for 2021
1:09:48  Rapid Fire 
1:16:30  What’s next for RJ?
1:18:49  What’s good in the dance community?
1:24:40  Closing remarks

This episode’s guest:
Follow RJ on Instagram
The Four Agreements book, as recommended by RJ

Special thanks to: 
-Jane Banares for creating our Co-Lab Podcast artwork 

Music by Sam Stan - Das Boo - https://thmatc.co/?l=997FC418
Music by SkeetOnTheBeat - Late Night - https://thmatc.co/?l=E76B5749 

Catch up on all the Co-Lab Podcast episodes here!
The conversation continues over on Instagram and TikTok
Have a guest suggestion or just want to say hello? Drop us a line at [email protected]
Sign up for exclusive updates and subscribe to our Newsletter

In today’s episode we sit down with the one and only Anna Sarao.  We talk about the start of Anna’s dance career, her experience in meeting Angie Bunch for the first time and Anna shares her proudest career accomplishment. Anna gives sound advice for aspiring dancers and talks about charting uncharted waters and the creation of the Body Rock empire.  We dive deep into Anna’s opinions on the evolution of the dance community and she walks us through her new project, Guide-Dance.  We have an honest and in depth discussion on the current state of the dance community surrounding sexual misconduct and we talk about ways to move forward.  Anna shares her go to Boba drink and she shares her inspiration behind Boba Talks with Anna Sarao.  We wrap the episode and Anna provides parting words of encouragement and shares her take on what’s good in the dance community right now. 

In this episode, we explore:

00:30  Introduction
02:38  The start of Anna’s dance career
07:45   Meeting the founder of Culture Shock
10:20  Anna’s first audition 
14:34   “Let yourself try really hard” 
17:14  Overcoming life’s setbacks
20:00  Charting uncharted waters and the inception of a household legacy
25:40  Honoring the spirit of Chris
27:35  An epiphany 
31:01  Anna’s proudest accomplishment
34:15  Guide-Dance with Anna Sarao
40:03  The art of Chi Gong
47:18  The evolution of the dance community
57:35  Boba Talks with Anna Sarao
1:05:35  Rapid Fire 
1:09:25  Anna’s daily routine
1:11:18  Parting words of encouragement
1:12:47  What’s good in the dance community?
1:17:37  Closing remarks

This episode’s guest:
Connect with Anna and learn more about Guide-Dance
Follow Anna on Instagram
Catch the latest Boba Talks episodes on YouTube

Special thanks to:
-Jane Banares for creating our Co-Lab Podcast artwork 

Music by Sam Stan - Das Boo - https://thmatc.co/?l=997FC418
Music by SkeetOnTheBeat - Late Night - https://thmatc.co/?l=E76B5749 

Catch up on all the Co-Lab Podcast episodes here!
The conversation continues over on Instagram and TikTok
Have a guest suggestion or just want to say hello? Drop us a line at [email protected]
Sign up for exclusive updates and subscribe to our Newsletter

In today’s episode we sit down and reflect on our second season of the Co-Lab Podcast! We kick off the episode with a cameo from our #2 fan.  We then open up the discussion by sharing our 2021 dance goals and then dive into highlights and opinions on our Season 2 guests.  As with our first season, we’re overwhelmed with gratitude to all of our Season 2 guests and listeners.  

In this episode, we explore: 

00:32Introduction/ Special hello from Co-Lab Podcast’s #2 Fan 

02:00Goal setting as we approach 2021

03:30 Devin’s 2021 goal

06:35Michelle’s 2021 goal

11:19 Reflecting on Season 2, “Living out a Dream with Nikki Lewis”

12:44Reflecting on Season 2, “An Artist of Life with Kevin Bellisario”

14:28Reflecting on Season 2, “New Life into Dance with Josh Saradpon”

16:34 Reflecting on Season 2, “Let Dance Lead You with Stephanie Sidela”

18:02Reflecting on Season 2, “Master a Positive Mindset with Selene Haro”

20:11Reflecting on Season 2, “How to Pay it Forward with Justin J. Vaughn”

22:03 Reflecting on Season 2, “Speak Your Truth with Cierra Lauren”

26:55Season 3 coming December 30th, 2020!

27:25Closing remarks

Special thanks to:
-Jane Banares for creating our Co-Lab Podcast artwork 

Music by Sam Stan - Das Boo - https://thmatc.co/?l=997FC418
Music by SkeetOnTheBeat - Late Night - https://thmatc.co/?l=E76B5749 

Catch up on all the Co-Lab Podcast episodes here!
The conversation continues over on Instagram and TikTok
Have a guest suggestion or just want to say hello? Drop us a line at [email protected]
Sign up for exclusive updates and subscribe to our Newsletter

We sit down with world renowned dancer, Cierra Lauren. Cierra has had an extensive & amazing career as a dancer, but recently gained more notoriety for her courage to come forward with reports of abuse & assault against a prominent leader in the dance community.  We experience some technical difficulties, but power through this candid, interesting and intimate conversation with Cierra.  She openly shares some life changing milestones, talks about her first exposure to hip hop & building a studio from the ground up at the young age of 17.  Cierra openly shares a near death experience while pursuing a major career opportunity & teaches us a lesson in the value of failing. She discusses the origins of her non-profit organization Speak Your Truth Worldwide & bravely shares her experience with the notorious AOV founder and owner. In addition to SYT Worldwide, Cierra shares the details for her podcast “Unscripted”.  We wrap the episode with a fun round of rapid fire, Cierra shares her opinion on what’s good in the dance community & we’re reminded of the strong unstoppable warrior that Cierra Lauren is.

In this episode, we explore:
00:32 Introduction
02:52A warrior mentality
05:26 Cierra’s first hip hop class
11:45Building a studio from the ground up
14:22No room for self doubt
16:55Cierra’s advice to a younger self
19:05 Making a name for herself
21:38A major career opportunity 
24:00A near death experience
30:15When a door closes, another one opens
35:02There are no bumps in the road, that is the road
37:22Speak Your Truth World Wide
43:06A fight for her life and her commitment to the dance community
56:20We as a dance community can no longer accept this behavior
58:20Moving toward a safer community
1:02:19Rapid fire questions
1:09:34What’s good in the dance community?
1:11:27Closing remarks
1:14:22Thank you for a wonderful Season 2!

This episode’s guest(s):

Follow Cierra Lauren on Instagram
Follow Speak Your Truth Worldwide on Instagram
Learn more about Speak Your Truth Worldwide
Learn about how you can support Speak Your Truth Worldwide
“Backin’ It Up”, Cierra Lauren
“Can’t Say”, Cierra Lauren
“The Morning”, Cierra Lauren
“Work”, Cierra Lauren
"Who Do You Love", Cierra Lauren
“It Matters”, Cierra Lauren

Special thanks to:
-Jane Banares for creating our Co-Lab Podcast artwork 

Music by Sam Stan - Das Boo - https://thmatc.co/?l=997FC418
Music by SkeetOnTheBeat - Late Night - https://thmatc.co/?l=E76B5749 

The conversation continues over on Instagram and TikTok

Have a guest suggestion or just want to say hello? Drop us a line at [email protected] 

Sign up for exclusive updates and subscribe to our Newsletter

We sit down and chat with Justin J. Vaughn or better known in the dance community as “Papa J”.  Justin gives us an in depth history of where dance all started for him and how his career flourished to becoming owner of the world renowned team, Super Galactic Beat Manipulators.  J shares the inner workings of Super Galactic Beat Manipulators and we break down his thoughtful approach to directing an award winning team.  We talk about how the dance community has evolved and J shares his insights on how to navigate through some of the current challenges we face today. We have a really fun round of rapid fire questions and J and Michelle share their woes of getting older.  J talks to us about his late night furniture shopping spree and becoming a “plant dad”.  We wrap the episode with J’s foodie favorites and J shares his opinion on what’s good in the dance community. He refuses the title community “icon”, but we assure you that after listening to this episode, you’ll agree with us that Papa J is indeed a legend, leader, and icon in the dance community.

In this episode, we explore: 

00:32  Introduction
03:32  Before there was dance, there was music
05:47   “Hypnotize” 
07:22  Founding Morse All Male
10:30  Celebrating the 20 year anniversary of Morse All Male
14:57  The origination of Super Galactic Beat Manipulators 
21:23  Bringing Kevin Brewer’s Vision to life  
34:09  Passing the “SGBM” baton
40:51  Directing a dance team using a thoughtful approach
47:00  “Papa J”, more than a nickname
51:03  Navigating through challenges in the dance community
56:31  Rapid fire questions
1:02:32  What’s next for J? 
1:09:52  J’s “quarantine hobbies”
1:26:33  What’s good in the dance community?
1:29:36  Closing remarks

This episode’s guest(s):
Follow Justin Vaughn on Instagram

Special thanks to:
-Jane Banares for creating our Co-Lab Podcast artwork 

Music by Sam Stan - Das Boo - https://thmatc.co/?l=997FC418
Music by SkeetOnTheBeat - Late Night - https://thmatc.co/?l=E76B5749 

The conversation continues over on Instagram and TikTok

Have a guest suggestion or just want to say hello? Drop us a line at [email protected] 

Sign up for exclusive updates and subscribe to our Newsletter