One Thousand Gurus Podcast

Reconnecting with Deyo Forteza: Kaba Modern Memories, Authentic Artistry, and the Ring Muscle-Up Journey

Host J.R. Yonocruz reconnects with Deyo Forteza—actor, filmmaker, and sound mixer/boom operator—to reflect on their Kaba Modern years and the dance lessons and work ethic that shaped them. They talk about rediscovering joy in music and dancing sober for self-expression, plus how community and collaboration influence creative careers. Deyo shares his fitness focus, including an eight-to-nine-month coached journey to achieve a ring muscle-up and what discipline taught him about staying ready as an artist. He also covers his musical family roots, his path into acting, and his emphasis on authenticity and empathy in performance, ending with favorite media recommendations.

00:00 Show Intro and Guest

04:34 Kaba Modern Memories & Dance Advice

09:41 Leading by Example

12:38 Movie Set Stunts

18:05 Costume Change Chaos

26:02 Work Ethic and Getting Buff

34:20 Sober Dance Revival, Dancing & Club Vibes

47:15 Weed Team Memories

58:37 Fitness Goals & Ring Muscle Up Journey

01:05:19 Coaching Progressions And Payoff

01:15:15 Origins and Influences

01:25:14 Good Guys vs Villains

01:35:07 Authenticity as Actor

01:39:34 Staying Ready Always

01:52:39 Community Over Competition

02:00:39 Rapid Fire Questions

02:07:27 Unconditional Love Lessons

02:12:47 Defining Real Success

02:17:57 Hot Takes And Spider-Man

02:22:47 Favorite Books And Movies

02:28:31 Gratitude And Final Advice

Guest bio:
Actor and stubborn filmmaker. Crew-wise came from PA’ing, to camera department, to G&E, even dabbled with some Art PA, and finally landed in sound department as a sound mixer and boom operator.

• Instagram: @introducingdeyo / https://www.instagram.com/introducingdeyo/
• imdb.me/deyoforteza
• resumes.actorsaccess.com/deyoforteza
• www.introducingdeyo.com

Links/resources:

• 2010 Body Rock - Kaba Modern (dance video - YouTube)
• 2010 EnKore - Kaba Modern (J.R.’s flip over Shawn - YouTube)
• 2011 Prelude NorCal - Kaba Modern (“Movie set” - YouTube)
• @fernandez_calisthenics (fitness trainer)
• The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho (book summary)
• Atomic Habits by James Clear (book summary)
• Oh, Mary! (comedy play - Wikipedia)
• Dog Day Afternoon (play - Wikipedia)

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Support the show

One Thousand Gurus Podcast:
Everyone has a compelling story to tell with insights we can all be inspired by. J.R. Yonocruz is a self-improvement blogger, relationship coach, and serial hobbyist with a passion for learning. He interviews unique guests from various fields to distill the strategies, habits, and mindsets we can use in our own lives. Each “guru” has a chance to give the audience a peek into a new world.

• 💻 Website: www.onethousandgurus.com
• 🔗 All links & socials: https://bio.site/onethousandgurus
• 📧 The Weekly Guru newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/c97a350b06d6/newsletter
• 📚 Learning guides: https://stan.store/marloyonocruz

Andrew Simbol on Kaizen, Kintsugi, and Reclaiming Joy Through Dance, Music, and Community

Host J.R. Yonocruz reconnects with Andrew Simbol—former Culture Shock LA/KM Legacy dancer turned senior digital marketing leader and musician with Second Wave. Simbol shares his dance origin story, his pivot from accounting to marketing, and how he grew into a senior leadership role balancing creative strategy with data and performance. They explore Kaizen (continuous improvement) and Kintsugi (repairing what’s broken) through Simbol’s experiences with grief, sober healing, and rebuilding identity. They also discuss why house music feels universal across dance styles and close with what’s next in Simbol’s pursuit of joy and community.

00:00 Show Intro Guest Setup
01:49 Reconnecting Through Dance & Life Updates
07:28 Origin Story DDR to Crews
11:20 From Accounting to Marketing & Career Growth
20:25 Advice for Aspiring Marketers
25:42 Kaizen Continuous Improvement
32:09 Kaizen In Leadership & Intentional Career Growth
35:31 Kintsugi, Grief, and Healing Without Escapes
40:20 Three-Year Rebuild
46:32 Gold Cracks and Finding Community
49:05 Why House Music
54:08 Rapid Fire Round
59:47 Gratitude And Wrap Up

Guest bio:
Meet Andrew Simbol — former dancer, director, coach, choreographer, and instructor with deep roots in the KM Kollective family (Kaba Kids, Kaba Modern, KM Legacy), Culture Shock Los Angeles, Tustin High School Dance Team, and Jimmie DeFore Dance Center. Senior digital marketing leader by day, serial hobbyist at night — musician, sound explorer, plant daddy, Marketplace maven, and hospitable homeowner fluent in memes & puns. You can find him making music with his band Secondwave, supporting the Reclaim & Rise community, or somewhere on the dance floor around South OC.

• Instagram: @simbology / https://www.instagram.com/simbology/

Links/resources:

• 2009 Kaba Modern HHI “Breathe” (dance video - YouTube)
• “Kaizen” (concept - Wikipedia)
• “Kintsugi” (concept - Wikipedia)
• @wordofmouthprojectoc (Instagram)
• @humanedesignglobal (Instagram)
• @beu_collective (Instagram)
• Inside Out 1 & 2 (movies - Wikipedia)

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Support the show

One Thousand Gurus Podcast:
Everyone has a compelling story to tell with insights we can all be inspired by. J.R. Yonocruz is a self-improvement blogger, relationship coach, and serial hobbyist with a passion for learning. He interviews unique guests from various fields to distill the strategies, habits, and mindsets we can use in our own lives. Each “guru” has a chance to give the audience a peek into a new world.

• 💻 Website: www.onethousandgurus.com
• 🔗 All links & socials: https://bio.site/onethousandgurus
• 📧 The Weekly Guru newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/c97a350b06d6/newsletter
• 📚 Learning guides: https://stan.store/marloyonocruz

One Thousand Gurus Episode 100: Season 10 Recap — Lessons from Sleep, Storytelling, Leadership, and Commitment

Host J.R. Yonocruz marks Episode 100 of One Thousand Gurus with a Season 10 recap and reflects on progress toward his 10-year/500-episode commitment. He revisits key lessons from episodes 91–99, including prioritizing sleep, letting friendships evolve naturally, and using storytelling to transform perspective and deepen cultural identity. The recap also highlights leadership through succession planning, creative career crossover lessons from nursing and dance, and personal insights on detachment and managing expectations. J.R. closes by expressing gratitude to listeners and excitement for the next 100 episodes.

00:00 Welcome and Episode 100
01:25 #91 - Why We Sleep Book Highlights
02:55 #92 - Yerson Ochoa on Friendship
04:00 #93 - Bani Logrono and Bayani Spirit
05:20 #94 - Arnel Calvario on Leadership
06:37 #95 - Loren Segovia on Resume Advice
07:47 #96 - 35 Lessons at 35
09:13 #97 - Rohit Murhty on Routines and Goals
10:30 #98 - Lorenzo Aromin on Wellness, Wealth, Worship
11:46 #99 - Subtle Art Book Highlights
12:59 Season 10 Wrap Up

Links/resources:

• #91: Book Highlights — Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
• #92: Yerson Ochoa — Teaching, Friendships, Ego, and Building Safe Dance Communities
• #93: Bani Logroño — Awakening the Bayani Spirit, Pursuing Filmmaking, and the Power of Storytelling
• #94: Dr. Arnel Calvario Ripkens — Dance Legacies, Head Judging for IDL, Mentorship, Succession Plans, Identity, and Preparing for Fatherhood
• #95: Loren Segovia — KM to Critical Care, Dancing at Disney, Trolling Students as a Professor, and Becoming a Nursing Director
• #96: 35 Lessons for 35 Years — Wisdom from a Lifetime of Learning
• #97: Rohit Murthy — Daily Routines, Vacation Hacks, 60 Beers to 12K Steps, AI in Pharma, and Family-Centric Goals
• #98: Lorenzo Aromin — A Mastermind in the 3Ws: Wellness, Wealth, and Worship
• #99: Book Highlights — The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson

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Support the show

One Thousand Gurus Podcast:
Everyone has a compelling story to tell with insights we can all be inspired by. J.R. Yonocruz is a self-improvement blogger, relationship coach, and serial hobbyist with a passion for learning. He interviews unique guests from various fields to distill the strategies, habits, and mindsets we can use in our own lives. Each “guru” has a chance to give the audience a peek into a new world.

• 💻 Website: www.onethousandgurus.com
• 🔗 All links & socials: https://bio.site/onethousandgurus
• 📧 The Weekly Guru newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/c97a350b06d6/newsletter
• 📚 Learning guides: https://stan.store/marloyonocruz

Book Highlight: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck — Choosing What Matters, Embracing Pain, and Owning Your Response

Host J.R. Yonocruz highlights Mark Manson’s The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck, a book he rated 4.5/5 that helped him stop wasting energy on trivial anxieties and refocus on what matters. He explains Manson’s core message: life includes unavoidable pain, and happiness comes from choosing better problems to solve rather than trying to eliminate suffering. Key themes include rejecting entitlement and the “tyranny of exceptionalism,” adopting reality-based values, separating responsibility from fault, and getting comfortable with being wrong. He also covers taking action before motivation, learning through failure, saying no and committing deeply, and using mortality as a lens to clarify priorities and build something bigger than yourself.

00:41 Why This Book Matters
01:24 Part One - Don't Try
02:39 Part Two - Happiness Problem
03:30 Part Three - Not Special
04:08 Part Four - Value Suffering
05:09 Part Five - Always Choosing
05:56 Part Six - Embrace Wrongness
06:54 Part Seven - Failure Forward
07:38 Part Eight - Saying No
08:26 Part Nine - Mortality Meaning
09:06 Key Ideas Recap
09:33 Takeaways and Personal Close
11:31 Outro and Resources

Links/resources:

• 📖 Full blog post notes (book summary)
• 🎧 Audiobook on Audible (affiliate link)
• 📝 Episode overview (PDF)
• 📺 Slides presentation (Gamma)

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

One Thousand Gurus Podcast:
Everyone has a compelling story to tell with insights we can all be inspired by. J.R. Yonocruz is a self-improvement blogger, relationship coach, and serial hobbyist with a passion for learning. He interviews unique guests from various fields to distill the strategies, habits, and mindsets we can use in our own lives. Each “guru” has a chance to give the audience a peek into a new world.

• 💻 Website: www.onethousandgurus.com
• 🔗 All links & socials: https://bio.site/onethousandgurus
• 📧 The Weekly Guru newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/c97a350b06d6/newsletter
• 📚 Learning guides: https://stan.store/marloyonocruz

Wellness, Wealth & Worship with Lorenzo Aromin (Part 2): Fatherhood, Fitness, and Personal Brand

J.R. Yonocruz hosts an in-studio part 2 with Lorenzo Aromin, covering his pillars of wellness, wealth, and worship. Lorenzo shares updates on new fatherhood, then details his recent cut—emphasizing caloric deficit, steps, hydration, and flexible “treat meals”—and discusses TRT, peptides, and GLP-style tools, stressing bloodwork and staying in healthy ranges. They shift to business, outlining offer creation through lead magnets, communities, and tiered products, and argue that marketing and personal brand create reach and make sales easier. Lorenzo also explains using polarizing, values-driven content to attract committed clients. The episode closes with a faith-centered message about Christians being set apart, avoiding distractions and vices, and men leading with discipline in health, finances, and family.

01:13 In-Studio Reunion & New Dad Life

05:56 Fitness Cut Update

08:49 Peptides And GLPs

11:22 Fat Loss Fundamentals & Getting Shredded

15:58 Wealth Through Fitness

19:02 Brand, Offers, and Lead Magnet Funnel

21:23 Selling Insight & High Value Coaching

24:37 Marketing Makes Millions

27:43 Polarizing For Reach

30:09 Qualifying Better Clients

31:53 American Christianity Critique

35:38 Set Apart Standards

40:50 Final Wake Up Call

43:40 Gratitude And Plugs

Guest bio:
Lorenzo Aromin is a follower of Christ, US Air Force Veteran turned entrepreneur, multi-business owner, Certified Fitness Consultant via National Academy of Sports Medicine, & Chief Executive Officer of a marketing & media content agency ZK LIVE MEDIA. He has scaled their companies collectively from 0 - $500K in 24 months organically.

• Instagram: @zo.aromin / https://www.instagram.com/zo.aromin/

Links/resources:

• #66: Lorenzo Aromin - USAF Vet Turned Entrepreneur, Faith, Fitness, and Scaling to $500k
• The Fit-Hack Playbook (free guide) 

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

One Thousand Gurus Podcast:
Everyone has a compelling story to tell with insights we can all be inspired by. J.R. Yonocruz is a self-improvement blogger, relationship coach, and serial hobbyist with a passion for learning. He interviews unique guests from various fields to distill the strategies, habits, and mindsets we can use in our own lives. Each “guru” has a chance to give the audience a peek into a new world.

• 💻 Website: www.onethousandgurus.com
• 🔗 All links & socials: https://bio.site/onethousandgurus
• 📧 The Weekly Guru newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/c97a350b06d6/newsletter
• 📚 Learning guides: https://stan.store/marloyonocruz

Rohit Murthy Returns: Routines, France, Fitness Data, AI in Pharma, and Building a Family Lifestyle Business

J.R. Yonocruz welcomes back Rohit Murthy from Boston to discuss routines, travel, and life updates since his last appearance. Rohit shares highlights from a nine-day South of France trip (Marseille, Provence, Ardèche, Lyon) and how he used generative AI tools to help plan logistics. They dive into married life, social drinking culture, and Rohit’s data-driven fitness reset—cutting alcohol, prioritizing steps/cardio, and aligning health goals with family planning. The conversation also covers pharma industry transformation, realistic AI impacts on work, and entrepreneurship as a path to time freedom and keeping family closer.

02:05 Life Updates & Why Routines Matter

08:16 South of France Trip

10:33 Planning With AI Tools

16:17 Language Travel Etiquette & India Culture

22:59 Married Life Reflections

25:20 Alcohol Tracking Fitness Reset

32:41 Steps Cardio Fat Loss & Embracing Discomfort

40:07 Running, Walking Motivations, and Tracking Data

50:03 Social Tradeoffs

57:28 Pharma Industry AI Shifts

01:04:23 Futureproof Career Advice

01:06:52 AI Hype Versus Reality, Specialized AI, and Policy

01:14:40 Entrepreneurship For Freedom & Lifestyle Business Mindset

01:21:01 Hobbies And Skill Building

01:27:39 Family Culture And Moving Home

01:30:38 Wrap Up And Gratitude

Guest bio:
A strategic leader who knows how to get things done, Rohit has a unique career path that's both a story of climbing the corporate ladder and building things from the ground up. He started on the manufacturing floor, literally making the product, before moving into a role where he was a founding member of an innovation hub at a major biotech company. He's not just a big picture guy, but someone who understands every step of the process. On top of all that, he's a true entrepreneur, having founded and co-founded several startups. Whether he's optimizing a multi-million dollar manufacturing process or building a new company from scratch, he brings a rare mix of hands-on expertise and strategic vision. He is a person who understands how to turn an idea into a reality—and that's something we can all learn from.

Socials/Links:

• Instagram: @brownkidrohit / https://www.instagram.com/brownkidrohit/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rohit-murthy
• Website: https://belfioreherbal.com/
• Instagram: @belfioreherbal / https://www.instagram.com/belfioreherbal/
• OTG #58: Rohit Murthy - Innovation in Corporate, Entrepreneurial Pivots, Comparison Culture, Health-Time Freedom, and More
• Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter (book summary)
• Endure by Cameron Hanes (book summary)
• Built to Move by Kelly & Juliet Starrett (book summary)
• “Why Is So Much AI Tech Useless?” (HMDK - YouTube)
• Ali Abdaal (YouTuber)

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Support the show

One Thousand Gurus Podcast:
Everyone has a compelling story to tell with insights we can all be inspired by. J.R. Yonocruz is a self-improvement blogger, relationship coach, and serial hobbyist with a passion for learning. He interviews unique guests from various fields to distill the strategies, habits, and mindsets we can use in our own lives. Each “guru” has a chance to give the audience a peek into a new world.

• 💻 Website: www.onethousandgurus.com
• 🔗 All links & socials: https://bio.site/onethousandgurus
• 📧 The Weekly Guru newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/c97a350b06d6/newsletter
• 📚 Learning guides: https://stan.store/marloyonocruz

35 Lessons for 35 Years: J.R.’s Milestone Episode

J.R. celebrates turning 35 with a solo milestone episode sharing 35 favorite life lessons, drawn from a decade of year-in-review posts and a self-interview. He organizes the lessons into eight categories: body and energy, productivity and systems, career, money and freedom, love and relationships, travel and perspective, faith and meaning, and self-awareness and identity. Key themes include prioritizing sleep and recovery, building systems for consistent progress, tracking value at work, avoiding financial ruin while buying freedom, and strengthening relationships through boundaries, listening, and acknowledging feelings. He also reflects on detachment, managing expectations, naming emotions precisely, and not comparing timelines.  A free companion PDF with all 35 lessons and source links is available in the show notes.

00:00 Milestone Intro

01:32 Body And Energy

03:50 Productivity Systems

10:40 Career Lessons

13:51 Money And Freedom

17:07 Love And Relationships

21:22 Travel Perspective

22:52 Faith And Meaning

25:39 Identity And Detachment

29:57 Closing Reflections

Links/resources (also collected in the companion PDF):

• 📘 Companion PDF — 35 Lessons from 35 Years: 35_Lessons_from_35_Years_Handout.pdf
• 2025 Life Lessons: Love, Health, and Success
• A Year in Review: 2025
• 2022 Life Lessons: Health, Happiness, and Leadership
• 2019 Year in Review: Self-Discovery, Life Lessons & Dating Insights
• Money Mastery: 10+ Years of Personal Finance Wisdom Distilled From 3 Essential Books
• Book Notes: The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel
• Book Notes: The Simple Path to Wealth by JL Collins
• 10 Personal Finance Truths I Wish I Learned in My 20s
• Book Notes: Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
• Book Notes: Peak Performance by Brad Stulberg & Steve Magness
• Make Time by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky
• Book Notes: Make Your Bed by William McRaven
• Book Notes: The Comfort Crisis by Michael Easter
• Book Notes: Built to Move by Kelly and Juliet Starrett
• Book Notes: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
• Book Notes: Goodbye, Things by Fumio Sasaki
• Book Notes: The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
• Book Notes: Boundaries by Henry Cloud & John Townsend
• Book Notes: 101 Essays That Will Change the Way You Think by Brianna Wiest
• Book Notes: Difficult Conversations by Stone, Patton & Heen
• Book Notes: Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn
• Book Notes: Awareness by Anthony de Mello
• Book Notes: Solve for Happy by Mo Gawdat
• Book Notes: Atlas of the Heart by Brené Brown
• OTG Podcast #21: Dr. Arnel Calvario
• OTG Podcast #37: Clark H. Fielding
• OTG Podcast #68: Rani Bungay
• OTG Podcast #78: Random Show with Julie Huynh
• OTG Podcast #79: Kenta Thomas Naoi
• OTG Podcast #87: Ramy Sidhom
• OTG Podcast #89: Andrew Tran

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Support the show

One Thousand Gurus Podcast:
Everyone has a compelling story to tell with insights we can all be inspired by. J.R. Yonocruz is a self-improvement blogger, relationship coach, and serial hobbyist with a passion for learning. He interviews unique guests from various fields to distill the strategies, habits, and mindsets we can use in our own lives. Each “guru” has a chance to give the audience a peek into a new world.

• 💻 Website: www.onethousandgurus.com
• 🔗 All links & socials: https://bio.site/onethousandgurus
• 📧 The Weekly Guru newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/c97a350b06d6/newsletter
• 📚 Learning guides: https://stan.store/marloyonocruz

From B-Boy to Burn ICU Director: Loren Segovia on Dance, Disney, and Nursing Leadership

J.R. Yonocruz talks with Loren Segovia, a b-boy and former Disney performer who became a registered nurse and ICU nursing director specializing in burn care. Loren shares his dance journey through Kaba Modern, Super Galactic Beat Manipulators, and recent community performances, plus what he learned from the San Diego dance scene. He breaks down how he pivoted from pharmacy to an accelerated nursing program, passed the NCLEX, and landed a burn ICU role by standing out in interviews. They discuss what makes a great nurse, the realities of bedside care and COVID, and why protecting your license matters. Loren also explains his path into teaching and nursing administration through leadership experience, a master’s degree, and networking.

00:00 Introduction

01:59 Interview Start

03:40 Kaba Modern Origins & Soju Dance Battle Story

08:32 Dance Journey TLDR

12:10 Super Galactic San Diego Scene & Dancing Today

17:56 Disney Cast Member Life

23:08 Why Nursing and School Path

28:18 Standing Out in Nursing Interviews

33:02 Traits of Great Nurses

36:18 Social Media and License Risks

39:35 Hardest Nursing Moments & Best Parts

44:36 Surviving Nursing School

48:39 Teaching Future Nurses

54:14 Life In ICU Leadership

58:08 Landing Admin Roles

01:01:47 Rapid Fire Reflections

01:17:20 Gratitude And Signoff

Guest bio:
Loren Segovia is a registered nurse specializing in burn care and currently serves as the Nursing Director of an ICU. He is a former Disney dancer, a B-Boy, and his crew affiliations include: Kreative Movement, Kaba Modern, KM Legacy, SGBM, BBA, Groovement, Cast Members Only, Sanity, Reclaim and Rise. He proclaims he is "fulfilling the typical Filipino stereotype."

Socials/Links:

• Instagram: @hiimloren / https://www.instagram.com/hiimloren/
• YouTube: https://youtube.com/@nurseloren?si=4X4leWkiQ2LWzCPK
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorensegovia/
• Teach You a Lesson (K-Drama - Wikipedia)

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

One Thousand Gurus Podcast:
Everyone has a compelling story to tell with insights we can all be inspired by. J.R. Yonocruz is a self-improvement blogger, relationship coach, and serial hobbyist with a passion for learning. He interviews unique guests from various fields to distill the strategies, habits, and mindsets we can use in our own lives. Each “guru” has a chance to give the audience a peek into a new world.

• 💻 Website: www.onethousandgurus.com
• 🔗 All links & socials: https://bio.site/onethousandgurus
• 📧 The Weekly Guru newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/c97a350b06d6/newsletter
• 📚 Learning guides: https://stan.store/marloyonocruz

Dr. Arnel Calvario Ripkens on Surrogacy, Twins, Dance Legacy, and Stepping into Fatherhood

Host J.R. Yonocruz welcomes back Dr. Arnel Calvario Ripkens to discuss major life changes and his continued impact in the dance community. Arnel shares how he and his husband pursued surrogacy and are now preparing for twins, reflecting on teamwork, finances, communication, and letting go of rigid timelines. He revisits his “Yoda” role in Kaba Modern, honors the legacy of the late Anna Sarao, and describes his return to performance as a tribute and a form of closure. Arnel also talks about succession planning at Awesome Shock LA, why VIBE remains his favorite community dance event, and his work as head judge in IDL to raise standards, representation, and support for dancers.

00:00 Introduction

01:28 Interview Start & Why He Returned

07:30 Dream Of Being A Dad

10:39 Choosing Surrogacy

12:16 Planning Lessons Learned

18:32 Preparing For Twins

20:56 Becoming Kaba Modern's "Yoda"

23:57 Anna Sarao Legacy

28:10 Succession Planning Leadership

31:14 Succession Mindset

33:05 Why VIBE Stands Out

37:12 IDL as Dance Sport

43:29 Raising Judging Standards

47:53 Back to the Philippines

50:36 Closing a Dance Chapter

52:47 Fatherhood Fears and Growth

57:13 Gratitude and Final Advice

Guest bio:
As a visionary leader in the dance community, Arnel has inspired countless individuals through his work as founder of Kaba Modern, former Executive Director and former Board President of Culture Shock LA, former President of Culture Shock International, Head Judge of IDL, and as a member of the Kinjaz, while also empowering future leaders through his global education programs LEADERSHIP TOOLS for the DANCE LEADER and  ROOTS B4 BRANCHES.

He recently was the closing speaker for TEDx UC Irvine this past May and is a contributing author for recently released book: WITH LOVE - What we wish we knew about being Queer and Filipino in America.  In addition to all this, he works full-time as a Doctor of Occupational Therapy for the Long Beach Unified School District and is working in collaboration with Andy Ho and Culture Shock LA to expand his DANCE THERAPY program Awesome Shock LA in 2026 to provide an affirming and impactful space for dancers with disabilities.

Socials/Links:

• Instagram: @arnelcalvario / https://www.instagram.com/arnelcalvario
• Facebook: Arnel Calvario / https://www.facebook.com/arnel.calvario
• Website: www.DrArnel.com

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Support the show

One Thousand Gurus Podcast:
Everyone has a compelling story to tell with insights we can all be inspired by. J.R. Yonocruz is a self-improvement blogger, relationship coach, and serial hobbyist with a passion for learning. He interviews unique guests from various fields to distill the strategies, habits, and mindsets we can use in our own lives. Each “guru” has a chance to give the audience a peek into a new world.

• 💻 Website: www.onethousandgurus.com
• 🔗 All links & socials: https://bio.site/onethousandgurus
• 📧 The Weekly Guru newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/c97a350b06d6/newsletter
• 📚 Learning guides: https://stan.store/marloyonocruz

Awakening the Bayani Spirit: Bani Logroño on Storytelling, Filipino Identity, and The Filipino Story

Host J.R. Yonocruz interviews Bani Logroño, a Filipino-American writer/director, creative director of The Filipino Story Studio, and creator of The Filipino Story with 1.8M+ followers. Bani shares his background—born in Australia, raised in the Philippines, immigrating to Orange County at age nine—and how b-boying and early video-making led him toward filmmaking. He explains how immigration requirements took him to film school in Cebu, then back to Southern California’s dance community, before returning to the Philippines to direct WWII documentaries and deepen his focus on Filipino history and identity. They discuss storytelling as transformation, the “Bayani” spirit across history and the diaspora, and advice for creatives centered on play, skill-building, rest, and not tying identity solely to career.

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro

03:03 How We Know Each Other

06:55 Early Life and Immigration

08:53 Discovering Bboying and Film

14:21 Visa Surprise and Film School

19:37 Dance Roots and Mentors

25:46 Style and Aspirations

32:03 Filmmaking Path and Purpose

38:04 Why Stories Matter

45:53 Transformation and Filipino Pride

52:51 Bayani Spirit and WWII Lens

59:26 Modern Bayani OFWs, Ginhawa & Balikbayan Boxes

01:07:05 Filmmaking Career Advice

01:12:02 Overcoming Creative Blocks

01:14:17 Rapid Fire Questions

01:20:46 Purpose Through Creativity

01:24:50 Rethinking Pre-Colonial Labels

01:27:11 Investments And Media Recs

01:34:55 Gratitude And Final Plugs

Guest bio:
Bani Logroño is a Filipino American writer, director, and the creative director of The Filipino Story Studio.

Through award-winning documentaries such as Unsurrendered 2: The Hunters ROTC Guerrillas and Honor: The Legacy of Jose Abad Santos, as well as his current flagship social media project with over 1.8 million followers, The Filipino Story, Bani has dedicated his career to uncovering and celebrating the beauty, genius, and spirit of the Filipino people.

His work has reached millions across social media and continues to inspire young Filipinos around the world to reconnect with their history, embrace core Filipino values like kapwa, bayanihan, and kabutihang-loob, and awaken the bayani spirit within them.

Socials/links:

• Instagram: @banilogrono / https://www.instagram.com/banilogrono/
• Instagram: @thefilipinostoryofficial / https://www.instagram.com/thefilipinostoryofficial/

Links/resources:

• The Filipino Story - Animated Series (YouTube)
• Unsurrendered 2: The Hunters ROTC Guerrillas (IMDb)
• Honor: The Legacy of Jose Abad Santos (IMDb)

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One Thousand Gurus Podcast:
Everyone has a compelling story to tell with insights we can all be inspired by. J.R. Yonocruz is a self-improvement blogger, relationship coach, and serial hobbyist with a passion for learning. He interviews unique guests from various fields to distill the strategies, habits, and mindsets we can use in our own lives. Each “guru” has a chance to give the audience a peek into a new world.

• 💻 Website: www.onethousandgurus.com
• 🔗 All links & socials: https://bio.site/onethousandgurus
• 📧 The Weekly Guru newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/c97a350b06d6/newsletter
• 📚 Learning guides: https://stan.store/marloyonocruz