Skip the Repeat

Kyle Clark and Dinita Clark are the founders of Just Sole! Street Dance Theater Company. They discuss with Kai how they were introduced to dancing through Saturday morning house cleaning (5:30), never thinking about dance as a profession before college (14), and how a one-off hip hop class changed their life (21:30). They also talk about their struggles after graduating (37:15), being driven by faith (38:30), and how they guide their students through obstacles (50:45). 

Miyachi is trained in classical piano. Miyachi and Kai discuss his transition from classical piano to hip hop (3:30), being from the Upper West Side and what that means (8:25), and how his rough year in an upstate New York college convinced him that he needed to change his life (13). They also talk about how he stumbled into his unique style of rapping in Japanese and English (18:15), their purpose as Asian American entertainers (27), and how his friend's death propels him to this day (39:15).  

Shannon Maldonado is a Cancerian. Shannon and Kai talk about how she put pressure on herself to succeed from an early age (14:25), how losing her first job at Tommy Hilfiger almost immediately after getting it was a valuable lesson (23:40), and the process of getting into the consumer's mind to design for them (31:40). They also discuss how YOWIE started as a Pinterest board (37:15) and what gave her the confidence that YOWIE would succeed (51:10). 

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Tony Bui loves classical music. Tony and Kai talk about growing up in Silicon Valley and how his father's video stores ignited his passion for film (8), how his first trip back to Vietnam changed his life trajectory (17), and what he wanted to achieve for Vietnam through his film, Three Seasons (30:40). They also discuss where his self-belief came from when faced with obstacles in making the first film shot entirely in Vietnam after the war (38) and their shared admiration for Anthony Bourdain (49). 

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Randall Goosby is half black, half Korean. Randall and Kai talk about his love for Halloween candy (6), their respective mothers' surprising connection (7), and how meeting his mentor Itzhak Perlman changed his life trajectory (11). They also discuss his thoughts on his own racial identity growing up (21:30) and the biggest part of his support system: his mom (26). 

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Andrew Yee makes beautiful latte art. Andrew and Kai talk about being half Chinese and their family history (1); Andrew's mom's hearing loss and being able to play music for her (3:40); and how they fell in love with coffee (12). They also discuss their unique approach to jobs (15) and what drives them in music and beyond (29:40).   

Emily Ting knows lots about plush toys. Emily and Kai talk about her mother's decision to come to the States and bring her kids (6:11), the decisions that led her to film school (13:50), and the truth that she learned at NYU (20:50). They also discuss her spending ten years working for her father's toy company in Asia, which inspired her newest film (22), and how her perspective on what it takes to be a filmmaker shifted after that move (44). 

LIVE show: skiptherepeatlive.eventbrite.com/?aff=Kai

Michele Lockhart loves to ski. Michele and Kai discuss working as a civil and environmental engineer and feeling stuck (9), how much Michael Pollan's works have influenced her life (10:10), and how Nosh Bars was never intended to be a business (18:20). They also talk about discouraging moments and what kept her coming back (30:07), and lessons that she's learned from operating Nosh Bars (43:24). 

J'Nai Bridges can still ball out on the court. J'Nai and Kai talk about being from the beautiful Pacific Northwest (3), how basketball was at the center of her life growing up (7:28), and the incident that changed everything for her (8:05). They also discuss how she came to terms with rejection as a part of the music business (27:30). 

Join us for a Live taping of Skip the Repeat on November 14th in NYC! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/skip-the-repeat-live-with-kai-talim-and-randall-goosby-tickets-75336843527?aff=Kai

John Holiday knows he is supposed to be a good human being. John and Kai discuss how the church was a big part of his upbringing (10:02), how his grandmother influenced his style and personhood (14:25), and what made him so sure that he was a countertenor, despite starting off college as a tenor (23:30). They also talk about the reason he waited until his 25th birthday to come out to his grandmother (26:15), and the important lesson he shares with all of us dealing with toxic relationships (36:25).