The Real Future: Street Dance Conversations

I started this podcast to share the stories, history, and styles behind street dance culture. However, my guest today is visual artist and children’s book author Fuzz Garden. I was contacted by the public relations wing of pH Collective, a socially-conscious women-owned creative agency that is working with United Artists San Pedro, the organization that funded the soon-to-be released Mimi and The Silly Sea Lion. This unique book is not only a book for children, it was, thanks to vision of my guest, co-illustrated by students from Point Fermin Elementary. This podcast is ultimately about artists and community so I was happy to welcome the author into my studio to talk about the book and her personal story. Thanks to pH Collective for reaching out!

CREDITS

• Production, Writing, Concept, Design, Video, Audio, Music, Photography by John Nyboer
• Special Thanks to pH Collective for connecting The Real Future with guest Fuzz Garden

LINKS

• Fuzz Garden’s Site
• pH Collective
• Angels Gate Cultural Center Studio Artist Program
• Arts United San Pedro
• Marine Mammal Care Center

My guest today is James Jimenez aka Animated J.

I’ve always admired J for his category-defying style of movement, so I was eager to ask him about the evolution of his dance. We talk about his beginning steps in New York, to his developmental years in Allentown PA, to the present in L.A.. He’s also the first interviewer that I’ve interviewed, and we talked about the motivation behind his podcast Creative Movers; it’s on YouTube and I’ve linked to it in the show notes. This is a great conversation with a thoughtful artist and we conclude with a drum and dance exchange, so stick around until the end!

CREDITS

• Production, Writing, Concept, Design, Video, Audio, Music, Photography by John Nyboer
• Movement by James Jimenez aka Animated J

LINKS

• Creative Movers YouTube
• Smart Mark’s YouTube
• Nyboer Photography
• Animated J’s YT Channel

My guest today is Lily Frias. The dance world– a lot of it, at least–knows Lily as one third of the street styles-based professional dance crew Femme Fatale. With that trio, and as an individual artist, Lily’s CV includes work with Cirque du Soleil, Marc Jacobs, and Red Bull, and she’s appeared on So You Think You Can Dance and America’s Best Dance Crew.

We talk about Femme Fatale’s story–how 3 women from 3 different countries came together to build careers and a lifelong sisterhood. Our conversation also tracks Lily’s journey from Durango, Mexico to L.A., and how being raised in 2 countries shaped her as a person and an artist. After the convo we filmed a drum and dance improv.

CREDITS

• Production, Writing, Concept, Design, Video, Audio, Music, Photography by John Nyboer
• Movement by Lily Frias

LINKS

• Femme Fatale
• Nyboer Photography
• Unbounded 
• Dallace Zeigler performance
• Mesie Valero
• Strike With Force IG
• La Mera Mera IG
• Cube Complex YT Channel

My guest today is Boogie Frantick. Born and raised in L.A., Frantick is an original member of the GR818ers, and also represents the Funny Bones and Mighty Zulu Kings crews. His foundation is popping, and his trademark style has made him a sought-after dancer including work with Snoop Dogg, Talib Kweli, and Egyptian Lover, and appearances on Dancing With The Stars, So You Think You Can Dance, and the late night shows of Jimmy  Fallon and Conan O’Brien. He is also an educator and takes his role in the community seriously as someone who is passing the torch to the next generation. We get into that topic, learn about how he integrated mime and animation into his dance, and talk about his personal story and how dance saved his life.

CREDITS

Production, Writing, Concept, Design, Video, Audio, Music, Photography by John Nyboer

LINKS

• Boogie Frantick website 
• GR818ers YouTube Channel
• Boogie Frantick teaching at Unimate
• Boogie Frantick Australia showcase 
• The Mexican (song)
• Señor Wencas
• The Pilot
• Beat Street (film)
• Transcend (documentary)
• Nyboer Photography
• Radiotron - The story of a youth hip hop club

I paused the conversations for a couple of months because my studio is just too damn hot in the middle of summer, but fall is now in full swing and I’m back in action!

My guest today is Lisa Bauford, aka L-Boogie. L-Boogie is a dancer, MC, educator, and the creative force behind the apparel brand Blame Boogie. She’s also the type of person who, whenever and wherever you might meet, makes you feel better about being alive, and I was really excited to have her as a guest.

We talk about her Florida roots, coming up as a basketball player, and the street dance community’s ability to bring people together and break down social boundaries. In general we had a really good time and at the very end, I get a little Jook City dance lesson.

CREDITS

• Production, Writing, Concept, Design, Video, Audio, Music, Photography by John Nyboer
• Dance lesson track: Keep Jukin’ by Tampa Tony (2019) 

LINKS

• L-boogie IG
• Blame Boogie Etsy shop
• iLuminate
• Passing The Crown
• Ivan “Flipz” Velez YT
• Tampa Tony Keep Jukin’ (2019)
• The K-Wang

I brought my Nord drum synthesizer to Unimate 2025, the weeklong international convention for robot and animation dance, for a series and drum and dance improvisations

This particular music and movement exchange features the amazing French street performer Kévin Théagène.  Kevin has come to L.A. pretty regularly in recent years, and I’m always happy to see him. He is a talented dancer and saxophonist, and has a warm, infectious personality. Enjoy!

CREDITS

Production, Writing, Concept, Design, Video, Audio, Music, Photography by John Nyboer

Movement by Kévin Théagène

LINKS

Kevin Theagene YouTube

Unimate Dance

Nyboer Photography

This Quick Hit episode is part of a series of drum and dance improvisations I recorded at Unimate 2025.

I brought my drum synthesizer to the weeklong international convention focused on robot and animation dance.

This music and movement exchange features Clocks, one of the world’s premier animation dancers, and one of the most amazing performers to come out of the street dance universe. He was also part of the Unimate faculty, and was a Unimate battle guest. Enjoy!

CREDITS

Production, Writing, Concept, Design, Video, Audio, Music, Photography by John Nyboer

Movement by Clocks

LINKS

Unimate Dance

Nyboer Photography

I brought my Nord drum synthesizer to Unimate 2025, the weeklong international convention for robot and animation dance, for a series and drum and dance improvisations

This music and movement exchange features Tiger Lily, a versatile and talented dancer who has experienced incredible artistic growth since moving to L.A. She is also part of the Unimate production team. Enjoy!

CREDITS

Production, Writing, Concept, Design, Video, Audio, Music, Photography by John Nyboer

Movement by Tiger Lily

LINKS

Unimate Dance

Nyboer Photography

My guest today is dancer, choreographer, and model G’bari Gilliam, aka GQ. G’bari is one of the most talented dancers I’ve ever seen, and he absolutely lights up a room whenever he takes the stage. This is why he’s always in demand and has an impressive list of credits that includes work with Billy Porter, Bad Bunny, Disney, and Tyler Perry. I was really excited that he found the time to stop in for a conversation and a drum dance improvisation.

CONTENTS

00:00:00 - 00:01:00 Introduction

00:01:01 - 01:09:54 Conversation

01:09:55 - Drum/Dance Improvisation

CREDITS

Production, Writing, Concept, Design, Video, Audio, Music, Photography by John Nyboer

LINKS

G’bari Gilliam YouTube

G’bari 2025 Club Jete 

Diamano Coura W. African Dance Co.

Nyboer Photography

FACT CHECK

During the conversation I mistakenly attributed a quote to Stravinsky. The correct quote and attribution is: “Music begins to atrophy when it departs too far from the dance; that poetry begins to atrophy when it gets too far from music." —Ezra Pound 

In this Quick Hit short-form episode I explain why I photograph street dance. During my Episode 12 conversation, BeastBoi asked me how I got connected to the dance community. This gave me an opportunity to answer that question and to thoroughly explain the motivation behind my work.