Transcription
Hello everyone, welcome to another Funkin' Focus Dance and Dialogue, a tradition podcast episode brought by Funkin' Focus and her Artistry. My name is Yonas, and I will guide you all behind the camera.
Today, we go directly into the heart of France, Paris. He is not only actively teaching in Paris but also constantly traveling around the world to share his passion and craft in dancing. I'm very excited and happy to announce that next to me is sitting the one and only Bit.
Hello, hello, hello, hello Jonas. Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you too. So, how are you doing? I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine. Thanks, thanks a lot for that invitation to talk and to share a part of my story and my vision, uh, thanks to Funkin' Focus and, uh, I wish, um, I wish we're going to have a good, uh, good time. Yes, yes, and same to you. Thank you, thank you. And I would say, let's get directly into it. So, the first question, how did you get into street dance and where were you at that time?
Visually, I discovered street dance, I think it was in the '80s, like in the street. First time I see a street dancer, it was, I remember I was young, I was less than 10 years, uh, I was a child. So, and I see two or three guys, uh, uh, moving on the street. So, after that, it becomes really popular in Paris. We have, um, we have, um, uh, big movies like "Breakin'," um, and we have a program, and it was, uh, '84, '85, like "Hip Hop," it's a program every Sunday afternoon on the TV. And, uh, it's a, it's a, it's a guy, his, his name is Sydney. And so he is the host. So we have a program on TV with a lot of, with dancers, with, uh, we call it "Smurf" back in the days, you know, like a boogie and, and, and breaker. Uh, so every Sunday, I watch this, uh, around 10 years. And, um, I feel really, uh, I, I feel really touched, uh, from that. So, and that's, that's how I discover the, the street dance. Um, it was something really like on the media. And, uh, and after, let's say, uh, after, uh, around, um, on my 13, like, something like '88, uh, uh, I start to, I start to move. I start to, to, to move, you know. I was young, but, uh, uh, I don't know, there's an expression like, like you pass the wall, you know, when you, you go on the night and your, your family don't like this. So at night, you, you jump like a cat. So I discovered that world. Um, that's '88, that's when I discover for the first time the, the, the, the party, like the, the Zulu party.
So you already mentioned some things like the movie "Breakin'" and also the, there was the Sunday program. And I just want to go like to the program, like, um, like which dance, um, like how was the focus, like which people were there, what style they were representing? Was it kind of a only like a French thing? Like, was it like everything in, in, in the French language, or were like also people abroad got invited here?
Yeah, some people was invited in the, but, um, I was so young, so I don't know the name. But you can see a lot of people from the suburb and from France, uh, came every Sunday, and they make like a kind of battle, you know. So they, uh, one by one, you know, there's the camera, and there's all the people around. And, um, so there's a crew, like, uh, one of the first crew, breakers, like, um, uh, PCB, Paris City Breakers. So, uh, that's five guys from Paris. They also here on Sunday. And, uh, also, um, um, there's, uh, Grandmaster Flash, was invited. Shabadoo, rest in peace. And Boogaloo Shrimp, Michael Chambers was invited also. So we don't, I don't know, I don't know who, who are these guys when I, I was young. But, um, after when I do my search, after I realize those guys was on the on the program, those famous guys of the street dance here.
Nice. So, um, like the term, um, "Smurf," is it for you something that's goes, um, directly to popping, or is it just like the series and it's just connected to the dance scene that was going around in Paris, in France?
Uh, I think it's a part to friends. Mhm. Uh, from my, from what I know. Mhm. It's a, it's to friends, you know. There, there, I know it's, it's, it's connected to a record, "Do the Smurf." Um, old school, old school record from the '80s, you know. Uh, there's this image, you know, like a cartoon. Uh, we, um, the Smurfs, we call it "Schtroumpfs" in France. But the Smurfs, like, is a lot of, um, a lot of, uh, characters, blue with white, uh, hat and white glove, stuff like that. But, yeah, I think it's, it's, um, it's really connected to to the to the track, to the record. So it's like kind of a music. It's a track. Yeah.
It's fashion. It's like how they, um, scene, like as you explained, and, and the time, like, was there like a specific time when this was popular? Or, yeah, it was really popular. Yeah, yeah. In '84, it was so popular, you know, the, the music in that area was really connected to the electro. Mhm. Electro, electr-funk, disco, disco-funk. So, it was really popular. That's the reason, um, they make, they make a TV program every, every Sunday afternoon. It was on the first channel, and it was, um, I think there, there's a lot of people watching at that time. So I think it have a big impact. Uh, here. This is, this is how, this is how I discover the first time. This is how my eyes discovered the first time. Uh, after what I hear, it's in '82. Um, there's a big, um, '82, there's the, the tour, uh, with, um, with the Rock Steady, with Future. It was, um, uh, Europe, Europe tour, like, okay, with a hip-hop, you know, always famous actors of the hip-hop, graffiti, B-boy. Uh, so they came in '82 also, Europe City Tour, something like that. But I was, um, I was too young. Yes, yes.
So, so this is, uh, so if you can like paint a picture, like, um, um, like you already, already explained, and like a lot, like are some other things that were like connected to to this movement?
I, yeah, I can, I can, I can say, I can say like in '88, when I start to go to my first, uh, first party, you know, hip-hop party and Zulu party, you know, in Paris, La Villette. Um, in, I remember it was in the suburb also, the second party. So it was really something special. It was really so special, you know. You, at that time, you, everybody have a group, you know, like a band. And, um, so, uh, you have the crew, the people with who you work with, who you spend time with, who you share, um, so it was, it was like a, it was like a family, you know, at the time when, when you, you don't really find yourself, um, on the education, um, the school, um, with the family. It was, uh, it was a little bit hard sometimes. So it's really, it's really, it was, it was as a, it was like a balance, a big balance. So, so you start to move with, with, with those group, and, and so you start to discover the, the, the hip-hop, you know. And, uh, and yeah, for me, it was, it was really like a big support, you know. You, you feel a part of a family.
So this family, like I heard some people, you want to give like a shout out?
Or, yeah, of course. My crew, um, so of course, to Yu Yu Buck, Yu Kazik. It's, it's the guy and Ahmed T. Was two guys from from from Guinea, from Guinea. So we was in the school together. And, uh, at 13, 14, we meet together. So, and, uh, uh, I see a lot of, um, videos of dancers with them. And, uh, with Buck, Yu, we start to move. We start to move. He, he show me, he show me, he show me the afternoon party. Uh, uh, we go to Guinea, uh, in, in '89. I, I spent two months there. We go to clubs, listen a lot of music. Um, so the family was connected. The brother of Ahmed was was in America. So we have a lot of information, a lot of music. So that, that was, that was a big, big, big support. And to my crew after that, my crew Opposé. So, so of course, with David, with Momo, with An, with Scorpio, with Bar, and me. We were six. So that's when it becomes a little bit more, more, more, more engaged, you know, like your crew, you're making, you, you practice together, you move together to the club. Uh, we make all shows. The first show in the club in Charenton, it was like a show like, um, on "Beef Devotion." I remember it was just released "Poison." So in the style, we call it hype. Mhm. Like, it's the, it's the dance, like, uh, lot of running man. It's all, all that area of early late '80s, early '90s.
So you mentioned hype. Like, can you like describe a little bit more? Like, running man?
Yeah, it's, it's really like, it's all your body is engaged. A lot of legs, you know. It's really, um, it's really popular dance, social dance, you know. Everybody dance this time in the club, you know. It's really energetic, you know, it's powerful. And, so that, that's the style. That's the style we do. We do back, back in the days, you know. You can, for the people who don't know that style, you can see like the footage of late '80s and early '90s, you know, like with a, um, with Queen Latifah, Big Daddy Kane, with, um, MC Lyte, you know. You have, you have a lot of artists, you know, at that time. Most of every video, you have dance. Everything was connected, you know. The DJ, the MC, the graffiti, um, the dance. It was really all connected together. Mhm. Even in the club, when you move to the club, you see, you see everybody. Everybody was dancing. The DJ, the MC, the graffiti, every, you know. It was not confined to one style. You, you experiment. Even if you have a discipline, you feel more, uh, close from DJ or for dance, but you experiment the other, the other side of the community of, of the, of the hip-hop.
Oh, that's cool. So it seems like that, like many people, like they were together and they were exchanging, having a good time. And, like, so many people maybe like know you like about popping and boogaloo. So at which time, like, you were practicing with your crew? At which time was there like a change, like for you and the style and the way you were moving?
So, um, so, um, uh, we have, we have, uh, we have, um, we have a guy, David, from our crew. So he was the, the older. He was from, uh, he, he was before my generation, you know, like. And, and he was the first guy we see in our crew, like, um, doing some, some boogaloo, doing some B-boy move. And, uh, and, uh, and after, and after that, I meet also Regis. So when we go to the club, there's this guy, Regis Truchi. And, so we, we share a lot. I was, I was really lucky to share with this guy, you know. We dance together, we dance on, we perform on TV for programs, every, uh, every Sunday, around '94, '93, '94. So, um, uh, and he was really engaged to the waving, you know, boogaloo. And, and same area, '94, start to make pops. Um, and, uh, and, uh, and I start to really go inside the popping, to define more of the pop with pops. Um, so that, that was, uh, that was something really huge because I tried to, I tried to understand. And for me, it was so magic, where it was magic, the effect of, and the impact of, of that way to move. So special. So for me, uh, it was, it was really not easy. And, so I was lucky because he, he teach me. He, he show me also a lot of tapes, tapes of the, the Electronic Boogaloos, Lockers, in, in '95. So for me, I was not ready to understand, you know. But years after years, we was lucky to meet the OGs and understand more, and still, still, still understanding the culture.
Oh, that's nice. So, like, you mentioned some names, like you got some information, and you were practicing with, and like you were part of a crew before. So how was this shift? How did this happen? Like, did you, like, leave the crew? Or, like, yeah, yeah.
I think, um, so, yeah, we, we dance together, we make some shows, and, um, and I think, uh, around, around '90, '94, '94, I think we, we grow a little. '94, '95, and I think, um, we start to do, we start, everybody start to do different stuff. And, uh, the rhythm was different. Uh, some, some have to, to go back in their origin country. And, so step by step, everybody take his, uh, his own, uh, his own way, his own path. We, we, we, we still at that time, at that area, we see each other in clubs, we share in clubs, in the parties. Yeah, I think everybody grow and everybody move. It, uh, the separation, uh, was, uh, was natural. Mhm. Yes.
So this, like, are people like you were like, who really inspired you to go into popping? Like, you mentioned the crewmate before, into maybe into waving and into new and different forms of moving. So how did your journey continue then?
Yeah, so you, yeah, um, at the time, I tried to understand. I tried to understand. I was, um, I was, I was practicing with Pops, as I say, um, uh, we dance together. And, uh, and after that, in '96, there's a friend who I meet in a, in a cipher. It was even in the party. Tamaki Torab. It's a guy from Tokyo. And so we, I remember also, we see a lot of videos at that time. Uh, uh, he bring me at his home, and we see a lot of footage of the, the, the, like Beat, Ski, um, the, the Electric Boogaloos, Moptop, um, Misfit. Uh, so lot, a lot of, a lot of dancers. So in '96, we, we, we also have more, more information. And, uh, and '97, '96, '97, uh, '98, '99, 2000, I dance with a company, you know, and we tour around the world. It was with a ballet dancer, contemporary African dancer, Toby boy, and me as a popper. So, and I also, also, I also learn a lot of ways to move, you know, from a different perspective, different, uh, different discipline of dance. And, uh, and that was a good experience because we tour around the world. And, uh, and I, I try to, to really, uh, incorporate everything I learned at that time. So, all the stuff I was sharing with Regis, with Pops, uh, uh, the, the footage we see about, uh, Mr. Wiggles, Mr. Freeze, about, um, the footage about the Electronic, the, the Boogaloo, Pete, Ski, always Yugo. You know, also because, because also I forget, but in '95, I start to travel. So we go to Germany with, um, with the French B-boys. I remember with Nabil. It's a, it's a good friend. We dance on Constance. It's a name of the crew. And, um, and, uh, and after we, and after, um, I moved to London, moved to New York. So even, even that was a huge experience to, to move in, in those countries, you know, to see the culture.
Can you explain how this, how does this work, traveling to another country? It's like there are no smartphones. It's like a different age, like a different time. So, yeah, tell a little bit more about your experiences.
So, yeah, yeah. So I remember in '95, I had my friend, Justine Judith. She, she danced with, um, she danced also with Nabil. Um, their first crew was Son. Um, and, sorry, and, um, and so, this friend Judith also was very important because I was dancing with her in many parties. We go a lot of parties with Judith, you know, she's a singer. Um, and, and she always, she also, um, told me, told me a lot of stories about the culture in France, in Paris. She show me a video, and, and she, she introduced me to, to a friend. And, and this guy, David, and Texo. Texo is the guy when, when, when she introduced me. I remember it was the guy who, in late '80s, we have like a, you know, um, MG say, it's a club, you know, kind of club for the young in every district, you know. And so, so Texo was was organizing every, late '80s, every Friday evening. So, like, um, kind of a, uh, late afternoon party with DJs and every dancer. This is when I meet Pops the first time. Uh-huh. Yeah. So late, late '88, '89. So, and, so this guy, '95, when she introduced me, um, uh, he supposed to, to go to, we planned to go to New York. And so that, that was that was so nice for me, you know. So we, so we arrive there. We go to, uh, we, we spend, uh, we spend a little bit more than one week. We, we go to clubs, we go to the vinyl there. We meet the Full Circle. I remember that time. So Shake was there, like a pioneer, pioneer of New York B-boy. Quickstep, Rockafella, Bam Bam, the Liquid Robot. So it was, it was really intensive week. And, so that, that have a big impact, uh, on my, on my vision of dance, you know, to see, to see the, the vibe of the club, you know, from New York. And, you know, it was funny, it was really similar to, to the parties here in Paris, you know. But, uh, but with, um, with people from the, with people from the, like OGs, you know. Yes, in the party. So it was, it was, it was a big experience to, to meet the, those people. So, so yes, as I say, I come back '96. '96 with Tamaki. Still, still moving. It's all about the, the party. It's all about the people you meet. And, and how you share the information. How you, lucky to, to share information. How they share information with you. So that, that, that make me grow. And, and so, so after, um, uh, after also in '95, in '95, the, the GTO, Original Groovers, came also, uh, uh, and in '92 also they came. So, we see Wiggles and Freeze, uh, at that time. So it was, it was, it was a big impact. Uh, uh, they, they came back in '96 or '7 also with, with GTO in Paris. At that time, Demon was dancing, was dancing in the, in the, in the crew. So big, big, big, big influence from all those years, from from '90 to to 2000. It's, it's a, it's a lot of, um, lot of reset. A lot of reset. We, we meet a lot of dancers, a lot of OGs. And then in '98, '98, then here, I meet, um, we meet SK, Pete, and Sam. So then this was, this was again another part, you know. Um, because as I say, you know, we, in '95 also in the north of France, um, when the, uh, D Dance, it was in '95 in Roubaix, the north of France. They organize a big "Tremplin," we say in France, you know. It's a big, um, you know, it's a big organization. They invite a lot of crews of dance. And it's a weekend. There's a lot of shows. And so, the Yugo, Jazzy J, Mr. Freeze, Sundance, Sugar Pop. Mhm. So also, also, also at that time, it was a big, big, big, big influence. Um, so then I come back again in '98. And, uh, that '95 was the first time, like, we see on stage the, the, the, the OGs from the West Coast. Uh, so they came in Paris. After, SK, Pete, in '98. And in '98, they came back, and they, uh, they, they make a workshop, and, uh, some shows in Paris, late '98. And this time, uh, it was Poppin' Taco, rest in peace. Skill, Rabbit, rest in peace. Sugar Pop, Mr. Wiggles, and Storm was there. And, and this time, this time also, we learn. We learn. And, uh, and, uh, and we still, and we still, we still continue to, to learn this dance after.
So you were meeting all these big names, the OGs, the pioneers, you said of the West Coast. So how was this for you? Like the communication? Like you said, like you were communicating in the clubs. Like, I think it's like more with the movement, but to share information, it's like also necessary that it goes verbally. So how, and also to like get to engage in general, like, like feeling comfortable, people talking to a person that maybe you saw like on, um, before only like on the clips, on the cassettes, and now to see them in real life. So how, what kind of feeling was it? A lot of pressure?
Yeah, it's a lot of pressure, you know. Uh, they older than you, you know, they are OGs, you know. It's, um, it's, uh, it's not easy. And, uh, and, uh, me, I wasn't, I wasn't talk English at that time. So it's all, it's all from my eyes and from what I feel. So I learn, I learn from watching and from feeling it. So, and that's how, even that's how we learn. That's the, the our vector. No, it's a, what you feel, you know. It's an environment, you know. It's the music, the smell, the vibe, the people, you know. And, and so you watch, you watch, you watch a lot. You try to remember, you try to feel. So that, that was like that in the beginning for me. Late, late after, late after, I can, I can talk a little bit more. And I remember, I remember, I remember also Brian Green, also with Brian Green, I forget. Yeah, also Brian Green coming with Will, with, um, came Brian Green came with Archie Burnett in '94, same TCD, you know, it's in Paris also. And they, they make a workshop also. I remember that time for the first time, we see like an OG from from New York dancing house in '94. Uh, uh, and, and he, he makes like popping, he makes like popping and hip-hop. Mhm. So it was also, it was also, it, it influenced us also, the way he move. Um, but, yeah, I think, I think, um, I start, the one we I talk the most is Taco. Mhm. Is the person, is the dancer, rest in peace, with who I talk, I talk the most. And, and I remember, uh, Yugo. So when we meet, so, and, uh, I have, I have, so for me, it was really late, late when I started. It was around 2000 when I start to, to, to, to understand this language. Mhm. So it was really not easy. It was a lot of frustrations. Um, but I think have a reason, you know. I think that was the way for me to, to learn, to, to stuck on how I feel. And, but, um, of course, you always have, uh, I have, I have two friends, you know, Amar and Ahmed from Funk Therapy. Uh, so we share all, we share together also a lot of, uh, our vision of dance also at that time. And, they, they, they share with me also a lot of stuff they get, because they already have a, they understand the language. So that was, that was also, have a big impact.
So was it kind of, you said the frustration, was it kind of, you were like, you don't feel it, you don't get the movement, or where, where it wasn't working like as intended? You want to talk, you want to talk with them, you know? Yeah.
I remember in '97, like, uh, uh, we was in, in the club, wasn't, yeah, it was part of Marm. Uh, and Demon was there, Adis Sola was there, Mr. Twister was there. And we were, we, we go in the cipher, and we, we share the cipher. And, you know, when you, after that, you want to talk with them, you want to understand, you know, you want to ask them questions. But it's, that's the frustration, you know. You want to communicate with them, and it's not easy if you don't, when you don't have the language. That was not easy. Yes. You want to, you, you want to learn something. You want to, when you want to, you want to know them. So it's like, you could not get the information like directly, just by watching them, but not really by talking.
So when you now go to like your, your personal style, your personal way of moving, like when was there like a point where you can say there was like a click, like a, like a point where where you got something really big, where you remember like, like an "aha" [Applause] moment, when it was a high moment, high moment, like a moment where something like a light goes on and you you start to understand and something started to make sense? Maybe was it like a moment or a person?
I think, I think it's happened a lot in the life of a dancer. It's happened a lot. You, you have a lot of, I think there's a lot of moments. I don't know if it's easy to say there's one moment because, um, I really try to study this dance for many years, and I'm still, I'm still doing it. And, um, I really try to, to, to, to understand different styles, you know, the different characters. It takes a lot of time. And, you know, every, every dancer is like, um, um, "biblo." Mhm. I don't know if we can say that. So, like a library. Library, you know? Yeah. And, and it's a chance, you know, when you see them dance on live or on video, and you see them on live, on real, if you really engage on, on this culture, it's an impact. It's an impact. It's not easy to, but yeah. So what was stronger than this? It have an impact, you know. It have an impact on your, on your, on your body, on your, on your feeling, you know. It's, um, it's, you know, the, the, the respect. The respect. More you, more you put respect on what you do, on what you like, and, and more you, you are in it. It's, you know, if you really want it, it's like a, it's like a kind of obsession, you know. So something happened chemically in your body. You don't see, you don't feel, you don't hear the same way, then if it's just something interesting and you just pass, you know. So, yeah, it was like, like a lot of passion and obsession. So that's how, that's how each, each dancer, big dancer you meet, if you really engage on, on what you do, it have, it have a big resonance on you. I trust that. Yes. Wow. These words are really touching me. So, yes, yes. It's deep, deep. It's really deep.
So, like, your teaching is like, you're not only like here in Paris, like you're traveling around. You have a lot of experience in teaching, and it's like, it's also like really thought out. So I would like go next to how do you systematize and organize your thoughts in your style again? Like, how do you systematize and organize your thoughts?
Like, yes, yeah. It's not easy. It's not easy to answer. It takes a time. It takes a lot of here. It's a process. It's a process. Back in the days, for me, it was like, mmm, you know, I try, I do something, I try to do it the best I can, and you try to do the same. So that's really like mine, you know. I do it, and you try to do it. It's really primary, primary. Mhm. And, um, and, and step by step, you, you try to, to, to engage more conscience, more reflection. And, and, uh, you, you start to, to define a little bit, uh, the style, uh, the movement. You, you realize, okay, some people need more coordination, they have to understand a little bit their body. Uh, after, there's the way to, to catch the, the music, the music in the way, not not to catch the music in the way of the accent or whatever. No, just, you know, the, the BPM. Take your time, you know. Take your time. Okay, there's, there's those aspects, you know, like we call double, single time, you know, the stuff like that. Uh, so after, you go, you go, you dig a little bit more in the style. So, so then, then you, in the beginning, of course, you use the mirror. It, it's more easy. But after that, the mirror is, for me, it's something really strange. And, um, I don't really, I'm really happy since, since, um, since all those years, to, to leave more and more the mirror, you know. It's okay, the mirror is okay, but not, not like, like the, the whole thing, you know. Sometimes you can use the mirror, but there's, there's a, there's a more, more I grow, and more I discover, um, mirror can be like a, is like a weapon. Is really dangerous if you inject too much mirror in your way to build your identity. It can do the opposite. Then, then for me, it's really important, you know, to back to the communion, you know, the cipher. For me, like, is a perfect, perfect [Music] form. Can be two, it can be three, it can be four, whatever, you know, whatever it can be on outside, it can be. And, so, and, uh, so I come back, I come back to the, to the roots. I come back to that tradition. And from that tradition, I think in the beginning, it was a little bit, uh, uh, it was a little bit hard. But I, I trust, I trust, I trust. And something happened, and I start to, to, to find, like, to find a, to find a way when I come back to, to that form of, of sharing, you know. So this is what I do now. This is what I do. And this is, this is, for me, the best, you know. It's not like, is, of course, it's not like, um, it's not like you are in the club, and it comes when it comes. You, you prepare yourself. You, wear your clothes, your smell, your, you know. Of course, it's another environment. Uh, it's a, because you teach, you, it's a transmission. But the form have an impact. Yes.
Okay. Like, um, and more interaction. Mhm. And like, when people like, just in general, like, do you have also some advice? Like, people go to your class, they get their information, single pop, double pop, delay pop. And how would you like them to continue on, like, to practice? Do you have, or not even like to practice, but also like, if this is like giving themself some ideas, like how they can themselves then structure and organize their own thoughts, they produce?
Of course, there are some, there are some, some, some basics. Of course. I think for me, in the beginning, it's really important to the music. Feel good, the energy, you know. Feel rooted, feel rooted in the music. And, and feel how do you say, um, uh, uh, embody, embody what you do, you know. Incarnate what you do, you know. So it becomes first. I think, I think that's, that's the, for the beginning, for me, it's this. It's like, you don't have to use so many moves, you know. Few moves, and, and play with it. Play with it, and play with the music. Uh, and, and feel it. Feel it, feel it, feel it. It's a dance. It's a dance. So, is the feeling something you have it, or you not have it, or you? It depends. Because for me, you, it's like the conversation, you know. It's, uh, you, you feel alive. You [Music] know. Ab is like a something is living. Mhm. On you. So when you share, when you are in interaction with someone, something is alive. Oh, yes. I don't think you get it alone in your room. I don't trust that. No. Maybe it happened, but, um, it happened because, because you already connect, you know. The relation you have, the experience of that kind of relation on different environment, different music, different way to wear, different knowledge. Okay.
So, like, to have this feeling of being alive, like in class, or like, there's some sometimes like, there's a cipher starting, and then like people sometimes, or also including myself, like, okay, it's like, now it's like, I'm dancing in front of other people, they're going to watch me. I'm kind of nervous. Do you also experience that?
Of course, of course, of course. I experience so many stress. Wow. So many stress, you know. That's what happen when you engage on something, and when you love something, you know. Know, when you engage. The only way to never experiment the stress is to never be engaged. Yes. So that's, that's, that stress is the energy. It's a, it's a big energy. And we, we learn how to deal with it with the experience. More we do it, more we experiment environment, like we do now, you know. You, you ask me some questions, uh, I try to answer, and both of us, we try to do our best. And, um, it's, um, just try to do all, just, just this question, I want to try my best. Sometimes can, can, can make a pressure. Mhm.
And like, you were talking like a lot of feeling, and this would be like more in the thoughts, like more in the in the head space. So how do you then connect? Do you get out your thoughts and you just dance, or how is then the connection?
Yeah, the connection is again, is the, is the vibe. Is the vibe, you know. Is the funk. This, this is, this is pure because there's no, like, there's no making mechanical or or graphic or 90 degree or, you know. So it's really organic. So when you really connect, everything you learn from that, from that, from that vibe, every, everything going to be more, more, more cool. Yes. Of course, of course. In, in your path, sometimes what you learn, it's more than what you can digest. So that's how, so we learn who we are because we experiment our limit with the, the knowledge, with the information, with the data. And, and you learn when sometimes you, you eat too much. Mhm. And, uh, you realize you can't digest. You can't, you can't feel it. It's not possible. You can't. So you have to learn how to auto-regulation. You adjust. Mhm.
And like, when, like, we're talking like more like to adjust, like when we're like, we're learning. So how do you adjust right now? How does your, uh, your creation process look like nowadays?
For me, yeah, yeah. Year after years, this become better because, as I say, you, you realize, uh, you learn too much stuff, and too much stuff sometimes, um, you can handle. So you have to leave. You have to leave. You have, you have to, to use less to, to express more. Mhm. Like class is more. Yes, yes. Of course, of course. If it's, if your, if your mental is, is in a certain level, it's really hard to, to open space to receive the music because you are in a zone of a lot of control, of too much control. So less feeling, less is more. Opening yourself for the music.
Are like other, other things like maybe small philosophies or just, yeah.
It's the feel, the feeling. The feeling when you feel good, you know. Just the vibe. And feel rooted, you know. In the beginning, in the beginning, it's normal when you learn something, you want to do it, you want to be clean, you want to be like that, you want to be like that. And it's okay. And it's okay. It's cool. But you have to readjust. It's very important. Readjust because it's, it's from the center. It's from what you feel. The, the mental have no feeling. The mental is like a fridge. It's like ice, you know. The fire is here. Like you're pointing now to the, to the belly. To the, yeah. It's all this, the, this, the belly, your chest, your belly. That's, that's the connection. Is the center that connects, like, every other part of the body. Exactly. Exactly.
Okay, cool. So do you have like, now, some upcoming projects? Or [Music] some, or like, let, or take it a step back. Like, do you, like, for your creation process, are you still like creating some new things? And you to develop, where you think like you go into this direction that helps you to develop like your dance?
It's funny because, uh, uh, uh, now, for this, uh, since, uh, early January, I was a, I have a surgery. So, praise God, everything is better now. So, and, um, and this experience have a, have a, have a, have a huge impact on my, on my vision, you know. And I think, um, and I think now, um, I try to focus, like, on come back, come back, and have a better shape, you know. Uh, I start to, I start to, to back to the class also, you know. Al forville, every [Music] Thursday with the Funk F. And, uh, uh, I have also, I'm dancing with, um, a choreographer, her name is Dalila, Dalila Bazaa, for a company. And, uh, we are, we are working, um, we are working soon, uh, for creation next year. So that's, uh, that's, uh, that's what's happening now. And there's some collaborations also with Polar and Orange, uh, hybrid. So.
Okay, okay. Nice. Um, like, you just mentioned quickly surgery. So what, what impact had it on you?
Yeah, the impact, it's the, it's the stop. It's the stop. It's funny, it's funny, it's strange, you know. You, you can, sometimes, you know, you, you have all your, um, and when you have 100% of your resource, you know, you don't really question what's happening, you know. You just go 100%. So what's, what's interesting when you have, when you have pain, surgery, or stuff like that, it's, you step back, and your, your vision of your body change. And then you also apprehend the movement in another way. And you realize sometimes we, you don't need always all that power for moving. And that's really interesting. That's what I like. So you, you realize, you realize how you, what you can do, even when you don't have all that resource. Nice.
So, and like, you were also talking before about the Funk Therapy family. So, yeah, it's, it's all you guys, you know. You met the class, you met that experience also. And, U, and I love it, you know. And it's like, also like your Instagram is Funk Therapy. So what does it exactly mean?
It comes from Funktronics. Uh-huh. Funktronics. And Tronics, uh, it's the, it's the contraction from the Electronic Boogaloos. So I just changing "tronics" from that area. It's the late '70s. And I just put "Funk" on the back. Okay, okay.
So you shared some projects and collaborations in the future. Future, like, is there also like some travel and some areas?
Yeah, there's, there's some. Yeah. Um, soon in Germany, uh, for for workshop, for teaching. And, uh, and maybe also, um, in Asia in April. So.
How can people then reach out to you? Like, how they?
Yes, of course. All the information I spend on on the media, on my page, Funkin' Focus. And, uh, there's all the actuality. Yeah. Exactly. Exactly. Can find all the actuality. I post.
Like, is there an email address or something else?
Um, that, that's really rare now. Yes. Actually, actually, the, the media become, become your email address, you know. Because you can, you can share all your work, uh, and it's, it's everything is concentrated on the, on the social media. On social media. Yeah.
Okay, so to close this out for today, um, is there like any small important message out to the general world you want to to give, or like advice, or encouragement for all the folks out there?
Keep loving what you do, understanding, searching, and share it.
Nice. That's definitely like a good statement at the end. And, yeah, I just want to thank you, Alite, for the time today. Also, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Us. Thank you, Funkin' Focus. Thanks a lot. Thank you. And I just want to quickly remind, remember that you find all podcasts on Spotify under Funkin' Focus Dance and Dialogue, and Funkin' Focus YouTube. I thank you all to you listeners for taking the time. And I just say, and see you. See you.