Episode Transcript
[00:00:04] Speaker A: Hello. Hello, my friends. I'm Dana. This is words that move me. This episode is so great because I'm talking to one of my heroes today. I'm talking to a woman that I have had an art crush on for a very long time. And every young man and a lot of the young women that I went to high school with also had a crush on her because she was the lead video vixen of the My Chemical Romance Helena video. The lady that wakes up from the coffin and is stunning. Yep, that's Tracy Phillips. And we're talking to her today, and I'm so excited. But first, we're going to celebrate a win.
Wins are important, y'. All. You got to count the wins.
Especially today.
Today I'm celebrating a new friend. You guys, I went and got some laser hair removal yesterday, and I made friends with my technician. And do you know what our bonding was over? Not the trauma of laser hair removal, which is. Aw, there's a creation on that block.
And I went there because I didn't have time to buy food. And I went inside and I looked at their plethora of insanely overpriced items, and instead of buying something that I didn't want for way too much money, I just left.
And then I got into my laser hair place, and I was like, hey.
We were talking, and I don't know why I brought this up. Cause I'm a talker.
Or wait, maybe she brought it. I can't remember who brought it up. And she was like.
She was like, yo, you know what's gotten crazy expensive? And I was like, what? And she was like, sandwiches. Like, even a Subway sandwich is expensive. And I was like, yeah, and let's put an end to it right now. And so we formed this alliance over, like, make sandwiches affordable again. And now I've got a new friend in my quest for affordable sandwiches. That's what's going well in my world. Now you go, what's going well in your world? Any new alliances?
Any new cosmetic processes that are going particularly well?
Can't wait.
[00:02:14] Speaker B: Yay.
Wow.
[00:02:17] Speaker A: Congratulations. I'm so glad that you're winning. Now let's get into this conversation with Tracy Phillips. She is a world renowned, truly globally recognized dancer and choreographer, although you might not know her name or face, because she also self admits is quite humble.
So getting to talk to her and getting to share stories with her is one of the sweetest treats of my recent life. And I am so excited to share the one, the only, Tracy Phillips.
Are you ready, Tracy?
[00:02:58] Speaker B: I Mean, I've been here.
[00:03:00] Speaker A: This is it.
[00:03:00] Speaker B: I'm here.
[00:03:01] Speaker A: We've been doing it. We've been doing. You're doing great. This is going really well.
[00:03:05] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:03:05] Speaker A: Welcome to the podcast. This is Words that Move me.
[00:03:08] Speaker B: Thank you. Hey. Hi.
[00:03:10] Speaker A: My dog is on the couch over there burrowing. Riley is over here taking notes for us.
I've been a big fan of yours. I hope that you know that and feel that for. Oh, I'm wearing a jingly outfit. You're welcome, listener.
Big fan of yours for a really long time.
[00:03:26] Speaker B: Thank you, I think.
[00:03:27] Speaker A: You're welcome. I think the first time I saw you dance.
Oh, man.
My Chemical Romance music video probably. What year was that?
[00:03:42] Speaker B: That's a good question.
I'm bad with time.
[00:03:45] Speaker A: We're going to leave that tbd.
Time is slippery, right?
[00:03:48] Speaker B: Yes. Yeah.
[00:03:50] Speaker A: You were the lady in the coffin. The dead woman in. Was it Helena? Is that what that song was called?
[00:03:56] Speaker B: Helena.
[00:03:56] Speaker A: Helena, choreographed by Michael Rooney. I know that. I remember that because when I saw it, I was like, what is this? I have to do it. Who. Who is that person? She's so beautiful. But I knew who you were because Michelle Latimer, Super Shout out, is no fool. And you're also from Colorado. Michelle loves shouting out Colorado talent. And so we all knew who you were long before I met you, because of Michelle and because of projects like that.
[00:04:21] Speaker B: I love Michelle.
[00:04:22] Speaker A: I know. Yeah, we go back. We go way, way back.
Thank you for being here.
[00:04:26] Speaker B: Thank you for having me.
[00:04:27] Speaker A: All my guests introduced themselves. I gave you a little heads up. I hope you're prepared. Tell us everything you want us to know about you.
[00:04:35] Speaker B: I'm not prepared.
[00:04:36] Speaker A: Are you prepared?
[00:04:37] Speaker B: You didn't tell me that.
[00:04:39] Speaker A: Oh, yeah, I did.
[00:04:40] Speaker B: You did?
[00:04:41] Speaker A: In the email. Did you read it?
[00:04:42] Speaker B: I mean, I'm a skimmer.
[00:04:44] Speaker A: Okay.
I also.
[00:04:50] Speaker B: I got you the important things. I mean, and it is where it is, what time it is, and then that's pretty good.
[00:04:55] Speaker A: Okay, here you go.
[00:04:56] Speaker B: Okay. This is going to be off the cuff.
[00:04:57] Speaker A: You got it.
[00:04:58] Speaker B: Okay. My name is Tracy Fellow Phillips.
[00:05:01] Speaker A: Nailed it.
[00:05:02] Speaker B: Thank you.
So good about that part. Yes.
I am a dancer. Choreographer, director, I would say less a. Less a dancer at this stage in my life, but I have been a dancer my whole life. Started choreographing pretty young.
When I came out to la, it was kind of in tandem with dance and with my dance career. And then, yeah, I've lived in LA since I was 18.
I won't say how long that is totally fair, but it's been A while. Louisiana is my home at this point.
And yeah. Moved here from Colorado, but I moved around a lot as a kid, so Colorado isn't really my home. Louisiana is my home. Yep.
And yeah. Key project. I mean, I'm not much of a self promoter.
[00:05:58] Speaker A: That's an important thing to know about you, though. I think that's cool.
[00:06:01] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. It's not very. It's not very current. I feel like it's.
[00:06:06] Speaker A: It's a pretty.
It's a pretty right now thing to be able to be like.
[00:06:12] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. And that's.
[00:06:14] Speaker A: I think part of your brand is being mysterious.
So I think it is very okay that you not lead with bullet points.
[00:06:21] Speaker B: Well, thank you. Thank you. I don't think I'm trying to be mysterious. I'm just.
I think I'm private in a lot of ways and I hold things. Certain things as sacred. And also I think it's hard for me to.
I think humility is important.
And that's not very. That's not a very humble thing to say about myself.
[00:06:43] Speaker A: I thought you were going to say it's not a very industry person thing to say.
[00:06:46] Speaker B: Right.
[00:06:47] Speaker A: Which it also isn't. But there are people who literally do that for their job. So I think it's okay that the art maker not also be the art promoter. But so often for our types, we wind up having to do all the roles.
[00:07:02] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:07:02] Speaker A: But you seem to have done just fine without being a shameless self promoter.
[00:07:07] Speaker B: No. I envy people who are able to do both parts of it. Cause I do think it's important in today's world. It's just. It's not naturally how I'm built, and so it's difficult for me to do that. I struggle with the social media aspect with all of that. I'm always fighting with myself about whether I should. Should I do this? Should I not? Should I post this? Should I not. Does this seem like this. I overthink it and then I don't end up doing it because it's just. It starts to feel overwhelming.
[00:07:38] Speaker A: Yo.
[00:07:38] Speaker B: It's just a. It's an eternal battle.
[00:07:40] Speaker A: It's the most relatable thing anyone's ever said in their intro. Because I feel you.
[00:07:45] Speaker B: I really do. Well, you're good at it. I'm surprised that you. I think you're very good at it. Thank you. One of the people that are.
[00:07:50] Speaker A: I have. I have found one of the thoughts that really help. Helps me.
[00:07:54] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:07:54] Speaker A: Is that sharing what I have learned to me.
[00:07:58] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:07:58] Speaker A: Is more important than whatever issues I Have with share or not share?
Should I share? Should I not?
[00:08:04] Speaker B: Should I do this?
[00:08:05] Speaker A: Should I that? Should I that period. The end. It's important to me. It helps me learn things when I share them.
[00:08:12] Speaker B: Right.
[00:08:12] Speaker A: Because sometimes I get feedback that's like, was that really what you meant to say? Or because I. That this, that, this, that, this, that. And for me, learning is chief and social media isn't chief or self promotion isn't chief.
[00:08:25] Speaker B: Right.
[00:08:26] Speaker A: So if sharing the thing is in service of me learning, then it way easier to do.
[00:08:30] Speaker B: Right.
[00:08:32] Speaker A: It's kind of a North Star thing. Like, if you have a strong North Star, social media is just a thing that you do to get there.
It's way easier to make decisions over than like thinking of social media as the thing that you need to decide about.
[00:08:46] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:08:46] Speaker A: I'm like, I'm not. I'm thinking about the other thing.
[00:08:48] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:08:48] Speaker A: But that's not to say I haven't learned some hard lessons around that space where I really wished I hadn't shared that thing or I wished I had thought a little bit more longer about this thing.
[00:08:59] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:09:02] Speaker A: My lesson is that now I'm a person with a podcast who talks a lot. And the more you talk, the more you're gonna say things that you wish you didn't say or you wish you said differently.
[00:09:12] Speaker B: Sure.
[00:09:13] Speaker A: And because.
And because learning, that's okay with me.
[00:09:16] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, I think. I think we all should be allowed grace in that situation. It's we. Nobody's perfect. We all say things we didn't mean or we say things in the wrong way and it doesn't mean. That's who we are. It's just human.
[00:09:31] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:09:31] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:09:32] Speaker A: Human.
[00:09:32] Speaker B: Human.
We say things we don't mean, we say things that are wrong sometimes and.
[00:09:37] Speaker A: We change our minds sometimes. And the thing I said, I started the podcast five years ago now.
Been doing this. It used to be just me in my closet with a crappy version of this microphone that now has my hair on it.
But it was important. That was right before the pandemic. And I started learning what I thought about things as I was standing in there talking to myself at least once a week. And so it was hugely pivotal in me finding my voice, period.
And now it's my excuse to sit and talk to people that I admire a lot and think the world of and have this front row seat to learning.
Plus the bonus of getting to share it. And the other thing, in the pre roll, we were talking about chatter and having to split up our time and Emotional energy.
And I got to a place where a lot of people were asking me to pick my brain. Can I take you to coffee? Can I pick your brain? I'm sure this happens to you all the time. And now I'm in a place where I'm like, what is it specifically that you are curious about? If I haven't addressed it in a podcast, then, yes, you can take me to coffee and you can feast on my brain, which is. I don't like thinking of it that way, but that kind of is how a lot of people present that moment is like, can I get something from you?
I don't.
That's the awkward part. I think everything is an exchange, and people have things that I could benefit from, but they're not thinking of it in that way. Anyways.
[00:11:13] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:11:13] Speaker A: All that to say, I love having the podcast as a thing that can be working while I'm sleeping, as a thing that can be out there in the world teaching people the lessons that I had to learn the hard way. If you guys can learn it the easy way, then work. Fear's so great.
[00:11:30] Speaker B: Yeah. It's the best, for sure. Yeah. Yeah.
[00:11:33] Speaker A: Speaking of that, maybe we segue into down the rabbit hole.
[00:11:37] Speaker B: Sure.
[00:11:38] Speaker A: Love to show at the Roosevelt Hotel, which is awesome venue. It's so cool. And you two. You two. You and the Roosevelt Hotel seem like such a match made in heaven because of the mystery, because of the elegance, the style, but also the secrecy. It's not like, you know, there's not spotlights going off in the air, and it's not on a big marquee.
Tell me a little bit about how your relationship with the Roosevelt Hotel started. How many productions have you put up there now? Yeah, because it's a long relationship, right?
[00:12:06] Speaker B: Yes. I've been doing shows at the Roosevelt since 2020.
[00:12:10] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:12:11] Speaker B: With the little pause that.
[00:12:12] Speaker A: There was a pocket.
[00:12:13] Speaker B: There was a. There was a little pause. But, yes, that's when. Or I guess 2019 maybe was the start. And then.
So I've been there a while.
I had always wanted to do a show in that room because I had seen that room, and it was just the perfect room for me. It's intimate, it's nostalgic. It has so much charm. And, yes, behind a secret bookcase. And there is mystery. And, yeah, it was kind of like, I have to do something here. But I didn't really have any connections to the Roosevelt. I tried to find a way in, and nothing really happened for years, actually.
But then this one woman called me and asked me If I could do a burlesque workshop at the Roosevelt.
For some women, it was like she was doing some kind of whole. Like they would take photos and go lingerie shopping. It was just this whole kind of workshop she was doing. And she wanted to have a little burlesque section.
[00:13:22] Speaker A: This sounds up my alley.
[00:13:24] Speaker B: That sounds amazing. Yeah. Yeah.
And I wasn't. I. I maybe would have said no.
[00:13:31] Speaker A: Except Roosevelt Hotel.
[00:13:33] Speaker B: Except Roosevelt Hotel. And I thought, oh, yes, this is my. This is my opportunity.
[00:13:38] Speaker A: My foot in the door moment.
[00:13:40] Speaker B: Yeah. And I actually. It was a great experience. It was older women who were kind of reclaiming their sexuality, their vitality. And it was. I did that for a couple hours. Just a simple little workshop with them.
And. Yes. Then she introduced me to the GM of the hotel and the relationship started. And then I've been there since then.
[00:14:05] Speaker A: Cool.
[00:14:05] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:14:06] Speaker A: I have to say, specifically about this show, I have seen 100 Alice in Wonderland stories.
[00:14:12] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:14:12] Speaker A: And this one stands out, Trace, because I think a lot of your work always stands out to me as two things.
Not traditionally sexy, not the color of sexy that we see so often, especially in la.
[00:14:30] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:14:32] Speaker A: But undeniably sexy. Not traditional. But you can't ignore that. That is sexy. And so I'm very curious about how you came to find that.
[00:14:43] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:14:44] Speaker A: I'll give a tiny, tiny bit of context.
I grew up mostly idolizing male dancers, and when I found myself working for Justin Timberlake via Marty Kudelka when I was 19, I started working for him.
[00:14:58] Speaker B: Yeah. Wow.
[00:14:58] Speaker A: I found my version of what I think sexy is on stage and on camera battling with, like, is it a dude in a 3 XL white tee with basketball shorts and tube socks, or is it a lady in a bikini? Like, what is sexy?
[00:15:16] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:15:16] Speaker A: And it took me my whole obviously adult life to find my answer to that question. Did you have a stronger finger on the pulse of what you thought was sexy? Or how did you find that thing that is so undeniable, yet totally unique?
[00:15:30] Speaker B: Yeah.
I think it was. Yes. Years of molding that. Because a lot of live shows I think was doing. I did a lot of.
When I first came to la, a lot of live shows. Improv a lot.
[00:15:48] Speaker A: That is actually the answer. Yes. Improvisation. That's how you find what you think is hot.
[00:15:52] Speaker B: And improv in live shows. So getting up on stage and just improving with a band, improving with me improving improv all the way down.
[00:16:04] Speaker A: Yeah. You're jamming, you're jamming.
[00:16:06] Speaker B: You don't know what's going to happen. And I think you Find or. I found a lot in that experience.
Totally.
[00:16:15] Speaker A: Okay, so is that. So through improvisation, you wind up finding your choreographic fingerprint.
[00:16:20] Speaker B: Exactly.
[00:16:21] Speaker A: I love this.
I. One of the things.
[00:16:25] Speaker B: And research and watching a bunch of points. Right.
[00:16:27] Speaker A: Like. Yeah.
[00:16:28] Speaker B: Taking. Not just sure.
[00:16:30] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, that's. That's an important caveat.
[00:16:32] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:16:33] Speaker A: Like you are the source, but also you've. You have eyeballs and you have been establishing your taste by all the things that you've been exposed to throughout your life.
[00:16:41] Speaker B: Exactly. Yeah.
[00:16:44] Speaker A: I think what I also would say about your shows is that I would be very hard pressed to recreate a move. If I left the show and my friends and I were walking to the car and they were like, what was your favorite move? I'd be like, I don't know. Like, how can it be so singular and burned on my mind and yet I can't remember a specific move? And I think it's because they're that original, they're that unique, that it isn't something I could just call back or do. Did you see me? That was the ballroom arm. Like, I could impersonate.
[00:17:28] Speaker B: Uhhuh.
[00:17:29] Speaker A: Many choreographers, many dance styles. I can, I can put on. Yeah, but not yours. I just really sit there and I take it in. It funnels in.
[00:17:40] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:17:40] Speaker A: And then I leave and I'm like, that was the best.
That's. I can't tell you what it was about it. That was the best. But.
[00:17:47] Speaker B: Oh, my God. I just.
[00:17:49] Speaker A: Do you think you have moves that you use? Like, do you think if you had to say, like, my signature move is what would it be?
This was not in the email, so.
[00:18:00] Speaker B: I mean, whether you read it or not, it doesn't matter what was in the email. Yeah.
Because I didn't read it, but I don't know. I mean, definitely, like deep hip sits.
[00:18:13] Speaker A: That is true.
[00:18:14] Speaker B: Deep hip. Deep.
[00:18:15] Speaker A: Deep hip sits.
[00:18:16] Speaker B: Wide stances.
[00:18:18] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:18:18] Speaker B: Like taking up space.
[00:18:19] Speaker A: Yes.
Being imposing. I think you're. I think you're like, I'm gonna put my body here. And the audience is like, okay.
[00:18:28] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. I think those things.
[00:18:31] Speaker A: Oh, man. Can we talk about your cast really fast for down the Rabbit Hole, please?
[00:18:36] Speaker B: Yes. I have an amazing cast. Yeah.
Yes.
[00:18:40] Speaker A: I'm a huge Natalia fan. I love her so much.
[00:18:43] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:18:44] Speaker A: But when Sharon Ferguson came out on that stage, I bout shit my pants.
For those of you who don't know Sharon Ferguson, she a future podcast guest. She's going to come on.
[00:18:54] Speaker B: Oh, good.
[00:18:55] Speaker A: She and I worked together probably 15 years ago during the kind of resurgence of dancers alliance phase. And she's just one of my biggest dance heroes. Did you know immediately when you were creating this show that she had to be your mc, Your. Your Cheshire Cat? Not to spoil it? Spoiler.
[00:19:14] Speaker B: Yeah. I wouldn't say. No, I wouldn't say mc.
No, I didn't know immediately.
But as I was creating things and thinking about them, one day Sharon Ferguson popped into my head when I was thinking about the Cheshire Cat, because, one, she's Pussy Control. So there was something kismet about that.
[00:19:36] Speaker A: About her being a cat.
[00:19:37] Speaker B: That didn't even lock in for me. Yes, yes.
[00:19:41] Speaker A: Brain explosion. Wait, can you tell. Talk a little bit more about that.
[00:19:44] Speaker B: And Prince and the background for him. And Prince gave her the name Pussy Control. He had that song, Pussy Control.
She became. She was. I know. Crying. I'm crying.
[00:19:54] Speaker A: That's so cool. You guys danced with him at the same time.
[00:19:58] Speaker B: No, we didn't actually. Yeah. We never danced with him together, but we did. We did several jobs together.
We were rehashing that recently, but yes, we did jobs together as a dancer and then one as dancers. And then one time she did some emceeing for me for basically a showcase for a show in Vegas. And so there was also that connection. So I'd worked with her before in that capacity.
Yeah. And she's. She's.
She's so.
I don't even know what the word is I can say, because she's just embodies this energy and vitality and mischief.
[00:20:41] Speaker A: And intelligence and sexuality. Yeah. Raw, yo.
[00:20:45] Speaker B: She's very raw.
[00:20:46] Speaker A: She is it. And a smile that could light up the world.
[00:20:50] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:20:50] Speaker A: And so, yes, Cheshire Cat.
[00:20:52] Speaker B: Every.
[00:20:52] Speaker A: Every performer in that show. And it is a lean and mean cast. Right. How many. How many performers?
[00:20:59] Speaker B: Seven.
[00:21:00] Speaker A: Right.
But felt like 24.
[00:21:03] Speaker B: What's a small room? It's an intimate space.
Well.
[00:21:07] Speaker A: And there's 9,000 costume changes. The costuming is also phenomenal.
[00:21:10] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:21:10] Speaker A: How long is the show running? Because I need everyone listening to this podcast episode who is within the vicinity of Los Angeles to make their way to go see the show. It was so remarkable, interactive, and, yes, a known thing, but in a way that you've never seen, which I really, really love that feeling.
[00:21:29] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. I think that was important because if I was going to.
If I was going to do a story that was known, I mean, that was. That was kind of my way in, because I had thought about doing Alice in Wonderland as a cabaret, burlesque kind of show for many years, but then it didn't lock in My husband had said, oh, you should. You should do. You should do that one. And I thought, but that's a story that everybody knows. And so then when it clicked to me to use Hollywood as a metaphor, that's really when I thought, okay, I can do this. This is where it gets juicy.
[00:22:09] Speaker A: Because you know Hollywood intimately, exact as we do.
And the rabbit hole and how deep it goes.
[00:22:16] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah.
[00:22:17] Speaker A: Oh, man. I don't know where I want to. Speaking of going from here, I don't know where I want to go from here, but I do want to say one more thing, one more bouquet of flowers about your work is that it has never felt to me so on the nose that I'm like, ugh, eye roll. It is really art in that it's metaphor. And none of it feels like I've been punched in the face with something so overt or obvious that I'm like, oh, God, please, some subtlety here. But it. I feel cared for. I know what I'm getting into. It's not so abstract that I'm feeling like I missed the point, which is embarrassing as an art person.
[00:22:55] Speaker B: Yeah, for sure.
[00:22:56] Speaker A: So I think you do that really well. And this show especially felt like, very poignant. Felt like master class material at that. So thank you.
[00:23:05] Speaker B: Thank you. I love it so much. That is, if someone can walk away saying that they related, I think that's. That's the biggest compliment. That's the goal.
[00:23:17] Speaker A: Yeah, Yeah, I got it. I felt so good.
Can you. Let's go back then to Hollywood. The rabbit hole.
[00:23:24] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:23:25] Speaker A: Because you've been here for a minute. I've been in LA now officially longer than I was in Colorado.
[00:23:29] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:23:29] Speaker A: So I'm with you. And this is home now.
[00:23:31] Speaker B: Yeah, me too.
[00:23:32] Speaker A: And I kind of miss what I think was the heyday of burlesque in LA, which was probably 40 deuce. Ivan Cain's 40 deuce.
[00:23:41] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:23:42] Speaker A: And I'm so curious about your experience of that. That I'm imagining is kind of your improvisation days. Right. Like, that's your pressure cooker.
[00:23:52] Speaker B: No, I would say even before that, because I did the Toledo show. Have you ever been to the Toledo show? The Toledo show has been going.
It's still going. It's been going since the 90s, probably.
[00:24:05] Speaker A: I need to be going to that.
[00:24:07] Speaker B: And he still does shows in LA. He's been doing shows. He's probably 70 fierce, so. Yes. No, that was the start.
And then I did 40 deuce, which is the same thing. I mean, in a sense, it was improv. It Was always improvised. You knew the songs, though, so the band wasn't improving. You knew what you were going to dance to. But I would improv.
Small. Small little place and small stage. Small stage.
[00:24:40] Speaker A: Maybe that's. What else about your choreography I really, really like is that the impact is huge, but the space required is quite small.
[00:24:50] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:24:50] Speaker A: Because I'm an economist. Listen, I'm not trying to, like, burn all my energy all over the place.
[00:24:55] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:24:55] Speaker A: And because I do still perform a lot, a lot of the times when I see shows, I imagine how they would feel to dance. And the shows that I really love are shows that I would love to be dancing.
[00:25:05] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:25:05] Speaker A: And. Yeah. None of it feels extra. Like. None of it feels like the boiling pot of water boiling over. It's all very pressurized. It's contained.
[00:25:16] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:25:17] Speaker A: And, yeah, that totally makes sense, because at a club like 40 Deuce.
[00:25:22] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:25:22] Speaker A: That was the name of the club, right? Yeah.
[00:25:24] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:25:24] Speaker A: I was like. Was that the. Just the name of the show or. I remember where it was. I remember, like, driving there. I only went one time.
[00:25:29] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:25:29] Speaker A: But, yeah, it's tiny. Like, ceiling low.
[00:25:34] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:25:35] Speaker A: Table small.
[00:25:36] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:25:36] Speaker A: You get a lot done in a little bit of space.
[00:25:38] Speaker B: Yeah. That's pretty interesting. It's a different type of dancing than stadium dancing like you did. I mean, arena dancing is a whole different. Obviously, the architecture of the space has to inform what kind of choreography you're doing, because you can't just be subtle, and I do love subtlety.
[00:25:56] Speaker A: Can I tell you a cool story?
[00:25:57] Speaker B: I can't do that in a big stadium.
[00:25:59] Speaker A: Or you can.
A few people will catch it.
[00:26:02] Speaker B: Right. Right.
[00:26:04] Speaker A: Are you ready for a cool story? Yeah, I'd love to know. I hope you know this.
Okay, so we have.
We had the absolute honor and distinct pleasure of overlapping on Justin Timberlake's music video for Suit and Tie.
[00:26:20] Speaker B: Y. Yes.
[00:26:21] Speaker A: Directed by David Fincher. No big deal.
[00:26:23] Speaker B: Oh, God. What a. What a dream. Yeah.
[00:26:29] Speaker A: I could. Side story, but I'm gonna try to stay focused.
[00:26:32] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:26:33] Speaker A: And I was assisting Marty on this project. I was not in the video, but I was tasked with working with you to refine for you a solo.
[00:26:41] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:26:41] Speaker A: And I was like, what the am I gonna do to help Tracy Phillips make a solo? I don't know. Give her a hat and a cigarette and call it a day.
Which I think is kind of what we did.
[00:26:54] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:26:55] Speaker A: But there's a moment that I'm. I don't. I don't think was set. I'm. I think it was improvised where you're Laying. You are on the ground, and you lay back on your elbow, and you open your legs to a straddle.
[00:27:07] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:27:08] Speaker A: And you let your left hand flop in front of your.
[00:27:11] Speaker B: Yes. Like, crotch.
[00:27:12] Speaker A: And your hand flops.
[00:27:14] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:27:15] Speaker A: I can't tell you the number of times JT watched that back. It was like, that's the hottest thing.
I don't remember his exact quote, but like, that right there.
[00:27:26] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:27:27] Speaker A: That.
[00:27:27] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:27:28] Speaker A: Is why you are one of subtlety. Yes, subtlety. It's the little, like, centimeters of the flop of wrist. And for a film camera and for a music video.
[00:27:38] Speaker B: Yes. Yeah.
[00:27:39] Speaker A: And in a small club. Yes, that's it.
[00:27:41] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:27:42] Speaker A: But you understand how to scale things and how to dial.
Yeah, but, yeah, that moment made a huge imprint on me. I was like, oh, nice. Because that's not what I would think. Big, successful man, pop star. That voice.
That's your J.T.
[00:27:59] Speaker B: Voice.
[00:28:02] Speaker A: Well, that's my, like, male gaze.
[00:28:05] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:28:07] Speaker A: That's not what I would. That's not what most women direct their sexiness for.
[00:28:12] Speaker B: Right.
[00:28:13] Speaker A: Like, we don't think that a guy's gonna be attracted to the flop of my wrist.
But he was.
[00:28:19] Speaker B: Well, he's. He's.
He's seen a lot.
Well, no. I mean. I mean, true. No, no, he understands. He understands subtlety. He understands. He's seen. He's.
[00:28:31] Speaker A: He's literally seen a lot worked doing.
[00:28:35] Speaker B: This for so long. I mean, so he understands at a. At a deeper level than restraint, y'. All. Restraint. Yeah, yeah. Tension. Tension and restraint.
[00:28:45] Speaker A: Okay, so that's cool. He was obsessed with that. Obsessed with that. And Marty also. Yeah, like, that's.
[00:28:50] Speaker B: I think that was such a cool.
[00:28:51] Speaker A: I would say that that was their favorite moment in the whole video, probably. Yeah, it was cool, wasn't it?
[00:28:57] Speaker B: Yes. And working with David Fincher and Justin and Marty and you, everyone at the same time, it was just. It was.
[00:29:04] Speaker A: That was a cool one.
[00:29:05] Speaker B: It was very cool.
[00:29:06] Speaker A: Yeah, that was a beautiful video. That was pretty unique.
[00:29:09] Speaker B: Yeah. And by the way, just. Just on a side note.
[00:29:12] Speaker A: Oh, y.
[00:29:12] Speaker B: That first when we were filming, and you came up to me with, like, seven notes.
[00:29:18] Speaker A: Oh. Oh, sorry.
[00:29:20] Speaker B: No, no, no.
[00:29:20] Speaker A: I was young.
[00:29:21] Speaker B: No, I think it was.
No, I think it was also David Fincher being so meticulous.
[00:29:27] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:29:28] Speaker B: So you came up with, I think, seven things at the same time. Like, probably even just to remember all those seven things. But I was standing there professional. Yeah, yeah. And I. You came up. You were like, okay, don't. Don't put your leg in the Air so high because it blocks the light. When you crawl on the ground, don't lift your hands up. Just slide your hands across the floor. When you. You know, there were like seven different things, and I was, oh, my God.
[00:29:51] Speaker A: Tracy, thank you for saying okay.
[00:29:54] Speaker B: And then.
[00:29:55] Speaker A: And then you did it. And at this point, when was the last time you are that. You are that lead girl in the video, aren't you?
I'm just realizing. Okay, so I went to a show at USC a couple weeks ago. It was their senior solo showcase. I watched, I think, 40 solos that night. And as I was watching them, I was like, dang, when was the last time I did a solo?
[00:30:16] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:30:16] Speaker A: So I was wondering for you at that point, suit and tie time.
[00:30:19] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:30:19] Speaker A: When was the last time you had performed as a soloist? Were you still doing that pretty regularly or because you'd been choreographing pretty solidly by that point?
[00:30:28] Speaker B: Yeah, for sure. I don't think I was performing that much as a solo.
[00:30:31] Speaker A: Did you feel like, oh, this is my thing, or were you like, oh, God, I have to.
[00:30:35] Speaker B: Oh, no, this is my thing. I mean. Cause I performed as a soloist a lot. I was just doing 40, doing shows, doing.
[00:30:41] Speaker A: Yeah, that video was special.
We also both appear in Charlie Wilson's War. Did you know that?
No, I did.
[00:30:50] Speaker B: I know that.
[00:30:51] Speaker A: What are you doing?
[00:30:52] Speaker B: What are you doing?
Wait, what are you. What did you do with Charlie Wilson's War? Great question. Yeah.
[00:30:58] Speaker A: Tony Basil hired me for the opening scene, which is Tom Hanks in a hot tub and, like, very 80s party scene happening around him. Yeah. So I was there to do some period specific step touching in a very tight dress. And I was blonde at the time.
And you can definitely see my elbow and, like, part of my hamstring at one point.
[00:31:23] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:31:24] Speaker A: And I still get residuals from that.
[00:31:26] Speaker B: Wow. Yeah.
[00:31:27] Speaker A: So I know you do too, because you actually have a scene that is riveting.
[00:31:33] Speaker B: Thank you.
Thank you.
[00:31:34] Speaker A: Mike Nichols directed that.
[00:31:35] Speaker B: Yes. Mike Nichols, the great, late, great. Wow. Nichols. Yeah. It's really an honor.
[00:31:42] Speaker A: I can imagine. Can you tell me a little bit about that shoot? Because. Wow.
[00:31:46] Speaker B: I mean, I've. I think what was really special about Mike Nichols was he knew how to make you feel special.
I mean, I felt so taken care of and so special. And it wasn't just me that he did that for. It was his way.
And I don't think that's a quality. A lot of people have.
They had shot the scene prior, and it wasn't exactly what Mike Nichols had wanted. And so he recast. Recast me. Fatima was choreographing.
He recast me as this because he wanted it to be more fantasy, you know, it's not reality. There's some fantastical element in movies, I think that he really.
I think it's a part of all of his movies. He has, like, maybe one part where there's this kind of fantastical thing.
[00:32:37] Speaker A: Dreamlike.
[00:32:38] Speaker B: Yeah, Dream. Like. Yeah.
[00:32:39] Speaker A: You were the dream scene of that film. Which is heavy and real.
[00:32:44] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:32:45] Speaker A: And like, historical.
[00:32:46] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:32:47] Speaker A: But, yeah, that scene feels like the edges kind of go dark and you are in this different place, but you're the crystal clear focus of that dream place. It's such a good scene. It's such a good scene.
Was that just one day of a shoot?
[00:33:03] Speaker B: It wasn't. It was. I can't remember how many days it was, but it was not one day. It was.
[00:33:09] Speaker A: Yeah. There's a lot of dialogue there for.
[00:33:11] Speaker B: A while, I feel like. And.
Yeah, yeah. Tom Hanks, Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Yeah. I felt like I'm a part of legendary shit. Yes. The legendary director, iconic actors.
So cool. And little me. Yeah. So cool.
[00:33:33] Speaker A: Trace.
[00:33:33] Speaker B: It was cool.
[00:33:34] Speaker A: But I think the thing I really love the most about that is that amidst all this power, you've got powerful director, you've got powerful actors, but in that scene as written, the woman is the most powerful person for sure. She runs that scene. And so it's a very specific person that had to be cast for that. That's so cool.
[00:33:55] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:33:57] Speaker A: Okay, so projects. You've done cool shit. You do cool shit. You understand nuance, you understand scale. This is great.
I'm learning. It's good.
I want to talk a little bit about the latest project of your life, which is being a mama.
[00:34:09] Speaker B: Oh, my gosh.
[00:34:10] Speaker A: Are you freaking out? What's happening? I saw your posts on Instagram, which you had just gotten back from town. Can you talk a little bit about what's going on in your world right now?
[00:34:19] Speaker B: I mean.
Yeah, my husband and I. My husband Zach and I adopted a baby girl, and we. We got to meet her. I mean, we had gone to Europe for actually a couple of football games.
[00:34:35] Speaker A: And also, your dad is a famous football coach. I know this because I'm from Colorado. And your dad was a Denver Broncos coach.
[00:34:42] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:34:42] Speaker A: So also, Shout Out Dad.
[00:34:44] Speaker B: Yeah, Shout Out Dad. We were in Europe for two weeks.
We went to a lot of shows. Yeah, I bet. Yeah. Have you seen Cabaret at the Kit Kack Club?
[00:34:56] Speaker A: No, have not.
[00:34:57] Speaker B: I mean, in London, it was.
[00:35:00] Speaker A: Don't Tease me, I will make a trip.
[00:35:02] Speaker B: I, I was, I was in tears at intermission. I couldn't stop sobbing.
[00:35:08] Speaker A: Done. It's a wrap. Okay, I'm going, I'm doing.
[00:35:10] Speaker B: You have to see the one in London. I, I haven't seen the one in New York. It might be just as impacting, impactful, I don't know. But, but the one in London just, it, it was such a stellar performance on every level in the space. Talk about an intimate space.
[00:35:24] Speaker A: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:35:25] Speaker B: Just everything was so well done that I, it, you know, you don't see things like that all the time. And every performer was amazing. Yes, I was, I was in tears because I was so touched.
[00:35:36] Speaker A: Yep.
[00:35:38] Speaker B: So. Yes. Side note of Sasha, things you should see.
[00:35:42] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:35:43] Speaker B: Yeah. But we got back at like midnight and then the next morning. We had been in the process of trying to adopt for not that long, but it does, it does take. It was about seven months from when we got certified, so. But the certification process takes about four months.
And then we got a call at 8am the next morning after we had gotten back, jet lagged all the things that we were in the runnings for this little girl and who had been born already.
And so, and then about 12 o' clock we got a call saying, hey, your little girl, you know, you were chosen, you were picked. And so like on the day. Yeah, on the day.
And she's born in.
[00:36:30] Speaker A: Pregnancy takes a long time. So. I don't understand. I don't. I know very little about the adoption process.
[00:36:37] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. Well, yes, it's a lot. It's a, it's, it's. You have to jump through a lot of hoops to get certified, but once.
[00:36:45] Speaker A: You'Re certified, then it's just a matter.
[00:36:47] Speaker B: Of getting like, it's a matter of timing. And usually the birth mother will pick you. Sort of like a dating app, you know, she'll look through things. And this situation was a little different.
[00:36:58] Speaker A: Because this is turning into a black mirror episode a little bit in my mind. Is it like a lot of pregnant ladies just swiping?
[00:37:04] Speaker B: That's, that's kind of, that's kind of what it is. Yeah. They, they look at your collage that you send and you make about your family and why you would, why you want a child and why you would be a good family for a kid. And.
Yeah, and they, they make, they pick, you know.
[00:37:24] Speaker A: Wow.
[00:37:24] Speaker B: But this was a little bit different in this situation. Specifically.
We, the adoption agency picked us because it was a closed adoption and the mother had had the child. So the agency that she was working with basically did the same thing, swiped through and then they. They chose us as.
As parents. And I'm getting emotional talking about it, but we. She was born in Vegas.
[00:37:50] Speaker A: Okay, Trace, this is very exciting and cool.
[00:37:53] Speaker B: A little. Little Vegas girl. Little Vegas.
Well, I don't know. She can be whatever she wants. I'm just saying, as long as it's.
[00:38:01] Speaker A: A show, girl, I love it.
[00:38:04] Speaker B: And yeah, they said we drove to Vegas the next day.
And you drove to Vegas as two people. Yes.
[00:38:12] Speaker A: And you returned from Vegas with a car seat.
[00:38:15] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:38:15] Speaker A: And your daughter.
[00:38:16] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:38:17] Speaker A: It's like I also am emotional and I'm not involved.
[00:38:20] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:38:21] Speaker A: That is so epic and hugely life changing and beautiful and special.
And Trace, God, when I think of the people that should be parents in the world, you are at the top of this list.
[00:38:32] Speaker B: Oh, well, thank you. That's a good thing because I am now. And we were catapulted into parenthood and it took a. Yeah. From one day of not having any.
You know, they tell you when you are adopting not to get a nursery ready, not to do all that because you don't know the timing of it because it could take three years, it could take a month. So for US it was seven months, which wasn't that long, really. Average is about 18 months.
And yeah, we just drove to Vegas and I mean, we were given a baby in a hotel lobby. I mean, she came at this.
[00:39:08] Speaker A: This is remarkable. What an incredible story.
[00:39:12] Speaker B: Yeah. This woman, because the baby was healthy, was born healthy, which was obviously the main. The main thing. Yeah, the main focus she was. So after 48 hours, they. They have to leave the hospital in Nevada. So she went to what they call cradle care, which is basically women that just hold these babies. It's like a foster. Basically like a foster parent. But the sweetest woman, Debbie, she just held our baby, Sadie, for a few days and until the birth mother signed over or relinquished her rights.
And in Nevada, once they relinquished their rights, they can't change their mind.
She signed over. And then this woman, this cradle care woman, just sweetest woman ever, just came over with this little baby. We met her in a hotel lobby in Vegas and she just gave us this baby. We paid her for her services in cash. So it was a little.
That transaction, if anyone was looking at. Yeah, the transaction of like, here's some cash. Oh, great.
[00:40:18] Speaker A: Here's the baby. Thanks for the human.
[00:40:20] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:40:21] Speaker A: Fascinating.
[00:40:21] Speaker B: I rocked my. By this.
[00:40:23] Speaker A: Why aren't there more movies and TV shows and commercials about this I know. I'm just like, what a. Thank you for this peek into the process.
[00:40:32] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:40:33] Speaker A: Wow.
This is just a huge testament to me of how much humans are capable of in terms of emotional lifting, in terms of selflessness, in terms of being responsible for your life and the lives of dependence.
[00:40:53] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:40:53] Speaker A: It's just we were talking a little bit in the pre roll about capacity and capability.
[00:40:58] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:40:59] Speaker A: And that mother's capacity to.
You said, relinquish your rights, which is, I'm sure, the term that you have to say.
[00:41:08] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:41:10] Speaker A: Wow. What a moment for her. What a moment for you and your partner to be driving in a car alone all the way to Vegas, knowing that there. There are very few moments in life where truly there's life before and then incident and then life after.
[00:41:26] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:41:26] Speaker A: And this is one of those for you guys. Yeah.
[00:41:28] Speaker B: It's pivotal. It's pivotal. It's.
Yes.
[00:41:32] Speaker A: Wild. Congratulations.
[00:41:34] Speaker B: Thank you.
[00:41:35] Speaker A: So excited for you both.
[00:41:36] Speaker B: Thank you.
[00:41:37] Speaker A: For you all. All three of you. What a cool gift.
[00:41:39] Speaker B: Sadie, Sadie.
[00:41:40] Speaker A: Sexy Sadie, Sexy. It's one of my favorite Beatles songs.
Come on.
[00:41:45] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. It's about the disillusionment of spirituality. That song.
[00:41:49] Speaker A: Is it?
[00:41:50] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:41:53] Speaker A: Casual reframing of my. Wait.
[00:41:57] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:41:57] Speaker A: Because where have you gone?
[00:41:59] Speaker B: Yeah. Okay. It was about the maharaja and them being disillusioned by transcendental meditation.
And it's really. Instead of calling it maharaja, they. They said Sexy Sadie kind of rolls off the tongue. Now when you listen to the song, you'll have a whole new context, but. Yes.
[00:42:18] Speaker A: Thank you. How do you know that?
[00:42:20] Speaker B: Because I looked it up.
[00:42:21] Speaker A: Work. Have you ever done a Beatles show?
[00:42:25] Speaker B: No. I mean, they kind of do that.
[00:42:26] Speaker A: In Cirque, but I mean. But if you're not afraid of approaching Alice in Wonderland.
[00:42:31] Speaker B: Yeah.
It's not a bad idea if.
[00:42:34] Speaker A: When you do a Beatles show.
[00:42:35] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:42:35] Speaker A: I will sell tickets. I will be. I will fold programs. I will be in it. You tell me what you need. Really obsessed.
[00:42:43] Speaker B: Okay.
Yeah, that's.
[00:42:47] Speaker A: That. That.
[00:42:48] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:42:49] Speaker A: Yep.
[00:42:49] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:42:50] Speaker A: That's special.
[00:42:51] Speaker B: Okay. I'm gonna hold you to that.
[00:42:52] Speaker A: Hold me to that, please. I really.
Tracy plus the Beatles.
[00:42:57] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah.
[00:42:59] Speaker A: Okay, cool.
[00:42:59] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:43:00] Speaker A: You ready for rapid fire burnout round?
[00:43:02] Speaker B: Oh, God.
[00:43:03] Speaker A: You've done great. This is phenomenal. I'm having so much fun.
[00:43:06] Speaker B: Okay, good. Okay. I thought the questions were going to be much harder.
[00:43:09] Speaker A: Like what?
[00:43:09] Speaker B: I don't know. I guess, like these deeper intellectual questions that I was gonna have to.
Really. Because I feel like as a. As a creator, as a performer, as a. That I'm More instinctual.
[00:43:25] Speaker A: Yes.
[00:43:27] Speaker B: And so.
So it can be that individual language.
[00:43:31] Speaker A: Yeah, I get that.
[00:43:32] Speaker B: Right, right, right.
[00:43:33] Speaker A: Totally. Yeah.
[00:43:34] Speaker B: But, well, I'm. It's because you're good at this. This is why it's been easy.
[00:43:40] Speaker A: Thanks.
[00:43:40] Speaker B: Yeah. It's true.
[00:43:41] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:43:42] Speaker B: It's true.
[00:43:42] Speaker A: And. And because we're talking about what lights us up.
[00:43:45] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:43:46] Speaker A: Our work. Art, taste.
[00:43:48] Speaker B: Oh.
[00:43:49] Speaker A: Actually, that is something I did want to ask.
[00:43:51] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:43:51] Speaker A: So I. I do now, and I find it. Wilson. I couldn't receive the compliment.
[00:44:00] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:44:01] Speaker A: So every year, I ask all of my guests the same question. That question changes over the years. But all of my guests from, like, 2021 answered the same question.
[00:44:10] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:44:11] Speaker A: And the question was, what is the difference between technique and style?
And you strike me as a person who is extremely stylized in all that you do in your work and how you dress in all the ways. So I would love to hear how you answer that question. That is kind of a tough one. Take your time.
[00:44:29] Speaker B: Well, technique is the fundamentals, and then style is the flourish on top of that. So I think, for me, and this is not necessarily. I'm speaking personally, but I think having the fundamentals and then you're not able to put the flourish on until those fundamentals are settled in.
So. Yeah. Style.
[00:44:50] Speaker A: Fundamental first.
[00:44:51] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:44:51] Speaker A: Technique is. Is fundamental.
[00:44:53] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:44:54] Speaker A: Style is flourish. It's what goes on top.
[00:44:56] Speaker B: Yeah, exactly.
[00:44:57] Speaker A: But must have technique first.
[00:44:59] Speaker B: Must have technique first. Can't do style without technique.
[00:45:03] Speaker A: Well, can. But what it's hard to digest or make sense of, it can be dangerous depending on the thing that you're doing. I've watched people dance.
[00:45:12] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:45:13] Speaker A: With a lot of heart and a lot of style and no technique. And I watch it kind of like this because I'm nervous that they're going to get hurt.
[00:45:19] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:45:19] Speaker A: So, yeah, I'm with you on that.
[00:45:23] Speaker B: I think it's true for all different types of dance, too. I don't think that's true.
[00:45:26] Speaker A: And not even just dance, but, like, everything has technique.
[00:45:28] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:45:28] Speaker A: Like the way my mailman does his root. Has technique.
[00:45:31] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:45:32] Speaker A: He was just outside, by the way.
[00:45:34] Speaker B: Did you ask him if he had. Excuse me, sir.
[00:45:37] Speaker A: I'm doing a podcast. Would you mind jumping on and telling.
[00:45:40] Speaker B: Me the difference is there? Technique. Yeah.
[00:45:42] Speaker A: He was clicking. He was outside waiting for the elevator, and I opened the door to let you in, and I. You weren't there yet, but he was going.
And I was like, what is that sound? And so I, like, stepped out, and he was just waiting for the elevator, just clicking his Tongue, style.
That's his flourish. I have no. I should have asked, sir, what is that that you're doing with your tongue? Is that technique or is that style?
[00:46:07] Speaker B: Or he has difficulty hearing.
[00:46:09] Speaker A: Or that. Or I'm an asshole.
[00:46:10] Speaker B: Well, because sometimes that clicking helps for sure. Or.
[00:46:14] Speaker A: Or a thousand different things. But what it was for me is like a small interruption to my daily. I used to that waiting area, being silent.
[00:46:22] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah. I think you style is something you have to graduate to. I don't think you get to do just style from the start.
[00:46:31] Speaker A: Interesting. Oh, I think I might challenge you on that. Cuz I know a lot of young kids.
My niece has no dance training. That's not true. She's taken a handful of classes.
[00:46:42] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:46:43] Speaker A: Not. No. I'm going to send you a video because it's going to melt your heart. She's got great instincts, she's got great timing.
[00:46:47] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:46:48] Speaker A: I wouldn't say though that she has style yet. She's got instincts though. She's got like my body wants to do this. I think I should do this. And I know this lyric is coming, so I'm going to do this.
[00:46:57] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:46:58] Speaker A: Like she's got great instinct, but no technique.
[00:47:00] Speaker B: Well, dance is instinctual, right? It's.
[00:47:02] Speaker A: It. It is human.
[00:47:04] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:47:04] Speaker A: To dance. I think that's the title of the book and I think I have it. To dance is human, I think is what it's called.
[00:47:10] Speaker B: To dance is human. But you have to have freedom.
[00:47:17] Speaker A: Thank you. With more technique comes more freedom.
[00:47:20] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:47:21] Speaker A: That is what I hear. My voice.
[00:47:22] Speaker B: But even for the regular person. A lot even for the regular person. Because without that freedom, people don't allow themselves to let go. I think you have to have that freedom in order to let yourself.
[00:47:36] Speaker A: Oh, so you mean even from technique.
[00:47:39] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:47:39] Speaker A: So. Yes, yes, yes. Oh my God, yes.
[00:47:41] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:47:42] Speaker A: Technique fundamental.
[00:47:43] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:47:44] Speaker A: Foundational, right.
[00:47:45] Speaker B: For a dancer.
[00:47:46] Speaker A: Flourish on top.
[00:47:47] Speaker B: Yeah, yeah, yeah.
[00:47:47] Speaker A: But the notion of freedom.
[00:47:49] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:47:49] Speaker A: Oh, hugely important. That's the.
[00:47:53] Speaker B: That's the trifecta, right?
[00:47:55] Speaker A: Thank you for that.
[00:47:56] Speaker B: Okay.
[00:47:56] Speaker A: Rapid fire answer from the gut. Don't think about it. Coffee or tea?
[00:47:59] Speaker B: A coffee.
[00:48:00] Speaker A: Dogs or cats?
[00:48:01] Speaker B: Dogs.
[00:48:01] Speaker A: Morning or night rehearsal?
[00:48:03] Speaker B: Morning.
[00:48:04] Speaker A: Wow, that surprised me a little bit.
[00:48:06] Speaker B: 10Am 10am after traffic.
[00:48:09] Speaker A: When was the last time you took a ballet class?
[00:48:13] Speaker B: 20 years ago. 30.
[00:48:16] Speaker A: That's inspiring to me.
[00:48:17] Speaker B: Many years ago.
[00:48:18] Speaker A: Thank you. What was the last song?
[00:48:20] Speaker B: And I was talking about technique this whole time.
When's the last time you took technique?
[00:48:25] Speaker A: You don't turns out need to keep it.
[00:48:28] Speaker B: No, but you do need to have it at some point. Yeah. Yeah.
[00:48:32] Speaker A: What's the last song you belted out loud? Like really saying full voice?
[00:48:37] Speaker B: The last one.
[00:48:38] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:48:42] Speaker B: Sexy Sadie.
I definitely was singing that to my daughter.
[00:48:47] Speaker A: So were you. Really?
That's so cool.
Favorite Guilty pleasure. Like what do you like to indulge in.
[00:48:57] Speaker B: A guilty pleasure? Is that I play games on my phone.
[00:49:02] Speaker A: Oh. I can't even.
[00:49:03] Speaker B: And I feel like stupid mindless games. Yes.
As a.
Basically as a recharge. As a comedown from after I've been consumed and hyper focused with creating something.
Then I have this downtime and I'll just play design home or something.
Mindless. Yeah.
[00:49:25] Speaker A: Just phone touch time.
[00:49:27] Speaker B: Yep.
[00:49:27] Speaker A: Yep. Mindless.
[00:49:28] Speaker B: And I definitely feel guilty about it.
[00:49:30] Speaker A: Okay.
[00:49:30] Speaker B: So. Yes. But also, also I get those little hits of pleasure from it and it.
[00:49:35] Speaker A: Could be way worse when it comes to indulgences, so you can keep that up.
Thank you for. For sure. I don't know what I meant when I wrote this, but it does say place to snap.
What does that mean, place to snap?
I must have been writing really fast and thinking of something else, but I wrote what's your favorite place to sneak snap Sn. So go ahead.
[00:49:59] Speaker B: Wrist.
[00:50:02] Speaker A: And is it up wrist?
[00:50:04] Speaker B: Yeah, I think a wrist snap. Yeah.
Are you talking snap? Like get really angry?
[00:50:10] Speaker A: I don't know what I think.
[00:50:11] Speaker B: I'm usually pretty calm.
[00:50:13] Speaker A: You've got a very chill.
A very chill demeanor. Like your snap Jillian Myers.
[00:50:18] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:50:19] Speaker A: Has a razor sharp snap cut like a machete.
[00:50:24] Speaker B: Like.
[00:50:27] Speaker A: Like it goes.
Yeah.
Yours is more like a bubble. Popping.
[00:50:33] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I can be pointed. I can be pointed.
[00:50:38] Speaker A: It's shop, not snap.
Snap was better.
[00:50:43] Speaker B: Favorite snap put us on some random talking points, I guess.
[00:50:47] Speaker A: That was great. But what is your favorite place to shop?
[00:50:51] Speaker B: I'm kind of diverse in my shopping. I'm not. I don't have a favorite place per se.
I mean, well, if I'm going to be bougie, I would say Neiman's. Yep. If I'm going to be more accessible, I would say vintage.
[00:51:09] Speaker A: Yes. Music video you wish you were in?
I wish I was in.
[00:51:18] Speaker B: No, I feel like I did. So I did like a hundred music videos work.
I think I was in about 100 music videos, so to say one that I wish I was in. I'm sure at the time there were things. But I think. I think I maxed out my. My music video world.
[00:51:37] Speaker A: Yeah. Perfect answer.
[00:51:38] Speaker B: Yeah. But I will say movies. I mean, I. Oh, yeah. Two have worked to have done anything with Fosse.
I would have.
I don't think I would have. I don't think I have long enough legs. He always had very long legs.
[00:51:54] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:51:55] Speaker B: Which I can't say I blame him, but just.
But I mean, to have been in Big Spender.
[00:52:03] Speaker A: You weren't.
It feels like you were.
Right.
[00:52:09] Speaker B: I would have liked to have.
[00:52:10] Speaker A: I can see.
[00:52:11] Speaker B: Just done one job with him.
[00:52:13] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:52:15] Speaker B: Yeah. Not my generation, obviously, but fair.
[00:52:18] Speaker A: I get that. And it would have been like a thing that.
[00:52:21] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:52:22] Speaker A: I think the bar. The eyes. Yeah, I can see you in that.
[00:52:25] Speaker B: Or the frug.
[00:52:26] Speaker A: Yeah, I can see you in that. That's great.
[00:52:28] Speaker B: Come on.
[00:52:29] Speaker A: It's kind of like you were in it and didn't have to be, like, in my mind, you. You were there.
[00:52:33] Speaker B: This is good as. Oh, thanks.
[00:52:35] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:52:35] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:52:35] Speaker A: I have a very, very powerful imagination.
Okay. What's your least favorite move. Dance move to do? Yeah.
[00:52:42] Speaker B: Yeah. Just jumps in general.
[00:52:44] Speaker A: Yeah. Leaving the ground.
[00:52:46] Speaker B: I mean, now I'm not going to do a jump.
There's no jumping anymore.
[00:52:53] Speaker A: Correct. Because. Because I don't wear bras anymore. And so therefore I don't jump anymore.
[00:52:58] Speaker B: Oh. Well, mine is. Yeah.
[00:52:59] Speaker A: During the pandemic, it just stopped. And now I don't.
[00:53:01] Speaker B: It's just not.
[00:53:02] Speaker A: Is it a neat thing?
[00:53:04] Speaker B: No, it's just gonna. No, it's just a unimpressive thing at this point. I mean, there was a time when I was younger and would do a bunch of jumps, but now I barely get off the ground. It would just be sad.
[00:53:14] Speaker A: I.
[00:53:15] Speaker B: Nobody wants to see that.
[00:53:16] Speaker A: You know that feeling when you're on the trampoline and you're jumping, you're jumping really high, and then you get on the real ground and you're like. And you can't jump at all. That's how I feel it when I jump.
[00:53:24] Speaker B: Yeah. I. Yeah. In my mind, I have a very nice Cheney Jete, but in reality, there is no. Yeah.
[00:53:34] Speaker A: In gravity.
[00:53:34] Speaker B: Reality.
[00:53:35] Speaker A: Cosine. Love that. How about your favorite move? What's the move that you really love doing other than snaps? Which.
[00:53:41] Speaker B: Extremely slow. Anything super slow squat, extremely slow hip roll. Just taking, like, two counts of eight to just milk it.
Two counts of eight, slow eights.
Love that. Answer this question because it involves duration.
[00:54:01] Speaker A: It's not just like the move. It's a Two slow eights.
[00:54:05] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:54:07] Speaker A: And now I'm hearing Untitled Untitled by d', Angelo, because we're just talking about his passing. So I'm hearing two d' Angelo eights of One Direction.
[00:54:16] Speaker B: Yeah. And the only reason and the only way you can make that interesting is tension, right?
[00:54:21] Speaker A: Yes. Where do you create tension? From.
[00:54:25] Speaker B: My pelvis and the hip and the hip move.
[00:54:28] Speaker A: Like actual physical tension?
[00:54:30] Speaker B: Yes. No.
[00:54:31] Speaker A: But you also have an imagination and eyes and your right. And I feel like that the gays. The sentences that are secrets in your mind and in your performers. I can tell dancers that have trained under you or have. Are dancing your work also have that there's. There are secrets inside and you don't get to know.
[00:54:55] Speaker B: Right.
[00:54:55] Speaker A: It's kept under lockdown four.
But it's very fun to watch.
Yeah. Because I wouldn't care about a 28 count hip roll if there was nothing going on.
[00:55:04] Speaker B: No, no, no.
[00:55:05] Speaker A: Do you have a sentence, a quote, a guiding principle, a mantra? This is. I'm asking you for the words that move you.
What is.
What are the words that move you?
[00:55:19] Speaker B: That's a. That's a broad.
[00:55:21] Speaker A: It's a broad.
[00:55:21] Speaker B: One question.
Seduce people in and then pull back the curtain.
[00:55:29] Speaker A: Oh, come on in and pull back the curtain or close the curtain.
[00:55:36] Speaker B: No, pull back the curtain.
[00:55:37] Speaker A: Yeah.
That is what you do.
[00:55:42] Speaker B: Yeah, I think that's what I do. Or that's what I try to do, period.
[00:55:46] Speaker A: The end. That is a gorgeous place to tie the bow on top of this conversation. But Trace, I really could shower you in flowers forever. I think the world of your work. If you are ever feeling low about yourself, call me because I got you.
Thank you for sharing and for talking and for self promoting on the podcast.
You don't lead with it, but it's so cool, especially from those people because I have a lot of guests that do a lot of podcasts.
[00:56:10] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:56:10] Speaker A: I think it's very cool to share from people who aren't out there talking about their self and their a whole lot. So I'm very flattered. Thank you for being here.
[00:56:19] Speaker B: Well, I do have a show that I believe in and that I would like people to go to. So I think that's right. That was the.
And because we have amazing performances and so many great people worked on this show. Choreography, different choreographers, different.
[00:56:31] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. Yeah. Do you want to do some quick shots?
[00:56:33] Speaker B: I mean, Robert Greene, Dana Thompson, Liana Blackburn.
We had Kara Cole and Ayanna Monet do numbers.
Am I leaving anybody out?
[00:56:48] Speaker A: As you think about that, I'm gonna shout out Liana really fast.
[00:56:50] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:56:52] Speaker A: The.
The closing picture in Liana's number.
[00:56:57] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:56:57] Speaker A: She did the Mad Hatter number.
[00:56:58] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:57:00] Speaker A: Is burned on my eyes.
I. I was like, whoa, don't let it go. Don't let it go. It's like fading to black. And I was like, no, I want to keep, like, so masterfully done. It's so good.
[00:57:11] Speaker B: Yeah. You really feel her feeling.
[00:57:16] Speaker A: Oh, my gosh, it's so good.
[00:57:17] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:57:18] Speaker A: How long can people. Amy.
[00:57:19] Speaker B: Amy Ryerson, also.
[00:57:21] Speaker A: Yes. Thank you.
[00:57:22] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:57:23] Speaker A: How long can people go see the show?
[00:57:25] Speaker B: Okay, the show started in September and then so we should probably go till September of next year. But there are no promises. We're just doing it as we go.
But yes, every other Saturday.
[00:57:38] Speaker A: Fantastic.
[00:57:38] Speaker B: Yeah.
[00:57:39] Speaker A: Get your ass to go see down the Rabbit Hole at the Roosevelt and call me before you go invite me, because I will go see it a thousand more times.
[00:57:47] Speaker B: Oh, thank you.
[00:57:48] Speaker A: Thank you for being here, Tracy.
[00:57:49] Speaker B: It's been an honor. Appreciate you.
[00:57:51] Speaker A: Thank you, listener, viewer, also for being here. Get out into the world. Keep it very funky. Oh, and subscribe. Click the bell for notifications, Leave a review or rating and yay.
This podcast was produced by me with the help of many. Big, big love to our executive assistant and editor, Riley Higgins. Our Communications manager is Fiona Small, with additional support from Ori Vajrares. Our music is by Max Winnie, logo and brand design by Bri Reitz. And if you're digging the podcast, leave a review and rating and please share. Also, if you want to connect with me and the many marvelous members of the Words that Move Me community, visit Words that Move me dot com. If you're simply curious to know more about me and the work that I do outside of this podcast, visit thedanawilson.com.
