In today's episode of the podcast, I have a conversation with Michele Byrd-McPhee about her journey, mission, and impact with Ladies of Hip Hop. She drops so many golden gems, from sharing her history, to about her community, her mission, and her outlook on our current world.  A tireless advocate for girls and women, Michele Byrd-McPhee is the founder and Executive Director of Ladies of Hip-Hop. Michele has been working for over two decades to re-contextualize Hip-Hop spaces and conversations regarding sex, gender and race. Under her direction, LOHH cultivates dance environments that honor and acknowledge the roots of Hip-Hop and the many creative pioneers who have shaped them. This is especially important given the ways in which Black dance has been co-opted, appropriated without acknowledgement to its community cultural origins. Below is a list of Instagram handles, be sure to check these people out! @vivv1es @mind.in.movement @justine.wang_ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justine-wang/support

Welcome back to the podcast! On this episode of the podcast, I have a conversation with Anthony Vibal, an amazing dancer that I met during my time at Voyage. Vibal has such a passion for dance and such a great, positive mentality that I really wanted to learn more about his approach to dance. In this episode, we talk about his motivation, passion, and journey currently in dance.  Anthony Vibal is a 22 year old dancer and choreographer from Orange County. He has competed and choreographed with teams such as Underground Dance Team, Team Millennia and has trained with Voyage Training Team. Anthony is also an instructor at OFFSTAGE Dance Studio, and STEEZY. Below is a list of Instagram handles, be sure to check these people out! @anthonyvibal @mind.in.movement @justine.wang_ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justine-wang/support

Welcome back to the podcast! On this episode of the podcast, I have a conversation with Vivian Lin, someone who has danced with Choreo Cookies and now resides in Berkeley, CA. We focus mainly on her life, from her dance journey to her transition as a mother. It was really insightful because we talked about so much -- from dance, to jobs, to relationships and family. It is a conversation that resides in my mind because of how peaceful it is.  Vivian Lin is a human being who enjoys cooking, taking long walks, watching period dramas, and picking flowers (that sometimes aren't hers - much to her husband's dismay). For 10 years, she lived in San Diego and was a member of Choreo Cookies during that time. She currently resides in Berkeley, CA with her husband Chris, her son Teo, her two dogs and one cat; working full time as a software engineer and moonlighting as a florist on the weekends. Below is a list of Instagram handles, be sure to check these people out! @vivv1es @mind.in.movement @justine.wang_ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justine-wang/support

Welcome back to the podcast! On this episode of the podcast, I have a conversation with Tawnya Nguyen, a strength and performance coach that I've been working with since October 2021. She has taught me a more sustainable way to approach fitness, to be more compassionate towards myself, and to see every moment as an opportunity instead of an obligation. I appreciate all that she does so much and highly recommend her to everyone.  Tawnya is a strength + performance coach and co owner of Movement Society from Los Angeles. She is invested in helping people commit to a sustainable lifestyle while achieving  their greatest human potential through movement. One of her biggest missions is to create an safe and inclusive space for women, people of color, LGBTQIA+ community within the fitness industry. Her love for movement started since she was dancing at the age of 7 with focuses in ballet, contemporary, and various choreography styles. From there, she was always seeking different ways to explore movement athletically and artistically. What gravitated her towards fitness was the ability to unlock one’s potential by utilizing different scientific systems and her favorite, the human connection. Training not only rehabilitated her chronic injuries, but it’s elevated her day to day and athletic performance. These experiences have shaped me into the coach that she is today and she hopes to be able to share her passion and knowledge with those she crossed paths with. Below is a list of Instagram handles, be sure to check these people out! @coachtawns @movementsociety @mind.in.movement @justine.wang_ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justine-wang/support

Welcome back to the podcast! On this episode of the podcast, I have a conversation with Jucel Andrin, someone I met during my collegiate team years. Jucel has danced with ACA, and has since transitioned to being a director of photography, focusing on dance films instead. In this episode, we talk about the difference between a dance concept video and a dance film, and he provides me with new insights on pursuring your passion as your career.  Jucel is a Director of Photography based in the Greater Los Angeles area. Merging his extensive background in dance choreography with his professional filmmaking career, he brings a unique visual approach to his cinematography and movement direction. He believes in pushing artistic boundaries and values the power of sharing the human experience. Below is a list of Instagram handles, be sure to check these people out! @jucelandrin_ @mind.in.movement @justine.wang_ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justine-wang/support

Welcome back to the podcast! On this episode of the podcast, I have a conversation with Valerie Virgen, an absolutely amazing woman with a beautiful message and story. Her work has really inspired me, particularly her Doja Cat Woman concept video, and I had so much fun having this conversation with her about women, relationships, and love.  Valerie Virgen is a 25 year old choreographer and dancer based in San Bernardino, California. She began studio training at the age of 3 in various styles such as ballet, jazz, tap, and more. Since 2014, she has been a part of teams such as GRaVy Babies, 909 dance troupe, and GRV. In 2018 she graduated from the University of Redlands with a B.S. in Global Business and a minor in Mathematics. Ever since her graduation, she has been developing a program within the San Bernardino School District that provides dance to ALL students in the elementary level. After years of working on her artistry, she now teaches at studios like Dance Dimensions Performing Arts Center in Grand Terrace, Offstage by GRV in Orange County, and Snowglobe Perspective in Glendale. She has a deep passion for sharing the joy and love that comes with dance, through her choreography and visuals. While balancing a full-time job, family, God, and friends; She hopes to continue connecting with and uplifting others through her movement. Below is a list of Instagram handles, be sure to check these people out! @valeriemariah_ @mind.in.movement @justine.wang_ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justine-wang/support

Welcome to Season 3 of Mind in Movement! On this first episode of the season, I have a conversation with Keo Sanedrin about the origins behind Two Car Studio, the impact its had on the community, and the impact that it has had on him. I really appreciate Keo and the safe space he created for dancers to freely express and create, and wanted to learn more about the mission as well as the story behind Two Car.  Two Car Studio is a two car garage that was converted into a studio to serve as a safe place for dancers during the pandemic. The creation of this home studio, by Keo Sanedrin , was a way to try and fulfill a need in the community as studio space became scarce. A 15.1ft x 18.3ft area with wooden floors, floor to ceiling mirrors, a Bose S1 pro speaker, smart TV, LED flood lights, WiFi etc. was all purposefully added with the intention to provide everything a dancer would need in a space and then some. Keo himself has been dancing since 2011 and in the community ever since moving from Vegas in 2013. Fast forward to 2022 he is currently in nursing school at Stanbridge University. With balancing school, family and other extracurriculars he is hoping to continue to provide this space for dancers as long as his schedule allows. Below is a list of Instagram handles, be sure to check these people out! @twocarstudio @keo_ @justine.wang_ @mind.in.movement --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justine-wang/support

On today's episode of the podcast, I have a conversation with Victoria Castreje, someone I met through Voyage and have just admired for her positivity and her strength. We have a conversation about creating safe spaces for women, leadership, accountability, and vulnerability. It was a conversation that really healed my soul, and this hour long conversation was just a snippet of the kind of energy that she brings to the table. Thank you Victoria for being the one to close out this season!  Victoria Castreje is a dancer, personal trainer, and wellness enthusiast with 10 years of dance experience and 7 years in the Southern California dance community. She spent her college years at UC Riverside studying Business Administration and dancing with 909 Dance Troupe, serving her last year as Co-Director. She has worked dance competitions including Ultimate Brawl and Arena LA, and has taught high school students pieces for recital performances. Victoria is also a certified Personal Trainer through the American Council on Exercise as of September 2019. As an Asian-Hispanic American, Victoria is interested in multicultural marketing and event planning for diverse communities. Since graduating in 2020, Victoria continues to prioritize her health and fitness through various forms of exercise and dance training. She has studied under Sorah Yang through her program, The Artful Balance of Business and Dance (May 2020), Offset Med’s Virtual Mentorship Program (July 2020), Movement Society’s Dancers Are Athletes Performance Development Program (September 2020) and Camp ABBD (July 2021). Victoria has trained with Voyage Dance Team, led by Sorah Yang and Halima Dodo, under the Vessel Dance Company umbrella, and has trained with the ily-girl community in Los Angeles (August - October 2021). With her values embedded in women empowerment, self-improvement, and healthy living, Victoria continues to educate herself in various realms in an attempt to empower others and help them reach their full potential. You can find her website at:  https://www.victoriacastreje.com/ Below is a list of Instagram handles, be sure to check these people out! @victoriacastreje @justine.wang_ @mind.in.movement --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justine-wang/support

On today's episode of the podcast, I take the time to reflect on my dance journey, focusing on my mindset change around choreography and taking class/performing. I share some valuable tips and insights that are really good reminders for me as I continue on this journey, and I hope you find them insightful or helpful for your journey as well.  I really wanted to take a moment and thank all of you for listening. It's been a wild ride, and to know that I have people supporting me and listening to this podcast is truly wild. Thank you so much for spending any amount of time listening to me speak, it really means the world to me as I'm learning that my voice does matter. Below is a list of Instagram handles, be sure to check these people out! @justine.wang_ @mind.in.movement --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justine-wang/support

On today's episode of the podcast, I take the time to reflect on my journey last year and also share some valuable lessons that I have gained. This is part of a 2 part episode, where in this episode, I share more about my current life lessons, and in the next episode, I will share about my dance journey and lessons.  I really wanted to take a moment and thank all of you for listening. It's been a wild ride, and to know that I have people supporting me and listening to this podcast is truly wild. Thank you so much for spending any amount of time listening to me speak, it really means the world to me as I'm learning that my voice does matter.  Below is a list of Instagram handles, be sure to check these people out! @justine.wang_ @mind.in.movement --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/justine-wang/support