The School of Greatness - 406 Twitch Boss: Hip Hop Dancing Legend on Creating Success Your Way

Episode Date: November 14, 2016

"Sometimes your heart is going to be your biggest fan." - Twitch Boss If you enjoyed this episode, check out show notes, video, and more at http://lewishowes.com/406

This is episode number 406 with Twitch Boss. Welcome to the School of Greatness. My name is Lewis Howes, former pro athlete turned lifestyle entrepreneur. And each week we bring you an inspiring person or message to help you discover how to unlock your inner greatness. Thanks for spending some time with me today. Now let the class begin. Welcome everyone to a special episode

of the School of Greatness podcast. We have Steven Boss, aka Twitch, on the show today. I'm super pumped. I had a chance to connect with him in my greatness studio in Los Angeles. And for those who don't know who Twitch is, he has danced his way to the top, graduating from reality TV talent competitions to the big screen in the Step Up movies, Magic Mike XXL, Ghostbusters, and several other films. The freestyle hip hop dancer competed in season four

of So You Think You Can Dance, where he became a fan favorite and finished as a runner-up in the finals. He would later return as an all-star on season seven, where he'd meet his future wife, Alison Holker. He is a massive social media personality, an entrepreneur, top choreographer, dancer, the resident DJ for Ellen DeGeneres, and a father. Some of the things we cover in today's episode are Twitch's experience on why he chose dance over playing sports in high school growing up in Alabama and why his father was such a big part of this decision. Also the biggest lessons he's learned from working with Ellen, why he still dances by himself, even when he's not preparing for something. Twitch's biggest internal struggle, how to make it as a dancer in Hollywood and why

it's so important to keep cultivating your connection to your roots. Guys, you are in for a very special treat. Loved my connection with Twitch, and I hope we get to bring him back on at some point in the future because there's so much more I wanted to talk about. And I didn't get to dance with him, so next time I want to make sure we do some type of little dance together where I can learn something and try to get to a little bit on his level. So, guys, make sure to share this out with your friends, especially all your creative artists, friends, lewishouse.com slash four zero six. And without further ado, let me introduce to you the one, the only Twitch.

All right. Welcome everyone back to the School of Greatness podcast. We have a dancing legend in the house, Twitch, Stephen Boss. Good to see you, man. Thanks for coming on here, brother. Thank you for having me. Appreciate it. We were just connecting before this about how we have some mutual friends in Aubrey Marcus and Antoine Troop. Yes. And I'm sure many more if we hang out a little more. Exactly. But you've had an incredible career, story you grew up in alabama absolutely

i lived in huntsville for a while you're in montgomery and um you became well known around the world from a show absolutely so you think you can dance right and when did you first go on that show uh i first went on that show in 2008 and time flies i know it's almost 10 years almost eight years ago right yeah? Yeah, exactly. And before that, though, I mean, I was born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama. I moved out here to go to school. And that was like the deal with my grandfather. Like he was like, okay, you want to go out and pursue dance.

But the only way that you're going to do that is if you have some have some kind of education with it so a backup plan absolutely you know um so i literally i i applied to i just started looking up schools that had that had dance programs out here just started applying applying applying and luckily i got into this one named Chapman University, which is right there in Orange County. So it's a T3 school, right? Absolutely. It's small, but it's like absolutely. It's a private situation, but super impactful as far as, I mean, the film is incredible. The dance is incredible.

And it's just right down the way from here. So I was in a place where I could just hop back and forth boom boom and that's exactly what it was until i actually got on so you think it was a lot of back and forth you know i would get a job here and then have to go back to orange kind of go back to school like a little like a dance gig like a little gig here yeah or even a movie i got um i did hairspray. And remember the movie Blades of Glory? Yes. There was a dance scene in that. Oh, really?

Wait, Blades of Glory with Will Ferrell? No way. Yes, I was in that movie. Shut up. Yeah, I was. Were you on ice? No, no, no, no, no, no. But I was in a dance studio with a black tutu on.

We're not going to talk about that. But, you know, so i did stuff here and there but so you think was the one that so you think was the one like the the the the breakout the impact was like that that that gave me trajectory do you know what i mean so you were 18 when you went to college then or when you came out to chapman or how i was 20 i was 20 when i came out to okay cool yeah so you're hanging in montgomery after high school absolutely went to a community college there two years uh just to kind of get the grades up and then try to figure out how i can actually get out to la okay so you're 20 and you're doing

the auditions made some movies in the first couple years i guess yeah that's pretty big i mean it's pretty great i mean and also i came out with uh because of course now that you like that you're here too right you've been here for some time and you know when you're here you can get you can get a little jaded about about certain things right so when i came i was just on straight straight dumb luck innocence you know what i mean and it's just like what competitive market what do you mean i have to have an agent to go to this no i don't you know i'm just gonna show up and i'm gonna get it and i got back and i you know i got jobs it was just it did it i've always kind of had this uh this a little bit of denial like like no well like i i am one of the few you know what i mean always always always

and that that kind of it it worked out um it worked out in my favor what do you think um allowed you to to separate yourself from all the thousands of dancers who were out here for years before you training who maybe were just as good technically or had you know just good dancers but you were giving the gigs what was the difference maker was it a mindset was it a follow-up process you had was it a charisma you had in these auditions what do you think it was honestly i think i think it was it was made up of two things i think it was a uh my absolute love for dance just love for movement like Like I, I, I really, really love it. Like dance is my passion. So more than like, Oh, we have to learn steps for this audition combo and stuff like that.

I'm like, yo, I'm in class. This is amazing. And you're like, I get to dance next to this person and that dance. So even in auditions, I'm dancing, I'm dancing, like I'm on stage and loving life. So I think that it serves as a bridge to connection for people that are casting you because you'd love to look at people that love to do what they do, period. You know what I mean? Whether they're in front of you or if they're over there in the corner practicing, there's something about it that kind of catches your eye. So my love for movement, A, and then also just the drive.

Like I wanted nothing more than to dance. Do you know what I mean? And again, I'm from Montgomery, Alabama. In Montgomery, Alabama, the dance community is very, very, very small. And amongst the males, it's even, even smaller. It's like 30 dudes. Not even that. Like 10 dudes 30 dudes. Not even that. Like 10 dudes who are doing something.

Absolutely. And doing something maybe low key because, you know, the fellas play sports there, you know. You know, college football is like a religion for us. Absolutely. Alabama or Auburn, right? You know, so to come up and be like, oh, I dance. You know, that's. It's not a masculine thing in Alabama.

It's not a masculine thing. And it's a choice, you know. But when I made that choice, though, that was that was it. There was nothing else. And just like those two things, you know, just the absolute love for what I do and tunnel vision focus. But like I said, when you're out here for a couple of years and if things happen for you or if they don't, you still tend to get a little jaded about what's going on. So you get some of the new booties that come in and they're like, this is life. This is it. Like, I don't care what happens. Like, I'm going to every single audition.

Like, I'm going to class whether I'm tired or not. You know what I mean? And even at the end of the day, I'm spending my last hours of the day practicing in my, in my, in my living room. Even if it's on carpet and it's like the floor is hard to dance on every night we're dancing. Do you know what I mean? Amazing. It's, it's, it's the, those factors that I think. So you were doing that? Oh yeah, absolutely.

Like I said, I love, I love what I do. When I leave here, I'm going to the studio, not to practice for anything, but just to practice. Yourself? Yeah. No one else will be there? I mean, I've invited some people if they show, fantastic. If not, I'll still be there. So you're still embodying that drive, even after

you've made it to a certain point. Of course. Number of movies on ellen all these different things of course every single day you're living like it's your first week out here of course because it's it there's still there's still so much there's still so much more that i would like to do so i i can't get i can't get comfortable. I can't. There hasn't been a time yet where I've been like, all right, I've arrived. I'm good. You know, I'm in here. I'm good.

Because there's still so much to do. And maybe that's one of the gifts and curses of the human condition is that, like, that word more. Do you know what I mean? It's just like, wow, this is great, but more. Just like you, you have an incredible podcast. You have a book. You get to interview people from around the world and things like that. But I'm sure there's times for you where you're like, okay, but now what?

You know what I mean? If we stop pushing our boundaries, then we start getting comfortable and we start slowly dying, in my opinion. Exactly. If we're not growing, then what are we doing? Exactly. Exactly. So it's like, yes, we want more, but it's like, I want more growth. Exactly.

I want to see what I'm possible of creating and doing myself. Exactly. Just to inspire myself. Of course. And hopefully be a symbol of inspiration for others. Exactly. I mean, we're here to maximize our potential, period. That potential period. You know, that's why we're here. Yeah. You know, how, who is the, uh, who are the dancers that inspire you the most in the industry? Uh,

the dancers that inspire me most, I mean, it goes from, you know, across generations. I mean, I could start with, uh, you know, of course, uh, Gene Kelly and Fred Stare, Sid Charisse, like all, all of those. And then i move into uh the the music video area era that i grew up in i mean uh late 80s early 90s when like the music videos used to have like dance breaks and stuff like that you know michael jackson janet jackson uh you know travis payne who choreographed for uh Jackson and danced with Michael Jackson for so long. And then Tina Landon, Seanette Hurd. And then moving into this generation, my wife, honestly.

And not even because I'm married to her. Before I was married to her, before I even knew her, I was like, that girl's the truth. You know what I mean? Well, that's probably why you married her. You were like, give me that. She is the embodiment of what a dancer is. A dancer is what music looks like. Do you know what I mean?

That's what it is. It's like a deaf person would be able to watch a dancer and be like i think it might so i think that it maybe sounds like this or or that or that movement it must that movement must feel like this that's allison do you know what i mean it like to a t she embodies it she's incredible you know um wade robson is like the top of my he's one of my heroes man and always has been wow um my boy link uh sorry i'm just like now i'm name dropping i'm like this guy you know but um link he's uh he was one of my first teachers one of the pioneers of what we know as street dance today and not and not street dance as in b-boying, popping or locking, which

are all different styles. Right. And these are the cats that, um, you know, you saw in heavy D videos. These are the cats that dance with, uh, with, um, with big daddy cane. You know what I mean? Like the, like where we get the running man, the Reebok, the, you know, all of those things, this guy helped create all of those things and facilitate all those things. So Reebok, you know, all of those things. This guy helped create all of those things and facilitate all of those things. So it just, it is, man. I'm picking up inspiration from everywhere. Who's the guy? Oh man, I'm going to forget his name right now. There's a guy in the UK. It was a short dude. Who's like the most incredible break dancer I've ever seen. He's kind of like, he's on his hands a lot. Just like almost like a gorilla. Like he's doing like pushups.

Junior? Junior. Junior. Oh my gosh. Just like, almost like a gorilla. Like with, he's doing like pushups. Junior, junior, junior. Oh my gosh. Oh yeah. A freak. Unbelievable. Nature.

That's what I'm saying. It's like, so good. Have you met him or no? It's so good. Yeah. I've seen him. I've seen him.

I don't know him well, but I've seen him. The videos I see him like, how does a human do this? Yeah, exactly. And even after seeing the videos, seeing it live,

you're like, you can really do that. Like, that's not a trick. That's not a video effect. You can do that. Like it's amazing and effortlessly, you know what I mean? And it's like, it's see, that's what I'm saying. It's just like, where do you go after that? Right. Like, you know, because you know, in, in, in the eighties and late seventies, when b-boying just started,

you know, they're doing footwork, they're spinning on their backs, they're spinning on their heads, spinning on their hands. And you're thinking, Whoa, like they're spinning on their backs they're spinning on their heads spinning on their hands and you're thinking whoa like they're defying gravity this is amazing this is blowing my mind fast forward to now it's like where can you even go now like it's like bruce lee meets ultimate ninja warrior dancing you know it's like three spins and flips and karate kicks absolutely toss like flipping yourself around on one hand. But the next thing, they're just literally going to start spinning on their face. Like, you know. Just a nose.

Just a straight nose. Like that's going to be the next thing. Put a pen in their mouth. It's like on a pen. You know. That's it. Amazing, man. And then we were talking before.

There's so many incredibly young talented kids who are like defying all these things like doing things that no one's ever done before these like 10 year olds exactly it's unbelievable it is incredible man so you think you can dance uh the next generation just went off man and they completely switched their format to uh to a younger contestant which were um from seven to 14, I believe. And through that entire gamut, man, I mean, I, the, the artistry that I mean that the youth is capable of nowadays, it's, it's really incredible.

And it actually watching them actually kind of gave me a little bit of a paradigm shift because I'm not sure if you have fallen into this saying, you know, when you'd be like, oh, this next generation, like, you know, they can easily be very lazy because everything's on push button. Kind of shifted it for me. You know what I mean? kind of shifted it for me you know what i mean because when put in the proper circumstances and pushed they're incredible i mean just capable of drive most amazing amazing things you know i mean so yeah i'm really excited to see what this next generation is about to do right right with the art form of dance i'm really excited about about it. It's amazing. Now, did you play sports at all growing up? You know, I tried sports, man.

I tried it. I wasn't blessed with the competitive edge of like, my team is going to beat your team outside of dance. Outside of dance. You know what I mean? Our crew is going to beat your crew. Yeah, absolutely. Now, then I'm like, let's go but but what you know not growing i didn't discover that until later

until i was out here but you know football didn't even try it like i was like there is nothing about me being out there and trying to run into somebody else that i'm not trying to it's just it's just it's an incredible sport but you you're not missing. I mean, you didn't miss out on all the head trauma that, that I faced and a lot of guys facing the injuries and, you know, the boys in Alabama, like they're huge, man.

Well, you know, they don't mess around. You running full speed at me. No, head to head. Exactly. We,

you know, I played before they had the rules of like the head to head contact. We only hit with the head. Absolutely. And, uh, you know, like played before they had the rules of like the head-to-head contact. We only hit with the head. Absolutely. And, you know, like so me, I completely dodged that. Tried baseball. I'm a creative type. I'm a creative type.

They had me out there in center field. I did nothing but daydream. Like, you know what I mean? And basketball, just it was cool, but like. You didn't feel it. Yeah. Just didn't feel it yeah just didn't feel it so who inspired you to get into dance or what honestly it is um dance is just something that it's it's always been there it really has it's it's always been there dance is something that has literally always gotten me very very excited and super passionate even before i knew what passion was you know what i

mean um dancing and being on stage those two things i remember uh uh my in first grade was the first time that i ever was on a stage play and i remember getting so excited that like the moment i came out on stage and hearing the audience kind of connecting with the audience, I was like, well, what is this? Like, you know, it was it was the most amazing thing. I ran off stage. I went to the principal. I was like, oh, can we do it again tomorrow? You know, and but, you know, as as kids, you know, you get you get exposed to many different things.

And I didn't actually find the performing arts until much later. But watching music videos, hearing music that I love dancing to, I was constantly making up dance routines in my room. But again, you know, when you are the first dancer or person that wants to pursue dance of your family, then nobody in the family is going to look at you and be like, yo, we should put him in dance classes. They're just like, Oh, he likes to dance. Like, Hey, come out here and do a dance routine.

Yeah, exactly. We're at the family reunion. Come out here and dance real quick and do, you know, absolutely. You know, and then, and then that, and then that be that, you know? So I, but I, um, so it's, the thing is to answer your question it has always been there you know it's the thing that that has literally been a driving force i could you know i know there's some guys that you know watch maybe watch basketball games football games boom you know they they love paying attention to the highlights and that fuels them and being like yo i'm going i'm about to go super hard at practice the next day because did you see better not do this you know it's that same thing of like when

michael jackson premiered you know uh the scream video or if uh when janet jackson when i saw janet jackson all right like that dance breakdown this was before youtube yeah of course if i was if i wasn't ready for the v with the vhs to record it i had to burn everything into memory and be like i think they did something like this and boom you know and that and that's what it was that's that's what dance was for me so it has always been that passionate driving force and it was what i wanted to do before i knew that i wanted to do it. Right. You know? So once you got older, were your parents kind of pushing you into it and encouraging you more?

No. Cultivating you? Actually, it struck them as quite the surprise because, like I said, we didn't have anybody pursuing dance yeah the family you know um so when i said that i wanted to dance they were like oh right oh really okay you know because they don't know what that means you know just like i said um the deal with my grandfather was if i could move out as long as i was in school yeah for a backup plan do you know what I mean? Because he was like, okay, I hear that you want to dance. I don't know how far that can go as a career. So like, let's back that up a little bit, which is completely understandable, you know?

So with that, I dabbled in theater. And in the theater, I got cast as a dancer in The Wiz. And that's what started the snowball effect is that i i was like wait a minute do you guys take dance classes out here yeah we take over here okay cool i'm gonna come to class with you oh i can take class for free as long as i take ballet cool like i'm gonna stay here and do this yeah and there it was like oh wait you go to my high school there's a dance team at a high school i'm gonna try out for that there are no guys all right cool it's all good right so i was

the first i was the first guy on my high school dance team now i'm curious i mean what year were you born 1992 92 82 82 i was 83 so in the uh you know early 90s in middle school and high school especially in alabama uh you know that's not seen in middle school and high school, especially in Alabama, you know, that's not seen as a masculine thing. Right. So were you bullied or were you made fun of a lot by guys? You know,

I was made, I was made fun of, I was made fun of quite a bit, not bullied because I still, I still had my size about, you know what I mean? Like, so I was tall,

still had my size about me and they knew that I was agile. You know what I mean? So it was. You're tall. Yeah, I was tall, still had my size about me. And they knew that I was agile. You know what I mean? So it was just like, yeah, don't let the turns fool you. I could, like, you know, I could, you know. It's funny. But they made fun of me. They made fun of me quite a bit. But you know what? I don't fault them.

And even then, even then, it didn't get to me that much because for some reason, I still I still didn't fault them. Do you know what I mean? Because it's like, of course, you're going to of course, you're going to make fun of me. Because what other examples do you have of someone doing this than me right now you know and you know in my younger days of course i fell into that category too if i saw somebody doing something that i've never i'd never seen before or that i had a certain stereotype doing of course of course i made fun of course i made fun of them you know what i mean so it but it it never reached the point of violence or anything like that you know it was it was that. It was only words, man. And then as time went on, then they started to eat their words.

And they see you on stage performing. Absolutely. And talent shows, you're like, oh, dang, this is dope. 100%. Yeah. And while they're calling me, no disrespect, just saying, while they're calling, they're like, oh, you're gay. But then they get to see see like, okay, cool.

Let's break this down. You play football, okay? I dance. After school, I'm going to go spend the rest of my afternoon with only girls. You're going to spend the rest of your afternoon wrestling with dudes. Right. girls you're going to spend the rest of your afternoon wrestling with dudes right and when the night is over when we go get some food i'm probably going to be hanging out with your girlfriend like do you know what i mean because like we're all going to this place here to hang

and you'll still be with the dudes so like after a while they go oh oh that's kind of cool you know like oh okay that's kind of cool you know, oh, okay, that's kind of cool. Did you ever feel emasculated or like you weren't man enough because you weren't playing sports or hanging out with the dudes? You know, but it wasn't – there were times of that and it wasn't necessarily because I wasn't playing sports. But there are times, you know, uh, even, even still to this day, because I never really latched on to sports,

like following sports and why, you know, and sports is like one of the greatest common denominators amongst the male. Do you know what I mean? mean i've been i've been in situations which i'm sure you have too where you can where i've seen two people that do not know each other at all have the longest conversation right right you know just talk just like talking about sports and stuff like that so not necessarily feeling uh emasculated and things like that but there are certain things that that uh that i missed as far as a social dynamic because i was i was i chose to involve myself in the arts and not necessarily pay attention to things like that right so that's i feel like that's that's kind of where uh a

a void is there because like when we start talking about stats and boom boom i'm kind of like yeah like running man out of there i'm like hey yeah i'm and i'm out of here but you know it's but but it is what it is man and uh hey it's it's all love do you feel i mean being out in la and being in the culture in the community with dancing world in the entertainment world do you feel embraced? Absolutely. Yeah. I feel very, very, very embraced, man.

Because, listen, as competitive as the world and realm of show business is, and speaking specifically about dance, it's still a very, very small community. Tiny community, right? Very, very small community tiny right very very small community there's only like what 15 20 top choreographers maybe right who do like everyone's shows exactly because once once you you know once you you stick through it and you and you and you are able to get on and there is there is work for you because you have you have the experience yeah and you have the know-how to talk to this person to make this happen and this and that you know it's it's so the world is not really that big so yeah so yes i i am embraced and i and i embrace even the even all of the the uh those that are

new to it i remember what it was to be new to it you know 22 fresh out of college coming here what being like the hottest dancer in your school trying to make it here exactly yeah yeah very very very small fish syndrome you know what i mean like exactly you know it's in in rural alabama where i went to where i went to community college place called wadley alabama we had maybe two stoplights two stoplights probably um stoplights, probably. You know, yeah, of course. I was like the dancing guy there, you know.

And then you come out here and I'm like, whoa, everybody here is amazing. But I was still young dumb. So I was like, I'm amazing too. Here we go. You went for it. Yeah, exactly. You didn't hold back. Of course. What's your process like now when you go into an audition?

Do you pretty much just get like booked without having to audition now? because people know what you can do for TV, movies, or commercials, whatever it may be? Or do you have a practice when you're going into an audition where you're like, here's the routine, and walk us through it if you do have one? um dance performances now i'm i'd like i'm blessed to say that if they want me for a dance performance or something like that then then they just call and directly directly book they've seen videos they've seen a million times they don't need to see you they know what i do yeah they know what i do now amazing and that's and that is incredible um what i do audition for now i've been i've been really studying acting i've been along a lot of acting auditions so with that that is a it's a it is a completely different uh because a all the physicalities are are more they're a little more internal internally

driven and not so big like you know it's more like yes yeah and that and that is the that's the hardest switch there that is so as far as process of auditioning for that goes it's about dialing it down it's about dialing it down for me because standing on stage even even sitting here talking to you now like i i move i lean i use my hands. And apparently, that does not look good on TV or film. Do you know what I mean? Right, right. So, yeah. Wow.

Okay. So, you don't have to do any dance auditions right now, then? They're all books. I haven't done a dance audition. How many years? Since 2008. Even for like Magic Mike or a movie we were dancing in, they're just like, oh, we know we want him.

Even for Magic Mike, which is such a blessing. But Channing was just a fan from. He's out. We just need him. Yeah. It was just like, oh, I have this role in mind, and you are who I wanted to play for the role. So that was just incredible. was, that was incredible.

Wow. But I, but I'll say this too, though, man, it's, it's, um, like I said, the world is very, very small and there are those that once you reach a, a, uh, a certain amount of time putting in work, people know exactly what do right and you establish incredible working relationships so therefore when you're like oh okay we need a person that does this as this as this oh call twitch oh call this person oh call that person you know what i mean it's it it it just it does it happens like that and i imagine it happens like that in pretty much any industry same with this too if you know i get asked to speak at different events, if they want this person to do a workshop

on a specific topic about, you know, greatness. It's like, oh, call Lewis. Exactly. Right. Exactly. So it's similar in this industry. What's been the most incredible move you've worked on where you're just like, I can't believe this is happening with all these people and the things i get to do uh man it's um

there honestly there's been a bunch and and it is just because like now dwight just to be clear you said like movie movie that you're in movie um i have to say step step up 3d man oh yeah it's big huh just because it's all dance right all dance and we were they moved us to new york for three and a half months and it's like i wait this is work but like it doesn't feel like just dancing all day like hanging out you know all the homies are out there you know we're staying right there in time square amazing i mean it's it's so that i think that that has been my favorite as far as a film experience is gone so far just because it that honestly was the culmination of everything from the beginning. Do you know what I mean? Like me watching Beach Street and breaking to Electric Boogaloo.

I'm like, man, what would it be like to do that? And then I feel like the step ups are those movies of this generation. The Beach Streets and the break-ins. All that stuff like that. You know, the Beat Streets and the Break-Ins. Sure. You know, all that stuff like that. You have your step-ups. And this one was the biggest one as far as cast goes. Huge. It was all the homies.

Yeah. All of them. Was John Chu the director? John Chu was the director. He's been out here. I love John, man. Yes. He's a talented dude.

Really talented dude. And also a director that genuinely loves dancing. He loves it. Didn't he start like the League of extraordinary extraordinary lxd yes it's amazing right which he brought this center like he brought he introduced filming movement um in this like incredibly beautiful cinematic way you know what i mean it's just like even though it's not ballet it it it felt like it was ballet. It was elegant. It was graceful, but it was street dance, you know?

Amazing, man. It's so good. Yeah. Who was the most influential person in your life growing up? Most influential person in my life? I mean, it would have to be my mother, honestly. My mother. be uh it would have to be my mother my mother honestly my mother um because you know my mom is is easily easily one of the strongest strongest women i know easy because uh to raise to raise boys uh by yourself that's huge that's huge you know um and also not only just

to raise us but to work so hard that you also a give the give the feeling of, uh, give your children the feeling of not necessarily wanting, right. You know what I mean? Like we, we were not impoverished by any means. Do you know what I mean? Like I, I, I, now that I've grown up, I've, I've spoken with many people, you know, and even when I was a kid, uh, spoken with many people that was like in a completely different situation than I was, which opened my eyes a lot. You know, mom worked really hard to make sure that we had everything that we needed. Yeah. You know what I mean? And if there was a way that she couldn't make that happen, she would find somehow to collaborate with somebody to make these things happen do you know

what i mean like you never felt like you're in need i never felt like i was like in the things that i actually needed that i never got yeah you know i mean things i wanted of course like you know as a kid you want everything you want everything like those toys but the things that exactly but the things that i needed you know and and the things that uh not just material but things up here too for survival you know i mean and for me it's just it's it's remarkable too because being a parent being a parent now you know i i can't imagine what it would be like to raise two children that are, that are the opposite sex of you. Do you know what I mean? Like, and you know,

because listen, as a parent, you provide everything, everything, you, all of the love that you need, but then there are certain things, you know, as parents, you balance each, you balance each other out, you know, but if you take one part of that equation away and it's just this one person, I mean, uh, that I have no idea what that, what that would be like.

And she did, and she did it. Amazing. She did it. And that, and I saw that then I see it now again, now that, now that I am a parent,

it makes me double back and be like wow thank you she was amazing yeah incredible was your father not in the picture uh you know my father was not in the he was i'll say this he was he was there but he was not he was not actively involved you know we we were in the same town uh uh one of my one of my brothers, we share the same father, you know. And my father and I had the relationship that we did just because our mothers took it upon themselves to be like, no, they're brothers. So they're going to stay close. Right. So I would see my father when I was visiting with my brother.

Gotcha. You know what I mean? And that relationship kind of went from there. But as an active father, not necessarily. Is he still around today? Yeah, he's still around. And I talk to him every now and then. Of course, I talk to him every now and then,

but it's not like, you know. Yeah, of course. It's not your dad. He's not there. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get it. Yeah. Do you feel like there was something in you that made you so driven to go create and express

and move to LA and be driven because he wasn't there in any way? Or do you feel like it would have been different if he was there the whole time? You know, I'd like to say that it was that, but I'll say this, though, is that I have always been that type that, you know, don't tell me what I won't do. Do you know what I mean? Don't tell me what I can't do. Do you know what I mean? And I do remember there was a time uh and i remember it vividly i remember talking to him uh outside outside of his work in his park in the parking lot and i was

telling him hey i'm joining the dance team um i'm gonna need high school yeah i'm gonna need some shoes you know and some money to get some like supplies and this and that and he went on this tangent about like oh i thought i'd be buying you cleats and that and that again like not even really taking it personally like oh i can't believe you say something like that to me but i was like oh so that means i'm really supposed to do this then like that means like okay cool so that that means that I'm going to be the example of like, oh, you've never heard of somebody doing this, but it can actually happen. I'm going to show you how it can happen. You know what I mean? So it was more fuel. So I guess to answer your question, yeah, and not like major, major, major fuel, not like the reason, but it was definitely fuel because it was more along the lines of like, oh, maybe you don't think that I can do this. You don't approve.

Yeah, yeah. Maybe you don't think or maybe you don't approve only because you don't know, but I'm going to show you. I'm going to show you. And over the years, over the years I have, it's been fantastic. Do you feel like if he was around,

you'd be in this place right now? You know what? Honestly, I think if he, I really do think if he was around, I might, I actually might be, I might've been out there clashing helmets with you, man. Really?

Yeah. Really? Yeah. Yeah. Because he played football no way he played football yeah you don't think he'd be dancing and doing what you're doing i don't think so wow i don't think so so it's almost a blessing that he wasn't around yeah i mean you know hey listen it you know anything can happen in a hypothetical you know it's you know i can't say

it's a it's a it's a blessing that he wasn't around you know maybe i would have been maybe i would have been just as happy. Maybe I would have been. But I will say this, man. Everything happens for a reason. Absolutely. And you make the absolute best of it as best as you can. Absolutely. And you take it one day at a time.

What is the biggest lesson your mother and your father both taught you about being a parent now? Both of them. What was the lesson both of them taught you? Well, from my father's side, it's just presence. Presence being the most significant thing. Like your presence is the greatest present period you know what i mean like you just being there like uh i remember when i was waiting for uh my son to be born i was thinking like okay like you know i didn't have this ongoing example so what am i gonna do when this happens what am i gonna do with this happens? Because I don't have those things to draw back on and be like, well, my father told me. So I'm thinking, oh, my God.

But then when he's there and I held him and I'm just like, oh, I just got to be here. You know what I mean? It's not that hard to show up. I just got to be here. And then we'll take these times one day at a time with each other. And that's been great. And then we'll take these times one day at a time with each other, you know. And that's been great. And then with my mother, man, it's just that sacrifice. Like that when you have this life that depends on you, like you have to put things in priority.

You know, like you have to prioritize, you know, because that's exactly what my mother did. And honestly, this is nothing that she has told me. This is nothing like, like, when you have a child, like, you know, you got to prioritize. This is something that I see from example. Do you know what I mean? This is how I saw her living. She made it happen.

And it's the same. And I take on that same thing that no matter what happens, I'm going to make it happen yeah and it's the same and and i take on that same that same thing that no matter what happens i'm gonna make it happen no matter what like no matter what happens you know did you ever feel like you know as your career was growing and you're getting all these opportunities that having a child and getting married and having you know family would um you know get in the way in a sense of your career or of your dreams. Did you ever feel that? Yeah, well, of course, you know, when I'm, when I was growing up, yeah, I used to say, when I was growing up, I was, I was like, oh,

I'm, you know, I'm going to get married when I have nothing, I have nothing else to do. I remember keeping saying that, like, oh, I'll get married when I got nothing else to do that was i remember i remember keeping saying that like oh i'll get married when i got nothing else to do um and then as but as i grew up though especially listen growing up i think in the south or it might even just be like the eastern part of the country people get married you know what i mean like we get like we get married early like we're like it's like a rush like we're like yo what are you doing yeah, what are you doing after high school or even in college? Like, hey, like, you know, no, I'm getting married. That's what I'm doing, you know? And, you know, as I got older, that did start to happen.

get out here and do this and create art and be an artist and all that was way heavier than getting married and having kids. Now, all of that was there still. It was still there. But I made sure that I wanted to do this first because, again, for mom's example, the sacrifice. Do you know what i mean so i i knew that amongst those things it like having a family and stuff like that i'm not going to be able to freely travel about it just to me i mean some people do it listen some people do it and it works out phenomenally i knew for myself though that while making these moves and taking calculated risks and and things like that that it was it it was best to do that solo for a little

bit before i had a wife and kids to be like rather than walking into an audition being like man i really need this job do you know what i mean because you've got a foundation now exactly your credibility your things are coming to you absolutely like where am i going to pay for rent the next month 100 yeah yeah 100 so now do you feel like it was just good timing for you that like, hey, this is, you know, I can have a family, have kids. Absolutely. And it's not going to take away, but it's going to add and enrich my life at this point? Perfect timing, man.

Is that what's- It was perfect timing, honestly. It's- You're 34, right? Yeah, I'm 34 now. Yeah. And it's just like the timing could not have been more divine, honestly. And this is getting into a really esoteric place, right?

You know what I mean? But it is. Everything has its own time, period. It really does. And as soon as I trusted that, it did. Everything just really unfolded. I mean, even for me coming out here, you know, just coming out here, As soon as I trusted that, it did. Everything just really unfolded. I mean, even for me coming out here, you know, just coming out here, the jobs that I was involved in, the people that I got involved with that led to other things and this and that. Because there were so many times that my wife and I were supposed to meet on different jobs.

And for some reason, either one of us canceled and and we didn't so we met at the right time because if you'd have met earlier maybe it would have been it might it might not have been yeah it might not have worked out and even when we met uh on uh we met on a season of so you thinking you dance when we were both doing all stars we didn't really talk through the entire season we didn't talk at all like. There wasn't this big buildup to it. This chemistry? No. Really?

It happened at exactly the right moment. And then after that moment, we both decided that this is right. And then also because she had a daughter from a previous relationship. And even the timing of that, because we kind of had our thing going. And then the timing of like, okay, now it's time to introduce you to Wesley. And those things happened. And as we went on, I'm like, okay, now is the time to be like, I'm going to propose to you. Do you know what I mean?

Interesting. How old was her daughter when you met? She was two. Two. So maybe if you would have met when she was one, she would have been ready for a relationship or to have an experience because she was phasing out with the other ones still. Exactly. Exactly. So, again, it's that everything had its own perfect timing.

And the moment that I stopped trying to control so much of like trying to control so much of like oh no no I'm not I'm not ready for that I don't think I'm ready you just you just kind of trust it you just trust the process it it really did everything just literally and now when I say literally unfolded just literally unfolded man and and it was and it was perfect even to us to us having our son. Amazing. The timing could not have been more perfect. What's it like for two dancers to be together all the time? Are you guys constantly breaking and doing your thing? Or is there a conflict because you guys are both doing the same thing?

No. What's great about it is that Allison does everything. She was just on Dancing with the Stars. I'm not going to do dance with the stars. You know what I mean? So we kind of cover two different realms of dance, which really – She can do ballroom. She can do ballroom.

That's not your thing. That's not my thing at all. Yeah, but she can do ballroom. But she can do ballroom, jazz, contemporary. She can do everything. Modern tap. Absolutely. She can do it. And contemporary. She can do everything. Modern tap. Absolutely. She can do it.

And me, I do street dance. I've taken those classes and things like that, but I do street dance. So we're kind of like this. We kind of cover two different areas, which really works out. It really works out in our favor because we can go and teach in two different and like in the same place and offer two different and offer two different things rather than you know if we were two street dancers or two i don't know like you know i don't know there's the competition is not

is not necessarily there because we do two different things and it's great and at home and at home man we we dance to like the classics, man. We, we dancing to Frank Sinatra, you know, you got, we got, we got the lounge jams on, you know, we just kind of slow dance around because we, we do, we do the intense dancing for work, you know? So everyone else. Yeah, exactly. So at home, man, we keep it chill. That's cool. What's the thing that inspires you the most about your wife?

Man. Okay. So if I had to choose, if I had to choose, if I had to choose one thing, man, it would be, it would be her, her constant, constant undying ability to make it work. Like, to make it work. You know? Two kids. Just to give you back.

Husband. Absolutely. Career. And killing it. Just had a child. Just had a child. He's six months now. Had a child six months ago.

And now on Dancing with the Stars. Was just on Dancing with the stars body incredible back in it like she never left even when she even when she was pregnant with maddox like she i mean she was still she's still dancing she she filmed the hp commercial that she's not that she's now uh that she's now nominated for a world choreography award for um when she was when she was three months pregnant do you know what i mean in a unitard body banging you know what i mean like it's just like but but either way it goes though she's a she has this ability to look at the cards of the dealt and make it work you know i mean she she's she's a she's a very solution driven person rather rather

than being like oh how's this affecting me oh i, I don't know. She's like, okay, what do we got? Okay, this is what we're going to do to make it work. She goes for the solution, and it's undone. She's not a victim. She's not like, oh, I've got so much to do. How am I going to figure this out? What was me? Ever, ever, ever.

Cool, here's a challenge. Let's make it work. Ever. You know what I mean? She's responsible for her life. Absolutely. That's great. Even her coming out here from Los Angeles.

She's from Utah. She made the decision to move out to Los Angeles. Her and her daughter, Wesley. Wesley was one at the time. And what was going to happen? I mean, she didn't know. But she was like, I'm going to make it happen. And she did.

And it's incredible. Amazing, man. Absolutely. What's your message to young artists and performers who are trying to figure out their path? Or that have this energy inside of this fuel, but they're worried or scared or don't know where to go or how to make it work or it's intimidating. Honestly, man, it's A, if you have something, if you have something on your heart that you, that, I mean, that is undying and you want, and you feel like you have to create it, you have to do it, then you must, then you must do it. Period. And that seems like the most, it seems like the most simple, it seems like the most cliche answer.

But, but the, the, the, the power in the decision of making a choice to be like, I'm going to do it. And I don't know where it's going to take me, but it's on my heart and I'm going to do it and I'm going to see it through to completion. of lays out the path for you a to just doing what you love to do b finding like-minded people that could help that could help you and if not help you just support you in what you're doing you know you just you just you just got to do it and make it and also listen no don't listen to don't listen to the naysayers you know like if you got it on your heart like nobody nobody nobody feels your heart like you do you know i mean and they don't and they don't feel it and they're not going to feel it until much much later if they ever do you know what i mean like like we talked about earlier the people that were at my high school the one the d naysayers they feel what i was talking about now do you know what i mean like that like Like, but it took me being like, oh, okay, cool.

Like, y'all just don't, you just don't see it yet. You just don't see it yet. Now they're like your biggest fans. Like, oh, I went to school with that guy. I went to school with that guy. Oh, snap. Yeah, I went to school with that guy. Yo, I remember when you danced back in the day.

That's good stuff, bro. Yeah, you know? So it's just trusting yourself. And I think that's, honestly, that's – and I'm sure you know that it is one of the hardest concepts to grasp when you're younger. It's just trusting yourself and know that like what's inside is going to map out everything that you need. It's hard to trust yourself too, I think, when your parents are saying don't do it. Absolutely. Family is saying, ah, you are saying don't do it. Absolutely. Family's saying,

ah, you should do this instead. Exactly. Friends are like, uh. Everyone wants to be part of a community. Yes.

Especially their friends and family, they want them to appreciate and we want to be, you know, we want to please others. Exactly. And this is a challenging

thing for me when I left to go play, to go for my professional football dream. All my, I wasn't the best player on my team in college. The fastest, biggest, strongest,

but I had the biggest heart, the biggest drive. And I had some talent, enough to make it, but I think I lost a lot of friends from college. A lot of my teammates, they didn't support me because they stayed back and did other things and thought I should do that as well. I thought I was better by going after my dream. And it sucked because I tried to reach out to friends and they wouldn't get back to me. And

you kind of lose a community by going after a new dream or a new community. 100%. And it can be challenging. Very. And that is very challenging. And that often sometimes is the hardest part of a transition sometimes is letting go of those things before you continue to move on. It's very hard. You know, it is very, very hard. But, you know, sometimes your heart is going to be your biggest fan. Like you said, like you might not have been the biggest, the fastest, you know, or whatever.

But if you have heart though, if you have heart, you got it, you know, if, if you can, if you can, if you can stand in the midst of people saying no, like, and you're, and you can go, okay, I hear you, but I'm still going to do it. You know, you got it. That's it, man. That's the secret. Yeah. What's something you're most proud of that not a lot of people know about you? I'm most proud of that not a lot of people know about me. I learned to solve a Rubik's Cube, so that's tight. Really? How fast can you do it?

A few minutes? I can do it in my fastest time. Sorry, for the speed cubers out there, sorry, this is not going to be flattering for you, okay? It's not going to be tight, but my fastest time was like a minute 15. That's amazing. I remember watching YouTube tutorials for a while, for like a few days, trying to figure it out,

and I finally got it to where I could get it, but I had to watch the tutorials sometimes, so I didn't memorize the pattern, but now you make me want to get back and do it now. It's a nice little party trick, right? It's such a good party trick. You know what I mean? It's just like when you see – it is.

It's rare that you see one because you always see them mixed up and you're like – I got this. I'm going to do this while I'm talking to you. No big deal. So you're not a one-trick party. You don't just break dance for people. No. I can also solve Rubik's cubes.

You know what I mean? So yeah, when you're tired of choreography, if you need a professional Rubik's cubes. Exactly. That's great. That's cool. I mean, that was just kind of off the top of my head. But at the same time, man, honestly,

something I'm proud of that not a lot of people know, I'm not really sure, man. Everything's pretty out there. I feel like everything's pretty, everything's pretty out there, man. Yeah. So, I've enjoyed the entire experience,

the whole journey, man, you know? What's the biggest adversity or challenge you've faced in the last seven years? Biggest adversity and challenge? It seems like you get

all the things you want, you manifest, you've got the relationship, the family, the gigs. Of course. You're on Ellen, the DJ and dancer on Ellen. How long have you been doing that for? I've been doing that for four years now. Amazing.

Four years, yeah. It's like one of the biggest shows on TV. Absolutely. And you're always featured. You're always shown every show, right? Absolutely. It's a great show. Yeah, yeah.

We have a little back and forth every show, which is fantastic. The greatest adversity, man, honestly, I would say it's this. My greatest adversity is still to this day is mastering self-assurance. Do you know what I mean? What do you mean by that? With all of these opportunities that come. And man, this is great. Like, because I'd also love to just kind of get your take on this too.

You're welcome, internet. So with this, like with all of the opportunities that come, of course, you know, we're big dreamers. We dream big. We manifest things. They do come but when when these opportunities show themselves there's there's a moment where a little gemini side comes out and goes you're not ready for that you know what i mean or or or or it goes wow i'm not ready for this or wow i'm a little scared or what was there a mistake here are they sure are they sure they picked the right guy like you know

it's and still to this day really every oh absolutely and you know and of course with practice of course you just yeah kind of you get in there and you make it happen and you get in and and you realize like oh yeah i'm ready for it but still to this day still it's I feel like that that is one of the if not the greatest adversity, because what to me, what what greater adversity is there other than me trying to defeat myself? Do you know what I mean? Because like you can you can you can defeat yourself before you before anybody could get to you. Do you know what I mean? Like an inkling of an idea that you might think is great. You might talk yourself down before, before you can even tell anybody about it so that you're already not just fighting an uphill battle. You haven't, you haven't even taken the first step up the hill. Like you, you won't even allow yourself to go that path because, because

there's something in you that's kind of like, do you know what I mean? Like, yeah, there's a, there's a great podcast. Well, there's a, there's a story called the one you feed of the two wolves. I don't know if you've heard of this story. There's two wolves inside of us, right? Right. There's the bad wolf and the good wolf, right? The one that takes you down and the one that lifts you up, right? Moves you forward, which one you have a decision every day, which one you feed, right, right, right. Which wolf are you going to feed inside of you? Yeah, exactly. And I think that's a lot of our challenges is the, you know, one of the reasons I have this podcast and I keep doing it is to feed the good wolf inside of people.

Right, right. To give people tools and information and inspiring stories like yourself to show them what's possible. Right. You know, mental food. Exactly. Soul food. Of course.

Real soul food. You know what I mean? Yeah, yeah. a great it's a great thought about the adversity so it's a necessity man you know i mean that's yeah i applaud you for it like i said i listen i appreciate it and it's and and just know that it's which i'm sure you've seen by the way that it's grown like it's insane it's it's it's a necessity i feel like this is this is an adversity that I'm not going to say all, but most people go through unless you're Kanye West. Even then I bet he doubts himself every now and then. Yeah, exactly.

But then he has an inner Kanye. That's crazy, yeah. You know, one of the things I try to do is before every year's up, I think about what's the thing that scares me the most that I haven't done yet. I'd look at my life in terms of like a sport, in terms of seasons. There's always a new championship to chase, always a new season to go after in life. And last year it was like, I wanted to do a book. I was like hitting the New York Times list as a kid from Delaware, Ohio, who couldn't read and write in high school and was in the special needs classes.

And who, when the teacher asked to stand up and read aloud from the book, couldn't read and write in high school and was in the special needs classes and who, when the teacher asked to stand up and read aloud from the book, couldn't do it. For me, it was like, it terrified the crap out of me to think about writing a book and putting my heart on the line for the world, something that's like etched in stone. When everything I was doing before was like online courses and I could edit things or whatever,

this is like, this is out there. And then this year it was, you know what? I've never really done a big conference and brought people together and created an experience that I think could move people. I just showed you a little highlight video. And that just happened a weekend ago. And the night before I could not sleep because I was like,

just nervous about it. Am I going to pull this off? What's going to happen? But I was like, Oh, I got this. I can do it next year. But what's the thing next year that's going to scare me, that's going to help me grow? And so I try to create structured challenges for myself because we're going to face adversity every day, but if we don't structure it in a way that's helping us move forward, I feel like we're going to stay comfortable.

Ah, yeah, I see. And so that's what us move forward. I feel like we're going to stay comfortable. Yeah, I see. And so that's what I'm constantly challenging other people to do is like, what's the thing that scares you? Go do that more often and you're going to grow in the process. Love it. Yeah.

Love it. That's awesome. Tell me about what it's been like working with Ellen. Like what has that done for your career and for your reach or everything? Absolutely. Well, first and foremost, working for Ellen and with Ellen and being there every day, it's the biggest dose of happiness that one can get on a daily basis.

Amazing. I mean, it's kind of crazy because – have you ever been to a taping? I haven't been. Okay, first of all – I'm off the cuff kind of crazy because have you ever been to a taping? I haven't been. Okay. First of all, okay. I'm going to, you're going to come to it.

All right. You're going to come to it. Appreciate it. You're going to come to a taping. Okay. Um, so a, I mean,

it is, it's like people say Disneyland is like the happiness, happiest place on earth. This place. No way. I really do. I really do. Because like Disneyland is like kids.

They're like, oh my God, everything's great because it's big and majestic and all that. But like these are like adults that take a step away from their everyday lives no matter what they have going on. And they sit and they laugh. They might cry at an inspiring story. You know, they might get a gift to come back to 12 days of giveaways you know like things like and it is it's it's the biggest dose of uh of like daily happiness and i mean it just kind of smacks you in the face you can't you can't help but to just be kind of captured by it by this energy because i people genuinely, genuinely have a love and love her and her entire essence and the environment that she creates being there.

Do you know what I mean? And that alone, just being able to be there and see that and feel that every day. You know what I mean? see that and feel that every day you know i mean it was um uh yesterday yesterday uh she surprised she surprised the audience with um 12 days giveaway and i'm i'm in tears like because i'm like because because this happens everybody's happening you see people across rows high-fiving each other walking walking down the aisles high-fiving hugging people that they don't that they don't know they have that they did not come there with you know i mean and with things with things so turbulent right now and and everything going on out there it's just nice to see an

environment where you bring people together of all shapes and sizes different colors creeds blah blah blah and for that hour like they're they're just they're just human beings they just want to be happy they just want to laugh together they just want to feel love and that alone has just been incredible and for my reach man it's it's it's there i've um i feel like i've i've become part of the the ellen family now crazy so so those that um have a love for the ellen generous show um you know they they've come to know me a little bit as well you know so it's uh honestly it is the biggest one of the biggest blessings that was complete i could not have planned for this there was no there was like there was learn this yeah Were you even a DJ before? No.

Learn this. Yeah, there was not a time when I was like, okay, I am going to be on the Ellen DeGeneres show daily. Right. Were you ever on it before as a performer? No. Just as an actor? Yeah. So we met by doing a dance together on So You Think.

With Ellen. With Ellen, yeah. She came on and did it? She came on. Yeah, I'll have to show it to you. Oh, my God. So I did a dance called Get Out of Your Mind. And the guy that I did the dance with tore his Achilles. This is the ballerina, dude.

Yes. Yeah, yeah. My podcast editor showed me this video. It was like freaking out about it. Yeah, yeah. And then he tore his Achilles. He tore his Achilles. She was like, he was going to win it. Yeah, exactly she was like he was gonna win it yeah exactly yeah he was and like it was

incredible and he tore his achilles that next week so um ellen was big is a big fan of so you think and she was and she contacted the choreographers and was like hey i want to recreate this just you know because because i want to show them some love and we did the dance together and from there she started bringing me onto the show uh you know just to dance or if um if she you know needed me to dance uh for her or something like that she bring she was like oh yeah call twitch for again yeah again we're like creating like really great working relationships you know it comes to dance like outside there oh i need somebody to dance like oh call twitch like you know so when they the dj spot opened up um tony heard dj uh of uh 11 years i think he just he just wanted to you know just wanted to do something else and just

kind of do his thing um that opened up and they were like okay well we should do like guest dj somebody to just come in and they were like oh, oh, call Twitch. And then I went, had a great time. I was like, oh, call Twitch back. Wow. So they're bringing other guests at the same time. They brought other guests, but then over the years, I kept coming back. And you would dance. You had that dance, rock the crowd and all that and then wow man it's insane congratulations thank you very much it's a huge platform

it's a huge platform and it's just a great place to be all the people over there I'm telling you man

when you come not if when you come to taping I'm bringing you around you can just feel you feel the vibes like you feel the vibes

everybody is happy it's great what would you say is the biggest lesson you learned from Ellen from just being around her and being on the show for four years? What's the thing you learned from her? Be kind, man. Be kind. She says it every day after the show.

Yeah. Be kind. Be kind to one another. That's it. And it's simple, but it goes a really, really long way, though. And that it's simple, but it goes a really, really long way, though, even on days where, you know, my patients might be running short for whatever reason. You know, I mean, and be kind doesn't mean be fake. It doesn't mean it doesn't mean slap on a smile when you don't feel like sometimes it means just like on days where you might feel like you might want to have a go at somebody.

Like, you know what I mean? Or feel like somebody might deserve you having a go at them. Being kind might just be like, you know what? Like, it's all good. It's all good. Like, you know, and then just keeping it moving, you know? Because it is. It's huge.

And also to give, man she gives you know and like to to get a gift for her it she wants you to give you know what i mean it's like it's like no don't don't get me anything give it to someone else give to somebody else like get like that you know and for me i'm like that's that's's incredible. He's like an everyday philanthropist. That's amazing. Yeah. Amazing. We've gone over an hour and 15 minutes. I apologize. It's all good.

I feel like I could ask you questions for another hour. Yeah, exactly. But I want to ask the final few questions. Okay, cool. First thing is, what are you most grateful for in your life recently? Most grateful for in my life recently is definitely my family, man. My wife, my wife, uh, my daughter and my son. I know that's, that's, uh, that's it. And, and, and, and then that just kind of, it extends to everybody else, you know, because something that, something else that I've

also, uh, really been discovering in this, uh, in my 34 years, uh, is that, uh, something that in, in the chase of trying to make all of these things happen and this and that I found myself, uh, getting away from my root, getting away from my roots, meaning the things that, um, that cultivated me as a person, um, and not just, not just Twitch, but like the things that um that cultivated me as a person um and not just not just twitch but like the person that that was like oh i'll have an idea to make a make a nickname for myself like you know what i mean like i start i started kind of getting away getting away from my roots because i was i was reaching for like you know you know how it is out here it's a rat race out here you know it's just like so every single opportunity i started going oh yeah i need that you know and and i found now man that

like the the richness comes from like cultivating your roots do you know what i mean it comes from cultivating your roots like you can you can taste this and that and blah blah blah blah blah but like you know where where are you from like what what what makes you tick like this and that i mean you know the good the bad the ugly whatever but like cultivate cultivating my home life you know what i mean like and and stop and me stop stopping with trying to be all of these people for everybody else rather than just being exactly who I am for my family and the people that actually love me, need me, depend on me. You know, like being that person for them and that will shine out there. for them and that will shine out there and i'll just talk about it out here rather than like trying to be this person like trying to be like this guy like hey you know like like just being exactly who i am for the people that need me you know that like that and to me that that just it that's what i'm grateful for man because at the end of the day like I'm not I'm not twitch to them you

know like like twitch is cool like yeah that's that's like a really cool character you know but like oh I'm dead like you know I'm I'm dead you know and and to me that's that's the that is that is the the most it's the most amazing and humbling and challenging thing ever all of the elements of life you know is right in there you know what I mean sorry that was a bit of a tangent

of an answer that you guys it's all good this is a question I ask everyone at the end called the three truths okay so it's many years from now and it's your last day here on earth. And everything you've ever created has been erased. All the videos, content, anything you put out there is gone. And you're with all the people you care about and you love.

And they hand you a piece of paper and a pen. And they say, well, you write down the three things you know to be true about everything you've experienced in life that you would pass on to us? And this would be the message to the world, your three truths, lessons. What would you say those would be? Three truths is that I am love. I have love. I deserve love, right? Those three things things because at the end of the day love is what is what what's make what makes this whole thing happen everything it's the reason you're here right now it's the reason she's here right now do you know what I mean it set all this up it's the reason I'm here do you know what I mean and and still speaking because it's the reason I'm here. Do you know what I mean? And, and still speaking, cause it's like, yeah, hour 15 has passed, but I'm sitting here talking to you. Cause like, we, we love what

we're talking about right now. Like, you know what I mean? So you are loved. Like we're, we're created from that. You have, you have love within you, you have it around you and you deserve, you deserve love period. Like, So those three truths for me, those are things that I could pass on because I know that if I could hear that in my high school self, that I am love, that's what I was created from.

I have it, so no matter what anybody is saying right now, I have love in me and I know that there's some love out here somewhere. Like, so I don't have to take all of this hate and then I deserve love. So even with all this stuff happening, I don't even need to hear that because I don't deserve that. I deserve love, man. I deserve love. I deserve kindness, you know? So I am love. I have love. I deserve love. Those are powerful. Thanks for sharing those. Before I ask the final question, I want to acknowledge you for a moment, Twitch, for

your incredible giving heart. You have such a powerful energy about you that is very loving and very kind. And you're creative. Your creativity is such an inspiration to so many people around the world. Again, my podcast editor was freaking out when she knew you were coming in because she's like, he's been so inspiring to me over the years for bringing his gifts to the world and letting us experience it and lighting something up inside of us. So I want to acknowledge you for your incredibly loving, kind heart, for your incredible creativity

and for your drive to make an impact on the world with the gifts that you love. It's really inspiring. Thank you so much. Thank you, too. Seriously, thank you so much for having me. Of course. Seriously, this is an incredible, incredible honor, man. It's been fun.

Incredible honor. I've got one final question. Absolutely. Before I ask it, what can we do to support you? Where are you on social media the most? How can we – you're on Ellen every day. At what time? I'm on Ellen every day on NBC.

You'll have to check your local listings for that. Sometime midday. If you're here in Cali, it's at 4 o'clock. But it's in the afternoon sometimes. Yeah, it's on NBC. I'm on social media, Instagram, Sir Twitch a lot. With the underscores? Yeah, underscores.

Sir underscore Twitch underscore a lot. Sorry, the underscores? Yeah, underscore, sir, underscore, Twitch, underscore, a lot. Sorry, the underscore, I get a little obnoxious. And then on Snapchat, I'm Twitch Snapped. Okay. Where do you hang out the most, Instagram? I'm on Instagram the most. I've been really playing with Snapchat a lot. I know, yeah.

But now with Instagram Stories, it's kind of like, eh, what's the point? It is, but you know what it is? I think I'm just such a'm like uh like instagram stories is cool but like i like snapchat yeah it's cool yeah we'll make sure to follow you there we'll make sure to watch your movies anything else we can do to support you absolutely man we have a uh my wife and i both have a clothing line called boss empire boss empire clothing.com we are uh just just kind of stay uh tuned because we're working on two different dance fitness programs that are going to be dropping later in the year,

which is going to be like video dance programs. I'm serious. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. No, I can't speak about it. It's dance fitness programs,

fitness programs. Yes. And then my wife is writing a children's book. Alison, Alison bosses, her name. There you go. Some whole group. You fitness programs. Cool. Yes. And then my wife is writing a children's book. Allison Boss is her name. There you go. Allison Hulker. You can check that out. So BossEmpire.com. BossEmpireClothing.com. BossEmpireClothing.com. We'll make sure to check that out. We'll have it all linked

up here in the show notes as well. And the final question, what's your definition of greatness? What's my definition of greatness? Oh, man. The definition of greatness? What's my definition of great? Oh man. The definition of greatness, um, is, uh,

my definition of greatness is, is, is making, is making life happen. No matter what happens, no matter what's going on in front of you is making the choice to make life happen. No matter what's going on in front of you, like not choice to make life happen no matter what's going on in front of

you like not being in it not being in effect not not just letting whatever happens happens but like making a choice to make your life happen like no matter what's in front of you that is great that's greatness to me that That's greatness. Twitch. Thanks for coming on. Appreciate it, bro. Absolutely. Thank you. There you have it. The hip hop dancing legend Twitch in the house.

Hope you guys enjoy this one. If you did, please share it with your friends. Take a screenshot of the podcast you're listening to on the iTunes or on SoundCloud or Stitcher or on YouTube, wherever you're watching this or listening to this, take a quick screenshot of it and post it up on Instagram or Twitter and share this with your friends, lewishouse.com slash 406. Let me know what you thought of this as well.

You can leave a message over on Instagram or Twitter or Facebook and also connect with Twitch on his social media. All of his information is back at the show notes at lewishouse.com slash 406. So you can learn to connect with him, all his social media accounts, his website, all that good stuff there. I hope you guys enjoy this one as much as I did. If you want to have him come back on, just let me know. Send me a tweet.

We'll make sure to try to get him back on soon. With that, guys, you have the power to create the life of your dreams. Make sure every single day you are setting a clear intention when you wake up of what that dream is and why you are chasing it. I don't care where you're from, how old you are, how young you are, how inexperienced you are. If you have the dream, you set the intention, you surround yourself with inspiring people, you develop the skills to become the talented person you need to be, then you can make it happen. Your dreams matter because you matter. And you

know what time it is. It's time to go out there and do something great