1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,160 Welcome to fit to be real and a little extra. Oh 2 00:00:04,960 --> 00:00:11,300 Today we have a special one for you. We are talking to the person who has made 3 00:00:11,720 --> 00:00:14,160 Most of our blooper reels what they are today 4 00:00:14,840 --> 00:00:21,760 She is a business owner of 26 years. She is a mom of three beautiful children 5 00:00:22,160 --> 00:00:27,000 Especially the middle one at least two of them middle one suspect. We're not we don't really want to get into it 6 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:31,840 She's had her foot in the director's chair in the 7 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:35,680 choreographers chair in the onstage dancer actor chair 8 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:40,640 Her claim to fame for singing is like nursery rhymes. That's about it, right? 9 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:47,520 But it's gonna be it's gonna be a really fun day to get on the inside of our family 10 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:56,640 I'm a little scared of what might happen today. You should be 11 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:01,760 I'm Victoria. Hey guys, I'm Carly 12 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:05,440 And the original hey guys 13 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:07,760 Carmella 14 00:01:07,760 --> 00:01:12,240 Hey guys, I'm Carmella. Oh my gosh. It's even higher than mine 15 00:01:13,240 --> 00:01:15,240 Hey guys 16 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:17,000 Oh, it's Billy here 17 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:20,980 That is one of her specialties is all of her voices and 18 00:01:21,640 --> 00:01:26,720 Storytelling there was always every character had a voice. So maybe we can get some of those out today. What's up mom? 19 00:01:26,840 --> 00:01:31,520 Yeah, you guys. Oh my gosh. So let's start there 20 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:38,800 Carmella or mom has and had a children's theater company called stages of imagination. She 21 00:01:39,360 --> 00:01:42,360 You did it with your sister Vicki 22 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:47,080 She created it acted in it produced it choreographed it directed it 23 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:54,640 Was the transportation and what else anything else set that's not a designer not the set builder 24 00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:59,720 But we were the techies Vicki and I will she had full control and was a hands-on 25 00:02:00,360 --> 00:02:05,920 Full on control hustler. What does that sound like? Who does that? That's why I'm saying it 26 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:12,240 Okay, let's start at the beginning at the very beginning 27 00:02:13,240 --> 00:02:16,160 Yes, it's a very good place to start 28 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:24,480 Little dear lord, okay mom where were you born? Where are you from? 29 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:32,080 Parish I was born in Philadelphia, but I grew up in Drexel Hill, St. Dorothy's Parish and 30 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:34,880 What's your full name? 31 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:36,880 Carmella Louise 32 00:02:37,400 --> 00:02:39,200 guitarist mayo 33 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:44,360 My name is Carmella. That's interesting how I got it. Hmm. It's a generational 34 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:46,000 by 35 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:48,800 Carmella's in our generation in our family 36 00:02:48,880 --> 00:02:51,320 It's really fun when you travel with 37 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:55,200 Carmella's and their passports are the same and their license 38 00:02:56,280 --> 00:03:00,400 Causes a lot of problems. So I decided to name my daughter Carmella as well 39 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:02,400 Oh my god 40 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:05,400 All right, mom they all know we're hustlers 41 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:10,800 Mom sing it say 42 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:17,720 Mom wait wait wait mom say it's hot out there for a pair 43 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:22,240 It's hot out there for a pair. Why are you Southern? 44 00:03:22,240 --> 00:03:25,240 I don't know 45 00:03:27,640 --> 00:03:31,840 Okay, all right, all right bring it back bring it in bring it in bring it in okay name 46 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:33,840 We want you to tell everybody 47 00:03:34,040 --> 00:03:41,160 How many jobs and what kind of different jobs you've had in your life because it makes you a very well-rounded person 48 00:03:41,160 --> 00:03:46,480 And you've done a little bit of everything well. I hated baby sitting hated it 49 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:48,840 My parents she teaches kids 50 00:03:49,960 --> 00:03:54,720 Babysit my sisters did it so I had to do it and it was it was painful 51 00:03:55,160 --> 00:04:02,280 So then I went and became I worked at the movie theater and then I was a counter girl it will worse and 52 00:04:02,800 --> 00:04:05,200 Then I delivered phone books 53 00:04:07,880 --> 00:04:09,560 And then 54 00:04:09,560 --> 00:04:12,480 Then I was a student helper at Westchester 55 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:16,280 I was a secretary and I took what do you call it? 56 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:18,880 notes with 57 00:04:22,400 --> 00:04:27,200 What do you call it shorthand shorthand I took notes with the shorthand Westchester is Westchester University 58 00:04:27,720 --> 00:04:30,960 Westchester University and then when I moved to New York 59 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:34,040 I became a waitress with no experience 60 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:40,160 But I worked at this Madison Avenue restaurant called Bailey Wick. It was high class restaurant 61 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:42,560 And it was a really fun 62 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:48,920 And I met a lot of good friends at Bailey Wick and then in New York. I was a party starter 63 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:53,520 She was a partier. She meant to say partier. No, I started parties 64 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:58,360 I would go to parties dressed in costume and then I would just 65 00:04:58,840 --> 00:05:02,520 Mingle with the people and start parties. I decorated 66 00:05:02,520 --> 00:05:09,920 But with balloons at the New York City Marathon. So then when I moved home, we're all she's only like 22 at this point 67 00:05:11,280 --> 00:05:15,680 And then I danced in between I was getting dance gigs blah blah blah 68 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:18,120 and I was choreographed in colleges and high school and 69 00:05:18,480 --> 00:05:24,920 Summer theater and that but then when I moved home my sister Vicki and I started a wallpapering business 70 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:27,960 But we realized we weren't going to make any money doing 71 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:33,520 Because we were having we weren't that good at it 72 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:37,960 We just did family and 73 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:41,800 We couldn't charge families so we weren't making any money at all 74 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:49,040 So then we became balloon decorators and we started our balloon bouquet business and we had business cards and everything 75 00:05:49,280 --> 00:05:56,640 But again, we only did family like making balloon animals and no no balloon arches for parties 76 00:05:56,640 --> 00:06:00,640 We did the family reunion. We did balloon forests 77 00:06:00,640 --> 00:06:07,600 I did Billy's eighth grade graduation party with the balloon forest Billy is our brother by the way 78 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:14,400 We decided we couldn't make any money doing balloon fever because we were charging anybody any money 79 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:20,960 Oh my god, and that's why we are horrible business owners. That's why Victoria and I are struggling 80 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:26,640 Business to charge people. We are not business-minded. I couldn't charge family 81 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:31,920 I couldn't charge friends who else is going to hire us for wallpaper and balloons 82 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:34,360 So did you ever dance at all? 83 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:44,360 Yes, I was dancing in and among all these jobs or I was teaching dance or I was 84 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:52,880 Choreographing in between these jobs or I would just stop the jobs and go on the road and dance and that's why part of the reason why 85 00:06:53,360 --> 00:06:55,360 Nothing the balloons and wallpaper 86 00:06:55,480 --> 00:07:01,440 Kind of failed but at that point I had kids so I wasn't traveling as much then hold on hold on hold on 87 00:07:02,840 --> 00:07:07,420 Okay, this is where Carly this is welcome everyone to the land of no silence 88 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:10,680 Welcome, but I want to I want to take a step back 89 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:18,080 When was studio 54 in all of this neglected to tell them you were a cage dancer at studio 54? Oh 90 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:20,640 well see 91 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:28,160 That was when my party started days, so studio 54 was when I danced in New York 92 00:07:28,880 --> 00:07:30,880 in between cages 93 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:33,600 Well, yes at that time 94 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:40,560 Dancers were in cages above the dance floor so we could look down at all the people on the dance floor 95 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:45,560 I'm gonna back up even further and just give you a little 96 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:51,600 Little fun fact she started college as an archaeology major 97 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:59,640 So none of these jobs have anything to do with archaeology because she got kicked out of the department in the first 98 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:01,960 semester 99 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:09,260 her hot pants and her go-go boots my go-go boots and the fact that I was upset that I broke a nail when we went on a dig 100 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:16,360 So she didn't make it too far. Yeah, so let's let's pass forward and then I 101 00:08:16,800 --> 00:08:18,480 danced at 102 00:08:18,480 --> 00:08:20,760 regional theaters and because the 103 00:08:21,280 --> 00:08:27,280 Business is all about networking one of the people that I danced with or did shows with 104 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:33,240 He opened his own theater at Shawnee in the Pocono Mountains and called me up to choreograph 105 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:39,560 Shawnee is also the place where I met Andrew so Andrew and I met doing a 106 00:08:40,040 --> 00:08:45,320 Theater show in Shawnee that my mom directed just a little fun fact so dancing 107 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:48,760 When did you open the dance studio? Oh? 108 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:51,480 okay, I 109 00:08:51,480 --> 00:09:01,040 Open my own dance studio 26 years ago, but I've been teaching dance for 52 years mom. How old are you? Oh? 110 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:10,680 We forgot to mention she's also an avid stilt walker and used to still walk at parties 111 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:17,240 All the time and then she taught us how to still walk because she would because it's normal because it's very very normal 112 00:09:17,240 --> 00:09:22,400 And now she still walks every year at the same Patrick's Day parade in Springfield 113 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:29,320 Pennsylvania yes, I don't still walk for money anymore, but I did still walk for money 114 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:33,080 I did walk-a-thons and parades and parties again 115 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:38,680 Dance parties. I was a party starter on still walking so on still so 116 00:09:39,480 --> 00:09:43,640 So you've done a lot over this lifetime. Yeah 117 00:09:43,640 --> 00:09:49,160 Quite a lot, but my favorite job is being I knew she was gonna say that 118 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:51,880 It's true 119 00:09:52,240 --> 00:09:53,360 It's true 120 00:09:53,360 --> 00:09:59,120 and my mother wanted me to open a dance studio from the time I graduated from high school and 121 00:10:00,760 --> 00:10:06,200 You didn't listen to her I didn't listen to her because I didn't want to do the business side 122 00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:12,080 I didn't want to own my own business. I wanted to dance. That's all I didn't want I enjoyed teaching 123 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:15,840 But I didn't want to run a business so I needed students 124 00:10:17,680 --> 00:10:20,040 So so I 125 00:10:21,040 --> 00:10:23,040 Open the dance studio 126 00:10:23,720 --> 00:10:27,600 Just on a whim one day. Well, here's the best part of this 127 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:35,560 Vicki who is the business side of Carmella's dance studio. So her her dance studio is called Carmella's dance studio 128 00:10:35,560 --> 00:10:37,560 It's a very clever name 129 00:10:37,560 --> 00:10:44,960 It's very clever and Vicki is was her partner for the stages of imagination children's theater company 130 00:10:44,960 --> 00:10:48,440 And is also the business end of Carmella's dance studio 131 00:10:49,040 --> 00:10:50,920 Just like we've heard before 132 00:10:50,920 --> 00:10:56,800 Carm is the face. She's the face of it. Just like Carly's the face of it. Well and 133 00:10:57,520 --> 00:11:02,720 Victoria our aunt's name is Vic Victoria and Victoria is named after her 134 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:08,120 So we have a second-generation Carmella and Victoria as well. We don't we don't travel together. It's okay 135 00:11:08,120 --> 00:11:11,320 Where the Carmella is the face and the Victoria? 136 00:11:12,080 --> 00:11:14,080 Does everything else? 137 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:15,920 No, but um 138 00:11:15,920 --> 00:11:17,920 Honey wanted me to open a dance studio 139 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:24,240 My life since I was 18. However, I didn't and my and honey passed away 140 00:11:24,240 --> 00:11:30,680 I parked the car in front of the studio and the landlady was standing there and said hi 141 00:11:30,680 --> 00:11:37,680 I'm waiting for a man to sign a lease for this building and there was a big for rent sign and she said what do you do for a living? 142 00:11:37,680 --> 00:11:41,120 I said I teach dance. She said this would be a great dance studio 143 00:11:41,120 --> 00:11:48,280 I'll give it to you and I went over and I signed a two-year lease called up my sisters and said 144 00:11:48,440 --> 00:11:53,080 You're not gonna believe what I just did and they said where are you going to get the money? 145 00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:59,480 To convert a doctor's office to a dance studio from her wallpapering business and her balloon 146 00:11:59,480 --> 00:12:02,680 I said I never even thought of that 147 00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:09,720 So it was my mother who from heaven made me sign that two-year lease and guess what my mother was right? 148 00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:14,720 I love the dance studio. I love it. I love it. I love it and then I got fired from the 149 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:21,040 desk one year into the business and that's when Vicki took over the business part of it because if 150 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:26,920 Vicki wasn't doing the business guess what I still wouldn't be in business right because you would just give everything away for 151 00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:33,480 Giving everything away the first year. I know that that's where I mean that's where we get it from 152 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:38,760 We have a very hard time doing the business. That's why we weren't eating very much 153 00:12:41,800 --> 00:12:46,680 So if I remember correctly I came home from school one day and you said hey 154 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:49,880 We're gonna open a dance studio. Would you like that? 155 00:12:49,880 --> 00:12:58,760 I remember that so what do you remember about owning a business with three small school-aged kids? 156 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:03,560 Well, I was a single mom and I had to do something 157 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:11,080 I was getting to the point where you kids were getting older and needing more and so I knew I was going to have to get 158 00:13:11,240 --> 00:13:14,040 Some kind of a job but I wanted to be home 159 00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:21,480 So I the dance studio landed in my lap and so it takes a village 160 00:13:21,960 --> 00:13:27,400 I had my dad was able to take you guys out to dinner on Tuesdays 161 00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:31,080 You were able to walk down to the dance studio after school 162 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:33,800 How convenient was that? 163 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:39,880 And then I had a neighbor who I bartered dance classes with so that she could cook dinner 164 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:48,200 Vegetable starch and a protein instead of Taco Bell, which is what I was running to get for the first year 165 00:13:48,360 --> 00:13:50,360 So basically you had a lot of help 166 00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:57,880 When you needed it where you needed it and you got very creative on your time off and probably not having a lot of time off 167 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:04,040 Um, I do remember doing a lot of things. So I'm not too sure how you how you managed to juggle it off 168 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:07,080 What I do remember is there is a third floor at studio 169 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:15,160 That was converted into inflatable furniture. So you would climb up the it was like one of those pull down 170 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:19,480 Oh, there were stairs. There were stairs before we got rid of the stairs 171 00:14:19,560 --> 00:14:24,760 There was a stairwell to the attic right and then it converted to like a pull down lever of a ladder 172 00:14:25,160 --> 00:14:28,760 But the third floor was like to hang out while you were teaching late 173 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:31,240 So it'd be after school we'd go up there 174 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:36,920 I think there was even a TV up there, but there was a bunch of your clothes from the 70s 175 00:14:38,200 --> 00:14:41,800 And I remember just like playing with them and dressing dressing up and waiting for 176 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:44,280 Glasses to be over over for the day 177 00:14:44,360 --> 00:14:51,080 So you've had many many many many little ballerinas in and out of the dance studio for the past 26 years 178 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:57,080 You have like a a nursery rhyme story or a we'll preface it by every 179 00:14:57,080 --> 00:15:02,280 Every little boy or girl that dances in between their ballet and their tap section of the dance class 180 00:15:02,280 --> 00:15:05,080 They have to stand up in front of the room and and do a nursery rhyme 181 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:07,480 And it's something that I used to 182 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:13,960 Get so nervous about I I remember getting nervous to stand up and do my nursery rhyme. Did you I don't remember anything 183 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:18,760 Really? I truly do not have memories. I don't know. Yeah, I used to get so nervous 184 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:26,120 Well, the difference between Carly taking dance in the dance studio was no one knew she was my daughter 185 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:29,080 until mid-year a mother came up to me and went 186 00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:36,600 Is Carly your daughter because she called me miss Carmella and I just didn't do like 187 00:15:37,240 --> 00:15:43,160 Make her didn't make me feel special. No, I tried to make you feel like everybody else in the class 188 00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:50,120 And then car and then when victoria came she'd hang on the bar and say I don't feel like dancing today or mom 189 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:53,000 She's not doing it right 190 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:56,200 And I said to the other teacher I can't teach her 191 00:15:57,640 --> 00:15:59,880 You have to you have to take her 192 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:02,600 It's amazing how the tables have turned 193 00:16:03,720 --> 00:16:05,720 We have completely switched personalities 194 00:16:06,360 --> 00:16:08,360 I don't know when that happened 195 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:16,600 Um, yes, I do have a nursery rhyme story that sticks out of my brain a little little blue-eyed blonde hair three-year-old little girl 196 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:21,320 Stood up. She was not a precocious child. She was extremely 197 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:23,320 Um shy 198 00:16:23,640 --> 00:16:27,640 And she stood up and she put her hands on her hips and she went boom 199 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:30,520 Wow, wow 200 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:34,360 Chica wow, I looked at her mother her mother had her head in her hand 201 00:16:34,840 --> 00:16:42,840 Just shaking her head like where did she learn this? Oh my gosh. Yeah, that was and then of course your abc's kind of 202 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:45,960 Melt into twinkle twinkle little star 203 00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:50,680 Who which melt because they get nervous and then they but it's good public speaking 204 00:16:51,320 --> 00:16:56,360 And it's a good break and then there's my kids who go in and sing the greatest showman. Yes 205 00:16:57,560 --> 00:17:02,360 Nobody would sing every song from the greatest showman greatest showman. Oh my gosh 206 00:17:02,680 --> 00:17:12,680 So you started the dance studio in the 90s and now it's 2023. Yeah, so what do you think or what do you see are the biggest differences between the kids? 207 00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:15,480 Coming to the studio in the 90s versus now 208 00:17:16,360 --> 00:17:22,120 Okay, the difference between the kids in the 90s and the kids nowadays are phones 209 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:29,960 That's it. And and I think because of the pandemic they have become the little ones. I'm talking about the little ones they have 210 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:35,560 Become very attached to their parents and they need hugs 211 00:17:35,560 --> 00:17:42,600 So I've incorporated boray for hugs so that they can go over and have physical contact with their parents because 212 00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:46,600 I encouraged the parents of the little ones to stay in the room 213 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:49,240 Um and watch the dance class 214 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:55,480 Most of them watch the dance class some of them use their phones and the teenagers and the older ones 215 00:17:56,360 --> 00:17:58,360 It's just they do 216 00:17:58,360 --> 00:18:07,480 Not quite get that their body is not on instant gratification. It takes a while for your body to be trained into be 217 00:18:08,120 --> 00:18:15,240 Flexible and learn a technique. Well, that's from I think it's from like tick tock and stamp to everything is 218 00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:18,360 15 seconds 20 seconds you learn a really quick 219 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:23,480 I don't even want to call them dances. They're they're kind of a snippets not yeah 220 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:28,680 And it's just hand movements so then when you try to ask them to do actual technique across the floor 221 00:18:29,160 --> 00:18:34,520 Or learn a combination and come back the next weekend remember the combination like memory 222 00:18:35,320 --> 00:18:40,520 Memory is almost it's the attention span. It's not existed. Oh, you know what I think too 223 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:45,320 Which I found because victoria and I both teach at the dance studio as well that the kids 224 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:50,760 Don't like to not get the step on the first try right they get so frustrated 225 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:57,080 Yeah, that why don't I get this right now? And I always say go home and practice if you could do it on the first day 226 00:18:57,160 --> 00:18:58,840 You wouldn't need me. Why am I here? 227 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:01,000 Like you would not you don't need a teacher if you 228 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:03,320 I ask my question all the time 229 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:05,320 Why are you here? 230 00:19:05,320 --> 00:19:07,560 I'm like literally there's six. I'm like, why am I here guys? 231 00:19:08,680 --> 00:19:10,440 honestly 232 00:19:10,440 --> 00:19:18,040 But it's true. I mean they get so frustrated so easily if they don't get it on the first day. Yeah, they don't understand 233 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:24,200 Training hard work. You've got to you've got to practice. They don't get that 234 00:19:24,680 --> 00:19:29,960 They like you said it instant gratification everything is fast. Yeah, I have a question 235 00:19:29,960 --> 00:19:32,280 That's not what we have given you already 236 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:35,160 So I'm a little nervous to ask you because I don't know where you're going to go with this 237 00:19:36,120 --> 00:19:39,160 We a little statement first. We are not a competition studio 238 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:44,760 We've never been a competition dance studio and that's nothing against competition competition dance studios 239 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:47,000 It's just that we are not one. Why are we not one? 240 00:19:47,000 --> 00:19:50,440 Because I want it to be a stress-free 241 00:19:51,560 --> 00:19:54,360 Environment and nothing's about money clearly 242 00:19:55,480 --> 00:20:02,200 We've stated that already money is not important. That's exactly right competition is a money maker for the dance studio 243 00:20:02,280 --> 00:20:09,720 But but also it it creates competition among the dancers. I want my students to 244 00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:16,360 Compete against themselves the previous week. I want them to get better 245 00:20:17,080 --> 00:20:18,360 at something 246 00:20:18,360 --> 00:20:24,520 Because because they went home in practice not and I don't want them to get better to be in the front line 247 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:30,600 Or to get better than the girl next to them. I want them to dance because they love to dance 248 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:34,440 I don't want them to dance for a trophy. You always said 249 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:43,000 You believed and even with like dancing with the stars that it's so hard to pick a quote-unquote winner because dance is an art form 250 00:20:43,080 --> 00:20:45,960 It's an art. It's different. It's there is no comparison 251 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:49,480 between genres and techniques. So 252 00:20:50,120 --> 00:20:55,560 I feel like that filters into your your studio motto. Absolutely. You can't compare 253 00:20:56,200 --> 00:20:57,640 one 254 00:20:57,640 --> 00:21:03,480 Person's choreography an idea of interpretation of a song with another one. They're apples and oranges 255 00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:05,480 But it's a personal choice 256 00:21:05,800 --> 00:21:11,240 How a judge judges at a dance competition and I will tell you another reason 257 00:21:11,800 --> 00:21:18,280 I don't ask for tricks to blow out their knees or blow out their hips. I'm 60 258 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:21,880 years old 259 00:21:22,040 --> 00:21:25,160 Uh, that was not an editing trick ladies and gentlemen 260 00:21:26,680 --> 00:21:28,680 And I'm still dancing 261 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:34,760 Why because I was never required by my dance teacher here by any 262 00:21:35,560 --> 00:21:41,560 professional dance studio that I danced in new york and I danced for 12 years in new york city 263 00:21:41,880 --> 00:21:46,760 No one required me to do tricks that were going to damage my knees and my hips 264 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:53,160 Because they know that my knees and my hips are my money makers and people don't get hired 265 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:58,200 People don't get hired if they have injured knees or bad hips 266 00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:04,520 A lot of the dance teachers at the dance studio are from competition studios. So we have nothing against that 267 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:09,320 So you just said that you danced in new york and they saved your hips 268 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:14,520 Cool uh, you used to take from your 269 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:21,880 You danced idols really. Yes, right? Who who were who were yours? Like who are the people that you learned? 270 00:22:21,880 --> 00:22:28,440 Oh my gosh in new york, uh, phil black. He was awesome. He was 49th in broadway 271 00:22:29,160 --> 00:22:32,040 Chuck kelly was broadway dance 272 00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:39,960 Where the uh tonight show studio now is that was 50th in broadway. Wasn't he like rough chuck? 273 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:45,960 Kelly was tough man. He was tough. He I had a love hate relationship with him because 274 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:53,560 Uh, weren't you pregnant and he made you roll around on the floor? Yes with who which kid by myself which belly belly 275 00:22:54,360 --> 00:22:56,840 I was 65 pounds heavier 276 00:22:57,560 --> 00:23:02,680 And I was the only pregnant dancer that I knew of in all of new york 277 00:23:02,760 --> 00:23:08,760 I went everywhere and I no one else was pregnant. Nobody that no that was unheard of 278 00:23:09,480 --> 00:23:12,440 And so at the end of every class chuck would say okay 279 00:23:12,440 --> 00:23:18,920 Everybody with white dance shoes get out in the floor and do the combination. Okay, everybody wearing a black top come out 280 00:23:18,920 --> 00:23:25,480 And do do the combination one day. He said okay, everybody pregnant come out on the dance floor 281 00:23:26,440 --> 00:23:32,040 And I was dancing with broadway dancers. I mean these guys and girls were 282 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:39,000 Awesome and I walked out. I looked at chuck like I can't believe you're doing this to me 283 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:46,360 And he put the music on and I did it and it was a combination where we rolled on the floor stood up jumped high kick 284 00:23:46,920 --> 00:23:49,720 double turn and I nailed it and 285 00:23:50,680 --> 00:23:52,680 dancers went nuts 286 00:23:53,560 --> 00:23:59,240 Crazy if we had had phones at this point. You would have been viral. It would have gone viral 287 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:01,720 I can remember what I was wearing. I wore 288 00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:10,120 blue maternity terry cloth top because of course couldn't show your belly you had to hide your belly back then but at 289 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:15,800 65 pounds heavier. I couldn't hide anything that I did have a love hate relationship with chuck 290 00:24:15,800 --> 00:24:17,800 But he made me the best dancer I ever was 291 00:24:18,360 --> 00:24:20,360 I feel like that's a big difference 292 00:24:20,840 --> 00:24:23,800 in today's world like from teaching that 293 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:29,320 Criticism I don't know if criticism is the right word or construct. It's definitely constructive criticism to 294 00:24:29,320 --> 00:24:31,720 What you're talking about with chuck kelly, right? 295 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:36,440 But it was in more of a harsh way than than I would ever do it to my students 296 00:24:36,440 --> 00:24:42,520 But they can't take it these days. They can't take the corrections is what it is right jojo smith 297 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:44,680 We'd be on the floor stretching 298 00:24:45,160 --> 00:24:50,680 And I was never the most flexible person in the class and he'd walk right on top of me and he'd look down and he'd say 299 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:58,680 So you want to be a dancer? Yeah, could you imagine if we said that to anybody we'd get parent emails immediately? 300 00:24:58,680 --> 00:25:04,280 Yeah, I don't think it's like that at all anymore. It can't be something something changed in the 301 00:25:05,160 --> 00:25:10,440 In the effort to want to be better at something and putting the work in and getting 302 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:18,680 The correction which is also another word for the support from a tough teacher who just wants to push you into the next stage 303 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:20,520 Of your abilities 304 00:25:20,520 --> 00:25:27,640 Yeah, and I find that I had maybe in 20 years one child who was a perfectionist and I knew that I couldn't correct her 305 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:35,320 Now I have maybe two in every class where I know I cannot correct them because they won't have a meltdown 306 00:25:35,880 --> 00:25:41,880 If a teacher corrects you that means they care about your progress. I say if I'm correcting you it means I'm watching you 307 00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:47,560 Exactly. There's a lot of kids in the class. That means I'm watching you and I want you to be better. That's right. Exactly 308 00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:49,640 I don't want you to be better too, carly 309 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:53,400 Could you just be better? But I don't take your corrections 310 00:25:53,400 --> 00:26:00,920 Now and I totally agree with you but just to put some perspective the people and the teachers that you're talking about in New York 311 00:26:01,080 --> 00:26:06,840 You were not a child age. You were an adult. It was a different style and um 312 00:26:07,400 --> 00:26:08,360 era 313 00:26:08,360 --> 00:26:13,160 Yeah, an environment in the world of dance and I don't know what Broadway dance centers like these days 314 00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:14,360 I haven't been there in a long time 315 00:26:14,360 --> 00:26:18,360 But I definitely had a respect for the teacher and if they had something to say to me 316 00:26:18,440 --> 00:26:19,480 I was like, oh my gosh 317 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:24,280 I can't wait to come in the next week and do it right and do it the way that they want me to do it 318 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:29,560 And yeah, it's definitely definitely changed. So is there is there any other teacher? I remember another name 319 00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:31,080 Jojo Smith 320 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:33,080 Frank Hatchet 321 00:26:33,160 --> 00:26:34,600 Jojo Smith 322 00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:41,800 Chuck Kelly they were my three main ones. I loved Frank Hatchet. Yeah. Oh and I took from Luigi too, but that's Luigi 323 00:26:41,960 --> 00:26:47,080 Yeah, Luigi and an Ryan King. I'm a good name drop now. No big deal, but 324 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:49,080 Oh 325 00:26:49,080 --> 00:26:59,080 Wait, wait, stop. Yeah, hold the presses. Oh my gosh. Okay. Gregory Heinz. Yes is the probably the most well known tapper in the entire world 326 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:03,800 Okay, so when I was waiting in between classes at Broadway dance between there was like 327 00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:07,720 eight different studios and in between classes 328 00:27:07,720 --> 00:27:10,200 I would take two but I'd have to wait a couple of hours 329 00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:16,440 And in walk this man who would sit there with me. He was writing a play and he would we became friends 330 00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:20,200 He would ask me to read a scene. So I read his scenes with him 331 00:27:20,520 --> 00:27:25,080 And he would come every day and I would love to be with him and people would walk by him and say 332 00:27:25,320 --> 00:27:31,320 Hey, Heinz. Hi, Heinz. How you doing, Heinz? I'd be in class. Heinz. He would walk past the door. He'd wave to me 333 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:32,680 I'd wave 334 00:27:32,680 --> 00:27:39,640 I was living on 92nd and Lex my girlfriend my roommate was having a wedding reception in our apartment 335 00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:41,960 She married a soap opera star 336 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:46,920 In California, but she was having her new york party. Oh my gosh 337 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:54,360 In walks my friend to the wedding reception at my apartment in walks my friend with his entourage 338 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:58,280 And he I'll never forget it. He was standing by the kitchen 339 00:27:58,840 --> 00:28:03,880 Sink in the kitchen and I walked up. I was like, oh my gosh. I can't believe you're here 340 00:28:04,120 --> 00:28:07,000 Guess who's coming tonight and he said who I said 341 00:28:07,000 --> 00:28:14,520 Gregory Heinz. He's a friend of my roommate's husband and Gregory Heinz is coming tonight 342 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:21,000 I'm so excited while all of his friends were standing around and they were kind of chuckling and laughing and he's like 343 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:24,520 Oh, are you kidding me? Now? He knew my name Carmella 344 00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:29,960 But and I knew him as Heinz. He I never put the two together. I don't know why 345 00:28:30,520 --> 00:28:32,520 Oh, you have no room to talk 346 00:28:32,920 --> 00:28:34,040 so 347 00:28:34,040 --> 00:28:41,240 He let me go on for a while and his brother Maurice was standing right next to him and I didn't know Maurice Heinz either 348 00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:44,360 He's a big tapper. They tapped together as children 349 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:52,520 He said Carmella. I am Gregory Heinz. I was like, oh my god. We had a great time 350 00:28:55,880 --> 00:28:59,080 Anyway, I just wanted everybody to know do things make more sense to you all now 351 00:28:59,720 --> 00:29:01,720 Is it all coming together? 352 00:29:01,720 --> 00:29:08,920 You're not here to see our mom doing a complete on musical theater show on the couch right now 353 00:29:08,920 --> 00:29:14,360 I mean the arms are going wild the facial expressions hitting the plants hitting the dog. There's a lot happening 354 00:29:14,440 --> 00:29:18,120 There's a lot going on so we're gonna move on and move into 355 00:29:18,840 --> 00:29:22,040 A game that she's not prepared with 356 00:29:22,600 --> 00:29:25,000 Okay, it's called pick me 357 00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:31,000 But also known as pick which daughter is your favorite you have no choice or you'll die 358 00:29:34,120 --> 00:29:38,440 Okay, the point of the game is that we're going to ask you a question 359 00:29:38,920 --> 00:29:44,200 And you're gonna decide whether your favorite daughter to do that with would be carly or victoria 360 00:29:45,160 --> 00:29:49,560 Or who you think it's most likely going to be 361 00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:54,680 Or who would most likely enjoy it more. No, you're that's this is not your game 362 00:29:56,360 --> 00:29:58,840 No, you don't get to make the rules here pick me 363 00:30:00,200 --> 00:30:03,560 Who is most likely to go on a new experience with you? 364 00:30:04,680 --> 00:30:08,600 There's no wrong answer. Okay, victoria. I think so too 365 00:30:09,720 --> 00:30:11,880 Who is most likely to spend all of your money? 366 00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:19,800 Carly, yeah, we know that who is most likely to call from jail at 2 a.m. 367 00:30:20,440 --> 00:30:22,440 Billy 368 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:28,920 She said she said she's gonna pick Billy. I knew it not even an option, but it's okay 369 00:30:30,520 --> 00:30:34,520 Who is most likely to drive on empty carly? 370 00:30:34,520 --> 00:30:41,400 Carly scar has left carmella in the lurch a few times on the new jersey turnpike 371 00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:44,120 My bad 372 00:30:44,120 --> 00:30:47,240 Okay, who is most likely to drive across country with you? 373 00:30:49,720 --> 00:30:55,560 I don't think anybody don't have a stroke just answer the question victoria, but I don't think she would survive 374 00:30:55,720 --> 00:30:59,800 I think she would take a bus home midway 375 00:30:59,800 --> 00:31:05,000 Hey, who are you still most likely to be the designated driver for? 376 00:31:05,800 --> 00:31:09,560 Oh, oh, okay. Oh carly. Yeah, okay 377 00:31:12,360 --> 00:31:17,480 Um, who is most likely to be late carly. Yeah, okay. Yeah 378 00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:23,880 Who is most likely to go overboard on everything in life? Oh, geez 379 00:31:24,680 --> 00:31:26,680 Billy 380 00:31:26,680 --> 00:31:29,160 Ding ding ding correct 381 00:31:30,760 --> 00:31:35,240 Who are you most likely to move in with when you get older? I know you don't want to live with anybody 382 00:31:35,240 --> 00:31:42,120 But if you had to pick I'm not living with anybody. I'm not I'll be homeless first pick. No 383 00:31:43,480 --> 00:31:45,960 Pepper this is the dog 384 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:49,720 Okay, fine you win 385 00:31:49,880 --> 00:31:52,840 Who are you most likely to be spontaneous with? 386 00:31:53,240 --> 00:31:55,240 uh spontaneous 387 00:31:55,240 --> 00:31:58,040 Victoria yeah ding I think so 388 00:31:58,840 --> 00:32:03,000 And last you don't have to say ding do dings are dings worthy of anything? 389 00:32:03,960 --> 00:32:07,320 dings like do I get anything for a ding you get to live another day 390 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:16,680 Last one who is most likely to help you bury a dead body. Oh, oh 391 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:19,560 Now think about this answer Billy 392 00:32:19,880 --> 00:32:21,880 If there's no right answer carly 393 00:32:21,880 --> 00:32:29,480 That's Victoria. Are you kidding right now? All three of them would come and help me. Honest to god. No, I wouldn't 394 00:32:31,240 --> 00:32:35,400 Yes, you would you'd be yelling the whole time that Victoria wasn't digging right? 395 00:32:36,200 --> 00:32:38,200 That is so 396 00:32:38,280 --> 00:32:42,920 And I would be standing there with their arms folding saying I don't want to do this but dig a little deeper 397 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:46,760 She would rattle off all of your true crime 398 00:32:47,560 --> 00:32:49,560 information that you learn 399 00:32:49,560 --> 00:32:53,320 And I'd be so mad that Billy got out of it by living in Kentucky Kentucky 400 00:32:53,640 --> 00:32:59,400 No, but you know what if I had a dead body Victoria would do the labor carly would be standing there 401 00:32:59,960 --> 00:33:05,160 officiating or looking for the lookout and Billy would have be advising from long distance 402 00:33:05,640 --> 00:33:08,360 That's pretty much. Have you thought about this before? 403 00:33:12,040 --> 00:33:16,360 Um and that is it mom you've completed the game you've won and you've lost 404 00:33:16,360 --> 00:33:18,680 And from birth to death 405 00:33:25,320 --> 00:33:27,320 Well, it's been a joy 406 00:33:27,320 --> 00:33:29,880 Carm it's been very fun to have you on 407 00:33:30,600 --> 00:33:34,680 Thank you for for enlightening us. Well, thanks for having me 408 00:33:37,560 --> 00:33:39,720 You say that just as well as I say my name 409 00:33:40,280 --> 00:33:41,400 Oh, man 410 00:33:41,400 --> 00:33:43,000 Oh, man 411 00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:45,000 Thanks for having me 412 00:33:45,000 --> 00:33:47,400 So she's giving us options to give us another one 413 00:33:48,840 --> 00:33:56,040 Thanks for having me. Thanks for having me. Oh just different emphasis just different ways to say. Well, no, well, thank you 414 00:33:58,840 --> 00:34:02,440 Oh my god, we're never gonna get out of here. Thank you girls 415 00:34:02,440 --> 00:34:16,520 You're real tip and your real extra tip don't necessarily go together today, but we pulled both of these options 416 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:19,000 from Carmella's conversation 417 00:34:19,080 --> 00:34:24,840 And we think they're really important. So your real tip today for me is hey look ma I made it 418 00:34:27,320 --> 00:34:31,880 So the beginning of the conversation was all about all of Carmella's jobs throughout the years 419 00:34:31,880 --> 00:34:34,280 And we're not gonna rattle them all off again. Don't worry 420 00:34:34,680 --> 00:34:40,840 But the tip is if there is something that you have not done or I've always wanted to try 421 00:34:41,320 --> 00:34:45,400 Or just something that maybe just sparked your interest recently do it 422 00:34:46,040 --> 00:34:52,920 Do not think about it do it life is too short if you end up not liking it. Oh, well, but do it try 423 00:34:53,240 --> 00:34:56,360 Figure out a way to get it done start it experience it 424 00:34:56,360 --> 00:35:01,560 And then you'll have that experience under your belt and there will be absolutely no regrets 425 00:35:02,040 --> 00:35:07,480 And now for your real extra tip of the week. It's called. Hey ma the meatloaf 426 00:35:08,280 --> 00:35:10,760 Which is a reference from what movie victoria? 427 00:35:12,280 --> 00:35:15,640 Wedding crashers wedding crashers if you've never seen it 428 00:35:16,360 --> 00:35:17,640 Look it up 429 00:35:17,640 --> 00:35:24,360 What that means is to find a family member or friend who tells the absolute best stories and really be in the present moment 430 00:35:24,360 --> 00:35:31,080 Listen to them. Heck even write it down. It's about taking time to really connect and create some memories 431 00:35:32,120 --> 00:35:37,960 All right, thanks. Carm you can find her every day of the week at Carmella's dance studio or 432 00:35:38,680 --> 00:35:43,640 At her own time frame for all of our c-fit fitness classes. She doesn't really follow the schedule. She does her own thing 433 00:35:43,720 --> 00:35:50,680 So, uh, she's around well, thanks for having me and I have a lot more stories that I wasn't allowed to tell today 434 00:35:50,680 --> 00:35:56,280 So if anybody wants to hear them they can read my book in about 20 years 435 00:35:57,160 --> 00:36:05,000 Or I can burn your ears and tell you more stories. Thanks girls. I love you. Thanks mom. Love you 436 00:36:05,000 --> 00:36:19,000 Remember you are always fit to be real and always allowed to be a little extra or in this case a lot extra 437 00:36:22,760 --> 00:36:29,080 For legal reasons we have to tell you that this podcast is meant for entertainment and educational purposes only we are not health care 438 00:36:29,080 --> 00:36:35,480 professionals for all of your health wellness fitness and self-care needs, please refer to the medical professional in your life 439 00:36:35,800 --> 00:36:39,000 Your primary care physician your therapist a certified coach 440 00:36:39,240 --> 00:36:40,840 Whoever it may be 441 00:36:40,840 --> 00:36:45,320 And then let us know what they say because I guarantee we need to know it too. Okay 442 00:36:45,320 --> 00:36:58,440 Okay. Bye.