Cassie Jekanoski— So how are both of you guys? Are you excited for tonight?
Yoe— Yeah, I'm really excited about tonight. It's cool to host a Red Bull Dance Your Style event in LA because it's where we're based out of, so I feel like we're going to see a lot of people that we know, and a lot of familiar talent. So, I don't know, we're not from here, but it's been our home for a long time, so I feel like we're home doing this event, so it's going to be cool.
SHEOPATRA— And I'm super excited. I have to agree. I think we're going to see a lot of people that we know, and there's just a lot of high-level dancers here in Los Angeles, so it's always a really great turnout spot, so really excited to be hosting.
Cassie— How long have you lived in LA?
SHEOPATRA— I've been here 13 years.
Cassie— Oh, wow.
SHEOPATRA— Yeah.
Yoe— Eight years.
Cassie— So this is home for you guys right now?
SHEOPATRA— Yeah, we're officially residents of Angeles.
SAHIR AHMED— Is there anyone specifically you're looking forward to seeing?
SHEOPATRA— I'm interested in seeing somebody I don't know. I'm interested in being wowed by someone. A lot of the people I know are amazing, and so some of the people that I know that will be performing are super dope. So... I'm excited to see them, but I'm also super inspired by people that are unexpectedly amazing, and that bring something new. It's inspiring.
Yoe— And it's cool to go to an event in your hometown, essentially, whatever, and you think you know everyone, and then you see a person and you’re like, "Where did you come from?" So I'm going to steal your answer.
Cassie— What would it be about somebody that has that ‘wow factor?’ What do they have about themselves that will blow you away?
SHEOPATRA— For me, individuality, creativity, I think the more a person looks like someone you've never seen the better for me. I think in this culture it's easy because now it's teachable. It's easy for a thousand people to look like one OG. So even though you do it at a high level, it's really exciting when people are just doing new things since that's just kind of the root of our culture, of black culture, and what we do. So I'm always really excited for a new thing. So I'm like, "What's that? I've never seen a person move that way before." So that's what stands out to me. Just saying whatever it is you want to say.
Yoe— I like when people really connect to the music so much so that it looks like it's kind of pouring out them, and it looks like it was based on their body, that almost instinctual, innate connection. You're like, "Oh, you made this song before you came here."
SHEOPATRA— Yeah. It's not them dancing on top of the music. It's them with the music together. I think that's always really cool to watch, especially because all of this is freestyle based. So, for those people to be able to connect so quickly, it's like that's a God-giving gift.
Sahir— What does it mean to you to be hosting a dance competition with such a diversity of talent? Considering how much of your work focuses on uplifting LGBTQ voices, and BIPOC perspectives?
SHEOPATRA— It's really dope. I think it's not new. I think that a lot of businesses and corporations and things are now taking an interest. So I think that's amazing. But I think it's very normal.
Yoe— It's very normal…
SHEOPATRA— ...For us to be in situations like this. I think it's nice that other people, who don't know much about the community, get the chance to see this. I think it's really dope that they don't have to watch Pose or Legendary on TV. They get to really go and be in the space and hopefully be inspired to learn more, advocate more, be out if that's something that you're afraid to do. I think that that's really cool, that it allows people not in this world to have a moment to step in and go, "Oh, this is what you are doing."
Yoe— Yeah, because at our events it's usually just other dancers and then maybe DJs, other artists, but Red Bull, I don't know, it gives a chance for someone who gets off of work to walk by the event and be like, "What is this?" And "I'm going to go in." It just gives people more background on what we do. We're not just going out there and step-touching. People devote their lives to this, so you get to see a competition. People go all the way from 16 rounds to the top. It makes you have more appreciation for it, and I feel like we need that.
Sahir— How does it resonate with the work you do with The Council?
SHEOPATRA— I think it's very similar in the sense of the openness. The Council's such a specific group- It has such a specific point. It's kind of like–
Yoe— It's a niche.
SHEOPATRA— ... "This is me." But I think that I can compare this space in a sense of some collective like the council can come into this space, and I don't feel limited on how I need to be, or how I need to be. I think that I can very much be me, be she, be gay, be black, be outgoing, be all these things, and not necessarily feel like I have to dial it back, and so I can appreciate that in this space. I still get to show up as Sheopatra, and for anybody that knows me, I'm a pretty wordy person. I'm a pretty opinionated person, and I don't really fear anything, so I think that being able to be in this space and still hold that and not rub people the wrong way, I think that is a cool thing. I think that all of us in The Council are pretty much that way–
Yoe— Yeah.
SHEOPATRA— And so I think that this space and providing that for women like us, and voices like ours is something that I find relatable. In the council you can be who you want to be, move how you want to move. I'm supported. If you go outside, and you throw a fist, I'm going to throw it with you. I feel like in Red Bull Dance Your Style, I think that you pretty much can be yourself. I mean, outside of maybe don't boo people and things that aren't traditional battle rules, but I feel like they want people to feel loved because this is a heart thing that they're doing.
Sahir— Essentially giving that safe space.
SHEOPATRA— Yeah, I think it's cool.
Cassie— I feel like we kind of asked a few Red Bull Dance Your Style-based questions, but now I kind of just want to get into just about you guys. How did you two meet, and what is it about each other that inspires you?
Yoe— We met at an audition. I wasn't living here at the time. I was still in Florida, and the audition fell on my college spring break. So I was like, "I'm going to come to the audition, I'm just going to explore, and live my life." But the audition was damn near 24 hours long. It was such a long day.
Cassie— It was "So You Think You Can Dance,” right?
Yoe— Yes. It was such a long day, and you were just with the same group the whole time. Going to interviews. Going to this. “All right group A, go here.” So, she was in my group, and as soon as I met her, we hit it off. And I saw her audition, and I was like, "Oh, she is one of the coldest dancers I've ever seen in my life." So she blew me away.
SHEOPATRA— So this is how we met. She saw me dance, but I didn't see her dance.
Yoe— And I was just like, "Wow, she's crazy," and when she got to see me dance, that's when she was thinking about starting The Council and getting this collective together. She was like, "Hey, when you move to LA let me know. I would love to have you be a part of this collective I'm trying form," and I don't know, I feel like the extra gooey feelings kind of tipped in maybe a year later.
Cassie— So what is it about each other that fuels that inspiration?
SHEOPATRA— I think that I was super inspired because she was, at the time, heavily a contemporary dancer, and she was morphing a lot of popping into her style, and at the time I actually was dating a girl who was a contemporary dancer, and I kept telling her like, "I feel like contemporary dancers have the perfect style to do popping. I just think they have this range." So in my brain I had been imagining this person, and I knew my girlfriend at the time wanted to learn popping. So she was learning a few things here and there. Then I saw her dance, and it was kind of something artistically just came into fruition right before my face, and I just kind of obsessed. I'm a geek about movement, and I feel like more than seeing her as a person. I think I was obsessed over her movement for a great deal of time. And I think that was really inspiring to me. Just seeing somebody with a different range and taking this hitting style and pushing it. I think I was a fan, kind of fangirl.
Yoe— I was a fan.
SHEOPATRA— And I think that was the whole inspiration. Initially, I started fangirling, and then I was like, "I'm going to take a risk and ask her to be in this group, but I know she could say no." So I think that originally was the thing, and then as I got to know her, I think her personality, in general, is what I've learned to be Virgo traits. I learned that I'm very attracted to it. Just working hard, go-getter. Anything she doesn't know, she'll figure it out, and make it happen. So I think now it's more of those things, the little things, the simple things that you have to really get to know a person.
Sahir— Well, considering the hip-hop world, it's tough, hard-hitting, and primarily male dominated, what was it like when first navigating that, and then what advice would you have to women and LGBTQ people who see similar trajectories down the line?
Yoe— When I first started coming up in the freestyle scene in Florida, I was one of three in Central Florida. Even though we were in the same crew, our crew kind of pitted us against one another, and they were like, "Oh, well if you do contemporary, you know so and so says she does contemporary too. So you got to smoke her." I'm like, "Dang, is this my crew mate, or my competition?" So if that still happens today don't let anybody pit you against another female. We should be reaching out to each other, connecting with each other, empowering one another, and really taking up space in this community because we can do things that are impossible. I feel like we're just blessed with different ways of thinking, different ways of moving our weight, and our centers in different places. So we have superpowers that male identifying people cannot access.
Yoe— Any advice for the ladies in the world? Go crazy.
SHEOPATRA— I would just say know the goal. Focus on the goal, and pretty much block everything else out. Every part of life has obstacles. We experience obstacles, but I mean no matter what you do, who you are, you're going to experience obstacles, and you're going to have to decide who you're going to be when the storms happen. I think that building up your foundation is the best thing you can do before you do anything because the moment you start taking that journey, you'll start being pulled in so many different ways. The whole root of being an artist is internal health, mental health. People think it's outward, but it's really mostly inward.
Sahir— Energy.
SHEOPATRA— The last thing would be just truthful to yourself. I think that a lot of people are in a lot of spaces based on a lie, and the lie starts early, and then people stick with that, and they never get better because they become content with mediocrity and not really seeing who they are as a person or an artist. So, I would say find that foundation. Stay grounded. Be honest about your growth, and be honest about what you're giving. That way when other people come to you and say, "I think you can do more," it's not the end of you. Sometimes being given advice or constructively criticized can end people's whole everything.
Sahir— See it more like a new beginning.
Yoe— Yeah.
SHEOPATRA— I feel like the culture's built off of this. In the beginning people had no problem. People that came before you, your OGs being like, "You're hard, but you can go harder."
Cassie— It all comes from a place of love.
SHEOPATRA— Yes, because we want to see the movement get better and continue to evolve.
Sahir— Keep the whole culture alive and see where it can go.
SHEOPATRA— Absolutely, and especially just as a woman, a lot of people lie to women. I'm going to be honest.
Yoe— Oh my gosh, yeah.
SHEOPATRA— They lie a lot.
Yoe— They'll just be like, "You're good. You're good."
SHEOPATRA— Because they already see that the bar is low for a girl. And so you kind of have to look at yourself and go, "No, I don't look like him when he's sliding and I'm gliding. Somebody's lying."
Sahir— It's different.
SHEOPATRA— To truly be the best, you can't really look at the handicap. You got to go for it.
