What insights can be gained from exploring human movement, physics, and juggling in weightlessness? Adam Dipert is a Postdoctoral Research Scholar in Physics at North Carolina State University and has wowed audiences as a professional circus performer for nearly twenty years. He started studying human movement in weightlessness in preparation for his first parabolic flight in 2016, and since then he has logged countless hours exploring the frontiers of microgravity flow in pools, aerial harnesse...
Sep 16, 2022•1 hr 27 min•Season 6Ep. 153
How does the process of reflection and self-improvement shape personal growth and teaching methodologies? Alan Tran is a parkour coach and collaborator from Raleigh, North Carolina. He’s the founder of Enso Movement and is a director for both the Art of Retreat and the United States Parkour Association. Alan continues to serve the parkour and movement community through active service and outreach. "I carved out the space to de-evolve and reinvent myself. In many ways, it wasn't intentional by an...
Aug 11, 2022•56 min•Season 6Ep. 152
How does play and movement intersect with personal growth, mental health, and the practice of Parkour? Exploring how Parkour connects to mental health and play reveals deep personal insights. "It's all about play. And I think that making— I love strengthening and I love building— you know, physical capacity. But in the end, that's just a couple of stepping stones towards building people's ability to play." ~ Kel Glaister (6:46) The discussion opens with reflections on the influence of animals, l...
Aug 04, 2022•20 min•Season 6Ep. 151
What drives personal growth and the mindset necessary to embrace challenges in physical and mental practices? A journey of self-improvement unfolds through insights on goal-setting, risk assessment, and personal evolution. "Through parkour, I've been able to open up my perspective on life a ton and it's created so many different opportunities." ~ Seth Ruji (20:04) The conversation centers on personal growth, emphasizing mental and physical discipline. Topics include the importance of structured ...
Jul 28, 2022•25 min•Season 6Ep. 150
What are the challenges and opportunities in advancing Parkour as a sport, a community activity, and a professional field? The conversation explores the evolution of Parkour and its integration into schools and professional spaces. "The idea is we want a place that they can be creative, and not just be forced to do [movement] by the book. Maybe they could build stuff, maybe they can make new challenges." ~ Robbie Corbett (1:24) The discussion begins with reflections on the creation of a pop-up P...
Jul 28, 2022•26 min•Season 6Ep. 149
The journey from New Jersey to Asheville reveals how a Parkour athlete reshaped his movement training in the wilderness. Ryan Mallon is a parkour athlete, coach, rock climber, and general outdoorsman. His personal journey includes being an American Parkour sponsored athlete, and an APK ambassador. He’s coached state champion and regional-placing gymnasts, and has competed in World Chase Tag USA. More recently, Ryan spends much of his time in the beautiful mountains outside of Asheville, North Ca...
Jul 25, 2022•1 hr 25 min•Season 6Ep. 148
What role does problem-solving and creativity play in the intersection of programming, parkour, and personal growth? The discussion reveals how creativity and self-discipline shape one's approach to challenges in life and movement. "Sometimes the right thing to do is to walk away from the problem or to recognize that it's not the right time or you're not in the right place for it." ~ James Adams (14:39) The conversation explores the intersection of programming, parkour, and personal growth, high...
Jul 22, 2022•20 min•Season 6Ep. 147
How do personal exploration, creativity, and cultural influences shape movement practices and artistic endeavors? Christian Anderson is a parkour coach, athlete, teacher, martial artist, and movement artist. He created his own parkour teaching program, pursues weapons training, and is an artist in other mediums, including drawing, music, videos, and blade-smithing. Christian earned his bachelors in Landscape architecture at North Carolina A&T University. "You don't have to tell a kid to play...
Jul 16, 2022•1 hr 10 min•Season 6Ep. 146
How does movement influence personal change and adaptability in life? Movement evolves from a tool for improvement to a means of adapting to life’s challenges. "I think that when I started doing Parkour, the movement was a kind of like— it was constant exploration. […] But as more time has gone, I started to feel that that change isn't just trying to improve. [It's] more to adapt on how you can perform? Or how would— How do you see a challenge? Or how do you process a challenge?" ~ Janne Laurila...
Jun 22, 2022•21 min•Season 6Ep. 145
How is Parkour evolving as a practice and community in New York City and beyond? New York City's architecture naturally creates countless Parkour challenges waiting to be discovered. "The way that these kids will surpass us one day is going to be amazing." ~ Bryce Clarke (8:48) The conversation explores the evolution of Parkour as both a practice and a community in New York City. Bryce reflects on how the city’s architecture and public spaces, including playgrounds and scaffolding, provide natur...
Jun 17, 2022•20 min•Season 6Ep. 144
How does practicing contortion influence mental calmness and overall life perspective? Contortion is not just about physical flexibility but a mental practice of finding calmness. "The only way to do it, was to be calm. You can't— It's physically impossible to do it anxious. There's just no way. So you have to [find] calmness or… or nothing." ~ Tori Kubick (11:33) The conversation explores the transformative aspects of contortion, emphasizing how the practice fosters mental calmness alongside ph...
May 26, 2022•21 min•Season 6Ep. 143
How has participation in World Chase Tag and related activities influenced the personal training practices, community dynamics, and professional development of its participants? World Chase Tag is transforming the perception of traditional playground games into a high-stakes global sport. "It definitely feels like it feels like 3D Chess, but just at a very rapid pace, just because of that other individual in you, you will get feedback from them, regardless of what they do." ~ Frank Mejia (6:53) ...
May 26, 2022•23 min•Season 6Ep. 142
How can Olympic weightlifting enhance performance and longevity in Parkour practice? Technical movements in weightlifting unlock unexpected benefits for Parkour athletes. "A lot of people think like, Oh, I'm just gonna push as hard as I can and, you know, get this bar overhead and basically muscle it. And there's a lot of danger in that, right? Because there's not a lot of thought behind it. If you try to muscle something, you'll only get to a certain point without technique, and kind of the sam...
May 26, 2022•23 min•Season 6Ep. 141
How can physical therapy integrate empathy, precision, and awareness to improve patient outcomes? Movement becomes a gateway to understanding the human experience in this exploration of therapy and wellness. "Curiosity, awareness, and precision are things I think about every single day in my life." ~ Phil Lombardo (21:55) The conversation navigates the transformative potential of empathy, precision, and awareness in physical therapy. It emphasizes the importance of acknowledging patients' emotio...
May 26, 2022•25 min•Season 6Ep. 140
What motivates and shapes the approaches and philosophies of movement practitioners in how they train, coach, and engage with spaces? Designing obstacles and spaces inspires exploration and unique physical expression. "It's just a more, sort of complicated way of, hanging out with your friends and playing with blocks when you're a little kid." ~ Nick Anastasia (21:10) The conversation explores the philosophy and practice of movement through structured play, improvisation, and coaching. Nick refl...
May 25, 2022•23 min•Season 6Ep. 139
What are the key insights into natural movement, breathing, and how they connect to overall well-being? MaryBeth Gangemi’s experience as a social worker has had a profound affect on how she approaches her movement practice and working with clients. She shares her own movement journey, from city to country side. MaryBeth discusses the importance of environment, breathing, and play on our ability to move well and ‘naturally.’ She unpacks her thoughts on the connections between social work and move...
May 24, 2022•1 hr 32 min•Season 6Ep. 138
What inspires and informs the practice and teaching of movement, particularly focusing on softness and adaptability, in Parkour? Training barefoot and the choice of footwear reveal unexpected connections to movement fluidity. "I was always a very power hungry— Very, how far can I jump? How big of a movement can I do? Because that was always what caught the attention. But then […] I watched one of [Minh Vu Ngok's] videos. And he was just such a beautiful mover, doing everything so elegantly, doin...
May 18, 2022•22 min•Season 6Ep. 137
What unique insights and experiences do practitioners of partner acrobatics and group acrobatics share about their journey, techniques, and community-building? "Partner acrobatics is a very deep discipline where you can get into very, very advanced poses that take a long time. […] I'd say it's got a very friendly start to the learning curve. And then it gets harder from there." ~ Ben Klein (2:11) Partner acrobatics offers a unique blend of trust, technique, and teamwork rarely found in solo prac...
May 16, 2022•22 min•Season 6Ep. 136
What insights can a photographer share about the collaborative process of capturing movement, particularly when working with athletes? Discover the intersection of art and athleticism through the lens of a movement-focused photographer. "Having been around so many different athletes, I think what's really fascinating to me is the process, where you get a front-row seat to the process of them breaking a jump. And working through the challenges. And I can't get enough of that. That is— I find that...
May 13, 2022•22 min•Season 6Ep. 135
How can movement professionals inspire hope, encourage personal growth, and create spaces that foster inclusivity and collaboration? ‘Peanut butter and chocolate’ perfectly describes Dani Almeyda and Tim Anderson’s working relationship, and why they’ve successfully built a business together. They discuss Original Strength, what it takes to work with someone for 10 years, and why they remain passionate about their work. Dani unpacks her work with the Women’s Movement Collaborative, and Tim shares...
May 12, 2022•1 hr 20 min•Season 6Ep. 134
How does photography, particularly portraiture and movement photography, influence people's self-perception and their ability to express authenticity? Movement photography captures authenticity in ways still photography often cannot. "The idea of a portrait is to crack this mask and get into the persona, so I actually have a genuine persona, rather than their predefined version of how they think they should look." ~ Viktor Andersson (12:07) The conversation focuses on the intersections of photog...
May 10, 2022•22 min•Season 6Ep. 133
What insights can be gained about the culture, practice, and academic study of Parkour? The conversation explores how Parkour evolved into a subject of academic research and its broader cultural implications. "I just got so interested in Parkour that I tried to spin every single project of any kind that I did, towards Parkour. Because I realized there was no— there's hardly any research written about it at all." ~ Damien Puddle (3:50) The conversation covers the cultural and academic dimensions ...
Apr 06, 2022•22 min•Season 6Ep. 132
How do personal experiences and challenges shape an individual's approach to movement practices and training? Exploring the intersection of circus arts, Parkour, and fear-facing techniques reveals unique approaches to movement. "I feel [my rail work] is like somewhere— I think, a middle ground because it connects both what I used to do in the air, and what I do on the floor." ~ AnnSofie Svensson (1:44) The conversation explores the interplay between different movement disciplines, highlighting h...
Mar 31, 2022•21 min•Season 6Ep. 131
What connections and influences exist between Parkour, bouldering, and theater? Combining theater and physical disciplines creates new dimensions for expression and skill development. "Happiness, honesty and exploration." ~ Panda Ilén (19:33) The conversation explores the intersections of Parkour, bouldering, and theater in shaping movement practices and self-expression. Topics include the influence of environment, seasonal changes, and the impact of community versus solitude on training. Panda ...
Mar 28, 2022•20 min•Season 6Ep. 130
How does movement, in its various forms, influence personal growth, perspective, and community connection? Parkour fosters a perspective shift that forever changes how individuals experience their surroundings. "I think it's just about perspective. Everything in life is, and if you can take a fresh perspective that is beneficial to your overall long-term growth, then that's perfect." ~ Trevor de Groot (10:03) The conversation examines the multifaceted role of movement in personal and professiona...
Mar 24, 2022•20 min•Season 6Ep. 129
What strategies can help individuals manage personal challenges, including emotional and creative struggles, while maintaining growth and resilience? A conversation navigating the complexities of identity, mental health, and artistic expression. "What I've realized is that, for me, I'm trying to just honestly recognize how I feel, when I feel it, and acknowledge it. [The] history of old-school Parkour, art school, and then doing stunts for film, kind of made me very good at ignoring how I feel a...
Mar 15, 2022•21 min•Season 6Ep. 128
How does one integrate philosophical and practical approaches to movement and physicality in a meaningful and sustainable way? This conversation explores the deeper connections between philosophy and movement in everyday life. "How do we mitigate injuries? How do you get in tune with your body, right? Versus just like, Hey, Coach, what am I doing today?" ~ Galo Alfredo Naranjo (12:18) The conversation focuses on integrating philosophy into movement and how visual thinking can aid in understandin...
Mar 09, 2022•21 min•Season 6Ep. 127
How does one's personal approach to movement and parkour evolve over time, balancing playfulness, training, and personal growth? This conversation explores the evolution of a 15-year parkour practice and its impact on personal growth. "In the beginning, I used to do a lot of strength training and conditioning, like every week, or every other day. And now it's not part of my routine anymore. Because I feel like I've reached a point where my strength is sufficient for the things I want to do." ~ M...
Mar 09, 2022•20 min•Season 6Ep. 126
What does it mean to find freedom and self-awareness through movement and how can that be applied to personal growth? Movement becomes a metaphor for life, showcasing resilience, mindfulness, and adaptation. "I don't have any goal when I go out to move. I just want to move and to enjoy it." ~ Sam Govindin (7:00) The conversation begins by exploring the concept of movement as both a physical and mental discipline. Same reflects on the importance of being present and adaptable in their practice, e...
Mar 03, 2022•21 min•Season 6Ep. 125
How does photography intersect with movement and identity, and what responsibilities and privileges come with its practice? Parkour and photography share a symbiotic relationship in challenging barriers and fostering connection. "Photographing parkour in these spaces was giving these monuments kind of new narratives and demonstrating that beyond the history, there is the potential to make something new that brings people together." ~ Andy Day (6:45) The conversation explores the interplay betwee...
Mar 02, 2022•23 min•Season 6Ep. 124
