Just a TEASE... Pole Fitness

Finally!!! I found the video that I shot along with Pole Powerhouse Estee Zakar. The shoot was incredibly fun and the final video turned out great. The video was shot at Tease Studio, Studio 3sixT and at Rock Star Lounge. Shout out to Denver Dance for working with Estee to get students in the video. Myself along with Marguerite, Diego and Eliza participated in the video. Also featured are some of Tease Studios students and instructors. Last Friday, I gave Drag Nation attendees a taste of my pole moves while performing with Denver Dance. We will be working on more routines for our April recital. It is then where I will perform a whole pole routine of 3 minutes vs. just 30 seconds. Pole fitness is not what you think it is. If you have an interest in taking pole class, I encourage you to try. Come take a class with me and the awesome Marguerite. Visit http://www.denverdance.net/ for class schedules. Pole fitness is all about the performance, the sport and the empowerment. Check it out.

ASiELiEN iNVASiON - P2

“Ra! Ra! It’s an ASiELiEN, ya it’s an ASiELiEN iNVASiON!” I continue to chant this to myself days after ASiEL debuted this song at DAMN GURL. “ASiELiEN iNVASiON,” along with eight other songs is what the Denver crowd got served with 2/10/12. ASiEL brought the fire not only with his choreography, but most with his lyrics. “I aint no Barbie, you can’t find me in Wal-Mart.” Truth be told, ASiEL is letting everyone know who he IS NOT and all party goers in attendance loved every second of it. As I made my way into the Glob, I could hear the crowd growing louder and louder. My excitement was up and I immediately made my way through the packed place. ASiEL had taken the stage and the crowd was in the zone. ASiEL performed some past material along with 3 new songs, including “Bloody Mary Jesus Save Me” Remix featuring Lady GaGa, which was mixed by ASiEL’s guitarist Sam Watanuki. ASiEL’s closing song caught me by extreme surprise and I immediately began to jump, scream, and let the cosmic sound take me away. Stay Tuned. Production of the debut is under way. After completing the “Bloody Mary Jesus Save Me” Remix, Sam Watanuki is now working on new material for the album. Along with beginning the album, ASiEL spoke to me about the plans for his next video. The next video is slated to begin filming in April. “I want to have a casting call for the next video,” ASiEL says. “I want every dancer in Denver to be in my next video.” You heard it here first. ASiEL will be teaming up with Denver Dance to host auditions for the upcoming music video. Auditions are slated to begin sometime next month. ASiEL casually tells me, “I want you in the next video too.” Thrilled for another opportunity, I cannot wait to begin production on the next video. The “Eastside” filming was a great experience. I imagined and just recently dreamt this to be 100 times bigger and better. ASiEL states the production of the new video will include a wardrobe / costume designer along with experimentation of special effects and CGI. ASiEL will be teaming up with Denver Lighting Company once again for the next video. Ideally, ASiEL would like to put out 4 – 5 videos from his upcoming debut. What would an album be without a tour? ASiEL is planning a Gay Club Tour over the Summer months. ASiEL would like a dozen dancers to join him on this tour, thus auditions. I ask ASiEL who he would like to collaborate with for the album and he responds, “Of course Janet! I also really want to work with Lil Kim and Ciara.” At this point I remember. “If you put it out there, it will happen.” This summer we will take a trip to a place far away from Planet Earth only known as ASiELAND. With Summer months away, ASiEL is already heating things up. Don’t expect him to cool down anytime soon. After his performance at DAMN GURL, ASiEL tweeted “Got offered a couple new gigs. You never know who is watching. #Grateful.” Catch him February 26th at X -BAR. Get the latest from the man himself @ASiELiEN on Twitter along with Facebook, and of course here. Until his new music is available for download, get your fix by checking out his videos on YouTube, including the “Bloody Mary Jesus Save Me” Remix below. Summer 2012 will come soon enough, but we have already been invaded. ASiEL has given us a taste of what’s coming in the near future and personally, I am hooked. ASiELiEN iNVASiON? Yes, indeed!

Fall...

"Aquel que hoy se cae, manana se levantara."

ASiELiEN iNVASiON - P1

The invasion is upon us. ASiEL is in orbit and ready to spread the music from his planet, with all of us here on Earth. First up, ASiEL returns to DAMN GURL Dance Party, this Friday 2/10/12. I was thrilled to sit and catch up with ASiEL a few weeks ago and get tons of details and some first listen exclusives. While performing all over Colorado throughout 2011, ASiEL never stopped writing new material or chasing his dreams. His debut studio album is expected to be released this Summer, and is being produced by Denver’s own Andrew Nast, who has worked with Britney Spears, Ricky Martin, and the Kardashians. ASiEL believes, “If you put it out there, it will happen,” and I couldn't agree more. With so much to discuss, I eagerly sit and ask. “How did this all happen?” With a perma-grin on his face, ASiEL begins to speak and I am all ears.

Back in June of last year while rehearsing for Pridefest at Decibel Garden Studio, with his band and two dancers known as, “The Divos,” ASiEL knew he wanted to one day record an album here. It wasn’t until November that Mr. Nast contacted ASiEL after watching his “Eastside” video and his pride performance simply stating, “We have to meet.” Andrew Nast had recently completed engineering ASiEL’s guitarists’ album and frequently works at Decibel Garden Studio, which is symbolic of a Buddhist Temple. Before meeting Mr. Nast, ASiEL had connected with a handful of producers with beats via Twitter. After hearing what everyone claimed to be their best beats, ASiEL states, “All beats I heard, had no sound.”

ASiEL’s sound can only be described as out of this planet. It is a new sound that has yet to be heard. I felt honored to hear some of his newest work. ASiEL played me a handful of songs that were recorded on his Apple laptop, waiting to be mastered and included on the debut album, which will be a double disc release. I was blown away by what I heard. ASiEL chose the mix tape style of recording and laid down his lyrics over some very well known beats. With so much aggression and rawness in his lyrics, he sounds more determined than ever. He informs me that what I am hearing has no cuts or editing magic. “One take Jake is my style of recording,” he says. ASiEL would like his skill as a rapper to be front and center of his upcoming project. During his initial meeting with Andrew Nast, ASiEL proved himself by rapping live on the spot after being asked, “Why should I work with you.”

Andrew was ultimately convinced and will be working on ASiEL's debut from the ground up. All songs, written by ASiEL, will be recorded at Decibel and produced by Nast. Expect the first single to drop sometime by Summer. The first cut demo of the single I listened to via his cell phone, immediately took me to a state of higher power. A higher energy began to fill my body as I wished the room we were sitting in had strobe lights, fog machines and a go-go box that I could jump up on and dance my heart out. The sound I heard was just a tease. ASiEL intrigues me, “Imagine that, but fuller and thicker. Imagine the layering of my voice, the addition of harder hip hop beats.” And I do just that. The finished product will be well worth the wait. ASiEL will be teaming up with Denver Lighting Company for the next video which is already in the works.

With his performance just days away, ASiEL has been busy recording the first single of the album and also rehearsing new choreography, setting up photo shoots, conducting interviews and doing what he loves to do: making people feel “ghood” and helping them enter their most stimulated state of mind by spreading Love and Light through his music. The ASiELiEN iNVASiON has just begun. To be continued....

Yup, that's me!

"Is that you?" lots have asked when flipping through the Denver Dance 2012 Calendar. The pic on the left will be on walls in homes all month long. Mr. February, this is your month! Though since the New Year, I have been absent from Tracks and Denver Dance Studio, I have taken the time to think about transition. What do I want to accomplish this year that I have not in the dance realm and also within myself. My brother asked me a couple weeks ago, "So what's up with the dancing? What is your ultimate goal?" The wheels in my head immediately started to turn. What do I want to do that I have not? I believe I have achieved many things in dancing so far.

I recall standing in front of my television as a kid emulating Michael Jackson and Paula Abdul. I recall the endless hours of practice myself and a group of teenage friends would spend rehearsing Janet Jackson routines for Denver's Pridefest. We performed in several Denver clubs including Tracks some 14 years ago. WOW! In just a couple months Denver Dance will be hosting a show for their students to showcase their skills. I will begin working on my pole routine tomorrow when I return to see Ms. Marg in pole class. To answer my brothers question, my goal in dancing is to take every opportunity that presents itself and give my all. Dancing back up on tour for a recording artist would be ultimate. Below is a video of the Drag Nation performance I danced in with Aurora Sexton and a few of my fellow GOGO's. Shout out to Jasmine Sexton for uploading and to JLO for inspiring this performance. Stay Tuned...