DANCE- Ed and Ashley Escobar

Hi, this is Bernie Dake. Welcome to the Salvation Army's Words of Life.

Welcome back to Words of Life. I'm Bernie Dake and with me again this week is our producer, Chris Benjamin. Hey, thank you for having me and thank you for coming back. It's a pleasure. Listen, I'm excited because just this week you guys have recorded two new people to share with our audience.

Tell them about it. So this week, the art that we're talking about is dance and we were joined by a power couple for Christ in Ed and Ashley Escobar. Amen.

Amen. They are incredible dancers and they go all over the territory doing different productions and then also teaching youth at youth camps dance. And they came to the studios and we did our interview there and then they also did a performance for us that we filmed. If you find us on the social medias, Soundcast, look up Salvation Army Soundcast on Facebook or Instagram and we have this beautiful video of them performing along with the interview itself.

I know you're going to enjoy it and we look forward to seeing you next week right here on Words of Life. I think that the part with changing landscapes, I think it'd be cool if you kind of did like a, like that's what kind of like wakes them up a little bit. So it looks like if they were like the landscape and that's what it's like, it's starting to form, you know, and they can like move up and then like freeze in a way and then it'll create like a structure. Yeah.

And then you can go to the next section and then do that. We met at a Salvation Army music camp and she was a part of a performance that we were, that we had choreographed for. And there was this specific part that we were doing and I just was watching her and I was like, who is this person? I just have like, I have to get to know her. And so after the class, I just kind of like went up to her, introduced myself. And I guess at that point she kind of already heard of me because my business partner was at their camp teaching. So I guess we kind of just hung out at this music camp and got to know each other that way.

Yeah. And he was like this super cool, like special guest. And I had just graduated high school from like the middle of nowhere, Arkansas. So I'm like, he's like way too cool for me. Why is he following me?

Why is he hanging out with me? But we know why now. So I had always like grown up performing, doing musical theater, things like that, just in church and at school. But I started dance later in my life, later than people normally do. I was actually a vocalist for a long time and I lost my voice.

I had vocal paralysis for about six months and it just never really came back. And so I was like, well, I got to find something else that I'm passionate about, something else that I love to do. And so I worked at this music conservatory in the Arkansas, Oklahoma division.

And Andy Barrington is the music director there. And he was like, I want you to do creative arts. And I was like, I don't know what that is. What's creative arts?

That's so many. I think like my first summer, I filmed like a music video because I just didn't know what creative arts really was. And then I realized, oh, it's like acting and dancing and it's like all these facets. And I was like, OK, well, I want to dance, you know, I can't really sing anymore, whatever. So I got heavily into that, just like threw myself into it because I'm like, I have to teach these youth like I need to know what I'm doing. But it turns out like that was I just feel like that was a huge avenue for me.

Could have easily gotten really depressed about not having a voice anymore. But and there's times when I did feel that way. But God gave me another opportunity, another outlet to be creative and to use that creativity to reach others.

So I started dancing or like getting really interested in dancing in the Philippines. And it was this like little artist, Michael. His name is Michael Jackson.

And he was just blowing up the stage. And, you know, just watching all his visuals and his performances like all over the world was just like so inspiring. I was like, I want to I want to do that. I want to like be in front of crowds.

And I don't know, it just it just seems so cool. And to be able to move your body in this way was something that I was like, I want to be able to do this. And I remember me, my friends in the Philippines will get together and just like practice like on the street and like learning how to dance and all this. And they used to make fun of me so much. Like, do you move like a rock?

Like, you're just so stiff when you move. And I was like, I don't care. Like, I really love doing this. And we would do like be invited to like dance at parties and all this stuff. So I've always been interested in it. But it was only when I moved to Florida when I was 14 that I found the Salvation Army, went to their music camp and they had like a dance program. And, you know, I went in as a trombone player.

And I was like, OK, but I really love dance. So I took that as an elective and the person teaching it kind of took me under his wing and really taught me that. And then being able to do that as a ministry, I think that's really when I was like, oh, man, there's more to it than just like performing in front of people. So I kind of fell in love with it in that way.

I was with a company called Uprock and we did a show in New York at a thing called the Fringe Festival. And we created this show, which was the Christ story, but it was based in like an asylum. So all these people were bombarded by the things like so we talked about abortion and eating disorders and just a bunch of stuff that would drive people crazy. And Jesus came into this asylum and kind of helped free all these people. So we kind of went through all the stories of each character and how Jesus kind of freed them from those things. And I think it was a highlight for me just being in New York City and then presenting the gospel to people who probably are not interested in hearing stuff like that.

So that was I think for me, it was a highlight. So when I first really got into dance, his dance theater company came out to our camp and was teaching these things called Jesus Walks. And basically you would go around the whole camp and the staff would tell the story of Jesus through secular music and through dancing. And that was like being a part of that, being not just watching, being in it, like that was transformative for me because it was like being a part of the Jesus story in a creative way, in a way that felt relevant. But like physically doing something puts you in a different mindset, puts you in different perspective. And so just seeing it from that perspective and like falling in love with it. And so like, I feel like that really made its bond even more because we have that shared experience. I was invested in this way. So now I feel like it's my turn to then be able to give that same thing that I was given all the opportunities, like everything that I've experienced in terms of like dancing and the arts, like I would say was because the Salvation Army really invested in me and like, yeah, and all the teachers that, you know, were a part of my life. So right. So I want to be that person now that is investing in the people who are upcoming.

Yeah. I mean, the same for me, like the music director in AOK, like he gave me the opportunity and I didn't even know that I could do it. But like God was like, I'm going to use that, you know, and I don't know, it's just very telling of sometimes when we don't know that we're capable of something like, you know, he just still gives us opportunity. When we're creating, there's two different ways that we create.

So like one way is with other people, with youth. We have a group of people and knowing their skill sets is a huge thing because we can easily over prepare, over choreograph. Then we get to rehearsal and we're like, this doesn't work at all. And we've done and we've gone into rehearsals saying, hey, guys, like we have stuff planned and we're excited for it. But if it needs to change, it needs to change because it's not our plans.

It's you guys and what you can do and what that matters. And we just want to highlight what you can do. And then the other way that we create is with each other. And we basically have it's like a language now. I know the language that he speaks. He knows what I speak.

I know what he maybe what his weaknesses are. And so I'll choreograph around that or vice versa. I'm not very flexible. So I can't do any of those like high leg kicks. But he also like hits like movement really hard. And I'm like, you over dance. Like when we dance next to each other, I'm like, you make me look like I'm not trying at all. And he is just like, yeah.

So it's, you know, it's funny the things, the challenges, but also the beauty and working with each other and the differences that we bring to the table. Cascading a child will be childish. OK. Yeah.

And then but consider the child who doesn't know the definition of impossible. Yeah, that's yeah. Everyone's prepping. And we'll have to make sure that Chris and I can't remember her name, but they're already in the line, like position to be in the middle so that they're here. They can just get here.

He can prep. Everyone else forms. So the people on the ground are coming up. When I first started dancing, it wasn't like, OK, I'm going to dance now. And then boom, there it was like I had to take class.

I had to basically start from scratch. Like dancing has all this. It's like its own vocabulary.

So you have tendus and releves and all these, you know, like words like that that are like, what is that? So I had to go to class to learn the technique, to start at the very basics. And then also so that's like ballet and technique class and stretching and all that stuff. But the other part of it is the artistry. Right. Because, you know, both have to go hand in hand. But so that and then like obviously like trying to be healthy, which is very hard. Yeah. Yeah. Because this is like our paintbrush.

So we have to make sure that it's functioning correctly, like just stretching or any of that stuff. But for me, I tend to try to find my inspiration outside of dance because, you know, it's so easy to find that inspiration or learn. Obviously, that's like the foundation. But for me, like I love storytelling. So I try to figure out like what are other ways, what are other like avenues that I can find storytelling. And I've been really interested in film and cinematography and telling stories through that aspect. I've been watching a lot of creators on YouTube and how they create stories and just learning like, OK, why did they shoot this specific scene in this way?

Why did they light it this way? And just trying to figure out, OK, how do I apply that now to choreography? Like, how do I tell storytelling in that same kind of way, using the same kind of technique techniques? So, yeah. You don't have to be perfect. That's perfection is not the goal. You just have to be present in it and it can look messy and that's OK. Yeah.

Yeah. You don't have to be the best at what you do. And what the Lord has like been putting on my heart recently the past couple of months is that there's space for you. There's room for you.

Someone, there's always going to be somebody else who does what you do and oftentimes even better. And that's OK. That doesn't take away. That doesn't.

You're still valid. It doesn't take away from what you have and what the Lord has given to you. It's OK if you're not the best and it's OK if there's other people who do what you do. But the important thing is to just keep doing it. Yeah. And don't wait for someone to say, yes, I want you to do this. No, like you do it. God's making what he's giving you power and authority to do it.

So do it. I just feel like that's what God has been speaking to me specifically about our craft and our mission, because a lot of times it feels like, like, what are we doing with this? God has given us this gift. And now we're parents.

Now we have full time jobs. So there's like so many obstacles as it feels. But but that's not a door shut.

It's a door that is unlocked and we just got to open it and walk through. The Salvation Army's mission, Doing the Most Good, means helping people with material and spiritual needs. You become a part of this mission every time you give to the Salvation Army. Visit salvationarmyusa.org to offer your support.

And we'd love to hear from you. Email us at radio at uss.salvationarmy.org. Call 1-800-229-9965 or write us at P.O.

Box 29972 Atlanta, Georgia 30359. Tell us how we can help. Share prayer requests or share your testimony. We would love to use your story on the air. You can also subscribe to our show on iTunes or your favorite podcast store and be sure to give us a rating. Just search for the Salvation Army's Words of Life. Follow us on social media for the latest episodes, extended interviews and more. And if you don't have a church home, we invite you to visit your local Salvation Army worship center. They'll be glad to see you. This is Bernie Dake inviting you to join us next time for the Salvation Army's Words of Life.