Hi, I'm Liet. I'm 13 years old. I have autism and severe dyslexia. And my mentors are Chloe and Maud Arnold, and you shall see a picture of them. And also, I love, love, love urban, and I love, love, love Hollywood, and I love my puppies. And also, this is all about being autistic, my autistic self. And also, I stumbled there. Blah, blah, blah.
Amanda:I started recording as you are drinking some hot chocolate because it is a little chilly out there today, isn't it, Leta? Welcome to this week's Leta's Tap Styles. It's beginning of the holiday season. You have a cute little Thanksgiving squirrely behind you, don't you? You're like, let me show you my Thanksgiving squirrely, mommy. Where was I? Oh, it's our, it's 30 seconds in and I've already lost my mind. November. We've got some new things coming up this month. We're going to get that out of the way at the end of the podcast. So stay tuned to that. the very end of the episode to get all the housekeeping stuff. Correct. Leta.
Leta:Oh, yes.
Amanda:I didn't hear you.
Leta:Hot dead.
Amanda:Okay. There. I heard you. We're going to use Fridays as autism day for a lot of stuff. And Tuesdays we'll talk about tap and your I think we should go over your one more time video that is going to be on your socials and the autistic wings dance company socials for this Tuesday, but Tuesday, is going to be all about dance and tap, specifically tap since it's tap Tuesday. Friday is going to be Friends Fridays where we're bringing Fridays back on subject here as you're like looking at yourself in the video screen. Fridays are going to be all about our friends. We're going to try and bring our guests in on Friday, be they guests from the dance world or the autism world. Discussions about autistic wings will be on Friday and discussions about autism will be on Friday. And this is an ongoing, or an episode in our new ongoing series, Sensory Issues and Leta. Correct, Leta?
Leta:Yes, and in this one we'll be talking about how certain things revenge me.
Amanda:Oh, that's it. I couldn't figure out why I couldn't hear you and I had my volume all the way down, Leta. The look the teenager is giving me. Yeah. Sensory issues and autism go hand in hand. You and I just automatically think of these sensory issues. And we assume to ask people, What their Sensory issues are correct?
Leta:Me.
Amanda:You are nimbling at the I'm not even starting with you and this It's late it it's not that light But it's been the day already cuz mom had to run by the bank to get crazy stuff And it's always fun when the bank tells you it's crazy stuff back to an important part here like little puppy clothing, Leta podcast. You can't nibble your expensive microphone. You have to talk clothing. Is there any sensory issues you could think of an autistic kid might have with clothing?
Leta:I will and can burn pants. And sleeves, but not without burning. I can cut off sleeves and burn them.
Amanda:Okay. But let's also talk about not just sleeves and pants, like leotards that cut really,
Leta:Burn them. Those things just confuse me because that was not even appropriate to put on a child. Especially for the times today say, oh make the type match the color of your skin, and I'm over here do you not see, are you okay? We are children! I'm not trying to get a grip on my dead people. We are children! How do people even do that? Why do people even put their children in that type of deaths? WE ARE
Amanda:don't, it's.
Leta:CHILDREN!
Amanda:Age appropriate clothing and cuts of leotards be they in gymnastics and or dance will be another episode we can do you later but you're like oh yeah I didn't realize how much I didn't realize how much you and I just automatically think about these things until someone was telling me who I do trust leave this how excited they were that they got you costumes and stuff and it's All stuff you hate like pants and tights and sleeves,
Leta:We love them. We love them. We love them. We haven't known them for that long. We love them.
Amanda:1 of the reasons you and I are 1 of the reasons you came up with the idea of autistic wings and I jumped on it is these are things that you and I have already put in the IEP because you were like sensory issues, allergy issues, mom, we need to know these. Cause I just automatically assume that I need to talk to a parent and ask what issues their child has with Textures of outfits too.
Leta:And yet she forgot allergies. Yeah, the person with basically every allergy on the planet forgot allergies.
Amanda:I don't have every allergy on the planet, okay, back to important things you and I were like, so let's discuss this. Cause people see you and they think. I don't know what they think. I think she's you are crazy town, but that's not a bad thing. Like I was telling you last night at the studio, your miswired brain does some amazing stuff. Cause because your brain is miswired. You don't realize you're not supposed to do stuff the right way. And that gets a whole different thing that we'll talk about on Tuesday with your jump combo you have in the new piece you're choreographing with Ms. But back to important things. Look, I. Absolutely, positively dislike certain textures of clothes. You and I have to go buy clothes in store because you can't feel what an outfit feels like buying it online. Can you?
Leta:Yeah, I suppose we have to talk.
Amanda:And yes, you do have to talk. It's a podcast. People also listen to this on things, but. It's even to the point we were discussing when we reviewed your Sodanza Tayla's. You have to have a specific tap shoe because of your sensory issues. The fact that people don't think that this is a thing that happens shocks me. Does it shock you that people don't automatically think of these things?
Leta:You have issues? First off, you realize we're not neurotypical. Secondly, Have you actually met a neurotypical person in your entire freakin life that was outside of my dance studio's person?
Amanda:Yes, I have. They seem weird to me. They're weird. They really do see more to me.
Leta:Kind of. No offense to any neurotypical people, but every neurotypical person I run into says they do science. They do not do science. They keep doing zoology wrong. I don't give a damn if you learn that in school. You're the reason they're still teaching that so well, but I don't give
Amanda:Can we get back to that? Can we get back to this discussion, please?
Leta:Realize some people
Amanda:and it's fine. It's over there. No, I, I do know neurotypical people. Most of the people I know in science and business are not neurotypical. That probably is why they're leaders and not, followers. But it just automatically, I assume. That everyone has symptoms. Issues with clothing and needs to make sure they find the clothing that fits for them and make sure that the closing Isn't itchy and scratchy and doesn't distract you because if you have certain types of textures Yeah, you can talk to me all you want.
Leta:That I definitely have two sets of autistic parents. Let me give you an example with this one. Oh
Amanda:I do know that people used to Give me a hard time because I didn't like clothes and if I was in certain clothes, God help you, you weren't getting anything out of me. I like certain fits, I don't like anything tied around my neck you notice I never buttoned the top button of any of my collars.
Leta:yeah, or else you choke.
Amanda:There are some people out there who can button the top button of their collar and they don't choke. But
Leta:Yeah, but then it just looks weird. That's just, the whole fit looks weird at that point. Nobody does that. The fit looks weird at that point. Tell me you don't know fashion
Amanda:let's, yeah, let's get back to even dance clothes. You do not do leotards because it feels weird. Do it. In certain areas below your belt, when it loops back around, you're like, this is weird. You've also had the same problem when we're doing jeans for Soul Talk. There, we had to go through how many pairs of jeans to get one that you can kinda stand long enough to get a piece of choreo out.
Leta:I haven't ki I didn't kill you, so I don't think that many
Amanda:I think everyone at Boot Barn up off of the North Academy, North gate got a kick out of you went through every single style of area.
Leta:alive!
Amanda:Yeah, but you went through every single style of area. You went through every single style of rock and roll. You went through the idly wind wilds. You went through the Shea lands. You went through. through Cleo Wolf, you went through everything and there is one, one type of Wrangler jeans that you don't hate me and you will sometimes accidentally pick up the other pair that we bought and that you're looking at me like, Oh my gosh, this is like the worst pair of jeans ever. And then I'm like, did you pick up the right pair? Did you pick up the right style of Wranglers?
Leta:In my defense, I had to go two freakin years wearing basically pants 24 7! And I had no shorts!
Amanda:What I'm trying to get across here very poorly is Never occurred to me and it doesn't occur to me like people go. Okay. We're buying the costumes. They ask for all this They never ask for what your sensory issues are Like you put me in nylon and let's ignore the like huge rash that shows up when I'm in nylon I hate nylon, like in a sequence when it's sewn on, especially if it's sewn on with nylon thread. Oh, heaven help you. I'm itching and I'm having cortex and I'm having this and everything I was told as a child is just get over it. That's one of the things we're not doing at this dance studio. Granted, the nylon thing was, is leaning more towards a actual allergy since I get a rash. Yeah, you're giving me a look. I used to be told just go ahead and grab some Benadryl for your
Leta:Oh, so you were told, go ahead and die. Seriously, what was it with the 80s and adults? Terrible at the one freaking job they had to actually do was keep a child alive. They seemed terrible at that.
Amanda:There is possibly that 1 job. Yes, they have 1 job. But always shocks me right now as we're putting this together because we've come so far into the autistic world that I'm just in my head when we're doing studio stuff. I'm thinking sensory issues. We need to know what these kids don't like the number of people who don't like velvet. It's outrageously not funny yet. How many dance studio directors, how many artistic directors are like, I don't care I'm putting you in velvet. Cause that's my vision. And I gets it. That's your vision.
Leta:Yes. Now tell me why you don't like food, why so low you have to eat that. If you don't eat that, I'll cry. I'll cry. I'll cry. I'll cry. If you don't wear what I made for you, I'll cry.
Amanda:not even things they
Leta:I'll cry.
Amanda:even things they're making for you. It is a hundred percent that their vision is more important than your comfort, and I get it. I get the vision being there, but there's ways around it, especially with velvet. There are so many. Ways you can get that To look like velvet offstage. That's like slightly cheaper than velvet
Leta:Don't ask me to save you from anything. I'll just be standing there. Waiting. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. Enjoying it. And waiting. I don't care if you're in pain. You didn't care that I was in pain. Oh, you mean I've had this process since I was eight.
Amanda:And I think there's a lot of other things like you with sleeves and I know there are certain sleeves that I put up with. There are certain cuts I put up with, but I prefer certain cuts. You prefer no sleeves. Who cares if there's 6 feet of snow on the ground who cares if it's 26 degrees and we're going to go out to the zoo and you're like, I don't care who cares that it's negative 0. I can be out in my Nike shorts.
Leta:And yet only the top half of me is freezing cold.
Amanda:Maybe if you'd ever, I don't know, I'd say wear a jacket, but you've worn a jacket and the top half of you still freezing cold. Let's, but even then you, it's not just any, it's like long sleeves. It's any sleeves you don't like, and it's anything coming down your
Leta:Hey, I like the teacup sleeves. I wear T Shirts. Shirts. Shirts.
Amanda:you will wear t shirts if they have the right blend for you, because you have had t shirts that people. For reasons have gotten you and you're like, yeah, the look you're giving me is the look you Give everyone when
Leta:sure they just got that for some Barbie doll. No offense to Barbie. I love Barbie. But for some Barbie doll. That was
Amanda:to you and me but like even when it comes to we're going to have Studio shirts, we're going to need to know what is blends people like and even the blends, they differ from a manufacturer to manufacturer as you are chewing on your heart and expensive microphone. Cause you're like, mommy, haven't said it yet, but that's something I don't think traditional dance studios. can think about because they are
Leta:Snarky?
Amanda:I wasn't going to say snarky. I was thinking so traditionally rooted that the idea is less about your comfort as a dancer. Who's learning and more about that perfect They have,
Leta:But they aren't snarky when they talk about it.
Amanda:but like you did feel a little, because it does get to where the neurotypical students that are looking at you like you're a little baby because you can't handle the sensory issues.
Leta:You're a little baby because you couldn't handle that sequence.
Amanda:Okay. That costume. The teacher didn't know what she was doing. You should always check Weisman, though,
Leta:baby because you couldn't handle the sequence. You're coming here a little baby because I couldn't handle the ballet. You're a little baby because you couldn't handle the sequence. And yet I'm over here telling what's the sequence. And yet you're over here crying to your mommy. Ba boom!
Amanda:what we should possibly mention is that you have a costume from a couple of years ago where the teacher wasn't aware that the sequence went all the way down and around and the leotard and it was. What you feel on a normal basis was what everyone else was suddenly feeling. Was it not as you're sipping your hot chocolate on this nice fall day? That's Mark says it all there. If you are watching this on YouTube, that's Mark says it all. The thing is, and it's just, it's become second nature to us. And we're sitting over here in the studio, just second nature ing that. That site was good, but I don't think you were on.
Leta:I know. I do. But, it's the only one that
Amanda:and even on shorts, you are very particular about your shorts. You like Nike Pro with a specific cut. Do you not? And the same thing with your cuts of t shirts. Like people will sit there and go, Leta needs, like people go, it needs to be tighter. And you're like
Leta:You might not know this, but first off, you tried to physically kill me, and secondly I you don't want to know what I looked like before eleven, Eleven was when I figured out to do physical stuff I should have already known how to do.
Amanda:but it also wasn't that. It was, and it's always been a thing. I wear my t shirts loose. So I'm not saying it's a thing or a bad thing. But also in sensory and texture issues. Can you handle your midriff showing at all?
Leta:Now, Nyeow.
Amanda:By your belly button.
Leta:Nyeow. Nyeow. It makes me feel a little sore voice. It also makes me feel like going back into that deep hole I should never go back into.
Amanda:These are things I just automatically assume you need to be asking dancers and their parents. I automatically assume you want to put the dancers at ease. I automatically assume you want to make sure your preteen teen And even little ones aren't more worried about how their clothes are fitting too tight because tight fitting clothes makes it feel like you can't breathe, doesn't it? You're nodding your head because I'm asking you while you're sipping your hot chocolate,
Leta:It also makes me want to go back into that deep, dark hole.
Amanda:but I think that's something you and I just automatically assume people know, like a T shirt could be suffocating. Tight pants. You don't feel like you can move with tight pants.
Leta:Also plus, it makes me feel really hot. Also makes me feel like I'm gonna have a heat stroke. It feels like I am having a heat stroke.
Amanda:Therein lies. The thing I'm saying right there is most people don't understand how. What are you doing? Most people don't understand. There are physical reactions to sensory issues. Are there not, Leta?
Leta:Oh, yes, I'm not messing with stuff.
Amanda:Yeah, could you not mess with something that has our address on it in front of the camera? Thank you. That looked like I hadn't thought that one through, had you? It is going under the sofa. Don't worry, that video, part of the video will not be on the video, okay, kiddo? But the look you're giving probably should be like, I did not think that one through, mom. That was not my high bar. No, but that's one thing, back to the sensory issues, and not be trying to dox yourself. It's mind boggling to me that these teachers fail. And they're not doing it to be mean. They're doing it because they think it's the best for you.
Leta:Yes. And still, if you get attacked by something I am not yelling no one. I give freaking popcorn. Popcorn was something that sound good. Popcorn's was m and f sound good? I'll just be there watching you eating popcorn and said M and not I give a damn because you take, give a damn about what I had to say. Never give a damn about my pain. So why does that, would I give a damn about your pain? Plus you made it when nobody would listen to me. So why would they listen to me that you are. Hey I'm
Amanda:Can we maybe not be so mean? You at the moment? No, but I think that's another thing that teachers don't understand and adults overall don't understand. If they're not worried about you and the sensory issues, be it noise that we did, at the beginning of last month, be it, the texture of clothing and the fit of clothing, why do they expect you to have empathy for them if they have no empathy for you? It's not sympathy they're wanting. They're wanting empathy in you not being But yeah, you would save them if they're going to die. But here's the thing. These teachers are asking you to have empathy and understanding that they don't understand autism when they're not having the empathy to understand autism. Does that make any sense? What I'm saying?
Leta:Again, they get attacked, not helping them. Eating popcorn. Eating popcorn and watching. Eating popcorn and watching.
Amanda:But I think, yeah,
Leta:9 1 1 if they get hurt.
Amanda:but I think that's 1 thing that the adults aren't understanding. Because you are usually a very empathetic person. I think if you were to say what you just said. And at Soul Talk, people would be looking at you like you'd grown a second head. Do you think anyone at Soul Talk would believe you have no empathy for these people? I do not. Yes.
Leta:Yes why would they think I, what, yes?
Amanda:Everyone sees you as a kind, caring child at Soul Talk, okay?
Leta:are they okay? Are they right in the head? Dude, I don't think they're right in the head.
Amanda:Yes, they are. Because when it comes to you and another kid coming into Soul Talk when you have the social batteries to do it, you're welcoming them in. You're not pushing a kid to the side. If another kid told you they were having a problem, you would go find an adult and go, hey, look, there's an issue here. I think you would not do what you're saying.
Leta:don't I know, because the adults I know have earned my trust, too. No, they actually care about keeping the next generation alive, because that's the one and only job you really actually have to do. One and only job. These are adults, I don't trust them, I don't know them, I don't know if they're one of those adults that don't give a freak about that one and only job that's so freaking simple!
Amanda:What I'm trying to get across here is that there are a lot of adults who don't see, how do I put this? They don't see their lack of empathy for the sensory issues as something that's causing you to dislike them. They see it as them being. They do see it as them being helpful. They see forcing you to deal with your sensory issues as helping you out in life and it's, you will thank them for it. By the way, that has never happened for me. And I'm like 40 something. I have never gone back and thanked anyone for forcing me to deal with a sensory issue. So I don't think it's happening for you. What about you?
Leta:Again. Popcorn. Watching. Popcorn. That one time there was a horn in it and I just did not tell anyone.
Amanda:I'm getting a text messages cause we're at the beginning of Colorado Gives season and I'm trying to get our Colorado Gives up. I think the thing that keeps throwing me though, is you and I have gotten so far into autistic wings. It shocks me when we're still hearing of dance teachers going, Oh, I didn't know Leta had sensory issues. And I, it's not teachers who have bad intentions. It's teachers who have great intentions. And I think that's one of the things that makes a sets autistic wings. You're going to give me that look because you are correct in your opinion. They should probably understand the medical side, the physical side, the. Part of, I get that you're not saving them, but they see a lot of these dance teachers are seeing autism as just an educational thing. They're seeing your sensory issues, like not wearing shirts or sleeves as I lost my mic freak. I lost my mic again, Leta. Okay. Let's finish it without my mic on the web mic and see if we can fix that. I'm going to try something. No, I'm not. Okay. We're going to keep it this way. Because it just went cuckoo banana brains. And I don't know what to, because this is what's causing all my issues in life, right Leta? I think my dill's going out. Anywho, so one of the things that, like I said, one of the things that says Autistic Wings is a part is our IEP, dance version of the IEP. And one of the things that we ask in our dance IEP is what sensory issues does your child have? Because I'm not putting them in velvet if they don't like velvet. What about you, Leta? Yeah.
Leta:Yes. I would also like to point this out for some people, Velvet is also, so you can be anyone, also an allergy. Velvet is also an allergy. Some people are actually allergic to Velvet.
Amanda:Yes, you are correct on that. No, no one's confused on that one. I never mind. I keep saying no one's confused and it turns out people could be confused. Our IEP does go over sensory issues. It goes over sound sensory, which we've already done a deal on. It goes over texture issues. It goes over clothing issue. We are a quote unquote uniform studio. Our IEP Are you wearing the uniform in ballet class, Leta? Into the mic.
Leta:Maybe not, I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. I dunno. Maybe not maybe not at all.
Amanda:The answer is no. You've already told everyone the answer is no, because it's a leotard, Leta. The look on your face says everything, and you're like, if the founder isn't wearing the uniform because I can't handle it, I'm not making other kids wear it, are you? I'll, but I will say, Sodonta has some very nice textures for their leotards, do they not? You want to say that into the microphone?
Leta:They do for the rare times I will force myself to wear one, cause stuff about me. And I love that sequins costumes for all the probably wrong reasons of revenge of accident revenge. I
Amanda:I know what you're talking about there. All right
Leta:my headphones
Amanda:shall we finish this up? Because we will probably come back to texture, because this one's more than just a one video, or one episode thing, isn't it, Leta? You're nodding your head yes at me. Let's do some stuff real quick. All right, let's get some housekeeping stuff out of the way before we let everyone go for the week. We have decided to split the podcast. It's still all going to be on the same channel. It's still going to be on Leta's Tap Style. Fridays are going to be Friends Day, where we bring on guests to talk about autism, to talk about dance, to talk about whatever our friends want to talk about, correct Leta? Tuesdays are going to be all about tap Tuesdays. We're going to discuss some of your tap dancing. We're going to pull up when it comes out. Cause it's coming out. We are going to pull up the soul talk music or dance videos. And talk about them. You're like, dear friends from Siltalk, please come on so that we can all talk about these together. We're awesome.
Leta:for the beginning part of the 140C. I don't think anyone noticed I got away from, with my headphones for the beginning part.
Amanda:I think this is where you go. Dear friends of mine, anyone want to come on and react to the videos?
Leta:Yeah, so I can point out that I had my headphones on. Literally on. Literally didn't catch it until the middle probably. Wait, no, it was definitely in the middle. Yeah Glooey Miss Glooey Miss Bot, Nobody catches my headphones in time so pfft!
Amanda:That will all make sense when we're reviewing the music videos. We're also going to talk about, there are some things you do that are weird, like the jump combo in the latest piece of choreo. Not normal. I think you have to have a miswired brain in order to do it. It's amazing when you don't slide across the entire studio like you've been doing. You're giving me a look. The studio floor is a little slick. But, okay you can put, say that into the microphone if you really want to. But We've got guests coming on this month, correct? You're like, I don't know, mom. We're going to try and get dad is back from his deployment. We're going to try and get him on so that people actually know you do actually have a father around here.
Leta:What? What? What? Eh? What? Whoa? Whaaaaat?
Amanda:all the crazy stuff of being, autistic himself. We're going to have, next week we have John Fila on, and later in the month we're having Samantha Fox. Foot from a Boise music therapy group on earlier on Wednesday. And I'm going to link it down below you and I were on a different podcast. We were on happy sensory corners podcast. Mr. Kim has a booklet on stuff he's. I should know this. I did not write it down. He has a booklet he's willing to give our listeners. We're going to put that link in the description below. Go check out Kim and Claudia's podcast sport podcast we're on. Honestly, support the entire autistic podcast community. You're like, I would support the dance podcast community, but I need to make it for my Siltalk friends, right? And this is where we also have to mention, because I've already mentioned, Colorado Gives Day is coming up, isn't it, Leta? Letaa, you have to actually do robot. But do you know what? Do you know what Colorado Gives Day is?
Leta:Something, giving something Kay ba
Amanda:Gives Day is the state of Colorado has for years done an entire month of charity giving. Early giving starts today when the podcast drops November 1st. The actual campaign starts on November 1st. The 9th or the 10th. I can't remember this year. It goes to our Giving Tuesday for the state, which is not the National Giving Tuesday. Ours is actually a week later than everyone else's. Did you know that, Leta? Ours is the second Tuesday in December. Everyone else's is the first Tuesday in December. You're giving me a look. There are grant prizes for the different charities that raise the most money. As a smaller charity, we can get 10, 000 dollars. If we raise more money than anyone else, we will have that Link in the description below to go to our Colorado Gives. Fun fact, Leta, if you donate to our Colorado Gives drive or to overall you're helping support the research into that new IEP we're doing, correct, Leta? You're like, yes. Can you tell people how important that is to you? It's a new, innovative idea. Taking what has worked in the school system, changing it slightly because we don't need to know about buses or school lunches or anything. We're going to change it slightly and we're bringing it into the dance world. And if we can get this to work, which we are, we're going to change the world. Are we not, Leta? So if you would like to donate to our classes to getting more classes out there so we have more kids we can reach and more data points for mommy and her research on this, donate to the Colorado gifts campaign. Correct Leta? If it is not during Colorado gift season and you see this, they can donate
Leta:Hello, thank you for watching the podcast and please subscribe and also look at that adorable pittie. Don't you want to subscribe for it and also please leave a and don't forget if you subscribe to our stuff you won't miss any of our new podcast stuffies. And also you can see that adorable pittie. Don't you like it?
Amanda:on our website. Can't they, Leta? All right. So instead of see you next week, should we say, see you Tuesday? See everyone Tuesday for our first Tuesday, our podcast. Have a great weekend, everyone.