Leta's Tap Styles (And My Autistic Life)

New Year, New Beginnings at Leta's Tap Styles

• Leta and Amanda • Season 2 • Episode 2

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In this lively conversation, Amanda and Leta kick off the new year by reflecting on their holiday experiences and discussing the upcoming season of the podcast. They delve into the world of tap dance, share their excitement for future guests, and explore the representation of tap in film, particularly in the musical Wicked. The duo also touches on the importance of creativity, inclusivity in dance, and the joy of welcoming new students to their dance studio.


Leta:

Hello, this is Leta, and this is me and my mommy's podcast. And there's my mommy, and there's me, and I'm just talking about this stuff. And there's me tap dancing, because this is a tap dancing slash autism podcast. And there's a bunch of animals, and wallby trying to eat my hair. And there's a bunch of sand and ocean. Also, there's all the SoleTalk stuff. I love all my SoleTalk friends. All that going on, so old. Yeah, it's like life's coming to an end. Oh, and also, there's my boots. My boots are amazing. Also, there's me, trying not to have a penis attack. Also, this is a podcast about me. I deserve attention, dancing, and blah, blah, blah. I'm just ADHD and this is it. Also, there's my cute, adorable puppies.

Amanda:

Hey, Leta. Welcome to a new year here at Leta's Tap Styles. How was your Christmas?

Leta:

Good. Yes. Yes, yes, yes.

Amanda:

I forgot to put on my, uh, earbud. And I'm going to want that later when we get to stuff. Uh, we've cleaned out all the Christmas stuff, uh, down here. Cause the studio, uh, also functions as family room. And without all the Christmas stuff, it looks a lot bigger down here, doesn't it? Did you get anything cool for Christmas this year?

Leta:

Do you, do you not see this? Do you not see this? Do

Amanda:

Uh, we do have people,

Leta:

Do you not see the

Amanda:

we, we, we do actually,

Leta:

you not see the horsey with hair I am playing with?

Amanda:

You do remember that some people are listening to this and can't actually see what you're doing, right? You're giving me a look, great. Um, dad was finally home for the holidays, was it exciting to have dad back home?

Leta:

He was, he was dadding, while also being terrible at the two jobs he gave himself, while not being terrible at both, just being terrible at embarrassing his daughter, I don't know about that, while keeping his daughter from ever, ever, ever, ever, ever having a relationship with a guy. He's probably gonna be very good at that, he is intimidating when he wants to be intimidating, and I'm pretty sure he will threaten to go to prison for his child, not today. Okay.

Amanda:

Let's assume he's not going to do that, though he does like to tease about that. Um, we're, uh, Into a new season here at lead us tap style season 2, we're starting our season and our year in January and our season in January. Can you believe we've done over 40 episodes so far of lead us tap styles?

Leta:

I'm brushing a pony's tail.

Amanda:

So, uh, getting some stuff out of the way here at the beginning, we're going to continue doing Tuesdays are going to be mainly tap Tuesdays. Fridays are going to be mainly our friends from the podcasting world and guests. coming on to talk to us about stuff. We've got some amazing guests that we've already, uh, interviewed and we've got those episodes ready to go. Don't we, Leta? You're giving me a thumbs up once more, forgetting that some people listen to this on Spotify and Apple. Oh, I'm sorry, you have a horsey you need to brush. Tap Tuesday, we're gonna bring in, you know, stuff about choreography as usual. We're going to bring in, um, breakdowning, breaking, breakdowning. Yeah, we're gonna breakdowning, uh, choreography, Leta. Would you like to respond to that one?

Leta:

I got a horsey.

Amanda:

Talk a little bit on Tuesdays about the dance studio. Talk a little bit on Tuesdays about you going out, not today because it's freezing, uh, but going out and, uh, recording in the middle of nowhere. Right, kiddo? Once more, thumbs up really doesn't work for those listening on

Leta:

okay, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. There's a reason you got me a horsey me not to play with the horsey.

Amanda:

Um, um, um, um, Fridays, Fridays, uh, will still be all the cool people. Like I said, we've got a whole bunch, um, Of people we have already done interviews for you're probably going to see Christmas decorations for a little bit on friends Friday videos. Right? Because we kind of had the decorations out while we were doing it. You're giving me a look. We have more interviews. We're doing. I. I enjoy doing these interviews. What about you, kiddo? Do you enjoy the interviews?

Leta:

Yes. I also enjoy brushing my adorable horsey's hair.

Amanda:

Still going to be talking a lot about autism on the channel because, uh, it's not like you stopped being autistic over the holidays, was it? You are giving me a look. And we're going to try and like decorate behind us once I figure out something. You've got your Dance Days dance board, that jet setter that you have there. Uh, we will have a link in the description below for people who want to get a travel dance board. Correct, Leta?

Leta:

Yes, yes, yes, yes. It's shiny. But

Amanda:

I checked though, that was sent to you so that you could, oh, I don't know, use it.

Leta:

ruin the shiny? It's so shiny! Why would I ruin the shiny?! It's, it's shiny! It's, it's shiny!

Amanda:

Samara, if you're listening, I don't think she's ever gonna run the shiny.

Leta:

shiny! Yay!

Amanda:

Yeah, shiny. Caught that.

Leta:

The shiny will go bye bye! The shiny will go bye bye! I don't want the shiny going bye bye! The shiny pretty! I don't want the shiny going bye bye! Tap. Tap. Tap. Oh, oh, uh,

Amanda:

Yeah, so, uh, that link will be in the description below along with, you know, other things. Uh, if you have not liked, commented, subscribed, all that fun jazz, uh, or texted us if you're on one of the many podcasting, uh, streaming services, feel free, uh, to do that right about now, right, Leta? Yeah. You're like, I have pony with hair. Uh, it's the 2024 AG pony, uh, from their, uh, girl of the year. Question. What's the biggest thing you're looking forward to this year in Tapaleta? You got any cool songs you're messing around with, with an idea to, uh, do you plan in any cool videos, shoots? You planning on going anywhere like D. C. or Hollywood for tap festivals

Leta:

DC?

Amanda:

because you're in so talk.

Leta:

but Scary Basement. It's Scary Basement.

Amanda:

You excited I know we've got new students showing up today when this is airing, um, to autistic wings dance company. Are you excited to welcome new students into the studio?

Leta:

Yes. Yes. Do I need to bring emotional support stuffy's?

Amanda:

I mean, if you want to have them in the car when we go, that's fine. Um, You excited? Because I know in February, we are going to the Syncopated Ladies concert. You excited to go see the Syncopated Ladies in concert?

Leta:

Let's see, you told me that I have to hang out with people that are instinctively scared shit of me sooooooooooooooo Yes,

Amanda:

And don't mention that. Leta, are you excited to go see Chloe and Maude and Miss Aurelius and everyone? I think Miss Giselle is going to be in the Denver team. Uh, in the Colorado Tour. Are you excited to go see everyone at Syncopated Ladies Concerts?

Leta:

yes, yes, definitely, everyone! Everyone! Everyone! Definitely everyone! Definitely everyone! What? Hopefully everyone. Hopefully everyone!

Amanda:

Okay, let's try this again from the beginning. Happy little cheekies Leta, February 1st and 2nd, what are you going to be doing?

Leta:

Hanging out with people? Well, questioning other people.

Amanda:

Leta, February 1st and 2nd, what are you doing?

Leta:

Hanging out with people.

Amanda:

Are you going to go see the Syncopated Ladies in Concert in Greeley and then in Lotree?

Leta:

yes, yes, yes. Wait, wait. What? Wait. What? Didn't we just get

Amanda:

This is going well

Leta:

into stuff? Blaze? Blaze, you're killing me here, Blaze! Please? Meow. Meow. Meow.

Amanda:

you got anywhere cool you're thinking about doing music videos this upcoming year You willing to share that with your video talk for aka mommy

Leta:

Um.

Amanda:

can people find the videos once we Film them here on the channel.

Leta:

Yeah.

Amanda:

Let's see. What else was I gonna discuss? Um

Leta:

When do we connect the group? It did not

Amanda:

So Onto, I think we got all that fun jazz outta the way. Uh, things aren't changing much. You and I are. I mean, you got a board behind you. We tried to do lights behind you today that worked well. Uh, mommy's plan was, um, not the best plan. Correct. Wanna explain how bad mommy's plan was?

Leta:

go good.

Amanda:

So, cheapo depot, uh, LED string of lights from uh, target does not work well for spelling Leta behind you. Um. Maybe when we get a thousand followers, we'll get one of those nice little pre made light thingies for behind you. What do you think? You're giving me a thumbs up. On to the tap portion of today's broadcast. Correct, Leta? So, Leta Virginia, got a question for ya. You do have to say that into the microphone, honey. I have a question for ya. Last, a week ago, a week ago, Wicked came to Amazon Prime. There are some amazing, amazing pieces of choreography in this movie. Well, the reason that I brought me. What was the one thing you felt was missing from the movie?

Leta:

People! Siren. Siren. Siren! People! Do not de step. Why did you de step? I will kill you next time I see you! Why you

Amanda:

we possibly redo that? Leta, Leta, could we redo that real quick without the killing part?

Leta:

I'm sorry.

Amanda:

Yes, let's unbuckle it. Okay, Leta, what was missing from the movie Wicked? Wicked.

Leta:

You should know who you are. Do not say stop, do, do not accept certain, certain people do. Do not say stop. Do not, do not. I do not need to say how I feel. I'm pretty sure you done well. Know how I feel.

Amanda:

I don't know if our listeners and our audience know how you feel. Would you like to explain how you feel?

Leta:

No, no, no, no. If I said that, we would probably get demonized.

Amanda:

We have not gotten monetized. You have to have a thousand, uh, subscribers on YouTube.

Leta:

do, do you want us demonetized, de, demonetized mom, before we get monetized mom, do, do you want that mom, do you want that, I

Amanda:

some tap. They had some tap. Well, I think I can prove to you there was some tap in it. Can I prove to you there was some tap in it? Alrighty, let's do the thingies. Okay, first we have two. Do you have your earbuds on for this portion? Uh, once more for, uh, we're going to go over this. I'm going to prove they had tap. You're going to break down the tap. And this is covered under, you know, Fair Use Act, because you are going to talk about the tappity tap here, are you not? And Okay,

Wicked: Part 1:

what they want.

Leta:

That's it. There was tea in top choreography and teasing. I don't know what that part, and then shuffles for lap here. Probably a cran, bro. It's more shelf,

Amanda:

Okay, you have this going a lot longer than they have it going. Shall we try this again from the beginning?

Leta:

eh. But,

Amanda:

Okay, we're going to try from let me make sure I got it right where I need it And I think I went too far the other way

Wicked: Part 1:

let's

Leta:

we're going too far. Da

Wicked: Part 1:

Oh yeah!

Amanda:

right about here

Wicked: Part 1:

Well, I don't know. I think it's a bit

Amanda:

in the deal here.

Wicked: Part 1:

uh,

Leta:

head behind him. Okay.

Amanda:

and

Wicked: Part 1:

And you gotta give

Leta:

blah.

Amanda:

you to talk us through what we're seeing Okay

Leta:

shuff shuff. Blah.

Wicked: Part 1:

people what they want.

Leta:

Blah. Blah. Double flaps one name. flaps one name.

Amanda:

There were a couple flaps there it was not a lot of tap now was it

Leta:

There was also a hill. There was also a little bit fiery volcano. I'm so mad. Um,

Amanda:

Um, um And those were not, like, normal shuffles that, like, you're teaching three year olds to do, were they? Because there were some Microphone You can put Stop writing in the pony The toy horse's hair long enough to talk, okay? Those were a couple Those shuffles were not like frontward shuffles, were they? Like you were,

Leta:

dad shuffles. Meow. Nom.

Amanda:

of hard though because they were on the side of the, are you eating your microphone? You're eating your microphone. And now that dad got the tree out of here, I'm getting a lot more echoing. Um, maybe I should make a tap ball piece for behind you or me. Uh, question, child find who, who absolutely, how hard would that be for a newbie to do? Is

Leta:

it was a pretty old heart. If it was an adult. Is. Care. You. Say. Your. Ankle. Hurts. If. I can't have the excuse that my back hurts because I use it to move my hip. Then you can't have the excuse of your ankle hurting! I don't care if you're an adult!

Amanda:

Okay, which is something you're often told is, well, my ankle hurts so I can't do tap.

Leta:

I've had a bad right hip since I was 11 months. So then everybody keeps telling me your back won't stop hurting if you stretch. Let's just ignore that you use that back to move your hip and you need to move your hip to stretch and that makes your back in more agonizing pain!

Amanda:

Okay, uh, dear dance instructors who do not have IEPs, there's a lot to unpack when you need an IEP. Um, back to this. What did you think when you saw the tap shoes come out in the movie theater?

Leta:

I thought that was going to be top choreography. If

Amanda:

There was tap choreography.

Leta:

who does top choreography, you better don't want to know. I am not. At all. Very, very, very at all. Really. Bye. At all. You should know how I feel. You should darn well know how I feel. You should darn, darn

Amanda:

wait. Leta, Leta, Leta. Okay, let's try this from the not getting upset at the choreographer, because I was, I mean, the choreography in Wicked was amazing, was it not?

Leta:

but why are you teased tough? Why are you teased tough? Why do they have to tease the tough? I just wanted some tough! Why would they do that? Hello. Yes. This is Shiny. I am Gro.

Amanda:

Do you have an opinion on the tap, Leta? I kinda like those tap shoes though, what about you?

Leta:

I am girl to shiny. I like shiny. Shiny, I want

Amanda:

Do you

Leta:

shiny, to not ruine. Shiny, I like shiny. Shiny shiny, shiny shiny. I like shiny, shiny shiny. Grunwwrwwrwrwwrwwrwrwrwrwwr I'm not

Amanda:

one, New Year, still chewing on the microphone. Two, do you think you could manage to possibly recreate that choreography? Why are you giving me a thumbs down?

Leta:

as good, and my shoes don't touch shiny, and I have to do it on green shoes, and I don't have green shoes, and I can't get green shoes. Yeah!

Amanda:

Okay, see, this is called Your Shoes Cost an Arm and a Leg, and we could get green shoes, but once we Your shoes Yeah. Your tap shoes are expensive. Uh, they were not the tap shoes used here, but your tap shoes are expensive. Um. But I think you could do them without green shoes. Do you think you could do it without green shoes? I think you could do it without green shoes. I am getting a look. You have to give the people what they want. Or you're saying you're not the wizard. You can say that into your microphone. I know you're braiding the dogs.

Leta:

I'm not evil. You have to be evil to tap that tab. I'm not evil. I'm not as evil as the wizard. Cause everybody keeps saying I'm Elphaba. And I don't know why. I don't know why. I don't have green skin. Plus, she got easy. She can't burn easy. She green! She can't burn easy! I can burn easy! I'm just glad I can't be on fire!

Amanda:

Give me two seconds and I will get you why everyone keeps saying you are closer to Elphaba. Uh, let me get where I want. Hold on. Um, give me two seconds to get this lined up. All right, we're going to obviously go through a little bit more than I expected to. Um, hold on. I want this exactly where I want this, because I think this is where you're like, uh, this should have been a tap scene. Actually, you think the whole movie should have been a tap scene. Don't you? We are getting this lined up exactly where, um, I feel. Okay, we are going to screen share something I wasn't planning on. So you're going to have to like. Uh, possibly put things down. Um, do do do. Oh wait, I forgot to share it. Ha ha! It's going to be one of those days. So, here we go. She's sitting there at the dill.

Wicked: Part 1:

Did that really just happen?

Amanda:

Ha ha! Did it just happen,

Wicked: Part 1:

Have I actually understood? This weird quirk I've tried to suppress Or hide Is a talent that could

Amanda:

That's the part I believe everyone thinks you're Elphaba there. The wizard and I. Where she's going through going, Is this talent I've tried to su Or quirk I've tried to suppress really a talent? Ha ha! We're giving me a look. Didn't we already have this discussion in a previous podcast? Okay. Why are you so busy? This is why people need to watch on, uh, YouTube is cause you're sitting there braiding your toy horsey's hair instead of doing the podcast. Hi, would you like to join the podcast? Microphone, Leta.

Leta:

Did you give me a horsey and think I wouldn't play with your horsey's hair even though I can braid its freakin hair? Also plus, it could help me braid my own hair when I'm an adult! Damn! I have bad motor skills!

Amanda:

You, uh, didn't get the dolly or the doll out that goes with that. Uh, Lila is still in her box.

Leta:

I don't want to mess up the dolls.

Amanda:

I

Leta:

What do you think? I trust you people not to mess up my dolls? What do you think?

Amanda:

I don't know.

Leta:

you people to be around my dolls outside of the box?

Amanda:

We were going to have a nice little discussion about the tap dancing for wicked and of course that's not where we're at because that's not how we do it. This is why you and I are never going to be podcasters. We go off on bunny trails.

Leta:

thing to agree with, Elsa bo. If I could meet the wizard, I would ask for less light skin. Same color skin, just less light. I mean, seriously, I just want people to stop freaking using snow white as an insult. I can now not watch snow white without hairs, snow white without filling, just, just, just, just, ugh!

Amanda:

Understandable. Um And trying to find makeup for you is there's like very few makeup companies that go to either ends of the shade spectrum. Is there,

Leta:

I don't think people even thought my shade of skin was even possible on that spectrum. Until this was made! I got a horsey. It's

Amanda:

where is that? Um, so fast, quick, fast, quick one to start off. Uh, itchy, itchy, itchy. That is going to get cut out. So you're sitting there dealing with a horsey. You got no dance stuff this year for Christmas. Did you? Shaking your head no. Was that a disappointment to get? Absolutely. Well, no, you did. Miss Samara sent you a tapboard that I swear you're going to use. Did you see the pretty tapboard behind you? Okay, uh, once more, podcast, you have to talk for people who are not watching it. There is a pretty, pretty tapboard behind you, is there not? Remind me next year not to get you something you're going to love for Christmas. Got you something you love and now you won't pay attention to anything but that. Hi, Leta. How you doing? You enjoying your life? Cut

Leta:

can breed a horsey here. It's a horsey. It's a horsey. you I can't say Delmo, but I can say Elmo. I sound like Elmo and Elmo was Wiggles and Wiggles Since I was Rubbles and I didn't know I was Elmo. Elmo, Elmo. We could

Amanda:

So, as I'm sitting here looking at your very, very, very shiny Dance Days dance board that has Leta's tap styles on it.

Leta:

keep it shiny! I'm just saying. We could just keep it shiny. I'm just saying. We could just keep it shiny. And just shiny. And shiny. We could just keep it shiny. And just shiny. We can just keep it shiny. We could just keep it shiny. And just shiny. We could just not touch it and not ruin the shiny and not ruin the, and not make it dirty. And we could just keep it shiny. We could just keep it shiny. We could just keep it shiny. We could just keep it shiny. We could just keep it shiny. And just shiny.

Amanda:

Okay, are you done? Can we go on now? What if we used it to do that one tap scene from Wicked? Into your microphone.

Leta:

We. Can. Guess. You mean. Can you? Please? You really want to be my family? Please? Please? We. We. We will continue to love you. Please? Please? We, we. We continue to love you. We wish, we could just, we could just be together. Please, please. Please, please, please, please, please, please please please. But, we study.

Amanda:

Five, five, five seconds here. I think there's a possibility that your favorite dance board company sent you a brand new dance board for free so that you would use your dance board in their stuff.

Leta:

Me, me!

Amanda:

Okay. This is just going off the rails. Okay. What if

Leta:

We're gonna be reunited. Wee! Yay! I have shiny points. I

Amanda:

fine? What if you tried to do it on the district?

Leta:

That's not shiny. That's not shiny. That's very obviously not shiny. That's very dirty.

Amanda:

Okay, your district looks I'm looking straight at your district, which is by the same company, the jet setters behind you.

Leta:

not shiny. That's not shiny.

Amanda:

I'm going to add some B roll here of that. Very, very not shiny board. Uh, it's been used a bit. But, I mean, I think we could do that on that board and tag it in here at the end. Uh, outside of the lack. Or outside of being teased, did you enjoy the tap in this one? Should there be more? Correct. Quit, quit, quit, quit, quit eating your microphone. New year, still same child. Should there be more tap in, uh, movies overall?

Leta:

there will be more tab and movies, so help me. So help me. There will be just some read or anime movies because I dunno how you anime tap that would be hard except in weedy movies because green, green suit. But that would still be hard to make it flow well. That would still be hard. And then you would have to do all the movements. And then you would have to make it slow so you can animate all the movements. And that would be very hard. And that would be not easy at all. And that would be definitely not easy to animate at all. Hip Hop? Yes. Ballet? Hell yes! Jazz? Mmmmmm, same as Ballet.

Amanda:

We're going to, uh,

Leta:

Mmmmmm, it's really slow so yeah. Um, Guess what?

Amanda:

we need to break down the, uh, Gene Kelly, uh, Jerry Mouse choreography. Uh, we'll, we'll put that down for later this year because we've got some other choreography we're breaking down. Um, but, all right, so this Friday we have David Chalk coming on, uh, You remember Mr. David, we recorded this before Christmas. So do you remember Mr. David, he's got that cool AI. He's working on to help with dyslexic kids and an amazing story. Uh, wish we had more time to talk with him. We didn't cause you know. Uh, I had issues with the, um, hardware and everything as usual. And so it's going to be an interesting first five minutes because my video did not record for the first five minutes of the conversation. But other than that amazing conversation. Tune in Friday, tell your friends, tell everyone you know, like, comment, share, subscribe, all that other fun jazz. Right, Leta? Once more. It is a podcast. Um, there should be a new outro coming up in a few seconds, cause we are hopefully doing the new outro today. Um, yay. Tune in Friday, right, Leta? At 4 o'clock, Mountain Time. Alright, see everyone on Friday.

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 like 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?

People on this episode

Contributor

Amanda Trisdale

Host
Head Shot

Leta Rundell

Host

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