keone instagram
Last week my great grandma turned 100 and not only that, she danced, she partied, and she gambled afterward. A real life 🐐
#ina #ilocosnorte
Only fitting this angelic being took a birthday photo with the clouds?… no too corny, erm… she covers us in her beauty, motherly heroism, and immense empathy like the clou— wait… um, or the way she dances is like a wispy cloud on a sunny day that I get the hots for like the sun poking throu— nope, nope…
Got it!
MY BEST FRIEND BETTER HALF SUPERWOMAN IS 37 TODAY AND SHE’S SO DAMN BEAUTIFUL AND THE BEST MOM AND PARTNER AND AND I LOVE HER FOREVER.
Love you, my love. Happiest of birthdays.
“Oh there you are Peter!”
Hey sissy it’s down syndrome awareness month + fil-am month and you recently turned 30. Beyond the many calendar reasons to celebrate you, not a day goes by where I don’t think about how you’ve impacted me. Or how you used to wake me up, by grabbing a fistful of my face, so we could indulge in some boy band non-partisanship listening to No Strings Attached and Millenium in our room. Infinitely love you and the angelic life you bring to our family.
Well, hello ig. The last couple months of life summarized by Numah faces:
First and foremost: Went hard on Halloween decorations.
Numah’s killin it in school, sports, and number of times kids ring our doorbell.
Bodies still get whooped several times a week at the gym.
Our short Lolo played on TV (Fil-Am month cmon).
Writing and developing dream projects that I swear we’ll be able to talk about soon.
Reading fiction again (any rec’s?)
Finding a healthier personal + creative relationship with the social media dimension (9:16 won’t dictate me!)
Danced mostly when I wanted… usually in a living room with Nums.
Parenting is the best and hardest.
Marriage is the best and hardest.
Padres made me so happy and mad.
Lakers make me so mad.
Also spent every day overthinking my abilities, my balance, and my decision making as a father, a husband, and an artist. Happily seeing the beauty of affirming and working on it day to day - moment to moment.
I think that’s it? Basically nothing (and everything) has changed since I last opened this app. Oh and Numah’s hair. How’s everyone?
Hey Siri what does a dance look like when school is back and you’re in a really hard math class, but it’s still technically summer?
🫂: @buildingblock_ @isidrorafae1 @seleneharo
🎧: @disclosure - “waterfall”
Did anyone else hear that?
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@nissanusa #nissanpartner #nissanrogue
Just doing what everyone does before taking off in their nissan rogue… a choreographed dance routine.
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🦄: @cheymami
🚙: @nissanusa #nissanpartner
HAPPY BIRTHDAY NUMAH!
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Happy 3 to our little Numi. You are the absolute, without a doubt, no comparison, "most excellent" (as Bill & Ted say), totally amazing, really... just the best part of our lives. Your light is so big. We still can't believe we get to be your parents. As you like to ask us now, "are you happy?" Yes. So happy. And always so happy to be your backup dancers. We love you. Shine mama shine ✨
Opening night (last week) for Karate Kid the musical. Perfect moment to get free Christmas 2022 family photos. Also a great place to teach a toddler red carpet etiquette - which she clearly demonstrates in 7 & 8.
While it’s been a dream working on the karate kid (still processing everything), the bigger dream has been going to work everyday with family; my life best friend (@_marimadrid) and my childhood best friend (@v1nh). Love and admire you two endlessly.
Ps. Hi karate kid fam! Missing all of your beautiful souls and we still wake up every day with one of Drew’s ear worm songs blasting in our heads. Also Numah won’t stop singing strike first.
#thekaratekidmusical #sweeptheleg #cobrakai #theatre
So these last 2 months…
…we’ve been reimagining the iconic Karate Kid story for the stage. Allowing us to be added participants in the continuously expansive Miyagi-verse. With that comes immense care for these historical characters, specifically Mr. Miyagi, who gave immeasurable belief to Asian-Americans like myself. Via that honor comes this collective of creatives, cast, and crew that is tackling this opportunity with such gusto and grace. Especially when headlines of the world continues to shake our souls, I’m awed everyday by their talent and equally so their kindness. Embodying the way of Miyagi-Do on and off the stage, along with the fire and passion of Cobra Kai. What a privilege… to give a show to a live audience and hopefully make them smile on days where it’s sometimes tough to. Happy first preview Karate Kid the musical.
To the cast: NO MERCY! LET’S GO!!!
This time last year we shot this little family made short film called “Lolo.” On screen it told a story shared by many immigrants, especially from the Philippines. Off screen it was one of the most cathartic, healing, and empowering creative experiences. Allowing us to dig deeper into our roots while also giving our daughter access to historical family stories and knowledge we only knew bits and pieces of. And to add an extra surprise of a bonus: seeing my grandpa’s story achieve numerous awards and selections at 16 film festivals including Oscar-qualifying festivals.
To start this process during last year’s Asian American Pacific Islander month and to see it wrap it’s festival tour for this year’s APAHM — what a ride, and what a constant reminder of celebrating origins (the past) and dreaming up possibilities (the future).
If you’d like to watch this short in full you can view it on our Vimeo or YouTube channels.
#apahm #aapimonth #lolo #nissanpartner @nissanusa
Moving with my guy @_mikeybikey_ to a song called “junya” by some guy named Kanye.
After Mikey and I played best friends in @beyondbabelshow for 3 years, that chemistry carried into real life which is something I’ll forever cherish about that experience. It had been awhile since we got to exchange like this so I’m grateful he got me to get these moves out of the vault and we could add a bit more to it at the end. (Because it would’ve otherwise disappeared into thin air like a lot of phrases I’ll make.)
Never gets easier leaving this beautiful place. See you in a couple months San Diego. Madrids are St. Louis bound.
*cue E.I. by Nelly*
#lurkingfatherwithcamera
Family time.
Just a little over a week left until our little family has to split up again for another work adventure. What’s exciting work-wise is always immediately met with a hook to the gut. That we have to leave our 12 year old senior boxer, our teenager of a 3-legged lab, and spend several weeks with very limited time with our daughter. It's the price of doing what you love with your spouse, of trying to build for your family, and finding balance and joy within the momentum. And no, this isn't a proclamation of weariness. Far from it. It's an exclamation that “we get to do this” versus “we have to do this," because that's what our elders hard-earned for us to continue. And that captured moments like above, family time in general, provide such a deep and profound purpose that will wrap around us like armor, wherever/whenever/however we go.
So, may this little soliloquy (if your social media brain allowed you to read this far) be a reminder to log off, log in to your loved ones, go make some bad ass work, then do it all over again. (Felt like we needed to hear that ourselves.)
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@nissanusa #nissanpartner
Phases.
What started out as wanting to test out a smaller version of an idea for another project, turned into this little expression of going through phases. Utilizing just myself, a camera, a light, and a couple hours to spare of a distracted toddler.
Music: “phases” by @johanlenox
Everything else: me ok, there was a lot do.
#sonyfx3 #aputurenova #nappingtoddler
“Loyal” @_buildingblock 360 demo - originally uploaded dec 2018
Occasionally I get beautiful memories of teaching. Workshops, camps, classes, privates, etc flashing through my brain. It was truly a wonderful time. Lots of tears, bruises and smiles. I am grateful that I still have one tiny bridge connected to teaching, (although digitally) through @_buildingblock. I appreciate all the support there and I get a kick out of seeing y’all perform my oxygen-reducing pieces (like this one).
Just wanted to shout-out a few loyal (ba dum tss) movers to the @_buildingblock 360 platform (please help me tag them if they aren’t) @nitintheo, Andrej Repše, Lilya Mark, Marija Lučić
We see y’all! Much love to you and everyone who comes as they are to move their bones with us to some music.
Music: @odesza
Dancing with(who else): @seleneharo @isidrorafae1
Waves…
Up and down. Side to side.
Harsh. Calm. Beautiful.
Side to side. Up and down.
Waves.
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@nissanusa #nissanpartner #nissanpathfinder
A couple weeks ago we took the Pathfinder up for an amazing friend-family (framily) weekend in the mountains and it was Numah’s first time in the snow. Naturally, a lurking father with camera was there to capture.
@aperrs @gabriveee @jeremyaguas @v1nh
@nissanusa #nissanpartner
mari instagram
Something in the way… | @nissanusa #nissanpartner
Long drives, amirite? | @nissanusa #nissanpartner
Just thank you for your life. This beautiful light of a person was always an inspiration and support to Keone and I through the years. He opened doors and gave visibility to the dance community. Watching him grow, have a fruitful career, find love and family all while remaining connected to his art is an incredible thing. I know most people know him from the big big things he did, but I can't help but think of these old blurry boogiezone videos and the person humbly at the core. Just doing what you love and sharing it with others. Our hearts are with you @allisonholker and your children.
Silent burdens can be overwhelming. That is a terrifying truth that some of us manage to survive. That ledge is very real and usually very private. You never know what people are quietly carrying. Lean on each other, life is precious. We're going to miss you down here tWitch.
My Grandma Loling (yes Loling) touching US soil for the first time in 1953, at 27 years old. My Grandpa Candido is facing her. He was 17 years her senior and a steward for the US Merchant Marines. He originally came to the US in 1928, at 19 years old as a farm laborer first in Hawaii, then north of Sacramento, CA. Looking at old records, we were/are the exact same height and weight, my heart swells.
My Grandpa holed up in an Italian family's barn through the Great Depression. When he first came to the US, family legend has it he would walk the streets with an ice pick in his suit as protection. Apparently it was common for Filipinos back then because not all parts of town were friendly for them. Back in the PI, my Grandma hid from Japanese soldiers during the occupation during WWII, dodging bayonets that would pierce through the walls of their bamboo homes. She started high school at 20 because the war paused her education. These are just some snippets of their stories.
What I have now, is because of what they achieved, endured, and built. I am so grateful to be Filipino American and proud to come from people of absolute RESILIENCE. Thank you Lola and Lolo for paving the way for the generations that follow you. Sharing because these stories are our history - hard-earned and we are the keepers. Happy Filipino American History Month y'all! #filipinoamericanhistorymonth
Keone, Keone,
you’re 34.
Can you believe it?
33 no more.
Now it’s your Shaq year baby!
Legendary Laker, 7’1”,
Maybe if you keep drinking your protein…
I think you’ll get there hon.
Nah, sorry kid.
The NBA wasn’t meant for you,
you’ve got other fish to fry,
they simply don’t have a clue.
But really if I had a choice,
Between Kevin Durant and you,
I'd keep you on my team any day,
...Because let's be honest... we're 14 years into our relationship and I still don't know that much about basketball - it's true.
I will choose you every time,
You're my favorite Pokémon,
You're so tentacool and not tentacruel,
A ninetail with the beauty and the brawn.
To say I am proud,
Or to say that I’m in love,
Wouldn’t do you justice,
Because you’re a gift from above.
Watching you grow over the years,
Is one of my favorite things,
From crush to boyfriend, finance, husband, co-parent?
Unending joy it brings.
But really my favorite is just being friends,
You still make laugh with your jokes,
You still crack me up with your weird scream mask face,
And talk to me in Anchorman quotes.
You’re the Mindflayer to my Vecna.
Or the Vecna to my Mindflayer?
Either way Numah’s our little Demogorgan,
Let’s just raise her to be a cosplayer.
She’s probably too cool for that.
Let’s just raise her to be 11 y’all,
We can trap her in a creepy government facility and do tests on her,
That won’t backfire at all!
But you really are my favorite,
Driven like Nancy Wheeler - that debonair,
As badass and honest as Max,
And as beautifully unkempt as Steve Harrington’s hair.
You make me happy like Dustin and Suzie,
singing the theme song to Never Ending Story,
You complete me both here AND in the Upside Down,
Our lives are never boring.
(And when they are it's perfect.)
*A moment of silence for Barb.*
All of these pop-culture references to say,
You're simply the best,
Do you hear Tina Turner in your head now?
Better than all the rest.
(You also know how to install a faucet. Super hot.)
I love you. Happy Birthday.
10 YEARS!
Yesterday we celebrated 10 years of marriage. Holy cannoli. What feels like an eternity (probably because we work together too), but has also flashed by.
Marriage has been what it’s promised to be for us. Beautiful, difficult, and earned. You have the base of love that your relationship was built on in the first place, then you build a life together brick by brick. Yes, it will be tough and enduring, however, it will be something you’ve created together, something that you have the choice to take joy and pride in each day. It’s an accumulation of the daily choice to learn, accept, and believe in a person, in all situations - the silliness, the friendship, the fighting, the bad breath in the morning, the disagreements on rug colors, the booty love taps when we walk by each other - that and more… is love.
Thank you to our tight circle of family and close friends for always being there to encourage us, hold us accountable, and believe in us. Marriages are a couple’s connection and work, but it’s also held up by the people who surround you. We’re so grateful for God’s love that encloses us and protects us. One decade down for these Madrids, much more to go.
Happy (Belated) Opening to The Karate Kid the Musical. It's so strange to try and find the words for these huge labors of love that we work on. These giant projects with hundreds of people putting energy, time, and creativity to make an idea become real.
I am beyond grateful to get to do this, how is this my life!? To be able to play, to share space with amazing creators and incredible performers, to be with family (both blood and friend) along the way, and to get to add to the absolute legacy that is the Karate Kid. I mean, when your 2 year old comes home making her own drum set out of chopsticks and pots, singing @drewgasparini lyrics, pretend sparring and then clapping her little hands together and trying to heal you like Mr. Miyagi... that's special. And I suppose that's evidence that this story still continues to connect to people decades later.
Cheers to this chapter of The Karate Kid and all the beautiful people involved. Breathe in. Breathe out.
Just because. It's almost a year old, but I never shared this. Dance and I have such a funny relationship these days. I really don't "need" it very often. It's like an old friend - we don't need to be with each other all the time, but when we are I remember why I love it so much. I mean, it's been in my life for 23 years now, 13 since taking it seriously as a career, and it becoming work. It's good to remember that it just plain makes me happy. Still does.
So here's some moves with two of my favorite movers and human beings who walk the earth @seleneharo & @isidrorafae1. And thankful for @lauramvula and her music that always hits me DEEP at the core, whether I'm sobbing, healing, feeling strong as hell, or just feeling grateful and free.
(And yes, these celebratory moves are on @buildingblock_ 360, which means yes, if you so feel, you may learn them - or you could go frame by frame on this IG video! Honestly, I tried learning via video once: Aaliyah's "Try Again" mv via TRL recorded on a VHS tape, and no, it did not go well. I suppose I figured out how to dance eventually.)
And 2 1/2 years later, our breastfeeding journey has officially come to a close. I'm part sad and part relieved. I am BEYOND thankful that we found our way - and more than happy to have her still asking to crawl up and put her little head on my chest.
I know everyone has a different bf experience and some have no choice at all because of things that are totally out of their control (parents out there who didn't bf I bet your formula fed babies turned out just as healthy and beautiful, period.)
Numah has been so good to me. It was a sore start *yes folks, your nips have to toughen up* that's a thing. But through many long work days, pumping (which I detested), waking up throughout the night, and a year and a half of comfort nursing, she is as strong and bright as ever. I am so thankful for that part of our bond and that chapter of our journey together. And just want to shout out the Itty Bitty Titty Committee and any high school boy who made me feel bad about my flat-chest, which coincidentally I now love, because those little training bra muffin mounds nourished my child. And through a pandemic! Thanks boobies, cheers to you.
Next stop: potty training ☠️
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