Tatiana Zamir Wants to Touch You…

by | Nov 19, 2012 | Exclusive Interviews, health | 1 comment

Truth is a part of our foundation…even though pain may come from being vulnerable, beauty will surely follow.” –Tatiana Zamir

Tatiana Zamir wants to touch you.

Yes, you read that right.

Not only does Tatiana Zamir want to touch you, she wants you to know that it may be one of the most moving experiences of your life.

The word touch carries a lot of meaning for us humans. Being touched is a basic human need—but because so many of us have been injured or betrayed or abandoned in our quest for intimacy, we have forgotten how uplifting and nurturing it is to allow ourselves to feel the healing and serenity that comes from letting another human authentically meet our need to be touched.

Zamir, who is a graduate of  UCLA’s renowned World Arts and Cultures Program (and  is also a licensed massage therapist and graduate of the Institute of Pycho-Structural Balancing)  believes she is on earth to remind us not to lose our vulnerability.

Talking about truth and touch and vulnerability with this multi-talented healer, dancer, teacher, writer and theater producer reminds me of the opening quote from the Oscar-winning Paul Haggis film Crash a movie which, at its core, was about how we hide our truths and our vulnerabilities in an effort to feel safe:

“In L.A., nobody touches you. We’re always behind this metal and glass. I think we miss that touch so much, that we crash into each other, just so we can feel something.”

Zamir is on a mission to change that—one human being at a time.

Whether Tatiana is transporting a client to “another realm” via her “Healing Hands” massage therapy practice, or delivering messages of hope and healing to packed audiences through her sold-out theatrical dance production, “Moonlight Reflections,” or teaching her students to “sweat joyfully” via her popular “Afro-Hip Hop Dance Class,” Zamir has made it her life’s work to share her temple and her truths in ways that are healing, inspiring and spiritually uplifting.

 “I grew up dancing and I always hated going to dance classes in Los Angeles because they were so competitive and I just wanted to have fun. Then I found this class and I couldn’t be happier. Not only is it dance, but it is a serious, fun workout! The best thing about the class is, the studio is filled with students from no experience to dancers, so the instructor, Tatiana, creates an incredible workout and choreography that allows you to either just keep up or stylize it to your own skill set. Tatiana is sweet, challenging, fun and super talented.” –Ashley L, Afro-HipHop Dance Workshop student

“This class is the most enjoyable cardio style dance class I’ve taken in my 20 years of taking classes at various studios and gyms in LA.  It’s a great workout whether you are a beginning dancer or a professional. Tatiana is a knowledgeable teacher with great energy and she creates such a welcoming environment.  Everyone is there to have a good time and a good time is ALWAYS had!  I always walk out of this class with a smile on my face.” – Tracy M, Afro-HipHop Dance Workshop student

 “Through a diverse range of topics, from the female African American experience, to spirituality, materialism and struggles with family and the pains of growing up, Tatiana Zamir weaves these dramatic vignettes to tell a story of love, creativity, roots, forgiveness and healing that is truly inspirational…I left the theater floating on a higher physical and spiritual vibration!” ~Dustin G.ons] was AWESOME, I was moved!!! I laughed, cried, danced, etc.!! The entire cast… amazing. Folks NEED to see this 

 “Tatiana truly has a talent of transporting your body and mind to a whole new level of bliss with her intuitive touch. “ – Taylor D, massage client

“I have traveled the world, literally, getting massages and body treatments everywhere I go. I have had just about every type of massage; shia-tzu, swedish, thai, spa pamper. Throughout every experience I always find something to complain about; it’s too hard, not hard enough, not long enough or just not all around complete. Healing Hands by Tatiana is the only time that I get to fully let go, not think and enjoy the love my muscles receive. ” -Yaani King, massage client

If the ultimate Purpose of Life here on earth is tied in any way to how effective we are at using our bodies, our minds, our talents and our time to inspire growth and healing in others, Tatiana Zamir is setting an excellent example of how to get that done—and how to have a great time doing it.

I recently sat down with Tatiana for an in-depth discussion that reveals how and why she is so committed to and effective at touching others, and why she is so good at telling the truth:

KC: Why are you on earth?

TZ: I’m a truth teller. I’ve always been a fan of the truth. It’s always come easy for me to express it, and I hope to inspire others to be closer to the truth–whatever that looks like in their own lives.

Why is truth telling so crucial to you?

In the Baha’i writings it is written that “Truthfulness is the foundation of all human virtue,” so we can’t really grow or develop spiritually if we cannot be truthful about where we are now. We are essentially spiritual beings and part of what helps us to be spiritually successful is to be truthful.

If Tatiana Zamir were a brand, what would that brand represent?

Vulnerablity. Truth. Healing. Creativity. Inspiration.  I’ve been hearing so many people say how inspired they were by Moonlight Reflections. Whether inspired to go create something themselves, or to finally address some situation in their lives that required truth telling and honesty. I think people saw on stage tangible examples of how being vulnerable can be the foundation for real change in our lives and in our relationships.

What does vulnerability mean to you?

There are no walls. Or fewer walls. I have a couple of walls as an artist and as a human, but there really are not many emotional boundaries I won’t cross. I’ve had people tell me that creatively and emotionally I’m really brave and courageous, though I don’t really feel that way because it comes so naturally to me.  Sharing is not something that’s hard for me. I think vulnerability is letting your walls down and not being afraid of what people will think and knowing that the truth is part of our foundation and that even though pain may come from being vulnerable, beauty will surely follow.

The ways that you reach for your fellow human beings are very tangible. Why are you so open to sharing your temple in such visible and tactile ways?

What else am I here for? If I can’t fully be myself and fully share myself with the world why do we even exist? Because I’m so attracted to the truth, I always want to get to the core of who people are and I want them to see me right away. I believe it gives people permission to be their true selves when I do that.

What inspired you to want to be a massage therapist?

It’s something I’ve always loved to do and I was always really good at it even before I received formal training. I hadn’t really considered massage as a career, but I have always been attracted to healing, and I know that when I massage a client I’m literally making the world a better place. Healing touch produces so much good in the world.

Your clients really do rave about your technique. What makes you such an awesome masseuse? There are a bazillion massage parlors in L.A., why do your clients come back to you?

I think people come back to me because I’m really in tune with what’s happening with people and I really nurture them while I massage them. That may sound like “duh doesn’t every masseur do that?” But, unfortunately, the answer is no, they don’t. I get massages myself all the time and I’m often disappointed because I feel like people are so disconnected from the touch they are putting on your body and the work they’re doing is not reflective of the frequency your body is at. I’m really good at connecting with people and being present with them. People often say to me “I’ve had massages all over the world and I’ve never experienced that before.” My clients say they go into a zone. They go to another realm. They get their muscles worked on but they’re having an out of body experience as well.

You are a person who lives and breathes dance. What are people missing out on when they have no dance in their lives at all?

I really feel everyone’s life would improve tremendously if they danced every day, and I believe that so strongly because of what it does for me. Dance really takes me to a higher place. No matter what frequency I’m at, when I dance, it takes me to an even higher one. If I’ve had a bad day, after dancing, no stress can touch me. If I’ve had a great day, I’m just that much happier. I don’t know if it’s from releasing endorphins and relieving stress or what, but I feel closer to the Creator. I feel a real spiritual high.

Can I experience that spiritual high vicariously through watching others dance, or do I need to experience it by actually dancing myself?

I think you could have a piece of that high by witnessing it. I think you can feel that and I think you can experience some of what we’re feeling. I think you take it to another level when you do it yourself. You’re feeling things that are unique to you and depending on how your body’s feeling and where you are, you’ll experience it at a uniquely personal level. It’s a different experience when you put yourself out there.

If I attended a session of your Afro-Hip Hop Dance Workout, what would make me want to come back?

I believe my students come back week after week because they get a great workout–they’re drenched at the end–but they’ve had an amazing time doing it. They’ve told me they really love the music. I mix up my playlist with Afro beat, dance hall, salsa and hip hop, and I”ll mix contemporary radio hits with old school artists like Common and the Roots. You would love the intimacy of the class too, and the uniqueness. It feels like family. Everyone is supportive and loving and you don’t always get that in a dance or exercise class. But my class is like a family reunion every time. People say they feel very supported and supportive there.

Your decision to create, choreograph and produce Moonlight Reflections must have been a huge leap of faith. Is this a new direction for you? Will you venture further into dance theater?

In the process of creating that show I felt a happiness I had never experienced before. It felt so right and it was clear that it was where I needed to be. It’s very new for me to even be thinking about this right now. This is a new dream for me. I had a burning desire to bring my ideas to life in a theater and have people witness it. I had no idea it would sell out two weeks in advance and that people would call for me to stage it again. I don’t know yet how this calling will continue to express itself in my life, but I do see myself in the future as a producer of work that heals and hopefully inspires others to heal and inspire others.

What did you learn about yourself in taking that risk?

Being a producer requires bringing a lot of skills to the table that I might not really need to use too often in other areas of life. Hiring and assessing and critiquing the expertise of staff for example. I had endless learning experiences, but the thing that really floored me was that I never anticipated how deeply moved people would be by my work. It’s inspiring and humbling to see how sharing truth can ripple out into other lives in meaningful ways. I am still receiving letters from people who were moved by Moonlight Reflections. And, I mean written letters sent in the mail. In this age of technology, that is so stunning to me. People must have been really moved and inspired for them to sit down and write me letters and share their stories with me. I’ve had so many parents say the show made them think twice about their relationships with their children. They really want to be different and open and truthful and work harder at nurturing their relationships. I also had many young people come up to me after the show to say they felt like I told pieces of their story so truthfully, without me even knowing their actual story.

A significant part of Moonlight Reflections entailed the abusive-turned-estranged-turned-healed relationship with your mother. Through movement, music and spoken word you told many truths about your childhood experiences with her that were not cute or sweet. You really exposed some hurtful things that many mothers would not want exposed. How did your mother feel about that?

Her friends were like “I can’t believe you let her say these things about you.” My mom’s response was, It wouldn’t have been as powerful if she didn’t. What Tati shared is the truth. It’s what happened. The healing part of our story is so powerful because the painful and uncomfortable part was truthfully and fully shared. The show created even more healing and love between us. I had never had so much support in my life from my mother as I did with developing and producing this show.

In the successful Kickstarter project you launched to fund the planning and production of Moonlight Reflections, you talked about how your mother’s transformation as a parent began with a spiritual experience. In a state of prayer and meditation she suddenly became you and she felt the tiny heart of a little girl that was so shattered by her actions. How did your mother begin to heal your injured relationship?

Our healing occurred because my mother was able to finally tell the truth after she was in denial for so long, and she was able to truly apologize for hurting me all those years. A true apology is when you really mean it, and I knew for the first time in my life that she meant it. In the past I felt her apologies were followed by a million excuses. “I’m sorry but I was a single mom and this and that…”

This apology was different in what way?

It was something I truly felt. It was genuine. It wasn’t an angry apology. It wasn’t an I’m sorry, but…”  It was genuine and it was beautiful. And, more importantly, after my mother apologized, she actually changed. She actually became a different mother. She doesn’t yell at me. She doesn’t verbally abuse me anymore. She came to a place where she really wanted something different for us. 

So many people were touched in amazing ways by your journey. What do you think we can all learn from your story of injury and healing?

The truth really will set you free, if you allow it to.  That saying has a whole new meaning for me now.

www.tatianazamir.com
twitter.com/tatianazamir

One on One with Don Cheadle: ‘We’re Getting Played’

by | May 4, 2005 | celebrities, Exclusive Interviews | 2 comments

Whatever we do, we should know that one day we will all face that man called ‘history’ and that day we should have a word to tell him. “–Paul Rusesabagina

Imagine you lived in Kigali, Rwanda in April 1994 and you managed to survive the genocidal rampage that brutally ended the lives of 800,000 men, women and children.

For those who need a more recent graphic reference—that is four times the number who perished in the 2004 tsunami in South Asia.

Profoundly traumatized by the atrocities you’ve witnessed, and stunned by the rest of the world’s indifference to the tragedy, you spend the next decade trying to get people around the globe to understand what happened in your country, with the hope that it would never happen anywhere on Earth ever again.

By some amazing stroke of fortune, a Western filmmaker is so moved by your story he writes a screenplay about it, stubbornly ignores the Hollywood studio executives who insist the project isn’t film-worthy, and then manages to convince American A-list actor Don Cheadle to star in the independently produced film for very little money.

The movie goes on to earn critical acclaim, reaping three NAACP Image Award nominations, two Golden Globe nods and three Oscar nominations. Now, imagine your disbelief when you learn that after all the blood, sweat and tears shed by so many to bring the film to life, there are hundreds of millions of people who did not bother to go to the theater to see it.

Since its release on December 22, 2004 Hotel Rwanda has earned an estimated $25 million at the box office—which means roughly 3 million American theatergoers chose to see it. If you are one of the 290 million who did not bother, make a mental note to self: Rent Hotel Rwanda today.

Arguably the most important film of 2004, Hotel Rwanda stars Don Cheadle as Paul Rusesabagina, the real-life former manager of the four-star Hotel Milles Collines in Kigali, who risked his life to save 1,268 of his countrymen from certain death. It is based on the true story of a black man’s love for his family, his refusal to become inhuman in the midst of unimaginable inhumanity, and his unshakable courage in the face of death.

Though most of us know that Cheadle earned an Academy Award nomination for his stunning work in the film, what many do not know is that he turned down several blockbuster scripts (along with their blockbuster salaries) to ensure Rusesabagina’s story was brought to light.

“Out of the twenty or thirty scripts I read in 2003 there were two that I really wanted to do,” says Cheadle. “Neither of them had financing; neither of them had a home. I told the directors I would do anything to get them made, from being in them, to being behind the scenes, to helping to hustle money.”

Hotel Rwanda was one of the films Cheadle chose to help bring to the big screen; the other was Crash, an explosively candid independent film written and directed by Million Dollar Baby screenwriter, Paul Haggis.

In theaters May 6, and destined to be one of the most talked about films of 2005, Crash features a star-studded cast that includes Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Matt Dillon, Jennifer Esposito, Brendan Fraser, Terrence Howard, Ludacris, Thandie Newton and Larenz Tate.

Set in post-9/11 Los Angeles, Crash is a compelling urban drama that offers a raw, unapologetic glimpse into the lives of Los Angelenos of various ethnic persuasions whose lives uncontrollably intersect and collide. At times funny, heartbreaking, powerful, and always unpredictable, Crash ventures bravely and bluntly into rarely explored racial and cultural territory exposing both our tendency towards ethnic separatism, as well as the hopeful truth of our shared humanity.

Invited by Paul Haggis to be a part of  Crash early in the film’s preproduction, Cheadle took on the role of co-producer to help attract quality actors and potential funders to the project.

“I was asked by Paul to come on board and help produce—given my relationship with actors and money people in the business,” Cheadle explains. “When you have a first-time director, even though you have great material in front of you, you don’t know how they’re going to pull it off. It’s a leap of faith for a lot of actors when you have a first-time director and no distributor. I talked to a lot of the cast members…to convey to everyone that I knew Paul could do it.”

According to Cheadle, it didn’t take much convincing once the actors read the script. “This really was a labor of love. Nobody came for the dough; there wasn’t any,” he says. “Everybody really believed in the story and wanted to see it come off.”

Though the film’s core theme revolves around ethnic and cultural differences, Cheadle says the movie is not really about racism. “It’s a movie about people making a choice when their back is up against the wall and the power is slipping through their fingers,” he explains. “Once you feel your back is up against it, you go to the easiest thing—the knee jerk response—‘oh you look like that and I can talk about what I believe about you.’ I love that [Haggis] takes the stereotypes and turns them,” says Cheadle, praising the artistry of the film’s writer/director. “He sets it up so you’re thinking, ‘yeah, that’s the bigot,’ and the stereotype is the easiest thing to go to…and then you realize this bigot is really a person who’s in pain.”

Crash skillfully exposes some of society’s more blatant and overt racism through its most unlikable characters, one of whom is a racist LAPD cop with a chip on his shoulder. But even the film’s so-called good cop, Graham (Cheadle’s character) wears his own subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) preconceptions about other ethnicities on his sleeve.

Ethnic slurs and sweeping generalizations aside, Cheadle believes there is a critical lesson in both Hotel Rwanda and Crash that humanity had better not ignore. “There is a technique at work at the core of this called ‘divide and conquer’ that has been working successfully for far too long,” he warns. “The amount of time humans have been on Earth in relation to the amount of time the Earth has been in existence is minute,” says Cheadle. “Humanity is young and you can pull the wool over the eyes of the young. So you pit people against one another and make them fight over crumbs, and [violence] is the result. When are we going to realize we’re getting played against each other by those in power?”

As with his commitment to the making of Hotel Rwanda, Cheadle’s willingness to sacrifice his salary, and his hard work behind the scenes to get Crash to the big screen, are indicative of his beliefs about who is ultimately responsible for making positive change in a society on the verge of upheaval, violence or collapse.

“[Paul Rusesabegina] always thought that one day history would look back at the events of those hundred days in Rwanda,” says Cheadle. “And Paul wanted to be standing on the right side of it.” Cheadle learned from his experience filming Hotel Rwanda that it is better to try to be a part of the solution now, than to look back later with regret for not having acted. “There is no greater social injustice anywhere in the world than in Africa,” he asserts. “It was a perfect place for [Hotel director Terry George] to point to, and it was important to him to rub the West’s nose in their own hypocrisy, and I think he did that.”

Cheadle doesn’t let himself off the hook in that regard, however. “To that degree,” he adds, “…we are all Westerners and we’re all culpable.”

Cheadle hopes more Americans, especially black Americans whose ancestry is so closely tied to Africa, will educate themselves about what is happening on the African continent, especially in Darfur, southern Sudan where hundreds of thousands have died in what the U.S. State Department officially referred to in 2004 as genocide. “I urge you to make noise,” Cheadle implores. “As long as this issue remains out of the public haunt, it will thrive unchecked. Save Darfur.”

To get involved, visit www.doncheadle.com or www.genocideinterventionfund.org .

-for RollingOut.com