[00:00:00] Welcome back, friends, to our podcast, Unlocking Your World of Creativity. And today we have a guest whose creative journey has taken him from dance floors to construction sites and now even to the stage. Join me as we dive into the world of creativity and motivation and even tapping into one's potential, if I could stretch that metaphor.

My guest is Atticus Ray. Atticus, welcome to the show.

Hello, how you doing?

I'm good. Atticus your show, has been billed as big construction meets dance production. I love the description of Bob Vila meets Fred Astaire, but there's a combination of HGTV and this idea of dance and tapping and it's called rhythm with views. Tell us about this fascinating combination and your journey getting to this idea.

Yes, I'd love [00:01:00] to. The journey started back. Just a lot of things, unintentionally, actually, I didn't wake up and plan to do all this.

I got started. Actually I had asthma really severely as a young child and Really couldn't do any kind of sports. And so I basically ended up doing some of these dancing, it came natural to me and just one thing led to another. And then the next thing, I found myself just getting I didn't really intend to get as good as I did.

I just got immersed in it. And and I did that all through school and having a little bit different name. Sometimes got teased and bullied a little bit, but that kind of toughens you up, either that stuff, breaks you or makes you better, so I went through this period of time where finding myself and being the odd ball, so to speak.

And next thing, I got pretty good at it and went out, won a few contests and started doing shows and then paid my way through That really kicked in my entrepreneurial mind again, didn't really intend to do it. It just was in front of me and I kept throwing [00:02:00] myself at it. And step after step, literally it grew.

And I think, you're rewarded when you, you're just chasing that passion. And at that time I wasn't necessarily it wasn't all about the money, but I did have some college bills. It was nice that I could, do what I loved and pay my way through school.

And that, that really set me on a path to being more of a creator and during that time, I thought What happens if my legs give out? And so I decided maybe I should have a little backup and that's how my real estate kicked in. And then the site, like a lot

of creators, we're in many hats.

You go a lot of different directions. You cover the bases where you need to cover them. That's for sure. I don't know a lot of people who I've talked to that have overlapped dance and real estate development and construction. These are some diverse. experiences. But how does all that influence your creative approach?

What's interesting is it's funny because I was trying to struggle with, am I this, am I that, I'm doing 20 things, and I said, there's, I'm [00:03:00] going to layer them on top of each other. And something I've mentioned before, but I met an older gentleman out doing many of my different shows and you meet a lot of interesting people when you go out, by the way.

I've done maybe over 2000 live shows. So I've met a lot of very interesting people and that, that rubs off on you. And one thing that stuck out is a older gentleman said, I'm going to give you a word that'll change your life. And that word is called also. And he said, you also can be this and you also can be that.

And, really once that clicked in my mind, I didn't have to identify myself as just one thing. And then I started to learn how I could, stack things on top of each other, line things up. But he also said, sometimes success will force you to put your ideas on the shelf. And I've had to learn how to then reel it back in and go, okay, success in these areas.

Have really forced me to take these great ideas I have. I would love to do, but it's time to put them on the shelf. I just don't have time [00:04:00] and they're not falling into that main focus. So it is a tug of war, a little bit of a battle of doing everything and also, but at the same time.

Knowing when to put certain things on the shelf for later, or a day down the road, or a rainy day when you've got nothing to do, which you probably never will have, but you just have to learn how to sort them out. And that was really some advice that really helped me begin to embrace that I can be more than one thing.

Well,

it is an interesting combination. And so when I first saw the trailer for Rhythm With Views, I said, I was sorted out. Of course, I had a preconceived notion who doesn't, but I really got into this this trailer. And I said, this is a lot of fun. And obviously you had a lot of fun doing it. Tell us about this rhythm with views, this combination

That came out of just such, it is so hard in today's world to find something truly unique.

And the director [00:05:00] from the production company approached me and said, you're one of the world's best percussive dancers. And you have this interesting life too. And we really could capture that and actually do something unique. That's. No one's doing. And so that really got me thinking about it and we were kicking around how to do that and we settled on the reality show because there's just so many things that I am doing that we can bring out and flush out through the episodes.

So we did our first episode during the COVID period. So we just did one episode. To act as our pilot just, it was uncertain times. Everybody didn't know what was going on. So we got that done and now we're going to, we're out promoting here with you and in other places, letting people know about this isn't really a, how to build a house, but more like a chance where you can peek into the life of somebody who does this, learn a few things, see what it's about get some realness about it too.

Not just. Watch us build a house in 24 hours, it's not fabricated [00:06:00] TV like that, but then also watching the other side of it, which is the dancing and the performance. And so ironically one of our taglines is this is where big construction meets dance production. And so ironically, construction and producing shows are really not that different.

You're taking a concept. From paper, putting your talent together to assemble the product. And both products are, basically thin air when you start and it turns into a real product at the end. And ironically, they're very similar that way. And so now we're. When we through our discovery, figured that out, the production and the construction really go together nicely, actually, and we'll be showing both sides of those worlds.

So I'm excited to bring all that to life. And just like the houses, you watch them on television, but they become a real product. In life the same thing will be happening with the shows that we produce on the television show, we'll be bringing those to life as a real product to take [00:07:00] out on tours and promotions and do so that people can come and see what they watched.

Get made on television. So I think it's an interesting concept that we're excited to bring to life. So yeah, it's a

nice overlap. And I couldn't help but wonder, on the one hand, you say, boy, they don't have a lot in common at all. But the more you just started listing there, it's wow, that Venn diagram got closer and more overlap.

And I guess if you add to it, your experience on the road and producing shows and life, performances what sort of Learnings from all of those interests. Because I do think about all the creatives that it might be listening. We have a lot of hyphens and slashes and we're exploring a lot of things out there, right?

And some of it is to make ends meet. But some of it is because our creative, energy just can't be limited maybe to one channel. But what sort of learnings did you have from each one of these sleeves of [00:08:00] your...

That's a great question because when you're younger and you're creative, you're just this wild stallion and nobody's going to stop you no matter what.

And the real estate and the construction really brought things, zeroed things in for me into more of a real life scenario and it helped me balance, the aspect of being the creative artist. But also, in the construction it's real product, you're working with real materials and you're getting things done.

And so it's a lot more raw in the construction world dealing with the contractors and different people it's a very right now. I need to know the answer now, not later. I don't really care about your ideas. I want to know about what is going to happen, and so that really slapped me into shape and taught me that.

No matter how creative you are, no matter how great the idea is, there has to be a product that, yeah, there has to be a result. There has to be something that you can say, this is what all my effort went into. [00:09:00] And creative people like myself can get trapped, I think, into perpetual creativity, and yet at some point you have to create something to show for your work.

And I think that's what the real estate brought that reality to me. So that I wasn't just floating off in the sky or having pipe dreams, or just, being all about my creativity and not about results. And I learned that balance. It really brought me right to the middle. And and I also learned in real estate that I don't get paid a lot more money to be creative.

I get paid money to get the job done. So it taught me that not everywhere do you get paid money. Or do even people appreciate your creativity? So it was a really great dynamic to bounce back and forth between those two and get a grip on really assessing what the project is, what situation you're in, what people you're dealing with, all of that matters.

To what hat you're wearing at the [00:10:00] time. So good background.

And I'm always interested in reading sort of the finer points of people's backgrounds like yours that are so diverse. But I think about the teachers and the collaborators and the mentors you've had, and I spot on here that you've played with legends like Bill Monroe and the Bluegrass Boys, and you worked with Pizza mogul, Tom Monahan.

There's a broad range of mentorship right

there. Yes. And it's how you end up in these places and meeting these people and working with them. And it's just, it is just so bizarre how. It's like a string of pearls. It just one thing leading to another, if I went and tried to knock on that guy's door, he'd probably have security and throw me off his property, but it's so weird how you can get brought into situations doing what you love to do and following that golden thread or that string of pearls to the next thing.

And because I, one of the aspects I [00:11:00] like with my dancing or what I love to do is give back. With my dancing. And I do that through my afterschool programs. And we're an initiative for a million taps for a million kids. We want to help do afterschool programs to keep, kids off the street, keep them fit, keep them healthy, give them something to do.

And so as I begin to do that with my dancing, I. And going out and doing assemblies and so forth. It was through that process that he had heard what I was doing. It was doing a charity auction. And so right at his house. And so it was a really intimate setting. And he's asked if we could come in and perform and he gives a lot of charity to the nuns and different Catholic organizations.

And so there was just all kinds of people there that you would just, you would never have a chance to run into. And I was a lot younger then. And and so here I am at, his mansion at his house, talking to the guy, so that it just takes you to a new level and a new reality, when you're literally boots on the ground or your feet are there.

And when I did the the Fox theater, for instance and open for [00:12:00] the Grand Ole Opry on tour with Bill Monroe and the bluegrass boys. Also Ricky Skaggs was there. And, it really hit me then too. I was backstage and on the wall was every great artist you could ever think of that had ever performed there.

And I was very young at that age. And that was very impressionable to me that that was probably my greatest regret right away is nobody said I couldn't sign the wall, but nobody said I could sign the wall and I was just a kid. And I didn't sign the wall and I could have put my name by any name on that wall.

You name an artist, I could have found it and put my name by them. And but that whole moment, I'll never forget just. moments like that, that basically let you know that, the possibilities are there, I guess

that relates also. We talked about you're located there at near Nashville, a real creative center, a capital of creativity.

It must be all around. What sort of influence does that energy and frankly, let's be honest competition. [00:13:00] Everyone is knocking on those doors. What influence does that have on your work?

I'm probably my biggest, I'm my own biggest competitor. I'm constantly not meeting the standard that I set for myself.

And so I, I just don't have a whole lot of time, to look. at what others are doing. Because I, and that's probably not healthy to be too much like that. But but I do set high expectations. I just try to go after them. And and I'm a big believer just because I've seen it happen so many times where you cannot prejudge the outcome.

So I've been to so many tiny little events that led to those big ones we were just talking about, where Thank you. Where someone goes, Oh, I know a guy, and, but they remember you from the small event and, but they're telling the guy or the gal that can get you to the big event. And so I've just learned not to prejudge any outcome.

Everything could have an amazing outcome. It's really true. Does everything have an [00:14:00] amazing outcome?

No, but no, but,

but I do know if you come in there with the arms crossed and your heels dug in and thinking. It's probably not going to happen, then you're going to miss it. For sure, and

picking up on your dance work.

You've got this great mantra on your website. Tap your potential. And I think about how many people do have untapped potential and how encouraging that could be. Talk to us about those moments where you've got to get unstuck where you've got to get moving and get up and get the work done.

This is for everybody a little bit different, but I definitely have overcome a lot of things in life.

I think everybody, if you really look back on your life, everybody has a lot of things they've overcome. And sometimes they've overcome them by putting their mind to it. And sometimes they've just overcome them, stumbling through it, so to speak. Or got through it, but as you do that experience [00:15:00] and you overcome things, you, you begin to you either begin to embrace those challenges or they wear you down, I believe and when you embrace them, then you can find somewhere in there and energy to see it through.

And I usually find that. For me, I was looking outward for my potential all the time when I was younger, looking for other things, other places, other programs, whatever. But then through, just to keep it more plain for everybody, but just through spirituality and my own faith, I began to realize my potential was already in me.

And that it needed to be developed, not found. And that's really what changed everything for me was just realizing that I didn't have to go seek it, find a special place, meet a special person, read a special book. My, my potential was already in me and I needed to develop it. And I really feel like that's.

Everyone's [00:16:00] answer, and we hear similar things when we say things like find something you love to do and do that, I think if you dug deeper, that thing you love to do was your potential buried inside, waiting to be developed, a diamond in the rough the diamonds not being made, the diamonds being cleaned up, polished, brought forth.

set on the crown, put, it, it's a process, right? So

such a great picture. I, it's such a great way to visualize it.

Yeah. And that's, and I've learned, like I said, I learned through a lot of those, forging new paths. I was the guy with a different name. I was really skinny.

I was clogging and dancing and tab dancing. Guys weren't doing a lot of dancing back when I was doing it. And I, I was on my own path and but you find yourself. And I think at the end of the day, when you find yourself, you're really finding that potential inside of you. And come into terms with who you are, what makes you [00:17:00] happy?

What are you here to do? And I think everyone will agree if they get to that point. The money is the result. We always hear that the money follows, but you don't get your happiness from that money. That's just the scoreboard and the reward, but that potential inside is where I think we'll all find our happiness.

And no pun intended but some pun intended that I went from a person who had a 40% restriction in my lungs with asthma and I had leg braces and I wasn't able to walk. And I just was your unlikely candidate to be one of the world's best percussive dancers. And everybody can overcome and everybody can tap your potential.

So I think it's from actual experience and not. Not just a catchy phrase,

so encouraging. That's what we need

to hear for sure. Thank you. That's what I want to share. Yeah,

well, thanks for that. And folks, my guest is Atticus Ray and his show Rhythm with Views is on [00:18:00] Amazon Prime and Apple TV And where else can we follow your work, Atticus?

We want to be sure that we get the full Atticus. Experience.

Yes. It's funny you say that because I do so many things and we're really trying to flush that out on social media right now. I have this really interesting career where being a mover, being a shaker, always out doing stuff. I'd never actually spent a lot of time on social media and the world has shifted into nothing but social media and COVID, COVID kind of kicked that into overdrive.

So right now I'm spending time building my social media and. Encouraging everybody to go to my Facebook page, Atticus Ray. So if you can go there and you're going to find a more that full picture, you're going to find the construction projects, the show projects, we're going to begin releasing some of the the new tribute show I was mentioning to you earlier off air there, but we're going to be releasing some new programs.

And that's really my full palette page is my Facebook page. And then. From there you can [00:19:00] find us at rhythm with views also on Facebook and rhythm of views. com. But yeah, if you find me somewhere, you'll get me. So I've had the same phone number. I looked at that the other day, I've had the same.

phone number for over 20 years now. So you want to call me? I'm easy to get ahold of.

We're going to put all those social links and websites and so forth in the show notes. So listeners, you can go to our episode notes and find all those connections. Atticus, what a great conversation.

I've really enjoyed exploring creativity.

I loved it. You've been a great host and thanks for having me on. And I hope I've been a blessing to you or anybody today listening.

We can't wait to follow all these projects and see how they come out and all the best to you on those and stay in touch with us and let us know how things are unfolding.

I will thank you. I'd love to come back sometime. Thank you. We thank Atticus

for being on the show and sharing his journey and insights. And I thank you for coming on the program, whether you're on the dance floor, you're on the construction site, or you're sitting at your [00:20:00] keyboard writing the next great American novel.

We need your creativity out in the world. And that's really what this podcast is about. We want to talk about the principles of creativity and all the possibilities, but when it comes down to it, we want to push the send button. We want to push the go to. Print button on our work and get it out into the world.

And that's what it's all about. So until next time, I'm Mark Stinson, and we'll keep unlocking your world of creativity. We'll see you next time.