Frankie Taylor ~ Retro Fitness Instructor & Actress ~ London, UK
1. What inspires, moves or drives you?
I am inspired by the colour, fashion, movement & music of the 80s. Everything was so colourful & expressive back then! Don't get me wrong, love the 70s and the 90s too, but the 80s definitely had something special about it. I remember seeing iconic dance films in the 80s and being like "yep, that's where I belong", movies like "Staying Alive", "Flashdance" & "Perfect". Those are what inspired me to start my company GLOW.
2. What are a few of your favourite things?
Puppies, pastels & pasta (all the P's!)
3. What does an ideal world look like to you?
Ideal world? Oooof, that's tough. An ideal world is a place where everyone has the access to enough resources in order to achieve their dreams. Whatever they may look like. Also getting to a more environmentally sustainable place would be great too, people having the space to grow their own food etc. Waste is something that really upsets me, it would be great to see a big change in how we interact with materials & how we can reduce our waste emissions.
4. What is your “offering”, creative or otherwise?
I run a business called GLOW. We create retro fitness & dance experiences for brands, individuals, parties & events. We are creating a super fun, retro world where people feel their most positive through dressing up & dancing! Nothing makes you feel happier than whacking on some pastel leg warmers and dancing to 80s bangers.
5. How can we find your work or follow along with your journey?
Instagram: @everybodyglows
Facebook: www.facebook.com/everybodyglows/
Website: www.everybodyglows.com
Email: frankie@everybodyglows.com
Woo! Sign up for our class!
6. What are your favourite quotes or words to live by?
In the wise words of John Travolta (my idol), "Dancing is part of my soul. It makes people happy and it makes me happy".
7. Who are your heros/heroines and how have they impacted your life?
My heroes are my Mum, Dad and boyfriend. They are the most inspiring people I know. Oh and John Travolta.
8. How will you leave your mark on the world, both in terms of community and the environment?
In running GLOW I am trying hard to make fitness & dance as accessible and inclusive as possible. The industry (dance especially) is not the most welcoming place in the world (I decided not to go the professional route when I was younger for that exact reason!) There is a lot of bitchiness and pretension. With GLOW we are creating worlds in which everyone is accepted, no matter who you are or what your ability. Everyone has a dancer inside them waiting to get out! We want people to feel their most at ease and confident with us! And we want them to do that in an array of colourful spandex and Lycra. As for sustainability, we have made some branded sweaters and we used an eco-friendly supplier (low carbon footprint / zero waste) and sent them in degradable and reusable mailing bags. We try to think about our eco-footprint as much as we can during the creation process.
9. What advice would the present you share with the past you?
Persistence is the key!
10. What challenges have you overcome and how?
Take time each day to reflect on your own behaviour. How does it impact yourself and others around you? Self-reflection is so important and with such a fast-paced world, we forget to do that sometimes. Also I think everyone should have access to a puppy at least once a day, it does wonders for the soul.