The Holiday Issue

CUE MAGAZINE A M O N T H LY

THE

LIFE + STYLE + DESIGN

GUIDE TO NEW ORLEANS

N OV EMB ER 2018

Holiday

ISSUE

FA S H I O N

BEAUT Y

CUE TIPS

Statement shoes for ‘sleighing’ on any occasion

Locally-made cosmetics sparkle and shine at holiday soirees

Jump-start holiday shopping with FAIT’s Axil Rose and Free Your Tea

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CONTENTS 6 7 8 11

NOVEMBER 2018

HOME

The etiquette of being a good host

FASHION

Statement shoes for holiday soirees

BEAUTY

Give good face (and nails) with these sparkly, modern looks

REAL ESTATE

Winter is (sorta) coming … is your house ready?

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CUE TIPS

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Starting your holiday shopping early?

Check out FAIT’s Axil Rose and Free Your Tea

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#FOLLOWING

Dancer Edward Spots pirouettes onto our radar

ON THE COVER: OUR BEAUTY COLUMN FEATURES SPARKLING MIXES OF METALLICAND MATTE-COLORED COSMETICS MADE BY LOCAL WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES TO PERFECT YOUR HOLIDAY PARTY OUTFIT. MAKEUP ARTIST: MIDORI TAJIRIBYRD. MODELS: JANECZKA VILLALOBOS, AMANDA NADEAU AND MELISSA C. JAGERS. PHOTO BY KARLA PHOTOGRAPHY

REGULAR FEATURES:

5 Editor’s Letter

14 Resources

[ FROM THE EDITOR ]

YOURS TRULY (CENTER) AND FELLOW SNOWFLAKES TANYA KINNETT, RACHEL YAZBECK, DEMI BROWN AND KRISTEN ESCHMAN BACKSTAGE DURING A 2017 PERFORMANCE OF “THE NUTCRACKER.”

CELEBRATION SEASON IS HERE!

The holidays (which run from the start of the New Orleans Saints’ regular season to Mardi Gras in my house) are my favorite time of year —I’ve been listening to the Duke Ellington version of “The Nutcracker” score since September. The holidays are a time to glow, filled with love for ourselves and our families and friends and for man- (and woman!) kind. We need to spread this love now and often, especially when the world has gone mad, especially when money is tight and especially when the thought of cooking a giant meal for Thanksgiving or Diwali or Hanukkah fills us with dread. Glow, in spite of it all.

Get your shine on with Midori Tajiri-Byrd who created a few sparkly-and-bright makeup looks perfect for any soiree. The best part?

All the cosmetics are locally made by women-owned companies.

Publisher JEANNE EXNICIOS FOSTER Editor KATHERINE M. JOHNSON

ADVERTISING

Advertising Inquiries (504) 483-3150 Advertising Director SANDY STEIN BRONDUM (504) 483-3150 [sandys@gambitweekly.com]

Sales Coordinator MICHELE SLONSKI

Sales Assistant

KAYLA FLETCHER

EDITORIAL

Senior Sales Representatives

Managing Editor

JILL GIEGER (504) 483-3131 [ jillg@gambitweekly.com]

KANDACE POWER GRAVES

Contributing Writers APRIL BLEVINS PEJIC, SARAH RAVITS AND SUZANNE PFEFFERLE TAFUR

Sales Representatives BRANDIN DUBOS (504) 483-3152 [brandind@gambitweekly.com] (504) 483-3141 [samf@gambitweekly.com]

Pre-Press Coordinator

ABBY SCORSONE

JASON WHITTAKER

(504) 483-3145 [abigails@gambitweekly.com]

Graphic Designers | DAVID KROLL, WINNFIELD JEANSONNE, MARIA BOUÉ

TAYLOR SPECTORSKY (504) 483-3143 [taylors@gambitweekly.com]

823 C A M P S T REE T | N E W OR L E A N S, L A 70130 504. 4 8 6 . 5 9 0 0 | cue@gambitweekly.com

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SAMANTHA FLEMING

PRODUCTION

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Creative Services Director DORA SISON

No party outfit is complete without a stunning pair of shoes, and the footwear we’ve gathered for our fashion column is the exclamation point to your holiday get-up.

Winter is on its way (well, sort of), and it’s time for homeowners to start preparing their property for those rare but brutal cold snaps.

A few experts lay out some tips to protect your home. Spoiler alert: they include wrapping your pipes well before the threat of a freeze.

Like, now. Get wrapping. And while you’re at it, get going on your holiday gift list with a few new retail options: FAIT, a creative design company specializing in plants, and Free Your Tea, a personalized subscription service for tea lovers.

Yours in peace, love and visions of sugar plums (yes, already),

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[ HOME ]

Guest gaffes HOW TO BE A GOOD HOST WHEN THE PARTY GOES BAD

W H AT SHOU L D I DO I F … … a guest RSVPs him- or herself, but shows up with a posse?

“Absolutely nothing,” Shelton says.

“Go in the kitchen and scream, but then get over it.”

Welcome uninvited revelers and treat them as you would your other guests.

Avoid confronting your friend until after the soiree. “In a subtle way later on, that conversation should come up … without attacking them. Proceed with caution about inviting that person the next time you have an event.”

… a guest arrives and reveals that he/she has a food allergy?

PHOTO BY PENNY MOORE

Carolyn Shelton, chef and New Orleans etiquette instructor.

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IT’S CELEBRATION SEASON IN NEW ORLEANS. We no longer need to

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look for an excuse to party — from football games to galas to holidays to “it’s finally cool enough outside to cook gumbo” gatherings, reasons to revel abound.

Most people know how important it is to be a good guest. Bring a side dish or a dessert to accompany the meal, don’t discuss religion or politics and so on. But there’s an etiquette to being a good host as well, and it becomes crucial when there’s a problem among guests. Many personalities are folded into a get-together, no matter the occasion, and the mixing of those dispositions can have unintended results.

Carolyn Shelton, chef and New Orleans etiquette instructor, says the key ingredient of any successful soiree is the comfort and enjoyment of guests.

“Make sure that when they leave, they leave with a happy heart, full belly and a good memory,” Shelton says.

“Problems are solved over food. What better time to have people together?”

But for the problems that seemingly can’t be assuaged by a charcuterie spread or cornbread stuffing, Shelton shares few strategies for diffusing these sticky scenarios.

BY K ATHERINE M . JOHNSON

That’s the guest’s problem, Shelton says. The RSVP is the time to announce you’re allergic to tree nuts or have a gluten sensitivity, so the host can plan menus and drinks accordingly. “I would not go out of my way to accommodate that person at that point,” she says. “I would do minimally what is necessary.

A good guest would never put you out that way.”

… I need to ask a guest to leave?

“If that person is making other guests uncomfortable … and it’s getting out of hand — he’s being loud, boisterous or controversial — it’s time for you to step up as the host,” Shelton says. “Take that person gently and calmly aside and address that issue immediately. Remove the guest from the party however possible … (but) never embarrass the person. Say, ‘This is my home, and you’re making my guests uncomfortable.’

Speak to them eye-to-eye, one-on-one and let them know their behavior is unacceptable, and ask them to leave.”

Try to remain neutral and keep frustration, anger and other emotions out of it, because that could escalate things.

Be proactive — address the issue before the behavior becomes a real problem.

“There is no nice way, but you have to become creative and figure out how you’re going to handle that person,” Shelton says. If the guest has had too much to drink, you may want to involve another guest, or practice what Shelton calls “Uber-etiquette” and order a car or

taxi for the inebriated attendee. “Insist on calling them a ride,” she says.

… guests don’t understand that the party is over?

Shelton drops hints, saying things like, “This party was so awesome,” or “I’ve got a 6 o’clock wake-up tomorrow morning.” If subtlety doesn’t work, be direct, but light-hearted. “I’m going to bed. Do you need me to make you a pallet on the floor?” is a line she trots out when partygoers overstay their welcome. You also can offer to help get guests home via a ride-hailing or taxi service.

Is it OK to ask guests to help clean up?

“No,” she says, “but good guests should offer.”

Is it OK to ask guests to BYOB?

“Yes,” she says, “but it’s not OK to specify what people bring.” You can ask for nonalcoholic mixers or a bottle of sparkling wine, but stipulating a bottle of 1982 Dom Perignon Brut Champagne is a no-no.

GIFTS FOR THE HOSTS W ITH THE MOST Louisiana platter set, $18.50 at MJ’s.

Sampler of infused olive oils by SoLA Deli, $24 at Two Sprouts.

Handmade metal ornaments, $9.99 each at NOLA Gifts & Decor.

Letterpress Quotable Drinkers coasters, $20 for a set of 10 (two of each design) at Scriptura.

Bottelabra candle holder (fits tea light and votive candles), $12.95, and Orleans Home Fragrances votive candle in Southern Magnolia, $2.95 at Forever New Orleans.

[ SHOPPING ]

LEOPARD AND VELVET

AND SEQUINS — Oh my!

BY APRIL BLEVINS PEJIC NOTHING PERKS UP AN OUTFIT like a new pair of party shoes. From sequins to fur and velvet to animal prints, fabulous is the word for footwear this holiday season.

Jeweled velvet Mary Janes, $335 at Angelique Boutique.

Iridescent gold and silver animalprint pumps

by Christian Louboutin, $745 at Joseph.

Embellished sequined flats, handmade in Cape Town, South Africa, $260 at Belladonna Day Spa.

Rose gold tie-up Italian Lurex heels, $475 at Lukka Boutique.

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Tasseled glitter pumps, $142 at Trashy Diva Clothing Boutique.

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Vintage ivory silk heels with rabbit fur pompom (size 6), $94 at Century Girl Vintage.

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[ BEAUTY ]

TIME TO

Shine

On Janeczka: The angular geometric shape in bright purples and blues over one eye is softened by a gentle swipe of the same colors and glitter over the other. Janeczka’s dark blue nails add edginess to this subtle glam rock look.

B Y K A T H ER I N E M . J O H N S O N PHOTOS BY K ARL A PHOTOGR APHY

On Amanda: Amanda’s almond-shaped eyes are edged by an oversized cat-eye design and a neat rectangle, creating a thoroughly modern look.

Muted gold nail polish is interspersed with a matte steel-gray for a little pop.

LAYER A PALETTE OF COOL METALLIC AND

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MATTE COLORS AND TOP IT OFF WITH A DUSTING

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OF GLITTER TO CREATE A HOLIDAY PARTY LOOK FIT FOR A WINTER WONDERLAND. Shoot credits: Models: Melissa C. Jagers, Amanda Nadeau and Janeczka Villalobos.

Cosmetics by Kismet Cosmetics, glitter by Elektra Cosmetics; makeup by Midori Tajiri-Byrd for Midori Makeup Artistry.

Hair by Emma Shankle and Tommy Centanni for Embodyment Salon & Spa.

Nail polish by Native Polish; manicures by Kimberly “Blue” Mazzullo.

Shoot coordinator: Katherine M. Johnson Creative services director: Dora Sison Special thanks to Embodyment Salon & Spa for hosting our shoot.

[ BEAUTY ]

On Melissa: Draping (contouring with rosy blush colors) softly frames Melissa’s dramatic cat-eye. The metallic yellow shadow highlighting the brow line reflects the glittery gold flecks overlaying her camo-green nail color.

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[ R E A L E S TAT E ]

WINTER IS COMING…

Weatherproofing your home in advance of colder temps

BY SAR AH R AVITS and leaky doors and windows,” Gardner says. “That results in high electric bills from running the heat nonstop to try and heat their houses.”

In Gardner’s experience, when it gets cold outside, the “frigid feel” comes up through the floors.

“Since [many] New Orleans houses are raised, the cold air is only inches away from your feet, and with most old homes having no insulation, the wood floorboards get cold really fast,” he says.

He says an inexpensive, DIY method of protecting the underside of a house is to enclose any openings around its foundation.

“If you have just a pier foundation, that’s a lot of work, but if you have a chain-wall foundation, there are probably just a few openings that can be enclosed with plywood or plastic,” Gardner says.

That will create an air pocket which can keep out cold air. Making these energy-efficient upgrades will help keep your bills lower in the summer months, too.

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OUR NORTHERN COUNTERPARTS MIGHT SCOFF AT THIS, but in New Orleans, it’s “sweater weather” when the mercury drops below 70, and many call the weather “freezing” when the temperature drops below 50 degrees. We’re accustomed to temperate weather in the fall and spring and scorching summers, but many of us never quite get the hang of winter, especially those deeply chilling cold snaps we get every so often when it actually freezes.

Many of our homes are really, really old, and originally were built with the hotter months in mind, hence the high ceilings and general lack of insulation.

But we do experience cold fronts and even snow once in a blue moon, so there are some important things residents can — and should — do to prepare their homes for winter.

Chris Kornman, co-owner of Entablature, a design-build firm, has seen his fair share of problems caused by cold weather over the course of his career in construction and brokerage. He says many New Orleanians’ wintertime insurance claims are for damage caused by frozen pipes.

A lot of New Orleans homes “aren’t built to insulate during those short but strong cold snaps,” says Kornman, adding that many don’t worry about securing their homes from the cold because of its infrequency.

Protecting pipes is the most important aspect of preparing your home for the winter, he says. “Make sure to wrap any part of the water line that is exposed,” Kornman says.

Many historic homes have water lines under the house, which can be difficult to access. In this case, it may be easier to hire a professional to insulate pipes. But if it’s just a small section coming out from the ground, “you can easily do that on your own,” he says.

In the event of a freeze warning, homeowners should run both the hot and cold water from the faucet, especially if they have a tankless water heater (which an increasing number of homes do).

“Even though [tankless water heaters] don’t have a big tank of water, they still do hold water inside, so if the water freezes,” it can cause damage, Kornman says. “You have to turn on the hot water (long) enough so that it actually comes out as hot water.”

Peter Gardner, renovator, real estate agent and owner of Gardner Development, notices a lot of problems stemming from the high ceilings and drafty areas in many New Orleans homes.

“The main issues I have seen are cold internal temperatures due to high ceilings, poor insulation

Kornman suggests changing filters regularly to maximize efficiency, whether you have central heat or use a window unit.

“Our AC units are designed to function in hot weather, so we tend to stress our systems when it’s really cold,” he says. “Everyone cranks up the heat a ton, and it’s really important to get your AC serviced before the strong weather — get it cleaned, change your filters, make sure it’s running well so that when you really need to run it full-blast all day, it’s not going to die.”

Kornman and Gardner offer a surprising piece of advice: Turn on the ceiling fan, even when it’s cold.

“As you know, hot air rises,” Kornman says. “In the summer, you want your fan at high speed in a counterclockwise motion to pull hot air up and push cold air down. In the winter, you want your fan to run at slow speed in a clockwise motion to push hot air down.”

“If you have a house with 9- to 12-foot ceilings, the heat from your heater will get trapped in the ceiling, so your ceiling might be 90 degrees, while your feet are 60 degrees,” Gardner adds. “By distributing the hot air, you can keep your house much warmer.”

With these tips in mind, you can enjoy our short but often-powerful winters and emerge without frostbite — or an outrageous Entergy bill.

M ONK E Y BUS INE S S I M AG E S

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HOME WORKS

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[ CUE TIPS ]

A TWIST OF FAIT THE TEAM BEHIND FAIT thinks it’s time for you to get your hands dirty.

FAIT (www. faitnola.com), from the French meaning “he or she does or makes,” is a company devoted to creativity, “using plants as a medium for creative expression,” says Laura Joffrion, one of FAIT’s co-founders. FAIT is a family affair: Laura, her sister Emily Joffrion and their mother Kathleen Robinson co-created FAIT to encourage the maker in all of us, via a mobile greenhouse known affectionately as Axil Rose.

Axil Rose is FAIT’s refurbished, retrofitted 1997 GMC Step van, which was a laundry truck in its former life.

The FAIT team partnered with the fabricators at New Orleans Airlift (the builders behind the Music Box Village’s sound installations) for the van’s rebuild. The name is a play on the axle of the van and the axil of a plant.

FAIT offers a “personalized experience” to help customers choose the right plant.

“It depends on what you gravitate toward,” Laura says. “Are you more of a bromeliad kind of person? Are you looking for greenery? Tropicals? A terrarium? A fern? … Do you want (the plant) to be outside? Do you have a lot of light in your house? How often are you able to water it? We really walk through that question-and-answer with someone who is excited about plants but unsure of (what to get).”

The women help pot and embellish each plant, whether in a traditional container or a terrarium or accented with crystals or pebbles, teaching clients the right depth to sink the plant in the soil or multi-hued sand and the appropriate watering schedule.

“And it’s teaching them to succeed,” Robinson says. “We’re putting them on a path to success, that (the plant) really is going to live.” Robinson and Laura say most of the hesitation they hear from would-be plant owners stems from their belief that the plant is doomed to die a brown, desiccated death at home, but projects come with a solemn pinky-promise from FAIT’s owners.

“When you buy something from us, you can always bring it back,” Laura says. “We will always help you. If you

B Y K A T H ER I N E M. JOHNSON

Axil Rose is FAIT’s mobile greenhouse.

don’t think (the plant) is happy, we will help you figure out why and bring it back to life. We want to offer people a little safety and security.”

The truck hosts public and private workshops, and appears at festivals, art markets and pop-ups. Depending on the project, instruction will take place in the Louisiana sinker cypress-lined interior of the truck, at picnic tables beside the truck’s popup terrarium bar or inside a client’s home or business.

Workshop projects include macrame plant hangers and the Japanese technique of kokedama, in which a plant’s root system is formed into a soil-and-clay ball and covered with moss. For the holidays, FAIT is planning decor workshops to create air plant and crystal ornaments and succulent wreaths accented with pine cones, cattail, ivy and other winter greenery.

Popular workshops involve mounting plants such as staghorn ferns and pink “Venus” bromeliads (a favorite with the guys, according to sales reports) onto driftwood. The installations can be small enough to adorn your desk at work, or large enough to drape over a fireplace mantle.

For Laura, the most enjoyable part of the experience so far is Axil Rose itself.

“At our launch party, I was just so overwhelmed with joy,” she says. “I was literally walking around in my dream. … It’s just such a warm, inviting environment for people to enjoy and walk in, and once they’re in there, they’re surrounded by all of these gorgeous living things. ... Watching people get excited … and sharing our love and passion for plants — that’s the whole point.”

[ CUE TIPS ]

NEW COMPANY HELPS YOU FIND YOUR CUP OF TEA

BY SUZANNE P F E F F ER L E T A F U R

SITTING IN HIS NINTH-FLOOR LAUNCH PAD OFFICE ON POYDRAS STREET, Knud Berthelsen described his startup business as the “Netflix for tea.”

His company, Free Your Tea (www. freeyourtea.com), is a personalized tea subscription service. New clients receive a sampling of six teas, which they rate. They also can read reviews of teas tried by other clients. Based on the subscriber’s feedback, Free Your Tea sends a fresh batch of teas likely to hit the right note.

“We’re not a tea of the month club, so it’s not like every month everyone gets the same tea, because people have such different tastes,” says Berthelsen, a Norwegian native who now lives in New Orleans with his wife and 2-year-old daughter. “I believe everyone has a favorite tea, but most people just haven’t met it yet.”

Free Your Tea offers brews from major tea-growing regions around the world. The types include dark

WINTER EDITION ISS UE DA TE

DEADLINE

NOV. 21, 2018 CALL OR EMAIL AD DIRECTOR SANDY STEIN: 504.483.3150 SANDYS@GAMBITWEEKLY.COM

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DEC. 4, 2018

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and strong teas; floral, green teas; light oolongs; and white teas, which are “usually the least processed of the teas,” Berthelsen says. “It’s pretty much just a leaf in a cup.”

Since Berthelsen doesn’t drink coffee, he begins his day with a robust tea, perhaps an Assam Breakfast, enhanced with sugar and milk. He may sip a blend of black teas mixed with a bit of oolong in the afternoon, and then — after the sun sets — a fragrant chamomile.

“I’ve never really enjoyed coffee that much,” Berthelsen says. “When I taste different coffees, to my palate, they just don’t taste that different. But with tea … there’s a much wider spectrum.”

But in New Orleans, and in most cities throughout the country, it’s much easier to find a new coffee drink than a preferred tea flavor.

“If I was a coffee drinker, I could just go into a coffee shop where they know everything about their coffee,” Berthelsen says. “They take great pride in it.

There’s not a lot of that for tea.”

He says tea is among the most widely consumed beverages in the world. In the U.S., 80 percent of tea consumed is iced tea. Free Your Tea offers instructions on how to cold brew its teas.

“Tea is a good product in every possible way,” Berthelsen says. “It’s healthy. It’s natural.”

He believes tea should be stored and brewed in its natural loose-leaf state, rather than packaged into tea bags.

Whole leaves conserve their chemical compounds longer and remain fresh. When steeped, they infuse at a lower rate, which keeps the tea from tasting bitter.

Several subscription plans, including one called The Coffee Replacer, are available. The Year of Tea, the most popular plan, features monthly deliveries of about 30 cups worth of premium loose-leaf tea, tailored to a client’s tastes. Berthelsen thinks this plan makes a good gift, since the recipient can enjoy the tea all year round.

“You’re giving them the experience of discovering new and interesting teas,” he says. “We’re at a point in society where a lot of people are more interested in collecting experiences than physical items, so it’s good that way.

You don’t have to know what kind of tea your friends like, because we’ll work on that.”

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RESOURCES

A listing of the retailers and professionals featured in this issue of CUE Magazine.

Guest gaffes PAGE 6

Carolyn Shelton www.facebook.com/ carolyn.shelton Forever New Orleans 308 Royal St., (504) 525-0100; 606 Royal St., (504) 510-4813; 700 Royal St., (504) 586-3536; www.shopforeverneworleans.com NOLA Gifts & Decor 5101 W. Esplanade Ave., Suite 17, Metairie, (504) 407-3532; www.nolagiftsanddecor.com MJ’s 1513 Metairie Road, Metairie, (504) 835-6099; www.mjsofmetairie.com

Lukka 1000 Girod St., (504) 218-7113; www. facebook.com/lukkaneworleans

Scriptura Lakeside Shopping Center Annex, 3301 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, (504) 219-1113; 5423 Magazine St., (504) 897-1555; www.scriptura.com

Trashy Diva Clothing Boutique 537 Royal St., (504) 522-4233; 2048 Magazine St., (504) 299-8777; www.trashydiva.com

Two Sprouts 103 Focis St., Metairie, (504) 3223838; www.twosprouts.com

Leopard and velvet and sequins — OH MY!

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CALL NOW! ISS UE DA TE

NOVEMBER 20, 2018 Call or email ad director Sandy Stein: (504) 483-3150 sandys@gambitweekly.com

Angelique Boutique 902 Harrison Ave., (504) 304-9050; 5421 Magazine St., (504) 891-8992; 7725 Maple St., (504) 866-1092; www.facebook.com/shopange liqueboutique Belladonna Day Spa 2900 Magazine St., (504) 891-4393; www.belladonnadayspa.com Century Girl 2023 Magazine St., (504) 875-3105; www.centurygirlvintage.com Joseph 5500 Magazine St., (504) 900-1422; www.josephstores.com

Time to shine PAGE 8

Elektra Cosmetics 2359 St. Claude Ave., Suite A, (248) 677-1035; www.elektra- cosmetics.com Embodyment Salon & Spa 3701 Magazine St., (504) 891-4440; www.embodymentsalon.com Kismet Cosmetics www.kismetcosmetics.com Midori Makeup Artistry www.midorimakeup.com Native Polish (844) 896-7300; www.nativenailpolish.com

Winter is coming …

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Entablature 8438 Oak St., Suite C, (504) 3223822; www.entablature.com Gardner Development (504) 728-7574

[ #FOLLOWING ]

#FOLLOWING:

LIKES

EDWARD SPOTS

Favorite place to get a poboy?

“Gene’s (Po-boys) or Adams Street Grocery & Deli.”

Dancer and teacher Instagram: @spotsedward

Doberge or beignets? “Beignets.”

Favorite verse of “The 12 Y’ats of Christmas?” [Laughs] “I don’t even know what that is.”

B Y K A T H ER I N E M . J O H N S O N PHOTOS BY K ARL A PHOTOGR APHY

Favorite choreographer of all time?

“I really love Justin Peck (of New York City Ballet).”

EDWARD SPOTS IS NOT SHY about being shy. The “extroverted introvert” (as he calls himself) is a bubbly, engaging 28-year-old native New Orleanian who, despite tons of apparent success in the world of dance — something a dancer with the most rudimentary training knows is a Herculean feat — still feels insecure about his career.

“I never feel like I’ve done enough,” Spots says. “I’m always questioning what I’m doing. I never feel as accomplished as people think I am. … I want to do more. I need to work harder.”

Even though he teaches ballet, modern and contemporary classes at studios around town, has a residency at New Orleans School of Ballet and is a member of Marigny Opera Ballet, New Orleans’ only full-time ballet company, Spots wanted to pile more on his plate after a nearly decade-long absence from his hometown. He branched into commercial work, filming TV spots for companies such as Walmart and Adidas, a music video (shot in Hawaii!) for musical duo JF&G and a vignette for the forthcoming feature-length silent film “American Rhapsody” by New Orleans-based director Garrett Bradley.

“That (film) is the highlight of my time (back) here in New Orleans so far,” Spots says.

He began his training in New Orleans with some of the more “old school” teachers, such as Diane Carney and Harvey Hysell of Ballet Hysell. As a teenager, Spots left home to study dance at Walnut Hill School for the Arts in Massachusetts and attended summer intensives at institutions that churn out some of the greatest dancers and choreographers of the modern era: Joffrey Ballet School in New York, Joffrey Heartland in Kansas City, Kansas, The Washington School of Ballet and The Ailey School, the latter of which offered him a position touring with its second company. Traveling with Ailey II took Spots all over the world. He made a point of learning the language and culture at each tour stop, and thoroughly embraced his role as an ambassador of art and expression.

It hasn’t been easy, however. Spots grew up in the Magnolia Housing Project — an unlikely incubator for a professional dancer.

“Where I grew up on Washington (Avenue) and Lasalle (Street), that’s

Favorite variation you’ve ever danced?

“The Bluebird variation (from “Sleeping Beauty”). It was the first one I learned, so I have an attachment to the music.”

MUSTHAVES

Photograph — “I don’t know who this is, but I’ve had it since I was in boarding school. I just love the energy of this picture.”

“The Great Gatsby” — “I like the idea of Gatsby. I think it comes from the idea of being poor and he acquires all this wealth … and no one really knows who he is. … In the end it’s a very humble, subtle story … just a story of a very hardworking person.”

Versace cologne Mask worn by his friend Alex Rodriguez, who unexpectedly died young — “He wore it as the Cavalier in ‘The Nutcracker.’

That mask reminds me of my friendship with him, and also how short life can be.”

Where you can see him next: in Rameau’s “Pygmalion,” Nov. 8-11 at Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre, and in Ballet Louisiane’s production of “The Nutcracker,” Nov. 30Dec. 1 at St. Martin’s Episcopal School.

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dance genres. Thanks to his time at the Ailey School, he’s found a second home in modern and contemporary dance. He trains and teaches several hours a day but still makes time to hit the gym or take yoga or Pilates classes to work on his flexibility and turnout.

“In ballet, we think the body is done at (age) 18,” Spots says. “But (general) fitness opened my eyes to the idea that your body can improve at 80 if you develop a good regimen.”

He also acknowledges ballet dancers’ (especially male dancers) struggle for acknowledgment in a society dominated by images of professional athletes in sports like basketball and football.

“It’s the same type of athleticism, maybe harder, but people don’t see that,” Spots says. “All they see is the grace and the lightness and the tutus and the pink. … It’s way more than that. I think the world is finally starting to see those other things, thanks to (people like) Misty Copeland, who have really set that tone.”

C UE M AG A Z I N E •

where all the second lines would pass,” he says. “I would watch and dance all the second lines in my living room. … Social dancing is still my favorite thing.”

Spots didn’t begin his training until middle school, which is detrimentally “late” in the ballet world, but being an underdog only made him work harder. Some of his teachers made it clear that he wasn’t the ideal dancer: no long, lean lines, supernatural flexibility, perfectly arched feet or superior turnout (the ability to rotate the legs outward using the hip joints). But this didn’t stop him from pursuing his passion.

“Because I struggled so much in academics, I fell in love with (dance) because it was something I could do,” he says. “I didn’t feel hindered by my learning curves … even though my first class was terrible! The whole thing was awful. … I remember seeing the studio sign and I pronounced it ‘bawl-let.’ … But I knew from that moment in my first ballet class, ‘I’m going to do this for the rest of my life.’ ” One way he overcame the “limits” of his body type was to try other

Notebooks — “I’ve been journaling since I was a kid. … I keep them as a reminder that if I dream it and write it down … it can manifest.”

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