Transcript

GO ALL IN ON YOUR DREAM: FROM TALENT SHOW TO HOLLYWOOD RED CARPET || RYAN INGRAM || EPISODE 064

From Code To Winning · Episode page · Watch on YouTube

· 52 min · 10,582 words · 163 timestamped sections

This is the full, timestamped transcript of "GO ALL IN ON YOUR DREAM: FROM TALENT SHOW TO HOLLYWOOD RED CARPET || RYAN INGRAM || EPISODE 064", an episode of Code To Winning published October 18, 2025 (52 min, about 10,582 words). It mentions 140 people, works and ideas, including Ryan Ingram, Los Angeles, Ingram Entertainment, Royal Dance Works, Rodney Jerkins.

What this episode is about

Ryan Ingram shares his journey from a talent show performer at age ten, where he captivated audiences with live dance moves, to landing a DJ gig on the Hollywood red carpet. He reflects on the vibrant cultural landscape of the '90s and the importance of seizing opportunities, ultimately realizing the necessity of embracing one's passions despite fear of judgment.

Key takeaways

  • Early confidence can moonwalk you into lifelong passion; an audience's roar unleashes limitless ambition.
  • In '88, sweat and spontaneity spun dreams; bike rides to talent shows spark wild cultural journeys.
  • Ingram's journey: from sweaty auditions to DJ under the Arizona sun; youth's irony knows no bounds.
  • Imagine DJing red carpets under melting vinyl; industry's fakery exposes seeds of resilience.
  • From moonwalking at 10 to managing Phoenix parties; energy from nostalgia fuels the entertainment fire.

Who speaks in this episode?

What is discussed, and when

  1. – 5:00: Ryan Ingram, Moonwalk, Ingram Entertainment, Los Angeles
  2. – 10:00: Royal Dance Works, London, Paris, Carol Royal
  3. – 15:00: Los Angeles, London, Paris, dancing
  4. – 20:00: Culture Shock, Bloods, Fox Teen Choice Awards, Arista
  5. – 25:00: Mike Tyson, Rodney Jerkins, Dark Child, Justin Timberlake
  6. – 30:00: America's Best Dance Crew, Arizona, Bender Performing Arts, Ingram Entertainment
  7. – 35:00: Fear Styles Crew, Arizona, B Boy House, Baby freeze
  8. – 40:00: Cat Williams, Church secretary, Higher power, Michael Waldridge
  9. – 45:00: YouTube, choreographing, dancing, economics
  10. – 50:00: service of other people, Ryan Ingram, Bad Bunny, Cupid Shuffle
  11. – 51:57: ingramvents.com, Instagram, Party Wizard, Ryan Ingram

Notable quotes from "GO ALL IN ON YOUR DREAM: FROM TALENT SHOW TO HOLLYWOOD RED CARPET || RYAN INGRAM || EPISODE 064"

  • Other people thought of me. So when I got out of that program, I thanked Miles and then said, I'm moving to LA.
    about Los Angeles · at
  • He goes by the name of Ryan Ingram. He's also the CEO and founder of Ingram Entertainment, which does specialize in top-notch entertainment services for private, corporate, and.
    about Ryan Ingram · at
  • At the And so senior year they take Carol Royal had dance international and they would take auditions from dancers from all over the country and they would only take 40 and you had to be proficient in all the styles. Jazz, tap,.
    about Royal Dance Works · at
  • Well, I had a mentor and I was at the time I was teaching I was teaching about 13 classes a week and I was running a mobile DJ business with Miles Gilbert from SKM…
    about Miles Gilbert · at
  • Yeah. So Rodney Jurgens and Mike Tyson are buddies. And Rodney Jurgens is the is Dark Child. Dark Child remix. So he produced Destiny's Child and all of that.
    about Dark Child · at
  • Thing we're at Mike Tyson's house and I'm giving it 1,000%. And Rodney turns around and he's Y'all let me down. You guys had a opportunity of a lifetime and no one showed up. And then he looks at me and he goes, You're the only star in this.
    about Rodney Jerkins · at
  • I started my dance program, Automatic Response. Few years later, we're back in Hollywood auditioning for MTV's America's Best Dance Crew.
    about Automatic Response · at
  • Entertainment that'll be open to the public. That's that's coming around. So, Party Wizard, Instagram, Ingram Entertainment.com.
    about ingramvents.com · at

Who and what is mentioned in this episode?

People

  • Ryan Ingram — Person · Main guest · 4 mentions · first at
    Primary interview subject: founder/CEO of Ingram Entertainment and professional DJ/MC/dance instructor, sharing career history and philosophy on serving audiences.
  • Rodney Jerkins — Person · Referenced industry figure / talent scout/producer · 2 mentions · first at
    Mentioned as a high-profile music producer (aka Darkchild) who auditioned acts at Mike Tyson's house; pivotal moment where he identified Ryan as a star.
  • Miles Gilbert — Person · Referenced mentor / business partner · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned as Ryan's partner from SKM Entertainment who taught him the DJ/mobile business and co-ran the mobile DJ business earlier in his career.
  • Dark Child — Person · Alias / producer · 1 mention · first at
    Alternate name referenced for Rodney Jerkins (Darkchild) in conversation about production credits.
  • Mike Tyson — Person · Referenced host / venue owner for auditions · 3 mentions · first at
    Mike Tyson hosted the event at his house where Rodney Jerkins auditioned acts — part of Ryan's pivotal audition experience.
    And next thing we're pulling in the gates at Mike Tyson's house and Rodney Jurgens is right there and there's and there's people from Htown there and there's beautiful female.
  • Aaliyah — Person · Referenced celebrity encountered · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned as someone Ryan saw in the green room during the Fox Teen Choice Awards DJ gig — situates timing and industry exposure.
    On and then get up and act like I was mixing while the vinyl is getting warped by the sun. Meanwhile, like Britney Spears, all of those people, I'm seeing all of them in the…
  • Biggie — Person · Referenced artist (cultural context) · 2 mentions · first at
    Mentioned alongside Tupac as emblematic of 1990s hip-hop’s rise, framing the cultural moment around Ryan’s early dance years.
    That would do it. we became famous for it was coming. It was so popular saying Golden Era as well like the Tupac, Biggies was coming out like the Ice Cube, all these different…
  • Tupac — Person · Referenced artist (cultural context) · 2 mentions · first at
    Cited as part of the 'Golden Era' hip-hop backdrop that shaped the era of dance and music Ryan grew up in.
    That would do it. we became famous for it was coming. It was so popular saying Golden Era as well like the Tupac, Biggies was coming out like the Ice Cube, all these different…
  • Justin Timberlake — Person · Referenced celebrity encountered · 2 mentions · first at
    Mentioned as part of the celebrity milieu Ryan encountered at industry events; helps time-stamp the era of Ryan's early LA exposure.
    That was right before then. That was right before past 20 2001ish 2002 around there.
  • Britney Spears — Person · Referenced celebrity encountered · 1 mention · first at
    Seen by Ryan at the Fox Teen Choice Awards green room; used to describe the celebrity environment Ryan experienced.
    On and then get up and act like I was mixing while the vinyl is getting warped by the sun. Meanwhile, like Britney Spears, all of those people, I'm seeing all of them in the…
  • Bad Bunny — Person · Referenced artist · 1 mention · first at
    Listed in entity list but not substantively discussed in transcript; incidental mention if any.
    And you're gonna flash it in the DJ's face. play Bad Bunny. Bro, I'm doing just fine without Turn around and see what's happening out there. Enjoy the party and put your phone down. Why don't you let me play the song you forgot you loved?
  • MC Hammer — Person · 2 mentions · first at
    Crowd go crazy while I was on stage, it was Give me more of that. at all those '90s dances like MC Hammer and Rob Bass and Young MC, all of that stuff was popping and all the…
  • Young MC — Person · 2 mentions · first at
    It was Give me more of that. at all those '90s dances like MC Hammer and Rob Bass and Young MC, all of that stuff was popping and all the Running Man and the Roger Rabbit and…
  • Ice Cube — Person · 2 mentions · first at
    Popular saying Golden Era as well like the Tupac, Biggies was coming out like the Ice Cube, all these different guys, Puff, everything was just coming out like early around that time. golden era.
  • Josh Royal — Person · 2 mentions · first at
    Still. Yeah, I mean on the baseball team I had my buddy, my partner in crime, Josh Royal. His mom is Carol Royal. She's the owner of Royal Dance Works.
  • Carol Royal — Person · 2 mentions · first at
    On the baseball team I had my buddy, my partner in crime, Josh Royal. His mom is Carol Royal. She's the owner of Royal Dance Works.
  • Justin Timberlake — Person · 2 mentions · first at
    I'm seeing all of them in the green room. I ran into Aaliyah in the green room. Britney Spears, like Justin Timberlake, Insake, all of those people.
  • Magic Johnson — Person · 2 mentions · first at
    They would tape my ears back for photo shoots. Next thing you know I'm in Magic Johnson Records. Next thing you know we're auditioning for Arista for Sony.
  • Darkchild — Person · 2 mentions
  • Puff Daddy — Person · 2 mentions
  • Rob Base — Person · 2 mentions
  • The Notorious B.I.G. — Person · 2 mentions
  • Zayn Malik — Person · 2 mentions
  • Ashley Hazdevac — Person · 1 mention · first at
    And so we had a family friend, Ashley Hazdevac, Ashley Wilkins. She was like 3 years old when I was 10 and she was always doing the recitals at that show.
  • Ashley Wilkins — Person · 1 mention · first at
    And so we had a family friend, Ashley Hazdevac, Ashley Wilkins. She was like 3 years old when I was 10 and she was always doing the recitals at that show.
  • Kevin Columbus — Person · 1 mention · first at
    Culture Shock right when I moved out there. I got an agent DDO agency and then oh Kevin Columbus, he was one of the dudes. Kevin Columbus is another OG. He's like OG popper. And so he helped me get my agency and helped me get in with.
  • Wade Robson — Person · 1 mention · first at
    It was like an audition but it was just class. like we all pay 25 because Wade Robson or Brian Freriedman or one of those guys is the choreographers right?
  • Marcus Houston — Person · 1 mention · first at
    So like Marcus Houston and everybody from Bel Bib Devo that was producing B2K, we were in the we were the white version of what B2K was doing and we were being run by Bloods and it was.
  • Alyssa Milano — Person · 1 mention · first at
    Craziest stories about these freakoffs he would go to and how he would get down with Alyssa Milano and him and all his buddies were getting with all of those celebrities and we…
  • Reggie — Person · 1 mention · first at
    Center of that group and we had we had backup everywhere. So, one of the dudes, Reggie, who drove our car, he got murdered a week after I left.
  • Cat Williams — Person · 1 mention · first at
    Thank goodness. But like Yeah. What advice would you give for those cuz I watched the Cat Williams interview with Shannon Sharp. I don't know if you've watched that one.
  • Michael Waldridge — Person · 1 mention · first at
    He was an awesome mentor for all of us at the school, Mr. Waldridge, right? I love that guy. PE was my favorite class because of Mr. Waldridge. And he made me the athlete and gave me the mentality I am I have today. So, I had this.
  • Brian Friedman — Person · 1 mention
  • Shannon Sharpe — Person · 1 mention

Books & papers

  • Landmark Forum — Book · Primary recommendation · 1 mention · first at
    Personal development program that influenced Ryan Ingram's decision to pursue his passion.
    And basically, like the mission of the Landmark Forum is to like live a life you love, right? And I realized in there in that program that I had been I'd made that decision from 11 years old because.

Companies & orgs

  • Ingram Entertainment — Company · Business focus / Guest affiliation · 3 mentions · first at
    Company founded/operated by the guest; provides entertainment services for private, corporate, and luxury events in Arizona/Phoenix.
    He goes by the name of Ryan Ingram. He's also the CEO and founder of Ingram Entertainment, which does specialize in top-notch entertainment services for private, corporate, and luxury events here in the beautiful.
  • Royal Dance Works — Company · Early mentor organization / dance studio · 3 mentions · first at
    Local dance studio owned by Carol Royal that provided mentoring, choreography, and opportunities (London/Paris trip) for Ryan early in his career.
  • Instagram — Company · Platform for promotion · 2 mentions · first at
    Ryan cites Instagram as a channel where he posts content as 'The Party Wizard' and connects with audiences.
    Contact page there. give me your name, number, if you have an event, what type of event you're throwing. I'm on Instagram also as the party wizard. We have a lot of content…
  • Betty Johnson School of Dance — Company · Referenced company · 2 mentions · first at
    Dance school where Ryan Ingram became an instructor after returning from London and Paris.
    So I started training with them. I started really diving into it. The very next year I became an instructor at Betty Johnson School of Dance and then I mean the rest is history. Unbelievable.
  • Culture Shock — Company · Referenced company · 2 mentions · first at
    Hip-hop group in LA that Ryan Ingram became a part of when he moved there.
    So he gets me hooked up with this hip-hop group in LA called Culture Shock. So I got I became a part of Culture Shock right when I moved out there. I got an agent.
  • Arista — Company · Referenced record label / audition target · 1 mention · first at
    Ryan's group auditioned for Arista (and Sony) during their attempts to sign with major labels.
    We're auditioning for all the record label deals that B2K was going for at that time.
  • Valley's Total Fitness — Company · Early employer / program operator · 1 mention · first at
    Ryan worked for (or with) Bales/Valley's Total Fitness running afterschool hip-hop programs; school district contracts shifted from them to Ryan's organization.
    And I didn't have enough money to fix it or get a new car. And I was working for Bal's Total Fitness at the time. They had an afterchool hiphop program and they were in like 60 schools. And so I was kind of running that for Bal's. So,.
  • SKM Entertainment — Company · Early business affiliation · 1 mention · first at
    Company associated with Miles Gilbert; part of Ryan's early mobile DJ business experience.
    Well, I had a mentor and I was at the time I was teaching I was teaching about 13 classes a week and I was running a mobile DJ business with Miles Gilbert from SKM…
  • Sony — Company · Referenced major label · 1 mention · first at
    Referenced as part of label auditions (Arista for Sony), indicating Ryan's group was in major-label pursuit.
    We're auditioning for all the record label deals that B2K was going for at that time.
  • B2K — Company · Referenced company · 1 mention · first at
    Music group that Ryan Ingram's group was competing with for record label deals.
    So like Marcus Houston and everybody from Bel Bib Devo that was producing B2K, we were in the we were the white version of what B2K was doing and we were being run by Bloods and it was their concept.
  • Fear Styles Crew — Company · Referenced company · 1 mention · first at
    Real hip-hop crew that mentored Ryan Ingram in street dance.
    Shout out to Fear Styles crew and B Boy House, right? Fear Styles crew. They a real hip-hop crew that came started out here in '93 and they're the reason we know hip-hop culture as it is.
  • Bales — Company · Referenced former contractor · 1 mention · first at
    Likely referenced as 'Bal's' or 'Bales' Total Fitness — company Ryan worked for or replaced in school contracts; provided afterschool programs.
    And I didn't have enough money to fix it or get a new car. And I was working for Bal's Total Fitness at the time. They had an afterchool hiphop program and they were in like 60 schools. And so I was kind of running that for Bal's. So,.
  • YouTube — Company · Platform reference · 1 mention · first at
    Mentioned in entity list but not substantively in transcript; guest references content/monetization generally which may include YouTube.
    Go 100% in like stop worrying about like listen is it that thing is a that thing yes I'm monetized by YouTube and I've been like you know and I did that the craziest thing is…
  • NSYNC — Company · 3 mentions
  • Bender Performing Arts — Company · 2 mentions · first at
    Works and I'll name drop all of these like Betty Johnson School of Dance, Bender Performing Arts. So I want to I was trying to find out was it like you got served stomp a yard step up. What was it?
  • Party Wizard — Company · 2 mentions · first at
    Name, number, if you have an event, what type of event you're throwing. I'm on Instagram also as the party wizard. We have a lot of content going up. We have events that we're…
  • Bally Total Fitness — Company · 2 mentions
  • Milli Vanilli — Company · 2 mentions
  • North Side Crew — Company · 1 mention · first at
    Right then, so Josh and I are ripping the talent show and those guys from Royal Dance Works, shout out to North Side Crew. They're still my buddies now, right? Those are my mentors back then.
  • Phoenix Suns — Company · 1 mention · first at
    Had it all here. I thought there was no opportunities. like you were either dancing for the Phoenix Suns, the Mercury, or like you're like a background dancer at and you're…
  • DDO Agency — Company · 1 mention · first at
    Culture Shock right when I moved out there. I got an agent DDO agency and then oh Kevin Columbus, he was one of the dudes. Kevin Columbus is another OG. He's like OG popper. And so he helped me get my agency and helped me get in with.
  • Magic Johnson Records — Company · 1 mention · first at
    They would tape my ears back for photo shoots. Next thing you know I'm in Magic Johnson Records. Next thing you know we're auditioning for Arista for Sony.
  • House of Blues — Company · 1 mention · first at
    And so next thing you know I'm on stage at the Nutty Professor 2 DVD release party at the House of Blues and we're performing and Jamie Fox and all of that part of Hollywood is in the crowd.
  • Backstreet Boys — Company · 1 mention · first at
    For Magic Johnson and now I'm auditioning with the guy who produced Backstreet Boys and Insync. And the next thing they're flying us out to Mike Tyson's house to audition for Rodney Jurgens cuz Rodney one in Vegas.
  • Destiny's Child — Company · 1 mention · first at
    Are buddies. And Rodney Jurgens is the is Dark Child. Dark Child remix. So he produced Destiny's Child and all of that.
  • Automatic Response — Company · 1 mention · first at
    I started my dance program, Automatic Response. Few years later, we're back in Hollywood auditioning for MTV's America's Best Dance Crew.
  • B Boy House — Company · 1 mention · first at
    Shout out to Fear Styles crew and B Boy House, right? Fear Styles crew. They a real hip-hop crew that came started out here in '93 and they're the reason we know hip-hop culture as it is.
  • Arista Records — Company · 1 mention
  • Bell Biv DeVoe — Company · 1 mention
  • Herberger Institute of Fine Arts — Company · 1 mention
  • Ingram Events — Company · 1 mention
  • Phoenix Mercury — Company · 1 mention
  • WNBA — Company · 1 mention

Products & tech

  • Landmark Forum — Product · Referenced program · 1 mention · first at
    Personal development class mentioned by Ryan Ingram that influenced his decision to pursue his passion.
    Like 20 years old, 19 years old. And I was learning more from my mentors than I was in college. And Miles offered to pay half of a personal development class for me. It's called the Landmark Forum.
  • Automatic Response — Product · Program / product offering · 1 mention · first at
    Ryan's dance program / after-school youth enrichment product created as part of his instruction and Ingram Entertainment's offerings.
  • Bike — Product · 4 mentions
  • CD controllers — Product · 2 mentions · first at
    Me in the middle of the sun with records that were warping from the sun. And then they had CD controllers under the table that I would have to actually do the mix on and then…
  • Vinyl records — Product · 2 mentions
  • Ecstasy — Product · 1 mention · first at
    Next thing my buddy's doing drug runs with them. Guys in the group, they're manufacturing ecstasy in the park in their apartment. They're they're they're buying our studio time…
  • Shotgun — Product · 1 mention · first at
    Veteran. We were living on the north side of town. And I was sleeping with a shotgun under my bed for the first few months while my buddies who I had left behind are still in the group.
  • Boom box — Product · 1 mention · first at
    They were in like 60 schools. And so I was kind of running that for Bal's. So, I'm riding my bike with my boom box on my handlebars to go teach these classes for valleys. One…
  • testosterone — Product · 1 mention · first at
    Mindset, be the being having a healthy body. okay, 48 years old, I'm not on testosterone. I'm not on any of these. I eat well. I exercise. I can still sprint as faster than I could in my 20s because I How awesome does it feel.
  • asthma pump — Product · 1 mention · first at
    Now, many are out there trying to probably get an asthma pump when they say take more than two steps, sprinting full speed is it's a lot, for real. It's so funny how simple things like that.
  • Cadillac Escalade — Product · 1 mention
  • Lincoln Navigator — Product · 1 mention
  • Toyota 4Runner — Product · 1 mention
  • Weave — Product · 1 mention

Concepts & topics

  • ingramvents.com — Concept · Contact point / company website · 2 mentions · first at
    Website provided by Ryan as contact for booking Ingram Entertainment and viewing content; primary call-to-action for hiring.
  • Landmark Forum — Concept · Key argument · 1 mention · first at
    Personal development program that influenced Ryan's decision to pursue his passion.
    And basically, like the mission of the Landmark Forum is to like live a life you love, right? And I realized in there in that program that I had been I'd made that decision from 11 years old because.
  • dancing — Concept · 5 mentions · first at
    Like her dream come true, right? So Tony and all those guys that they were actually in Splash dancing at the show in Vegas, the show Splash in Vegas at the time. So they were…
  • service of other people — Concept · 5 mentions · first at
    God put in your heart and treat people with respect. And when you're when you're doing things in the service of other people, that's where the abundance truly lives. Most…
  • Moonwalk — Concept · 3 mentions · first at
    Was it, man. A lot of people to this day tell me I was the first person they saw do the moonwalk and a back spin like live in person. And that set it off for me at 10 years…
  • choreographing — Concept · 3 mentions · first at
    Actually in Splash dancing at the show in Vegas, the show Splash in Vegas at the time. So they were choreographing the routines and here I am 18 years old in London and Paris…
  • Golden Era (hip-hop) — Concept · 3 mentions
  • Running Man — Concept · 2 mentions · first at
    All those '90s dances like MC Hammer and Rob Bass and Young MC, all of that stuff was popping and all the Running Man and the Roger Rabbit and all those freestyle dances, those…
  • Roger Rabbit — Concept · 2 mentions · first at
    Rob Bass and Young MC, all of that stuff was popping and all the Running Man and the Roger Rabbit and all those freestyle dances, those social dances back then, I lived to do…
  • Fox Teen Choice Awards — Concept · 2 mentions · first at
    Had it all here. I thought there was no opportunities. Next thing I'm DJing the red carpet at the Fox Teen Choice Awards.
  • Teen Choice Awards — Concept · 2 mentions · first at
    Had it all here. I thought there was no opportunities. Next thing I'm DJing the red carpet at the Fox Teen Choice Awards.
  • Code to Winning — Concept · 2 mentions · first at
    On and then get up and act like I was mixing while the vinyl is getting warped by the code to winning insights you need today to seize the world tomorrow. today again we have a…
  • Bloods — Concept · 2 mentions · first at
    Try to have him hide it. Turns out the guys that are running our group are legit bloods.
  • B-boying / Breaking — Concept · 2 mentions
  • DJing — Concept · 2 mentions
  • RFP (Request for Proposal) — Concept · 2 mentions
  • Backspin — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    People to this day tell me I they I was the first person they saw do the moonwalk and a backspin like live in person. And that set it off for me at 10 years old. Once I heard…
  • MTV choreography — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    Were calling it hip-hop. So I thought, but it was it really was more like MTV choreography.
  • Splash — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    Like her dream come true, right? So Tony and all those guys that they were actually in Splash dancing at the show in Vegas, the show Splash in Vegas at the time. So they were…
  • Locking — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    In like China and London. So I was while I was in London, I was taking like locking classes with like original founders of the dance.
  • Young and the Restless — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    Year and he was doing a lot of daytime TV shows. He was like being cast as an extra on Young and the Restless and he was doing commercials and he had an agent and so hopefully not the Bold and the Beautiful.
  • The Bold and the Beautiful — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    And he was doing commercials and he had an agent and so hopefully not the Bold and the Beautiful.
  • Nutty Professor 2 — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    And so next thing you know I'm on stage at the Nutty Professor 2 DVD release party at the House of Blues and we're performing and Jamie Fox and all of that part of Hollywood is in the crowd.
  • America's Best Dance Crew — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    Response. Few years later, we're back in Hollywood auditioning for MTV's America's Best Dance Crew.
  • Dance Moms — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    Well, so in the dance studio world, there are Have you seen you know the show Dance Moms? Have you seen like any seen any of that stuff?
  • Hip-hop industry — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    Writers, right? And that's and that's street culture. Hip-hop culture. Then there's hip-hop industry which is basically culture vultures. All these dance studios all over…
  • Urban movement — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    2012, I'm helping the Herburgger Institute of Fine Arts design their curriculum in urban movement, which is a 4-year program. You can get a four-year degree in urban movement, which is what I dropped out of ASU to go figure out on my own.
  • Baby freeze — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    Kick outs, six step, zulu spin, baby freeze, back up, boom, next progression.
  • Six-step — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    Kick outs, six step, zulu spin, baby freeze, back up, boom, next progression.
  • Zulu spin — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    Kick outs, six step, zulu spin, baby freeze, back up, boom, next progression.
  • Culture vulture — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    Yeah. Yeah. So, we I've always from the beginning from the early 2000s, I've been the this is culture vulture.
  • Church secretary — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    May be, I would go to my dad who was one of my mentors, and he always says, Listen, go out there, just go to church and just continue to serve people. And the minute you start…
  • Higher power — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    There. And that kind of helps you draw that connection whether you believe in a god or not a higher power or like the univer whatever it may be like there's an higher energy…
  • unity and synergy — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    Create a space where people feel safe and self-expressed, right? You're there to create this unity and synergy. Your skills are one part of it. So what I would say is the best…
  • economics — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    Happens for a reason. How God like works in Mr. I mean I finished my degree. I studied economics and I did like two internships in the west in the east coast like in the…
  • high performers — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    Sharing that, too. that's amazing. And more pe if you look at what's there's all these high performers. There's no one has a problem with making money, but how many people have…
  • hosting — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    Aspect, so I'm a full-time like all three I'm proficient at. MCing and hosting, dancing and choreog choreographing, and then DJing. So, when you have one those three talents…
  • deep house music — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    So, if we're at a dance and they want deep house music all night long, that's what we're doing. If they want to do the Cupid Shuffle and the Macarena and shout and then I'm sweating. Yes. I'm You know Yes. All of that stuff. So I'm.
  • Cupid Shuffle — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    Deep house music all night long, that's what we're doing. If they want to do the Cupid Shuffle and the Macarena and shout and then I'm sweating. Yes. I'm You know Yes. All of…
  • Macarena — Concept · 1 mention · first at
    Deep house music all night long, that's what we're doing. If they want to do the Cupid Shuffle and the Macarena and shout and then I'm sweating. Yes. I'm You know Yes. All of…

Places & events

  • Los Angeles — Place · Setting · 4 mentions · first at
    Location where Ryan Ingram moved to pursue his entertainment career and where he had significant industry experiences.
  • Fox Teen Choice Awards — Event · Referenced event · 2 mentions · first at
    Event where Ryan Ingram DJed the red carpet, marking a significant moment in his career.
    Cuz at the time I didn't realize like we had it all here. I thought there was no opportunities. Next thing I'm DJing the red carpet at the Fox Teen Choice Awards.
  • London — Place · Setting (travel/performance) · 4 mentions · first at
    Destination where Ryan performed with Royal Dance Works as part of an international dance tour when he was 18.
    So, Carol, after my senior year, she's Hey, we're going to London and Paris, you want to come? You don't have to do the other numbers. All you can do is the hip-hop numbers. And I was Mom,.
  • Paris — Place · Setting (travel/performance) · 4 mentions · first at
    Companion destination with London on the international tour where Ryan performed and trained.
    So, Carol, after my senior year, she's Hey, we're going to London and Paris, you want to come? You don't have to do the other numbers. All you can do is the hip-hop numbers. And I was Mom,.
  • America's Best Dance Crew — Event · Referenced event · 2 mentions · first at
    MTV show that Ryan Ingram auditioned for after returning to Arizona.
    I started my dance program, Automatic Response. Few years later, we're back in Hollywood auditioning for MTV's America's Best Dance Crew.
  • Vegas — Place · Referenced setting / professional connection · 1 mention · first at
    Referenced as a professional market where some Royal Dance Works choreographers were working (Splash in Vegas) and part of Ryan's wider industry exposure.
    Mom, can I? And she my mom like B it was like her dream come true, right? So Tony and all those guys that they were actually in Splash dancing at the show in Vegas, the show Splash in Vegas at the time. So they were choreographing.
  • Arizona — Place · 5 mentions · first at
    Services for private, corporate, and luxury events here in the beautiful state of Arizona and Phoenix. And so, yeah, if you're curious to learn more about the background of it…
  • Denver — Place · 1 mention · first at
    I kind of have like some national like there's a company in Denver that books me. There's people that will bring me out to Minnesota.
  • Financial District — Place · 1 mention · first at
    Studied economics and I did like two internships in the west in the east coast like in the financial district in Manhattan, New York. I've lived in both California, the Bay…

Media & podcasts

  • North Side Crew — Character · Mentor crew / dance group · 1 mention · first at
    Named group from Royal Dance Works that mentored Ryan and his peers; described as his mentors and fellow dancers.
    Right then, so Josh and I are ripping the talent show and those guys from Royal Dance Works, shout out to North Side Crew. They're still my buddies now, right? Those are my mentors back then.
  • Young and the Restless — Media · Referenced show · 1 mention · first at
    Daytime TV show where Ryan Ingram's friend was cast as an extra.
    He had been out there for about a year and he was doing a lot of daytime TV shows. He was like being cast as an extra on Young and the Restless and he was doing commercials and he had an agent and so hopefully not the Bold and the.

Full transcript with timestamps

got my bike, rode back there. I had my tape cassette as I'm going into the talent show auditions. They were wrapping up

and I'm like all sweaty and I'm like, "Yo, can I do my dance?" And they were like, "Yeah, absolutely." And so that was it, man. A lot of people to this day tell me I was the first person they saw do the moonwalk and a back spin like live in person. And that set it off for me at 10 years old. Once I heard the crowd go crazy while I was on stage, it it was like, "Give me more of that." at all those '90s dances like MC Hammer and Rob Bass and Young MC, all of that stuff was popping and all the the Running Man and the Roger Rabbit and all those freestyle dances, those social dances back then, I lived to do that at the school and then every time we would go and the couple other guys at the school that would do it. I mean, we became famous for it was coming. It was so popular saying Golden Era as well like the Tupac, Biggies was coming out like the Ice Cube, all these different guys, Puff, everything was just coming out

like early around that time. golden era. It's a gold rush and like music and culture kind of like forming and stuff like that. How did you end up like utilizing capitalizing on that opportunity?

Well, live a life you love, right? And I realized in there in that program that I I'd made that decision from 11 years old because I was too scared about what other people thought of me. So when I got out of that program, I thanked Miles and then said, "I'm moving to LA." Cuz at the time I didn't realize like we had it all here. I thought there was no opportunities. Next thing you know, I'm DJing the red carpet at the Fox Teen Choice Awards.

Unbelievable. Yeah. And they just picked me off my photo. They didn't even pick me for my DJ skills. They picked me cuz I was like this young spry 19-year-old kid that looked like, you know, and and it was real crazy. This is where I found out how like fake the industry is. They had me in the middle of the sun with records that were warping from the sun. And then they had CD controllers under the table that I would have to actually do the mix on and then get up and act like I was mixing while the vinyl is getting warped by the code to winning insights you need today to seize the world tomorrow. Uh today again we have a very unique guest the different industry super exciting to dive in learn a bit more understand the market of being a DJ and MC. If you want to learn a bit more about that or even hear the historical context the background this is the episode for you.

Um uh he goes by the name of Ryan Ingram. He's also the CEO and founder of Ingram Entertainment, which does specialize in top-notch entertainment services for private, corporate, and luxury events here in the beautiful state of Arizona and Phoenix. And so, um, yeah, if you're curious to learn more about the background of it, uh, my man, your guy, my guy, Ryan Ingram, how you doing today, boss?

I'm doing very well. That was awesome. Thank you, sir. Can I can I get that snippet, please? Can I use that for my DJ intro? Yeah. All right, that's going. I'm putting that on the RA. That's Yeah, that's getting mixed in. That intro was phenomenal. Thank you.

No, I appreciate that. I I often love um topics like this. Almost I think almost all my friends have been like uh like MC for their weddings or like best men and stuff like that. But I often feel whenever I come across like experts like you, I want to try and always see what I can do to get better at that. Especially so I want to try and figure out like your you know your experience. How did you start in this field before you became like an own this company?

Uh well I started in the elementary school talent show. Okay. Basically when I was 10. So I'll never forget too. So at the time this is like 88 probably 87. Um I was in class and it's the end of the day and I hear on the announcements talent show auditions today immediately after school. bring your dance routines, your com your comedy, your m, you know, whatever you got. And I had I had no idea.

And I typic and I always would ride my bike to school, but that day I didn't. I like my friends and I walked and you know what I mean?

So I ran home after school, got my bike, rode back there, I had my tape cassette, and as I'm going into the talent show auditions, they were wrapping up.

Oo. And I'm like all sweaty and I'm like, "Yo, can I do my dance?" And they were like, "Yeah, absolutely." And so that was it, man. Soon as I a lot of people to this day tell me I they I was the first person they saw do the moonwalk and a backspin like live in person. And that set it off for me at 10 years old. Once I heard the crowd go crazy while I was on stage, it was like, "Give me more of that." No. I loved I love to hear that and I think it's so important I don't know confidence at a young age because when you realize wow I I actually people like what I do it instills a bit of confidence. What happened for you in that specific scenario? Well, it was wild because at the time I just loved to do it and I and I had a really big family and I was the first born so all my aunts and uncles loved to dance and they were all into like back back in the day like Flash Dance and Beach Street and all those movies were like kind of

forming like hip-hop culture and pop culture at the time. So I was always just performing for them. So when I did it on stage and then the whole crowd went I had no idea that was actually going to happen. like, you know, and it's like a I remember it to my bones. Like the whole room went crazy when I hit that moonwalk.

And uh yeah, it set my life. I mean, I'm still I'm 48 years old in October. I'm still chasing that dragon. You know what I mean? It's it's amazing.

I love that. I love that. And you never you'll never forget that moment. You know what I'm saying? People never forget that like that

moment, you know, when they're like, "Oh my gosh." Like cuz it's such an invigorating and exciting feeling when like a standing ovation at age 10. It's so hard to process it, but it's so hard to even like try and like live by that cuz you're like, "Oh, I I'll never probably even get that same feeling." But you keep chasing cuz it's such a considering the circumstance. Are you understanding what I'm saying?

No, for sure. And so every single year until I graduated high school, I did the talent show that I had one show a year guaranteed right? that all the all the school dances and stuff like that. I mean, that's pretty much like what I live for. So then when I got to middle school, we would have four school dances a year and those would be that's my time, right? And so that's like when all those '9s dances were this is like the early 90s and so all those '9s dances like MC Hammer and

Rob Bass and Young MC, all of that stuff was popping and all the the Running Man and the Roger Rabbit and all those freestyle dances, those social dances back then. I lived to do that at the school. And then every time we would go, me and the couple other guys at the school that would do it, I mean, we became famous for it.

And then when I got to high school, other schools would have us come perform at their pep rallies.

It's crazy. Yeah. No, every time I just think about that, wasn't that also the time where hip-hop was becoming ever so popular? Golden Era as well like the Tupacs and Biggies were also coming out like the Ice Cube, all these different guys, Puff, all everything was just coming out like early around that time. Golden Era, it's a gold rush and like music and culture kind of like forming and stuff like that. How did you end up like utilizing capitalizing on that opportunity?

Well, so cuz you're super young at that point still. Yeah, I mean on the baseball team I had my buddy, my partner in crime, Josh Royal. His mom is Carol Royal. She's the owner of Royal Royal Dance Works.

Okay. And so we had a family friend, Ashley Hazdevac, Ashley Wilkins. She was like 3 years old when I was 10 and she was always doing the recitals at that show.

So we would be in the crowd. I didn't know Josh Royal when at that point, but when we would go to Royal Dance Works to watch Ashley perform, our family friend.

Yeah. Royal Danceworks had this group of dudes and they were phenomenal and they were street dancers but they were doing the choreography and they were electric and the room would go crazy and I always wanted to be up there with them, right? So, while I'm in high school on the baseball team, I'm telling everybody I'm not going to be at practice on Wednesday cuz I'm auditioning for the talent show and Josh Royal's like, "Dude, I'll do it with you." I was like, "Bro, you cannot dance. You don't know. I've been doing this since I was, you know, little.

Like, this is I'm not playing right. This is not." and he's like, "Dude, my mom owns Royal Dance Works." I was like, "What?" Next thing you know, those guys are helping us put our routines together.

Okay. Right then, so Josh and I are ripping the talent show and those guys from Royal Dance Works, shout out to North Side Crew. They're still my buddies now, right? Those are my mentors back then.

And they were and at the time there was no such thing as like hip-hop in the dance studio. You everything was like street jazz,

but these guys were teaching and they were calling it hip-hop. So I thought, but it was it really was more like uh MTV choreography.

Okay. Right. Okay. So, but it was I mean they were amazing. Um at the And so senior year they take Carol Royal had dance international and they would take auditions from dancers from all over the country and they would only take 40 and you had to be proficient in all the styles. Jazz, tap, ballet, and then hip-hop. I could only do the hip-hop. I wasn't trained in the studio. I could only do those routines because I'd been doing all that stuff since I was like 10.

Makes sense. So, Carol, after my senior year, she's like, "Hey, we're going to London and Paris, you want to come? You don't have to do the other numbers. All you can do is the hip-hop numbers." And I was like, "Mom, can I?" And she my mom like B it was like her dream come true, right? So Tony and all those guys that they were actually in Splash dancing at the show in Vegas, the show Splash in Vegas at the time. So they were choreographing the routines and here I am 18 years old in London and Paris doing these routines and this foreign exchange program with these guys that are pros in Vegas. So when I came back from that freshman year of college I was like no I'm doing this.

So I started training with them. I started really diving into it. The very next year I became an instructor at Betty Johnson School of Dance and then I mean the rest is history. Unbelievable. And I think like that that experience at such a young age like traveling especially I mean they did a stat I think only like 33% of Americans even travel outside like just like a border you know and you you got that like when travel was not like 18 years old you know

and to go perform hiphop that's an Americanborn culture in London and Paris in exchange with those guys but there was actually there were uh pioneers that because at that time

the other countries ries were respecting the culture way more than like the masses were here. So a lot of people that were that were pioneers like in the 70s, they're getting paid to teach out in like China and London. So I was while I was in London, I was taking like locking classes with like original founders of the dance.

That's crazy. That Yes. And so how long were you in London and Paris for? It was a two week trip.

Okay. Did you end up trying to go back there and like do more work and other stuff like or was

No, when I when so that when I got back, my fire was lit to put the hammer down and and do something with this because I've been doing it ever since I was 10. Here's another funny story. By the time I was 11, I had a real like big popular following at school with all the girls that love dance. All the guys on my baseball team couldn't stand it.

So, you're trying to say in a humble way that you're a ladies man? Not necessarily, but they loved that I could dance. You know what I mean? Because at that time, we're not, you know what I mean? That's like we're not even in puberty yet,

you know what I mean? And so I was just popular because I could do all of the stuff that was in pop culture,

right? And and since girls appreciate dance more and all the guys were, can I swear in here? They guys were calling me terrible names.

Yeah. So I basically um stopped dancing. I I kind I would only do the talent show

cuz you were getting bullied. I was getting bullied by my friends getting name all that sort of stuff. You dancing this thing and you must be FA this thing.

So I didn't I didn't go pursue it in the studio when I was a kid because of that.

Okay. Because you know what I mean? Cuz I was bullied by my friends and I I let what they say affect me.

Exactly. So when I was now I'm coming back from Paris and I'm realizing like I'm I'm taking advice from my 11-year-old self from those 11-year-old kids. And so that's when I decided to like, you know, really go for it.

So when you when you were in college at that point in time um and and you experienced that thing, did you end up finishing college degree?

No, I dropped out immediately when you came back. Well, I had a mentor and I was at the time I was teaching I was teaching about 13 classes a week and I was running a mobile DJ business with Miles Gilbert from SKM Entertainment and he was teaching me how that industry works. So, I was already full-time in my field at like 20 years old, 19 years old. And I was learning more from my mentors than I was in college. And Miles offered uh to pay half of a personal development class for me. It's called the Landmark Forum.

And basically, like the mission of the Landmark Forum is to like live a life you love, right? And I realized in there in that program that I had been I'd made that decision from 11 years old because I was too scared about what other people thought of me. So when I got out of that program I thanked Miles and then said I'm moving to LA cuz at the time I didn't realize like we had it all here. I thought there was no opportunities. like you were either dancing for the Phoenix Suns, the Mercury, or like you're like a background dancer at and and you're getting paid minimum wage. I was making more as a teacher in the studio than I could be working for the Suns or the WNBA.

Mhm. I mean, it was like a minimum wage job. Yeah. And I did it one season just to get the experience. But after that, that's like Oh, that was actually when I came back from LA. So, I moved out to LA.

When which year was this when you moved down there? Um, this would have been 2000. 99 2000.

Okay. I graduated high school in '96. So yeah, I drop out of college. I was going to be the first person in my family to be able to earn a college degree. My parents and my aunts and uncles had been setting up funds for me. So I Right. And then I had to say, "Hey, I'm not going to get a degree, but I'm going to make you guys proud. I promise." And they they they were for it. Even though they they hated it. It was like a it was a real come to Jesus moment with my whole family, but they knew I was passionate about it. and they they were like, "All right, buddy. Let's see." You know?

So, now run us through like now that you uh you're going back to LA, what was the first thing you did when you arrived there was trying to find the connections, try and start the business. What was like

one of my one of my friends, he he was already out there. He had an agent and he had he had been out there for about a year and he was doing a lot of um daytime TV shows. He was like being cast as an extra on Young and the Restless and he was doing commercials and he had had an agent and so

hopefully not the Bold and the Beautiful. who knows of our lives. So he uh he gets me hooked up with this uh hip-hop group in uh LA called Culture Shock. So I got I became a part of Culture Shock right when I moved out there. I got an agent um DDO agency and then uh oh Kevin Columbus, he was one of the dudes. Kevin Columbus is another OG. He's like uh OG popper. And so he helped he helped me get my agency and helped me get in with Culture Shock. And so I immediately started booking gigs. And so next thing you know, I'm DJing the red carpet at the Fox Teen Choice Awards.

Unbelievable. Yeah. And they just picked me off my photo. They didn't even pick me for my DJ skills. They picked me cuz I was like this young spry 19-year-old kid that looked like, you know, and and it was real crazy. This is where I found out how like fake the industry is. They had me in the middle of the sun with records that were warping from the sun and then they had CD controllers under the table that I would have to actually do the mix on and then get up and act like I was mixing while the vinyl is getting warped by the sun. Meanwhile, like Britney Spears, all of those people, you know, I'm seeing all of them in the green room. I ran into Aaliyah in the green room. Britney Spears, like Justin Timberlake, Insake, all of those people.

Oh, that's probably before Aaliyah passed away. That was right before then. That was right before past 20 2001ish 2002 around there.

Yeah. Wow. That that's so you literally got to experience Hollywood firsthand and you got to see like the phony industry. You got to see all the different stuff. But like

boy did I get better, please. Oh, I want to know more. Yeah, for sure. Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Let's go.

So, my buddy was a really good-looking, handsome kid, you know. Yeah. Just like you. Except he was blonde.

Okay. Except he had blonde hair and blue eyes. otherwise everything else is the same.

Um, and so that's what and so he I was I was trying to get booked for like the janitors like all of that stuff that was going on. So I was always showing up to the classes where those choreographers were teaching and those would be like every dancer in the West Coast would go. It was it was like an audition but it was just class. like we all pay 25 because Wade Robson or Brian Freriedman or one of those guys is the choreographers right?

So my buddy would come with me because there would just be beautiful young girls all over that room. I mean 90% of the room would be and so he would just sit and watch and get phone numbers, right? He would love coming with me to those classes. One day we're walking out this tall, handsome, good-looking dude. It's like, "Hey, you have the look, man. Can you sing?" And my buddy could not, but he's like, "Yeah, I can harmonize a little bit." And he's like, "Yeah, we got a boy band. Like, I could just see you on the cover of our group right there." And he's like, "Yeah." So anyway, they put him in the group on his looks alone.

And they had three other dudes singing all the harmony parts. And so since I was his roommate and I was new, they're like, "Hey, they were using me cheap labor. You want to choreograph?" So I started mixing their shows. I started choreographing their numbers. I started giving those guys dance lessons because none of them really they could sing but they didn't have any stage person. They none of them had any swag. They could just sing. And so one of the guys got kicked out of the group because of the image cuz he was gay. So they're like you we can't have a gay dude in the group and you can't hide it. Like they try to have him hide it. Turns out the guys that are running our group are legit bloods.

Okay. But they're the executives. One of the gangs. Yes. Well, next thing you know, I'm in the group and there's four of us and we're recording demos.

You took the place of the gay person, right? I took Well, they needed to have a dynamic performance.

Okay. So, they put me in as like the bad boy of the group because I could MC and I could freestyle dance and I was very confident. Even though I'm a nice guy, they marketed me as the bad boy. So they would make me grow my hair out a little bit and then like I would literally drive to Compton with like a weave and she would cornrow my hair to my head. They would tape my ears back for photo shoots. Next thing you know I'm in Magic Johnson Records. Next thing you know we're auditioning for Arista for Sony. We're auditioning for all the record label deals that B2K was going for at that time.

So like Marcus Houston and everybody from Bel Bib Devo that was producing B2K, we were in the we were the white version of what B2K was doing and we were being run by Bloods and it was their concept.

And so next thing you know I'm on stage at the Nutty Professor 2 DVD release party at the House of Blues and we're performing and Jamie Fox and all of that part of Hollywood is in the crowd. That

is crazy. Next thing you know, my buddy's doing drug runs with them. Guys in the group, they're manufacturing ecstasy in the park in in their apartment. They're they're they're buying our studio time off of stolen credit cards. We go to these clubs in Compton. No one would mess with us. Everybody would just be like rolling out the red carpet for us everywhere we would go

because you're associated with the blood. Because of who these guys were. I would had people that would like disrespect me. They would see Malik walk up, they [ __ ] their pants.

That's intense. And so Malik used to tell us the craziest stories about these freakoffs he would go to and how he would get down with Alyssa Milano and him and all his buddies were getting with all of those celebrities and we thought he was so full of [ __ ] We're like, "You are not banging Alyssa Milano, bro." And he's like, "Dude, I swear to like he like we would, you know, he would be going to town." And so I could and it felt like I couldn't believe half of what they said, but now knowing what we know, he wasn't lying at all.

Right. He wasn't lying at all. And so, uh, every so all of these things would get pro, you know, get promised or whatever and next, you know, now I'm auditioning for Magic Johnson and now I'm auditioning with the guy who produced Backstreet Boys and Insync. And the next thing you know, they're flying us out to Mike Tyson's house to audition for Rodney Jurgens cuz Rodney

one in Vegas. Yeah. So Rodney Jurgens and Mike Tyson are buddies. And Rodney Jurgens is the uh is Dark Child. Dark Child remix. So he produced Destiny's Child and all of that.

And he produced um Michael Jackson's Invincible album. He produced Justin Timberlake's first solo album.

Crazy. So, uh, Rodney flies like 12 acts out to Mike's house because he's looking for new talent. And I didn't believe it until we get there cuz I don't I don't I'm believing nothing they say and only half of what I see at this point, right? Because it is so foul at this point in the game. We have a demo tape.

There's four black dudes singing all the harmonies on it. Our lead singer and then we're and and then they're the show tracks. My mic is only on for when I'm doing my MC parts.

So, we're Willy We're Will We're Willy Manily, bro. We're Milly Vanilli, the white version of it, right? And and then I'm seeing how they produce their shows and how all of these background vocals are like the way they produce their shows and everything was so crazy, bro. And next thing you know, we're pulling in the gates at Mike Tyson's house and Rodney Jurgens is right there and there's and there's people from Htown there and there's beautiful female singers there. all all the coming to audition for Rodney and I gave it a thousand%. I figured I've been eating [ __ ] in LA. I've been doing all of this stuff. This is our break, right? This is this is it's finally going to be the payoff. It's the opportunity.

I still had seen I still am thinking like cuz you hear all those before you they made it stories, right? And how Jim Carrey sleeping in his car and all of that stuff breakthrough.

So, as all of this stuff is going on, I'm like, dude, this is just part of it. And then once you make it, then you get to write your own ticket. But I still wouldn't compromise. I still had too much integrity. And we were butting heads a lot. And I would be the only guy that would stand up in the

butting heads with who the executives and stuff. Yeah. The gangsters. But yeah, it's very risky butting heads with them because the

Yeah. He would say stuff like, "Don't yell at me, Ryan, cuz I get passionate, you know, and I stand up for what I think is right." I mean, it was getting it was getting really risky. So, next thing you know, we're at Mike Tyson's house and I'm giving it 1,000%. And Rodney turns around and he's like, "Y'all let me down. You guys had a opportunity of a lifetime and no one showed up." And then he looks at me and he goes, "You're the only star in this room. Everyone in your group needs to do what you're doing." So, the guy who's worked with any and everybody is just edifying me to the core.

And the light bulb went off in my head and I was like, "Oh, so I don't need Hollywood at all." Packed up my stuff, snuck back to Arizona.

Did you let them know that you were leaving? No way. There was no They would not let me leave. They put so much money into us. They put so much money into us at the time.

But that's dangerous, wouldn't you say? Yes, it was. My dad's a Vietnam War veteran. We were living on the north side of town. And I was sleeping with a shotgun under my bed for the first few months while my buddies who I had left behind are still in the group.

Sounds like a bloody movie. No. No. The guy who used to drive us around in our cars like we cuz we would roll everywhere and navigators and escalades and they would be our entourage and we you know what I mean? We would be the center of that group and we had we we had backup everywhere. So, one uh one of the dudes, Reggie, who drove our car, he got murdered a week after I left. Murdered and robbed a week after I left. Talk about confirmation on you're doing the, you know. So, I came back here. I started an afterchool program. I started Ingram Entertainment.

I started my dance program, Automatic Response. Few years later, we're back in Hollywood auditioning for MTV's America's Best Dance Crew.

Wow. Wow. And what what's what was the time frame between then? Do you remember? So, I moved back. Yes, I moved back at the end of 2000. I was living in my parents house when the towers hit. Maybe it was 2001. I think I moved back at the beginning of 2001. So, I had moved back in after I told my parents, "Hey, I'll make you proud." Now, I'm back living with them after this whirlwind of a thing.

And you're in Arizona, obviously. And I was back in Arizona. Yeah. And so um when you're now back in Hollywood as or back in like Los Angeles and stuff, when was the time you decided, listen, I want to try and take this thing and make a business out of it as well. What was that?

Well, I was so after I'd moved back from LA, I was kind of in this what should I do? I had all of this stuff popping here and I had I had hundreds of students everywhere, especially coming back from LA and all the success we had with our our group. I could I was teaching at all the dance studios. I was teaching at the community. I had this whole network under me and but I I kept feeling this pull. Should I move back to LA? Should I go give it another shot? Cuz things had kind of smoothed out. And then my car died right while I was thinking that.

And I didn't have enough money to fix it or get a new car. And I was working for Bal's Total Fitness at the time. They had an afterchool hiphop program and they were in like 60 schools. And so I was kind of running that for Bal's. So, I'm riding my bike with my boom box on my handlebars to go teach these classes for valleys. One of the school districts calls me and is like, "Hey, we want to continue this program, but we don't want to work with valleys anymore. We want to work with you." So, my parents helped me put an RFP together. Within a couple weeks, uh, all the schools terminated their contract with Bales and signed with us. And then now I have 60 schools and 15 instructors working for me and I'm buying a 4ERunner.

Wow. Right. And we are bu we are teaching authentic real hip-hop culture in an after school youth enrichment program here in Arizona the way it should be done. Where did you learn the business aspect of things? Cuz you were passionate and you were talented. You had all those different stuff. Yeah, I think it's important because sometimes you get people that have talent like that and then they end up starting something then it just becomes bankrupt because of just the back office balancing a few stuff, marketing this thing, salaries. Where did you learn that?

I didn't I still don't really know it that well. I really survived off of just pure passion and always trying to overexce expectations and honoring my word.

So my parents helped me. My dad was in corporate America. He started doing all the RFPs, uh, which were requests for propo requests for proposals for the school district.

Yeah. So, he would do the contract stuff. My mom would all do the administrative stuff and then me and the dancers, we would go blow up the show at lunch. We would go do a free show at lunch and then hand out flyers. And then next thing you know, we got like 20 to 30 kids a class times 60 schools.

H. And when you were care choreographer at this time, like you were teaching kids and people just to do hip-hop dances as well. Yeah.

For what though? What? Like for their performance? For what? Well, so in the dance studio world, there are Have you seen you know the show Dance Moms? Have you seen like any seen any of that stuff?

I've seen a bit of I've seen a few. So in the dance studio world, like the performers that are like at Royal Dance Works and I'll name drop all of these like Betty Johnson School of Dance, Bender Performing Arts. So I want to I was trying to find out was it like you got served stomp a yard step up. What was it?

So those are Hollywood versions. So So there's there's two there's two lanes. There's hip-hop culture which is street and it's B boys, DJs, MC's and graffiti writers, right? And that's and that's street culture. Hip-hop culture. Then there's hip-hop industry which is basically culture vultures. All these dance studios all over America are having hip-hop classes, but they're actually not teaching hip-hop.

I was about to say, yeah, they're not teaching this. So since I came from this and I had all this integrity built into me from that personal development program I did when I decided to pursue all of this. We're like I went to Kevin Bender at Bender Performing Arts and I was like hey we are not teaching hiphop and if you want if I am going to teach here I need to teach c the hip-hop culture and they let me do it. And so by 2012, I'm helping the Herburgger Institute of Fine Arts design their curriculum in urban movement, which is a 4-year program. You can get a four-year degree in urban movement, which is what I dropped out of ASU to go figure out on my own.

That's it's crazy. And that's that's going to be my next question. I feel like because you were in the actual field and street and learned like the street dancing. Right now when they teach hip-hop stuff sometimes it may be so theory based and like you know historic context rather than actually getting people into the grassroots and understanding like how it is to actually like you cuz you broke it down like that's Hollywood's version of hip-hop. That's not like the actual stuff that you were doing. And I feel like sometimes there's so much of theory of like this is hip-hop study this thing.

It started that thing it became this thing in east coast blah blah blah before it went to the west then it went to all the like the world that's what theory is you know

and so what was it that that they added in that degree that was a little different to like what is usually taught in other stuff because of your history

so I mean even now you can go in dance studios and you'll see like the progressions and the foundation that we made up were to kind of gear putting the foundation of like top rocks and footwork and stuff into the way the studios you know, do their classes. So, in a studio setting, you're going to walk across the floor. You're going to do a lot of different progressions. You're going to warm up. You know what I mean? So, we take those formats, but then you build the street elements with inside that. So, we're going to walk and then you hit the top rock right here, right? You hit the Latin step right here.

Kick outs, six step, zulu spin, baby freeze, back up, boom, next progression. So, excuse me. So, we would just kind of take the format on how they would break dance down in the studio and then you take this raw street format and and I didn't learn hip-hop like that. I learned hip-hop like once you master this move, we'll show you another move.

And there's no money involved. Yeah. It's like a martial art being hand. Shout out to Fear Styles crew and B Boy House, right? Fear Styles crew. They they a real hip-hop crew that came started out here in '93 and they're the reason we know hip-hop culture as it is.

So they were my mentors in the street dance of it. That's that's and so I was saying and then I was saying to the studio owners, these are the guys that need to be in the studios, not these ballet teachers. H how come a ballet teacher can sub my class but I can't sub a ballet teacher's class? Like there's something wrong here. That is fascinating.

Yeah. Yeah. So, we I I've always from the beginning from the early 2000s, I've been the this this is culture vulture. This is what hip-hop really is. And I got even some of my original mentors in the studio, we had falling outs in the beginning because I kind of was now dissing them because it's like, dog, you're not really teaching hip-hop. You're teaching street jazz. M and so um you know with uh do you only focus on doing stuff within Arizona right now because you have such experience like with all the stuff you've done California and all that you want to just stay within the jurisdiction of of of Arizona?

I I kind of have like some national uh like there's a company in Denver that books me. There's people that will bring me out to um Minnesota.

You know what I mean? Florida, you know what I mean? So I there I've done shows in Germany, right? So I pretty much and this is all like to wrap back around like at 48 years old like I've never had a steady job, but I'm a successful full-time dad. I work just a couple days a week. I charge my I what I do own is my own time in my life.

I love that. Right. I don't have any overhead. I charge whatever I want when I'm available for, you know, at this point now. I didn't do that at the beginning. At the beginning, I just did what I had to do to get this merrygoround moving. So now it's at the point where I'm basically a full-time entertainer and I coach my kids little league and I teach dance and I coach breaking in our in our uh homeschool co-op. So what I'm really doing is like sharing all the gifts God seated in my heart with other people and my calendar is full and I'm always getting and I'm always thanking God and asking God for opportunities to serve other people. And so the more he gives me the more I give. you know that folks that is the code to winning and I think I want people to understand that more than anything

that's yeah every time I interview people and stuff like that and it's it's story that matters more than anything it's are you actually happy in what you do like are you free you know happiness and freedom is the code of witness

I'm going to cry right now I'm a full-time dad and like look at how crazy the time is right and look at how many people are struggling and suffering and and my days are full of stuff like this and being with people and and loving people and sharing gifts. Like we were at the batting cages with my daughter's team. It's all volunteer work for like two hours before this and then I'm going to go home and we're going to practice for two hours cuz we got the state tournament on Saturday, you know, and it it's it's crazy. I I I probably donate more in services than I actually get paid for at this point in the game.

Yeah, that's that's crazy. That's powerful. And now even with your profession um what advice would you give for those in the entertainment industry? Because sometimes you have to lower your morals and like oh well sometimes they they don't have to. They

um you think you have to. Exactly. So that's why I had to quickly rephrase don't clip me.

I'll edit it. Don't worry. No, that's perfect. Thank goodness. But like Yeah. What what advice would you give for those um cuz I watched the Cat Williams interview with Shannon Sharp. I don't know if you've watched that one.

Yeah, for sure. Definitely. I love that stuff, bro. Yeah. What advice would I have to give is honor honor those things God put in your heart and and and treat people with respect. And when you're when you're doing things in the service of other people, that's where the abundance truly lives. Most people are self- serving and so they're living in a scarcity and lack mentality. Right? If you look at and so my my buddy and I were talking about this like what are most DJs trying to do? They're trying to be the center of the show but I'm not here for me. I'm here for you.

And so like on your wedding day on your bar mitzvah how many how many times in your life do all those people from your family travel from all over the country to be together? So we got four hours to make this unforgettable.

And you're right. Sometimes it's about them like yo listen I'm DJ this thing that thing. introducing that thing that thing. You know what I'm saying?

Right. And I don't want people to bite and and it's like, dude, it didn't even come from you. It comes from God anyway,

right? So this that's another thing that is also in hip-hop because it's street culture. So it actually is born out of scarcity and lack. And it's become this ultimate manif manifestation of transferring that energy into a force for good. So if we operate from that abundance and love mentality, use my talents to bring people together to serve and love other people, you'll never have you'll never run out of work.

But if you're doing it to get paid, you'll sure you might make a lot of money, but that's all the reward you're going to get.

But it's that scarcity mindset again when you're like, listen, I got to put food on the table, so let's just get to get paid rather than seeing that listen, there's a bigger picture out there. You out there and and you know, there's a saying that I have in my religion. And it says if you're in the service of your fellow beings, you're only in the service of God as well. Cuz service brings true happiness. And whenever I've experienced tragedy or pain, whatever it may be, I would go to my dad who was one of my mentors, and he always says, "Listen, go out there, just go to church and just continue to serve people." And the minute you start serving people, you just you you putting yourself selflessly there. And that kind of helps you draw that connection whether you believe in a god or not a higher power or like the univer whatever it may be like there's an higher energy out there you are in

the service of that and I I like that so much and what advice though would you give those that that try to um understand how to bring the best out of an event or an occasion.

Yeah. Well one it's not about you it's about other people. And number two, you're there to create a space where people feel safe and self-expressed, right? You're there to create this unity and synergy. Your skills are one part of it. So what I would say is the best way is to become the best version of yourself. Find peace within yourself. Find love within yourself. Forgive yourself. Work on yourself. And then when your cup is full, start giving to other people. And a a good way to fill your cup is to serve other people.

Right? So my my I I've always just been like that. Like look look who look who God has put in my path this whole time. So when I was a kid, let's cut back to this, okay? I was a kid. I'm in elementary school. We had a PE teacher. He was an awesome mentor for all of us at the school, Mr. Waldridge, right? I love that guy. PE was my favorite class because of Mr. Waldridge. And he made me the athlete and gave me the mentality I am I have today. So, I had this question. How come it seems like Mr. Waldridge is the only guy who cares about all of us in the school? Why are people being teachers if they don't really like kids?

H, right? And so, I wanted to be a teacher at that point. And my mom said, "You could be a teacher, but you're not going to make that much money." So what God seated in my heart was like a love to like take care of people and bring people together and and and mentor kids. So what has been in my lap has been hundreds and thousands of kids since the last in the last 20 years.

Fascinating. Do you see? You know what I mean? Everything. So it's not even about me. So what what what can I do to help God?

You know, it's what's it's funny. I was doing multiple different stuff and it the reason why I just froze right there. It's it's so crazy how everything happens for a reason. How God like works in Mr. I mean I finished my my degree. I studied economics and um I did like two internships in the west in the east coast like in in the financial district in Manhattan, New York. I I've lived in both California, the Bay Area like doing like sales cuz I I love it so much and uh I think earlier like last year cuz I kept doing a lot of these interviews but every time I do interviews I'm so I'm so passion dedicated in that because like I'll go to a state like this but then I go back I rehash I see what I could do better. I like the stuff. I looked at the watch it again. I try to tell people like I prefer these edits. I'm so involved in it because I want like people's stories out there. Yeah.

And then one of my friends uh one of friend like brought it up like last year's like listen you're doing sales like you're doing like lots of money. You're doing these side. You're doing that thing. Like you everything is working fine cuz I can always do the side houses. I'm great at that.

But then they said something like listen you're connecting with great people with great stories. go 100% in like stop worrying about like listen is it that thing is a that thing yes I'm monetized by YouTube and I've been like you know and I did that the craziest thing is that ever since I've been doing that I've been getting people coming to me say listen yeah do you want a sponsorship for your show you want this thing do you want that thing are you monetized there try and put it on this platform we'll pay you that thing and it's so crazy cuz it's like what stops people from reaching like their goals and stuff like that is the fact that they have you set scarcity mindset and it shocked me Because it's so true.

You keep thinking, I need to put food on the table. When are we ever giving ourselves to God? When are we saying, "Listen, God, I'm going to do my best. I want to try and pursue your work and your glory, but also serve society. When are we when am I going to put myself out there where I can actually like do your will and also like become happy in the process?" And I just had to share that with you. Some great

That's amazing. Yeah, for sure. Yeah. And I it's so funny how this just has opened up today too, you know, and I and I've been leaning into this a lot more lately. And the more I lean into it, the better it gets. So I you have to share it, you know, and I appreciate you sharing that, too. I mean, that's amazing. And and more pe if you look at what's there's all these high performers. There's no one has a problem with making money, but how many people have a problem with being happy and feel feeling fulfilled? most any any of these conferences you go to. I work all these conferences. I'm doing the events on the conferences. They all have a they all make millions, hundreds of millions of dollars, billions of dollars, and they're never happy until they start becoming in service of other people.

And they just greed and you want more and they're not happy. Then it's like a status thing.

Every single one of those guys has that same exact story. I made billions of dollars and I was still empty inside.

So yeah. Wow. That's that's fast. And the authenticness of you cuz I was like, "Hey, listen. So, what are you doing right now to upscale the business side?" And you're like,

"I'm learning as it goes by." You know what I'm saying? No, but it's worked so far. When when do we have real convos? Cuz everyone always has transactions and like numbers and this thing and it's like the next number, the next zero, but it's like you go home like where's your wife? Like where are your kids? Like where's your family? You know

what what would your kid want, dude? that the house was so dope. I just wish you were in it more

now. Do you know what I'm saying? Or thanks for all the time. We had everything we needed and I got all your time,

you know, cuz we're never going to get it back. And I know how lucky I am to like I'm I know how rare it is to live like this,

you know, but I did it from honoring what God put in my heart and not trying to please what other people thought, including my own family. And that's hard sometimes.

Yeah. But that that that drum was beating and I and instead of pushing it down, I realized like if I don't do this now, I'll regret it for the rest of my life and end up just like everybody else. Cuz at that time when I did that course, I was like 20 years old. Everybody else in that course was our age now.

No man. And it's, you know, now to go into it as well, like you know, you as you do these private events and in in these like um different settings as well, what are um some of the the the different like unique settings that you make it a memorable experience for people? Like what do you guys do uniquely in your company?

Well, I think like as far as from a DJ aspect, so I'm a full-time like all three I'm proficient at. MCing and hosting, dancing and choreog choreographing, and then DJing. So, when you have one those three talents pretty much in one person who's there in service of other people, I'm always just reading the room and giving people what they need, not what I think. The biggest the biggest hang-up I see with people that are in in my industry is their ego. I don't want to play that. That's not my identity. I'm not going to dance like that. I'm not a clown. Right? I'm not going to talk like that. I it there's so much what people have and because they're afraid to look bad or they're afraid to judge themselves or they're going to be judged by other people instead of just like giving freely all of yourself to serve people.

So, if we're at a dance and they want deep house music all night long, that's what we're doing. If they want to do the Cupid Shuffle and the Macarena and shout and then I'm sweating. Yes. I'm

You know Yes. All of that stuff. So I'm I'm This is what open format is. Read the room and give them what they need.

Gosh, I want to talk to you after cuz your motto is give the people what they want. You know what I'm saying?

It's not even what they want with it. Sometimes it's what they need. So when you run for office, make sure I'm your vice president. You know what I'm saying? It's a fun run cuz I

mean, dude, how how many times am I at an event where some girl This is And so for you, for you, the patrons at this event, this happens all the time. Thousands of people in the room. The energy is amazing, but you want to hear your song. You're not even present to what's going on here cuz you only care about hearing the song you just thought of right now. and you're gonna flash it in the DJ's face. Like, play Bad Bunny. Bro, I'm doing just fine without Turn around and see what's happening out there. Enjoy the party and put your phone down. Why don't you let me play the song you forgot you loved?

Good, good mindset right there. It's crazy. I've looked at my time like, how the heck is a 55 minutes? That's a good conversation right there. No. No. I appreciate that,

dude. Likewise. No, no. So, and as we conclude, I often um what advice then also would you give um just life advice? I don't want I don't want to just give any specific thing. I just want to say life advice and leave it there because I felt like this is such a life and transformational paradigm shift kind of conversation we have. Definitely because as much as we touch on DJ, we touched on very important things about just enjoying

and I use all of this to do that for people because how many people on the softball team are going to go be college softball players? How many people in my dance class are going to become small

professional dancers? How many people on the baseball team are going to go play in college? Right? But you can take these principles with you and apply it to your life.

So, what advice do I have for people? Stop getting caught up in the material false fronts of the world. Most people are concerned about what kind of car they're driving, what they look like, how much money's in the count, what they're and they're not being in service of other people. I don't, if you notice now, like when we when we take our kids out, there's a lot of kids aren't even being parented. So, so what are you doing here? What are we what are we doing here? You You're at a job you don't like to have someone else raise your kids. And now, you know what I'm saying? So my my advice to people is start doing stuff that's like wholesome and fills you up and is like tied to the family. There's like a lot of like it's like shallow. I think it's shallow.

It's like it doesn't seem like a lot of people are being good brothers and sisters. They're more achievement driven. M m.

It's like it's like always focusing on the goal, never settling into the present right now, cuz we have everything we need right now.

Wow. What do what do you and I need more right now? Connection, right? Happiness. It's powerful. Uh you know, Ryan, uh the co-winning obviously it's very important because you tell people the insights they need today to seize the world tomorrow. in your personal uh definition as we conclude the last and final question. What does winning mean to like Ryan Ingram?

Uh living a life you love, feeling proud of the person you you're becoming, being in service of other people and not having to worry, taking care of your health, taking care of your mindset, be the being having a healthy body. I mean, okay, 48 years old, I'm not on testosterone. I'm not on any of these. I eat well. I exercise. I can still sprint as faster than I could in my 20s because I I How awesome does it feel good to have a body that works? How good does it feel? That's what I'm saying. How good does it feel to have a body that works? We don't have to settle for what everybody else is doing. Most people, how how many 48, 50-y olds can still sprint full speed?

Just stuff like that, that's winning to me. I'm 48. I can still sprint full speed.

Is that too simple? Now, many are out there trying to probably get an asthma pump when they say take more than two steps, you know, sprinting full speed is it's a lot, you know, for real. It's so funny how simple things like that.

Yeah. And and and like if I get injured or whatever and I don't get to do it, I miss it and I know right. So then when my body is healthy, it's like I honor it and I cherish it.

I love that. You know, that's very powerful. Ryan, if you could let our viewers know if where they could get a hold of you, if there's a social media, if they want to learn a bit more about the business that you do, if they want to try and hire you for an event, can you let our guests or viewers know as?

Uh yes, ladies and gentlemen, you can find me at ingramvents.com. You can go ahead and fill out the contact page there. Uh, give me your name, number, if you have an event, what type of event you're throwing. I'm on Instagram also as the party wizard. We have a lot of content going up. We have events that we're throwing. Actually, uh, all these private events that we're doing, I've had this like desire in my heart. Like, why does only the hundred people that are paying this bill get to experience this? So, we're starting to produce more public events that have that private event caliber of entertainment that'll be open to the public. That's that's coming around. So, Party Wizard, Instagram, Ingram Entertainment.com.

The man, the myth, the legend, the the the man he is, the DJ that the world needs, the entertainer, the most genuine guy you'll come across in this very studio. Ryan Ingram, thank you very much. My

pleasure, brother. Thank you.

Questions about this episode

Who speaks in "GO ALL IN ON YOUR DREAM: FROM TALENT SHOW TO HOLLYWOOD RED CARPET || RYAN INGRAM || EPISODE 064"?

Ryan Ingram (Guest), Unknown (Host of Code To Winning) (Host).

What is "GO ALL IN ON YOUR DREAM: FROM TALENT SHOW TO HOLLYWOOD RED CARPET || RYAN INGRAM || EPISODE 064" about?

Ryan Ingram shares his journey from a talent show performer at age ten, where he captivated audiences with live dance moves, to landing a DJ gig on the Hollywood red carpet. He reflects on the vibrant cultural landscape of the '90s and the importance of seizing opportunities, ultimately realizing the necessity of embracing one's passions despite fear of judgment.

What is mentioned in this Code To Winning episode?

140 people, works and ideas are mentioned, including Ryan Ingram, Los Angeles, Ingram Entertainment, Royal Dance Works, Rodney Jerkins, ingramvents.com. Each one on this page links to its own page with every episode that mentions it.

How long is "GO ALL IN ON YOUR DREAM: FROM TALENT SHOW TO HOLLYWOOD RED CARPET || RYAN INGRAM || EPISODE 064"?

The episode runs 52 min; the transcript is about 10,582 words in 163 timestamped sections.

More from Code To Winning

About this transcript: the episode's spoken words as captioned on YouTube, split into timestamped sections. Reclip.Me locates every person, work and idea in the text, keeps the time it is first named, and quotes the words around it verbatim. Last updated February 9, 2026.