Down-N-Dirty with Cynthia Wilson

When you started this venture that is MSBU, did you think it would last nearly 10 years?  What things are you most proud of?  What things have left a bad taste in your mouth?

Starting out I was just doing something to be doing it. I was approaching 40 my kids were grown and didn't have time for me anymore. I had to find something to do with my free time so I started taking bopping lessons. One of the instructors was so rude to my sister and me so I quit because it was about to get ugly in there.  You don't have to like me but you will respect me. I demand that, besides Milwaukee was a bopping town. LOL!  I think I slowly changed that. There was so much drama with the boppers and the steppers in the beginning and for some reason I was right in the middle of it.  Whenever they got mad at the steppers I was the one they wanted to pounce on.  I wasn't the person who was teaching the class but I was the driving force. I can remember somebody saying to me stepping wouldn't last here in Milwaukee. I have proved them wrong.  That person is stepping today.  The Milwaukee Boppers and MSBU have a great relationship today I can say that I was the driving force in that also. Stepping was blowing up big time and I felt it was time that we all came together.  The Milwaukee Boppers first party was at MATC. I gathered all the steppers and we all went together to support them and that put an end to all the drama.  We became one big happy family.  From that day on we all supported each other. At the end of the day that is what it is all about we all need each other in order to succeed. By the way, it was not the Milwaukee Boppers who treated me badly; in fact we were all in the same class together.  What makes me proud is when I look around the city of Milwaukee and I see some the students that we have taught to step and how well they are doing. I smile like a proud mother and some of them even call me mom that's the funny part. I am so proud of our group because we are not selfish, we are very giving, and we don't look down on people. Next up MSBU will be celebrating 10 years of stepping in Milwaukee and my 50th birthday. This is a monumental occasion and we are going to do it big – bigger than anything done in Milwaukee.

The thing that leaves a bad taste in my mouth is all the negativity that we get from people.  There are people who don't even know us and don't like us because of something somebody else has said to them.  This usually applies to Lisa and me.  What’s unfortunate is that those who join in on our efforts become targets too. Peter and Cynthia Robinson are two of the most even-tempered people you’ll ever encounter and a blessing to us, as they know the truth, live the truth and stand by the truth that is MSBU Productions.  The bottom line is Milwaukee wouldn't be where it is today if it wasn't for our group.  We've opened doors and platforms for local artists and DJ's to showcase in Chicago and we’ve invested a lot of money, time and energy to get where we are today.  I have worked with a lot of good people along the way.  People like, Jessie, Angel, Phyllis, Shawnda, Horace, Doc, Whodini, Victor, Clarice and many more. We didn't get here on our own we had help along the way.  Many of you don’t know about a lot the names I have mentioned but it took all of us to get to where we are today? I forgot about one of the most important driving forces, Arlis Jones.  Arlis allowed us to come into his club and do whatever we wanted to do. I thank him for everything, because without ARJ'S none of this would have been possible.

What are your future goals for MSBU as a dance company and as a production company?

I really want to see us do Grand Ballroom events and get past the neighborhood club venues. Not that I’m not appreciative for the venues.  The people we do business with have been 150% supportive of our efforts, but also support us in our goals to spread our wings.   I would love us to have a venue to call our own.  Milwaukee is not prone to the same options as Chicago.  Ballrooms in Milwaukee don’t work with us like they do the groups in Chicago.  But more importantly, I just want us to get back on track.  Milwaukee is so off track right now.  Many of our people are lost.  So much is going on - so much negativity - no appreciation. People only appreciate us when they need something from us other than that they don’t give a damn.  We got so fed up with all the bulls**t that we stopped caring for a while.  That's no longer the case.  We’re back.  We’re back because we provide a service that others want, crave and desire.  I was once told If you have to sweep streets be the best damn street sweeper there is.  With that, I can’t half do anything and I had to make a decision to either quit or pull it together.  Here I stand!

How do you feel about the current climate of classes and instructors in Milwaukee?

I think that we have good instructors in Milwaukee and we have good dancers.  They're not the same.  Everybody has to be humble and not forget where he or she started. It’s all a progression. The many people that came through us as a dance company and the many that came to us for advice when starting up their own groups seem to have forgotten where they got their start.  Am I asking for special praise or worship?  Absolutely not.  Again, it’s all about respect.  The bottom line is MSBU has been instrumental in helping the most impressive dancers in the city get their start.  Our goal has always been to help people master their basics.  Dre’ once said that if you master your basics you can do anything.  That guiding principle has been with us since day one.  But now you’ve got folks out there that have garnered a little success through competing in stepping competitions or throwing a few successful parties that feel they’ve arrived enough to look down on us.  It’s really not okay with me.  I don’t care if you can do summersaults, splits and cartwheels and come out on the right beat, what you do is not better than what we do, it’s different – plain and simple.   So many so-called instructors are out here teaching wrong but nobody seems to do or say anything about it.  Nobody is trying to correct it - it's all about the dollar or who has the most students.  It doesn't matter if you have 100 students if you can't guide them in the right direction you’re not providing an adequate service.  It's downright embarrassing.  I can't keep quiet if someone asks me, and you asked.  When I think about the state of stepping in Milwaukee, I think about when we first started.  Things are suppose to evolve not go backwards.  I am ever so grateful today to Jessie for teaching me whatever he taught me.  He took time with me, had patience with me, didn’t yell or make me feel bad.  Lord knows, I was a piece of work, yet he never gave up on me. We don't have that anymore.  We don’t profess to be the best; we just do what we do.  However, we take a great deal of pride in it and it’s about the students not about us.  In our class if we see that our people are at a standstill we call in someone else to help us.  Ain't nobody paying us to do s**t but we do it because it’s important to us.

What are the biggest misconceptions people have about you?

That's a good question.  I can't figure that one out myself.  I think that I'm a hard ass.  I'm really not.  Most people don't understand my choice of words, mannerisms, etc.  I grew up in a family where we took care of each other and where we could also take care of ourselves if need be.  I'm the smallest of the bunch as you can tell, so I've always needed to be able to fend folks off with my mouth before they even thought about trying to get bout it with me.  Please don't misunderstand.  I can and will handle my own if need be, but the fact of the matter is I'm not nearly as out there as people may think.  Secondly, people tend to think I want to take things and call them my own.  NOT TRUE.  There are so many people that started stepping, ballrooming, line dancing whatever the dance, before me that I lent a hand to.  Egos and pride got in the way and they started to feel like I was trying to take over what they started, simply because I got on the bandwagon and tried to help grow something new and exciting.  Anyone that knows me knows I don’t do things halfheartedly.  I had a lot of financial resources at my disposal that most didn’t or wouldn’t put on the line for such a venture.  I was willing to go out on a limb to help foster and grow a culture of dance in Milwaukee that was new.  I got met with resistance or people started treating me badly shortly thereafter, so you know what – I did it my damn self.  If you think they didn’t like me then, you can only imagine how they feel about me now.  The fact remains that it was never about them or me it was and is much bigger than that.  It’s about providing quality to and for quality people.  People in Milwaukee deserve nothing less.  For some people this is a part-time job where they are actually looking to earn money.  My motivation is simply different than most.

You've been known to say exactly what's on your mind.  Are there times that you've regretted speaking so candidly or hastily?

Yes, once and only because of the outcome.  I had a verbal altercation with a woman and said some pretty awful things.  Yeah, it was that bad.  But as I’ve said if you go there with me, I’m going to give it back to you ten-fold.  In this case, the one most hurtful thing I said came back to haunt me in my own life.  I endured the most significant lost imaginable, not necessarily based on my words because everything is in God’s plan, yet it’s something that has stayed with me.  Thinking back on the entire situation, there are people that you’ll never ever get along with.  Each of us at our lowest points due to significant losses in our lives still could not rise above it all to do the right thing.  I own my misdeed.  However, I don’t apologize.  When I had it in my heart to do so, this person found a way to destroy it with her own actions.  Perhaps in time things will change, but as of today - NOT!

You've been able to forge partnerships with many groups outside of Wisconsin.  What impact has those relationships had on you personally and MSBU?

Many of the relationships I’ve built have been based on our needs.  It is the key to a lot of our success.  Relationships that have been beneficial include but are not limited to Keith Hubbard, Angie Fayne, Dave Maxx, Dre and Company and Stepping B all of Chicago and Demetrius and Al from Detroit.  Milwaukee owes these folks a huge debt of gratitude.

When we starting Stepping half of us were on the six count the other on the eight count.  That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.  The bad thing was that those of us on the eight count were dancing on the wrong beat, which is simply wrong and to that end we couldn’t dance with each other, yet couldn’t figure out why.

Now those of on the six count had our stuff together thanks to Dre, Keith, Angie and Maxx, but those of us on the eight were just all screwed up.  Stepping B. came in and saved the day.  Like I said earlier, MSBU is not about being the Kings and Queens thinking we know it all.  We know are limitations and aren’t too proud to admit it by bringing in the big guns to help us when we need it.  All of these people as a whole helped us correct our patterns of dance, and are the primary reasons that the majority of us are stepping on one accord and can hang with the best of them.

I was introduced to Detroit Club Style Ballroom dance while on a trip to Detroit with a group of folks from Milwaukee.  It was there that I met Demetrius and Al.   Terri Rush started the first ballroom class here in Milwaukee and offered a workshop in addition to the class.  After having many of the people that supported MSBU through stepping classes sign up for a Ballroom workshop the interest from our core MSBU family took off.   Soon thereafter, we were off and running working to foster the growth of Ballroom for our community.  Cynthia Robinson and Peter of MSBU took the lead on learning more and more so they could teach more and more.  They took trips to Detroit, and we in turn brought in instructors to continue working with us here in Milwaukee.  Finally, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Christine, from the Dream Girls and Dan Land.  We've had a number of successful partnerships with was then known the Ladies of Unique Connections and Dan Land has been our champion from the beginning, providing us guidance and support from a technological point of view.

I can honestly say that personally, I consider every one of the folks listed a friend and some even more than friends.  They’re my family.  The impact it’s had on MSBU goes without saying.

Do you have anyone that has served as a mentor for you in the dance and/or promotions arena?  If so who is it if you don't mind naming them and what's the best advice they've ever given you?

Mr. Pete Frazier. When we first started doing bus trips one of the first events we went to was that of the Majestic Gents.  Of course we were new on the scene so no one knew us and therefore never acknowledged us. One of the women on the bus blasted Pete for not publicly recognizing us as he did many of the other groups at the party.  A week later I got a call from Peter apologizing.  Although I must clarify - it was never his fault to begin with as he didn't know we were there or had chartered a bus.  My arrangements were made through a different member.  From that point our friendship flourished and he became my mentor.  He's my friend, he’s my family and he’s MSBU’s business advocate. Many of the things we’ve done that have been successful have been due to him guiding us along.  Many of the things we’ve done that didn’t go too well have been because we didn’t listen.  We have always tried to be way too inclusive without doing our homework, in some cases to our own detriment.  We’ve worked with people that didn’t appreciate or understand our efforts.  Being one of the more seasoned groups out here, sometimes as a newcomer you have to be willing to take a back seat, listen and learn.  Here in Milwaukee, everyone has to try and be the Chief – no one wants to be the Indian.  I’m not suggesting we have all the answers, but we certainly know what works based on our successes and what doesn’t based on our failures.  There is a lot to be said for that.  Instead, and as usual providing leadership and guidance becomes interpreted as arrogance.  Unf**king believable!

Best advice he’s ever given me:  Do it yourself.  Don’t rely on others.  Don’t care what others think as long as you stay true to yourself and your group.

Name three female and male dancers on the Milwaukee scene that you consider to be top notch.  

I have a lot of people that I admire and love to watch dance.  No one is necessarily better than the other so I’ll give it to you as best I can, which is probably more than three in some cases.  The women are:  Deon, Lisa, Vicki and Shawnda.  In terms of the men, I’m so excited about our men that I know I can’t stop at three.  They are:  Mykel, Dominique, Whodini, Joe, Peter and Carlos.

Name the up and coming dancers that you think have a lot of potential.

Christian, Jessie, Keith, Terry, Erica, Jennifer and another young lady that takes our class that’s part of a wedding party. Please forgive me for not remembering her name but I see tons of potential in her.

Is there a couple in particular that you enjoy watching dance?

CeCe and Rodney without a doubt.  CeCe and Rodney symbolize what the dance is supposed to be about for a couple.  You can see them enjoying the dance and each other.  They have their own style and it works for them.

What special and unique talents do you bring to the table to make MSBU whole?

My good looks, charm and bubbly personality. LOL!  Really it would be my aggressiveness!! I don't take no for an answer and you can't sell me a dream.