THE GOTHAMIST INTERVIEW: MAY DAY 1 – YOMAIRA REYNOSO

So I’m still working on putting all the pieces of life back together. It’s been a very difficult two weeks for me personally, and things haven’t really gotten much better. To make matters worse, the crown on my front tooth decided last Friday night would be a good time to pop off — thankfully it’s now been fixed — and even worse, my computer decided this morning — while I was waiting at the Apple Store Genius Bar to have something minor looked at — to die. As in, not turn on. At all. I guess it was being considerate, what with me being at Apple already. But now I don’t have my laptop (and therefore, most of my LIFE) for the next week or so, and I’m only praying that all my data (and iTunes!) weren’t lost. Because you see, I bought an external hard drive just a few days ago in order to back everything up before installing the new Tiger OS, but of course, I hadn’t actually gotten around to doing that.

Oy.

But, of course, the title of this post isn’t, “How has Aaron’s life gotten more difficult since he last posted a week ago.” No, it’s not. Rather, it’s an indication of another week of Gothamist Interviews. Here are a couple brief warnings, though. First, it’s not a whole week. Lily and I are only posting three interviews this week — today through Wednesday. Second, I really shouldn’t even say, “Lily and I,” because this time around, it’s about 95% her. No, it’s not payback for the difficulties of last month when she was in Greece, however, it just so happens that I haven’t been in the frame of mind to concentrate on finding and doing these interviews, so I simply backed out and told her she had to carry the load. I did help edit and format all three we’re doing, but she deserves the credit for these in full.

Starting TODAY with Yomaira Reynoso. Ms. Reynoso is one of the teachers featured in the just released documentary Mad Hot Ballroom, about elementary school kids learning ballroom dancing. Mad Hot Ballroom has been an audience favorite at film festivals around the world. It recently played at the Tribeca Film Festival and attracted over 3000 people to an outdoor screening at the “Drive-In” while also filling one of the festival’s largest venues, Stuyvesant High School. Now it’s getting a limited release.

Ms. Reynoso is probably the most down-to-earth and real person we’ve interviewed. Her voice comes through in the interview so clearly that if you’ve already seen the movie — or even maybe when you see it — you’ll nod and say, “Yup, that’s how I thought she’d sound.” Go read the interview and then go see the movie — or vice-versa. In their own ways, they’re both fun and illuminating.