We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tai Woodville a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Tai thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

A few years back, I was invited by a fellow Portland artist, drummer & songwriter, José Medeles (the Breeders, 1939 Ensemble), to perform at an experimental art event, “Deep Happening.” He asked me to read poetry and dance. While I have a background in poetry, dancing was a risk. I have no dance training, just a later-in-life fascination with movement.

My friend, dancer and teacher, Michele Ainza, had guided me through two glorious sessions in her studio to set me on my movement journey. We drank a little white wine, put on music, and danced together. Michele explained that there was no such thing as a non-dancer. Dance belongs to everyone. Trained dancers strive to look natural, to capture the authenticity of movement. There are no rules, everything counts. Her words set me free.

Sometimes I’d post clips from my movement exploration on Instagram, which led to the “Deep Happening” invitation. Though I doubted my ability to fill ten minutes meaningfully, I accepted the challenge.

The performance, with live music by my partner, Johann Wagner (whose musical moniker is Mountain on the Moon), turned out to be one of my favorites. I stood completely still under a black veil for the first five minutes, while the music and a recording of my poem filled the room, creating tension before moving—ever so slowly, at first. The audience was captivated. Each movement mattered so much more for having taken the risk of total stillness for longer than felt comfortable. Inspired by my flamenco-dancer grandmother, Margo, I embraced the duende—the spirit of the dance. Flamenco dancers wait in stillness until they feel the duende, moving only with complete authenticity.

The theme of the piece was soul retrieval—calling back lost aspects of self—and the performance felt like a ritual. People told me afterwards they were moved, making the risks well worthwhile.

Dance is a powerful tool for well-being, even more effective than exercise or medication for depression—that’s been recently proven in studies. It’s my honor to remind people that anyone can dance, and it’s essential for our health and happiness.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m a poet, singer and songwriter—a multi-disciplinary artist focused on writing and music. I’ve published three poetry collections, including “Pollen,” available from Finishing Line Press (under Tai Carmen).

Under the moniker Flight Call, my album ‘HOMEWORLD’ offers an uplifting journey from inner space to the stars, featuring warm vocals and sparkling synths.

Growing up in a family of actors and artists significantly influenced my work. My father, Edward Albert (“Butterflies Are Free”), mother, Kate Woodville (“Star Trek”), grandfather, Eddie Albert (“Green Acres,” “Roman Holiday”), and grandmother, Margo (“Lost Horizon”), shaped my path as an artist. Growing up, I felt like we were part of a secret tradition of magic.

I believe in the artist’s power to alchemize pain into beauty, chaos into meaning. I aim to hold a lantern in the darkness, reminding us of life’s innate beauty and interconnectedness. There are many reasons to despair, but I want my work to be one reason people feel hope.

“Pollen” and “HOMEWORLD” aim to inspire and uplift. I’m proud of the feedback from listeners and readers who found solace, healing, and joy in my work.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

When my Dad—the most magical person I’ve ever known—was diagnosed with a terminal illness, I didn’t know what to do with the pain. I was in my early 20s, and did everything to avoid facing reality. I ran and ran, missing valuable time with him. I learned the hard way that the worst of pain comes from running from it. It’s counterintuitive. But sitting with our emotional pain—moving to the very center of it, like the eye of a storm—is where we start to find relief.

After my dad died, I knew I had to process my overwhelming grief, and I did it the best way I knew how—I wrote about it. Slowly but surely, I faced everything I had been avoiding. The poems eventually became key pieces in my poetry collection, “Pollen.”

“Pollen” isn’t solely about death. It’s about the preciousness of life and sacred moments of everyday beauty. Cherishing connection in the face of impermanence, repair after loss, and the ineffable living spark within (and without) that sees us through. The collection is my offering, my transmutation.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Art is a tunnel back to ourselves.

My work aims to access and reflect our sacred spirit, highlighting life’s magic and beauty, while normalizing our failings, vulnerabilities, and secret sufferings. I see art as a bridge between the mundane and the sacred, reminding us that the mundane *is* sacred.

Shamanic traditions from my Mexican and Celtic heritage influence my work, emphasizing the healing power of art and the deep connection between all living things. I strive to create art that reminds us of the beauty of our shared humanity and the power of transformation.

When my grandmother, Margo, founded Plaza de la Raza in 1970, a Cultural Center for the Arts & Education serving East Los Angeles which thrives today, she used a poem by Lorca as her mission statement. I think it perfectly names the essence of what art gives us all:

“The song, The poem, The picture,
Is only water from the well of people.
It should be given back to them in a cup of beauty
That they may drink and in drinking understand themselves…”

—Federico Garcia Lorca

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.taiwoodville.com
• Instagram: www,instagram.com/taiwoodville
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taiwoodville
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tai-woodville-6007b0219/
• Twitter: https://x.com/taiwoodville
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/taiwoodville
• Soundcloud: https://www.soundcloud.com/flightcall
• Other: https://www.iamflightcall.com

Image Credits

Photo 1: self portrait
Photos 2-3: Andy Batt
Photo 4: Javiera Estrada
Photos 5-6: Lauren Everett
Photo 7: self portrait
Photo 8: Johann Wagner