Once a month, Westley Parker and myself take some time out of our busy schedules to sit down with some of the city's more interesting characters and dig a little deeper into what makes them tick on our Yung Creatives talk show, which this month celebrates it's one year anniversary! To celebrate, we've invited some friends along to share the stage with us and our regular MC, Nic Mocz. Joining us this month is local choreographer and dancer Sydni Celeste-Sawyer, Danielle Alston clues us in on her latest creative endeavors and we catch up with the one and only Odd Couple of the Closed Sessions family. Catch the show Monday, August 22 by RSVP-ing with myself or Wes and get in tune with this month's guests below!

Sydni-Celeste Sawyer

A native Chicagoan, Sydney Sawyer has been a familiar face on the local scene for some time. Having grown up with a cross-section of the city's current crop of headline-makers, Sawyer has existed somewhat in the background, helping those in the spotlight move their feet and hips correctly as an independent choreographer and dancer. At 22, Sawyer has been dancing for a majority of her life, beginning at age five and coming up through programs like the Chicago Multi-Cultural Dance Center and the Joffrey Ballet. Making her mark both as a teacher and choreographer, Sawyer has recently worked with the like of Chance The Rapper, Smino and Bernie Levv. While currently working on a project of her own, you'll have to stop by Monday night to find out more!

Danielle Alston

If you've paid attention to the visual side of just about any music that's arrived from Chicago over the last five years, there's a good chance you've interacted with some work that has Danielle Alston's fingerprints on it. A center of many creative endeavors, Alston rose to prominence locally through her work with the collective Verluxe, for which she served as creative director and helped found. Pulling from aesthetics that are informed by a range of interests and experiences growing up in the city, Alston has worked with the likes of Chance The Rapper, Vic Mensa, Kodak Black, Katie Got Bandz and many more while establishing herself as one of the pre-eminent thought-provoking individuals in town. Come by Monday night to hear about her new solo foray and what she's been working on in the meantime.

Odd Couple

Odd Couple is producer Zach Henderson. The 26-year-old producer and Closed Sessions signee may have a name that alludes to more than one person and be the size of an average duo, but alas is but one man tirelessly working to invigorate the turn up. In all seriousness, Henderson has been at the forefront of local production since 2012 when he emerged from the gunshot-riddled, grinding sounds of the Drill movement to arrive as one of the more intuitive and agile acts to emerge on the scene here. An old college buddy of Montanez's from DePaul, OC released his debut project Chatterbox last summer to critical review and has been tinkering with a follow up ever since. Stop by Monday night to hear the full story and see the man in person.