Crissle’s Couch – Session 21 ft. Amari Marshall

Release Date: April 7, 2026
Host: Crissle (CAKE MEDIA)
Guest: Amari Marshall (“Amari Monster”)

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, Crissle welcomes Amari Marshall—a world-renowned choreographer, dancer, and mentor—to “the couch.” Together, they dive deep into Amari’s journey from Jacksonville to the world stage, breaking barriers as a plus-size Black woman in dance, the importance of representation, faith, mentorship, and the discipline required to sustain an extraordinary career. Amari shares both practical wisdom and vulnerable truths, offering inspiration and honest advice for creatives everywhere.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Amari’s Beginnings and Early Inspiration (01:23 – 06:34)

• Crissle introduces Amari’s impressive resume: “You have seen her shape some of the most iconic stages in the world… Amari has built a career rooted not just in excellence, but in intention.” (01:23)
• Recognition and Representation: Amari credits other plus-size, dark-skinned women for creating space in dance:

  “There’s different dark skinned, plus sized women in the dance industry that have been able to crack open that door for us. And Rhapsody James was that for me in my generation.” (03:26, Amari)

• On being ‘next up’: The impact and emotional weight of being nominated for the Monsters of Hip Hop show as a turning point:

  “For her to see me and her…she’s letting me know it’s my turn and it’s time to step up…” (03:45, Amari)

• Overcoming regional barriers: Both host and guest reflect on being from “smaller cities” and pushing past that to forge meaningful careers:

  “You have to be from LA or New York to be a star. And if it’s in you, it’s in you.” (06:19, Crissle)

2. Faith, Family, and Self-Belief (07:34 – 09:20)

• Faith as a Foundation: Amari discusses her upbringing and belief in a “higher calling”:

  “It was always instilled in us from a young age that we have someone higher than us that is already directing our steps.” (07:54, Amari)

• Struggles with self-doubt:

  “Has it always been this easy to believe in that…Absolutely not. Like, it’s been difficult for me because I didn’t always see it…but I knew that I had to go.” (08:44, Amari)

3. Influences and Evolving in the Dance Industry (09:20 – 10:47)

• Iconic Inspirations: Amari explains how legends like Janet Jackson, Debbie Allen, and Fatima Robinson shaped her:

  “When I look at those two…I learned how you can evolve as an artist and it’s ok. You may feel like you’re starting over, but you’re not.” (09:27, Amari)

4. Breaking the Mold: Body Image, Visibility, and Industry Standards (11:28 – 16:00)

• “Unspoken rules” in dance: Amari shares the challenges of wardrobe, body expectations, and stereotyping:

  “Baggy clothes was not a thing. It was all about tight shirt, tight pants…learning that, makeup, things that I had to push against, especially on gigs where they know who they hired.” (12:21, Amari)

• Typecasting plus-size dancers:

  “They put that on plus size people…not just the funny girl, like, I didn’t come here to just stare down.” (14:10, Crissle & Amari)

• Impact on younger dancers: Amari sees growing representation:

  “Going to Monsters of hip hop…and just seeing more than 10 or 20 amazing…kids in the room. Now it’s a normal thing.” (14:52, Amari)

5. Courage, Criticism, and Vulnerability in the Spotlight (16:03 – 21:05)

• Facing public scrutiny:

  “You have to be courageous and you have to have thick skin...before I got my tooth done, I used to have a crooked teeth too…they called me the thick girl that got the crooked with the tooth, you know? …But I was dancing with Pharrell, Beyoncé, Missy, Lady Gaga…” (16:21, Amari)

• Choosing to answer the call:

  “I just…couldn’t stomach not answering the call. Oh, I am not really good with what ifs.” (17:39, Amari)

• ‘Doing it scared’: Pushing through fear is essential:

  “Sometimes we have to do it scared. Which is the worst? The worst and the best.” (20:03, Crissle)

6. Refuting Stereotypes of Plus-Size Dancers (21:36 – 23:47)

• On stamina and skill:

  “They think we don’t have stamina…girl, are you from Florida? I dance outside…I can go, you know, not being able to do floor choreography…we can run circles around people.” (22:00–23:12, Amari)

• Uneven assumptions:

  “That applies to everybody. But for some reason, when they see a plus size dancer…all these girls have to work out, all these girls have to watch what they eat. Everybody has to rehearse. That’s not exclusive to me.” (23:26, Crissle)

7. Protecting Confidence and Mental Well-being (24:08 – 27:16)

• Building a support system:

  “Having an amazing support group…I always fall back on my family, my best friends…they really keep me grounded. I stay off of social media too, a lot.” (24:08, Amari)

• Intentional consumption:

  “If you’re constantly reading criticisms online…or watching TV shows where you don’t see yourself reflected…that is eventually going to seep in.” (25:03–25:43, Crissle)

• Finding representation in books and music:

  “I read a lot of books now. There’s so many romance books where they have thick girls as [leads]. And I love them.” (27:21, Amari)

8. Boundaries and Professional Choices (35:09 – 37:16)

• Turning down opportunities:

  “It was very much like, love you, ain’t for me, though. There’s still an image I want to protect for myself…as much as I love to sing it in the club, doesn’t necessarily mean I want to go on tour and be in the music videos.” (35:17, Amari)

• Learning to say no:

  “I learned…you don’t always have to say yes. And it’s all right. It’s really okay. And that’s where, again, faith comes into play.” (36:44, Amari)

9. Staying in the Room: Character & Reputation (38:09 – 43:39)

• Getting and keeping opportunities:

  “Being respectful, being a really good person…I pride myself on my reputation…to stay, people in those rooms had to really trust me…you don’t have to worry about me going to social media or bringing outside influences into the room.” (38:32–39:46, Amari)

• Maturity and Experience:

  “A lot comes from experience…I was already learning how it means to lead younger people, how to articulate myself…shaped me as a leader and a voice.” (40:56, Amari)

10. Learning from Legends: What Makes the Greats Stand Out (43:39 – 48:31)

• Discipline and Priorities:

  “Their work ethic was just superb…they put in the work and push their mind, body, spirit to its fullest capacity to be able to achieve those goals.” (43:46, Amari)

• Always remaining a student:

  “Always a student. Because I just have so much to learn…just being around people that are making the impact.” (45:58, Amari)

• The hidden grind:

  “It’s not always just about the music and performing on stage…It’s about how you’re upkeeping yourself behind closed doors, how invested are you into your project, into your team, into your creative image…” (47:19, Amari)

11. Teaching, Mentorship & Legacy (50:20 – 53:03)

• Giving back:

  “That’s what’s gonna live beyond me—you know, the impact that I made on the world…letting younger people in the next generation know that it’s possible…” (50:32–51:20, Amari)

• For dancers coming up:

  “I want to let you know that you are enough and God didn’t make any mistakes with you.” (52:12, Amari)

• Crissle: “Beautiful message. Me at my big age over here, like, yes. God didn’t make a mistake.” (53:04)

12. The Councilwomen Collective (53:17 – 56:54)

• About the Councilwomen:

  “It’s an all female dance collective…creating spaces for Black creat[ives]…especially for Black women and being a voice for freestyle dancers as well.” (53:26, Amari)

• Accountability and Community:

  “We have real conversations, real check-ins. We call each other out…talk about holding each other accountable…” (54:48, Amari)

• Leadership and activism:

  "There is still injustice when it comes to the pay grade, the treatment, ownership. And just making sure that I'm advocating for those things in a very positive way." (56:54, Amari)

13. Misconceptions of Mastery (57:09 – End)

• Making it look easy:

  “Do you ever feel like people devalue what you do because you are so good that you make it look like anybody can do it?” (57:49, Crissle)
  “Yes. They be like, oh, yeah, come on with your little freestyle…like, girl, I’m putting in work, sweating.” (57:49, Amari)

• On being more than a token:

  “A lot of people think it’s just like a gimmick... It's like, no, I'm actually really good.” (58:28, Amari)

• Talent, joy, and visible excellence:

  “You look so joyous when you are performing...It radiates from you.” (58:54, Crissle)

• Reflecting on greatness:

  “Sometimes we see greatness and we kind of get so used to it that we start thinking...we the regular, everyday people can do that same thing.” (58:47, Crissle)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “I couldn’t stomach not answering the call. Oh, I am not really good with what ifs.”
  – Amari Marshall, (17:39)
• “Sometimes we have to do it scared. Which is the worst? The worst and the best.”
  – Crissle, (20:03)
• “I want anybody that has ever met me to feel like I poured into them, even in the smallest way.”
  – Amari Marshall, (50:32)
• “You are enough and God didn’t make any mistakes with you.”
  – Amari Marshall, (52:12)
• “Always a student. Yes, always a student. Because I just have so much to learn.”
  – Amari Marshall, (45:58)
• “We have real conversations, real check-ins. We call each other out... talk about holding each other accountable.”
  – Amari Marshall, (54:48)
• “If it’s in you, it’s in you.”
  – Crissle, (06:19)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:23] — Guest Introduction & Early Life
• [03:09] — Realizing Dance as a Calling
• [05:58] — Regional Challenges & Representation
• [07:34] — Faith, Self-Belief & Family Influence
• [09:27] — Artistic Influence & Evolution
• [11:28] — Industry Body Standards & Stereotypes
• [14:52] — Shifting Representation for Plus-Size Dancers
• [16:21] — Facing Criticism, Courage & Vulnerability
• [21:36] — Dispelling Stereotypes of Plus-Size Dancers
• [24:08] — Confidence, Social Media & Mental Health
• [35:09] — Setting Professional Boundaries
• [38:09] — What It Takes to Stay in the Room
• [43:39] — Discipline, Learning from Legends & Greatness
• [50:20] — Mentorship, Legacy & Advice
• [53:17] — The Councilwomen Collective
• [57:49] — Making Mastery Look “Easy”

Episode Tone and Style

The conversation is candid, warm, and filled with mutual respect, balancing vulnerability, humor, and earnest encouragement. Both Crissle and Amari speak with directness (“sharp truth”) but always in a nurturing, affirming way—a blend of “culture, critique, and care.” The rapport is genuine and uplifting.

Final Thoughts

Session 21 of Crissle’s Couch offers not only an inside perspective on the dance industry but also universal lessons in courage, faith, boundaries, self-worth, and giving back. Amari Marshall’s journey—marked by both resolve and humility—serves as a blueprint for anyone hustling on the margins or yearning to carve out space for themselves (and those after them). A must-listen for dancers, creatives, or anyone who believes in making the impossible possible.

Where to Find Amari:
Website: amarimarshall.com
Instagram: @amarimonstester