Match Cut: Dasha Snow
Meet Dasha
Nickname: Hmm, I don't have one.
Astrological Sign: Libra sun, Libra rising, Leo moon... yikes!
Favorites
Favorite color? All the pinks and purples. I've been feeling really drawn to vibrant greens and blues lately, too. 🌈
Movies? Or what movies inspire you? Goodfellas is my go-to. Lorraine Bracco is a queen. Bill & Ted (1 and 2) were childhood favorites that sparked a lifelong love of Keanu Reeves. 🫶 The John Wick franchise is so unapologetically unhinged. But grief and love are universal truths and I think we've all probably wondered at some point, "how far would I go to protect this person or their memory?" Love a good revenge movie! A newer favorite is Candyman (2021). While it's not a "perfect" movie, any time Black folks, particularly Black women (s/o to Nia DaCosta), can creatively express themselves is always meaningful to me. I think her exploration of these martyrs being able to come back and reclaim their narratives is really powerful, especially in a mainstream movie. Violence against Black people has almost always been depicted in media and film with such little respect or regard for us. I really appreciate how DaCosta navigated this, gave the "villain" some agency and humanity, and proved that you can still effectively get your point across in a way that isn't alienating to your audience. Black characters and audiences deserve that.
Bands? Donny Hathaway is my favorite singer ever. Voice of an angel! Other favorites include Kacey Musgraves, Sade, Labi Siffre, Dystopia, Flo Milli, Rina Sawayama, Whitney Houston, Lil’ Kim, Black Sabbath/Ozzy, Zapp & Roger, Peggy Gou, GloRilla, Kehlani… The list goes on and on.
Song? What an overwhelming question. I don't know if I have an all-time favorite. Lately, I've been loving "I Believe" by Caroline Polachek. It's a fun one to sing in the car or shower, haha.
Foods? Phở all day, every day! And ackee & saltfish with fried plantains - I am biased 🇯🇲 but it's the *ultimate* comfort food IMO.
Favorite places to eat? Kee's Loaded Kitchen. It's so good and the portions will feed you for several days. Also, there's this hole-in-the-wall in my hometown called Sequoia Burger. Their garlic fries absolutely SMACK. I went there a lot growing up but haven't been back in several years.
Three people to have dinner with?
Hasan Minhaj - because he's hilarious, insightful, and so smart. I feel like we'd have fun.
Megan Thee Stallion - she's also hilarious, insightful, and so smart. Plus I feel like she'd pick a really bomb restaurant.
Arthur Russell - his music and life are fascinating to me. I'm a big fan.
Favorite places on Earth? My new favorite place on the planet is Guatemala. I recently traveled there and had a blast. I also just love to be home, haha. I'm a homebody and find the most peace just being at home with my partner and dogs.
Who would you like to meet? Keanu Reeves. For my birthday, my friends got me one of those candles that "smells like Keanu Reeves" and I just need to confirm if he actually smells like "rich mahogany and teakwood intertwined with hints of lavender."
On her role at Lucky Day
Tell us about what you do, and how you approach your job. As studio manager, I wear a lot of hats in Lucky Day's day-to-day. I assist with interviewing and onboarding freelancers, our bidding and booking processes, prepping for clients at the studio, managing various spreadsheets and organizational tools, etc. I also help with the marketing side of things with our monthly newsletter/blog, social media, making playlists, and our bi-annual #swag drops. I always try to approach my job with an open mind. Every day is different and I have to be flexible to the needs of the team and tasks at hand.
What is something you want to work on? I'd love to see my role in marketing continue to grow. It's fun and creative. I want to learn Photoshop and Illustrator and maybe take a stab at a copywriting class.
What is your biggest challenge as a studio manager? Prioritizing! Being pulled in so many different directions each day, I sometimes struggle with how to best prioritize my tasks. You just have to find a balance. Not everything is an emergency, but promptness is important, too, because you have other people counting on you.
What do you think are important characteristics of a good studio manager?
Honestly, the type of skills the service industry teaches you (am I right, Rachel?). Multitasking, patience, teamwork, empathy, managing conflict, time management, adaptability, people skills, etc... There is a ton of overlap. I will always advocate for service work experience to be taken more seriously in any industry.
What is something you dream of doing? I dream of moving out of the city, buying some property, and living a quiet life with lots of dogs around. My own little slice of heaven! It'd be fun to have some wholesome type of side gig - like, making dog treats or candles or something.
What are you most proud of? Work-wise? Our 2022 holiday swag. That was bangin'. It was so much work and I'm very proud of the final result. Life-wise? I recently spent a week in Guatemala with 10 strangers I met on the internet. I'd never done anything like that before, nor traveled out of the country in my adult life. It was a really special experience and I proved a lot to myself. I've got the travel bug now...
