Life & Work with Teddy McAlli of Atlanta

Today we’d like to introduce you to Teddy McAlli.

Teddy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Let’s take it back to middle school. By the end of the summer of 2008, I developed a nickname for myself: “Teddy.” It suited me because I was the short, big guy always filled with love and joy. As I was transitioning to moving to Columbia, South Carolina while finishing middle school and preparing for high school, I decided to take that name with me.

Since I was a baby, I’ve always loved dancing. I’m talking about mirroring choreography from music videos back in the day, right in the living room. When I moved to South Carolina, dance wasn’t really a thing except for a class the school offered. But by my junior and senior years, I finally got to be part of that class. That’s when I learned how to become a really good choreographer behind the scenes as well.

I was so in love with dance that I started begging my mom to take me to dance conventions in Atlanta. I used to attend these conventions faithfully, hoping to get booked and also to get familiar with the industry. I learned so much and eventually earned respect in rooms where people expected me to show up for certain projects.

Fast forward to 2015 when I moved to Atlanta. I was at Dance 411 almost every day, learning and trying to attend every audition I could. Even though I booked only a few jobs, I knew my talent was strong. Soon, I started dabbling in content creation because people loved watching me at concerts. They would tune in just to see how I showed out at the show. It became so popular that people would message me with free tickets just to get my visual ratings. That’s when I truly fell in love with content creation.

I started vlogging about my life in Atlanta because I couldn’t believe some of the things that happened to me. Now, with travel content added to the mix, creating content is what truly keeps me going. Little ol’ me from Portland, Oregon, who grew up kind of rough and never thought I’d come this far, now gets to visit places and countries I thought only existed in movies. I love sharing my life by turning everything I capture through the lens into funny or insightful episodes.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Man, oh man… 2020 going into 2021 was the worst time I’ve had as an adult. I lost my job after getting promoted right before—it was insane. COVID really slowed a lot of jobs down. There was no need for a flood of people to be on claims when the world was shut down, so I got the boot and had to figure out how to pay my rent.

When I tell you those next 8–9 months with no job truly showed me how to hustle… I mean it. Driving Lyft was my only option, along with a few “I owe yous.” But what I can say about that trial period is that it taught me never to be afraid to ask for help… and for that, I thank God. But every maintenance light was on in my car, and I truly wanted to give up and cry. Got stopped by so many cops and each one of them let me go because they knew how hard it was to make ends meet so no one was hiring at that time. So when I say this was my LOWEST moment for me man… just know it’s much more to that story than me even typing could ever do.

I learned so many things during that time, mostly on my own, because I really thought I was going to have to pack it up and move back to my mom’s house in South Carolina. But call me crazy… I thank God I went through that, because it made me the strong person I am today.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a dancer, host, actor, and content creator. I truly feel that what I do can’t be tied down to just one thing. Right now, what I am pursuing the most is content creation. Being everyone’s homie allows people to have amazing conversations with anyone. Currently, I am working on a talk show where people have deep conversations about their dreams, goals, and sometimes even vent sessions.

What sets me apart from what people are used to seeing is that I talk about and show the little things that aren’t discussed enough or inform people about what’s happening in the city. I love capturing a visual viewpoint to showcase things in the city. Since I spend a lot of time outside, I like discovering things that don’t have any status or recognition and bringing all the hype to them.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Growing up in Portland, Oregon, there was something special on the weekends called the Saturday Market. As a child, the Saturday Market was a major event for me. When I was younger, it felt like the market captured a vibe similar to that of New York. People sold a plethora of things—vendors literally offered anything you could name, from pictures and jewelry to furniture and food. At the time, I was especially in love with the food, and the market was famous for selling the iconic elephant ear pastry. The market was often followed by a parade. I remember Portland having three different parades when I was younger.

Community and Heritage: As part of the Rose Festival, founded in 1907, these parades promote civic values and celebrate Portland’s identity as the “City of Roses.”

The Grand Floral Parade: This major event features exclusively decorated, all-floral floats, equestrians, and marching bands. It is the second-largest floral parade in the United States.

The Starlight Parade: Serving as a “cool, after-hours” counterpart, this event offers a high energy nighttime celebration within the same festival, focusing on brightly lit, creative entries.

I feel truly blessed that attending these events became a regular tradition for me as a child. Even now, when I visit Portland, I like to come back around parade time to celebrate the tradition that has never stopped, even though I am an adult.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.youtube.com/@TeddyMcAlli
• Instagram: Teddymcalli
• Facebook: Theodore McAllister
• Twitter: Teddystaygassin
• Youtube: TeddyMcAlli