[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":650},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-the-crew":3},{"tag":4,"posts":27},{"id":5,"title":6,"body":7,"description":13,"extension":18,"meta":19,"navigation":20,"order":16,"path":21,"seo":22,"slug":23,"stem":24,"thumbnail":25,"__hash__":26},"postTags\u002FpostTags\u002Fthe-crew.md","The Crew",{"type":8,"value":9,"toc":14},"minimark",[10],[11,12,13],"p",{},"The Man's masterly movers have been recruited from Melbourne's artistic and creative communities. Far from simply being career removalists, they relocate Melburnians while also working on their punk-rock record or starting a new business. The crew has earned a stellar reputation through their mix of creative thinking and willingness to work extra hard to make every move as painless as possible. Complementing their natural abilities, each and every mover has been through our industry-best training program, so you can be sure they've earned their stripes. Find out more about our crew members through our crew profiles, below.",{"title":15,"searchDepth":16,"depth":16,"links":17},"",2,[],"md",{},true,"\u002Fposttags\u002Fthe-crew",{"title":6,"description":13},"the-crew","postTags\u002Fthe-crew","\u002Fimg\u002Fthe-crew.png","IDA76Fx8-168ak0ncy5aiBu93wW3sAeegozkrt3E-c0",[28,101,175,329,394,464,516],{"id":29,"title":30,"body":31,"date":85,"description":86,"extension":18,"meta":87,"navigation":20,"order":88,"path":89,"postTag":90,"prompt":91,"sections":91,"seo":92,"seoAndSocial":93,"slug":96,"stem":97,"thumbnail":98,"thumbnailCaption":99,"thumbnailcard":91,"__hash__":100},"post\u002Fpost\u002Fmeet-the-crew-jack-tandy.md","Meet The Crew: Jack Tandy",{"type":8,"value":32,"toc":83},[33,36,39,42,45,71,74,77,80],[11,34,35],{},"This month’s Meet The ‘Man With A Van’ Crew edition introduces Jack Tandy – driver of our largest vehicles, staff trainer, comedian, dad, and all-round legend. Jack is one of Man With A Van’s longstanding crew members, having started with the company six years ago.",[11,37,38],{},"Becoming a removalist was a slight left turn for Jack, but one that has served him well.",[11,40,41],{},"“I was working in government before, which was quite mind-numbing at times. I didn’t feel like I was making a huge difference there and I was stuck in the office all the time,\" he said.",[11,43,44],{},"He goes on to explain the change in his trajectory: “A friend of mine used Man With A Van, and he got me to help out. Myself and the removalist just hit it off – we were best buds by the time we got to the other location. He said, ‘you’re a really good lifter, you should apply for a job.’ I’ve been here ever since.”",[11,46,47,48,58,59,64,65,70],{},"When Jack isn’t driving our XL trucks or training new staff, you’ll likely find him gracing Melbourne’s comedy scene. On a Friday night, he's often at the ",[49,50,57],"a",{"href":51,"rel":52,"target":56},"https:\u002F\u002Fthebutterflyclub.com\u002F",[53,54,55],"nofollow","noopener","noreferrer","_blank","Butterfly Club"," as part of Melbourne’s longest running improv comedy show, ",[49,60,63],{"href":61,"rel":62,"target":56},"http:\u002F\u002Fwww.hoohaamelbourne.com.au\u002F",[53,54,55],"The Big HOO-HAA",", which recently featured in the ",[49,66,69],{"href":67,"rel":68,"target":56},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.comedyfestival.com.au\u002F",[53,54,55],"Melbourne International Comedy Festiva","l. Jack also works on his own stand-up act, but that’s been on a brief hiatus since he became a dad.",[11,72,73],{},"While we're covering humour, Jack let us know the funniest moment he's had on the job.",[11,75,76],{},"“We were on a giant, 12-hour job and I had just had a sausage roll from a local bakery which gave me food poisoning. About ten minutes into the second load up, a good seven hours in, I fell ill. Because we were quite far away, I couldn’t get anyone to swap with me, and I was the only one that could drive the truck back,” he said.",[11,78,79],{},"Jack said the customers were really empathetic: \"They covered me with a blanket and were trying to give me water, but I couldn’t keep anything down. I just had to hang around until they had finished the job and then drive us home”.",[11,81,82],{},"Certainly memorable, but probably not one of Jack’s greatest days at Man With A Van. Nevertheless, the pros outweigh those occasional cons, “I just love it. I love lifting; it’s probably the best vibe, the best culture that I’ve been a part of, that’s definitely the main thing that’s kept me here.”",{"title":15,"searchDepth":16,"depth":16,"links":84},[],"2020-10-14T01:15:30.197Z","Introducing Jack Tandy: company stalwart, driver of our largest vehicles, staff trainer, comedian, dad, and all-round legend.",{},8,"\u002Fpost\u002Fmeet-the-crew-jack-tandy",[6],null,{"title":30,"description":86},{"seoTitle":94,"seoDescription":95},"Meet The Man With A Van Crew: Jack Tandy","This Meet The Man With A Van crew profile introduces Jack Tandy – driver of our largest vehicles, staff trainer, comedian, dad, and all-round legend.","meet-the-crew-jack-tandy","post\u002Fmeet-the-crew-jack-tandy","\u002Fimg\u002Fjack.jpg","Key part of the crew: Jack Tandy","esK3L6DYL_nnwKjas3xII2r_qAaHBYWDm8d6XwBXLn4",{"id":102,"title":103,"body":104,"date":161,"description":162,"extension":18,"meta":163,"navigation":20,"order":164,"path":165,"postTag":166,"prompt":91,"sections":91,"seo":167,"seoAndSocial":168,"slug":171,"stem":172,"thumbnail":170,"thumbnailCaption":173,"thumbnailcard":91,"__hash__":174},"post\u002Fpost\u002Fmeet-the-crew-kelley-and-peta-glaister.md","Meet The Crew: Kelley and Peta Glaister",{"type":8,"value":105,"toc":159},[106,109,112,115,118,121,129,132,135,138,141,144,147,150,153,156],[11,107,108],{},"Kelley and Peta, two colleagues — who also happen to be sisters — have played an essential role in blazing a trail for female removalists at Man With A Van.",[11,110,111],{},"A few years back, Kelley was walking her dog with her housemate when she spotted a Man With A Van truck. She wondered out loud if she could work for them and to her surprise one of the removalists yelled out from the truck, “yeah, you can!\". It was that fleeting interaction that led her to apply.",[11,113,114],{},"“I didn’t expect to get an interview because of the name. When I had my interview I had to lift a 35kg box and then drive a truck,\" Kelley said. \"From there it was a few days training and I was on the job.\"",[11,116,117],{},"Peta, on the other hand, thought she’d give it a go when she saw how much Kelley was enjoying the flexibility the job gave her, “I was dubious at first, but then I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it — it’s good, honest hard work and it keeps me fit and healthy which is what I’m passionate about,\" she said.",[11,119,120],{},"The flexible nature of working with Man With A Van means that Peta has been able to continue her massage therapy and crossfit training alongside the removalist role. Kelley’s passions include art, sculpture, performance and video. She also works as a parkour instructor.",[11,122,123],{},[124,125],"img",{"alt":126,"src":127,"title":128},"Two women in Man With A Van uniform work out on the company gym equipment.","\u002Fimg\u002Fkel21.jpg","Kel and Peta work out at the MWAV gym.",[11,130,131],{},"Both Kelley and Peta had worked a lot in hospitality previously.",[11,133,134],{},"“These jobs, particularly cafes, were emotionally draining and emotionally exhausting,\" Kelley said.",[11,136,137],{},"\"With this industry though, everyone knows that moving day is the worst day of the year; it’s nice that you can be there to help people and make it less horrifying.”",[11,139,140],{},"When asked what the most challenging thing about working in the removalist industry, Peta explained that it's “clients making misogynist comments every other day”.",[11,142,143],{},"Kelley agreed.",[11,145,146],{},"“Casual misogyny that we often face existing in the world as a woman is experienced even more, but the Man With The Van crew are so supportive and caring — they’ve always got your back,\" she said.",[11,148,149],{},"At Man With A Van, there’s been a lot of discussion of the lack of representation across gender in the industry. Traditionally, the job is seen primarily as ‘men’s work’ but Kelley and Peta are quick to debunk this.",[11,151,152],{},"“It’s a shame there aren’t more women,\" Kelley said.",[11,154,155],{},"\"It’s a great job for fitting around your other interests — art, family, and music. Give it a go! I never thought this was open to me but it is.”",[11,157,158],{},"“You need patience and an unflappable sense of humour. It’s not all about strength, endurance is more important when you are working long days. Don’t let your strength hold you back from having a go. The first 2-3 weeks are the worst — it’s about conditioning though, and you will get used to it.”",{"title":15,"searchDepth":16,"depth":16,"links":160},[],"2020-10-13T23:03:38.955Z","Kelley and Peta are sisters who blazed a trail for female movers at Man With A Van",{},7,"\u002Fpost\u002Fmeet-the-crew-kelley-and-peta-glaister",[6],{"title":103,"description":162},{"seoTitle":169,"seoDescription":15,"seoImage":170},"Meet The Man With A Van Crew: Kelley and Peta Glaister","\u002Fimg\u002Fkel.jpg","meet-the-crew-kelley-and-peta-glaister","post\u002Fmeet-the-crew-kelley-and-peta-glaister","Key crew members: Kelley and Peta Glaister","pl56MaP3kM3F-uU2yWGXGPKE-le2fhxeQvPWkJ8oBTw",{"id":176,"title":177,"body":178,"date":314,"description":315,"extension":18,"meta":316,"navigation":20,"order":317,"path":318,"postTag":319,"prompt":91,"sections":91,"seo":320,"seoAndSocial":321,"slug":324,"stem":325,"thumbnail":326,"thumbnailCaption":327,"thumbnailcard":91,"__hash__":328},"post\u002Fpost\u002Fmeet-the-crew-leo-viralata-pimentel.md","Meet The Crew: Leo 'Viralata' Pimentel",{"type":8,"value":179,"toc":312},[180,186,189,192,195,204,207,212,217,220,225,228,233,236,239,242,245,250,253,256,259,262,267,270,275,278,281,284,287,292,295,298,301,306,309],[11,181,182],{},[183,184,185],"strong",{},"Leo began working with Man With A Van in 2010, and is now The Man’s most experienced mover, having notched up more than 3000 relocations.",[11,187,188],{},"When he signed on, the company had just a handful of vehicles and a small pool of staff.",[11,190,191],{},"It’s now bulked up significantly — 150 movers and more than 30 vehicles — one of which is his tribute truck, Viralata.",[11,193,194],{},"He’s a well-loved member of staff who loves to tell a story, share a laugh and stir the pot. He migrated to Australia from his native Brazil in 2002.",[11,196,197,198,203],{},"Leo’s is also a Capoeira teacher, running classes three days a week at ",[49,199,202],{"href":200,"rel":201,"target":56},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.thespace.com.au\u002F",[53,54,55],"The Space Arts & Dance Centre"," in Prahran.",[11,205,206],{},"We caught up with Leo to ask him about his experience in Australia, how he balances his work as a mover with his Capoeira teaching, and how he got his nickname.",[11,208,209],{},[183,210,211],{},"——",[11,213,214],{},[183,215,216],{},"When did you first come to Australia?",[11,218,219],{},"I’ve been here for 17 years. In 2002, I’d met an Australian girl in London, where I was travelling after leaving Brazil, and she invited me to visit. I then moved over in 2003.",[11,221,222],{},[183,223,224],{},"What did you know about Australia before making the move?",[11,226,227],{},"I’m sorry to say it, but not much. I’d never planned to come to this side of the earth. Though I did know a lot of the good punk rock from here — ACDC, Midnight Oil, Hoodoo Gurus. And I knew the Great Barrier Reef.",[11,229,230],{},[183,231,232],{},"Do you miss Brazil?",[11,234,235],{},"In reality, I now don’t think about Brazil.",[11,237,238],{},"Brazil has been very good to me, as my country, but Australia’s my house and my home. I decided to be here.",[11,240,241],{},"I can tell you, at the end, I would send my ashes to Brazil. If you ask why, it’s because of this connection to the land, because of my heritage and my family.",[11,243,244],{},"As for my son, he is Australian. A Filipino mother and a Brazilian father, but he is Australian.",[11,246,247],{},[183,248,249],{},"How did you start working at Man With A Van?",[11,251,252],{},"I started at MWAV in mid 2010 after talking with Matt Windsor (MWAV general manager, who Leo knew through Capoeira classes).",[11,254,255],{},"He said, \"Do you mind lifting furniture?\" and I said, \"No, it’s easy.”",[11,257,258],{},"“I came in one afternoon, started working the next day. In those days we had no exams, no induction, nothing like that.”",[11,260,261],{},"(This is in stark contrast to the removals boot camp MWAV now runs, with driving, strength and endurance tests, coupled with a full induction and training program for all staff).",[11,263,264],{},[183,265,266],{},"You must be in good shape to have done such a physical job for such a long time.",[11,268,269],{},"I don’t feel like I’m 40. But I’m a human being, I’m normal — I used to have a rock n roll band in Brazil, I like to party. But I have always had discipline on the side as well. Martial arts gave me that discipline, to always respect my limits.",[11,271,272],{},[183,273,274],{},"You’re a Capoeira teacher - how do you make that fit in with your job as a mover?",[11,276,277],{},"The Space Dancing School is where I teach Capoeira. Since 2004, I’ve been teaching over there — I have my own students, I’m teaching over there three days a week.",[11,279,280],{},"It’s a good balance, because I travel a lot. I book classes to the school terms. Every year, like in many businesses, I have a lot of Capoeira clients in the Summer, but in winter, classes drop.",[11,282,283],{},"Working for Man With A Van is good, because I can also have flexibility, as it’s casual, I can come and go a bit as I need — it’s a good balance. It’s also one of the best ways to discover Melbourne — we go everywhere. We have people from all over the world, a very multi-cultural place to work.",[11,285,286],{},"I like to learn a lot of Aussie slang, Aussie English, which can be very funny. Like, when people say, “reckon” (bursts out laughing) — I know now it means “I suppose”.",[11,288,289],{},[183,290,291],{},"As the mover at Man With A Van who has completed the most jobs, what have you learned about the role?",[11,293,294],{},"I say to new movers: we’re here to do a good job, provide a good service, don’t damage any furniture, and look after the integrity of our bodies.",[11,296,297],{},"Attention and communication are important with your teammate. Help each other, don’t try to prove yourself by doing heavy things by yourself — I believe this is the reason I never get injuries.",[11,299,300],{},"The respect that the guys have for me, I know I have respect from this company, which I really appreciate. Sometimes I feel like the grandfather to MWAV, as I’m the oldest.",[11,302,303],{},[183,304,305],{},"How did you get your nickname, Viralata, and what does it mean?",[11,307,308],{},"Viralata means street dog, or mongrel. I got that because I’m a surfer, and when I started Capoeira I was 17 years old, I used to go straight from the beach to the gym.",[11,310,311],{},"I started to get dreadlocks. My instructor started saying to me, ‘You look like a street kid’. Well, that was the 90s — everyone had dreadlocks in the 90s. I said “I’m gonna keep it.” He started calling me Viralata. I didn’t like the nickname at the beginning, but now I do. You don’t choose nicknames, you go along.",{"title":15,"searchDepth":16,"depth":16,"links":313},[],"2020-10-09T03:55:20.886Z","The Man's most experienced mover, Leo 'Viralata' Pimentel, is a well-loved member of staff who enjoys telling a story, sharing a laugh and stirring the pot.",{},6,"\u002Fpost\u002Fmeet-the-crew-leo-viralata-pimentel",[6],{"title":177,"description":315},{"seoTitle":322,"seoDescription":323},"Meet The Man With A Van Crew: Leo 'Viralata' Pimentel","We profile Man With A Van's most experienced mover. Find out his funniest stories, what makes him tick, and what he likes about working as a removalist in Melbourne.","meet-the-crew-leo-viralata-pimentel","post\u002Fmeet-the-crew-leo-viralata-pimentel","\u002Fimg\u002Fleo.jpg","Leo 'Viralata' Pimentel showcases his honorary 3K tee.","EPUzTJ5DMeu19UWPCKSU8B6YfOuPrGbtDhSP_lLNX6k",{"id":330,"title":331,"body":332,"date":380,"description":381,"extension":18,"meta":382,"navigation":20,"order":91,"path":383,"postTag":384,"prompt":91,"sections":385,"seo":386,"seoAndSocial":387,"slug":390,"stem":391,"thumbnail":15,"thumbnailCaption":91,"thumbnailcard":392,"__hash__":393},"post\u002Fpost\u002Fmeet-the-crew-watuwa-nambuya.md","Meet The Crew: Watuwa Nambuya",{"type":8,"value":333,"toc":378},[334,337,340,343,346,349,352,355,358,361,364,367,370,373],[11,335,336],{},"One of our most reliable movers, Watuwa, has quite a story.",[11,338,339],{},"Originally from Uganda, Watuwa arrived in Australia with his brother in 2001. They got off to a rocky start when they accidentally flew into Sydney Airport, leaving their mother was left waiting for them at Tullamarine. The authorities were able to help the duo, and put them on the next plane down to Melbourne, much to their mother's relief.",[11,341,342],{},"“I was 17 and my brother was 15. It was a completely new thing for us. We were overwhelmed with joy,” Watuwa explained.",[11,344,345],{},"When he arrived, he could speak little to no English, however, it wasn’t long before his mum enrolled him in a TAFE course to get some further education under his belt.",[11,347,348],{},"“I studied, learnt how to speak to people, and from there people at home were ringing, they needed help. I had to look for work.”",[11,350,351],{},"Watuwa went on to do factory work in an attempt to get by and support his loved ones, but he was met with the dark side of Australia’s workforce time and again. At one stage Watuwa was working for an astonishingly low (and illegal) rate of $4 an hour making punching bags.",[11,353,354],{},"“I’ve been to too many workplaces. Some of them are good, they look after you, and some of them talk to you like you’re not even a human, so at the time it was really like, why are people like this?\" he said.",[11,356,357],{},"In addition to the hardship of being exploited as a young, hopeful employee, Watuwa’s teens were met with a typical level of angst which saw him run away from home at 18, living in the streets of Brunswick for a time. Fast forward fifteen years and Watuwa has well and truly found his feet and long called Australia home.",[11,359,360],{},"Asked what he misses about Uganda and Watuwa barely needs to think about it.",[11,362,363],{},"“The community. People have nothing but at the same time, they have everything. It comes down to the community. Just talking to someone, even if you’re stressed, you forget what you are stressed about,\" he said.",[11,365,366],{},"Watuwa loves Australia too.",[11,368,369],{},"“The first impression in the week that I started here… Friday. BBQ and beer. What? Who does that? Who does that for so many people? It’s really good. Being able to work with different people, talking to different people about different things, learning from them, my English has improved, my talking has improved. I mean, interacting with people in general – this job has shown me a lot.\"",[11,371,372],{},"It’s easy to see why Watuwa is such a critical member of the Man With A Van crew. His generous spirit, ethics, and determination make him the ideal team player — and someone we’re really proud to have on board.",[11,374,375],{},[183,376,377],{},"Update (2019): Watuwa has now used his truck driving experience to move on to a more senior role at another company. Thanks again for your years of dedicated service, Watuwa.",{"title":15,"searchDepth":16,"depth":16,"links":379},[],"2020-11-03T02:03:46.070Z","At Man With A Van, we’re pretty proud of our crew — so much so that we will be regularly featuring them so that you can get to know them better.",{},"\u002Fpost\u002Fmeet-the-crew-watuwa-nambuya",[6],[],{"title":331,"description":381},{"seoDescription":388,"seoTitle":389},"Meet Watuwa Nambuya, he's overcome a lot to join Melbourne top removalists team. Read about his story and ethos of community and helping others. ","Removalist Crew Profile - Watuwa Nambuya | Man With A Van","meet-the-crew-watuwa-nambuya","post\u002Fmeet-the-crew-watuwa-nambuya","\u002Fimg\u002Fwatuwa1.jpg","un3UY0IRjgXgyGR0ksWBWmZJLKfJHowND61DbiFqA6M",{"id":395,"title":396,"body":397,"date":448,"description":449,"extension":18,"meta":450,"navigation":20,"order":91,"path":451,"postTag":452,"prompt":91,"sections":453,"seo":457,"seoAndSocial":458,"slug":460,"stem":461,"thumbnail":462,"thumbnailCaption":91,"thumbnailcard":91,"__hash__":463},"post\u002Fpost\u002Fmeet-the-crew-haydn-dinsdale.md","Meet The Crew: Haydn Dinsdale",{"type":8,"value":398,"toc":446},[399,402,405,408,411,420,423,431,434,437,440],[11,400,401],{},"Haydn had two stints with Man With A Van. Back in 2009 when he was 22, he moved from Mornington Peninsula to the big smoke after his friend, who was a Man With A Van removalist at the time, convinced him it was the right move.",[11,403,404],{},"After a year and a half, Haydn picked up some work at Perisher during the snow season, before moving to Canada and then Byron Bay. Returning to Melbourne in 2013, Haydn worked as a newly qualified Personal Trainer for a couple of years, before leaving that industry altogether and joining Man With A Van again in 2015. ",[11,406,407],{},"Like many of the other movers, Haydn nurtured a passion on the side - and it’s quite a unique one. Somewhere in the realm of coaching, yet arguably much more, Haydn is a facilitator, speaker and advocate, with an acute focus on issues that impact men in the modern world.  ",[11,409,410],{},"2017 saw Haydn co-run an event called ‘Deadlifts For Depression’ with fellow mover, Ben Little, which raised over $4,000 for Beyond Blue. He also ran a workshop called ‘Break The Chains’ which served as an exploration of the different ways emotions can be channelled towards productivity. The workshop also sought to foster consciousness around the way in which we move our bodies. ",[11,412,413,414,419],{},"From there, Haydn was invited to present at the ",[49,415,418],{"href":416,"rel":417,"target":56},"https:\u002F\u002Fwww.menergy.org.au\u002F",[53,54,55],"Menergy Men’s Gathering",", both earlier in 2018, and again later in the year, on elevating one’s perceived worth and conquering self-doubt. ",[11,421,422],{},"But it’s not just in his pursued passion that Haydn makes an impact. At Man With A Van, he became known as the ‘Miracle Man’.",[11,424,425,426,430],{},"“I was originally nicknamed ‘Path To Glory’. I would often tell everyone to continue on their path to glory when I’d clock off, and the name stuck. But one day, I got a call from the office asking if I could bring another job forward. I said, ‘",[49,427,429],{"href":428},"\u002Fpost\u002Fmeet-the-crew-jack-tandy\u002F","Tandy",", leave it with me, I’m a miracle man’. Of course, I got the job done and from that day on, that’s what everyone knows me as – the Miracle Man.”",[11,432,433],{},"Curious, we pressed Haydn on how the company had changed since 2009, “back then we had about 20 people, and we used Transit vans. Now, the company has about 35 vehicles (none of which are vans), and over 150 staff.”",[11,435,436],{},"Amused, Haydn went on to explain, “it was the Wild West back when I originally started. But the business has grown and therefore evolved.”",[11,438,439],{},"Haydn has now moved on from Man With A Van to pursue other opportunities, but his legacy continues through the 'Miracle Man' truck which bears his nickname.",[11,441,442,443],{},"See more from ",[49,444,6],{"href":445},"\u002Fblog\u002Fthecrew\u002F",{"title":15,"searchDepth":16,"depth":16,"links":447},[],"2020-10-27T22:56:33.537Z","One of The Man's most experienced and enthusiastic movers, Haydn Dinsdale is also a facilitator, speaker and advocate.",{},"\u002Fpost\u002Fmeet-the-crew-haydn-dinsdale",[6],[454],{"type":455,"customBookingLabel":456},"bookingButton","Book your movers",{"title":396,"description":449},{"seoTitle":459},"Meet The Man With A Van Crew: Haydn Dinsdale | Man With A Van","meet-the-crew-haydn-dinsdale","post\u002Fmeet-the-crew-haydn-dinsdale","\u002Fimg\u002Fhaydn.jpg","09WNif3Fg1GaC8FyOg4DyF0lo3OBQPtA2NjfISuT050",{"id":465,"title":466,"body":467,"date":500,"description":501,"extension":18,"meta":502,"navigation":20,"order":91,"path":503,"postTag":504,"prompt":91,"sections":505,"seo":507,"seoAndSocial":508,"slug":511,"stem":512,"thumbnail":513,"thumbnailCaption":514,"thumbnailcard":91,"__hash__":515},"post\u002Fpost\u002Fmeet-the-man-with-a-van-crew-oscar-hoelscher.md","Meet The Crew: Oscar Hoelscher",{"type":8,"value":468,"toc":498},[469,472,475,478,481,484,487,490,493],[11,470,471],{},"The past few months have been Oscar Hoelscher’s longest stint in the one place for some time now. Before joining Man With A Van as a removalist, he toured both nationally and internationally as a classical ballet dancer. Fascinated by his trajectory, we caught up with him recently to find out more about the transition from ballet to removals.",[11,473,474],{},"Originally from Brisbane, with stints in London and New Zealand, Oscar made Melbourne his home two years ago, “I was living in London, but I came here for dance. Melbourne has a great dance and creative scene so it was a good move for me”.",[11,476,477],{},"Just last year, he broke his foot and having just got out of a “moon boot”, he joined Man With A Van for a change of direction, “it’s pretty similar to dancing in that you have to do a lot of lifting and partnering. In ballet, there are a lot of unorthodox lifts and twisting, as well as going right down to the ground and pushing above your head — there are some surprising parallels between the two”.",[11,479,480],{},"Having toured the US, the UK, and Italy, performing lead roles in such ballets as Nutcracker, Coppelia and Midsummer Night's Dream, Oscar’s decision to change direction was a significant one, “I was five when I started — ballet has been a huge part of my life. It has been hard to walk away. It’s sad in a respect because I really love the art form, but it’s the industry I have a problem with.”",[11,482,483],{},"Nevertheless, the flexibility in working for Man With A Van has given him some much needed breathing space, and he’s not ready to part ways with his creativity entirely, “I have been writing dance and various other pieces. I do want to do some performing and choreography, but it’s been really nice not to train in that way everyday because it’s so intense. It’s nice just to chill out.”",[11,485,486],{},"When asked how his new lifestyle and job are shaping up, he explains, “I didn’t really have many expectations for the job. I guess it’s cooler than I thought because of the culture here, the flexible hours, and the way the roster is structured. Pretty much everyone at Man With A Van has something else interesting going on in their lives which is pretty cool.”",[11,488,489],{},"It wasn’t an easy task getting Oscar to talk about his success, but a quick google search and you can read more. He seems both humble as well as self-actualised, a gentle combination evident in his demeanour.",[11,491,492],{},"“I’m content with the success I’ve had with ballet, but it’s time to move on. I have been loving the new gig. It runs better than any other company I have worked for — it’s all the little things that really make it.”",[11,494,495,496],{},"Meet more of ",[49,497,6],{"href":445},{"title":15,"searchDepth":16,"depth":16,"links":499},[],"2020-10-27T22:43:55.456Z","Oscar Hoelscher made the unusual pivot from ballet to removals. He tells us what lead him to make this change, and why it's sometimes nice to have a break from artistic efforts.",{},"\u002Fpost\u002Fmeet-the-man-with-a-van-crew-oscar-hoelscher",[6],[506],{"type":455,"customBookingLabel":456},{"title":466,"description":501},{"seoTitle":509,"seoDescription":510,"seoImage":15},"Removalist Crew Profile - Oscar Hoelscher | Man With A Van","Meet Oscar, from the Man With A Van crew of removalists. The best skilled movers in Melbourne and their stories.","meet-the-man-with-a-van-crew-oscar-hoelscher","post\u002Fmeet-the-man-with-a-van-crew-oscar-hoelscher","\u002Fimg\u002Foscar.jpg","One of the crew: Oscar Hoelscher","rxxOk-iGXLxaH5OSwgEMjGnT2Jn746r7vMSTDAkxVfU",{"id":517,"title":518,"body":519,"date":637,"description":638,"extension":18,"meta":639,"navigation":20,"order":91,"path":640,"postTag":641,"prompt":91,"sections":91,"seo":642,"seoAndSocial":643,"slug":645,"stem":646,"thumbnail":647,"thumbnailCaption":648,"thumbnailcard":91,"__hash__":649},"post\u002Fpost\u002Fmeet-the-crew-zak-degenhardt.md","Meet The Crew: Zak Degenhardt",{"type":8,"value":520,"toc":633},[521,528,540,545,550,553,558,561,566,569,574,577,582,585,590,593,598,601,606,609,614,617,622,625,630],[522,523,525],"h3",{"id":524},"zak-turbo-degenhardt-aka-cassettes-for-kids",[183,526,527],{},"Zak ‘Turbo’ Degenhardt AKA Cassettes For Kids",[11,529,530],{},[531,532,533,534,539],"em",{},"Zak Degenhardt has been working for The Man for five and a half years, first donning the all-black lifting kit when he was 20. Like many at Man With A Van, Zak works as a mover to support his main gig as a muso. His dancefloor-focused project ",[49,535,538],{"href":536,"rel":537,"target":56},"https:\u002F\u002Fsoundcloud.com\u002Fcassettesforkids",[53,54,55],"Cassettes For Kids",". Zak is having a boom year with his music, playing an increasing number of festival slots and getting a lot of press coverage.",[11,541,542],{},[531,543,544],{},"We thought it’d be a good time to sit down for a yarn with Zak and discuss his music, how he balances his creative work with a physical job, and what he has coming up over the next year.",[11,546,547],{},[183,548,549],{},"How did you decide on Cassettes For Kids as your stage name?",[11,551,552],{},"My brother used to give me mix tapes when I was growing up. That, coupled with the fact that there were four of us siblings growing up together, gives Cassettes For Kids.",[11,554,555],{},[183,556,557],{},"How would you describe your performances?",[11,559,560],{},"High energy and funky. I want everyone to have fun on the dance floor so there’s always an element of happiness with a little dashing of taking the piss.",[11,562,563],{},[183,564,565],{},"What genres do you play?",[11,567,568],{},"My sets are very house-y with a huge focus on sexy vocals and belting percussion. I love disco and garage as well, but I love to throw in electro and breaks to watch everyone fumble trying to dance to it.",[11,570,571],{},[183,572,573],{},"Are you focused primarily on the decks or producing your own stuff?",[11,575,576],{},"It’s honestly 50\u002F50 now. My djing used to suck so bad but I’ve been working hard at it for the last three years now that it’s just as important as production. If I have a gig, I’ll spend the two weeks prior to it getting so excited for it, but then I spend my weekdays having therapy sessions in my studio (read: bedroom).",[11,578,579],{},[183,580,581],{},"How does working at MWAV fit in with your musical career?",[11,583,584],{},"It’s fantastic. I work around my gigs, I get to listen to mixes and play demos in the trucks to my unassuming partners and the physical aspect means my body isn’t completely distorted from being slumped over a laptop all day.",[11,586,587],{},[183,588,589],{},"How’d you hear about the job originally?",[11,591,592],{},"My sister ranted and raved about the company when she moved and I thought it would be a cool job!",[11,594,595],{},[183,596,597],{},"Funniest moment on a move?",[11,599,600],{},"When I first started, me and this guy were working together in a horribly-designed building very late in the day. We were struggling to take literally anything up the stairs of this place and we finally got to the couch. The customer was hell bent on it going up, so we heaved and hoed to no avail before I had a moment of frustration and asked, “who designed this stupid place?”. To which the customer very sheepishly remarked, “I did…”.",[11,602,603],{},[183,604,605],{},"Funniest moment onstage?",[11,607,608],{},"When I was first playing out, I was playing a lot at Bimbos (R.I.P.). It was around Christmas time and someone put a Santa hat on my head while I was playing. It was super hot and I was so sweaty in there, so I only had it on for maybe 5-10 mins before I noticed the hat wasn’t helping my heat situation. I reached to grab it off me and discovered the whole thing was covered in someone’s pee.",[11,610,611],{},[183,612,613],{},"What does the next year hold for your music?",[11,615,616],{},"I’ve got a tour in the works around Australia over April, my first vinyl EP, a vinyl single and then just knuckling down over winter before I go to Amsterdam Dance Event in October to make a fool out of myself in front of all my dance music idols.",[11,618,619],{},[183,620,621],{},"You seem to be having a breakout year with lots of festival shows and some great coverage. What’s made the difference for you?",[11,623,624],{},"I have an Instagram account where I shed a few gym selfies after I’ve been smashing the Man With A Van gym at the depot. So the chronic narcissism along with the fact I have a vaguely good idea of what works on a dance floor has really helped me recently. Oh, that and I'm incredibly good at social climbing. If you’ll get me somewhere, I'lll manipulate you!",[11,626,627],{},[183,628,629],{},"Do you get more respect from your colleagues when they realise you have a truck named after you?",[11,631,632],{},"They respect me more when I tell them how I got the nickname. [Zak’s tribute truck is ‘Turbo’, a nickname he received after repeatedly being the driver at the time of turbocharger failure on The Man's trucks].",{"title":15,"searchDepth":16,"depth":16,"links":634},[635],{"id":524,"depth":636,"text":527},3,"2020-10-09T05:17:41.314Z","As a mover for Man With A Van, Zak 'Turbo' Degenhardt is known for getting it done with a minimum of fuss. As producer and DJ Cassettes for Kids, the fuss level is higher, and growing.",{},"\u002Fpost\u002Fmeet-the-crew-zak-degenhardt",[6],{"title":518,"description":638},{"seoTitle":644},"Meet The Man With A Van Crew: Zak Degenhardt | Man With A Van","meet-the-crew-zak-degenhardt","post\u002Fmeet-the-crew-zak-degenhardt","\u002Fimg\u002Fzak.jpg","Zak Degenhardt AKA Cassettes For Kids","OKitfRHx1WXDpuTa6xCtTpizfMpBCmsmhXO0xBA1tQI",1794181395941]