I felt like some sort of fancy pants drug dealer character as I hosted Spotlight Athlete, Natalie Cincotta at my luxurious pool earlier this month. By “luxurious pool” of course I mean the communal pool in my humble apartment complex and by “Natalie Cincotta” of course I mean the wildly curious world traveler whose power clean is a thing of most radiant beauty and whose thirst for post-war German erotica knows no bounds!
Coach Chad
No, that’s a good place to start. You’ve really never been interviewed? And you’re about to defend your thesis.
Natalie Cincotta
I’ve done presentations and workshops and stuff like that, but not not an interview. Not like this. I’d like to be on a podcast though, there are a lot of good history podcasts out there.
Chad
Well, you mentioned Lauren (Lichterman), you could potentially go on her “Tell Me More About That” podcast, which I thought was a delight when I was on!
Natalie
That’s a good idea.
Chad
So we’ve had the pleasure of hanging out a couple times. But the two most obvious things I know about you are that you’re a history doctoral student, and you are someone who lifts weights pretty damn well. You do a good job of picking the heavy things back up and then setting them back down again. So I wanted to ask basically five questions at once: How did you get into history? How did you get into lifting weights? AND if you can tie that process together? Can you find a thread as to why? What stoked your interest in both of those things?
Natalie
Oh, that’s such an interesting way to put it. Well, for me, getting into history has been just an interest that I have cultivated over a very long period of time, like since I was a kid.
Chad
Can you point to specific early interest in history?
Natalie
I grew up reading a lot of historical fiction and nonfiction. One book that was really impactful when I was young was “The Diary of Anne Frank”. That’s how I actually got interested in Holocaust studies- I read a lot of Holocaust memoirs and things like that. I had also grown up hearing a lot about my Oma, which is German for grandmother. She grew up in Germany and emigrated to Australia. She shared a lot about her experiences and our family’s history with me too. Then when I was in high school, I pretty much just took every history subject elective that I could, I actually graduated with more than half of my credit (being) history credit.
Chad
This was high school???
Natalie
Yeah! It wasn’t just the required (history) we had subjects that you could choose too; ancient history, modern history, and then an extension course that was about historiography, or essentially how people write history.
Chad
That sounds so incredibly different from the American system- in my experience anyway, we don’t have anywhere near that sort of optionality.
Natalie
I remember one of my projects was answering the question, why did the Titanic sink? And I did all of this different research that culminated in a presentation; I remember going online and looking at reports on the types of metal and iron they use to build the ship and how that that played a role-
Chad
so what was your chief culprit?
Natalie
I think I said it was ego. At the end of the day, the people just wanted to build this thing really fast and didn’t want to heed anybody’s warnings.
Chad
So with history, it seems like a pretty like organic thing where you just happened upon something compelling like “The Diary of Anne Frank” and that bridged into a larger interest. So how does that differ from your entree into fitness and lifting?
Natalie
Well, I initially came to Danes Body Shop, because one of my friends went there and she really enjoyed it; she really enjoyed the community. She had also gotten a lot stronger. And I was like, I want to do that! That looks fun!
Chad
I need to be able to fight this bitch?
Natalie
Yeah, yeah! And so I took a community workout with her and it was a really good vibe. I didn’t know anything really about lifting a barbell, I’d never done it before. And it just became really, really addictive. I think I liked that- that I didn’t really know what I was doing. It was challenging and I think that that is maybe what that connecting point (between lifting and history) is, right? I’m just trying out things that I don’t know much about and trying to figure them out and get better at them.
Chad
That’s cool. I like that. So your focus of study is specifically on East Germany right?
Natalie
West Germany.
Chad
Sorry! I legitimately had it in my head that it was East Germany. How did you land on that?
Natalie
Well, it’s a couple of things. So maybe it would be helpful if I just very briefly describe my project. Essentially, my project focuses on this very provocative political and aesthetic youth magazine called “Twen” that was published between 1959 and 1971 in West Germany. I essentially use this magazine as a lens to understand the political, social, and also cultural upheavals and changes of the 60s that were in large part being driven by a younger generation of people. That’s the case in Germany, but also in other places, like here in (the US). So some of those things encompass dealing with the Nazi past, demanding more grassroots democratic participation, confronting what people saw as a really kind of stuffy sexual morality, you know, sexual revolution, that’s a big part of my project. Breaking out of old patterns of thinking and feeling and, you know, throwing out all the old ways of doing things. So that’s very broadly, what my project does.
Chad
I’m gonna have to hit you up privately about some suggested reading! Before we get too far afield into history, I did my due diligence before this interview- scanning your instagram feed. I was scrolling through your postings and the photos you post are so well composed and I was curious what draws your eye? What makes you go, “Ooo, I have to capture this”?
Natalie
Oh! Well, first of all, thank you. It really depends; sometimes I can just see what a shot would look like if I’m in a particular place or sometimes I just like observing people and what they’re doing. You will probably see some of my photos are like random people who don’t know I’m taking pictures of them. I have this great one of these kids in Croatia playing- I don’t know, I just like observing what people are doing around me.
Chad
Do you ever take any photos of the shop?
Natalie
No….
Chad
For fear of being creepy, because whipping your camera out and taking pictures of people working out can be kind of creepy?
Natalie
I think I did take photos when we did the Strong Person Mini-Meet- to document everyone’s accomplishments.
Chad
I got some good photos of you during that, because that is my job. I AM the creepy person who takes photos of people when they are working out. The other thing about looking at your Instagram feed is traveling to wonderful places. Has it been a tough year for you not traveling?
Natalie
I was supposed to go to Australia last year; I try to go every two years so I can see family. But obviously that didn’t happen- that probably won’t happen until 2022. But yeah, it was hard to not travel, but I can’t complain.
Chad
Do you have any travel on the docket now?
Natalie
Yes, I do have a little bit planned for the near future. So after I submit all of my final materials, we’re going to Playa Del Carmen at (DBS member Juan Sequeda)’s suggestion.
Chad
Nice! Something I wanted to ask you about was transitioning from Virtual classes when we were shut down back into in person classes. Now that I know what a good photographer you are, it makes sense that you were so smooth in setting up your device over Zoom, but whereas some members were extra cautious and didn’t come back to in person classes until much later, you came back pretty much right away. You were good at the virtual workouts and I know your boyfriend has a nice gym in his apartment, so what compelled you to come back to class at The Shop?
Natalie
I hate working out at home by myself. I think you guys did a really wonderful job of not just helping people continue their workouts, but also trying to bring together the community aspect virtually. That was awesome! I just personally cannot stand working out at home by myself. Even if I had a full Dane’s Body Shop set up in my non-existent garage, I probably wouldn’t workout there. Especially because at that time I was writing my dissertation and not interacting with anybody. And so I would spend all day in my head thinking really difficult thoughts and trying to write something really complex. And so I need that at the end of the day- I need to go to The Shop. I need to see the people I know.
Chad
Is it the space, is it the people, or is it the coaching?
Natalie
All of it: the interacting with people/getting to know people aspect and I like the space because it’s not my house. I like to be in different places. But I also like the aggression of doing, like, a clean, you know?
Chad
Okay, now that’s a really nice segue to the next bit I wanted to touch on. I have had many great interactions with you and one of them was you getting a PR on your clean by like 10 pounds or something like that. As I recall, I think that you didn’t get it on the first try-
Natalie
Sometimes I get stuck in my own head.
Chad
Yeah, that is what I wanted to ask- as someone who is in a field that requires rigorous analytical thinking, do you find that mindset to be beneficial when lifting?
Natalie
Oh no! If I’m in my head and overthinking things then I just need to call it for the day. The best times (for lifting) is when I’m like- and you’ll probably have to edit this out- when I get that “Fuck it!” confidence you know?
Chad
No, you’re fine- we can go completely blue if you want.
Natalie
Yeah? I wish I knew that earlier! So yeah, when I’m not overthinking my hand position or where my shoulders are- that is when I have my best lift.
Chad
My all time deadlift max happened after one very strong beer and a shot of whiskey at 10 in the morning. So yeah, I think there’s something to not overthinking. That’s great. So in the next part of this interview we’re going to get into some random questions. One of my favorite memories of giving a tour to a prospective member was an interaction you had with a South African member named Jason- he has a very distinct South African accent. He is wonderful and he is also a bit of a sonofabitch in the best possible way. So as I was escorting you out of the facility, I briefly introduced the two of you saying some version of “Natalie is from Australia and Jason is from South Africa- those countries are kind of close aren’t they!?!?”. And his response was: “Australia? So now you guys are signing convicts up for members eh?”
Natalie
*big laughter* I don’t remember that! That’s fucking funny!
Chad
Yeah, he totally generalized Australians as convicts! So I wanted to give you the opportunity here to throw shade at the South Africans. Are there any equivalent barbs you’d like to throw his way?
Natalie
I wish that I had something fun for you. But I have no clue. I don’t remember having any beefs with South Africa growing up.
Chad
“No beef with South Africa” might be the title of this interview. We’ll see. One of the questions that I’ll ask somewhat regularly, and I’m extra interested in with you, is if you could take a figure from history and have a dinner and discussion with them, who would it be?
Natalie
This is so much pressure! Oh man, this is like when people ask you a favorite movie and you just blank.
Chad
Could be former coaches at Danes body shop like Mitch, you can throw Mitch in there if you want. He’s in Arizona though; the food’s not great.
Natalie
Oh, I know! Here’s one you’ve never heard of: her name is Beate Uhse-Rotermund, I could spell that for you later. She was a pilot in the Luftwaffe, but that’s not the most interesting thing about her! After World War Two, she started Germany’s biggest erotica company; it started out selling contraceptives and all sorts of things. Then it expanded into a mail-order business that delivered erotica catalogs to people’s houses. And the reason that she’s so interesting is that after the war, at least on the official level, there was a very kind of strict sexual morality in terms of the nuclear family. (The Germans) had all these laws that prohibited public display of certain indecent materials, like in public and blah, blah, blah- and one of the loopholes of that law actually allowed mail order businesses to flourish, because people could consume sexual objects in their own homes and not disrupt public order or anything like that. So, I would probably invite her to dinner to ask her about German erotica, but also as a woman heading up one of the biggest companies that, even to this day, still exists.
Chad
That is an incredible answer. Okay, so continuing on this theme of the Wehrmacht and the Luftwaffa- and, you know, German secret serum and everything- if you were to be injected with a secret serum and become a super powered person, what sort of powers would you have? And would you be a villain or a hero?
Natalie
Oh, man… I change my answer to this every time that I get asked the question. Honestly, I would like to be able to, to use the Harry Potter term, to be able to apparate anywhere I want, when I want. Because how much more amazing would life be if you didn’t have to commute anywhere? I need some guac from HEB and now I just click my fingers? Or just take a weekend in Paris? I think that is the superior super power. It is also better for the environment-
Chad
I don’t know- are we sure that apparating doesn’t leave an insane carbon footprint?
Natalie
In my imaginary world it doesn’t, so I guess that makes me a hero.
Chad
There you go! Okay, if you were to describe yourself as a fruit or vegetable, which one would it be and why?
Natalie
Ohhhhh shit…
Chad
Shit? Shit is your answer?
Natalie
*laughing* Shit is a fruit, you didn’t know that? Hmmm… Is avocado a fruit?
Chad
Yes it is! And what qualities of an avocado represent you?
Natalie
They’re very versatile, I can be sweet or I can be spicy, and everyone loves avocados- just kidding on that one!
Chad
People would apparate to HEB just to get you! Also, hipsters could put you on toast.
Natalie
That actually makes sense because all Australians know how to make is avocado toast priced at $20 a pop.
Chad
What is your pettiest pet peeve?
Natalie
*laughing* Oh I have so many! I’m the pettiest person. When people don’t use their blinkers- but I think a lot of people hate that so that isn’t the pettiest. I hate it when people stand too close to me. *darkly* When people who don’t put their carts back at the store. Ok no! You can scratch all of that- my number one pet peeve is when people talk on speaker phone. Any time, any place, I don’t want to hear it.
Chad
Do you think you could make it your mission to jump into the conversation any time someone is talking on speaker phone? I think that is a great deterrent.
Natalie
Yeah! Or yell something like “come back to bed!”.
Chad
Or “That looks infected!”. That’s great. Do you have a favorite swear word?
Natalie
I say “Fuckssake” a lot.
Chad
Last random question: tell us something utterly surprising about you. Someone who works out with you three or four times a week- what would be something they would not guess about you.
Natalie
I don’t know- I feel like I’m not that surprising. Um… *really long and satisfying pause*. Oh, I play like a shit ton of Animal Crossing.
Chad
I think that is very surprising- I would not have guessed. But I guess it makes sense; my wife was a big reader before she went to grad school and now she just wants to play like the Sims or whatever it is she is playing.
Natalie
Right? You’ve got to balance it out! There are so many things I want to read and I want to learn, but at the end of the day I’ve done that all day and what I really want to do is make my little beach island. That’s all I want.
Chad
That’s nice! Before we wrap this up, you have ascended to the Pantheon of Athletes of the Season-
Natalie
*sheepishly* I was so surprised!
Chad
Why do you think it happened?
Natalie
I don’t know… I really don’t.
Chad
The “why do you think it happened” one is a shitty question to ask, but I ask it because it gives me a chance to answer for you. You’re dedicated, you come to class regularly, you were wonderful and regular while we were shut down and you came back with great spirit. You interact with other people, you’re very present- you really were a slam dunk choice.
Natalie
Awww. I appreciate that- that’s nice.
Chad
So do you have any words of advice for the community? I think it was September of 2019 that I gave you a tour, so you’ve been here for almost two years.
Natalie
That is crazy! Oh my god!
Chad
Yeah, I think you were my first tour after moving back to Austin. I remember worrying that my awkwardness had run you off because I was still getting my tour legs under me. What advice would you give to a new potential member who had just had an awkward tour with me?
Natalie
Its okay, I’m awkward too! Advice to a new person?
Chad
Yeah, about how they should approach The Shop.
Natalie
I am going to steal from Jack (Brown) here. I remember in his interview he said, “everybody starts from somewhere”. I think that is so important because I’ve been intimidated before by people who lift really heavy and really seem to know what they’re doing. But everyone starts from somewhere and the community is very supportive, so have an open mind and get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Yeah, I think that was really good advice, so I’m just stealing it.
Chad
From the mouths of babes- Jack is so young and so wise for a shirtless shoeless man. Well Natalie, this has been a real pleasure!
