I get that question all the time, but in the past you could only do it inside a club. They didn’t teach you in the studio to walk on stage. Then people started asking us to teach at home, and it became natural to do some dance outside, in parks, outside our doorsteps.
How often do you dance at home?
A lot.
How have you been able to dance with so many other dancers?
When I was new in Toronto, I was surrounded by all different types of dancers, but I didn’t realize I was different. It was my first time being out there. I didn’t think dance meant dancing with people, so when I saw so many other people doing it, I didn’t know what to do with myself. So I got in my car and did a tour of the city, so I knew what I was supposed to do. Eventually, I realized I could learn from everybody here and in other countries. I didn’t have to start from scratch. Even though it sounds odd that I went solo for so many years, I was ready for that change.
Do you look up to anybody as a role model?
I see my friends on the streets and in the clubs, and I admire their energy. Everyone in my city looks up to me and is the same. There are no idols in Montreal, other than my family and friends.
Do you watch your dancing progress?
Sometimes I catch a couple of moves and start getting the sense that I’ve done something right. I feel so lucky to have such an opportunity to teach, to be able to show the people who don’t know how to do this dance that it can be done well. I get a little teary-eyed when I watch them play in the show. It’s so exciting to see the result when it comes back and everyone is talking about it for years afterward.
Do you think that most people who learn to dance do so only because they lack the skills?
Most people who learn dance are very dedicated dancers and they are committed. I think most people just don’t know how to do it properly. In the end, when the person is at their best, they have good skills. I think most people just know when something is right and it doesn’t matter if they are not comfortable.
Do you think there is a way to break that cycle?
I don’t think anything is perfect, and I’m not
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