DC: Thanks for the interview Touch International. Who are the members of your group?

Touch Int'l: Touch Int'l Entertainment is not a "dance group". We are an Artist Development/Dance company. The dance component of our company is comprised of young and talented up & coming dancers and choreographers who often showcase their talents at local talent shows and competitions. The group of dancers that graced the Canadian Classic stage were Irvin "Gotti" Washington (Director of Choreography), Tiara "Mz. Tee" Ling (Female Head Choreographer), Shavar "Caution" Blackwood, Matthew "Phantom" Cuff, Sebastiao "Khaos" Dinguana-Sivuilu, Heidi "Fusion" Tiller, Shari-Ann "Shiara" Bromfield, Tiffany "Flex" Rhodes, Chirona "Emily" Sinclair and Amy Taylor.

DC: How long has Touch Int'l been dancing?

Touch Int'l: Touch has been in existence for over three years. However, these dancers have been collectively training together for approximately six months.

DC: How did you first become interested in dance?

Touch Int'l: Our interest for dance lies heavily on the fact that the dance industry in Canada is suffering right now. We believe that through our training we produce well rounded dancers and choreographers that understand how to make the industry work for them. These dancers have displayed a true passion for their talent and we intend on training them to manifest their skills into greatness.

DC: Who was and/or is your inspiration for dance?

Touch Int'l: All of the up and coming dancers and choreographers are our inspiration for dance. There are so many underdeveloped talented dancers in Canada and we've made it our mission to TOUCH them all.

DC: How many times have you competed/performed?

Touch Int'l: Some of our performances include the Molson Indy Top Gun Tournament Half Time Showcase, the Darknights Festival, Choreographers Ball, and the National A.I.D.S. Conference. We have provided dancers for various artists such as Keisha Chante, Danny Fernandes, Tonya Renee, and Joe Louis. We’ve also made a few TV appearances on Naturally Sadie, The Canadian Urban Music Awards, and The WARChild Public Service Announcement to be aired on Much Music.

DC: What was it like having Jully Black on the Judging Panel?

Touch Int'l: It was great having Jully Black on the judging panel. It is very rare to have an actual critique at some of these urban dance competitions even though they are very beneficial. We found it to be very reassuring to have the judges express how they felt after our performance. Jully is a prominent figure in the Canadian entertainment industry and it was great to hear that she enjoyed our performance.

DC: Have you been to any auditions? How do you prepare for one?

Touch Int'l: Many of the dancers have attended various auditions individually and as a group. As part of their training, the dancers go through a series of workshops that deal directly with auditions. They learn how to mentally and physically prepare themselves along with the proper audition etiquette.

DC: What is your favourite type of music to dance to?

Touch Int'l: We primarily dance to Hip Hop. However we don’t limit ourselves to any one type of dance. We love to mix Hip Hop with different genres to create an original feel.

DC: Who choreographs your routines?

Touch Int'l: The majority of our dancers are training to be choreographers. However the main choreography for this show was done by Gotti, Mz. Tee, Phantom, and Caution.

DC: How long does it take to learn a new routine?

Touch Int'l: It does not take a long time to learn the moves in a choreographed piece. However, cleaning the moves and really feeling the music takes a bit of time to master. We train our dancers to be able to pick up on choreography very quickly and we train our choreographers to be able to teach effectively.

DC: How often do you practice?

Touch Int'l: Our dancers and choreographers formally train three times a week. But we have taught them the importance of practicing on their own to master there skills.

DC: Are you considering dance as a career?

Touch Int'l: All of our dancers and choreographers have considered dance as a career and that is why they have chosen to train with Touch Int'l Entertainment.

DC: What do you enjoy most about dancing?

Touch Int'l: We enjoy seeing that our training has enhanced the skills of our dancers. The greatest reward is feeling their passion emulate from the stage.

DC: Thanks for the interview, Touch International!