The second half of Dance Allsorts 2011-12 is kicking off February 19th with project SOUL—hip-hop extraodinaires.
 
Here's what a few of them had to say about dance, their influences and their upcoming performance:
 
When/where did you begin your dance career?
Natasha Gorrie: I began my dance career in grade 10. I booked my first audition with the PNE's "98 come early, stay late." That was their Motto for the year. I was doing a 30 minute dance parade by Coca Cola, choreographed by Jocelyn Peden.
 
Why do you continue to dance?
Cristina Bucci: It is my preferred medium of communication.
 
Can you give some insight into your performance coming up with Dance Allsorts?
Dickson Lee: In the upcoming performance, the audience will be introduced to that unspoken connection we have between one another through music. With different genres of music comes different types of movement and dance; and while sometimes the difference of movement and music may seem like they are on the opposite end of the spectrum, they are in fact all interconnected and each have their influences under the same family of Hip Hop.
 
Tell us about a favourite performance you saw this past year:
Kim Sato: I was privileged enough to see the "Michael Jackson Immortal tour" by Cirque du Soleil. This was definitely my favourite show this past year because I saw an artist by the name of "Salah" star in the show with the famous "Les Twins" from France. Seeing these dancers who are known and well respected amongst the street dance community featured in a big production with Michael Jackson's music was fantastic!
 
What is going on in dance right now that excites you?
Melissa Medalla: What's exciting in dance for me is the unity more dancers are starting to feel. For example: you have Hip Hop dancers crossing over to Contemporary and vice versa.
 
Name some of your important artistic influences (dance or otherwise):
Trevor Chung: Some of my important influences have been the Electric Boogaloos, the Groovy Gs which is the crew I dance with, project SOUL my performance crew, the genres of b-boying and Hip Hop and the different genres of music I listen to: Funk, RnB, and Hip Hop.
 
Check out project SOUL's Dance Allsorts performance at the Roundhouse Community Arts & Rec Centre on Sunday Feb 19, 2012 @ 2pm. Also, Kim Sato will be guest instructing the corresponding workshop on Saturday Feb 18 before the performance at Creekside Community Centre!
 
For more details, please visit our event page here.