Exclusive Q&A With NBC World of Dance's Derek Piquette
Derek Piquette stunned the NBC World of Dance judges and audiences with his athleticism and grace.Watch his emotional Duels performance below and find out more about Derek inWOD Magazine’s exclusive Q&A.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KKqBMBJhruM
WOD: How did it feel when you found out you’d be on Season 3?
DP: I had many mixed emotions but mostly shocked and honored that I would be able to compete on a show with such high talent and thankful for the opportunity to dance on the biggest stage in the world- before Im not able to anymore.
WOD: What style are you performing and why?
DP: Contemporary with acrobatic elements. It’s what I know best, have trained the most in, and feel most comfortable doing.
WOD: How long have you been dancing?
DP: I’ve been dancing since the age of 10 but when I was 15 I started training heavily- about 60-70 hours a week.
WOD: Where do you draw inspiration from?
DP: I draw inspiration from everyone around me to push myself as much as I can.
WOD: What do you think your fans would want to know about you?
DP: A lot of negative things have happened in my life but I want people to know that no matter how many bad things that happen to a person, you can always pull through and find the light in a dark situation. Everything happens for a reason.
WOD: Why do you think dance is important to the world?
DP: Dance is a universal language, no matter what language you speak you can make someone understand a story or a feeling through dance.
WOD: What are you most excited or nervous about being on the show?
DP: Excited to show the world what I can do...and nervous to mess up in front of J-Lo, lol.WOD: What sets you apart from the competition?DP: My skill set is very different from most male dancers. I’m able to mix power and strength with flexibility and fluidity
WOD: What cause or organization do you care about and would like World of Dance to promote?
DP: On The Floor’s Gala Night for SickKids Hospital. My husband and I, along with Lisa Hupe, run this event every year. We bring in the top dancers from our regional and national competitions across Canada and put a whole show together with over 160 dancers and some of the top choreographers in the industry. This is all in support of the ChildLife program at SickKids Hospital here in Toronto and over the past 6 years we’ve raised over $250,000.
