I was obsessed with Chubby Checker and old dances, like the twist.

People were being so mean as a result of my ability - a gift, really. So I think that's what makes me fight harder to provide an option to aspiring kids or artists. I wouldn't want anyone to go through what I went through... to see a little girl or a little dancer experience such unnecessary rejection.

Artist development is something that I've been passionate about from my days at Uptown and Motown Records.

I was very disenchanted in the industry for a long time before I met GaGa. Everyone wanted a "Single Ladies" for their artist, or a Puffy move.

For me, a dancer is part of an artist’s entertainment - “backup dancer” isn’t even in my vocabulary.

'Saturday Night Fever,' Paula Abdul, 'Fame,' Debbie Allen... all affected me and the generation before me.

I'm born originally in Toronto, and I have what I call my 'Fame' story. I took a Greyhound bus and went to Alvin Ailey and received Dunham, Horton, Graham technique there, but I could never take my eyes off of Balanchine doing 'Nutcracker'; to me he's the best who ever did it.