Driven to Dance

By Editorial Staff

As a lead dancer in Celine Dion's theatrical production "A New Day," presented at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Titof is a model of good health. After conducting thousands of auditions in Montreal, London, Paris, Amsterdam, New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Chicago and Belgium, the show's elite international cast was selected and relocated to Las Vegas for training. Each performer in the show has perfected cutting-edge choreographies, and has mastered the challenge of aerial training and percussion and vocal sessions through rigorous workshops in the U.S. and abroad. To date, Titof has performed more than 627 shows with Celine Dion, each one before an audience of 4,200 people.

Titof is highly trained in a wide range of dance styles and techniques, including classical, modern, jazz, African, hip-hop and acrobatics. He appeared with Britney Spears in a video celebrating the opening of Disney's second theme park in Paris, and in the hit musical "Notre Dame de Paris." He also performed in the Olympic Art Festival at the Atlanta Games. In this exclusive interview, find out how a healthy mind, body and spirit keep Titof driven to dance.

Q What does it take to be a performer in "A New Day"?

A Being a part of the incredible show "A New Day" is an amazing opportunity as an artist. I'm very grateful to Celine and Franco Dragone [the show's creator] for having me in their show. As a performer, the first thing you need is discipline. Second, you must put your priorities in order. For me, that means focusing on being healthy for the show, so I can give my best, night after night. My purpose is to evolve in my ability to dance, to share and to entertain people.

In terms of preparation for the show, I wake up in the morning and meditate. This is a big part of my life. Then I do Hatha yoga to prepare and awaken my body. After that, I eat a healthy breakfast - cereal, orange juice and fruit. Around 3 p.m., I come to the theater and take class - ballet, jazz, modern or fitness. After class, we have a note session with our artistic director, who gives comments on the show from the day before. Then I get ready for the show. I warm up again from 7:15 p.m. to 8 p.m. And then we perform.

Q The health services director is a doctor of chiropractic. How does chiropractic help you maintain your health?

A Working with Dr. Trev [Trevelynn Henuset, DC, who provides chiropractic care to the entire cast] is an important part of my life. I see him every two days. We have a good connection because he listens to me, is attentive to me, and wants my feedback to help release the pain or adjust the part of my body that needs to be adjusted every other day. He keeps me flexible and loose. The best part is we share information and work together as a team. The work that Dr. Trev does on me makes a big difference in the show. It allows me to be even more available to give everything I have to give on stage.

Q There are also massage therapists on staff. How does massage therapy play a part in your health?

A Massage therapy is very important to me. I have a massage every two days to release the tension I have from working on an inclined stage. We have done 627 shows, so you can imagine the impact on our bodies. A massage is a delight and a pleasure, and we need it to allow our bodies to rest and recover. I wish all dancers and performers could have massage therapy regularly.