Our interview is with Mike Quintance (LILQ), winner of RGC Alpha on April 2nd, 2005:

Ventus Eco: How long have you been playing DDR and ITG combined?
Mike: Since january of 2003 so like, 2 and a half years.
Ventus Eco: How long have you been playing ITG alone?
Mike: Since january of 2005 so like, 6 months.
Ventus Eco: When was the first time you played on Heavy?
Mike: Probably about a month or 2 after I started playing.
Ventus Eco: When was the first time you passed a song on Heavy?
Mike: Like a few songs after I played a song on heavy.
Ventus Eco: Did you start playing ITG on Expert?
Mike: Yes.

Ventus Eco: Did someone introduce you to DDR? Or was it a self discovery?
Mike: Someone introduced it to me. I'm really bad at the game.
Ventus Eco: Did someone introduce you to ITG?
Mike: Heard about it from windeu. This is much harder than DDR, and I haven't AAA'd everything.
Ventus Eco: When you first started playing, did you have something of a Role Model or a teacher or anything like that?
Mike: No. Some one taught me kind of. But no role model.
Ventus Eco: Did you AAA any songs on DDR?
Mike: Yes. A lot of them.
Ventus Eco: What would you say was your single greatest DDR related accomplishment?
Mike: AAAing Long Train Running.

Ventus Eco: What do you think of the DDR tournament community? Revival or totally subsumed by ITG?
Mike: It's bigger in different areas. Midwest still has ddr tournaments. ITG is taking over though. I also think people take the game in general much to seriously, but that doesn't relate to much to the question at hand.
Ventus Eco: What was your first ITG Tournament?
Mike: First ITG tournament was in San Diego. RGC Alpha.
Ventus Eco: Tell me about that tournament - how did you do?
Mike: The tournament ran very smoothly. I got 1st. I was pleased with the money. I did very well.
Ventus Eco: What was your second ITG tournament?
Mike: Kansas city spring madness.
Ventus Eco: Tell me about your performance in that tournament.
Mike: I won.

Ventus Eco: How do you feel about the tournament scene in general right now?
Mike: People don't have enough fun with them. I realize they are suppose to be competative, but theres different kinds of competative. Right now, most people are just dicks and have NO fun with it. I think people should try to have a little more fun with tournaments and stop being so uptight and serious with a dancing video game.
Ventus Eco: If you could change one thing about the tournament scene what would it be?
Mike: Make people have more fun with the game.
Ventus Eco: How do you prepare for a tournament?
Mike: I don't really prepare. I just kinda go with the flow.

Ventus Eco: How do you practice in general? Do you play a preset selection, play for certain goals - or do you kind of wing it?
Mike: I just wing it. I play songs I like. once in a while I"ll play for a score or too, but in general, I play what I feel like at the time.
Ventus Eco: How often do you try to practice?
Mike: Well, I use to play fairly often. Like every other day. Now its like once a week if at all.
Ventus Eco : Where do you play the most?
Mike: Harlem Irving plaza. Which is a horrible arcade.
Ventus Eco: What is the mistake you see up and coming players making the most?
Mike: Way to serious with the game.
Ventus Eco: Can you try and describe the central aspects of your playing style for readers?
Mike: Hit the moving arrows when the line up with the corresponding stationary arrows.

Ventus Eco: How essential do you think the bar is, both for yourself and in general?
Mike: I can get within a percent of my bar scores without the bar on most songs. It doesn't even matter on 9 footers and poopy. But I am much more consistent with the bar and I don't get as tired. I hate being tired so I use the bar. In general, some 12s and 13's are harder without the bar.
Ventus Eco: Where do you see the future of the In the Groove tournament community going?
Mike: Probably only going to get bigger.
Ventus Eco: If you could highlight one up and coming player who has not made it into the mainstream (top three in a major tournament) yet, who would that be?
Mike: I don't know. Kevin Boddy.
Ventus Eco: Who would you say will you predict to be your fiercest rival in the immediate future?
Mike: I don't think I will have a rival. Kevin Boddy is like head to head with me. But I like him and he is a good friend, so not really a rival. I enjoy playing with him.
Ventus Eco: What is the biggest obstacle in the near future the ITG Tournament Community needs to overcome to grow?
Mike: More people need to stop worrying about a 10 dollar entry fee and just play for fun.

Ventus Eco: Do you think Sponsorship Funds are helpful?
Mike: Yes, very helpful.
Ventus Eco: What direction in terms of difficulty do you think the ITG series should move in for the future?
Mike: I think the difficulty of the game is just about perfect right now.
Ventus Eco: What goals do you have for the future, on a personal level?
Mike: Nothing right now. I dont' even know how much more I will be playing the game. Probably, play the game and still have fun.
Ventus Eco: What has been your greatest ITG accomplishment so far?
Mike: Being one of the best in the world I guess. I don't know.

Ventus Eco: What has been the score you are most proud of thus far?
Mike: I don't know. disconnected hyper - 9ex
Ventus Eco: Do you play a musical instrument?
Mike: No.
Ventus Eco: What is your favorite ITG song?
Mike: Utopia
Ventus Eco: What is your favorite ITG stepchart?
Mike: Infection expert

Ventus Eco: Have you ever traveled out of state for a tournament? [Obvious Answer Here]
Mike: Yes
Ventus Eco: How was that experience different then playing in your home community?
Mike: People actually play the game in Cali. Spectators didn't make fun of you, but calped at the end of the song. There was like a community actually.

This Interview is 42 Questions Long, and expresses solely the views of the interviewee. Ventus Eco committs itself in no way to any views expressed herein.