Choreographers and Their Work, Then and Now

[Alison]

I was first introduced to Christopher Scott via SYTYCD, which led me to discover his work with LXD. He's mesmerizing to watch.

[ladymon]

Just watched that LXD video.  Loved it!  Thanks for posting it!  But why the hell hasn't Chris Scott choreographed any tap for either of our tappers???

[kechara]

I was surprised to see him tapping. He could probably do something good for the tappers.

[ToxicUnicorn]

That "How to Contemporary Dance" video might have ruined the mystique of contemporary for me forever, dusang. 

 

TOTALLY worth it, though.

[Alison]

Just watched that LXD video.  Loved it!  Thanks for posting it!  But why the hell hasn't Chris Scott choreographed any tap for either of our tappers???

 

 

I was surprised to see him tapping. He could probably do something good for the tappers.

Well, since we've got two tappers in the finale, let's keep our fingers crossed!

[GeminiDancer]

I just need to share this. Such an amazing routine by Willdabeast.

 

[kechara]

We always complain about getting new choreographers and too much of old ones, but didn't Tabitha and Napoleon only do one show and Tyce did very little.  There were a couple of new people this year.  It would be nice if they retired Nakul for a bit. I'm sure there are other Bollywood people who use a different style for a change if they insist on keeping Bollywood.   I don't know - just throwing stuff out there. Where's Little C been?

Edited August 29, 2014 by kechara

[Anothermi]

kechara said:      Where's Little C been?

Good question. He was in a chapter of the LXD saga (Christopher Scott's chapter posted at top of the page).

Right, here it is - The Lettermakers (Chapter 5)

He's listed in the IMDB credits as Christopher Toler (not so little any more).

That was back in 2012, I don't know what else he's been doing.

[inmyeyes]

In case anyone's interested,Keone & Mari Madrid danced their Stay With Me routine at Urban Dance Camp:

 

[ToxicUnicorn]

NappyTabs choreographed a beautiful Ed Sheeran video (Thinking Out Loud).  Ed Sheeran dances with Brittany Cherry (Season 10) and was taught the moves by Paul Karmiryan.

 

Ed Sheeran (Thinking Out Loud Official Video)

 

 

Ed Sheeran (Thinking Out Loud - Behind the Scenes)

 

 

ETA: whoops, I see this was posted in the Where are They Now thread months ago!

Edited March 22, 2015 by ToxicUnicorn

[Rick Kitchen]

Brian Friedman is tweeting that he's working with Adam Lambert on some top secret project, he posted images of dancers that they're auditioning for the project.

[Watt]

There's like 700 amazing hip hop choreographers on YT I wish would come choreo for SYTYCD. Jasmine Meakin (spelling?)from MegaJam on YT is awesome, with hip hop I think would translate well to this show, but she's Australian.

One of my favorites:

[ToxicUnicorn]

I'm probably the last to know these things, but just in case there are other non-dancer people:

 

Brian Friedman (choreographer and judge in early seasons of SYTYCD) has a youtube channel.  So glad to see not only his work but also he is dancing!  Also, I found it really interesting to see what a class looks like.  Here's one example:

 

[chaddyou812]

I'd love to see Keone and Mari back again this season. As someone who has followed them and their group Cookies (which they just left unfortunately, maybe for the show?) for years now, I know they have so much to offer that the audience hasn't seen yet. I didn't feel like their routines got done any justice and I'd love to see them get to work with competent street dancers.

 

I mean, this would be incredible to be seen done well on the stage:

 

The only problem is that their choreography really needs to be executed well to look good, since it focuses so much on musicality, and not so much on just straight up groove and 'style'. Even their more hard-hitting pieces are still very much about precision.

[waving feather]

I love Brian Friedman both as a choreographer and a dancer. He has the perfect balance between grace and power and very versatile.

[Rick Kitchen]

The Emmy choreography noms - Spencer Liff and Sonya Tayeh got noms, and Travis got a nom for SYTYCD:

 

http://www.rickey.org/emmy-awards-2015-outstanding-choreography-nominations-videos/283153/

[crowceilidh]

Thanks for the link - I rewatched most and was surprised to decide that Spencer Liff deserves that Emmy although Witney gives him a run,,,  And I'd forgotten Zack (the effect of watching every season) - man, I liked that boy's dancing.

[NextIteration]

I'm on the Spencer Liff train, for sure.

[waving feather]

Definitely adore Spencer Liff. All around good choreographer.

 

Speaking of Brian Friedman, that Stiletto choreography was on his youtube channel and the outfits really make the difference. The dance is still provocative but it's more badass without the underwear outfits. Didn't help that the three girls pulled their "sexy" faces. The dance is more effective when the dancers are letting their body do the talking and less on the face pulling. And damn, Brian can dance is butt off.

[Princess Sparkle]

I have to say, seeing that little snippet of Christopher Scott dancing while teaching his routine reminded me of what a good dancer he is. You can't take your eyes off him.

Almost reminded me of Wade in a way - not in the sense that the styles were similar (at all), but while the dancers could make the choreo look good, the second Wade stepped into a dance you could see how good he was compared to everyone else.

Edited July 23, 2015 by Princess Sparkle

[ToxicUnicorn]

After watching S12, Ep Top 20 + Eliminations, Christopher Scott has my undying admiration.  Holy smokes, he's on fire this season.

[Alison]

Christopher Scott is just hypnotic to watch.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/Qd_Q40k1VCs

 

Edited July 24, 2015 by Alison

[cali1981]

Christopher Scott is just hypnotic to watch.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Qd_Q40k1VCs

 

Thanks for the link. CS's work is sheer genius.  His lyrical hip hop routines are amazing.  One of his best was Velocity which reminded me of The Adjustment Bureau movie.

Edited July 25, 2015 by cali1981

[kingshearte]

There's a choreographer I'd like to see, but I don't know who it is. I went to see the S10 tour, and Amy danced a solo that I thought was fantastic, with really interesting and dark choreography (didn't quite seem like Sonya, though). We wondered if it might be Amy's own, as solos are often self-choreographed, but they didn't say who did it. Whoever it was, though, I would love to see more from them.

[Terrafamilia]

Christopher Scott is just hypnotic to watch.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Qd_Q40k1VCs

 

Thanks for that. This also shows how much you don't need a swirly-cam to film dance.

[rollerblade]

Sonya Tayeh's Broadway Style Guide photoshoot. So weird and so sexy.

 

http://broadwaystyleguide.com/2015/07/sonya-tayeh-dancer-in-armor/

[ToxicUnicorn]

Or just plain weird.

 

Sonya looks very skinny there.  If I were her mom, I'd be telling her to eat more.

[chaddyou812]

Or just plain weird.

 

Sonya looks very skinny there.  If I were her mom, I'd be telling her to eat more.

 

She looks incredibly beautiful and HEALTHY. She is by no means underweight. If that is 'needs to eat more' to you, then by your definition I'd be almost dead.

[ToxicUnicorn]

Ok, chaddyou812 I took another look.  Maybe it's just the poses of the first two photos that gave me pause.

 

I like this photo of her better:

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/12/arts/dance/sonya-tayeh-strides-into-new-yorks-dance-world-with-the-wild-party.html

 

and I agree she looks healthy there.

[Alison]

The idea of Sonya choreographing a show about the Roaring Twenties is very intriguing.

[inmyeyes]

I'd just like to chime in with some love for Misha Gabriel, esp after his routine didn't get good feedback from the judges. I thought the issue with Jaja & Edson's performance was execution, not necessarily choreography. Misha's stuff has a pretty specific style/execution and it's difficult to get it to look "right" if you're not familiar with it. (Similar IMO to Marty Kudelka's stuff, and also Shaun Evaristo's stuff. Coincidentally, the pieces they've done for SYTYCD all got lacklustre judges' comments.)

 

Anyway, to get a sense of what Misha's style is like:

 

 

 

Also, I was super excited that they invited Luam to do the Team Street performance two weeks ago! (Even though I thought the execution wasn't quite there.)

[ToxicUnicorn]

Loved it!  And so much fun to see Ivan again. 

 

I like the slick, smooth and crisp video style hip hop, and it is such a huge contrast to all the animation we're seeing this season.

[Guest]

We had a good laugh watching That 70s Show reruns tonight.  In the musical episode around the end of season 4 (called "That 70s Musical") a number came up and I said, "That's Tyce, the dancer to Fez's right."  We watched the credits to make sure... Keith Diorio.  Ha!  I always hated Tyce.  

[SnarkyTart]

Wade Robson has resurfaced with a beautiful new video and a new youtube channel.  Allison Holker is one of the dancers.  If there other SYTYCD alumni in this, I don't recognize them.

 

Now that SYTYCD has become a (doomed to fail) kiddie show, we need a show for adults.  Maybe call it "So You Think You Can Choreograph" and incorporate some of the ideas others previously posted on this thread.

 

Edited March 29, 2016 by SnarkyTart

[NextIteration]

Wade Robson has resurfaced with a beautiful new video and a youtube channel.  Allison Holker is one of the dancers.  If there any other SYTYCD alumni in this, I don't recognize them.

 

William WIngfield, Kathryn McCormick, Alexa Anderson and auditioner Justine Lutz (whom I recognize easily since she took tech classes with my daughter back in the day).  And of course assistant/demonstrator Teddy Forance.

[clarkbar]

On the Today Show this morning, the Rockettes performed the opening number to their summer show.  Mia Michaels choreographed it and was interviewed.  It took me by surprise--definitely a more "mainstream" version of her and her choreography.  I'm not a big Rockettes fan, but I have to say it was a nice change of pace from the kick line choreography I'm used to seeing from them.

[Anothermi]

Wade + Tyce co-project. Not sure what to make of this collaboration. I've loved most of Wade's routines, and loved a few of Tyce's, but I've loathed more of his than I loved. The only performer who's name I recognized is Laureann Gibson.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Quote

The only performer who's name I recognized is Laureann Gibson.

Haha, she will always be BoomKat from Making the Band to me!

[NextIteration]

The only section that didn't mostly creep me out was the last one, and the only reason I went back to watch it (I'd given up on the one before) was after I forwarded it to the end to see who the dancers were and saw Justine Lutz.

[Anothermi]

4 hours ago, NextIteration said:

The only section that didn't mostly creep me out was the last one, and the only reason I went back to watch it (I'd given up on the one before) was after I forwarded it to the end to see who the dancers were and saw Justine Lutz.

Can you refresh my memory about why I should know her? I'm not watching this season, and without discussion that references the seasons I know (all but this one) I'm at a loss to put names into context. I thought the name was familiar, but couldn't place her.

[NextIteration]

Hmm, Justine Lutz made it to the green mile twice (I'm terrible with season numbers beyond about the 5th season, because I've watched sporadically), here is her S11 audition.  My interest in her is because my daughter competed against for years and she used to come to our studio for ballet tech classes for a few years.  She used to be in Shaping Sound as well.

[Anothermi]

Thanks for the link. It helps a lot. I quite liked her audition. I think good dancers get left aside because of the more TV friendly or striking dancers they have the misfortune of auditioning with.

Edited June 16, 2016 by Anothermi

[NextIteration]

You're welcome.  Justine and my daughter danced in an a pretty impressive cohort in our market, but she's the only one that has broken through so far (a lot of them are still dancing in college).

[Silver Raven]

Many Moore choreographed La La Land.

[luvthepros]

I didn't know where to post this but I think this may be the correct thread. This is Travis and Lex Ishimoto in a routine from Travis' Shaping Sound. My Lex love just seems to grow and grow as I watch his journey from a skinny kid to the talent he has become.......

Travis and Lex - After the Curtain

[displayname]

Rarely have we seen Mia's work being performed this well (note the male dancer): 

Does anyone know if he'd ever auditioned?

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Dates for the new Go-Go's musical Head Over Heels announced - Spencer Liff is the choreorapher!

Quote

Head Over Heels, the new musical comedy featuring the iconic songs of The Go-Go's - the most successful female rock band of all time - will officially open on Broadway at Hudson Theatre (141 West 44th Street) on Thursday, July 26, 2018 (performances begin Saturday, June 23).

The announcement was delivered by The Go-Go's alongside the musical's director Michael Mayer. Prior to its Broadway bow, Head Over Heels will play a limited engagement at San Francisco's Curran theater from April 10, 2018 through May 6, 2018 (opening night is Wednesday, April 18).

An inspired mash-up of posh and punk, Head Over Heels is an unpredictable, Elizabethan romp about a royal family that must prevent an oracle's prophecy of doom. In order to save their beloved kingdom, the family embarks on an extravagant journey wrought with mistaken identities, jealous lovers, sexual awakening, scandal and self-discovery, where everything (and everyone) is not quite what it seems.

The principal cast of Head Over Heels features Andrew Durand (Spring Awakening), Taylor Iman Jones (Groundhog Day), Jeremy Kushnier (Cirque du Soleil Paramour), Bonnie Milligan (Kinky Boots tour; Broadway debut), Peppermint ("RuPaul's Drag Race"; Broadway debut; the first trans-woman actress to create a principal role on Broadway), Tom Alan Robbins (The Lion King, original cast), Alexandra Socha (Spring Awakening) and Rachel York (Disaster!).

The Head Over Heels ensemble is Sharon Catherine Brown (Dreamgirls), Yurel Echezarreta (Aladdin), Lisa Finegold (Rock of Ages) Brian Flores (Pippin tour; Broadway debut), Ari Groover (Holler If Ya Hear Me), Tanya Haglund (Chicago tour; Broadway debut), Arica Jackson (Waitress tour; Broadway debut), Gregory Liles (Broadway debut), Gavin Lodge (Annie), Samantha Pollino (Hot Feet), Justin Prescott (Cirque du Soleil Paramour), Tanner Ray Wilson (Cats, 2017 revival) and Ricardo Zayas (Hamilton).

Head Over Heels features The Go-Go's iconic hit songs "We Got the Beat," "Get Up and Go," "Cool Jerk," "Vacation," "Our Lips Are Sealed," "Lust to Love," "Head Over Heels" and Belinda Carlisle's solo hits "Mad About You" and "Heaven is a Place on Earth."

Edited January 31, 2018 by ElectricBoogaloo

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Spencer Liff just finished his first week of rehearsals with the Head Over Heels cast! The show opens in San Francisco next month.

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Moulin Rouge is being made into a Broadway musical and Sonya Tayeh is the  choreographer

[ElectricBoogaloo]

Spencer Liff interview about choreographing his first Broadway musical Head Over Heels (the new Go-Go’s musical)