By Linda Badger

Amy Campbell came to national attention during her time on So You Think You Can Dance Australia, but she was no novice before her exposure on the show, already having worked professionally for ten years in the industry. Amy is now an even more sought after performer, choreographer and teacher and is still definitely one to watch.

Recently, Dance Informa’s Linda Badger chatted with the talented and effervescent Amy about her life as a professional dancer, where she has come from and where she is going.

Tell us a little bit about your training.

I am originally from the Central Coast, NSW, where I trained in a little school called Gosford City School of Dance, which my sister now owns. Both my sisters are ex-dancers and I only went because my older sister went – I thought I was missing out on something! I completed my ballet exams through Tanya Pearson’s Classical Coaching Academy in Sydney, finished school at Newtown Performing Arts High, did circus training with Brophy’s Circus School and completed my formal training with the International Student Visa Program at Broadway Dance Center.

How did the ISVP at Broadway Dance Center come about for you?

I came out of my first musical, auditioned for the next one, and I didn’t get through the first round. I thought “I’ve just done a show!” I thought I was ready for it, but I didn’t even make the first cut. So I took that as a big sign to continue my training. I moved to New York for about a year and did the six month ISVP Program. I took amazing, diverse classes, like technically-based classes of ballet and theatre as well as afro-jazz, hip-hop, JFH and everything else that they offered there. It was a really great, high quality program. I was so stimulated by the experience. I still take class because dance as a style evolves. You have got to be able to stay current – you never stop training. The second you stop doing technique it is the first thing to go.

Have you worked overseas?

I did my first trip dancing overseas when I was 14, which was doing ballet in Japan on an exchange. Once I was out of high school I danced with the Royal Caribbean cruise line for 18 months, then came back to Australia and did my first musical. Then back to New York.

I danced all over the world with Royal Caribbean. That’s where I first started training on silks. This month I am going to Abu Dhabi for the first time to dance with Kylie Minogue.

Career highlights?

Definitely studying in NY was a highlight. It helped me decide that this is definitely what I want to do, even though I had already worked and had some success. So You Think You Can Dance was amazing for me. I hadn’t worked for some of those choreographers, and now I get to call them friends and work with them. It was also a major step for me in terms of really creating a profile – there are lots of 5-foot-4-inch brunette dancers out there! I was excited about dancing for Kylie Minogue at Mardi Gras. On top of being amazing, she is like a childhood idol. I loved doing Fame the musical, it was a really unique cast with lots of my friends. I have loved assisting Kelley Abbey on I Will Survive. That’s a major milestone for me. To learn [from] somebody so legendary in the industry is awesome.

Most confronting or challenging role that you have had to do?

I understudied Talia Fowler in Fame. Growing up, I always loved ballet but knew I was never great at it, so to be compared to a ballerina en pointe was kind of confronting because she is a stunning dancer. To have to try and live up to that, knowing ballet is not my strength, was challenging. I had to do eight shows on my own, so putting on pointe shoes and worrying about the line of my feet and all of that kind of thing was hard. In the end, I loved it because it involved acting, singing and doing all these scenes with lots of pas de deux work, which I love.

I think my dancer doubt drives me. You can either let that get to you or you can use it to motivate you, so I try most of the time to use it to motivate me.

Where do you go for your choreographic inspiration?

It can come in any form, be it a picture or a certain song. When I’m teaching and giving master classes, it is usually musically driven. If it’s a piece for a performance then it could come from an image I’ve seen or a story I’ve read, or something that I was feeling that day. I try to watch a lot of dance on the internet, good, bad or different, just to open my mind to everyone’s creativity. Whilst I would never, ever recommend copying anything, you are definitely allowed to be inspired by other people’s work.

Where would you like to take your choreography?

I’d love to be involved in a theatrical concept show. Not quite like a Cirque du Soleil show, but that kind of show where it’s about creating new things and you have a blank canvas. I think that’s exciting. It would be nice to make a living from doing what I do and not be restricted by “Amy’s that type of choreographer,” which limits you to “that type of job.” It would be cool to just be known as a creative person. In Australia we don’t box ourselves. The work is so diverse you can’t just be one type of dancer or choreographer.

Top three things that are essential to your work?

Music: in every form.
Passion: it’s too hard to do and create when you are not passionate about what you do.
Fun: I think you always have to have fun with what you do because it’s so hard, and a lot of it is out of your control.
And probably some water…And a good pair of socks!

So what are you doing at the moment? 

This has really been a great year for me. I have been fortunate enough to be crazy busy. I did a magic show at the Opera House at the start of the year, with a really great company that I used to work for many years ago, (I’ve also done magic and illusion in my career – I’ve been impaled, I’ve levitated, I’ve been the “Ta-da!” girl.) Among other things, I’ve worked a lot for The Squared Division this year and I assisted Kelly Abbey on I Will Survive. I was cast as the dance captain on Everybody Dance Now. Although that didn’t last very long it was a really great role to be cast in. I’ve been working on Dance Academy season three, and then I am off to Abu Dhabi to dance with Kylie Minogue again. Next year I am doing King Kong: The Musical…so I can’t complain, I’m really lucky.

I am happy to work and learn off anyone really. There’s always something to be learnt. If there’s an opportunity, I’d love to move to the other side completely. I will still dance for as long as I physically can, but creating really stimulates me as well.

What do you want your legacy to be?

I would love it to be that I believe in dance as an art form, that I am passionate about dancers, educating dancers and creating dances. I am totally mad about dance, I always have been, and I think it’s important to recognise what we do and be passionate about it, and to never stop learning. You can never know enough in dance because it evolves way too quickly.

I like to share, be that collaborating with people or sharing my knowledge, because if people don’t support each other then our industry is never going to get any better. Yes, we fight against each other for jobs, I lose out to my best friend, and she loses out to me – that’s the nature of the game. But you’ve got to support each other. Otherwise it’s a dying art form.

Photos courtesy of Amy Campbell.

Dance Through Time

NIDA Parade Theatre
November 16 2012

By Linda Badger.

It’s that time of the year, where all the full time schools have the chance to showcase their work and put on display their students who have been through the transformational process that full time dance training brings.

One of the most anticipated of the annual graduation showcases is the Ev & Bow Full Time Dance Training Centre performance.  Students in this particular course not only refine their current abilities, but learn a torrent of new exciting skills, which are greatly anticipated by the audience.  This year was once again packed full of surprises and overall the show was an entertaining one of a good length and full of variety from an array of talented choreographers.

There were several standout numbers including a trademark, incredibly creative Stephen Tannos piece entitled She Wolf, which left the audience speechless throughout. It was so captivating in its storytelling, and the applause that followed nearly brought the house down.  Tannos’ choreography goes from strength to strength with each piece he creates.

Standout student Forever Tupou was featured in many items, which was no surprise considering her phenomenal performance ability, quirky personality and amazing versatility. She also performed a solo reworked by director Sarah Boulter, which she had originally performed for her SYTYCD audition years ago. It was spine-tingling.

The disappointment in this year’s show was the lack of ‘gravity defying’ work displayed.  We usually see tumbling and performances including the many unique skills that the students learn at Ev & Bow.

Lisa Bowmer’s number Hallelujah was a great piece that sat comfortably on the stronger, more technically trained students, showing the originality of choreography that we have come to know and love from this course, as did the final item choreographed by Sarah Boulter.

Overall the show was enjoyable, entertaining and full of the creativity that is the signature of Ev & Bow.  It was a nice surprise to see some dancers who have had most of their training in hip hop take on a course like this and come out much more versatile dancers for it.  Whether they choose to continue to pursue hip hop, theatre, or contemporary dance, this course has proven that hard work and dedication can pay off, and that anything is possible.  With results like this after one year the sky is the limit if they continue to pursue their training and dreams for the next 1, 2, 5 or 10 years.

Photo: Ev & Bow student William Keohavong

By Kristy Johnson.

As an Emmy nominated choreographer on America’s smash hit So You Think You Can Dance, Travis Wall has come a long way since competing on the show. Along with the exposure has come plenty of job opportunities. Not only will we see his choreographic talents in the next Step Up installment – Step Up 4, but Travis has a reality show already in the works.

Dance Informa caught up with Travis from Los Angeles.

How grateful are you to So You Think You Can Dance for all the opportunities you’ve had since competing on the show?

I thank them as much as I can (laughs). They are pretty much responsible for my big break as a choreographer. I was doing the odd job here and there, but because of the exposure I got with the show as a choreographer, it really opened up all the doors and all the jobs I’ve actually had since then. I always call the executive producers and tell them all the time, ‘thank you so much.’ This entire experience has changed my life, and I’m very grateful.

When you were learning Mia Michaels’ Emmy winning ‘The Bench’ piece, did you already know or have a feeling it would garner so much attention?

I actually did not. I was so excited to do the piece with Mia, but at the time my partner was having trouble with it. I wasn’t dancing with a contemporary dancer; I was dancing with a ballroom dancer. So for me I wasn’t thinking about how the audience or judges would respond to it. I was constantly worried about whether my partner would even get through the routine. I didn’t even know if we would finish the routine because she was crying so much. I was worried about that. I wasn’t even worried about what everyone was going to think. I was making sure that we were actually going to have a piece. Right before dress rehearsals, she felt okay about it, so the next time we did it, it was on stage in front of everybody. It really just came to life. So the response from that piece…we weren’t expecting it because we weren’t seeing that product in rehearsal. It kind of just came out of the blue. It got such a huge response.

Teddy Forance, Travis Wall, Kyle Robinson & Nick Lazzarini of 'All The Right Moves'. Photo by: Andrew Eccles/Oxygen Media

Congratulations on having your own show picked up – All The Right Moves. Can you tell us what the show will be about and your involvement in it?

The show follows my three closest friends and me. I started a dance company along with two of my best friends called Shaping Sound. The show is really about how to get a dance company up and running. I’m more of a choreographer and my friends are pretty much trying to break in as choreographers, so we’re just trying to get our name out there as much as possible. It’s following us, building this company off the ground, looking at how to get money, how to deal with dancers’ egos, how to deal with our own egos, and the whole process. And at the same time it follows our personal careers and our personal lives. Pretty much the show is what happens to us in our day (laughs). It’s very emotional and it’s definitely something to watch.

How did the concept for a show come about?

A producer approached me and asked what I would think about having my own reality show. I was like, ‘I don’t know about that’. We are all entertaining and together we have a great show. If it were just about me, I don’t know how entertaining that would be (laughs). I introduced my friends to everybody and we came up with this concept. It’s been a two-year process getting this TV show up and running.

How was the experience of choreographing for Step Up 4?

I had an amazing time on the movie. We had to do it pretty fast. We had to choreograph in two weeks! We shot the whole movie in I think two and a half months. We started at the end of August and finished right before Halloween. It was a great experience. It was my first movie choreographing and I can’t wait to do more because of it. I love choreographing in movies!

Did you have a say in casting?

I didn’t have a say in the hip hop casting and I had to actually work with the hip hop dancers. The dancers who I did cast were Miami locals, so I did have a say in some casting. I had a great group of dancers, so I was very happy with whom I found. Sometimes when you’re not working in Los Angeles or New York, you don’t necessarily get the best dancers. I definitely picked the best dancers from Miami, so I was very happy with that.

Top photo: Dancer and Choreographer Travis Wall by Andrew Eccles/Oxygen Media

By Kristy Johnson

He became a household name through So You Think You Can Dance and was a perfect fit for street dancer Leroy in FAME, so what can we expect from Tim Omaji next?

A back injury during his time with FAME could have marked a disaster for Tim, yet it was this unfortunate event that enabled the star to focus on producing music. “Before FAME wrapped up, I injured my back and was off dancing from October to early January”, says Tim. “Some of the crazy moves I used to do I’m kind of hesitant to do now, but it gave me the opportunity to really focus on producing music. I had the opportunity to work with DJ Poet, who is the official DJ of the Black Eyed Peas. We wrote a couple of songs together and it really kind of put music on the focus.”

So how does one manage to score such an impressive gig? “It was all through management,” says Tim. “My management had also approached DJ Poet to work with other artists as well. They said this guy is coming up, his music is similar, let’s work together.”

Timomatic fans can expect to hear these tunes on the airwaves soon. “Hopefully in a couple of months. These kind of things are really up to them – their side of the ball. They take the tracks back to the States and work on it there. Obviously they have a million projects and I guess as an up-and-coming artist in Australia, it may not be a priority. But I’m hoping,” says Tim.

Whether or not we get to hear these tracks straight away, you can expect to see more of Tim in the entertainment scene. “Entertainment on a whole is what I’m about right now. I think music and dance can’t live without each other. Music obviously is an expression through melody and harmonies which I’ve never wanted to not do, and then dance is the expression of music. But when I hear music I start dancing,” says Tim.

He might be working with the big guns in LA, yet Australia will always be Tim’s home base. “I would love to go and make a name in the US. I see myself as an international global artist of the future, but I love Australia and always want to keep it my home and my base.”

Besides working with DJ Poet, Tim has already produced an album. “When I was in FAME I recorded a somewhat debut album. There was quite a lot of down time around the shows, so I edited, produced, recorded and wrote 25 tracks. Out of those I chose about 12. Come opening night, my back goes out, and it was kind of pushed to the backburner. I plan to re-release that as well as release a studio album signed to a label by the end of the year,” says Tim.

What kind of beats can we expect to be rocking to? “I see my style as being an eclectic style, but I think the base of it will be R&B because that’s kind of where it started. It will be R&B through different styles. I see myself as a Ne-Yo, Usher and Michael Jackson mix: music that makes people want to dance and feel good.”

Fox Theatre, Atlanta
March 2011

By Deborah Searle

Burn The Floor is a ballroom blitz! The new Broadway production of Burn The Floor, currently touring the States, is adorned with glitz and glamour and gets the audience dancing in their seats. You know you’ve seen an inspiring show when the audience member beside you inquires about taking up dance classes for the first time, in her 40s!

Directed and choreographed by award winning Aussie Jason Gilkison, the show has the correct mix of slow and fast, romantic and sexy. The talented team of 20 dancers is accompanied by two outstanding vocalists and two percussionists who bring the music to life and add to the overall sensory appeal.

It is a star studded cast, smattered with celebrity dancers from So You Think You Can Dance US and Australia, Dancing with the Stars and Superstars of Dance. Vocalist Vonzell Solomon was even the second runner-up in the fourth season of American Idol.  Dancers Anya Garnis and Pasha Kovalev, ‘All Stars’ from SYTYCD US  were definite crowd favorites as they played leading roles in the production.

A highlight for me was watching young Robbie Kmetoni, winner of SYTYCD Australia, perform with such style and commitment. Robbie, who had never taken ballroom dance before competing in the TV phenomenon, is a contemporary and jazz dancer. Before the show I wondered if he’d be able to hold his own surrounded on stage by award winning ballroom champions from across the globe. Robbie, however, was given some jazz based choreography, mixed with ballroom partnering where he could highlight his strengths such as his flexibility, leap and kicks. He was a strong performer and a joy to watch. He had great attack in the quick ballroom group numbers and was very convincing, dancing next to his colleagues, many who have been ballroom stars since childhood.

Dancer Giselle Peacock was a stand out.  Much shorter than most of the other dancers, she made up for her lack of height with her attack and feisty execution. She was the perfect blend of technique and sex appeal. Her shorter legs seemed to make her foot work crisper than her long legged counterparts and her black curly hair whipped up a frenzy.  A slow rumba duo to Burn for You, with partner Kevin Clifton was breathtaking, yet her fast Cha Chas were just as exciting.

Burn The Floor is a celebration of all things ballroom. The costumes are stunning, ostentatious and colourful and the dancers are technically strong and passionate performers. We enjoyed everything from Viennese Waltz to Jive, Cha Cha, Swing, Salsa and even Paso Doble.  A Paso Doble dance off between two couples was a highlight and a Quickstep/Lindy/Jive/Swing performance to “I’m a Ding Dong Daddy” was fun and energizing, leading us into the interval wanting to see more.

My only criticism of the show would be that a storyline, even if just a lose one, would have been helpful to tie all the dances together and keep the mind engaged. However, there was enough variety, adroit dancing and dynamic vocals that the show was enjoyable without one. I left the theatre inspired and in awe of the dance talent that I had seen. Burn The Floor definitely has a ‘wow’ factor and an energy of its own.

Check out what Nigel Lythgoe has to say about So You Think You Can Dance Australia.
What happened to it? Will the show come back?
Dance Informa gets the scoop.

Dance Informa/Dance News International takes no responsibility for the content of any videos viewed through youTube.

By Kristy Johnson and Deborah Searle.

Australia once again voted, and we were left with two technically strong and beautiful dancers – Robbie and Jessie H. Season three of SYTYCD Australia was a hit, and the dancing was phenomenal.

Eighteen year old Robbie took the crown, with Jessie just behind. Dance Informa spoke with both dancers just after they were announced as Australia’s favourites.

Robbie was shell shocked to say the least. “Every time someone says ‘winning’, I’m like ‘oh yeah that’s right!’, he laughed.

But did he envision making it so far in the competition? “I took it day by day”, he explained. “My main goal was to get to the top 40. If I made top 40 and got cut before top 20 then that was fine, as long as I got to top 40. I thought that was a huge achievement for me, especially at my age. So that was my main goal. But when I got top 20, the goals just kept on coming. Firstly with top 20, then top 10, top 6, top 4, then top 2 and then…”, he elaborated.

Excited about her achievements Jessie said, “I couldn’t ask for anything better”.

Robbie and Jessie perform together

Robbie and Jessie, friends before the competition, were so happy to be the final two together. Jessie shared, “it was an amazing experience with such an amazing friend. To have someone there that you know throughout the whole thing is that little bit more comforting”.

With or without friends though, the competition this year was tough. Robbie found his height to be his biggest obstacle. “Everyone can see my height, obviously. All the girls were taller than me and people automatically just looked at my lifts every time to see if I could do them”, he revealed. “That was the one thing I had to work on the most in this competition”.  Jessie on the other hand found the top 4 week to be her biggest test. “I think definitely top 4 week would have to be the biggest challenge I had as a dancer, not only physically, but mentally as well.  That was a big, big week. It was probably one of the hardest experiences of my life to date”.

So how did Jessie make it through the competition? “To be honest, I think I kind of take things one step at a time”, she said. “I just want to get through one more round, and then I guess it just keeps on climbing. That was how I approached the whole thing because I didn’t want to live ahead of the times because the experience is incredible. There are wonderful choreographers and amazing dancing and to be thinking ahead of yourself you’re kind of missing out on what’s happening right now”.

Robbie is announced the winner!

But the competition wasn’t just a challenge, it was also an amazing experience for the two young dancers. Robbie relished the live audience. “My highlight would probably be the live audience, just the vibe that they gave us”, he said. “Every week was just so incredible.” Robbie found top 4 week to be a huge test also, but the audience helped him through. “At top 4 week we were literally at breaking point and at that rehearsal day none of us could have walked, let alone danced. When it came to the show we were just so worried we couldn’t make it, but the audience pulled us through”.

Jessie enjoyed performing for the audience also. “My highlights were performance night”, she said. “You always end up having that dodgy dress run but then it always goes better for the performance somehow”. Jessie also loved the group numbers. “I think every single group routine would have to be a highlight for me because that’s kind of the point when there’s no competition anymore, it’s just all of you getting together and learning an amazing routine with possibly Australia’s best choreographers and some that are even internationally acclaimed. That’s kind of like the ‘chill-time’ when we can all just get together and have a bit of fun”, she explained.

Robbie feels that the advice given to him by the judges has impacted him positively for the future. “I think the best advice (the judges) gave me was to stop, because in my head I acted like a boy because of my age. Straightaway when they told me that I had the capability to become someone else that I thought I wasn’t, I took that on board. I think it came out in my dancing and it improved me so much. I think that’s why I was in the top 2, because I took that on board and just moved on.”

But now that it’s all over, what do they plan to do? “I would absolutely love to take my part in the contemporary side of things”, shared Jessie. “This experience has just opened so many doors as some amazing choreographers have been on the show like Garry Stewart and Rafael Bonachela”, she gushed.

Robbie who was offered the option of several different dance company contracts has chosen to dance with Burn the Floor. “I worked with Jason Gilkison on the show and he is my absolute idol”, he shared. “He just got the best out of me. The Paso Doble that he gave Ivy and me really took me to the higher level that I needed to be”. And he couldn’t pass up the chance to travel to the US. “Plus there’s the free ticket to travel around all of America, which is a dancer’s dream! I definitely have to take that opportunity, especially at my age”, he said excitedly.

By Deborah Searle.

Canadian born dancer and choreographer Stacey Tookey is an all round dance fanatic. Starting dance at a young age alongside her siblings at her mother’s dance studio, Stacey has gone on to take the contemporary dance world by storm. She has danced with numerous ballet and contemporary companies, choreographed for both Broadway and television, and enjoyed dancing in Celine Dion’s A New Day Vegas Spectacular for its five year run. A teacher and choreographer in high demand, Stacey will be teaching at this year’s World Dance Movement in Italy.

Gearing up for WDM and season seven of SYTYCD US, Stacey took a moment to speak with Dance Informa.

Tell us about your training and what got you into dancing.
My mum is a dance teacher and owns a studio in Canada. She has for 40 years now, and she’s still open and running strong. I guess I got thrown into it really young because of convenience, but it just turned out that I absolutely loved it. I trained in ballet, tap and jazz. I was even a Scottish highland dancer at one point.

From there I went off to train at some ballet schools; Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Les Grands Ballets Canadiens in Montreal and Dance School of Fine Arts. From there my professional career took me first to Vancouver where I was an apprentice with Ballet British Columbia. Alongside a lot of other jobs I was also a Grizzlies Extreme Dancer for the NBA in my first year in Vancouver. I’d do a little ballet and a little hip-hop at the same time. People thought I was a little crazy, but it was part of my up-bringing. I trained in every sort of dance. So in my professional career I kind of wanted to do a little bit of everything.

Then from there I moved to New York. There I was able to work on projects with Bette Midler, and I worked in a creation for an audition process with Madonna. I danced with Mia Michaels’ contemporary company. I also worked on assisting the Broadway show, A Few Good Men Dancin’. From there I auditioned for Celine and did the whole five year run of Celine Dion in Las Vegas.

What would you name as your career highlight?
As a dancer my highlight would definitely be the Celine Dion show. Working from the very beginning of the very first step of the creation of the show, to the closing night, was such a journey. It was over almost six years of my life. It was just all encompassing, the most brilliant experience I had in my dance career. And I think it really was the dream job. I felt very blessed and was with such a great group of people. Celine Dion was an absolutely amazing role model. She’s just an unreal woman. The whole experience would definitely be my highlight so-far.

Tell us about your role with World Dance Movement?
I’m going to be joining the World Dance Movement faculty for the first time this year. I will be teaching during the first week of the three week intensive. I’ll be offering classes in contemporary and things that relate to contemporary dance. We might do some partnering and some more jazz, but it will mostly be based on contemporary.

Do you teach at other dance conferences?
Yes, I teach all over at dance conventions and I’ve taught some classes internationally. I do a lot of work back home in Canada too, whenever I can. I do tonnes of master classes everywhere.

This year for World Dance Movement they are offering on-line virtual classes for the first time. Do you think dancers can really learn from on-line videos as opposed to being there in Italy?
I think it is an excellent option for dancers that maybe can’t afford to make the trip to Italy and take part in the World Dance Movement live. Of course I think live is always going to be better, but this is an incredible way for the dancers to still learn and get the feeling like they are taking class from these extraordinary teachers. They will be getting new material, and still feel like they’re part of it, even though they’re not there.

It’s a really interesting concept. I’m excited to try it. I think it will be a challenge for the teachers to make sure they’re teaching the classes in a way that they are offering themselves a lot to the camera, as well as the students that are there, so that the virtual dancers still get a real, personal feeling, like they are taking the class with you.

When choreographing and teaching what do you seek to get out of your dancers?
The most important thing for me is for a dancer to be open and willing to try. A dancer that is vulnerable in a sense that they can bring what they have to the table and maybe feel a little bit silly sometimes, but explore different movements that they are not used to.

If your dancers could walk away with one thing after working with you, what would you want it to be?
I just want them to walk away feeling like they have learnt something. That they have grown and that I have pushed them to a new level, in a positive way. I really want them to walk away feeling good and like they have accomplished something. I want them to look back and say ‘before that four days when I worked with her I didn’t do that’ or ‘I didn’t look at it that way’.

You’re known for your contemporary choreography. What is the secret to making a powerful contemporary dance?
Anytime you’re creating a piece of contemporary movement, I think the number one thing is that you have to tell a story. Whether that’s in a minute and a half, like it is on SYTYCD, or whether it’s on a company for twenty minutes. My whole goal is for the audience to feel something. If you can’t give the dancers something that lets them express emotion while they’re dancing, and give them a story to back it up so they have a reason to do the movement, then I don’t believe that the audience is going to feel it. I always decide what I want to say, create a story, and then create the movement around that so that the audience really feels it, and the dancers do too.

What projects are you working on at the moment?
Right now we’re just starting the next season of SYTYCD in the States, so that’s definitely in the foreground. That’s what I’m working on right now. I’m also working privately with some different studios and youth companies to create choreography. I have an amazing agency that’s backing me and giving me amazing opportunities which I can’t name yet, but they are in the works. I’m kind of taking it all in and seeing what comes next.

Will you be choreographing for SYTYCD US Season 7?
Yes, I’ll be seen as a guest judge for one of the auditions cities (that will be airing very soon), and I will be choreographing for both the US and Canadian shows.

What do you think about the return of the ten all-star dancers this SYTYCD season?
I think it’s interesting. I think it’s fun and after this many seasons you’ve got to mix it up. It’s going to put a spin on things and I think change is good. It will make for an interesting show for sure. No one really knows how it will turn out. We’ll see how it goes. But I’m happy to see some of the all-stars back because I know I like to work with those dancers.

What are your dance dreams and goals?
I would absolutely love to have my own company. That would be so great. I’d be shaping my dancers, saying exactly what I want to say and putting on the shows that I want to put on. That would definitely be a dream of mine. Also I’d like to keep exploring the different possibilities of choreography and different avenues that I haven’t explored, like film and television besides SYTYCD. Dance is everywhere, they use it in episodic TV and in movies. It would be so fun to be on a movie set and be creating the whole dance sequence. Who knows? Something along that line for sure.

For more information about World Dance Movement visit www.worlddancemovement.com
Dance Informa is a proud sponsor of World Dance Movement.

By Deborah Searle.

Jack Chambers won us over in the first season of SYTYCD Australia. The jazz and musical theatre performer was a standout, with his versatility, showmanship and infectious personality. So what has Jack been doing since winning the competition in April 2008? Dance Informa’s Deborah Searle caught up with Jack in New York City to see what he’s been up to.

Since being crowned Australia’s favourite dancer Jack has moved to the big apple to pursue his Broadway dreams.  “The longest process for me was getting the Visa that I needed to be able to move here and work”, he shared. “I’m here on a talent Visa. It’s titled ‘Alien of Extraordinary Ability’. Isn’t that funny! I love to tell people that”, he laughed.

So with his Visa now in hand Jack is taking on the theatre, one step at a time.  “Back home a lot of people don’t realise that moving here was a fresh start. I have to kind of work my way up to getting into the industry. I’m getting there. I’m just trying to get my name out there and meet the right people”, he explained.

So what has he been doing in his nine months in the US?  “Teaching has been my main form of income.  I am teaching at Peridance Capezio Center and Joffrey Ballet School. I also taught at East Coast Movement in New Jersey.  I choreographed a routine for them recently that they won with at the American Dance Awards competition and I got given a young choreographers award”, he revealed.  “I’ve also just been in Michigan judging some competitions and teaching workshops”.

As Jack is now both teaching and taking dance class in NYC, I asked Jack about the best studios in town. “Peridance”, he exclaimed. “Peridance Capezio Center has a lot of great technical classes and fabulous, spacious, new studios”, he expanded. At Peridance Jack teaches a quirky and hard hitting jazz class three time a week, with two intermediate classes and one beginner.

But has Jack made it on Broadway yet? “I’ve been doing auditions”, he said.  “In August, just after I moved here in June 2009, I auditioned for Wicked and they wanted me! They asked me to be in the show, but the Actor’s Equity Union has very specific requirements regarding work visas. They would like me to have a Green Card because then I am a US citizen. There are ways around it, but it’s a lot of paper work and time. So that was a big shame because I could have been doing a show, but at least it was a bit of a confidence boost.”

However, Jack has been doing a lot of performing.  “I’ve worked with some pretty cool choreographers including Johnny P, the resident choreographer on the Regis and Kelly show, and Emmy nominated choreographer Brian Thomas, on gigs around the place and corporate events”. 

And Jack has had a taste of Broadway. “I got to be a part of the creation of a new musical by Step Theatre Company called ‘Katy Bridgewater’.  It’s in the creative stages and we performed one act at Alvin Ailey Theater, which was fun. All the performers were Broadway performers and people in the industry, so it was great to be a part of that”.

But has Jack danced on Broadway – yes! “I got to be a part of a Broadway Cares/Buick Commercial. A group of dancers and I performed in Times Square as the pre opening performance of Broadway on Broadway.”

With some great experiences under his belt already, Jack has also just performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. “I was asked to perform at the Spring Gala, hosted by Liza Minneli, where we opened the show with a performance of 42^nd Street & then a Steam Heat routine. I worked with Josh Prince, the choreographer of Shrek the Musical, who has a lot of Broadway credits”, he said excitedly.

Jack has even been working with Australia’s ballroom guru, Jason Gilkison. “Burn the Floor were here for several months and at the same time Jason was also doing stuff for the American series of SYTYCD.  Jason used me in rehearsals before he went to LA to see how it was for a non ballroom dancer to pick up the choreography. I loved that, it was like I was having a private lesson with Jason.” But working with Jason, did he get to see Burn the Floor? “I saw the show a million times and it was very successful. It made me very proud to be Australian”, he gushed.

So what has been Jack’s biggest challenge with moving to New York? “Other than the paperwork?” he jokes. Starting fresh and not knowing many people was Jack’s biggest hurdle. Jack has discovered that he has to put himself out there and get known. “I came here not knowing many people and in America the attitude is different. I’m not one to talk myself up and put myself out there, but I’ve noticed that you have to do that here.”

So what is auditioning like in New York? “There are always a lot of people and it’s always in a tiny studio”, he laughs.  “It’s kind of intimidating because everyone knows each other, and they even know the choreographers auditioning. It is a big industry, but it’s also small because everyone knows each other.  But once you’re in, it’s not as intimidating”, he explained.

But if Jack could be in any musical, which one would he choose? “I would choose Wicked. I love the music, the costumes and the production as a whole.  Hopefully one day I can understudy Elphaba and sing ‘Defying Gravity’”, he jokes. “I would also love to be in West Side Story because it’s really hard hitting and emotional dancing or in Hairspray or In The Heights. I’d love to be in anything, I just want to perform”, he expressed. “I want to clear up this Green Card thing and be on Broadway, and I don’t want to be just a dancer on Broadway”, he made clear. “That’s where I want to start because it’s been a while since I’ve done some musical theatre, but in the city I really want to focus more on my singing and acting. I want to build them up more while I’m here and get more confidence with them and hopefully get onto Broadway. But I’ve got a really open mind to whatever comes. This city is so exciting! I don’t know what audition I’m going to go for, or what’s coming up next!”

But when Jack gets that Broadway role, will he ever come back to Australia? “Of course”, he exclaimed. “ I love it here, but I love home. I will always want to come back!”

Catch Jack at Peridance Capezio Center
Intermediate Jazz – Tuesday 9pm – 10.30pm
Beginner Jazz – Thursday 9pm – 10.30pm
Intermediate Jazz – Sunday 2.30pm – 4pm

Quirky with a funky twist incorporating quick, hardhitting, intricate moves fused with smooth flowing movement!www.peridance.com

Capezio will have a fantastic new store in the Peridance Capezio Center in the very near future. www.capeziodance.com

By Deborah Searle.

LaurieAnn Gibson has choreographed for almost every major superstar in today’s industry, including Beyonce, Michael Jackson, Alicia Keys, Puff Daddy, Missy Elliott and Lady Gaga. She not only starred in the feature film Honey, alongside Jessica Alba, but was also the film’s choreographer. She has created for commercials, television, film, and arena tours and is about to start filming on a new television series of her own, along with her work on shows like Making the Band and SYTYCD.

Deborah Searle shared a few moments with Gibson, after taking her class at The Pulse On Tour.

LaurieAnn is a star, with an incredible list of career achievements. But does she have a career highlight? “Everything has been a highlight because everything has evolved”, she said. “But I think right now I’m really excited about the Lady Gaga Monster Ball that I creative directed and choreographed. She’s got eleven dancers. I knew Gaga before she came out and she’s developed more as a dancer, with that mindset. So the dance on the tour is just amazing.”
So underneath the crazy costumes and outlandish performances, what is Gaga really like? “She’s funny, she’s great”, laughed LaurieAnn. “She’s like a dancer, she’s one of us.”

As she has danced and choreographed for television, film and the stage I asked LaurieAnn if she had a favourite performance platform. “I love it all, but I love the lights of stage, the arena tours, the live action”, she shared. But does she prefer to perform, choreograph or teach? “I love to perform. I’m a dancer in my heart and soul. I can’t fight that feeling. But I love everything. I respect the teaching part of it, I am still evolving that because I am a working choreographer and I only teach at The Pulse. I’ve never taught prior to that really. I have a lot of respect for dance teachers. I don’t ultimately know if that’s my calling, but I enjoy it. I teach in another way, I teach my dancers that I work with. I work them very hard”, she explained.

So what does she want to share with the young dancers she teaches at The Pulse? “I think for me it’s encouraging them and building their love of dance, more than beating them down about a step. They get us for such a short period of time, so I try to infuse them with the movement that could unlock their confidence, the spirit of dance and the feeling of dance. That’s my mantra, that’s what I’m really about, the feeling of dance.”

LaurieAnn teaches at The Pulse

So where did it all begin for LaurieAnn? “I honestly believe with all of my heart that I was called to be a dancer”, she expressed. “I think it happened in the heavenly realms. My Mum put my two older sisters in dance class and they rejected it, so she never put me in as she never wanted to force us. I asked to dance.”

LaurieAnn then went on to train at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. “I was born in Toronto Canada and I was studying at the National Ballet of Canada. When I was 14 I saw Alvin Ailey at the O’Keefe Center. I had been studying dance, and there were all the white girls in the class (not that that mattered), but it was the first time that I saw black girls on pointe and they looked like me. They danced with an intensity and a soulfulness that I wasn’t getting. I told my mother that I wanted to go there. So we found out that they had a school. When I was 16 I took a Greyhound bus to New York to study at Ailey.” At a young age that was a big move for LaurieAnn. “It was terrifying, but I just wanted to dance. My mother and father were terrified, but I was like ‘I want to be a dancer’”, she expressed.

Training at a modern dance institution, how did she get into hip hop? “I started hip hop as a sort of side bar. I was at Ailey studying and I was in the second company. I learnt all the repertoire and I realized that there was something more that was going on inside of me. As much as I loved doing company work, I had this thing where I didn’t want to have to conform to the character that was required in each piece every day. I respected it so much, but I felt like there was something else. Then I went to a Mary J Blige audition and I found so much freedom in the hip hop. That’s what attracted me to that stage of my dance career.”

Having such formal training, how has this impacted her choreography and style? “My training is everything”, she said. “In the hip hop world people probably criticize and call me 60% technique and 40% street. I’ve battled in many circles but my style is definitely technically based. It has the feel of hip hop, but it’s very challenging for the street dancer as it elevates hip hop. I think that’s what I am ultimately crafting and creating. Hip hop is a feeling and there is still a level of technique, I think, that should be required”, she explained.

LaurieAnn at The Pulse with Gil Duldulao & Dave Scott

So where does she get her ideas and inspirations from? “It’s funny because it has everything to do with my faith. God works through my dreams, he gives me the visions, he speaks to me, he shows me. I see it first and then I begin about the journey to create. Music is the other thing, that in tandem, works with my gift. It speaks to me and tells me what to do where. The music has the other element, the balance for me”, she explained.

So what advice does she have for aspiring choreographers? “Make sure you have the gift in all honesty, and not just the ability to put steps together. Make sure it’s a calling, that it’s that uncomfortable feeling to create something new and that you’re not imitating. Make sure you know that it’s what you’re called to do”, she advised.

With a new television show about to begin I asked LaurieAnn about her current projects. “I just did Alicia Key’s new tour, which was amazing and I’ve got Puff Daddy coming out again”, she shared. “I have my own show coming out that we’re really happy about. It is almost like America’s Next Top Model. It’s called Boom Kack.”

But what is the Boom Kack about? “I am going to take about 15 girls and find the next professional female dancer”, she explained. “I’ll train them, infuse them with what I feel are things that no-none told me, build their spirits, develop their technique and give them as much as I can in six weeks. The winner gets $85,000, an agent, a placement in a video and to work with Gaga.”

So what advice does she have for the young dance hopefuls? “It sounds like a cliché, but I would honestly say to believe in yourself against all odds. When it feels like you just can’t make it or that you’re just not good enough, that’s just not true, it’s just about believing at all times. If that’s what you really want, you can make it.”

Photos: Courtesy of The Pulse. Top photo by Voyeur Photography.