And the Emmy Goes To…
The 2016 Primetime Emmy Awards may not be until Sunday, but this past weekend saw the awarding of the Creative Arts Emmy Awards—which included the award for Outstanding Choreography (for dance on television). Or, in this case, awards. This year, Quest Crew (America’s Best Dance Crew) and Kathryn Burns (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) tied for the Emmy. The first-time nominees were up against Derek Hough and Travis Wall (they have three wins and 14 nominations between them for Dancing With the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance?, respectively) as well as fellow first-timer Anthony Morigerato (tapper, SYTYCD choreographer, Guinness World Record Holder for most taps in one minute).
What’s so exciting about this double-win is how different the choreographers’ styles are. Quest Crew made their name on America’s Best Dance Crew, winning seasons three and eight of the competition. Their blending of street styles showcases heart-stopping tricks while creating kaleidoscopic architecture that merits repeat viewing. And that’s before you consider their intricate and perfectly coordinated unison movement phrases. Check out their winning ABDC routines “Runaway Baby,” “Take U There” and “Summer Thing.”
On the flip side, the work that Kathryn Burns creates is stylistically all over the map. Goofy musical numbers are at the heart of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and Burns delivers cheeky, stylistically diverse choreography for every scenario. The three numbers that snagged her the win include a Bollywood and yoga mash-up (“I’m So Good At Yoga“), a Fred-and-Ginger-esque ballroom and tap number (“Settle For Me“) and a throwback to late 90s boy band videos (“A Boy Band Made Up Of Four Joshes“).
(And yes, that is Alex Wong in the front row.)
It’s great to see that our favorite reality dance competitions are still producing choreography worth talking about, but we can’t help but love it when dance finds it’s way onto more mainstream television—and in ways that are integral to the storytelling at hand.
Congratulations Quest Crew and Kathryn Burns!
