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The Creative Process

Why Hollywood's Adam Shankman Is Jealous of Dancers

Shankman on the set of 2007's Hairspray. Photo by Daniel James, courtesy Shankman

Adam Shankman came into the spotlight in 2007 when he choreographed and directed the movie-musical Hairspray and made his first appearances on the "So You Think You Can Dance" judging panel. But he was already more than a decade into his career as a choreographer and budding director. Today, Shankman is a Hollywood mainstay who has worked on scores of movies, TV shows and commercials, including dance classics like the Step Up franchise, which he produced. Next up: Directing the film What Men Want, which opens in January.

He recently spoke to Dance Magazine about his path to Hollywood and why the dance studio remains his favorite place.

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Career Advice

This Choreographer's Work Got An Emmy Nod—But a Flight Attendant Made His Steps Go Viral

Allison Holker and Logan Hernandez in Christopher Scott's "Say You Won't Let Go," one of the routines that got him an Emmy nomination. Screenshot via YouTube

"So You Think You Can Dance" choreographer Christopher Scott woke up one morning last month, rolled over like he usually does to check his iPhone—and found a barrage of text messages and notifications. The very first text he read was from fellow "SYTYCD" choreographer Mandy Moore: "Congratulations!"

It turned out that he'd just gotten his third Emmy nomination for choreography. (Moore had received one, too.) "We find out at the same time as everyone else," says Scott. "Everything official from the television academy comes through the mail weeks later."

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Just for Fun

7 of the Funniest Moments from "So You Think You Can Dance"

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Although we watch "So You Think You Can Dance" for the killer choreography and fantabulous dancing, sometimes the show is downright hilarious, too. Here are seven laugh-out-loud "SYT" moments that still have us giggling.

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Rant & Rave

Which Routines Were Nominated for Emmys This Year? That's Harder to Find Out Than You'd Think

Mandy Moore at the 2017 Creative Arts Emmy Awards, during which she took home her first Emmy. Photo courtesy Inline/AP

Every year, as soon as the Emmy Award nominations are announced, the first thing I do is scroll down (way, way, way down) to find the nominees for Best Choreography. Last week's announcement was no different, and it was a delightful surprise to see tap queen Chloe Arnold become a first-time nominee for her work on "The Late Late Show With James Corden." Alongside Arnold, Mandy Moore, Travis Wall, Al Blackstone and Christopher Scott received nominations for their dances on awards heavy-hitter "So You Think You Can Dance." (Shout-out to Blackstone for his first Emmy nod!)

I do, however, have a bone to pick with the Emmys. Namely, that the routines for which these choreographers were nominated do not appear on the nominations section of the site. Worse, not even the episodes in which the Emmy-nominated dances appear are listed.

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Dance Training

The Case Against Versatility: Why Being A Jack-of-All-Trades Dancer Won't Help You

Being focused on one style eventually gave Al Blackstone more opportunities. Photo by Daryl A. Getman, Courtesy Blackstone

These days, everyone tells you how important it is to be versatile. But what if you're convinced there's just one style that's right for you? It can be tough to balance a deep interest in a single specialty and still meet many choreographers' expectations. Luckily, you don't have to choose between all in or all over the place, as long as you follow your interests thoughtfully.

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Just for Fun

These Epic "SYTYCD" Throwback Pics Will Blow Your Mind

Look at all those baby faces!! Do you know which "SYT" season this classic photo is from? #classic (via Instagram)

Bless you, Person Running the "So You Think You Can Dance" Social Accounts. For the past week, that anonymous hero has been taking a fabulous little walk down memory lane, posting pics from seasons past—way past, in some cases. And they're bringing back alllllll the memories.

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Just for Fun

These Epic "SYTYCD" Throwback Pics Will Blow Your Mind

Look at all those baby faces!! Do you know which "SYT" season this classic photo is from? #classic (via Instagram)

Bless you, Person Running the "So You Think You Can Dance" Social Accounts. For the past week, that anonymous hero has been taking a fabulous little walk down memory lane, posting pics from seasons past—way past, in some cases. And they're bringing back alllllll the memories.

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Dance in Pop Culture

13 Reasons Why Being a Dancer Is the Absolute Best

There's nothing else we'd rather be doing than dancing.

Call us partial, but when it comes to career choices, being a dancer takes the cake. It certainly isn't easy, but every moment we're in the studio or onstage, we get to do something we love. Here are 13 reasons why being a dancer is—in our humble opinion—the best thing in the world.

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Just for Fun

Kida Burns Introduces Dancing Wii Challenge On Instagram

via @kidathegreat Instagram

There's a new challenge taking over social media and it's bringing out the dancer in everyone. So You Think You Can Dance: Next Generation winner Kida Burns (aka Kida the Great) has inspired a new trend thanks to an impromptu dance session in his kitchen. In a recent Instagram post, Kida and fellow dancer Jabari Timmons break it down to the tune of the Nintendo Wii song.

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Dance in Pop Culture

A New Dance Competition Show Is on the Way Thanks to Simon Cowell

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Make room for a new dance show in your television lineup. King of the competition series Simon Cowell (he's behind hits like "The X Factor" and "America's Got Talent") is said to be working on a new project just for dance fans: "The Greatest Dancer." The Telegraph reports that Cowell's show is expected to replace "Strictly Come Dancing" (the UK version of "Dancing With The Stars"), and will feature dancers from every genre.

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Just for Fun

Mark Kanemura Celebrated RuPaul's Hollywood Star in the Most Delightful Way Possible

💯 💯 💯 (via Instagram)

On Friday night, the iconic RuPaul made history as the first drag queen ever to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. And it didn't take long for the world's most fabulous RuPaul fan/one of our favorite human beings, Mark Kanemura, to commemorate his idol's accomplishment with—naturally—a WALK to end all walks.

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News

Mandy Moore On How She Juggles Being One of the Busiest Choreographers in Hollywood

Mandy Moore loves the chaos of live television. Photo by Lee Cherry, Courtesy Bloc Agency

In the dance world, Mandy Moore has long been a go-to name, but in 2017, the success of her choreography for La La Land made the rest of the world stop and take notice. After whirlwind seasons as choreographer and producer on both "Dancing with the Stars" and "So You Think You Can Dance," she capped off the year with two Emmy Award nominations—and her first win.

You've come a long way on "So You Think You Can Dance"—from assistant to the choreographer (Season 1) to creative producer (Season 14). What keeps you returning to the show?

"So You Think You Can Dance" was one of my first jobs, so it feels like home. I love the chaos of live television; as soon as one show is over you're on to the next.

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Inside DM

Editors' Picks: Our Favorite Dance Magazine Stories from 2017

Jayme Thornton

2017 has been quite a year here at Dance Magazine. From launching our new website to celebrating the magazine's 90th anniversary, it's been a thrilling 12 months. To wrap up the year, the Dance Magazine team took a moment to share each of our favorite highlights.

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If you like us online, you'll love us in print!
Dance Training

The 5 Things You Should Do to Make Stage Combat Look Real

PC Kyle Rowling

You dance like a knockout—but can you take a punch? Intense stage combat is a crucial element in many shows, from the sword fighting in Romeo & Juliet to the left hooks of the Broadway musical Rocky. But performing it well requires careful body awareness, trust and a full commitment to safety. Whether you're dancing a pivotal battle in a story ballet or intense partnering in a contemporary piece, these expert tips can help you make your fight scenes convincing, compelling and safe.

1. Master the Basics

When Luke Ingham was cast as Tybalt in San Francisco Ballet's Romeo & Juliet, he spent a full month practicing the basic body positions, footwork and momentum of fencing. "You need to be really grounded, you need to know where your feet are," Ingham says.

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Dancers Trending

Watch the Routines That Just Won Two Choreographers Emmy Awards

J.T. and Robert perform Travis Wall's "The Mirror" on "SYTYCD" season 13.

No, you didn't miss the Emmy Awards telecast. (It's next weekend.) The Creative Arts Emmys, on the other hand, were awarded yesterday, including the Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography. Among the nominees were "Dancing With the Stars" favorite Derek Hough, "So You Think You Can Dance?" contestant-turned-choreographer Travis Wall, surprise contender Fred Tallaksen for comedy "The Real O'Neals" and commercial dance juggernaut Mandy Moore, who grabbed two nominations for both "DWTS" and "SYTYCD."

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Dancers Trending

Op-Ed: The Problem With So You Think You Can Dance's Fast-Food Activism

Wall's piece for SYTYCD

Last week for "So You Think You Can Dance," Travis Wall choreographed a routine to Nina Simone's "Strange Fruit." It had beautiful dancers, liquid movement and subtle lighting. The concept no doubt had good intentions. But the execution was troublesome.

My complicated relationship with "So You Think You Can Dance" will never cease. I was in the second row when the "SYTYCD" Season 2 tour hit my city; I've taken class from Season 1 winner Nick Lazzarini; I saved Melanie and Marco's duets to my "Favorites" on YouTube.

The show creates opportunities for dancers and choreographers, yet consistently holds the artistic integrity of dance to such a low standard. The nature of this competitive dance show is quick-paced, where choreographers set several dances on performers in one week or less. The repercussions of this learn-dance-eliminate cycle are such that the process, research and discussion of the dance—namely the work in spotlight—are condensed into a week.

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