I almost can't handle the level of full-out fabulousness coming out of Pride Month (just kidding, please keep it coming). Today, Travis Wall blessed our feeds with this clip of him dancing with the gorgeously talented Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. Travis shared in his caption that he "Learned a routine in 60 secs." Casual! (I guess we're not too surprised about that, right?)
Wall (in white) on the "Step Up" set (YouTube Premium)
The dancetastic YouTube series "Step Up: High Water" returns for its second season on March 20th (yes, we have a premiere date!). And this time around, the fabulous cast will be tackling choreography by the man, the myth, the "So You Think You Can Dance" legend, Travis Wall.
The "Step Up" team just released a video going behind the scenes on the number TWall created for the series, a hip-hop–inflected spectacular that pushed the contemporary phenom well outside of his comfort zone. Not that he wasn't true to himself: Looks like there's also plenty of the powerful dance storytelling that's become his signature.
To say it's been a great few weeks for dance movies is an understatement—we found out mere days ago that "Driven to Dance," starring Juliet Doherty, was streaming on Netflix. And now, in what can only be described as the single best way to start the weekend, "I Dream of Dance" is streaming on Netflix.
Ricky Ubeda and his pup Riot (via Instagram, @rickyubeda11)
Fact of life: Pets make everything better! So it's no surprise that some of our favorite dancers have welcomed a furry friend into their homes over the years. And whether they're on playdates at the park or hanging in the studio, adorable pup-and-dancer duos make for the best photo opps. Here are 10 dancers with the cutest dogs.
Denise (center left) and Travis Wall (center right). (courtesy of Auroris Media, Inc)
Dance phenomenon Travis Wall and his mom Denise are no strangers to the spotlight. Travis' success on "So You Think You Can Dance," followed by his own reality show, have propelled him to reality dance stardom. Though he's working behind the scenes as a choreographer these days, you can still catch him performing occasionally with his dance company, Shaping Sound. And Denise is a recognized dance expert in her own right, having taught dance for 38 years, founded her own studio, and produced over 50 dancers who have gone on to pursue dance professionally. Now these two are shining a light on the world of competitive dance with their new documentary "I Dream of Dance."
The film follows Denise as she inspires her students to achieve the impossible when they attempt to win Nationals for the third time in a row—a feat that's never been done before. The Walls aren't the only familiar faces you'll see either. Dance celebs like tWitch, Allison Holker, and Stacey Tookey also make appearances in the film. Dance Spirit spoke with the Walls about what it's like being surrounded by cameras all the time and what they hope people will take away from the film. You can also catch an exclusive look at the trailer before the film comes out on October 2nd.
After just three live shows and just as many brisk eliminations, we have our Season 15 Top 4! And we'll get to that. But first, here's what went down during the two hours that the Top 6—Hannahlei, Genessy, Jensen, Jay Jay, Darius, and Slavik—performed together last night.
He's been appearing on/choreographing for the show since 2006. (Adam Rose/FOX)
"Mister Travis Wall," as Cat Deeley would say, has had one heck of an epic "So You Think You Can Dance" journey. Since first appearing on the show as a contestant during Season 2 (back when he had frosted tips!), he's become one of the series' most respected choreographers and mentors. In fact, his work for "SYTYCD" has earned him Emmy nominations every year since 2011. EVERY. YEAR.
To celebrate his latest Emmy noms—for "SYT" Season 14's "Change is Everything" and "Strange Fruit"—The Wrap magazine talked to T.Wall about what the show has meant to his life. And as always, Travis was full of dancy wisdom.
The Top 10 in Travis Wall's opening number (Adam Rose/FOX)
Last night marked—finally!—the first live show of Season 15. We made it! And so did the Top 10. Now, it's up to the viewers (that's you!) to determine which contestants end up in the Top 4 and, eventually, which one will snag the sweet prizes up for grabs: $1 million, the cover of Dance Spirit (that's us!), and a role in FOX's live production of RENT, which will air January 27. Also awesome: tWitch is officially on the judging panel for the long haul, alongside Nigel, Mary, and Vanessa. Dreams do come true!
So how'd the two-hour event play out? Each contestant couple performed twice: once in the girl's style and once in the guy's. Here's what went down.
It made us so, so happy just to type those three very bold-faced names into a single title. So you can imagine how excited we are to share this clip from the performance that group of legends put together for the Fire Island Dance Festival this weekend.
At the start of last night's episode of "So You Think You Can Dance," 41 dancers remained. An hour later, we had a Top 20. And then there was a BIG FAT TWIST. (We'll get to that.)
The 41 still-standing Academy dancers showed up at the Dolby Theater in L.A. ready to tackle three rounds: contemporary choreography with seven-time Emmy nominee and one-time "SYTYCD" contestant Travis Wall; an "epic group routine" with jazz choreographer and La La Land she-ro Mandy Moore; and a last-chance solo showdown. Here's what happened.
Happy Nationals season, everybody! It's that time of year when us lucky editors get to watch so, SO many gorgeous solos by dancers competing for big titles. But even among the insanely gifted artists at the top of the comp circuit, Tate McRae stands out. Just ask anyone who's seen the solo that helped her win Teen Best Dancer at The Dance Awards in Vegas last week.
Choreographed by Travis Wall (naturally), "Woman" is virtuosic both technically and artistically. Are the 180-degree extensions and fluid lyricism that captivated "So You Think You Can Dance: The Next Generation" audiences two years ago still there? Of course they are. But Tate also approaches the solo with a commitment and maturity that's rare in industry veterans, let alone 14-year-old students.
"So You Think You Can Dance" is often a launching pad for a dancer's career. While many "SYT" alums go on to perform for iconic artists or join high-profile companies, some also become choreographers—and a few even come full-circle, making dances for the show where it all began. Here are 8 talented choreographers who got their start as "SYTYCD" hopefuls.
Season 9's Top 10 girls performing to "Where The Light Gets In," choreographed by Travis Wall (Adam Rose/FOX)
"So You Think You Can Dance" has everything a dance show needs: crazy judges, incredible talent, famous choreographers, and heartwarming stories. Whether you're on your second season or your 15th, if you're a true "SYTYCD" fan, you can relate to the following signs of true-blue fandom.
With several Shaping Sound tours and TV credits like "So You Think You Can Dance," "Dancing with the Stars," and "Boardwalk Empire" to her name, you wouldn't expect Kate Harpootlian to be refreshingly down-to-earth. But that's exactly how she is: As soon as you start talking to the gifted dancer and choreographer, it becomes clear that she doesn't take herself too seriously. And she's happy to tell hilarious stories to prove it. (Ask her about the time she did a Mr. Peanut impression when Mia Michaels asked her to improvise, or the time she starred in a Japanese makeup commercial and had to do grand pliés wearing one pointe shoe and one flat shoe.)
That mixture of humor and grace is evident in Harpootlian's growing body of choreographic work. Her one-act show Better Late Than Never, for example, which premiered last summer, has a jazzy, West Side Story vibe, offsetting heavier moments with touches of whimsy. "There's always a balance in my work," Harpootlian says. "I want to use humor to balance out the darker aspects. It's like one of my friends once said: 'You make me laugh, and then you make me feel bad for laughing.' "
