Shane Sparks
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| Shane Sparks | |
 Shane Sparks, 2006
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| Born | 1974 Cincinnati, Ohio |
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| Occupation | Hip Hop Choreographer |
| Parents | Wanda and Melvin Sparks |
Shane Sparks (born 1974) is a hip hop choreographer best known for his work as a judge and choreographer on the American television dance competition So You Think You Can Dance. He has also won the American Choreography Award for being co-choreographer of the 2004 film, You Got Served.
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[edit] Biography
Sparks was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, the youngest of three children to Wanda and Melvin Sparks, police officers. He has two older sisters, Rene and Buffy. Sparks started dancing at the age of 11, when he attended a local Easter Ball.[1] Hooked on dancing from that point on, he performed in hometown talent shows and high school showcases, performing such dances as The Robot, The Running Man, and the Cabbage Patch Kid, and holding rehearsals in his backyard.[2] When his sister's boyfriend was murdered, dancing became even more important to Sparks, as it was his way to escape and feel safe.[3] Other dancers that inspired him included Pop n' Taco, Bob Fosse, Fred Astaire, Michael Jackson, and Paula Abdul.
After graduating from Aiken Sr. High, Sparks moved to Los Angeles in 1993, at the age of 19, to explore a new career. He was part of a dance group named Cold Krush (named after the New York group Cold Krush) that performed in talent shows, then became a singing group called the Cold Premiere, was signed to Giant Records and made a film and some videos, but eventually disbanded. Around this time he was featured in the "I Wanna Be Down" video by R&B artist Brandy Norwood. Sparks then went to a dance tryout at the Millennium Dance Complex (formerly known as Moro Landis) in North Hollywood. When the teacher to one of the hip hop classes was late, someone saw Sparks standing around in a baseball cap and baggy shirt, assumed he was a teacher, and asked him to teach the class. According to Sparks, he had no choreography experience up to that point, and "It was one of those things that changed my life. I didn't even know how to count [in eights]."[3] When the real teacher arrived 15 minutes later, he drafted Sparks as his assistant, and then when the original teacher moved to Japan a week later, Sparks took his place. Under his tenure, the class grew from three students to ten, to two classes a week, to four classes a week, to the biggest class in Los Angeles, breaking records with over 175 students.[2] Sparks then began getting work as a choreographer for venues such as the American Music Awards, as well as getting a modeling and dancing contract with L'Oréal's Matrix hair products. He has worked with artists such as Aaliyah, Monica, Lindsay Lohan and Benji Schwimmer.[4] He also worked as a choreographer on the film You Got Served, and was a judge at the 2004 World Hip Hop Championship.
Sparks is known for his signature hats, and as of 2006 has his own brand name, S Style.
In 2006-2007, Sparks was one of several choreographers including Brian Friedman, Mia Michaels, Cris Judd, Laurie Ann Gibson and Wade Robson for a two-day hip hop dance workshop, "The Pulse", held in cities across America. One of the workshops in 2006 had 200 attendees, and another workshop in 2007 had over 900.
According to an interview at aris-dance.com, Sparks' upcoming projects include the movie ByLar and the TV show, "The Pit".[1] In an interview for Los Angeles magazine, Sparks said he was working with Chris Stokes on the upcoming film Backdown, a sequel to You Got Served[2] which is scheduled to begin shooting in July 2007.[1]
[edit] So You Think You Can Dance
Sparks is best known for being one of the judges and choreographers on the American television program So You Think You Can Dance, where he was hand-picked by executive producer Nigel Lythgoe. Sparks was one of the choreographers in the 2005 and 2006 seasons, and was promoted to judge/choreographer in the 2007 season, where critics have praised him for his personality and energy. One of the touching moments during the 2007 auditions was when Bryan Gaynor, a computer-science student whose spine was twisted with scoliosis, came to try out. Though his range of movement was extremely limited, he managed an impressive robotic routine to Christina Aguilera's "Ain't No Other Man", that astonished and impressed all of the judges, especially Sparks. Gaynor did not have enough dancing skill to continue past that day of the auditions, but Sparks gave him a soft rejection, by simultaneously offering him a job as a featured dancer in the upcoming film that Sparks will be choreographing, Backdown.[1][5] According to TV Guide, Gaynor has accepted the role.[6]
[edit] America's Best Dance Crew
Shane is currently a permanent judge on the reality show America's Best Dance Crew.
[edit] Awards
- 2004, American Choreography Awards, "Best Choreography in a Feature Film" for You Got Served (co-choreographer with Dave Scott and Robert Hoffmann III)[3]
- 2004, 2004 MTV Movie Awards, "Best Dance Sequence" for You Got Served (nomination)
- 2005, BET Awards "Viewer's Choice Awards" (co-choreographer with Omarion)
[edit] Works
Sparks has choreographed routines for:
- Nationwide Urban Jams Convention
- Steve Harvey Big Time Show
- NSync's Challenge for the Children, 2004
- 2006 music video "Push It to the Limit" for Corbin Bleu, to promote the Disney Channel's Jump In! film
- Marques Houston at the 2007 Soul Train Awards, and the music video "Circle"[2]
- You Got Served, co-choreographer with Dave Scott[7]
- Lindsay Lohan at the 2004 MTV Movie Awards
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Oscar Dahl (June 13, 2007). Exclusive Interview: Shane Sparks, judge from So You Think You Can Dance. buddytv.com. Retrieved on 2007-06-22.
- ^ a b c d Marvin Mills (June 10, 2007). Interview with Shane Sparks. Los Angeles magazine. Retrieved on 2007-06-22.
- ^ a b c "Shane Gang", New York Post, June 13, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-06-22].
- ^ Shane Sparks / The American Choreography Awards
- ^ Adam B. Vary (2007). Strictly Y'allroom. Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on 2007-06-22.
- ^ Dani Dornfeld and Sabrina Rojas Weiss (June 20, 2007). Why So You Think You Can Dance Is Hotter Than Ever. TV Guide. Retrieved on 2007-06-22.
- ^ Dave Kehr. "A Hip-Hop Dance Team Duels Some Menacing White Boys", Film Review, New York Times, January 30, 2004.
[edit] External links
- Official site
- Sparks MySpace page
- Shane Sparks at the Internet Movie Database
- Choreography video at the Clear Talent Group website
- Shane Sparks (interview in American Superstar Magazine)
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