Mia Michaels - Choreographer

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From NYCDance.com

Mia is an inspired choreographer and teacher, working with both the commercial and concert dance worlds. She was recently nominated for a 2003 Emmy Award for her latest project Celine Dion's "A New Day" which opened in March 2003 at Caesar's in Las Vegas. Other credits include the new Prince tour, the SheDaises, the 2001 American Music Awards, and a European tour of Mia Michaels RAW 2. She has worked with such recording artists as Cameo, Gloria Estefan, John Secada, and Prince. Her choreography has been recognized with the Silver Leo's Award at the Jazz Dance World Congress, as well as the Dance Educator's of America President's Cup. She travels coast to coast, teaching at BROADWAY DANCE CENTER in NYC and THE EDGE in LA. Her dance company, Mia Michaels R.A.W., has toured in Korea, at the International Dance Festival in Amsterdam, as well as a debut NY concert season in 1999. Mia has set original works on Les Ballet Jazz de Montreal, Ballet Hispanico and Gus Giordano Jazz Dance Company.

*2007 Emmy Winner - So You Think You Can Dance: "Calling You" FOX*
*2004 Emmy Nominee - Celine in Las Vegas: Opening Night Live CBS*
*2003 & 2004 American Choreography Award Nominee*

From stage to screen, Mia has turned dance into inspired and unique works of passion and beauty. She has rendered her unique style and vision of the craft, which is sought after by other innovators, from celebrities and recording artists to dance companies and educational institutions.

Mia's choreography for Celine Dion's A New Day under the direction of Franco Dragone at Caesars' Palace in Las Vegas received stunning reviews. The New York Times raved, "The greatest pleasure...was the go-for-broke physicality of the choreography". The show featured a cast of 50 dancers with two hours of pure dance artistry. Currently her work can be seen on Celine Dion's world Tour, Taking Chances and Cirque du Soleil's first touring show, Delirium, which premiered March 2006. She has also created works for numerous recording artists including Madonna, Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan, Anna Vissi, and Prince.
On television, Mia is the ever-popular judge and contributing choreographer for Fox's hit TV show (and touring company) SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE. Mia has won an Emmy award for outstanding choreography on a television series for her dance piece "Calling You" on SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE. Most recently, Mia's role in SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE contributed to the show receiving the "Best Reality TV Show" award at the 2008 Reality TV Show Awards. Other work in film and television includes SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE Canada, "Cool Women" for AMC/DreamWorks Television and award winning commercials for Mike's Hard Lemonade, Bacardi, Coldwell Banker, Ziploc, the WNBA, Star TV and VISA.

Included in her diverse concert and stage work is the critically acclaimed New York based dance company, RAW for which she is the founder, artistic director and choreographer. She has created works for the Paper Mill Playhouse's production of "Hello Dolly!" starring Tovah Feldshuh, Les Ballet Jazz de Montreal, Jazz Dance Chicago, and Oslo Dance Ensemble. Her choreography has been seen off-Broadway with "If These Shoes Could Talk," and "Fort Chaffee." Mia has also held faculty positions at prestigious institutions of dance around the world including Alvin Ailey, the Joffrey Ballet, and the International Dance Festival of Italy.

Mia is constantly striving for new inspirations for her work. Her students and peers around the world have noted her as a memorable influence. She has a way of touching people's lives with passion, emotional expression and style of dance.

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[bbnbama]

I think she's a cool chick. She's not some skinny beanpole and she doesn't let her body type hinder her from dancing! I like her.......

[Kao]

I like her too, and she's worked with some people who are pretty good dancers.

[SAMBAForYAYAFan]

I been enjoying "so you think you can dance" for a few weeks, when last week, all-of-a-sudden I realized that I have seen Mia before. I take tap dance and african dance classes every once in a while at Broadway Dance in NYC, on 57th st. On day I went early to Tap, hoping to find a small place to rest and stretch before class. My usual place was JAMMED PACKED. There were about 50 - 75 people waiting to get into the studio next to the tap class.
Then, at 6:55 people started moving...like a herd...to the door of the other studio. In walks this big blonde, with short hair...and the 'herd' starts moving in, barely letting the previous class out.
We tappers were relieved because we got some space - to wait 25 mins. before our class begun...because 'the herd' left the area and filled the now 'jazz studio' Then about 20 + more people piled in.
I watched the class warm up and this big blonde [ who I now know as Mia] is giving a no-nonsense warm-up...25 mins into the class these professional and longtime dancers look like they are suffering....

Then I go to my hour-long tap class. When I come out, we all see that same class doing all sorts of complicated choreography that Mia is puttin' on them... and I mean she is puttin' a hurtin' on them...

And if you know these dance-jazz type divas - girls & boys- each group is trying to outdo the other and remember all that choreography...Mia does not go back over things...she's relentless...

Not knowing her at all...I just noted to my self...NEVER, EVER sign up for that class, unless I want to lose my mind and be totally embarrassed AT THE SAME TIME!!!

MY BRAIN WAS HURTING JUST WATCHING THE CLASS!!!!

Those "Dancers" came out of class huffing and puffing, crying, backs bent over, gasping for water and air...happy to have come out of her class alive.

So now I can really empathize with all those finalists. Mia is NO JOKE!!!

If she was just one of the 5 choreographers, those kids had a lot to go through, but I know she was the most demanding teacher.

MIA IS GOOD AND SHE 'DON'T PLAY!!!!

[IMAPrincess]

Originally Posted by SAMBAForYAYAFan

MIA IS GOOD AND SHE 'DON'T PLAY!!!!

I watched Mia's classes a few times at BDC in NYC (B 4 the show aired) and have been awestruck. She's is intense, in a good way. If you master a Mia Michael's combo you are a fierce dancer!

[aname]

Her constant emphasis on "feelings" and "emotions" in dance and the crying routine that Blake did in her class bothers me. Not having that type of intensity and needing to "let if all hang out", I would probably do very badly in her class. She relishes the drama. It bothers me, but guess that's her schtick.

[Beautiful_Caius]

Originally Posted by aname

.. She relishes the drama. It bothers me, but guess that's her schtick.

Question:What does "schtick" mean? lol

And, I love her, out of the five from hollywood wee. I like her the most. Just a great choreographer. Also her picture at the start of this thread is "uber" hot. lol

[aname]

She may be a wonderful choreographer and probably a terrific dancer, but as a judge her partiality is disturbing. In fact, she doesn't even try to hide it. She also tries very hard to bring down whoever (Artem) she feels are a threat to her babies (Blake and Nick). If Blake or Nick don't win, she'll probably want to rip the throat out of the voting public.

Schtick just means her "thing" - what she's known for. I guess I'm showing my age with that comment.

[HaikenEdge]

Yeah, I noticed that too. Seems like Brian & Mia have saddles on the Blake and Nick's crotches.

[Florimel]

Originally Posted by Beautiful_Caius

Question:What does "schtick" mean? lol
l

Schtik is actually a Yiddish word that litterally means, "routine." In show business jargon, which incorporates a great many Yiddish terms," it's come to mean an attention-grabbing piece of business, "He did schtik," or a particular characteristic associated with an individual, such as Rodney Dangerfield's tie tug or Carol Burnett's ear pull or Johnny Carson's double takes, etc. etc.