Ryan Heffington
| Ryan Heffington | |
|---|---|
| Born |
June 7, 1973 Yuba City, California |
| Occupation | Dancer, choreographer |
Ryan Heffington (born June 7, 1973) is a dancer, choreographer and dance studio owner based in Los Angeles. He was nominated for two Grammy Awards for choreographing the music videos for Arcade Fire's "We Exist" (2013) and Sia's "Chandelier" (2014), winning a VMA Award for the latter.
Early life
Heffington was born in Yuba City, California. He has danced since he was young, but has never received any formal training. He moved from Yuba City to Los Angeles at the age of 18.[1]
Career
In the mid-1990s, Heffington co-created the Psycho Dance Sho' with Bubba Carr, and in the late 2000s he was the artistic director for the experimental modern dance company Hysterica.[1] From 2006 to 2009 Heffington lead the dance troupe Fingered, which combined fast-paced Martha Graham-style choreography with genderbending costumes designed by Heffington.[2] He has performed at bars and clubs, as well as MOCA, LACMA, the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Saturday Night Live, Walt Disney Concert Hall, the UCLA Hammer Museum and Coachella.[3]
Heffington is best known for choreographing the music videos for Arcade Fire's "We Exist" (2013) and Sia's "Chandelier" (2014),[4][5] both of which were nominated for Grammy Awards,[6] and the latter of which won him a VMA Award.[7] Other Sia videos that Heffington has choreographed include "Elastic Heart", "Big Girls Cry", "Cheap Thrills" and "The Greatest".[8] Sia and Heffington's collaborations have "done more to raise the standards of dance in pop music than nearly any current artist integrating the forms."[9] He has also worked with FKA Twigs and Britney Spears, and made several appearances on Ru Paul's Drag Race.[10]
Heffington is the owner of The Sweat Spot, a dance studio in Silver Lake, Los Angeles.[11] The space offers classes for both professional dancers and beginners in a casual atmosphere. Heffington decided to open the studio after he had hosted a roving event called Sweaty Sundays.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 "Dig Out the Spandex and Feel the Burn". The New York Times. 13 August 2009.
- ↑ Vesilind, Emili (6 April 2008). "Real Trouper" – via LA Times.
- ↑ Sasha Bronner Senior Reporter, The Huffington Post (28 July 2012). "Meet The Man Behind The Craziest Dance Studio In Town".
- ↑ "2014 In Music Through The Eyes Of A Choreographer".
- ↑ Heyman, Jessie. ""Chandelier" Choreographer Ryan Heffington on Dancing in Spring's Best Denim".
- ↑ "Ryan Heffington on Choreographing Sia's 'Chandelier' and 'Elastic Heart' Videos". 16 January 2015.
- ↑ "Here's Your Full List of 2014 VMA Winners". MTV News. 25 August 2014.
- ↑ Adams, Char. "Sia Releases Haunting 'The Greatest' Music Video: Is It an Orlando Shooting Tribute?", People magazine, September 6, 2016
- ↑ Kourlas, Gia. "For Sia, Dance Is Where the Human and the Weird Intersect", The New York Times, 19 July 2016, accessed 31 October 2016.
- ↑ "Review: Movement Drives the Music at FKA twigs's 'Congregata'". The New York Times. 19 May 2015.
- ↑ "The Sweat Spot".