RJ Durell, 30, is one of the choreographers behind Madonna's Confessions ("You Thrill Me/Erotica," "La Isla Bonita," "Lucky Star") and Sticky & Sweet tours, as well as the guy who tried his best to get Britney to "Gimme More" on MTV—the latter performance was sub-par for Britney, but the actual routine as designed could have and should have been spectacular.
Boy Culture: When did you come out, and was it a tough process or no big deal?
Boy Culture: How did you break into dance and then into choreography?
I interviewed RJ in advance of Sticky & Sweet for Towleroad, but his replies didn't get to me until I was no longer guest-blogging, so with RJ's permission, I am publishing them here.
He's the consummate pro—he wouldn't talk about Madonna or Britney, keeping his interaction with them wholly private. But his responses to my questions help to flesh out a portrait of a young, openly gay choreographer from East Grand Rapids, Michigan, currently working with household names. And while contrary to what Madonna thinks, not everybody goes to Hollywood, RJ has—and in a short period of time has made his mark in the high-stakes world of dancing divas.
RJ: I came out to my family when I was 15 years old. Thankfully, they are very open and accepting. One of my uncles is also gay, and I have a sister who is also homosexual. All of these factors made this transition as easy and smooth as possible. Although "homosexuality" by definition is about sex, I was not sexually active at that time. My knowing was so much more than a physical desire. Being gay is part of who I am. I believe that this was the hardest thing for my parents to understand and that any concerns they did have were about my being sexually active at that age.
Boy Culture: When did you first think you'd have a career in dance?
RJ: I always knew that I would have a career in dance. It's the only thing I've ever wanted to do and I never allowed myself to believe anything to the contrary. I looked for proof every day that I could make it as a dancer.
RJ: My mother, Lynda Durell, has a dance studio, The Moving Co., in Grand Rapids where I grew up. She says that out of all her six kids, when I was born she held me in her arms and said, "This is going to be my dancer." I guess she was right because dancing was all that I've ever wanted to do.
At age 15, I started training in New York. By age 18 I got a year scholarship to Edge Performing Arts Center in L.A. Once off scholarship, I got an agent and started booking dance gigs in both L.A. and New York. I was fortunate enough to work some of the most exciting dance jobs of that time—commercials for Gap and iPod, dancing for Britney Spears and Destiny's Child, Broadway shows including Twyla Tharp's Movin' Out and numerous movies and television shows.
My work as a dancer led me to assisting some of the top choreographers in the entertainment industry.
Then, one day about four years ago, I decided that I was ready to start working on my own as a choreographer. It took some time to transition, but once Madonna chose me to choreograph for her Confessions Tour from a submission I made for her, things really started to gain momentum.
Boy Culture: Have you ever had any serious injuries while working?
RJ: Thankfully, I have great training and am very connected to my body. I've never been seriously injured on gig, just little bumps along the way—occupational hazard.
Boy Culture: What was your very first paid gig as a dancer?
RJ: My first paid gig as a dancer was for The Drew Carey Show. It was my first audition off scholarship and I was just excited to be there. I ended up doing several episodes throughout my career.
Boy Culture: Doing so much pop work, how do you come up with the new ways to interpret songs that are appealing to the masses and yet that have something fresh to them?
RJ: I always set intentions before I start working on a new project to be fresh and innovative. Each new artist I work with and every new song I choreograph evokes a different inspiration. From that inspiration, I follow my instincts—they always lead me to where I want to end up.
Boy Culture: Is there a signature RJ Durell gesture or move?
RJ: Yes, I would say that watching my body of work one could see signature moves. Although it's difficult to describe movement, I would say that I love to thrash and whack.
Boy Culture: Aside from the obvious, who are some artists you've worked with?
RJ: The Spice Girls, Celine Dion, Hilary Duff...
RJ: Although I have danced for Beyoncé, I would love to choreograph for her now. I feel that she is one of the most talented all-around performers of our time. She is a stellar vocalist, brilliant dancer and has electric charisma. I would love to create for her! I have absolutely loved working with everyone that I have choreographed for. Madonna and Britney are my favorites—I love female icons.
Boy Culture: You've worked on things as diverse as pop tours, major movies and a tween-targeted TV movie (Nickelodeon's Spectacular!, coming in 2009)—do you need to refocus for each type of project, or do the basics of your skill apply to just about any type of gig?
RJ: For any project that I work on, it takes the same basic skills as a choreographer: vision, preparation, integrity, mutability and creativity. I do, however, need to refocus before each project so that my work is appropriate for the task at hand.
Boy Culture: Is there one aspect of your work you enjoy the most?
RJ: A choreographer by definition is someone who directs and composes dance sequences. I love having the overall vision and watching it come to life. Now that I am happy with my choreography career, I am looking to direct more.
Boy Culture: What do you think of all the dance-related reality shows?
RJ: Dance reality shows have helped to create great exposure and appreciation for dance and dancers. I love that the masses can get a glimpse into the world of dance. I don't personally get that into dance reality shows because dance, in my opinion, is an art, and when you put it into a competitive format it loses something special. That being said, ironically, I have worked on several dance reality shows as they are a great way to get my name and work out there.
Boy Culture: What's your dream job?
RJ: I have so many dream jobs. I desire for my choreography career to be like my dance career where I get to work in all media of the entertainment industry. Ultimately, I want to direct and choreograph pop tours for the world's most celebrated artists, hit Broadway shows, inventive music videos and hugely successful movie musicals.
Boy Culture: Did you ever dream you'd be working with so many diverse artists when you were a kid?
RJ: I dreamed of living this life every day!
Enjoyable read and an interesting insight into the people behind the stars, thanx for posting it Matt!
Look forward to part 2 in a couple of years.:)
Posted by: | October 13, 2008 at 08:02 AM