Some of our favorite film and TV moments involve a dance sequence. “La La Land” opens with dancers hopping on top of cars, jumping in unison and weaving through the lanes of the 110. Season one of “Euphoria” closes with a large ensemble of people throwing their hands up before lifting Zendaya atop a hill of bodies. And between scenes in “Don’t Worry Darling,” dancers lie on their backs, swinging their legs back and forth at the camera in a Busby Berkeley-style formation.
While these moments are memorable and often pivotal to storytelling, the names of choreographers and movement directors behind them are seldom mentioned. Those working in the field aren’t often given their due for their contributions to film, television, music and live performances: Consider how, if you try to search for choreographers’ names on IMDb who worked on “La La Land,” “Euphoria” and “Don’t Worry Darling,” their names are located at the very bottom of the credits under “Additional Crew.”
“You’ll barely find us as recognized,” Choreographers Guild vice president Luam Keflezgy says.
At a time when choreography has become more visible than ever, with the likes of JaQuel Knight and Parris Goebel making headlines, choreographers who bring these pieces of media to life often have little guidance and support. Keflezgy says that this happens because there is no system in place supporting their contributions.
The recently formed Choreographers Guild hopes to address the lack of transparency and collectively — with input from members — outline standards for their work in entertainment. The guild operates under four tenets: economic security, credit, strengthening copyright and education.