Black Voices

Issue date: 9/6/06 Section: Entertainment

Shane Sparks, choreographer to the stars

Shane Sparks stands in the back of the Dome at the Millennium dance complex in North Hollywood, watching as his assistant, Rachel, does the job he usually does. He's thirty minutes late to his Monday night hip-hop class and Rachel is subbing for him. The class is the biggest hip-hop class in Los Angeles but tonight only about 60 percent of the students are in attendance. Most likely due to the fact that the famous choreographer was held up at rehearsals for the season finale of this summer's number one TV show "So You Think You Can Dance".

Shane's assistant, Rachel teaches the class with the "boom, kah kahs" instead of counts that Shane's known for and gives them about a minute or so of a routine to Omarion's "Growing Pains". Some do Rachel's dance with the ease and laziness of a seasoned pro while others hit the staccato beats with insecure jerky motions rather than the smooth popping that Rachel probably intended.

Once the music stops, the students spot their missing teacher standing by the door and stop on their way out to greet him. The students who mostly fall into the 16-24 range, shake his hand, hug him, or even check out the Mohawk he's growing out. But one teenage girl stops in front of him and asks the question many of the students were probably thinking. "Where were you? I came for you." She says with a hint of half-joking disappointment playing in her voice. Shane apologetically explains to her that he got stuck at rehearsals for the show that's taken up most of his time and talents this past summer.

"This whole summer has been wake up in the morning, go to a meeting, go to a radio station, do an interview with KTLA, go to a rehearsal for the show, go to class, and probably go home and watch a movie," Sparks said.

But despite the packed schedule Shane's had for the past few months, he's not complaining.

"It's the most incredible thing that I could ever ask for. It's so crazy to go from Cincinnati, Ohio [where I was] a talent show dancer and street dancer to the hottest TV show on Earth. I got on my MySpace that I feel like I'm flying right now. My life feels like a dream."

Like many people who have become successful in Hollywood, it was a serendipitous combination of natural-born talent, fate, and opportunity that got Shane to where is right now. He came to LA, as a part of a singing group called Cold Premiere. The group recorded tracks and shot a video but ended up getting dropped from their label.

Continued...

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