Mia Michaels Melchiona (known professionally as Mia Michaels; born February 22, 1966) is an American choreographer and judge on the television show So You Think You Can Dance. She has worked with Tom Cruise, Celine Dion, Gloria Estefan, Madonna, Ricky Martin, Prince, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. In 2005 she choreographed Cirque du Soleil's world tour Delirium and Celine Dion's A New Day...,Bill Keveney (07/20/2005), "It takes 50 to tango, etc., on Fox's 'Dance'". USA Today. (07347456) for which she received an Emmy Award nomination. In 2007 she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography for her routine on "Calling You" during season two of So You Think You Can Dance. She won another Emmy Award during season five in 2010.Academy of Television Arts & Sciences She was a judge during season 7 with Adam Shankman and Nigel Lythgoe. She choreographed the dance sequence for "Get Happy" in the episode "Bombshells" of the television series House.
Early life Mia Michaels was born in Coconut Grove, Florida on February 22, 1966, to a family of dancers.McDonagh, Don; Caras, Steven (August 1998), "Blonde ambition". Dance Magazine. 72 (8):58 Her father, Joe Michaels, taught her jazz, tap, and ballet from the age of three at the Miami Dance Center. Her sister, Dana Michaels, taught her contemporary dance. Her brother Joe Melchiona owned and taught dance at Heidi & Joe's Dance Center in Miami Florida. While growing up, she attended summer sessions at Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan and at Jacob's Pillow in Becket, Massachusetts.
Professional career The choreography for Celine Dion's "A New Day" by Michaels, under the direction of Franco Dragone at Caesars' Palace in Las Vegas, received positive reviews. The show features a cast of 50 dancers. Michaels' work can be seen in the first touring show by Cirque du Soleil, Delirium, which premiered in March 2006. She has created works for Madonna, Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan, Anna Vissi, and Prince.Past Faculty - Jazz Broadway Dance Center, New York City.
Michaels is a judge and contributing choreographer for the FOX television show So You Think You Can Dance (abbreviated SYTYCD). She won an Emmy award for her choreography on the television series Calling You on SYTYCD. Her other works in film and television include Cool Women for AMC/DreamWorks Television and commercials for Mike's Hard Lemonade, Bacardi, Coldwell Banker, and Ziper. She also choreographed and played the character Olivia in the dance film Step Up Revolution.
The show's executive producer, Nigel Lythgoe, confirmed on October 15, 2009, Michaels' departure from the show. Lythgoe thanked Michaels for her assistance during the auditions phase of season 6, which was broadcast during the fall of 2009. He also made it known that Michaels was welcome to return to the show at any time during season 6 or in subsequent seasons. Michaels later revealed she left the show to participate as a choreographer for the Canadian and Australian versions of SYTYCD. In addition, Michaels shared she was moving forward on several other projects, including her own choreography show, participating in a documentary/reality show, working on a clothing line, and working on a book deal. Michaels did choreograph a routine for So You Think You Can Dance Canada's second season finale on October 25; the theme of the piece evoked her choice to depart the franchise. During rehearsal in Toronto, she injured her back and could not be present for the live performance.
Since June 2006, Michaels has been a columnist for Movmnt magazine.
In 2010, Bravo announced a television program focusing on Michaels.
Included in her concert and stage work is the dance company RAW (Reality at Work). She is the founder, artistic director, and choreographer since the beginning in 1997. 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 in If These Shoes Could Talk and Fort Chaffee.Past Faculty - Jazz Broadway Dance Center, New York City
Michaels was one of many choreographers set to pay tribute to Michael Jackson at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. Michaels was to join Wade Robson, Tyce Diorio, Laurie Ann Gibson, Brian Friedman, and other dancer-choreographers in performing with Janet Jackson for her rendition of the song "Scream", but sustained an injury during rehearsals and was unable to perform on the show.
Michaels has been on the faculty of schools including the Harid Conservatory, the Ailey School of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Broadway Dance Center in New York City, and her alma mater, the New World School of the Arts. Her choreography has been enlisted for the Miami City Ballet, Joffrey II, the Kirov Academy, and the Jazz Theater of Amsterdam. She occasionally joins the staff of the dance convention JUMP. In 2017, she worked with the Joffery Ballet School for a summer intensive program.
When So You Think You Can Dance returned for its ninth season, Michaels returned to the show and choreographed the Top 20 group performance.
In 2012, Michaels choreographed for the film Rock of Ages. In 2015, she provided the choreography for the Broadway musical Finding Neverland. In 2016, she choreographed the New York Christmas Spectacular starring the Rockettes. In 2019, it was announced that Michaels would provide choreography for the 2020 animated film The SpongeBob Movie: It's a Wonderful Sponge.
So You Think You Can Dance SeasonWeekDancersDance styleMusicNotes12Destini RogersBlake McGrathLyrical Jazz"A Song for You" – Donny HathawayAshlé DawsonArtem Chigvintsev5Kamilah BarrettNick LazzariniContemporary"King of Pain" – The Police7Ashlé DawsonMelody Lacayanga"Message in a Bottle" – The Police2LVW*All DancersN/A6Travis WallHeidi Groskreutz"Calling You" – Celine DionEmmy Award for Outstanding Choreography 2007Heidi Groskreutz's favorite routine of the seasonAllison HolkerRyan Rankine"Ethna" – Klement Bonelli8Top 6"Hide and Seek" from Imogen HeapResult Show9Donyelle JonesTravis Wall"Georgia on My Mind" – Ray Charles3LVWAll Dancers"I Miss You" – Vitamin String Quartet1Lacey SchwimmerKameron Bink"Dancing" – Elisa3Shauna NolandCedric Gardner"I Thought We Had" – The Family Stand5Lauren GottliebNeil Haskell"Let the Drummer Kick" – Citizen Cope6Top 10"The Moment I Said It" – Imogen HeapResult Show7Lacey SchwimmerNeil Haskell"Time" – Billy PorterDan Karaty's favorite routine of the season8Lauren GottliebDanny Tidwell"Then You Look at Me" – Celine Dion9Neil HaskellDanny Tidwell"Are You the One?" – The Presets4LVWAll DancersMic Check – Imogen Heap1Chelsie HightowerMark Kanemura"Beautiful" – Meshell Ndegeocello3Top 16"The Dance" – Charlotte MartinResult Show4Kherington PayneStephen "tWitch" Boss"Dreaming with a Broken Heart" – John MayerKatee SheanJoshua Allen"Hometown Glory" – Adele6Top 5 female dancers"Ave Maria" – Celine DionResult Show7Katee SheanStephen "tWitch" Boss"Mercy" – DuffyNominated for the 2009 Emmy Award for Outstanding ChoreographyMary Murphy's favorite routine of the season9Top 4"Hallelujah" – The Vitamin String Quartet5LVWAll Dancers"Belief (Stripped Version)" – Gavin DeGraw2Top 18"Higher Ground" – Stevie WonderResult Show3Randi EvansEvan Kasprzak"Koop Island Blues" – Koop featuring Ane BrunWon the 2010 Emmy Award for Outstanding ChoreographyOne of Adam Shankman's favorite routines of the season5Kayla RadomskiKūpono Aweau"Gravity" – Sara BareillesWon the 2010 Emmy Award for Outstanding ChoreographyOne of Nigel Lythgoe's favorite routines of the season7Top 8"One" from A Chorus LineWon the 2010 Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography Result Show9Jeanine MasonKayla RadomskiContemporary"The Four Sections: IV (Full Orchestra)" – Steve Reich71Billy BellAde ObayomiAlex Wong"This Bitter Earth/On the Nature of Daylight" – Max Richter and Dinah Washington4Top 8"When We Dance" – Sting7Top 6 All-Stars"Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic" – Sting91Top 20"Eyes" (Coachella Live 2012 version) – Kaskade4Top 14"Hanging On" – Active Child All couples perform routines choreographed by Mia Michaels form previous seasons.Eliana Girard Cyrus "Glitch" Spencer Mercy – DuffyFrom Season 4Tiffany Maher George Lawrence Jr. Hometown Glory – AdeleAmelia Lowe Will Thomas"Koop Island Blues" – Koop feat. Ane BrunFrom Season 5Janelle Issis Dareian KujawaDreaming with a Broken Heart – John MayerFrom Season 4Audrey CaseMatthew Kazmierczak"Time" – Billy PorterFrom Season 3Witney CarsonChehon Wespi-TschoppCalling You – Celine DionFrom Season 2Lindsay ArnoldCole Horibe"Gravity" – Sara BareillesFrom season 57Eliana GirardCole Horibe"Adagio for Strings" – Brno Philharmonic Orchestra10MT20*Hayley Erbert Carlos Garland Malece Miller"Stay – Rihanna feat. Mikky Ekko8Top 8"Move to the Ocean" (Baauer remix) – Brick & Mortar147Lex Ishimoto Taylor Sieve"You Matter To Me" by Sara Bareilles ft. Jason Mraz154Top 6"Spring 1" – Max Richter
LVW=Las Vegas Week MT20=Meet Top 20
So You Think You Can Dance Canada SeasonWeekDancersDance styleMusic28Top 3 GirlsContemporary"Concerto for 2 Violins in D Minor, BMV 1043: II. Largo ma non Tanto J. S. Bach" – The Scottish Ensemble/Jonathan Rees9Top 10Contemporary"This Moment" – Nic Chagall ft. Jonathan Mendelsohn33Top 18Jazz"Let Go" – Mitzi Gaynor6Top 12Contemporary"Will I?" from Rent49Top 3 GirlsContemporary"What About Us" – ATB
Awards and honors YearAward CategoryWorkResult1992Jazz Dance World CongressSilver Leo AwardDance Educators of AmericaPresident Cup2002American Choreography AwardsOutstanding Achievement in CommercialsColdwell Banker "Buying"2003Outstanding Achievement in Television - Variety SeriesCeline in Las Vegas: Opening Night LivePrimetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Choreography2007So You Think You Can Dance ( For episode Calling You)2009So You Think You Can Dance (For "Mercy")2010So You Think You Can Dance (For the routines "Koop Island Blues," "Gravity," and "One")2011So You Think You Can Dance (For the routines "Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic," "When We Dance," "This Bitter Earth/On the Nature of Daylight" (tied with Tabitha and Napoleon D'umo)2015Astaire AwardsBest ChoreographerFinding Neverland
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