Blake McGrath
Encyclopedia
Blake McGrath is a Canadian
professional dance
r, pop
singer and choreographer, best known for being on the first season of So You Think You Can Dance in 2005, and MTV reality dance show, DanceLife
.
His early television appearances include: Choices of the Heart: The Margaret Sanger Story
(1997) playing Stuart Sanger, and the TV show recreation of Goosebumps
book "Stay Out of the Basement". He played the brother Casey.
In 2003, McGrath was chosen to perform on Michael Jackson
's thirtieth anniversary special. In 2006, he performed alongside Paulina Rubio
at the 2004 Latin Grammy Awards
. Also in 2006 he has an appearance in the documentary Freestyle (with Brian Friedman
). He has appeared in Gap campaigns (with Sarah Jessica Parker
), and in advertisements for iPod
, Old Navy
(which he also choreographed), and Hummer
.
He has danced with stars such as Madonna
, Britney Spears
, Janet Jackson
, Adam Lambert
, Ashanti
, Destiny's Child
, P!nk
, Craig David
, Jewel
.
In addition to his appearances on television shows, McGrath has also appeared in the films Butterbox Babies
, Life With Mikey
, Chicago
, and Rent
. He was also featured as a dancer in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody in the episode Commercial Breaks. He was a waiter.
He is co-owner of Coastal Dance Rage Convention, which tours major cities throughout Canada. He also appeared on the magazine cover of Hotshoes and appeared in Dance Spirit Magazine December 2006 issue.
. He appeared in the 2007 reality TV show DanceLife
produced by Jennifer Lopez
.
for the audition cities and alternating third judge on So You Think You Can Dance Canada
. He has had contributions for all three seasons todate of the Canadian series as follows:
. He presented an award with Girlicious
at the 2010 MuchMusic Video Awards
on June 20, 2010. His follow up single is "Relax".
, Ontario
. He attended Cawthra Park Secondary School
, School of the Arts and Applewood Heights Secondary School in Mississauga as well as St. Jean de Brebeuf Catholic Secondary School in Hamilton
, ON.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
r, pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer and choreographer, best known for being on the first season of So You Think You Can Dance in 2005, and MTV reality dance show, DanceLife
DanceLife
DanceLife is a 2007 dance-oriented US TV reality show, featuring and produced by Jennifer Lopez. The series follows the lives of seven dancers trying to break into the world of professional dance and trying to "make it" in Hollywood...
.
Early career
Blake James McGrath was born in Mississauga OntarioHis early television appearances include: Choices of the Heart: The Margaret Sanger Story
Choices of the Heart: The Margaret Sanger Story
Choices of the Heart: The Margaret Sanger Story is a TV-movie about the controversial nurse Margaret Sanger who campaigned in the early 1900s in the United States for women's reproductive rights.-Plot:...
(1997) playing Stuart Sanger, and the TV show recreation of Goosebumps
Goosebumps
Goosebumps is a series of children's horror fiction novels written by American author R. L. Stine and first published by Scholastic Publishing. It is a collection of stories that feature semi-homogenous plot structures, with fictional children being involved in scary situations...
book "Stay Out of the Basement". He played the brother Casey.
In 2003, McGrath was chosen to perform on Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
's thirtieth anniversary special. In 2006, he performed alongside Paulina Rubio
Paulina Rubio
Paulina Susana Rubio Rue is a Mexican singer and actress. Rubio achieved international stardom with her fifth studio album, Paulina...
at the 2004 Latin Grammy Awards
Latin Grammy Awards
A Latin Grammy Award is an accolade by the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry. Unlike the regular Grammy Award which primarily honors music produced in the United States, the Latin Grammy honors works produced anywhere around the...
. Also in 2006 he has an appearance in the documentary Freestyle (with Brian Friedman
Brian Friedman
Brian L. Friedman, is an American dancer and choreographer, and has created the choreography for many popular music artists - such as Britney Spears, Beyoncé Knowles and Mariah Carey - as well as for music videos, concert tours and television and film productions.-Early life:Friedman was born in...
). He has appeared in Gap campaigns (with Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker is an American film, television, and theater actress and producer.She is best known for her leading role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City , for which she won four Golden Globe Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Emmy Awards...
), and in advertisements for iPod
IPod
iPod is a line of portable media players created and marketed by Apple Inc. The product line-up currently consists of the hard drive-based iPod Classic, the touchscreen iPod Touch, the compact iPod Nano, and the ultra-compact iPod Shuffle...
, Old Navy
Old Navy
Old Navy is an American clothing brand as well as a chain of stores owned by Gap, Inc., with corporate operations in San Francisco and San Bruno, California. It is one of the first major corporations to house headquarters in the new Mission Bay district of San Francisco.Gap, Inc. was run by...
(which he also choreographed), and Hummer
Hummer
Hummer was a brand of trucks and SUVs, first marketed in 1992 when AM General began selling a civilian version of the M998 Humvee. In 1998, General Motors purchased the brand name and marketed three vehicles: the original Hummer H1, based on the Humvee; and the H2 and H3 models that were...
.
He has danced with stars such as Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
, Janet Jackson
Janet Jackson
Janet Damita Jo Jackson is an American recording artist and actress. Known for a series of sonically innovative, socially conscious and sexually provocative records, as well as elaborate stage shows, television and film roles, she has been a prominent figure in popular culture for over 25 years...
, Adam Lambert
Adam Lambert
Adam Mitchel Lambert is an American singer, songwriter, and actor from San Diego, California. In May 2009, he finished as the runner-up on the eighth season of American Idol...
, Ashanti
Ashanti (singer)
Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, dancer, actress, and model. She rose to fame in the early 2000s. Ashanti is most famous for her eponymous debut album, which featured the hit song "Foolish", and sold over 503,000 copies in its first week of release...
, Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child
Destiny's Child was an American R&B girl group whose final line-up comprised lead singer Beyoncé Knowles alongside Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams. Formed in 1997 in Houston, Texas, Destiny's Child members began their musical endeavors in their pre-teens under the name Girl's Tyme...
, P!nk
Pink (singer)
Alecia Beth Moore , better known by her stage name Pink , is an American singer-songwriter, musician and actress....
, Craig David
Craig David
Craig Ashley David is an English singer and songwriter. He has released five studio albums: Born to Do It, Slicker Than Your Average, The Story Goes..., Trust Me, Signed Sealed Delivered and a Greatest Hits album...
, Jewel
Jewel (singer)
Jewel Kilcher , professionally known as Jewel, is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, actress and poet...
.
In addition to his appearances on television shows, McGrath has also appeared in the films Butterbox Babies
Butterbox Babies
Butterbox Babies is a 1992 book by Bette L. Cahill describing life in the 1930s at the Ideal Maternity Home in East Chester, Nova Scotia, Canada.- Overview :...
, Life With Mikey
Life with Mikey
Life with Mikey is a 1993 comedy film starring Michael J. Fox, Christina Vidal, Nathan Lane, Cyndi Lauper and David Krumholtz....
, Chicago
Chicago (2002 film)
Chicago is a 2002 musical film adapted from the satirical stage musical of the same name, exploring the themes of celebrity, scandal, and corruption in Jazz-age Chicago....
, and Rent
Rent (film)
Rent is a 2005 American musical drama film directed by Chris Columbus. It is an adaptation of the Broadway musical of the same name, in turn based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La bohème. The film depicts the lives of several Bohemians and their struggles with sexuality, cross-dressing, drugs, life...
. He was also featured as a dancer in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody in the episode Commercial Breaks. He was a waiter.
He is co-owner of Coastal Dance Rage Convention, which tours major cities throughout Canada. He also appeared on the magazine cover of Hotshoes and appeared in Dance Spirit Magazine December 2006 issue.
Dancing career
In 2005, McGrath participated as a contestant on So You Think You Can DanceSo You Think You Can Dance (U.S. TV series)
So You Think You Can Dance is an American dance competition and reality show that airs on Fox in the United States.The series first premiered on July 20, 2005, and was created by American Idol producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe and is produced by 19 Entertainment and Dick Clark Productions...
. He appeared in the 2007 reality TV show DanceLife
DanceLife
DanceLife is a 2007 dance-oriented US TV reality show, featuring and produced by Jennifer Lopez. The series follows the lives of seven dancers trying to break into the world of professional dance and trying to "make it" in Hollywood...
produced by Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, television personality, and fashion designer. Lopez began her career as a dancer on the television comedy program In Living Color. Subsequently venturing into acting, she gained recognition in the 1995 action-thriller...
.
Choreography in So You Think You Can Dance Canada series (2008-2010)
He is the lead choreographerChoreography
Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements in which motion, form, or both are specified. Choreography may also refer to the design itself, which is sometimes expressed by means of dance notation. The word choreography literally means "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" ...
for the audition cities and alternating third judge on So You Think You Can Dance Canada
So You Think You Can Dance Canada
So You Think You Can Dance Canada was a dance competition and reality show that aired on CTV.Based on the original American TV show So You Think You Can Dance, the Canadian series showcased the best in Canadian dancing talent. Each season, the show held auditions in major cities across the...
. He has had contributions for all three seasons todate of the Canadian series as follows:
| Season | Week | Dancers | Style | Music |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 (Canada) So You Think You Can Dance Canada (season 1) Season 1 of So You Think You Can Dance Canada is a dance reality show and competition that airs on CTV. It is hosted by MuchMusic VJ Leah Miller.... |
Week 3 | Arassay Reyes Nico Archambault Nico Archambault Nicolas "Nico" Archambault Nicolas "Nico" Archambault Nicolas "Nico" Archambault (born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on 18 October 1984 is a Canadian dancer dancer and choreographer who in 2008 won the first season of So You Think You Can Dance Canada. After the win, he became well known for his... |
Contemporary | "Let Me Leave"—Marc Broussard Marc Broussard Marc Broussard is an American singer/songwriter. His style is best described as "Bayou Soul," a mix of funk, blues, R&B, rock, and pop, matched with distinct Southern roots... |
| Week 4 | Kaitlyn Fitzgerald Izaak Smith |
Jazz Funk | "Breakin' Dishes"—Rihanna Rihanna Robyn Rihanna Fenty , better known as simply Rihanna, is a Barbadian recording artist. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna moved to the United States at the age of 16 to pursue a recording career under the guidance of record producer Evan Rogers... |
|
| Week 5 | Top 12 | Contemporary | "I Surrender"—Celine Dion Celine Dion Céline Marie Claudette Dion, , , is a Canadian singer. Born to a large family from Charlemagne, Quebec, Dion emerged as a teen star in the French-speaking world after her manager and future husband René Angélil mortgaged his home to finance her first record... |
|
| Week 7 | Lisa Auguste Nico Archambault Nico Archambault Nicolas "Nico" Archambault Nicolas "Nico" Archambault Nicolas "Nico" Archambault (born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on 18 October 1984 is a Canadian dancer dancer and choreographer who in 2008 won the first season of So You Think You Can Dance Canada. After the win, he became well known for his... |
Jazz Funk | "When I Grow Up"—The Pussycat Dolls | |
| Week 8 | Lisa Auguste Miles Faber |
Contemporary | "The Face"—RyanDan RyanDan RyanDan is a Canadian musical, songwriting and producing duo, consisting of identical twins Ryan and Dan Kowarsky, whose music is a mix of pop, opera, and classical.... |
|
| Season 2 (Canada) So You Think You Can Dance Canada (season 2) Season 2 of So You Think You Can Dance Canada is a dance reality show and competition that airs on CTV. It is hosted by ETalk correspondent and former MuchMusic VJ Leah Miller.... |
Week 2 | Amy Gardner Vincent Desjardins |
Contemporary | "When You Say My Name"—Mario Spinetti |
| Week 3 | Kim Gingras Emanuel Sandhu Emanuel Sandhu Emanuel Sandhu is a Canadian figure skater and dancer. He is a three-time Canadian national champion and the 2004 Grand Prix champion.-Personal life:... |
Jazz Funk | "Love Sex Magic"—Ciara Ciara Ciara Princess Harris , known mononymously as Ciara, is an American singer-songwriter, dancer, actress and fashion model. Born in Austin, Texas, she traveled around the world during her childhood, only to land in Atlanta, Georgia where she met music producer, Jazze Pha... feat Justin Timberlake |
|
| Week 4 | Top 14 | Jazz Funk | "LoveGame"—Lady Gaga Lady GaGa Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to... |
|
| Week 5 | Jayme Rae Dailey Daniel Dory |
Contemporary | "It Must Have Been Love"—Kari Kimmel Kari Kimmel Kari Meredyth Kimmel is an American singer/songwriter whose style is generally classified as pop with rock, country and R&B influences. Many of her songs have been used in movies and TV shows.-Biography:... |
|
| Week 8 | Jayme Rae Dailey Emanuel Sandhu |
Jazz Funk | "I Gotta Feeling"—The Black Eyed Peas The Black Eyed Peas The Black Eyed Peas are an American pop group , formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1995. The group includes rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap, and Taboo, and singer Fergie. Since the release of their third album Elephunk in 2003, the group has sold an estimated 56 million records worldwide... |
|
| Season 3 (Canada) So You Think You Can Dance Canada (season 3) Season 3 of So You Think You Can Dance Canada is a dance reality show and competition that airs on CTV. It is hosted by ETalk correspondent Leah Miller... |
Week 2 | Kloé Schultz Jonathan Arsenault |
Jazz | "California Gurls"—Katy Perry Katy Perry Katy Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a... feat Snoop Dogg |
| Week 4 | Nathalie Heath Mackenzie Green |
Contemporary | "After Afterall"—William Fitzsimmons William Fitzsimmons William Fitzsimmons may refer to:*William Fitzsimmons , a member of the Ontario legislative assembly and Canadian House of Commons... |
|
| Week 5 | Nathalie Heath Jonathan Arsenault |
Jazz | "Teenage Dream"—Katy Perry Katy Perry Katy Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a... |
|
| Week 7 | Janick Arseneau Jeff Mortensen |
Jazz Funk | "Come On Girl"—Taio Cruz Taio Cruz Taio Cruz is a British singer-songwriter, record producer, occasional rapper, and entrepreneur. In 2008, he released his debut album Departure, which Cruz wrote, arranged and produced himself. It achieved initial success in the UK and earned him a MOBO Award nomination... feat Luciana Caporoso |
|
Musical career
Blake is now pursuing a music career and released his first single "The Night (Only Place To Go)" on April 27 of 2010 on MuchMusicMuchMusic
MuchMusic is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by Bell Media. MuchMusic is dedicated to music-related programs, pop and youth culture.-History:...
. He presented an award with Girlicious
Girlicious
Girlicious is an American girl group originally formed by Robin Antin, creator of the Pussycat Dolls, from the CW reality TV show Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious. The group was originally signed to Geffen Records and composed of members Natalie Mejia, Chrystina Sayers, Nichole Corvoda and...
at the 2010 MuchMusic Video Awards
2010 MuchMusic Video Awards
The 2010 MuchMusic Video Awards were held in Toronto, Canada at MuchMusic's headquarters on June 20, 2010. Along with the MuchMusic VJ's, it was confirmed on the MuchMusic website that Miley Cyrus will co-host the show. The artists with the most nominations are Drake and Hedley with six. For the...
on June 20, 2010. His follow up single is "Relax".
Personal life
As of 2006, McGrath lives in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. He attended Cawthra Park Secondary School
Cawthra Park Secondary School
Cawthra Park Secondary School, also known as CPSS, is a public high school located in Southeast Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.Cawthra Park provides instruction to students from grades 9 to 12 and is under the jurisdiction of the Peel District School Board....
, School of the Arts and Applewood Heights Secondary School in Mississauga as well as St. Jean de Brebeuf Catholic Secondary School in Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, ON.
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAN Canadian Albums Chart The Canadian Albums Chart is the official album sales chart in Canada. It is compiled every Wednesday by U.S.-based music sales tracking company Nielsen Soundscan, and published every Thursday by Jam! Canoe and Billboard, along with its sister charts the Canadian Singles Chart and the Canadian BDS... |
US Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
FR France The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France... |
UK UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
AUS ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
||
| 2010 | Time to Move Time to Move Time to Move is the first studio album by Canadian singer Blake McGrath. It was released in Canada on November 2, 2010.-Track listing:-Tour:...
|
39 | - | |||
Filmography
- 1993: Life with Mikey as an acrobat
- 1995: Butterbox Babies as Simon (age 7/8)
- 1995: Choices of the Heart: The Margaret Sanger Story as Stuart Sanger (TV movie)
- 1996: Goosebumps as Casey Brewer (in 2 episodes in TV series)
- 2002: Chicago as a male dancer
- 2004: Britney Spears Live from Miami as a dancer (TV movie)
- 2005: Rent as dancer (uncredited)
- 2007: Dancelife as himself