Danny Tidwell
Encyclopedia
Daniel Arnold Tidwell is best known for being the runner-up on Fox
's third season of So You Think You Can Dance in 2007.
Tidwell began dancing as a child, at first focusing on jazz
before changing to ballet while attending Kirov Academy of Ballet at the age of fifteen. He has worked in elite companies, including the American Ballet Theater. He has also performed the works of renowned choreographers, including Debbie Allen, William Forsythe and Mia Michaels. He is Travis Wall
's brother, also a runner-up of the second season of "So You Think You Can Dance." Tidwell is currently the Artistic Director of Movmnt
Magazine and a soloist dancer with Norwegian National Opera and Ballet
in Oslo.
and raised in nearby Virginia Beach
. His early childhood was turbulent, and he sometimes got into trouble. Tidwell started dancing at the age of eight in an after-school program for at-risk youth. Local dance instructor Vicky Cooke took notice of the "little bit of a kid in a straddle, trying to reach his fingers to his toes", and after the program closed, Cooke mentioned the boy to Denise Wall. The two women decided to accept him to their studio, Denise Wall’s Dance Energy, for free. Over the next couple of years, Wall took a personal interest in Tidwell, and by the time he was ten, he was calling Wall "Mom" and her other sons (Scotty, Travis, Tyler and Shannon) his brothers. She found out that the boy would often walk part or all of the ten miles (16 km) home after dance class, had little adult supervision outside of the studio, and, at one point, had not been registered in school for months. He lived with his natural mother and two sisters until he was ten, before moving in with Wall; she officially took custody of Tidwell at the age of twelve.
In his early teens, Tidwell met several outstanding young dancers, including his favorite - Rasta Thomas
, and it motivated him to take his dance to a new height. He set the goal to attend the Kirov Academy of Ballet
(also known as Universal Ballet Academy) in Washington, DC and, at the age of fifteen, he was invited to study at Kirov on scholarship. It turned out to be up to that time, what he calls, "the best and the worst experience" of his life. He began receiving high-level classical ballet training with Vladimir Djouloukhadze and Anatoli Kucheruk, at first to improve his jazz dance. However, he soon found that the difficulty of ballet was the perfect outlet for his need of a constant challenge, and switched concentrations - a late start by ballet standards. While excelling in dance, he found the environment at Kirov demanding and isolating. As summer approached, he prepared for and participated in the Shanghai International Ballet Competition and took home a silver medal (no gold was awarded that year). However, the stress of Kirov had been too much, and he quit the school after the competition.
After leaving, Tidwell got the opportunity to perform principal roles in two original shows created by Debbie Allen
, including Dreams and Pearl, which he performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., in front of President George W. Bush
. He also had a two-month stint at the School of American Ballet
, where he found both the teachers and students unaccepting and remote. In 2002, Tidwell submitted his audition tape to participate in the prestigious, quadrennial USA International Ballet Competition
(USA IBC). He was invited to compete, and went on to receive the silver medal. Unbeknownst to Tidwell, the win would launch his career.
just before the ABT's 2003 season began at the Metropolitan Opera House. He performed many works in the classical ballet repertory, and although only a corps member, he was given soloists roles in Le Spectre de la Rose
and the peasant pas de deux from Giselle
. Tidwell was a company member of the ABT's 2003 production of the Swan Lake
that was later broadcast on the program Great Performances: Dance in America and released on DVD. Despite his success, he was beginning to find the unremitting rigors of being in a company confining. Tidwell left the ABT in 2004, shocking the dance world and those who knew him.
Over the next two years, Tidwell dabbled in various pursuits. He performed contemporary works by choreographers Nacho Duato
, Jiri Killian, William Forsythe
, Kirk Peterson and Robert Hill
. In 2005, Tidwell was featured as one of Dance Magazine
’s 25 to Watch (appearing on the cover) and Pointe Magazine's Top 10 VIP. He was a guest principal dancer in Ballet Lubbock's Nutcracker in December 2005. That August, Tidwell taught in the National Dance Foundation of Bermuda's International Summer Intensive program, run in partnership with American Ballet Theatre. Continuing to work in dance education, Tidwell is now on the faculty of JUMP and has been invited to guest teach at many schools and studios across the country.
Also in 2005, Tidwell, along with publisher David Benaym, photographer Roger Moenks, and choreographer Lauren Adams, co-created Moving Still, a "life performance" in the format of a combination of a live show and a photography art/fashion book. Moving Still lead to the creation of movmnt
magazine in June 2006, a quarterly with a focus on fashion, dance, emerging music artists, and social issues that Tidwell co-founded with Benaym. Tidwell serves as the magazine's Artistic Advisor, and he eventually graced the cover in the Spring 2008 issue along with former SYTYCD contestant Sabra Johnson
.
In 2006, Tidwell joined Complexions Contemporary Ballet
for a season under the direction of company founders Dwight Rhoden
and Desmond Richardson
. That summer he was invited back to the USA IBC to perform in the opening ceremonies. He left Complexions after a year.
During this period, Tidwell would often return home from New York to Virginia Beach, to be "rejuvenated" and teach at the studio with his mother. While still active in dance, Tidwell's career was losing focus, and his mother feared that he was losing his love for dance. That changed in late 2006 when the two went to see Tidwell's brother, Travis, perform in the So You Think You Can Dance tour in Madison Square Gardens. Travis had come in second place during the previous season, and was heavily featured in the touring show. His mother recalled, "At Madison Square Garden, Danny looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, 'I want to do that. My brother's up there on that stage, dancing and living, and I want to do that.'" The following season he attended the show's open auditions in New York City.
choreographer Mia Michaels
and hip hop
choreographer Shane Sparks
, found Tidwell to be arrogant, with the latter saying Tidwell acted as if he were "God's gift to the world." The allegation was a recurring issue throughout the show, and Tidwell found his reputation as a gifted dancer at odds with his aloof demeanor. Nigel Lythgoe (head judge and executive producer) for his part found the accusations tiresome, responding to choreographer Adam Shankman
's comment on Tidwell's arrogance with, "I think you're talking crap." The New York Times, in an article titled "So He Knows He Can Dance: A Prince Among Paupers", praised the technically talented Tidwell, and noted that "his unflinching poise and his chiseled, determined jaw" can be misread on television. The article continued, "If Mr. Tidwell is different from the other dancers on the show, the distinction has as much to do with his dignity as with his impeccable line and his ability to infuse slight choreography with authority...He never mugs for the camera. It's sad, yet hardly a surprise, that such behavior could be taken as superciliousness." The aforementioned Sparks later retracted his previous statement and said Tidwell could "be one of the greats."
Selected as one of the top twenty, he was paired up with ballroom
dancer, Anya Garnis. They were a judge favorite early on, with guest-judge Debbie Allen remarking "I can't imagine you all not being at the very end of the competition". The couple first found themselves in the bottom three couples after they danced a hip-hop choreographed by Dan Karaty
on the third show. The following night, Tidwell "danced for his life" in a contemporary solo that allowed him to stay in the competition. On the following broadcast, the couple danced a contemporary routine by Tyce Diorio
but again they found themselves in the bottom three. However, Tidwell had yet another successful solo, and consequently moved on. Once in the top twelve, Tidwell and Garnis performed a Foxtrot routine choreographed by Jean-Marc Généreux
. After being in the bottom three for the third time in a row, Garnis was asked to leave the competition, while Tidwell made it into the top ten, earning him a spot in the planned 2007 So You Think You Can Dance Tour. He then was partnered with (in chronological order) Lacey Schwimmer
, Sara Von Gillern, and Lauren Gottlieb without ever being "in danger" again. He eventually made it to the final four contestants, placing him in the finale. During the finale, Danny performed a solo to "We are the Champions
", as sung by Gavin DeGraw
, that received effusive praise and the only standing ovation from the judges, with Lythgoe saying that "every young man watching this show should aspire to be as good as you". The following night, he finished the competition as runner-up behind winner Sabra Johnson
.
Reflecting on the season, Tidwell said, "I have all kinds of dance styles now, connections to choreographers and music options." He also concluded, "I found that I love to dance again."
The tour began September 21, 2007 in Albany, New York, and concluded November 30 in Reno, Nevada, for a total of fifty dates. The tour stopped in Tidwell's home of Hampton Roads
on October 16, 2007.
Performance review
Note: Pink results indicate that he was in the bottom three.
Tidwell appeared on the February 2008 cover of movmnt
magazine, with Sabra Johnson
, as part of an article about "Keep It Real", the magazine's non-profit organization.
Tidwell, along with many previous finalists of So You Think You Can Dance, performed during American Idol
s second annual Idol Gives Back
charity event in April 2008. At the time, Nigel Lythgoe
produced both shows. Tidwell was a guest teacher on the 2007-2008 tour of JUMP: the Alternative Convention. In September 2009, Tidwell had his Broadway debut as a castmember in "Memphis." He performed in April 2010 on Dancing with the Stars
with New York City Ballet
principal, Tiler Peck on a piece choreographed by Travis Wall. Since September 2010, Tidwell lives in Oslo where he was hired as a soloist for Norway's National Ballet.
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
's third season of So You Think You Can Dance in 2007.
Tidwell began dancing as a child, at first focusing on jazz
Jazz dance
Jazz dance is a classification shared by a broad range of dance styles. Before the 1950s, jazz dance referred to dance styles that originated from African American vernacular dance. In the 1950s, a new genre of jazz dance—modern jazz dance—emerged, with roots in Caribbean traditional dance...
before changing to ballet while attending Kirov Academy of Ballet at the age of fifteen. He has worked in elite companies, including the American Ballet Theater. He has also performed the works of renowned choreographers, including Debbie Allen, William Forsythe and Mia Michaels. He is Travis Wall
Travis Wall
Travis Michael Wall , an American dancer and dance instructor specializing in contemporary dance and jazz dance. He is best known for his 2006 appearance as a competitor on the second season of the television show So You Think You Can Dance, which airs on the Fox Network. As of 2009, he is...
's brother, also a runner-up of the second season of "So You Think You Can Dance." Tidwell is currently the Artistic Director of Movmnt
Movmnt
movmnt magazine is an urban-leaning lifestyle magazine which was co-founded in 2006 by David Benaym and Danny Tidwell. The magazine has featured columns by Mario Spinetti, Mia Michaels, Robert Battle, Debbie Allen, Alisan Porter, Rasta Thomas, and Frank Conway...
Magazine and a soloist dancer with Norwegian National Opera and Ballet
Norwegian National Opera and Ballet
The Norwegian National Opera and Ballet is the first fully professional company for opera and ballet in Norway. Its seat is the Oslo Opera House.It was founded in 1957...
in Oslo.
Early life
Danny Tidwell was born in Norfolk, VirginiaNorfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
and raised in nearby Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay...
. His early childhood was turbulent, and he sometimes got into trouble. Tidwell started dancing at the age of eight in an after-school program for at-risk youth. Local dance instructor Vicky Cooke took notice of the "little bit of a kid in a straddle, trying to reach his fingers to his toes", and after the program closed, Cooke mentioned the boy to Denise Wall. The two women decided to accept him to their studio, Denise Wall’s Dance Energy, for free. Over the next couple of years, Wall took a personal interest in Tidwell, and by the time he was ten, he was calling Wall "Mom" and her other sons (Scotty, Travis, Tyler and Shannon) his brothers. She found out that the boy would often walk part or all of the ten miles (16 km) home after dance class, had little adult supervision outside of the studio, and, at one point, had not been registered in school for months. He lived with his natural mother and two sisters until he was ten, before moving in with Wall; she officially took custody of Tidwell at the age of twelve.
Early career and training
Commenting on his early days in training, he said, "I hated ballet and would skip every chance I got." More interested in jazz as a child, the flips, turns, and chance for expression appealed to him. However, his real motivation was competition, which would prepare him for his future endeavors more than he could have known at the time. "I was a competition kid. We used to do competitions every other weekend," he told Dance Magazine.In his early teens, Tidwell met several outstanding young dancers, including his favorite - Rasta Thomas
Rasta Thomas
Rasta Kuzma Ramacandra was born on July 18, 1981 in San Francisco and is a dancer, martial artist, gymnast and choreographer.-Early life:Rasta Thomas was raised in Washington, DC...
, and it motivated him to take his dance to a new height. He set the goal to attend the Kirov Academy of Ballet
Kirov Academy of Ballet
The Kirov Academy of Ballet of Washington, D.C. is a ballet school that serves students in grades 7 through 12 and offers a high school diploma in addition to its dance instruction...
(also known as Universal Ballet Academy) in Washington, DC and, at the age of fifteen, he was invited to study at Kirov on scholarship. It turned out to be up to that time, what he calls, "the best and the worst experience" of his life. He began receiving high-level classical ballet training with Vladimir Djouloukhadze and Anatoli Kucheruk, at first to improve his jazz dance. However, he soon found that the difficulty of ballet was the perfect outlet for his need of a constant challenge, and switched concentrations - a late start by ballet standards. While excelling in dance, he found the environment at Kirov demanding and isolating. As summer approached, he prepared for and participated in the Shanghai International Ballet Competition and took home a silver medal (no gold was awarded that year). However, the stress of Kirov had been too much, and he quit the school after the competition.
After leaving, Tidwell got the opportunity to perform principal roles in two original shows created by Debbie Allen
Debbie Allen
Deborrah Kaye “Debbie” Allen is an American actress, dancer, choreographer, television director, television producer, and a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities...
, including Dreams and Pearl, which he performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., in front of President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
. He also had a two-month stint at the School of American Ballet
School of American Ballet
The School of American Ballet is one of the most famous classical ballet schools in the world and is the associate school of the New York City Ballet, a leading international ballet company based at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. The school trains students from the...
, where he found both the teachers and students unaccepting and remote. In 2002, Tidwell submitted his audition tape to participate in the prestigious, quadrennial USA International Ballet Competition
USA International Ballet Competition
The USA International Ballet Competition, or USA IBC, is one of the world's top competitions for ballet. Located in Jackson, Mississippi, this competition is attended by dancers from all over the world to represent their country for bronze, silver, or gold medals in a variety of categories of...
(USA IBC). He was invited to compete, and went on to receive the silver medal. Unbeknownst to Tidwell, the win would launch his career.
Career
Mistress of Ceremonies of the USA IBC, Anna-Marie Holmes, passed Tidwell's application videotape to Kevin McKenzie, artistic director of the elite American Ballet Theater (ABT). Upon viewing it, McKenzie suggested to John Meehan (the ABT Education Director) that he offer Tidwell a place in the ABT Studio Company (its apprentice wing). Just two months later, Tidwell joined the Studio Company - without an audition - and soon after, in May 2003, he was promoted into their corps de balletCorps de ballet
In ballet, the corps de ballet is the group of dancers who are not soloists. They are a permanent part of the ballet company and often work as a backdrop for the principal dancers. A corps de ballet works as one, with synchronized movements and corresponding positioning on the stage...
just before the ABT's 2003 season began at the Metropolitan Opera House. He performed many works in the classical ballet repertory, and although only a corps member, he was given soloists roles in Le Spectre de la Rose
Le Spectre de la Rose
Le Spectre de la Rose is a ballet of the Ballets Russes based on a poem by Théophile Gautier. The music, by Carl Maria von Weber, was his 1819 piano piece Invitation to the Dance, in the 1841 orchestration by Hector Berlioz. Choreography was by Michel Fokine and set and costume design by Léon Bakst...
and the peasant pas de deux from Giselle
Giselle
Giselle is a ballet in two acts with a libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Théophile Gautier, music by Adolphe Adam, and choreography by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot. The librettist took his inspiration from a poem by Heinrich Heine...
. Tidwell was a company member of the ABT's 2003 production of the Swan Lake
Swan Lake
Swan Lake ballet, op. 20, by Pyotr Tchaikovsky, composed 1875–1876. The scenario, initially in four acts, was fashioned from Russian folk tales and tells the story of Odette, a princess turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer's curse. The choreographer of the original production was Julius Reisinger...
that was later broadcast on the program Great Performances: Dance in America and released on DVD. Despite his success, he was beginning to find the unremitting rigors of being in a company confining. Tidwell left the ABT in 2004, shocking the dance world and those who knew him.
Over the next two years, Tidwell dabbled in various pursuits. He performed contemporary works by choreographers Nacho Duato
Nacho Duato
Juan Ignacio Duato Bárcia, also known as Nacho Duato is a Spanish modern ballet dancer and choreographer. After a long and successful career, he was selected by the Spanish Ministry of Culture and Education as the artistic director of the National Spanish Dance Company in June 1990...
, Jiri Killian, William Forsythe
William Forsythe (dancer)
William Forsythe is an American dancer and choreographer resident in Frankfurt am Main in Hessen. He is known internationally for his work with the Ballett Frankfurt and The Forsythe Company...
, Kirk Peterson and Robert Hill
Robert Hill
Robert Hill may refer to:*Robert Hill , former Australian Senator, Defence Minister and Ambassador to the United Nations*Robert Andrews Hill , U.S. federal judge*Robert C. Hill , American diplomat...
. In 2005, Tidwell was featured as one of Dance Magazine
Dance Magazine
Dance Magazine is an "influential" American trade publication for dance, currently published by the Macfadden Communications Group. It was first published in June 1927 as The American Dancer. William Como was its editor-in-chief from 1970 to his death in 1989. Wendy Perron became its editor-in...
’s 25 to Watch (appearing on the cover) and Pointe Magazine's Top 10 VIP. He was a guest principal dancer in Ballet Lubbock's Nutcracker in December 2005. That August, Tidwell taught in the National Dance Foundation of Bermuda's International Summer Intensive program, run in partnership with American Ballet Theatre. Continuing to work in dance education, Tidwell is now on the faculty of JUMP and has been invited to guest teach at many schools and studios across the country.
Also in 2005, Tidwell, along with publisher David Benaym, photographer Roger Moenks, and choreographer Lauren Adams, co-created Moving Still, a "life performance" in the format of a combination of a live show and a photography art/fashion book. Moving Still lead to the creation of movmnt
Movmnt
movmnt magazine is an urban-leaning lifestyle magazine which was co-founded in 2006 by David Benaym and Danny Tidwell. The magazine has featured columns by Mario Spinetti, Mia Michaels, Robert Battle, Debbie Allen, Alisan Porter, Rasta Thomas, and Frank Conway...
magazine in June 2006, a quarterly with a focus on fashion, dance, emerging music artists, and social issues that Tidwell co-founded with Benaym. Tidwell serves as the magazine's Artistic Advisor, and he eventually graced the cover in the Spring 2008 issue along with former SYTYCD contestant Sabra Johnson
Sabra Johnson
Sabra Elise Johnson is a dancer from Roy, Utah and the Season 3 Champion of the Fox reality television show So You Think You Can Dance.She was born in the Netherlands, lived nine years in Germany, and after that, nine years in Utah...
.
In 2006, Tidwell joined Complexions Contemporary Ballet
Complexions Contemporary Ballet
Complexions Contemporary Ballet is a contemporary ballet company founded in 1994 by Artistic Directors Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson based in New York City comprising about 14 classical and contemporary dancers...
for a season under the direction of company founders Dwight Rhoden
Dwight Rhoden
Dwight Rhoden is a choreographer and artistic director of Complexions Contemporary Ballet who began dancing at the age of 17 while studying acting. He has performed with the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Les Ballet Jazz de Montréal and was a principal dancer with the Alvin Ailey American...
and Desmond Richardson
Desmond Richardson
Desmond Richardson is co-founder and co-artistic director of Complexions Contemporary Ballet. He has mastered a wide range of dance forms including classical, modern, and contemporary.- Life and career :...
. That summer he was invited back to the USA IBC to perform in the opening ceremonies. He left Complexions after a year.
During this period, Tidwell would often return home from New York to Virginia Beach, to be "rejuvenated" and teach at the studio with his mother. While still active in dance, Tidwell's career was losing focus, and his mother feared that he was losing his love for dance. That changed in late 2006 when the two went to see Tidwell's brother, Travis, perform in the So You Think You Can Dance tour in Madison Square Gardens. Travis had come in second place during the previous season, and was heavily featured in the touring show. His mother recalled, "At Madison Square Garden, Danny looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, 'I want to do that. My brother's up there on that stage, dancing and living, and I want to do that.'" The following season he attended the show's open auditions in New York City.
So You Think You Can Dance
In June 2007, based on his New York City audition, Tidwell was asked directly to Las Vegas callbacks without a second audition. Quickly, however, judges such as contemporary danceContemporary dance
Contemporary dance is a genre of concert dance that employs compositional philosophy, rather than choreography, to guide unchoreographed movement...
choreographer Mia Michaels
Mia Michaels
Mia Michaels is an American choreographer best known for her judging and contemporary choreography on the TV show So You Think You Can Dance . She has worked with musical artists such as Celine Dion, Madonna, Tom Cruise, Ricky Martin, Gloria Estefan, and Prince...
and hip hop
Hip hop dance
Hip-hop dance refers to dance styles primarily performed to hip-hop music or that have evolved as part of hip-hop culture. It includes a wide range of styles notably breaking, locking, and popping which were created in the 1970s by African Americans and made popular by breaking, locking, and...
choreographer Shane Sparks
Shane Sparks
Shane Sparks is an award-winning hip-hop choreographer best known for his work as a choreographer on So You Think You Can Dance and judge on America's Best Dance Crew. He won an American Choreography Award for his work as co-choreographer on 2004 film You Got Served...
, found Tidwell to be arrogant, with the latter saying Tidwell acted as if he were "God's gift to the world." The allegation was a recurring issue throughout the show, and Tidwell found his reputation as a gifted dancer at odds with his aloof demeanor. Nigel Lythgoe (head judge and executive producer) for his part found the accusations tiresome, responding to choreographer Adam Shankman
Adam Shankman
Adam Michael Shankman is an American film director, producer, dancer, actor, and choreographer. He has been a judge on the television program So You Think You Can Dance since Season 3. He began his professional career in musical theater, and was a dancer in music videos for Paula Abdul and Janet...
's comment on Tidwell's arrogance with, "I think you're talking crap." The New York Times, in an article titled "So He Knows He Can Dance: A Prince Among Paupers", praised the technically talented Tidwell, and noted that "his unflinching poise and his chiseled, determined jaw" can be misread on television. The article continued, "If Mr. Tidwell is different from the other dancers on the show, the distinction has as much to do with his dignity as with his impeccable line and his ability to infuse slight choreography with authority...He never mugs for the camera. It's sad, yet hardly a surprise, that such behavior could be taken as superciliousness." The aforementioned Sparks later retracted his previous statement and said Tidwell could "be one of the greats."
Selected as one of the top twenty, he was paired up with ballroom
Ballroom dance
Ballroom dance refers to a set of partner dances, which are enjoyed both socially and competitively around the world. Because of its performance and entertainment aspects, ballroom dance is also widely enjoyed on stage, film, and television....
dancer, Anya Garnis. They were a judge favorite early on, with guest-judge Debbie Allen remarking "I can't imagine you all not being at the very end of the competition". The couple first found themselves in the bottom three couples after they danced a hip-hop choreographed by Dan Karaty
Dan Karaty
Daniel Quinten Karaty , an American TV personality, producer, dancer and choreographer. He has performed with and/or created routines for pop superstars such as Jessica Simpson, Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue, and *NSYNC...
on the third show. The following night, Tidwell "danced for his life" in a contemporary solo that allowed him to stay in the competition. On the following broadcast, the couple danced a contemporary routine by Tyce Diorio
Tyce Diorio
Keith "Tyce" Diorio is an American dancer and choreographer. He is best known for his work as a choreographer and guest judge on the Fox television series So You Think You Can Dance. He has choreographed and performed with Janet Jackson, Paula Abdul, Jennifer Lopez, and Ricky Martin...
but again they found themselves in the bottom three. However, Tidwell had yet another successful solo, and consequently moved on. Once in the top twelve, Tidwell and Garnis performed a Foxtrot routine choreographed by Jean-Marc Généreux
Jean-Marc Genereux
-Biography:Généreux met his partner and wife, France Mousseau, while ballroom dancing in Quebec, Canada. They competed successfully as amateurs starting in 1977, and then professionally in 1986, in the Latin and 10-dance dancesport divisions, and retired in 1998....
. After being in the bottom three for the third time in a row, Garnis was asked to leave the competition, while Tidwell made it into the top ten, earning him a spot in the planned 2007 So You Think You Can Dance Tour. He then was partnered with (in chronological order) Lacey Schwimmer
Lacey Schwimmer
Lacey-Mae Schwimmer is an American competitive ballroom dancer, singer, and the winner of multiple youth championships. She is best known as the fourth place finalist of the third season of So You Think You Can Dance...
, Sara Von Gillern, and Lauren Gottlieb without ever being "in danger" again. He eventually made it to the final four contestants, placing him in the finale. During the finale, Danny performed a solo to "We are the Champions
We Are the Champions
"We Are the Champions" is a power ballad written by Freddie Mercury, recorded and performed by British rock band Queen for their 1977 album News of the World. One of their most famous and popular songs, it remains among rock's most recognisable anthems...
", as sung by Gavin DeGraw
Gavin DeGraw
Gavin Shane DeGraw is an American musician and singer-songwriter. He is known for his songs "Chariot", "Follow Through", "I Don't Want to Be" , "In Love with a Girl", and "Not Over You".-Early life:DeGraw grew up in the Catskills in South Fallsburg,...
, that received effusive praise and the only standing ovation from the judges, with Lythgoe saying that "every young man watching this show should aspire to be as good as you". The following night, he finished the competition as runner-up behind winner Sabra Johnson
Sabra Johnson
Sabra Elise Johnson is a dancer from Roy, Utah and the Season 3 Champion of the Fox reality television show So You Think You Can Dance.She was born in the Netherlands, lived nine years in Germany, and after that, nine years in Utah...
.
Reflecting on the season, Tidwell said, "I have all kinds of dance styles now, connections to choreographers and music options." He also concluded, "I found that I love to dance again."
The tour began September 21, 2007 in Albany, New York, and concluded November 30 in Reno, Nevada, for a total of fifty dates. The tour stopped in Tidwell's home of Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
on October 16, 2007.
Performance review
| Week | Partner | Dance | Song | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anya Garnis | Jive Jive (dance) In Ballroom dancing, Jive is a dance style in 4/4 time that originated in the United States from African-Americans in the early 1930s. It was originally presented to the public as 'Jive' in 1934 by Cab Calloway. It is a lively and uninhibited variation of the Jitterbug, a form of Swing dance... |
"Girlfriend Girlfriend (Avril Lavigne song) "Girlfriend" is a song by Canadian singer-songwriter Avril Lavigne. The song was written by Lavigne with her producer Dr. Luke for Lavigne's third studio album, The Best Damn Thing . "Girlfriend" was released as the lead single from The Best Damn Thing on 27 February 2007... "—Avril Lavigne Avril Lavigne Avril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She was born in Belleville, Ontario, but spent most of her youth in the small town of Napanee. By the age of 15, she had appeared on stage with Shania Twain; by 16, she had signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records worth more... |
Safe |
| 2 | Viennese Waltz Viennese Waltz Viennese Waltz is the genre of a ballroom dance. At least three different meanings are recognized. In the historically first sense, the name may refer to several versions of the waltz, including the earliest waltzes done in ballroom dancing, danced to the music of Viennese Waltz.What is now called... |
"You and Me"—Lifehouse Lifehouse (band) Lifehouse is an American rock band from Los Angeles. The band came to mainstream prominence in 2001 with the hit single "Hanging by a Moment" from their debut studio album, No Name Face. The single won a Billboard Music Award for Hot 100 Single of the Year, beating out Janet Jackson and Alicia... |
Safe | |
| 3 | Hip hop Hip hop dance Hip-hop dance refers to dance styles primarily performed to hip-hop music or that have evolved as part of hip-hop culture. It includes a wide range of styles notably breaking, locking, and popping which were created in the 1970s by African Americans and made popular by breaking, locking, and... |
"Oh Timbaland"—Timbaland Timbaland Timothy Zachery Mosley , better known by his stage name Timbaland, is an American record producer, songwriter and rapper.... |
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| 4 | Contemporary Contemporary dance Contemporary dance is a genre of concert dance that employs compositional philosophy, rather than choreography, to guide unchoreographed movement... |
"Apologize"—One Republic | Safe | |
| 5 | Fox trot | "It Had to Be You"—Brian Evans | Safe | |
| 6 | Lacey Schwimmer Lacey Schwimmer Lacey-Mae Schwimmer is an American competitive ballroom dancer, singer, and the winner of multiple youth championships. She is best known as the fourth place finalist of the third season of So You Think You Can Dance... |
Samba Samba (ballroom) Among ballroom dances, samba is a lively, rhythmical one. It is related to the traditional samba styles of Brazil, but differs from them considerably. Its music is in 2/4 or 4/4 time.-Origins:... |
"Hip Hip Chin Chin" – Club Des Belugas | Safe |
| 7 | Sara Von Gillern | Argentine Tango Argentine Tango Argentine tango is a musical genre of simple quadruple metre and binary musical form, and the social dance that accompanies it. Its lyrics and music are marked by nostalgia, expressed through melodic instruments including the bandoneon. Originated at the ending of the 19th century in the suburbs of... |
"Whatever Lola Wants Whatever Lola Wants "Whatever Lola Wants" is a popular song, sometimes rendered as "Whatever Lola Wants, Lola Gets". The music and words were written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross for the 1955 musical play Damn Yankees. The song is sung by Lola, the Devil's assistant, a part originated by Gwen Verdon, who reprised... "—Sarah Vaughan Sarah Vaughan Sarah Lois Vaughan was an American jazz singer, described by Scott Yanow as having "one of the most wondrous voices of the 20th century."... and Gotan Project Gotan Project Gotan Project is a musical group based in Paris, consisting of musicians Philippe Cohen Solal , Eduardo Makaroff , and Christoph H. Müller .-History:... |
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| Hip hop | "Push It Push It (Salt-N-Pepa song) "Push It" is a song by the group Salt-N-Pepa, released as a single in 1986. It peaked at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1987 and has been certified Platinum by the RIAA... "—Salt-N-Pepa Salt-N-Pepa Salt-N-Pepa is an American hip hop trio from Queens and Brooklyn, New York, that was formed in 1985. The group, consisting of Cheryl "Salt" Renee James, Sandra "Pepa" Denton, and Deidra "DJ Spinderella" Roper, was one of the first all-female rap crews.... |
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| 8 | Lauren Gottlieb | Contemporary | "Then You Look At Me"—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... |
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| Disco Disco Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and... |
"Don't Leave Me This Way Don't Leave Me This Way "Don't Leave Me This Way" is an R&B/soul/disco song written by Kenneth Gamble, Leon Huff, and Cary Gilbert. First charting as a hit for Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, an act on Gamble & Huff's Philadelphia International label in 1975, "Don't Leave Me This Way" was later a hit single for both... "—The Communards The Communards The Communards were a British pop duo active from 1985 to 1988. They are most famous for their cover of Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes' song, "Don't Leave Me This Way" as well as "Never Can Say Goodbye".-History:... |
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| 9 | Lacey Schwimmer Lacey Schwimmer Lacey-Mae Schwimmer is an American competitive ballroom dancer, singer, and the winner of multiple youth championships. She is best known as the fourth place finalist of the third season of So You Think You Can Dance... |
Viennese Waltz | "Keep Holding On Keep Holding On "Keep Holding On" is a pop rock power ballad song recorded by Avril Lavigne and is the theme song for the film Eragon . It also appears as the last track on Lavigne's third album, The Best Damn Thing which was released on April 17, 2007. Lavigne has described the rest of the album as being upbeat... " – Avril Lavigne Avril Lavigne Avril Ramona Lavigne is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She was born in Belleville, Ontario, but spent most of her youth in the small town of Napanee. By the age of 15, she had appeared on stage with Shania Twain; by 16, she had signed a two-album recording contract with Arista Records worth more... |
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| Neil Haskell Neil Haskell Neil David Haskell is an American contemporary dancer. He is best known as a contestant on So You Think You Can Dance where he finished third in the final four. On April 22, 2008, he began performing in the Off-Broadway musical Altar Boyz as Luke. Neil most recently joined The West Side Story... |
Contemporary | "Are You The One"—The Presets The Presets The Presets are an Australian electronic duo formed in 2003, consisting of Julian Hamilton on vocals and keyboards, and Kim Moyes on drums and keyboards. They released their debut album Beams in 2005 to positive critical response. Their 2008 release Apocalypso debuted at number-one on the ARIA... |
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| Sabra Johnson Sabra Johnson Sabra Elise Johnson is a dancer from Roy, Utah and the Season 3 Champion of the Fox reality television show So You Think You Can Dance.She was born in the Netherlands, lived nine years in Germany, and after that, nine years in Utah... |
Cha cha Cha-cha-cha (dance) The Cha-cha-cha is the name of a dance of Cuban origin.It is danced to the music of the same name introduced by Cuban composer and violinist Enrique Jorrín in 1953... |
"Gotta Get Down (La Negra Tiene Tumbao) [Spanglish Remix]"—Celia Cruz Celia Cruz Celia Cruz was a Cuban-American salsa singer, and was one of the most successful Salsa performers of the 20th century, having earned twenty-three gold albums... |
Note: Pink results indicate that he was in the bottom three.
Post
SYTYCDMovmnt
movmnt magazine is an urban-leaning lifestyle magazine which was co-founded in 2006 by David Benaym and Danny Tidwell. The magazine has featured columns by Mario Spinetti, Mia Michaels, Robert Battle, Debbie Allen, Alisan Porter, Rasta Thomas, and Frank Conway...
magazine, with Sabra Johnson
Sabra Johnson
Sabra Elise Johnson is a dancer from Roy, Utah and the Season 3 Champion of the Fox reality television show So You Think You Can Dance.She was born in the Netherlands, lived nine years in Germany, and after that, nine years in Utah...
, as part of an article about "Keep It Real", the magazine's non-profit organization.
Tidwell, along with many previous finalists of So You Think You Can Dance, performed during American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
s second annual Idol Gives Back
Idol Gives Back
Idol Gives Back is the name of a charitable campaign that spanned two episodes of American Idol during its sixth season. A second Idol Gives Back concert and fundraiser occurred on April 9, 2008, during the seventh season of the show. Idol Gives Back was not held in 2009 due to the ongoing...
charity event in April 2008. At the time, Nigel Lythgoe
Nigel Lythgoe
Nigel Lythgoe is an English television and film director and producer, and former dancer in the Young Generation and choreographer. He is noted for being the producer of the shows Pop Idol and American Idol as well as being a creator, executive producer and a regular judge for So You Think You Can...
produced both shows. Tidwell was a guest teacher on the 2007-2008 tour of JUMP: the Alternative Convention. In September 2009, Tidwell had his Broadway debut as a castmember in "Memphis." He performed in April 2010 on Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
with New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet
New York City Ballet is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Leon Barzin was the company's first music director. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company...
principal, Tiler Peck on a piece choreographed by Travis Wall. Since September 2010, Tidwell lives in Oslo where he was hired as a soloist for Norway's National Ballet.
Awards and recognitions
- Silver Medal, Shanghai International Ballet Competition (2001)
- National Outstanding Male Dancer, New York City Dance Alliance (2002)
- Men's Junior Silver Medal, USA International Ballet CompetitionUSA International Ballet CompetitionThe USA International Ballet Competition, or USA IBC, is one of the world's top competitions for ballet. Located in Jackson, Mississippi, this competition is attended by dancers from all over the world to represent their country for bronze, silver, or gold medals in a variety of categories of...
(2002) - Named one of Dance Magazine's "25 to Watch" (2005)
External links
- movmnt magazine, a quarterly publication focused on "dance and pop culture as a lifestyle," co-founded by Tidwell and David Benaym
- Denise Wall Dance Energy, Tidwell's mother's dance studio
- Moving Still - a life performance, photography book and live show co-created by Tidwell
- "Great Performances, Dance in America: 'Swan Lake' with American Ballet Theatre", official PBS site of the production
- Listen to a Tidwell interview with Gina from BuddyTV (transcript)