Got moves like Newberry

Dance enthusiasts got a chance to hone their skills last weekend with the scene’s most celebrated and talented coaches at the Intergroove Dance Convention. The two-day event, supposedly the country’s first of its kind, took place at Parc Paragon at Siam Paragon, with a great turnout of intermediate dancers of all styles.
Apart from sessions hosted by the Chasse Dance Studio, organiser of the event, students got to learn from Nathan Trasoras from Season 6 if television’s “So You Think You Can Dance” and Kathryn McCormick of “Step Up 4 Revolution 3D”.
Another highlight was the renowned choreographer and singer Bobby Newberry, who recently released a dance-pop EP “The Newberry Special”.
The Californian’s pop-oriented style of dance and stylised movements has led to an outstanding list of credits spanning stage, TV and music videos by the likes of the Pussycat Dolls, Eminem, Girlicious, Jessie & the Toyboys, Porcelain Black, Lil’ Wayne and Taylor Dane.
We caught up with him backstage and asked about his inspirations and upcoming music.

What was it like dancing in combat boots in the desert for the “Sweat” video?
It was amazing – and difficult! We shot that video in December, and December in the dessert gets cold! It was, like, 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
That was good, though, because if it had been summertime we wouldn’t have been able to do it. But we did sweat. I was soaked under my clothes.

When did you first realise you wanted to be a dancer?
When I was five years old I knew this was what I wanted to do. And nothing’s changed. I don’t have any other plans. I still feel that it’s my destiny.
Most kids had their parents sending them to dance classes and then they started to like to dance, but for me I always wanted to do it myself. My parents got divorced when I was very little and I wasn’t very close to my dad. My mom was very supportive. But sometimes she was, like, “Stop dancing, stop dancing!” because I would dance in public all the time.

You’ve cited Michael Jackson and Madonna as inspirations.
I grew up very poor and didn’t have money to go to the dance classes, so I’d watch videos of Michael and Madonna. I’d play and rewind and play and pause to learn the moves. I would spend hours in my room pretending I was onstage dancing and singing.
Then I entered a talent show when I was a kid and, luckily, I won, and then had a chance to go to dance classes. I started going to studios and doing work-study programmes where I’d work the front desk to get scholarships to dance classes.

How did you come to work with the Pussycat Dolls?
I started working with them through Robin Antin, who’s their head choreographer. I worked with them for over a year. My best friend is actually Ashley Roberts from the Pussycat Dolls.
I also recorded with Melody Thornton, a track called “Bulletproof”, which is a cover of a La Roux song. Then it was like a snowball effect and I got to do a lot of different stuff.

How would you describe your dancing style?
I would say my style is athletic, dynamic, musical, powerful, sharp and sexy.
At the end of the day, music is what inspires me to do everything. I listen to music to create, to give me feelings when I come up with certain movements.
For a dancer, your body is an instrument, and you’ve got to make sure that you’re taking care of your body. You have to work out to be able to move quickly and sharply – otherwise you don’t look clean when you dance. Especially with my style of dance, which is quick and agile, you come out sloppy if you’re not strong. I go to the gym as often as I can and I also do a lot of yoga and cycling to work the cardio.

We know now that you can sing, but why did you wait this long to make an album?
I’ve been doing music for a long time now. I grew up singing, but when I moved to LA, dance came to me first, since I became very successful in choreography.
Once you’re successful at one thing, people don’t like you to do other things and they don’t take you as serious doing multiple things. It took me a little longer to break into it, but I felt I had such a strong passion for it, as an artist. It’s another form of my art that I’m stretching out.
I love to create music, and I’m doing it. The full album will probably come out in January.