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Charles Klapow | |
|---|---|
 Klapow at theYoung Talent Time Media Event, Luna Park Sydney, 2012 | |
| Born | (1980-07-05)July 5, 1980 (age 45) |
| Occupation(s) | Choreographer, dance instructor, dancer |
Charles "Chucky" Klapow (born July 5, 1980) is an Americanchoreographer and dance instructor who has performed and choreographed for various performers and several television and stage productions. He is also known for his teachings on the mental approach to dance.
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Klapow was born to a Filipino mother, and a European-American father. Klapow began his dancing career aged 12, dancing forPatti LaBelle,Celine Dion,Sheila E.,Salt-N-Pepa,Melissa Etheridge, and others in an all-star concert for thePediatric AIDS Foundation. This included a dancing spot in thePaula Abdul music video "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah". By the time he was 15, Charles was an assistant tochoreographer and mentorMarguerite Derricks. He assisted Marguerite and danced inAustin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997),3rd Rock from the Sun,Fame L.A., among others. Charles created a dance company with partnerWade Robson in the mid-1990s called L.A. Images.[citation needed]
In the fall of 2000, Klapow started choreographing for the Swedish pop group theA*Teens. He was their choreographer for music videos including "Floorfiller", "Halfway Around The World", "Sugar Rush", "Can't Help Falling In Love", and "I Promised Myself" as well as their tour director and choreographer from 2001 to 2003. These tours took Charles to Germany, Sweden and all over theUnited States, with additional spot dates inMexico,Spain,Russia, andDenmark.[citation needed]
Ever since the inaugural season of theWNBA Charles has been a choreographer for the "Sparkids", the hip-hop squad which performs at allLos Angeles Sparks home games. In 2005, Klapow became co-director of the squad under the direction ofChristy Buss, and he assumed most of the choreography duties for the Sparkids during the 2005 and 2006 seasons.[citation needed]
Klapow was brought on board byKenny Ortega (Dirty Dancing choreographer) to help choreographHigh School Musical (2006), aDisney Channel Original Movie, withBonnie Story. Very quickly, Ortega became another mentor to Klapow as they quickly developed a working chemistry together. Klapow served with Ortega and Story as a choreographer for the film's sequels,High School Musical 2 andHigh School Musical 3: Senior Year. He can be seen in allHigh School Musical movies as a dancer and member of the school basketball team as well. He also went on to choreograph the stage and ice tours.[citation needed]
In 2009, Klapow was asked by Ortega to be the choreographer for the2011 movie musical remake ofFootloose starringKenny Wormald andJulianne Hough, which Ortega directed, but Klapow turned it down so that he could fulfil his dreams of dancing withMichael Jackson on his comeback tour in London, which was announced in March.[citation needed]
Ironically, Ortega was set to be the tour director of the shows. Klapow was one of twelve dancers picked for Jackson'sThis Is It shows atthe O2 Arena inLondon, which was set to begin July 13, 2009, through March 6, 2010, and produced byAEG Live. However, on June 25, 2009, just eighteen days before the first show, Jackson died of cardiac arrest. AEG Live cancelled the whole residency.[citation needed]
On July 7, 2009, Klapow took part in theMichael Jackson memorial service at theStaples Center inLos Angeles where days beforeJackson's death, Klapow, Jackson and the whole This Is It crew rehearsed in preparations for the London concerts at the O2 Arena. Klapow took part in the performance of "Will You Be There" performed byJennifer Hudson, where he, and the original eleven This Is It dancers were back-up dancers for the performance. It is said that this performance was how Jackson was set to perform the song at his London concerts. Ortega was the director of the memorial service.[citation needed]
Klapow recently finished his stint as a judge in the Australian TV showYoung Talent Time with Australian singerTina Arena. On July 6, 2011, Klapow choreographed Ricky and Ryan's Dance onSo You Think You Can Dance.[1]
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | High School Musical | Choreographer & basketball team member | Released |
| 2006 | Cheetah Girls 2 | Choreographer | Released |
| 2007 | High School Musical 2 | Choreographer & basketball team member | Released |
| 2008 | High School Musical 3: Senior Year | Choreographer & basketball team member | Released |
| 2009 | Michael Jackson's This Is It | Himself | Released |
| 2010 | Dancing Ninja | Choreographer | Released |
| 2012 | Young Talent Time | Judge | Broadcast Now |
| 2016 | The Rolling Stones: Havana Moon | Choreographer | Released |
| 2021 | Grace Gaustad BLKBX | Choreographer | Released |
