Blog By: Sydney Moody; Marketing Intern
What a fabulous first blog with Jordan Jacobs as Charlie! We covered so much, from preparing for rehearsals to Brendon Urie to JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH. In our next blog, we’ll drop in to Hui Cha Poos’ life as our amazing choreographer for KINKY BOOTS! Since Poos is a very busy person, let’s not waste any more time stalling! Let’s find out how she shimmied her way into the theatre industry.
Moody: “How did you get into theatre? How did you get into professional theatre?”
Poos: “Honestly, I didn’t start till I was out of high school. I grew up doing cheer and pom, so studio dance didn’t find me till I was 19. My dance teacher (CeCe Farha) choreographed for Lyric and asked me to audition. My very first time on any stage was at Lyric Theatre as Connie in A CHORUS LINE.”
Poos is very familiar with high kicks, and she is about to be familiar with thigh-high boots, too! Let’s popsplit into the next question.
Moody: “What is your process of choreographing? Do you write it down, film it, what is the breakdown of it?”
Poos: “Phew, it’s a lot…it starts with obsession. First research, then source material, listening to the music over and over, then I chart the music, choreograph in chunks (usually chorus first), then stage ahead of time when I can or on the spot, then layer and clean every day until dress rehearsal. Every director is different so once I find their rhythm, an organic process usually forms. I use video, libretto, notebooks, and lots and lots of sticky notes. And yes, I film everything because I can’t remember any of my own choreography.”
Well, we can say that we are obsessing over her choreo! Don’t want to miss it? Make sure you snatch your tickets and see KINKY BOOTS live! We heard a little not-so-little rumor about Poos’ choreo being national winning. Let’s see what she has to say.
Moody: “I heard that you have worked with a variety of dance groups across the state, and possibly even the nation. Can you tell us a little bit about the groups that you have worked with?”
Poos: “My background is cheerleading so I come from that world and have choreographed some national champions, I’ve also worked with professional dancers, non dancers, dancers in high schools, circus performers, ballet dancers, actors, hip hop groups, dancers with Down’s Syndrome, senior citizens, and have choreographed flash mobs, industrials, concerts, music videos, films, and shows in every genre imaginable.”
Poos doesn’t mess around when it comes to how much of an amazing and knowledgeable choreographer she is, so we asked her about her opinions on some dance trends.
Moody: “Has there been a dance trend that you love?”
Poos: “Anything that comes from 1983-1993”
Moody: “Has there been a dance trend that you hate, for example a TikTok dance or something you notice every show, no matter who does it, has?”
Poos: “That flossing thing and faces people make when they dance on Tik Tok…I don’t get it. ”
Since she has given us her take on her favorite (and least favorite) dance trends, we asked her to give us her take on the same question we ask at the end of our interviews.
Moody: “Do you have any advice for those in theatre or trying to get into the professional world?”
Poos: “The people who seem to have longevity, respect, and success in the industry seem to define that success with consistent professionalism and generosity to those they work with. They make the process as important as the product and they lead with positive energy. So try to do that and don’t ever let anyone take away who you are or why you started performing. ”
Wow! She has a way with words that makes the advice just leap at you, and we hope to see you leap to the Civic Center to see KINKY BOOTS! Don’t forget to visit our website and get your tickets from July 19- July 24!
