Travis Wall

Travis Wall
Born Travis Michael Wall
(1987-09-16) September 16, 1987
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Residence Los Angeles, California
Nationality American
Occupation Dancer
Dance instructor
Choreographer
Known for runner-up on Season 2 of So You Think You Can Dance
Choreographer of So You Think You Can Dance
Partner(s) Dom Palange
Relatives

Danny Tidwell

Denise Wall, Tyler Wall, T Scott Ross , Shannon Womble
Website http://www.traviswall.tv

Travis Michael Wall (born September 16, 1987) is 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 2012, he is currently a choreographer for the show. In 2011, he was nominated for an Emmy for his work on the show's seventh season. In 2012, he starred in the Oxygen reality show All The Right Moves, where he, Teddy Forance, Nick Lazzarini and Kyle Robinson attempt to launch their own dance company called Shaping Sound.

Early life and background

"I was born into the studio and all I really know is dance."

- Travis Wall[1]

Wall was born and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia. His mother, owner and operator of the eponymous Denise Wall's Dance Energy, recalls putting him in a walker and watching him imitate the dancers.[1] He began dancing at the age of three, training at his mother's studio, and competing in a number of conventions.[2][3]

Career

Early career and training

His professional career officially started at the age of nine when he appeared in a Dr. Pepper commercial.[4] In 1999, he won the Junior National Outstanding Dancer Scholarship Award.[5] On April 27, 2000, at age 12, he started a two-year run in The Music Man on Broadway, playing a resident of River City/Winthrop Paroo understudy.[6] This gig led to him being chosen to perform at the 2000 New York City Dance Alliance's closing night gala.[5] In 2006, New York City Dance Alliance awarded Wall its Teen Outstanding Dancer of the Year award and he toured with them for a year.[7]

So You Think You Can Dance

In 2006, at the age of 18, Wall competed on the second season of the show So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD), making it to the final four contestants before placing second behind overall winner Benji Schwimmer. Wall was praised by the judges as the most technically talented dancer in the competition. Nigel Lythgoe and Adam Shankman have listed Wall, his brother Danny Tidwell, Season 4's Will Wingfield and Season 5's Kayla Radomski as the most talented dancers on the show, later adding Season 6's Billy Bell and Jakob Karr to that list.

While on the show, Wall danced in Mia Michaels' The Bench routine for which she later won an Emmy for Outstanding Choreography.[8] During the Fall of 2006, Wall toured the United States with the top 10 dancers from the So You Think You Can Dance competition. He returned to the show in 2008 during the Season 4 auditions to teach choreography. He did a surprise audition on the 4th episode as "Danielle Chorizo".

On July 23, 2009, Wall returned to So You Think You Can Dance along with fellow Season 2 contestant Heidi Groskreutz on the 100th episode of the show, to perform the Emmy award winning piece The Bench, choreographed by Mia Michaels.

Week Partner Style Song Choreographer(s) Result
1 Martha Nichols Broadway "Steam Heat"— The Pointer Sisters Tyce Diorio Safe
2 Krump "Clap Back"—Ja Rule Lil' C Safe
3 Hip-Hop "Just Fine"—Chris Brown Todd Sams Safe
4 Salsa "Tanga"—Machito and His Afro-Cubans Ron Montez Safe
5 Foxtrot "Witchcraft"—Steve Tyrell Jean-Marc Généreux Bottom 3
Result Show Solo ""The Blower's Daughter"—Damien Rice Safe
6 Heidi Groskreutz Paso Doble "The Plaza of Execution" from The Mask of Zorro Mary Murphy Safe
Contemporary "Calling You"—Celine Dion Mia Michaels
Solo "Belief"—Gavin DeGraw
7 Donyelle Jones Hip Hop "London Bridge"—Fergie Shane Sparks Bottom 4
Quickstep "Dancin' Fool"—Barry Manilow Glenn Weiss
Result Show Solo "Gotta Get Thru This (Acoustic)"—Daniel Bedingfield Safe
8 Heidi Groskreutz Smooth Waltz "Flying"—Cait Agus Sean Ron Montez Safe
Afro Pop "W'Happy Mama"—Zap Mama Wade Robson
Solo "You And Me"—Lifehouse
Results show solo "Flying Without Wings (A Capella version)"—Westlife
9 Heidi Groskreutz Disco "Shake Your Groove Thing"—Peaches & Herb Doriana Sanchez Runner-Up
Benji Schwimmer Hip Hop "Gyrate"—Da Muzicianz feat. Mr. Collipark Shane Sparks
Donyelle Jones Contemporary "Georgia On My Mind"—Ray Charles Mia Michaels
Solo "Konstantine"—Something Corporate

Post-SYTYCD

Wall (center) on an April 2010 episode of Dancing with the Stars. His brother, Danny Tidwell, is on the right.

Wall danced on the October 16, 2007 Dancing with the Stars results show, in a piece choreographed by and starring Wade Robson. Wall, along with Tidwell and many previous finalists of So You Think You Can Dance, performed during the second annual Idol Gives Back charity event on April 9, 2008. Nigel Lythgoe produced both shows at the time.[9]

Wall performs regularly with American Dance Artists, in Delmarva, as well as for Evolution dance company in Los Angeles, California. He teaches students contemporary dance at NUVO, a dance convention that tours the nation. In 2007, Wall and Ivan Koumaev made a dance video called Its About Time designed to be for the viewer's entertainment rather than for instructional purposes like most dance videos.

Wall was in the 2008 Disney movie Bedtime Stories, starring Adam Sandler, alongside SYTYCD Season 3 contestant, Lacey Schwimmer. In 2010 Wall worked as an assistant choreographer for the Academy Awards, alongside Mia Michaels and Brian Friedman.[10]

So You Think You Can Dance Get Fit: Cardio Funk was one of two home exercise videos released by the producers of SYTYCD. Wall choreographed a contemporary dance and corresponding cool-down routine for the video.[11]

Wall choreographed and performed in an ensemble piece featuring New York City Ballet principal ballerina Tiler Peck to a piece by Nuttin' But Stringz for ABC's Dancing with the Stars April 13, 2010 episode in a feature called "Macy's Stars of Dance".[12][13]

In 2010, Wall choreographed several numbers for the VMA's.

In 2011, Wall choreographed a floor exercise routine for Olympic All-Around Champion Nastia Liukin which she will use to try to earn a spot on the 2012 Olympic USA Gymnastics team.

Wall will be starring in a new reality show "All the Right Moves" with Teddy Forance, Nick Lazzarini, and Kyle Robinson. The four men are launching their own dance company called Shaping Sound.

Choreography for So You Think You Can Dance

Wall earned 2011 and 2013 Emmy nominations for his contemporary choreography in seasons 7 and 9. He won a 2015 Emmy for routines he choreographed for season 11. (See SYTYCD Emmy Awards for details.)

Season Week Dancers Style Song Note
3 5 Jaimie Goodwin
Hokuto "Hok" Konishi
Broadway "Mr. Bojangles"—Fosse by Tyce Diorio
Travis Wall assisting
5 6 Jeanine Mason
Jason Glover
Contemporary "If It Kills Me"(The Casa Nova Sessions)—Jason Mraz[3]
7 Top 8 Jazz "Let It Rock"—Kevin Rudolf feat. Lil Wayne
6 1 Bianca Revels
Victor Smalley
Contemporary "Wasted Time"—Me'shell Ndegeocello
4 Ellenore Scott
Ryan Di Lello
"Your Ex-Lover Is Dead"—Stars
7 Ellenore Scott
Jonathan "Legacy" Perez
"Machine Gun"—Portishead
8 Ashleigh Di Lello
Ryan Di Lello
"I'm There Too"—Michelle Featherstone
7 LVW All dancers "A Beautiful Mess"—Jason Mraz
MT11 Kent Boyd
Lauren Froderman
Mark Kanemura
Kathryn McCormick
Jazz "Paris is Burning"—St. Vincent
1 Adéchiké Torbert
Kathryn McCormick
"Addicted to Love"—Florence and the Machine
2 Ashley Galvan
Mark Kanemura
"Wonderful"—Annie Lennox
4 Lauren Froderman
Kent Boyd
Contemporary "Collide" (acoustic version)—Howie Day
5 Robert Roldan
Allison Holker
"Fix You"—Coldplay
8 Kent Boyd
Neil Haskell
"How It Ends"—DeVotchKa
8 LVW All dancers "Yellow"—Vitamin String Quartet
MT20 Alexander Fost
Mitchell Kelly
Caitlynn Lawson
Ryan Ramirez
Ashley Rich
"Moth's Wings"—Passion Pit
1 Sasha Mallory
Alexander Fost
"Stupid [Mark Bell mix]"—Sarah McLachlan
Melanie Moore
Marko Germar
"Turn to stone"—Ingrid Michaelson
5 Jordan Casanova
Tadd Gadduang
"Brotsjór"—Ólafur Arnalds
Caitlynn Lawson
Mitchell Kelly
Jazz "Piece of My Heart"—Janis Joplin
8 Kent Boyd
Lauren Froderman
Contemporary "Collide"—Howie Day Guest Dancers
9 LVW All Dancers "I Won't Give Up"—Jason Mraz
MT20 Top 10 girls "Where the Light Gets In"—Sennen
1 Audrey Case
Matthew Kazmierczak
"Unchained Melody"—The Righteous Brothers
5 Witney Carson
Nick Lazzarini
Jazz "Sing It Back"—Moloko
Jaimie Goodwin
Cyrus "Glitch" Spencer
Contemporary "Outro"—M83
8 Eliana Girard
Alex Wong
"Without You"—Harry Nilsson
10 1 Jasmine Mason
Alan Bersten
"Can't Help Falling in Love" (Live at Daytrotter)—Ingrid Michaelson
Malece Miller
Jade Zuberi
Jazz "Silver Screen Shower Scene"—Felix da Housecat
4 Jenna Johnson
Tucker Knox
Contemporary "Hangin' By a Thread"—Jann Arden
7 Tucker Knox
Robert Roldan
"Medicine"—Daughter
8 Amy Yakima
Travis Wall
"Wicked Game" (Live at Kilkenny Arts Festival, Ireland 2011)—James Vincent McMorrow
10 Jasmine Harper
Fik-Shun
"Spiegel im Spiegel"—Arvo Pärt , performed by Angela Yoffe & Vadim Gluzman
11 LVW All Dancers "Lay Me Down"—Sam Smith
1 Emily James
Casey Askew
"All of Me"(Live from Spotify)—John Legend
2 Valerie Rockey
Ricky Ubeda
"Oh Darling"—Gossling
4 Bridget Whitman
Emilio Dosal
"The Leaving Song"—Chris Garneau
Bridget Whitman
Carly Blaney
Jacque LeWarne
Jessica Richens
Marcquet Hill
Ricky Ubeda
Rudy Abreu
Teddy Coffey
Jazz "Love Runs Out"—OneRepublic
5 Jessica Richens
Casey Askew
Contemporary "Like Real People Do"—Hozier
Top 7 Guys "Wave"—Beck
6 Jacque LeWarne
Chehon Wespi-Tschopp
Contemporary ballet "Adagio for TRON"—Daft Punk
7 Ricky Ubeda
Jaimie Goodwin
Contemporary "Smile"—Michael Jackson with All-Star
9 Top 4 "Wind Beneath My Wings"—RyanDan
Jessica Richens
Robert Roldan
"When I Go"—Over the Rhine
12 TBA TBA TBA TBA

Danced as Guest or All-Star for So You Think You Can Dance

Season Week partner(s) Style Song Choreographer(s) Note
4 9 Earlier contestants Discoswing "Don't Stop the Music"—Rihanna as Guest
5 7 RS Heidi Groskreutz Contemporary "Calling You"—Celine Dion Mia Michaels
10 8 Amy Yakima "Wicked Game" (Live at Kilkenny Arts Festival, Ireland 2011)—James Vincent McMorrow Travis Wall As All-Star

Publications

In February 2007, Wall was featured in a fashion/dance spread in movmnt magazine (which Tidwell co-founded). The following June, Wall interviewed Whoopi Goldberg for the magazine.[14]

Wall was featured in the photography book Moving Still: a Life Performance by David Benaym.[15]

Personal life

In 2007, his adoptive brother Danny Tidwell was a runner-up of the third season of So You Think You Can Dance. He, too, had trained with their mother Denise Wall, who also trained Jaimie Goodwin, a Season 3 contestant.[1] Wall is openly gay.[16]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Marshall, Lea (January 2007). "Winning Attitude" Dance Magazine. 81 (1):212-214
  2. No byline (2006). "Travis Wall" Fox.com. Retrieved August 28, 2007
  3. 1 2 Feller, Alison (April 2010), "Helping Haiti". Dance Spirit. 14 (4):16
  4. Travis Wall: Portrait of the young man as an artist movmnt, June 20, 2006.
  5. 1 2 Perron, Wendy (October 2000), "HOT NUMBERS CAP DANCE ALLIANCE SESSION". Dance Magazine. 74 (10):43
  6. No byline. The Music Man Production Credits Ibdb.com. Retrieved May 19, 2008.
  7. (September 2006), "DANCING INSIDE THE BOX". Dance Magazine. 80 (9):46-52
  8. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
  9. "Idol Gives Back". American Idol. 9 April 2008 No. 7, Episode 29
  10. Feller, Alison (May/June 2010), "THE TALK OF THE TOWN". Dance Spirit.,14(5):54-56
  11. Lawler, Terry Ann (November 2009), "So You Think You Can Dance Get Fit: Cardio Funk/So You Think You Can Dance Get Fit: Tone and Groove". School Library Journal. 55 (11):53
  12. "Ep. 4 Results Show: Week Four". Dancing with the Stars. April 13, 2010. No. 4, season 10.
  13. BLOOM, JULIE (April 7, 2010), "'Dancing' To Feature City Ballet Principal". New York Times. :3
  14. Wall, Travis. movmnt magazine [online video]. "Whoopi Goldberg to Travis Wall: 'movement is everything!'"
  15. Moving Still website
  16. Hernandez, Greg (July 6, 2011). "SYTYCD’s Travis Wall: "Well, I guess I came out."". greginhollywood.com. Retrieved August 31, 2015.

External links

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