Ep. 83- Ray Leeper
Questions asked or topics discussed:
Ray’s transition into the dance world- the unexpected and the hard parts (4:10)
Showing up in your sweatpants, and not being the proper "dancer’s weight”? (8:50)
What would you like to see dancers start to incorporate, like immediately, in order to bring some of that kindness back, in order to bring some of the connectedness - how would you like to start to implement that shift back to the kindness? (13:40)
Now that you’re running NUVO convention, what is some advice you would give to dancers who perhaps maybe want to be an assistant or one day they hope to be on that stage? (18:32)
Social media and self-promotion (25:00)
Future career goals and what would be the phone call that would get you so excited? (30:48)
Comparison (33:20)
SYTYCD (35:00)
How did you coach yourself or what was the self talk around watching all your friends get these jobs and succeed…What was the self talk around that that actually allowed you to be like “you know what I’m going to go bi-coastal again”? (37:36)
If there was something you could whisper to your twenty-something self, what would that be? (42:44)
What is one piece of advice you would whisper to dancers listening in their ears as they venture into this professional world of dance? (49:28)
As a Choreographer and Creative Consultant, Ray has established himself as one of the most respected artists in the dance industry. His choreography credits include music videos and live performances for recording artists such as Cher, Elton John, Matthew Morrison, IL Divo, Nick Cannon, Jackie Evancho, Snoop Dogg, Jaimie-Lynn Sigler, Geri Haliwell, LMNT, Inaya Day, Ty Taylor, Madd West and Hockey.
Television credits include: So You Think You Can Dance, X-Factor UK, America’s Got Talent, The Big Bang Theory, Matthew Morrison’s PBS Special: “Where It All Began”, Simon Cowell’s Red or Black, The Today Show, All My Children and The Young and the Restless.
He has also choreographed commercials for Gagaville (Lady Gaga/Farmville), Pepsi, Sierra Mist, Comcast, Crystal Light, Levis and Northwest Airlines
World/Concert tours: IL DIVO, Matthew Morrison “All That I Am” Tour and NKOTBBSB Tour, So You Think You Can Dance 2011/2012 Tours (Cont. Chor.), and X Factor 2011 Tour. NY stage/Off-
Broadway credits: “Inappropriate” (Dir./Chor.), “Nightlife”, “Common Grounds” (Award for Outstanding Achievement for Choreography), “Mental the Musical”, “Fashion Rocks Broadway” at Studio 54, “Dancebreak”, “The Gypsy Project”, “Jump on Broadway” at Radio City Music Hall, and The Box, NYC.
Film credits include: They Shoot Divas, Don’t They?, The Island, Body Chemistry and Move. Las Vegas shows: Franco Dragone’s “One Love” and “India”, Simon Hammerstein’s The Act Las Vegas. He was also the recipient of the Gold Leo Award for Outstanding Choreography, presented to him at the Kennedy Center in Washington DC.
Upcoming projects include IL DIVO Live on Broadway scheduled to open November 2013, as well as a pre-Broadway production of the rock musical, Inappropriate, where he will be serving as both Co-Director and Choreographer.
