Fatima Robinson is probably responsible for all the dance moves that you know. The Arkansas-born, L.A.-bred choreographer began her career as a licensed cosmetologist, spending her nights dancing her heart out on every dance floor she could find. Then she got her break at just 21 years old when asked to choreograph the video for Michael Jackson's "Remember the Time," directed by John Singleton. She has since teamed up with music's crème de la crème, including Prince, Gwen Stefani, Black Eyed Peas and Fergie (she most recently choreographed and directed the "Fergalicious" video), scooping up numerous nominations and awards from MTV and the Music Video Production Association along the way. She staged the Keith Haring biographical musical Radiant Baby, for which she was nominated for a Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Choreographer in 2003, and she got people for the Gap and iPod to dance in your living rooms. This year she helmed the entire choreography of the movie Dreamgirls and blew audiences away with nostalgic numbers that brilliantly embodied the period while still perfectly peppered with a familiar urban flair (you can catch Robinson in a cameo as one of the Stepp Sisters).
Robinson recently opened her
own multipurpose, nontraditional studio space called Foresight Studios,
where you can rent space for rehearsals, casting sessions, photo shoots
and more. A massive floor-to-ceiling graffiti piece, insane sound
systems and screens that stream dance footage are all meant to inspire.
"I'm a street dancer, no matter what," she says, explaining why street
shoes are allowed inside, a huge no-no in conventional studios. Now, at
35, she has recently developed an interest in directing. But is
performing fully out of her system? "I just go over to Prince's house
for a jam session, and I'll dance in my own world. Get my groove off!"
Enough said.
Eugenia Park
Fatima wears jeans by Lucky, jacket by Rick Owens. Makeup: M*A*C.
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