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SONYA TAYEH Press Kit Prepared by:
Press Contact: CW3PR
Jana Davidoff [email protected] Ashley Patterson
SONYA TAYEH choreographer
Choreographer Sonya Tayeh hardly whispers in the movements she creates; she screams. An undeniable force in the dance world, Tayeh’s work is a tribute to her Detroit roots – a constant, yet grounding influence that inspires her to create strong, jarring, aggressive and powerful choreography with an underlying sense of angst. It’s her uniqueness and loud presence that has made her a favorite among the judges and fans of Fox’s six-time Emmy-winning show, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, now in its 10th season. Often lauded for empowering and bringing the best out of dancers, the jazz/contemporary choreographer snagged her first Emmy nomination for Outstanding Choreography on the popular series in 2013. The three pieces that prompted the nod are “Possibly Maybe,” “Turning Page” and “Sail”, which range in tone and display the versatility of Tayeh’s dynamic style. Allison Holker and Cole Horibe, Tiffany Maher and George Lawrence Jr., and Audrey Case and Tiffany Maher performed to those songs, respectively, in season 9. For “Possibly Maybe”, Tayeh had to create a treatment for Björk that explained what the song means to her through referenced photos and paragraphs, breaking down each heart-wrenching lyric. Impressed by what she had presented, Björk gave permission to use one of her songs for the first time ever on SYTYCD. Tayeh then crafted a beautifully dark, sharp and heavy routine that indulged in the character side of her choreography. In this, Allison portrayed a woman who lacked self worth, and Cole depicted a sinister man entertained by her worthlessness. In “Turning Page,” Tayeh choreographed a lighter, more romantic dance that celebrates love and the possibility of forever. In this, Tiffany and George illuminated the story-telling through breathtaking partnering and exquisite fluidity. The final piece nominated, “Sail,” showcases the strength, musicality and athleticism of two women, Tiffany and Audrey, fiercely embracing the driving force of their undeniable technical abilities. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Detroit, Tayeh did not formally start dance training until she was an 18-year-old student at Wayne State University. Ask what separates her from the other Emmy nominated choreographers and she’ll admit to lacking the lengthy dance training the others have. Instead, she first learned movement from Detroit – the mecca of electronic dance music. At a young age, it was witnessing the city’s underground music scene, the way the beats moved the crowd to dance, that initiated Tayeh’s own desire to be a dancemaker. It was at WSU that Tayeh then extensively studied the roots of modern dance and was deeply influenced by dance historians Martha Graham, Alvin Ailey and Twyla Tharp, to name a few.
Now, much of Tayeh’s choreography is set to that same electronic and bass-driven music that inspired her in childhood. Her work has been characterized as androgynous, empowering, and even excessive. Tayeh demands rigor and technical excellence from every dancer she works with, and inspires them to embrace the aggressive and push past the fatigue. It makes complete sense that her mantra is “Your body can handle more than your mind thinks it can. Keep pushing.” Aside from SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, Tayeh’s work will soon be seen in THE LAST GOODBYE, a new rock musical that melds Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” with Jeff Buckley’s songs. The play will be directed by two-time Tony Award nominee Alex Timbers. It opens at The Old Globe in September 2013 in San Diego. Tayeh is also working on KUNG FU, an off-Broadway play helmed by Leigh Silverman, which marries dance and music to Bruce Lee’s arrival to America in the 1960s. The world premiere is set for the fall/winter season at Signature Theatre in New York. Tayeh’s other stage credits include: “The Last Goodbye” (Williamstown Theatre Festival); “Spring Awakening” (San Jose Repertory Theatre); Cirque du Soleil’s “Walk for Water”; “Wave” and “Next Wave” at Los Angeles Ballet; and “The Endurance to Move,” “Battles” and “The Root of Me” (Tayeh Dance Company). Television credits include: “So You Think You Can Dance,” “American Music Awards,” “The Voice,” “X Factor,” “The BRIT Awards,” and “American Idol.” Tayeh has choreographed world tours and stage performances for Madonna, Florence and the Machine, Kylie Minogue, Kerli and Miley Cyrus. She leads master classes and workshops, both nationally and internationally, and has received many accolades for teaching and choreography from Women Of Detroit, Dance Magazine’s 25 To Watch, as well as the cover story for Dance Teacher Magazine.
SONYA TAYEH choreographer
2013 PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS RED CARPET
2013 PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS RED CARPET continued…
Sonya with “So You Think You Can Dance” Judge Mary Murphy and “Dancing With The Stars” Judge Carrie Ann Inaba.
Above: Sonya with Emmy nominee Edie Falco (“Nurse Jackie”)
Below: Sonya with Emmy nominee Peter Dinklage (“Game of Thrones”).
Above: Sonya with Sarah Hyland (“Modern Family”).
Below: Sonya with Emmy nominee Connie Britton (“Nashville”).
2013 PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS RED CARPET continued…
Left: Sonya with “Dancing With the Stars’” Julianne Hough and Emmy
winner Derek Hough.
Right: Sonya on the red carpet with Emmy nominee Edie Falco, Emmy
winner Bobby Cannavale, and Rose Byrne.
Left: Sonya on the red carpet with Carrie Underwood, Emmy nominee
Edie Falco, and Rose Byrne.
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SOCIAL MEDIA MENTIONS
CW3PR secured social media placement of Sonya’s interviews on the official “So You Think You Can Dance”
Twitter account and Facebook page.
