Whether it is a fantastic Super Bowl performance or a clip of a music video, singers often choreograph pieces that set the mood for their production and draw fans in. The artists most notably get all the credit for performing these dance moves, but not much credit is given to those who created the dances.
Charm La’Donna, the choreographer of Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl performance on Feb. 8, came up with a spectacular and entertaining show, and continues to come out with great pieces fueled by her love for dance and appreciation of its art. The Emmy-nominated choreographer is credited with some of the most groundbreaking performances, including Kendrick Lamar, The Weeknd and Beyonce’s halftime shows.
According to The Grio, Charm La’Donna is a multi-talented dancer and choreographer who is well-versed in a variety of different dance styles such as jazz, hip-hop, ballet and more. The Compton, California native has been in love with dance for as long as she could remember, being involved in the activity since she was 3-years-old.
To La’Donna, the most important thing about dance is the meaning and creative intention that goes into it. Going into creating a choreographed piece, it could be tough to know where to start. With the use of innovative intuition paired alongside an important note of a song’s elements, movements start to flow together to create something special filled with love for the dance.
As dancers, choreographers have to mix creativity along with movement quality to create pieces that have fluidity and different dynamics. A dance has a combination of both sharp and flowy movements to create differentiation.
The same way a writer could bold certain words in a story, a choreographer can make a movement faster and jerkier when the previous movements were soft and articulated. The energy that comes from a song is used and turned into movements that correspond with the elements from the song.
This can include its beat, lyrics and texture. These movements, however big or small, add to the abstractness of the piece. Dance is a different type of art where arm gestures, leg movements and facial expression are all combined to create the artwork that leaves an impression on the audience.
Bad Bunny’s halftime show was nothing short of a spectacle. The Puerto-Rican inspired show blended hiphop, Latin and jazz styles together to create a culturally rich piece. The brilliance behind the show stems from themes of joy, culture and inclusion, something that was proudly displayed as the message of Bad Bunny’s performance.
Working with other Latin choreographers, La’Donna was able to make a fantastic performance that showcased different aspects of Puerto-Rican culture with a nod to Bad Bunny’s background and appreciation for his roots.
The show overall was a success, with the choreography emphasizing how dance needs no translation when the movements describe everything. The celebration of love, dance and unity was described through the amazing work of Charm La’Donna and the dancers who executed the request.
