Exclusive Interview with Michael Rooney- Disney Muppets by Aleksi of Style Music TV

Questions

How did you get hooked up with Disney and the Muppets?  
The director James Bobin was pretty familiar with my work and he liked my choreography in the movie “500 Days of Summers”. And he called me into his office and we had an interview and hit it off and I was hired in the next couple of days.  But it was James Bobin that pretty much brought me in.

How was working on the Muppet Set?
I was so excited because again this was going to be human dancers, also working with the Muppets and the puppeteers.  I was very excited. I had a couple of weeks of prep that they gave me at Universal Studios and I had to work out the logistics of making the Muppets hands move in time with the dancers. Keeping in mind that most of the movements of the Muppets had to be from their waist and up and lots or arms and dealing with their limitations.  So that was challenging and fun. I think the best thing about working with the Muppets was making them come alive.  Just not making them dance but come alive with their facial expressions and making them feel like one of the living human bunch. So it was fun!  

What was the difference between working with human dancers and and puppets dancers? What were the challenging and exciting parts?
To expand on my last question and to answer your next question- if you visualize your hand, like a sock puppet, like your fingers tapping, hitting your thumb back and forth- that is what most of the puppeteers do- they have their hand inside the puppet- so I had to at some point, go ahead and choreograph my fingers and my thumbs, clacking together and going left and right and around especially for the chicken number that we did, for the clucking number.  So that was the first time I did “Hand Choreography” like that.  It was a bunch of “Hand Choreography”.

Where do you get your creative inspiration?
Well, what I do is listen to the piece of music over and over again, as long as I can, and I try to think in big, broad strokes. So, as oppose to doing syncopated small movements, which I think confuses the viewer-I work in really broad, broad strokes. I try to stay more on the solid counts and the less syncopated counts and that seemed to help with the puppeteers as well.  

--Industry Questions--:

Advise for aspiring dancers- that are just starting in their careers?
Don’t ever be disappointed by the word “No”- because no just means not at this time or maybe it wasn’t your turn to get the job.  Take nothing personally.  Don’t ever, ever let “No” discourage you. Always, always have tenacity, move forward and see where your luck and chances lie. But never be disappointed by the word “No”.








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STEVIE WONDER TO BE HONORED AT THE APOLLO THEATER’S 2011 ANNUAL SPRING GALA BENEFIT

CONCERT AND AWARDS CEREMONY

MONDAY, JUNE 13, 2011

 

SINBAD TO HOST; SPECIAL PERFORMANCES BY WYCLEF JEAN,

YOLANDA ADAMS, MELANIE FIONA AND RAPHAEL SAADIQ

 

BENEFIT SUPPORTS THE LEGENDARY NON-PROFIT THEATER’S

EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

HARLEM, NY – June 6, 2011 – The Apollo Theater today announced the complete lineup for its sixth Annual Spring Gala Benefit Concert honoring cultural icon Stevie Wonder, who will be inducted into the Apollo Legends Hall of Fame. The Benefit supports the preservation of the non-profit Theater’s unparalleled legacy, its current initiatives for emerging artists, and community and educational programs in New York City and beyond.

 

Wyclef Jean, Yolanda Adams, Melanie Fiona, Raphael Saadiq, Paul Schaffer, and Chick Corea, as well as other surprise guests, will perform during this special evening dedicated to Mr. Wonder’s legacy as an artist and philanthropist. The program will be hosted by celebrated comedian and former host of Showtime at the Apollo, Sinbad.

 

“I am proud to be hosting this outstanding evening honoring two ‘Wonders of the World’: the great Stevie Wonder and the legendary Apollo Theater,” said Sinbad.  “In many ways, hosting this event is like going full circle in my career. There isn’t a person in my time up to now that didn’t want to be Stevie Wonder. Getting to meet and hang with Stevie over the years—as well as hosting Showtime at the Apollo for two years—were milestones in my life.” 

 

Stevie Wonder joins other iconic performers in the Apollo Legends Hall of Fame—musicians, artists, and entertainers whose path to fame included the Apollo—including Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Quincy Jones, Patti LaBelle, Smokey Robinson, James Brown, Gladys Knight, Little Richard, and Ella Fitzgerald.  Each Apollo Legends Hall of Fame inductee is honored with a plaque on the Apollo Walk of Fame, installed under the Theater’s iconic marquee on 125^th Street in Harlem.

 

Additionally, The Apollo will present cosmetics giant Revlon with its Corporate Award, accepted by Chairman, Ronald O. Perelman, in recognition of Revlon’s support  of the Apollo. Philanthropist and arts supporter Reginald Van Lee will receive The Percy E. Sutton Civic Leadership Award, named in honor of one of New York City’s legendary leaders and a champion of Harlem and its cultural institutions.

 

Produced by Ron Weisner for Ron Weisner Entertainment with events management services provided by JKS Events, the benefit concert will be under the musical direction of Ray Chew, whose credits include Musical Director for American Idol, NBC’s The Singing Bee, Showtime at the Apollo as well as the Apollo’s weekly Amateur Night show.  Following the performance, the event will conclude with the Apollo Supper Club—a stylish lounge atmosphere created by David Monn featuring spectacular gourmet creations prepared by Great Performances.  The world renowned DJ D-Nice will provide music for late-night dancing.

 

About Stevie Wonder

Celebrated American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist Stevie Wonder has had a long association with the Apollo Theater, appearing for the first time in 1962 when he was 12 years old. At that time, he was called “Little Stevie Wonder,” and was already touring as a professional act (and was the only “child act”) as part of Berry Gordy’s “Motown Revue,” a road show featuring top acts from the Motown Label.  Stevie played a major role in the show since he could sing, play harmonica, organ, congas and drums, which led to him being called a “wonder child.”  Other notable Apollo appearances include the “Save the Apollo Concert” in the 1980s and sold out solo concerts in 2005. 

 

The Percy E. Sutton Civic Leadership Award is named for Percy E. Sutton, a distinguished community leader, entrepreneur, and long-time advocate for Harlem, and is a testament to his longstanding relationship and devotion to the Apollo and the City of New York. Mr. Sutton was Manhattan borough president for three terms, and at the time, was New York State’s highest ranking African-American elected official. After retiring from politics, he built a media empire, founding the Inner City Broadcasting Corporation in 1971, which became the second largest black owned radio broadcasting company in the United States. In 1981, Mr. Sutton purchased the world famous Apollo Theater and made pivotal contributions toward the efforts to revitalize and restore the Apollo. Percy E. Sutton graduated from Prairie View A&M University, Tuskegee Institute, and Hampton Institute. After serving as an intelligence officer in World War II with the Tuskegee Airmen, he earned a law degree from Brooklyn College and became one of America’s best-known lawyers, fighting for civil rights and representing many African-American activists, including Malcolm X. Mr. Sutton has received many honors, including the renaming of the 125^th Street Manhattanville Post Office and Fifth Avenue from 124th to 142nd Street in his name.

 

About the Apollo Theater

The Apollo Theater is one of Harlem’s, New York City’s, and America’s most iconic and enduring cultural institutions.  The Apollo was one of the first theaters in New York, and the country, to fully integrate, welcoming traditionally African-American, Hispanic, and local immigrant populations in the audience, as well as headlining uniquely talented entertainers who found it difficult to gain entrance to other venues of similar size and resources.  Since introducing the first Amateur Night contests in 1934, the Apollo Theater has played a major role in cultivating artists and in the emergence of innovative musical genres including jazz, swing, bebop, R&B, gospel, blues, soul, and hip-hop.  Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Billie Holiday, Sammy Davis, Jr., James Brown, Bill Cosby, Michael Jackson, Gladys Knight, Luther Vandross, D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, and countless others began their road to stardom on the Apollo’s stage. Based on its cultural significance and architecture, the Apollo Theater received state and city landmark designation in 1983 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

 

The Apollo's annual season is made possible by lead support from The Coca-Cola Company, the Edward and Leslye Phillips Family Foundation, the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone, Reggie Van Lee, The Ford Foundation, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Bloomberg, and the Neuberger Berman Foundation.  Lead annual support is also provided by public funds from the City of New York Theater Subdistrict Council; with additional funding from the National Endowment for the Arts; the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council; New York State funding from Senator Bill Perkins, Assemblyman Keith L.T. Wright, and the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation; and the New York State Council for the Arts. Visit www.apollotheater.orgto learn more.

 Apollo Theater - 253 West 125^th Street, New York, NY10027

Tickets for the 2011 Spring Gala and after-party are on sale now. To purchase benefit tickets to the event or to make a donation to the Apollo Theater Foundation, Inc., email ApolloSpringGala@jksevents.com  or call 212-380-8946.

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Adrienne Bailon wearing a GUESS by Marciano dress to the CEW Beauty Awards on Friday, May 20th in New York.



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We are thrilled to announce that Harold Zimmerman, founder and CEO of Votre Vu, is the winner of the Fashion Group International’s prestigious 2011 Rising Star Award in the Category of Beauty/Fragrance Entrepreneur. Other nominees included Christopher Chong of Amouage, Francis Kurkdjian of Maison Francis Kurkdjian, and Ellen Sirot of Hand Perfection.

 

The 14^th Annual Rising Star Awards, which recognize emerging talent in the Fashion and Design related industries, was held on Thursday, January 27, 2011 at Cipriani 42^nd Street in New York City. Bobbi Brown Worldwide president Maureen Case presented Zimmerman with the award, of which he says,

 

“Winning this award from Fashion Group International is truly an honor; I’m proud to be recognized for what we’ve accomplished so far at Votre Vu. However, my plea would be for everyone to stay tuned to the Votre Vu channel because baby, you ain’t seen nothing yet!”

 

Founded in 2007, Votre Vu is a luxury skin care company offering the finest French-made, natural products. Vu’s premium formulas—created by a French, family-owned laboratory that boasts more than 80 years of research and development expertise—are botanically based with the best, freshest, and most potent ingredients used in skin care.

 

Votre Vu products are available at www.votrevu.com

 

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In 2004, producer Sean "Diddy" Combs returned with Making the Band 3, this time searching for the next female super group.^[4] With the help of choreographer Laurie Ann Gibson, vocal trainer Doc Holiday and talent manager Johnny Wright, he set out on a multi-city search and chose twenty young singers out of almost 10,000 young women.^[4][5] While seven women remained, Combs became discontent with the level of talent remaining in the competition, and eventually decided not to form a band.^[4] He did, however, give a reprieve to three contestants he felt deserved another chance, including then-best friends Aubrey O'Day and Aundrea Fimbres, whose close bond originally formed early in the season.^[4] The three contestants became the first to appear in Season 2 of the show.^[4]

Afterwards, Combs once again pressed his team to audition new young women for the group.^[4] Finally, twenty young women were chosen and moved into a loft in New York City.^[4] Viewers had become invested in O'Day and Fimbres's friendship, naming them "the AUs" and "Aubrea" (portmanteux of their first names put together), as they watched the two compete all over again for positions in the group.^[4][6] As the competition's challenges increased, their friendship seemed to become the foundation upon which the group was being built.^[4] In addition, O'D ay emerged as the show's breakout star.^[4][5]

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