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Tony Testa

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Tony Testa
Born
Anthony Joseph Testa

(1987-03-31) 31 March 1987 (age 38)
Fort Collins, Colorado, U.S.
Occupation(s)Choreographer, Filmmaker, Photographer, Mixed-media Artist
Years active2005–present
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2015; div. 2020)​
Websitewww.tonytestaofficial.com

Tony Testa (born 31 March 1987) is an American choreographer, film-maker, photographer, educator and performer.[1][2][3][4]

Early life

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Testa started dancing at age eight in his hometown of Fort Collins, Colorado at Westin Arts Academy & Artistic Fusion Dance Academy.[5] His career as a choreographer began at 16 years old when he made a demo reel using his mother's video camera. The reel was seen by Janet Jackson, who hired him to be a choreographer for her promotional tour shortly after.[6][7][8]

Career

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Testa and Janet Jackson
Testa with Janet Jackson in 2008

After moving to LA in 2005,[9] Testa choreographed for Britney Spears,[10][11][12] Jennifer Lopez,[13][14] Versace,[13] Ariana Grande,[13] Demi Lovato,[15] The Grammy's,[13] & over 20+ kpop projects for SM Entertainment.[16][17][18] He was hired by director & mentor Kenny Ortega[19] as an associate choreographer for Michael Jackson's final tour, This Is It,[10][20] & co-choreographer for Dancing With The Stars, The Rocky Horror Picture Show,[21] and Descendants 2.[22].

In 2010 he choreographed Kylie Minogue[23] in "All The Lovers", "Better Than Today" and "Get Outta My Way" music videos & in 2011 was the associate director and choreographer for her Aphrodite: Les Folies Tour.[24] In November that same year, Testa co-directed the opening of the American Music Awards with Wade Robson, and served as the Creative Director for both Season 1 of The Voice UK[25] and for One Direction on Saturday Night Live (Season 37, Episode 18).

Testa rehearsing at LACMA (2015)

His choreographies have been featured at the LACMA alongside Noah Purifoy "Junk Data",[13] & in shows directed by Franco Dragone.[9] In 2021 he was on the cover of GASP ZINE: issue 10 "The People's Issue",[26] & his photography was shown at both GASP GALLERY & in Vanity Fair Magazine (Italy).[27]

Testa is also a dance educator for the New York City Dance Alliance[28] and Monsters Dance[29] conventions.

Collaborative Films

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On set for ORIGIN with Johnson (2023)
DisInteGrated (2021)

In 2021, Testa & long time collaborator, Wade Robson, co-created an experimental short film featuring choreography performed by Testa. After its premiere on films.dance "DisInteGrated"[30][31] was an official selection for 6 film festivals including Hollyshorts[32] where it screened at the world famous Grauman's Chinese Theater. With an original musical score by the British jazz singer, Zara McFarlane,[33] DisInteGrated won best experimental film at the Los Angeles Movie Awards[9] & was featured on Nowness.[34]

In 2023 Testa and Keean Johnson, co-directed "Origin" starring Popin' Pete and Robert Green. The film was shot mainly underwater, where Testa called upon his freediving experience[9] to make the picture. The performers trained for several days in a scuba diving training facility to prepare for shooting. Origin premiered live at the Monsters Dance finale in a warehouse in Brooklyn, NY (2023)[35] & was an official selection for the BronzeLens Film Festival in Atlanta, GA.[36]

B1: Movement Through Images

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b1 premiere in Fort Collins, CO (2024)

After apprenticing with Greek Theater Director, Dimitris Papaioannou,[9] Testa's focused shifted away from commercial projects and towards creating original works. He converted his garage into a blackbox theatre and began prioritizing choreographic experiments with a camera.

In 2022 he assembled a group of 22 performers and created a deeply ambitious film & photographic series which premiered at a horse barn/hunting lodge[37] in his hometown of Fort Collins, CO.[38]

Testa rehearsing B1 "Human Remains" at TED 2025 in Vancouver, BC

“Human movement connects individuality to the power of the whole at every phase: in the studio, in the camera, in the performance space and in our collective awareness”, Testa says.

B1 was met with universal praise by ArtsMeme,[39] & LA Dance Chronicle.[40] "His use of props and technology was incredibly inventive and meshed well with his choreography, which combined tap, contemporary, hip-hop and, surprisingly, boxing. The piece felt cinematic and visceral, packed with energy", said Steven Vargas for the LA Times.[41] His solo performances of "Human Remains", an excerpt of the B1 film, were performed live by Testa at Congress viii in Los Angeles, & at the TED 2025 flagship conference in British Columbia.[42]

B1: Movement Through Images has since exhibited in Burbank, CA, Phoenix, AZ,[43] & Vancouver, B.C.

References

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  1. ^ "DCW 2025 Selected Films".
  2. ^ Top Los Angeles choreographers frolic in fountains for Dance Camera West | arts•meme
  3. ^ "Tony Testa Explores Dance Through Film & Photography with World Premiere of b1 in Fort Collins | NOCO Style Magazine". 3 September 2024.
  4. ^ "Tony Testa". NYCDA. Retrieved 2025-09-05.
  5. ^ Owens, Jennifer. "Alumni". Artistic Fusion Dance Academy. IBU. Archived from the original on 9 June 2013. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  6. ^ Kay, Tonia. "Why do a demo reel?". Answers4dancers. Archived from the original on 22 April 2013. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  7. ^ Spirit, Dance (2009-01-14). "The Reel Deal: Dance on Camera". Dance Spirit. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  8. ^ Grover Dale (2010-05-03). Tony Testa's Homemade Demo Reel. Retrieved 2025-09-06 – via YouTube.
  9. ^ a b c d e "Tony Testa | Choreographers, Directors". MSA Agency. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  10. ^ a b Choreographer Tony Testa Checks Out 'Viva Elvis' | Las Vegas Review-Journal
  11. ^ "There is one choreographer in Britney's career that we totally overlooked". BreatheHeavy | Exhale. 2020-08-11. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  12. ^ "TOUR CHOREOGRAPHER FOR BRITNEY COMES TO SYDNEY! – Dance Life". www.dancelife.com.au. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  13. ^ a b c d e "Tony Testa | Choreographers, Directors". MSA Agency. Retrieved 2025-09-05.
  14. ^ "Tony Testa". Axis Connect. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  15. ^ "Tony Testa | Choreographer, Director, Editor". IMDb. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  16. ^ Joonni. "SHINee Takes Group Photo With Choreographer Tony Testa". soompi.com. Enswers, Inc. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  17. ^ SHINee meets Tony Testa - Yahoo News Singapore
  18. ^ Girl, Car Door Guy's (2018-06-04). "Choreography Ranking: Tony Testa's K-Pop Dances". Car Door Guy's Girl. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  19. ^ "Tony Testa". Axis Connect. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  20. ^ Murray, Rebecca. "Kenny Ortega Discusses 'Michael Jackson's This Is It'". About.com. IAC/InterActiveCorp. Archived from the original on 7 February 2017. Retrieved 7 April 2013.
  21. ^ The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again (TV Movie 2016) - Full cast & crew - IMDb. Retrieved 2025-09-05 – via www.imdb.com.
  22. ^ "Disney Branded Television Press". Retrieved 2025-09-05.
  23. ^ "Tony Testa - Other works". IMDb. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  24. ^ "Tony Testa Faculty Bio | Broadway Dance Center". broadwaydancecenter.com. 2017-02-28. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  25. ^ The Voice UK (TV Series 2012– ) - Full cast & crew - IMDb. Retrieved 2025-09-06 – via www.imdb.com.
  26. ^ "GASP ZINE 10: "THE PEOPLE'S ISSUE" FEATURING TONY TESTA". GASP ZINE. Retrieved 2025-09-05.
  27. ^ Panizza, Raffaella. "Stefania Spampinato". Retrieved 2025-09-05 – via PressReader.
  28. ^ "Faculty". nycdance.com. NYCDA. Archived from the original on 2017-08-14. Retrieved 2013-04-12.
  29. ^ "EDUCATORS". Monsters Dance. Retrieved 2025-09-05.
  30. ^ levine, debra (2021-11-22). "Quarantine blues, back-to-nature edition | arts•meme". Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  31. ^ "Daring D2D Film Festival Moves With Impressive Awe and Tears". L.A. Dance Chronicle. 2023-10-31. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  32. ^ "August 11-20, 2022". hollyshorts2022.eventive.org. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  33. ^ "Spotify – Web Player". Spotify. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  34. ^ "DisInteGrated". Oct 18, 2021.
  35. ^ "ORIGIN".
  36. ^ "Welcome to the 16th Annual BronzeLens Film Festival". bronzelens.eventive.org. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  37. ^ "b1 FORT COLLINS, CO (FILM + PHOTO EXHIBITION + LIVE PERFORMANCE)". b1. 2024-09-27. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  38. ^ Staff (2024-09-03). "Tony Testa Explores Dance Through Film & Photography with World Premiere of b1 in Fort Collins | NOCO Style Magazine". Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  39. ^ "tony testa | arts•meme". 29 August 2023. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  40. ^ "Denna Thomsen and Zak Ryan Schlegel's Congress VIII Continues the Magic". L.A. Dance Chronicle. 2023-08-31. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  41. ^ Vargas, Steven (2023-08-30). "On my mind". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
  42. ^ Testa, Tony (2025-06-06). A spine-tingling dance of light and shadow. Retrieved 2025-09-06 – via www.ted.com.
  43. ^ "CALENDAR". b1. 2025-07-19. Retrieved 2025-09-06.
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